"Drug gu? Master, you..." Gu An asked, feigning terror.
Could Cheng Xuandan be planning to make a move against him as well?
Without looking back, Cheng Xuandan pushed aside the branches blocking the path, bent down to pass through, and said as he walked, "Meng Lang's aptitude was a little better than yours, but only by a limited amount. Even with my pills supporting him, it would have been difficult for him to reach Foundation Establishment. Medicine Valley only needs one successor. His existence was a threat to you. You should have sensed the flaws in his character."
Hearing this, Gu An could not help falling silent.
Something about that sounded wrong. Why did it seem as though Cheng Xuandan had killed Meng Lang for his sake?
But he had not wanted Meng Lang to die.
Meng Lang might have been lowly, but his nature was not truly bad.
"Do not overthink it. Though I killed him to pave the way for you, if you must blame someone, blame him for having better aptitude than you. The one I am helping is the master of Medicine Valley," Cheng Xuandan said casually.
Gu An could not help asking, "Shouldn't the master of Medicine Valley be chosen based on stronger aptitude?"
"But if one's aptitude is truly exceptional, how could one spend an entire lifetime peacefully in this Medicine Valley?"
"Could there be something special about this Medicine Valley?"
"There is indeed. I am not merely a disciple of the Taixuan Sect; I am also a spy for Thousand Autumn Pavilion. Thousand Autumn Pavilion is a Demonic Path sect. Its strength falls short of the Taixuan Sect's, so it has planted many spies like me."
Well, damn. There really was a Demonic Path spy!
Gu An suddenly did not know how to respond.
He could see it clearly now. Cheng Xuandan truly did not intend to harm him. The most fatal part was that Cheng Xuandan obviously intended to pass the burden of being a spy onto him.
"After I die, you can peacefully be the valley master. You need not deliberately do anything. When Thousand Autumn Pavilion needs you, someone will naturally come knocking. You only need to obey their instructions. Of course, you can also report this to the Taixuan Sect. In any case, I do not have many years left to live. But you must weigh carefully whether the Taixuan Sect can tolerate you. For Handyman Disciples like you, they would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let a single one slip through."
There was even a trace of contentment in Cheng Xuandan's tone as he said this, making Gu An want to hit someone.
"Remember Thousand Autumn Pavilion's code: 'The heart of the thousand-autumn vine never regrets; amid the withering silence of ten thousand arts, its roots are hard to find.'"
"Do I have no other choice?"
"What do you think?"
Gu An fell silent again.
"Spies like me are insignificant even to Thousand Autumn Pavilion. Perhaps they will never come looking for you in your entire life," Cheng Xuandan said in a self-mocking tone.
After thinking it over, Gu An realized that he truly had no way to resist.
It was like yellow mud splattering onto his trouser leg—whether he was a Demonic Path spy or not, he would be treated as one.
"Master, if you are a cultivator of Thousand Autumn Pavilion, there must be a reason you remained in this Medicine Valley. Why hide it?" Gu An asked in a deep voice.
"You truly are clever. That is right. Beneath Medicine Valley lies a Seventh-rank Spirit Tree. Once we return, I will take you to see it."
"Se... seventh-rank?"
Gu An's voice trembled, and his eyes shone.
Fine winter snow drifted through heaven and earth. A towering city stood amid the mountain ranges, its gates a full ten zhang high. Some entered on foot, while Taixuan Sect disciples flew in on swords, and some even rode mounts.
Gu An walked along the mountain road, gazing at the Taixuan Sect's Outer Sect City from afar, wonder filling his eyes.
What a huge city!
"The Taixuan Sect has eight Outer Sect Cities. Further inward lie four Four Directions Inner Sect Cities, and within those four cities is a Main Sect City. Only heavenly geniuses and those of exalted status may set foot there. Viewed from the sky, the Taixuan Sect's layout is said to resemble an exquisite compass. Every mountain possesses its own mysteries."
Cheng Xuandan introduced the place with a sigh, regret showing in his eyes.
Gu An could not help asking, "Just how large is the Taixuan Sect?"
They had walked for more than half a month on this journey, which showed how far Medicine Valley was from this city.
"Vast beyond measure. Even I do not know."
Cheng Xuandan continued toward the Outer Sect City, with Gu An close behind him.
When Gu An had first joined the Taixuan Sect, he had not come to the Outer Sect City. An elder of the Taixuan Sect had received Ji Xiaoyu in a pavilion amid the mountains and forests. It was because of her influence that, after Gu An stated where he wished to go, that elder dispatched a disciple to escort him to Cheng Xuandan's Medicine Valley.
This was his first time coming to the Outer Sect.
The master and disciple arrived at the city gate. Cheng Xuandan displayed his token, and Gu An glimpsed two words engraved upon it.
Mystic Valley.
After entering the city, earth-shaking clamor surged toward them, leaving Gu An secretly astonished.
There was a restriction on the city gates!
With his hearing, he had actually been unable to hear any sounds from within the city while outside it.
"Top-grade medicinal herbs! First come, first served! Only ten plants for sale today!"
"Hidden treasures from a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator's Cave Mansion! Come take a look!"
"A pure-blooded Snow Mountain Spirit Fox! Raise it for another five years at most, and it will be able to speak human language!"
"Treasure picking! Treasure picking! Ten Low-grade Spirit Stones per item! What you uncover depends entirely on your fortune!"
"A map to an ancient Great Cultivator's Cave Mansion! Those with ample strength may come purchase it!"
Gu An was drawn in by the hawking voices on both sides of the street. Lofty shop buildings lined both sides, and the broad street held no disciples setting up street stalls.
Gu An even saw brothels.
Not bad. As expected of a righteous and prestigious sect!
Cheng Xuandan introduced things all along the way, broadening Gu An's horizons.
No wonder so many people squeezed their brains dry to enter the Taixuan Sect. The Taixuan Sect truly possessed abundant cultivation resources.
Gu An was not merely listening. He was also frantically using Lifespan Inspection.
After walking two li along the street, he had already seen five cultivators whose maximum lifespan exceeded five hundred years.
The Outer Sect truly hid crouching tigers and coiled dragons!
Half an hour later, Cheng Xuandan led Gu An into an enormous estate. Three large words were written upon the plaque:
Alchemy Hall!
People came and went within Alchemy Hall. Some hurried along with anxious expressions, some wore furrowed brows, and others laughed heartily.
Gu An followed Cheng Xuandan to a courtyard and paid respects to an elder of Alchemy Hall.
Zhu Qinglu, a Ninth-layer Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator and one of Alchemy Hall's elders, oversaw fifty-one Medicine Valleys and was Cheng Xuandan's superior.
He had a fat build and wore a loose azure Daoist robe. A kindly smile hung on his face, giving him an utterly harmless appearance.
Inside the main hall, Zhu Qinglu received Cheng Xuandan and instructed a disciple under him to pour tea.
"Xuandan, why is your complexion so poor?" Zhu Qinglu asked with concern.
Gu An took the chance to use Lifespan Inspection.
[Zhu Qinglu (Ninth-layer Foundation Establishment Realm): 211/267/510]
He had lived for two hundred and eleven years!
Gu An stood beside Cheng Xuandan, not daring to be discourteous.
Cheng Xuandan said with a chuckle, "To be honest, my end is approaching. I came today not only to hand over medicinal herbs, but also for the sake of my disciple. I wish to pass the position of Mystic Valley's master to him."
Zhu Qinglu looked at Gu An and smiled. "Third-layer Qi Refining Realm. It seems this child must have something extraordinary about him."
Pah!
What a vicious insult!
Cheng Xuandan smiled. "This child has a pure and kind nature, can unite the disciples, and is willing to remain in Medicine Valley for his entire life. He is the best candidate."
Zhu Qinglu did not say much more. He raised a hand and beckoned, and a disciple entered from outside the hall.
The time it took an incense stick to burn later.
Gu An followed Cheng Xuandan out of Alchemy Hall. He played with a bronze token in his hand, engraved with the words Mystic Valley. He could sense the aura of a restriction within it.
From this day onward, within the Taixuan Sect's Alchemy Hall, his identity was the master of Mystic Valley.
"The valley master's Storage Bag is with me. I will pass it on to you," Cheng Xuandan's voice came from ahead, interrupting Gu An's thoughts.
Gu An hurriedly asked, "Master, where are we going next?"
He wanted to return. A batch of medicinal herbs was ready to be harvested, and he feared his junior brother and junior sister might harvest them for him.
"Before returning, I will take you to Handyman Hall. You can recruit Handyman Disciples there. Today, you may recruit one Handyman Disciple and bring them back with you. Consider it a way for you to familiarize yourself with the process," Cheng Xuandan replied without looking back.
Gu An looked at his back, emotions stirring in his heart.
Everyone had many sides, and Cheng Xuandan embodied that truth to the fullest.
In the past, Cheng Xuandan had treated his disciples with a cold face. Now, he had even refined one of his disciples into a drug gu. He was also a Demonic Path spy. No matter how one looked at it, he was a villain.
Yet his kindness toward Gu An was real.
Handyman Hall was not far from Alchemy Hall. They arrived after turning down several streets. This estate was even larger. Upon entering its gates, Gu An saw a vast plaza filled with people.
Looking at those candidate disciples waiting to be chosen, Gu An finally realized how fortunate he had been.
If not for the Ji Family, then with the aptitude of his Spirit Root, even if he had entered the Taixuan Sect, he would have had to wait to be selected like these people.
"You can look around by yourself. I will not interfere. Once you have chosen, I will take you to register," Cheng Xuandan said softly. He rubbed his chest, clearly feeling unwell.
Gu An nodded, then stepped forward.
Did he even need to judge?
The golden finger activated!
Gu An began frantically using Lifespan Inspection, inspecting every person he saw.
Most people here had very low maximum lifespans. There were even short-lived wretches among them. Some had only one year left to live, yet they were still eagerly hoping to be selected.
Gu An soon discovered a genius whose maximum lifespan exceeded five hundred years.
He was in no hurry to decide. He would look over everyone first.
Medicine Valley did not need a genius. What he wanted was someone with a long current lifespan.
Maximum lifespan was the limit of a person's cultivation. To reach that limit was unimaginably difficult, requiring countless opportunities to fill the gap.
The reason there were so many overlooked gems was that Spirit Root aptitude could not completely determine the height of someone's future.
Current lifespan was different. So long as one did not suffer severe injuries, one could live that long.
Very soon, Gu An's gaze settled on a young man. He was a little monk with ordinary features, dressed in worn cloth garments, meditating in a corner of the plaza.
[Wuxin (Second-layer Qi Refining Realm): 15/330/380]
A Qi Refining cultivator actually had a lifespan of three hundred and thirty years!
How rare!
Perhaps this boy possessed a special physique, or perhaps he cultivated some special technique.
Gu An immediately walked over to Wuxin. Wuxin sensed something and opened his eyes. Gu An's smiling face entered his sight.
"Little brother, are you willing to come to my Medicine Valley? It usually is not too busy, and you will have plenty of time to cultivate," Gu An said with a gentle smile.
Seeing his smile, Wuxin nodded instinctively.
Nearby, Cheng Xuandan studied Wuxin. He seemed to have noticed something. Then he glanced at Gu An, his gaze turning strange.
Thanks to Dan Cha Bei Xiang for the 1,000,000 Qidian Coin reward!
The operations officer's Silver Alliance sponsorship was truly impressive!
Thanks to Star Spirit Blood for the 5,000 Qidian Coin reward. Thank you, old friend~~
Thanks to Listening to Rain from a Tower YLTY for the 100 Qidian Coin reward~~
A new week begins. Please vote with monthly tickets and recommendation tickets—especially monthly tickets. Leave more comments too, and liven things up~~
Before you continue