Spring gave way to autumn, and five years vanished in the blink of an eye.
Over those five years, Gu An continued his plan of investing one year of lifespan every night. By the end of the five years, he had invested more than eighteen hundred years of lifespan, and his cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul Realm Eighth Layer.
After crossing the Nascent Soul Realm Fifth Layer, the time required for each minor realm increased exponentially. Gu An, still in the midst of evolution, could only grind through his cultivation the hard way, taking even longer.
Now, he had more than ten thousand two hundred years of lifespan remaining. The addition of Eight Sceneries Grotto-Heaven had increased his annual lifespan income.
Over the past five years, Mystic Valley had gained three more Handyman Disciples. All of them took Gu An as their master—two men and one woman. From eldest to youngest, they were Tang Yu, Su Han, and Zhen Qin.
Gu An no longer chose based on talent. He selected disciples with ordinary aptitude so as not to attract trouble. The three of them all had maximum lifespans of around two hundred years, and on that basis, he tried to choose those pleasing to his eye.
On this day, at the valley entrance, Xiao Chuan, Ye Lan, Wuxin, Tang Yu, Su Han, and Zhen Qin gathered around Lu Jiujia.
"Senior Brother, may you succeed!"
"Martial Uncle, once you reach the Outer Sect, don't forget us."
"Don't worry. Medicine Valley has me."
"If you fail, I'll laugh at you."
Today was the day Lu Jiujia would head to the Outer Sect for the assessment. Gu An had cut an Azure Vine Fruit into four portions and distributed them among his four junior brothers and junior sisters, greatly increasing their cultivation. Lu Jiujia had even taken the lead in reaching the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
It was worth mentioning that after eating the Azure Vine Fruit, Wuxin had completely settled down. Every night, he cultivated obediently in his room instead of scrambling over mountains and ridges. He had also become far more diligent in his work.
Twenty-three-year-old Lu Jiujia was high-spirited. He looked toward the loft where his eldest senior brother lived and saw him standing by the window, watching him. Warmth filled his heart.
"Wait for my good news. I won't disappoint Eldest Senior Brother!"
Lu Jiujia said with a smug grin before turning and leaving.
Relying on the Residual Wind Leg he had cultivated for many years, he felt he could make a name for himself in the Outer Sect.
Dressed in a black robe with a white base, Gu An watched Lu Jiujia depart from afar, his heart filled with a peculiar feeling.
He could not tell whether it was relief or reluctance. Perhaps it was both.
"I'm only twenty-seven, yet I'm already this sentimental. What will become of me when I'm two hundred, two thousand, or even twenty thousand?" Gu An mocked himself with a smile.
He turned around, sat at the table, picked up Travels of the Green Hero, and continued savoring it.
This was the newly released Travels of the Green Hero from last year. In his view, it was absolutely a masterpiece. The author's skill in writing of wind, flowers, snow, and moon had reached the pinnacle of perfection.
An hour later.
Wuxin came to visit. At twenty-one, he was still dressed as a monk. Gu An often teased him for being a jade-faced Tang Monk. Especially after putting on the monk's robe Gu An had specially commissioned for him in the Outer Sect, he looked even more refined.
"Eldest Senior Brother, all the gardens on the mountain have been watered. Do you have any other instructions for today?" Wuxin asked softly as he walked to Gu An's side. His gaze flicked toward Travels of the Green Hero, and his fair, handsome face instantly flushed crimson.
Without even raising his eyes, Gu An said, "There's nothing else. Go cultivate."
Wuxin walked to the other side of the table, yet did not leave. He looked hesitant and indecisive.
Gu An glanced at him and asked, "Is there something else?"
Dressed in black, he already carried the oppressive presence of someone in a high position. Medicine Valley had enjoyed good harvests these past years, and since he did not keep a private stash, he had paid out of pocket to buy everyone in Medicine Valley new clothes. Now, no one looked like a Handyman Disciple anymore.
Wuxin gritted his teeth and said, "Senior Brother, I'll be honest. With my aptitude, it's impossible for me to enter the Outer Sect. I truly want to stay in Medicine Valley with you for the rest of my life."
Gu An put down Travels of the Green Hero and scrutinized him carefully.
Wasn't there only one meaning behind those words?
He wanted to improve!
Gu An frowned, looking troubled.
Seeing his expression, Wuxin immediately panicked and actually dropped to his knees.
"Senior Brother, where exactly do I fall short? I work harder than them, I'm more obedient than them, and they all want to go to the Outer Sect. I'm the only one who doesn't," Wuxin said emotionally, his eyes even reddening.
However, Gu An could tell that he had activated some sort of cultivation technique to make his blood and qi surge.
Good boy, copying me, are you?
Gu An said earnestly, "Wuxin, in my heart, no one is better or worse than anyone else. Just like that Azure Vine Fruit, I divided it equally among all of you. But the position of chief disciple is of great importance. It may even represent the next Valley Master. Though I am a Handyman Disciple, my treatment is no worse than that of an ordinary Outer Sect disciple. I must repay the sect's grace."
"You seem to be hiding something from me. Of course, everyone has hardships they cannot speak of, and I do not wish to press you. You will always be my junior brother, but the position of chief disciple..."
At the end, he let out a sigh, looking helpless.
Wuxin froze. He had never expected his actions from years ago to have long been noticed by Eldest Senior Brother. His first reaction was panic, followed by emotion.
The last time he had gone out in the dead of night to gather intelligence had been five years ago. Yet Senior Brother had endured him for five whole years.
What did that mean?
Senior Brother truly considered him one of his own!
Putting himself in Gu An's shoes, Wuxin felt that if their positions were reversed, he would likely have severely punished such a junior brother long ago.
The more Wuxin thought about it, the more ashamed he became. He truly could not keep acting.
"Senior Brother, actually..." Wuxin gritted his teeth, as though he had made an enormous decision.
"Actually, I come from Thousand Autumn Pavilion. My father is one of the seventy-two Pavilion Masters of Thousand Autumn Pavilion. My aptitude is dull, and I was bullied by my brothers and sisters year-round, so I ran away. The reason I went around searching in the dead of night was because I had heard of Senior Brother Li Ya's deeds. I wanted to see if there was any fortuitous opportunity, hoping that one day I could prove myself to my father. But now I've given up. Forget comparing myself to my brothers and sisters—even compared to Lu Jiujia, I'm far inferior..."
Wuxin spilled it all in one breath. By the end, he lowered his head, not daring to look at Gu An.
Gu An's face was filled with shock and disbelief.
"You..."
Hearing even Eldest Senior Brother's voice tremble, Wuxin felt even more ashamed. He pressed his forehead tightly against the ground.
Gu An truly had not expected Wuxin to be from Thousand Autumn Pavilion.
What kind of situation was this?
They might as well stop calling this Mystic Valley and call it Thousand Autumn Valley instead!
Gu An silently spread out his divine sense, forming an invisible barrier to guard against anyone eavesdropping.
After remaining silent for a while, he finally let out a heavy sigh and said, "Fine. Get up first, then speak."
Upon hearing that, the uneasy Wuxin secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Wuxin stood up. Seeing the complicated expression on Gu An's face, he felt even more moved.
Sure enough, Senior Brother truly treats me sincerely!
"I don't know much about Thousand Autumn Pavilion. I heard Thousand Autumn Pavilion is a Demonic Path sect?" Gu An asked after taking a deep breath.
Wuxin nodded. "It is indeed Demonic Path, and the most wicked sort of Demonic Path sect at that. Corpse techniques, gu arts, soul capture, poisons, and more—there is no demonic art they do not understand. I simply couldn't stay there, so I escaped..."
"Then will your father come looking for you? I have to consider the other disciples," Gu An asked worriedly.
Wuxin hurriedly waved his hands. "How could he possibly come looking for me? He would rather I were already dead. I am his greatest disgrace!"
Gu An's expression eased slightly upon hearing that, but he rebuked him, "Wuxin, I do not permit you to belittle yourself like this. How can a person's worth be judged by the height of their cultivation?"
Wuxin could not help scratching his head and chuckling. "I know. It's just that Thousand Autumn Pavilion is Demonic Path. Senior Brother, people of the Demonic Path are all abnormal."
Gu An nodded. Seemingly recalling something, he asked, "Right. Have you ever heard the name Jiang Qiong in Thousand Autumn Pavilion?"
"Jiang Qiong?" Wuxin was stunned for a moment, then frowned in thought.
After several breaths, realization dawned on him. "I remember now. She was Thousand Autumn Pavilion's Top Genius a hundred years ago, and she was also the Second Pavilion Master's daughter. But she fell many years ago. When I was young, I heard my father mention her. He even wanted my eldest brother to marry Jiang Qiong."
Hearing this, Gu An could not help asking curiously, "How old is your father?"
Wuxin answered, "He's nearly five hundred. He has over a hundred children, so even if I went missing, he wouldn't care."
Gu An fell silent.
The Demonic Path's way of doing things was rather enviable after all.
Gu An asked a few more questions, but unfortunately, Wuxin did not know much about Jiang Qiong.
"Since you have confessed your origins, I will nurture you into the chief disciple. If the position of chief disciple of a valley can bring one Demonic Cultivator back from the path of error, that can be considered a good deed. But for now, this matter cannot be revealed. Use your actions to win over everyone in the valley," Gu An said seriously.
At those words, Wuxin was beside himself with joy.
Just as he was about to thank Gu An, he heard Gu An continue, "From now on, you cannot mention Thousand Autumn Pavilion even half a word. Not even when you are alone in private. This is Taixuan Sect—someone may hear even your muttering to yourself."
Wuxin hurriedly nodded and respectfully accepted the instruction.
The two senior and junior brothers changed the subject and chatted about other trivial matters.
Wuxin felt closer to Eldest Senior Brother than ever. The feeling made him immensely glad. He should have come clean to Eldest Senior Brother long ago.
Night fell. Eight Sceneries Grotto-Heaven.
Gu An made his way to an open stretch beside the underground river and began sowing medicinal herbs.
His movements were unhurried. Since he did not cultivate much in his daily life, he greatly enjoyed the process of planting. What he planted was not flowers and grass, but life.
Huaxia people loved farming deep in their bones. That habit had followed his soul into the world of cultivation.
Once he finished planting, he looked at the newly opened garden with satisfaction. It was neat and orderly, carrying a unique beauty.
"Good disciple-grandson, come in for a moment."
Jiang Qiong's pleasant voice came from within a cave entrance, and Gu An immediately walked over.
Over the years, Jiang Qiong had occasionally summoned him, asking him to help harvest medicinal ingredients and even refine pills.
Gu An had not been working for nothing. During the process, his Alchemy advanced by leaps and bounds.
Jiang Qiong's Alchemy was far superior to Cheng Xuandan's. That was clear enough from the way she taught others.
Upon entering the cave chamber, he found it as dim as ever. A pill furnace half the height of a person sat in the open space, with carbon ash piled beneath it.
Just as Gu An was about to speak, he suddenly heard a sound. Focusing his gaze, he saw a coffin in the depths begin to tremble.
Boom!
The coffin lid fell and slammed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Gu An saw a hand crawl out from the upright coffin. It was so thin that skin clung to bone, like a ghostly claw. He immediately cast Lifespan Inspection.
[Jiang Qiong (Golden Core Realm Ninth Layer): 185/304/2490]
Good heavens!
A maximum lifespan approaching two thousand five hundred years!
Why did someone at the Golden Core Realm Ninth Layer have only three hundred years of lifespan?
Could it be related to her injuries?
Gu An thought in confusion, while the last trace of wariness in his heart vanished without a trace.
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