Thirty Thousand Years of Lifespan, Ziwei Array Record

Gu An originally wanted to use the name of Xu Zhonglin, the original author of Investiture of the Gods, but he realized he would need to write other books to earn extra money, so he came up with a different name.

Liu Chang and Zhu Qinglu did not think much of it; compared to Gu An, Pan An was just a change of surname, which they could understand.

Afterward, Liu Chang began to instruct Gu An, mainly reminding him of what could not be written, and he hinted both overtly and covertly that Gu An should write the Taixuan Sect into the story and ensure it was portrayed with a positive image.

Even if he didn't write about the Taixuan Sect directly, he could use metaphors; in short, the more he praised the Taixuan Sect, the better the treatment he would receive in the future.

To this, Gu An could only agree, though as for whether he would actually do it, that was a matter for later.

Writing books was just something he did in his spare time, and he certainly wouldn't exhaust his efforts on it.

Once Liu Chang finished speaking, Gu Yu, who was standing to the side, leaned in and asked excitedly, "Brother, have you written any other books?"

Gu An shook his head and said, "This is my first time."

"Hahaha, not bad, not bad. I think highly of you; you might even surpass the status of Qingxia within the Taixuan Sect." Gu Yu patted Gu An on the shoulder, acting as if they were old friends.

Upon hearing this, Gu An immediately became interested and asked, "You know Qingxia?"

Gu Yu raised an eyebrow and said, "You like his travelogues too? I don't know him, I only know he is some cultivator from the Taixuan Sect. I asked Elder Liu, but he refused to say a word."

Liu Chang laughed, pulled Zhu Qinglu toward the exit, and said, "Come walk with me; let's catch up on old times and let the younger generation chat."

Zhu Qinglu nodded, and the two soon left the main hall.

Gu Yu then pressed Gu An for details about writing Investiture of the Gods. Seeing that Elder Liu's attitude toward him was unusual, Gu An answered patiently.

A full hour passed before Gu An finally followed Zhu Qinglu out of the Library Hall.

"That disciple named Gu Yu has an unusual background. It's rare to see a junior whom Liu Chang treats in such a manner," Zhu Qinglu said meaningfully.

Gu An nodded, but he had no intention of forming a deep friendship with Gu Yu; such people tended to make his life less peaceful.

The two did not travel together the whole way. After parting, Gu An began to purchase medicinal herb seeds and took the opportunity to buy a batch of clothing.

It wasn't until nightfall that he returned to Mystic Valley.

Days passed one by one.

Another Spring Festival arrived. The second Spring Festival in Mystic Valley went even more smoothly without any hitches, and the atmosphere was even more joyous than the first year. Gu An delivered meals to Jiang Qiong just as he had in previous years.

He began to count the days, preparing for Jiang Qiong's departure.

Once Jiang Qiong left, he would be able to spread his wings in the Eight Sceneries Grotto-Heaven and plant it full of spirit flowers and herbs.

After the Spring Festival ended, Gu An took Wuxin to the Outer Sect and selected three more servant disciples. This time there were two girls and one boy, named Yan Mei, Yang Min, and Ye Yan, respectively.

The three were the same age, only eighteen, and they were very much looking forward to their upcoming life in Mystic Valley.

Becoming a servant disciple not only allowed them to earn Spirit Stones but also gave them the chance to inherit their master's spells.

This time, Gu An wasn't just recruiting servant disciples; he was also bringing Wuxin along to let him fully acclimate to his role as the head disciple so that he could run errands for him in the future.

After returning to Mystic Valley, Gu An had Wuxin take the three to meet the others in the valley, while he walked into the forest on the north side, preparing to do some planning.

He wanted to plant the nearby forest full of medicinal herbs. The herbs he had submitted last year were already in the top ten of the Outer Sect's Medicine Valley, and Zhu Qinglu valued him even more, improving his treatment. He now had more than enough to support nine servant disciples, and he was even thinking of recruiting more.

It is difficult for people to be content with the status quo, and that was exactly how Gu An felt about his annual lifespan income; if his lifespan growth this year wasn't as good as last year, he would be upset.

Gu An stood under a tree, scanning the forest, and began to map out the garden in his mind.

The White Spirit Mouse suddenly darted out from the forest. Seeing it, Gu An felt both a headache and a sense of anticipation.

He feared it would find some dangerous treasure, yet he hoped it would find something valuable.

It hopped all the way to Gu An's feet and spat out a jade ring from its mouth.

Gu An reached out to take it, tucking the jade ring into his belt, intending to examine it later in private.

He picked up the White Spirit Mouse, forbidding it from running around.

"You did well. I'll feed you an Azure Vine Fruit tonight," Gu An said with a smile.

The White Spirit Mouse seemed to understand, as it stopped struggling and instead lay obediently in his arms.

After lingering for half an incense stick's time, Gu An turned and left the forest. He stood on the grass beside the garden, waiting for someone to arrive.

Not long after, the sound of something breaking through the air reached him.

An Outer Sect disciple arrived on a flying sword and quickly landed beside Gu An. His appearance drew the attention of the other disciples in Mystic Valley.

"Senior Brother! I'm back!"

The person who arrived was none other than Lu Jiujia, who had previously gone to participate in the Outer Sect assessment. Dressed in his new Outer Sect robes, he looked like a completely different person.

Gu An smiled and said, "I thought you weren't coming back."

Lu Jiujia scratched his head and said, "How could that be? I went into seclusion after obtaining the Foundation Establishment Pill. Once I successfully reached the Foundation Establishment realm, I rushed back immediately to share the joy with you all."

Gu An smiled and reached out to squeeze his shoulder; his physique had indeed become stronger.

At this moment, the others gathered around, excitedly asking him about the sensations of the Foundation Establishment realm. He answered them one by one, full of high spirits.

When Gu An first met Lu Jiujia, he was only fifteen. Now, seeing him in such a glorious state, Gu An felt nothing but gratification.

On the path to longevity, it is too lonely to be alone. If those he interacted with could have a good ending, he would have fewer regrets.

Lu Jiujia's return made Mystic Valley lively. Yan Mei and the others, who had just entered the valley, were also greatly encouraged; they had seen a path to advancement.

Working hard in Mystic Valley offers a glimmer of hope for promotion to the Outer Sect!

That night, Gu An studied the jade ring the White Spirit Mouse had brought back. He forcibly broke through the restrictions inside with his divine sense, only to discover that it was filled with Spirit Stones.

An unexpected windfall?

Gu An felt even more anticipation toward the White Spirit Mouse, which had successfully earned the right to eat the Azure Vine Fruit.

Lu Jiujia stayed in Mystic Valley for a month before departing. Everyone knew that once he left, it was likely they would never see him again in this lifetime, unless they too could become Outer Sect disciples.

In the blink of an eye, two years passed. Gu An was now thirty, but having consumed the Youth-Preserving Pill, he still looked to be around twenty years old.

His lifespan had already exceeded thirty thousand years!

Mystic Valley was expanding its scale, and the number of Outer Sect disciples seeking him out to manage their grotto-heavens had reached eleven. His monthly lifespan increase was steadily rising.

Life was busy and fulfilling, but he didn't feel tired at all; on the contrary, he was full of fighting spirit.

Midsummer arrived. The moon was bright, the stars were sparse, and fireflies danced in the quiet, secluded mountain forest.

In the woods, Jiang Qiong walked ahead in white robes. She was barefoot, yet she felt no discomfort even when stepping on tree branches.

Gu An followed behind her, silent.

"Alright, this is as far as you go."

Jiang Qiong stopped, turned around, and looked at Gu An.

Gu An nodded. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Grandmaster, be careful on your way out. After all, this is still within the territory of the Taixuan Sect."

Having spent so many years together, with Jiang Qiong teaching him so many spells, it would be a lie to say he felt nothing at all.

However, compared to those feelings, Gu An hoped even more that she would leave.

Jiang Qiong nodded. She raised her right hand, and a blue-covered book appeared in it. She tossed the secret manual directly to Gu An.

"Cultivate diligently. Next time I return, I will test your cultivation. If you disappoint me, Grandmaster will spank you." Jiang Qiong spoke in a tone one might use to threaten a child, even waving her fist, which left Gu An between laughter and tears.

Before he could respond, Jiang Qiong vanished into thin air. Gu An could feel her demonic energy rapidly receding.

In the dim mountain forest, the corners of Gu An's mouth curled up slightly. He turned and walked toward Mystic Valley, looking down at the manual in his hand.

Ziwei Array Record!

He flipped through it briefly and discovered that every page of the book had special restrictions. While the pages contained text describing the arrays, the actual methods for practicing them required the use of divine sense to probe.

Impressive!

Gu An thought of the arrays in the Eight Sceneries Grotto-Heaven. It was precisely because of those arrays that so many great cultivators from the Taixuan Sect could fly over Mystic Valley without ever catching a glimpse of the Azure Vine Tree.

Although Jiang Qiong only had the cultivation of the ninth level of the Golden Core realm, her attainments in arrays and alchemy far exceeded that level. After all, she had reached the Golden Core realm at forty and had spent all her time since then studying arrays and alchemy. She had said that during her years of feigned death, she had also been contemplating arrays.

Gu An suddenly felt the Ziwei Array Record in his hand grow heavy.

The moon set and the sun rose.

Morning arrived.

Jiang Qiong's departure only affected Gu An; life in Mystic Valley continued as usual.

After Gu An led the disciples through their morning exercises, he took Ye Lan back to his pavilion.

He brought out a small wooden box he had prepared long ago and handed it to her. The box was square and finely crafted, as if it held precious jewels inside.

Ye Lan was stunned, then curiously opened the box. Immediately, she saw a pill resting inside.

"Senior Brother, what kind of pill is this?" Ye Lan asked.

Gu An sat at the table, pouring himself tea while smiling. "A Foundation Establishment Pill, prepared specifically for you. Don't tell anyone. If other disciples in the valley reach the ninth level of Qi Refining in the future, I will give them one too, but don't let them know I have them in advance, lest it invite trouble."

Foundation Establishment Pill!

Ye Lan's eyes widened. She instinctively wanted to decline, but Gu An cut her off. "Don't worry, I kept a Foundation Establishment Pill for myself. Once you successfully establish your foundation, you might even become my backer in the Outer Sect one day. Cultivating well is the best way to repay me."

"I..." Ye Lan's emotions were complex; there was so much she wanted to say, but she couldn't get the words out.

Gu An said earnestly, "The road of life is long, and people will always have many thoughts, but don't forget what your greatest pursuit in this life is."

Although Ye Lan hadn't been clinging to him constantly over the years, every time she looked at him, her eyes were so gentle. Sometimes he could even overhear the other disciples gossiping; everyone could see her feelings for him.

Gu An's feelings for Ye Lan were merely those of a brother for a sister; they hadn't reached the level where he wanted to spend his life with her, and besides, his heart was set only on immortality.

After hearing this, Ye Lan nodded heavily and said softly, "Senior Brother, don't worry. I will definitely cultivate hard and won't let you down. I will strive to climb higher and take care of you in the future."

As she said this, she winked at Gu An.

Gu An smiled and waved his hand, signaling that she could leave.

Ye Lan tucked the Foundation Establishment Pill away and turned to leave. She closed the door behind her, but just as it was about to latch, she suddenly said, "Senior Brother, no matter where I go in the future, I will never have feelings for any other man. In my heart, there will only ever be you."

With that, she slammed the door shut and fled as if escaping.