I'm actually a genius?
Hearing Wuxin say that, Gu An nearly laughed.
He smiled and said, "You've always been a genius in my eyes. Are you planning to pass your cultivation technique on to me?"
Wuxin nodded. "The genius I meant is only compared to the others in the valley. Compared to my elder brothers and sisters, my talent is quite ordinary. The technique I cultivate is called the Dao Derivation Technique, and it was taught to me by a divine monk."
"Once you cultivate this technique, your cultivation realm will not rise, but your cultivation will continue accumulating. I plan to unseal my realm before my lifespan runs out. At that time, my Spirit Root aptitude and lifespan will both undergo transformation. But once it is unsealed, the Dao Derivation Technique will lose its effect forever."
After hearing this, Gu An could not help becoming interested in the Dao Derivation Technique.
"What realm was that divine monk in?" he asked curiously.
Wuxin shook his head upon hearing that. "I don't know his cultivation. He called himself Seeker Immortal Daoist."
"If he was a Daoist, why did you call him a divine monk?"
"He had his head shaved and wore monk's robes. How could he possibly have been a Daoist? I copied this appearance from him. He said my future fortune would be extraordinary, then forcibly shaved my head. The scars on my scalp were left by him, and now my hair cannot grow back at all."
At this point, Wuxin looked deeply wronged. He also wanted to be as handsome as Gu An and attract women's affection.
Gu An did not press further and instead had Wuxin explain the Dao Derivation Technique.
He wanted to see just how profound this Dao Derivation Technique was.
Wuxin began earnestly explaining the Dao Derivation Technique, and the explanation lasted a full hour.
The Dao Derivation Technique was indeed profound. Its method of circulating spiritual energy alone was exceedingly complicated, and from Gu An's current cultivation realm, he could see that the Dao Derivation Technique concealed further mysteries.
"Senior Brother, did you remember it all? Should I write it down for you tomorrow?" Wuxin asked with concern.
Gu An smiled and nodded. "Alright. This technique does sound formidable. Thank you for your kindness. Rest for tonight."
"Why thank me? What's our relationship?" Wuxin said with a smile. He was delighted, feeling that he had finally managed to help his senior brother.
With that, he turned and left.
The moment he went downstairs, Gu An began cultivating the Dao Derivation Technique.
Wuxin worried that he would not remember it, so he would go along with Wuxin's wishes and avoid exposing his current aptitude and realm.
In truth, as long as it was not some special Dao technique, Gu An could commit it to memory after hearing the words only once.
Three days passed. In the mountains, Gu An was sparring with Su Han in swordsmanship.
That day, when Qiu Qianli caused trouble, Su Han had stood at the forefront with his sword in hand. It had deeply moved Gu An, so he decided to teach him a few moves.
Su Han had not expected much at first, thinking his master was merely bored. Yet once they sparred, the course of the battle was completely unlike what he had imagined.
Gu An held a wooden sword. His footwork was simple, and his sword moves were even more ordinary, yet he could effortlessly dismantle every one of Su Han's sword techniques.
Su Han was greatly shaken. Gu An's image in his heart rose by a great deal.
After several dozen exchanges, the sword in Su Han's hand was knocked away by Gu An and fell to the ground.
Looking at the wooden sword suspended before his throat, Su Han could not help swallowing as he stared at Gu An in shock.
Gu An withdrew his sword and looked at him with a smile. "How was it?"
"Very impressive..." Su Han answered shamefully.
Gu An shook his head. "I'm not asking you to evaluate me. I'm asking what you felt."
Su Han froze for a moment and carefully recalled what had happened.
Wait!
He seemed to realize something. His expression changed drastically as he looked at Gu An and cautiously asked, "Master, were those sword moves from the Hating Heaven Divine Sword?"
Gu An nodded. "That's right. My understanding of the Hating Heaven Divine Sword is not deep, but do you know why I could break your sword moves?"
"Why?" Su Han hurriedly asked.
"I was faster than you."
"But..."
"You felt that I was slower than you? Yet I could always easily dismantle your sword moves?"
"Yes, Master. I truly felt that you were very slow, but still..."
"Think carefully. I seemed slow because you were watching me, while my eyes were watching your sword. Before you drew your sword, I had already judged the trajectory of your swing. At the same time you struck, I also struck. But as the defender, the distance my sword had to travel was far shorter than yours. So when our swords collided, though my speed was inferior to yours, I could still catch up to you."
Gu An explained patiently. Su Han listened with furrowed brows and began carefully recalling their earlier spar.
Su Han quickly understood.
That was indeed the case. From the instant they raised their swords, victory and defeat had already been decided.
Su Han looked up at Gu An and said with a face full of admiration, "Master, you're truly incredible. Back then, you only read the sword manual for the Hating Heaven Divine Sword once, yet you can wield it better than I can."
Gu An stepped forward and smiled. "Actually, I practiced swordsmanship before, so I understand it better than you. But only you know this. You must not tell anyone. Your master also bears certain grudges and cannot let others know that I understand swordsmanship."
Upon hearing this, Su Han was deeply moved. He immediately dropped to one knee and raised his hand to swear an oath.
"I will never spread word that Master knows swordsmanship. If I do, may Heaven strike me with five thunderbolts and leave me lonely and helpless all my life!"
Gu An quickly pulled him up and said irritably, "Why swear an oath? If you've promised, then your master believes you."
Though he said that, he was quite satisfied with Su Han's attitude.
With his usual way of doing things, teaching Su Han swordsmanship now was already taking a risk.
Su Han scratched his head and smiled awkwardly.
Gu An continued instructing Su Han in swordsmanship. Though he had not diligently practiced the Hating Heaven Divine Sword, his attainments in the Great Vast God-Startling Sword were more than enough to offer a little guidance.
Half an hour later, Gu An left the forest, leaving Su Han behind to practice swordsmanship alone.
He arrived at the mouth of the valley and fixed his gaze on a wooden fence outside one of the gardens. Someone stood there, accompanied by the handyman disciple Yang Min.
Jiang Qiong!
In broad daylight, how did she dare enter Mystic Valley so openly?
Gu An grumbled inwardly. He had noticed Jiang Qiong when she approached Mystic Valley, which was why he had ended Su Han's private lesson early.
The reason he had not stopped her beforehand was that Jiang Qiong had flown here on a sword, making no effort whatsoever to conceal her figure or aura.
Gu An quickly walked over. When he reached Jiang Qiong's side, he said to Yang Min, "Go attend to your work first. I'll receive her."
Yang Min felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted and hurriedly departed.
Jiang Qiong turned to look at Gu An and smiled. "Your disciple is really shy."
Gu An said, "Let's talk upstairs."
Jiang Qiong had no objection and followed him toward the pavilion.
After entering the room, Gu An closed the door and quietly asked, "Martial Ancestor, why have you come? And in broad daylight, no less..."
Jiang Qiong sat down without ceremony. She first waved her sleeve and tossed out four talismans, which stuck to the doors and windows. Then she picked up the teapot on the table and poured herself some tea. Casually, she said, "What are you afraid of? I'm still an Inner Sect disciple of the Taixuan Sect. Before I was seriously injured, my identity had not been exposed. The reason I hid myself was because I had enemies at the time. I investigated over the years, and that enemy is already dead."
Gu An sat across from her and asked curiously, "Was that enemy from the Taixuan Sect?"
"To be precise, they were like me—a spy of the Demonic Path." Jiang Qiong said with a half-smile, deliberately stressing the words "spy of the Demonic Path."
Gu An wanted to ask more, but Jiang Qiong waved her hand. "Don't ask. Next, I plan to stay in your Medicine Valley for a while. Once the commotion has passed, I'll leave. How about it?"
Gu An frowned and asked, "What happened?"
He could sense that Jiang Qiong had suffered severe internal injuries and was only pretending to be composed.
At those words, Jiang Qiong's gaze became complicated. She said faintly, "That Ji Xiaoyu truly is no ordinary person. She had only just entered the Golden Core Realm, yet she could evade my attack. The instant I was distracted, a Nascent Soul Cultivator of the Ji Family seriously injured me."
"You made your move?" Gu An immediately grew nervous.
Jiang Qiong rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "Did you forget the Demonic Shadow Divine Technique I taught you? I didn't reveal my true form, so there's no need for you to be afraid."
Gu An immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
He pressed on, "Then was Ji Xiaoyu's Innate Dao Talisman taken by someone?"
Jiang Qiong shook her head. "No one succeeded. With the Qilin Step, Nascent Soul Realm cultivators found it difficult to get close to her. Demonic Path cultivators at Spirit Transformation and above were blocked by members of the Ji Family and cultivators from the Taixuan Sect. The elders of the Taixuan Sect really are formidable..."
She seemed to recall something, and lingering fear appeared on her face.
Hearing that Ji Xiaoyu was unharmed, Gu An felt relieved.
Neither of them had died. To him, that was the best possible outcome.
Gu An looked at Jiang Qiong, considering how he should comfort her.
Jiang Qiong raised her eyes to him and asked with a smile, "You didn't tip off the Ji Family, did you?"
Gu An hurriedly shook his head. "How could I? I'm not that kind of person!"
"Really?"
"Really! Does Martial Ancestor want me to swear an oath?"
Gu An spoke solemnly. Su Han had just sworn an oath to him, and now he was going to swear one to Jiang Qiong?
Jiang Qiong examined him and clicked her tongue in wonder. "There's no need. Actually, I wanted you to tip them off."
Gu An was surprised and did not understand what she meant.
Jiang Qiong took a sip of tea and smiled. "When I saw you standing outside Ji Mansion, I came up with an idea on the spot. I wanted to use your mouth to warn the Ji Family, making them prepare for battle with drawn swords and bent bows. That way, once Ji Xiaoyu formed her Golden Core, there would be a fierce battle."
"Unfortunately, I never expected you to be this sort of person. Martial Ancestor truly misjudged you."
Jiang Qiong put on an expression of heartrending grief and even sighed.
Gu An fell silent.
Jiang Qiong abruptly changed her tone and smiled. "But this also proves that your heart leans more toward me. I didn't dote on you for nothing. In the future, Martial Ancestor will treat you well. Congratulations—you've thoroughly captured Martial Ancestor's heart."
"Martial Ancestor, don't speak nonsense!"
"Haha, you, you. It seems you've already been bound by the rules and constraints of the Righteous Path. You can't even take a joke."
Jiang Qiong covered her mouth and laughed charmingly, leaving Gu An quite helpless.
At that moment, Jiang Qiong suddenly reached into the Storage Bag at her waist and placed a Bronze Fragment on the table.
This Bronze Fragment was square, with a missing notch along its edge. Dense rows of tiny words were carved across its surface.
Jiang Qiong's eyes burned as she said, "This was my true purpose in going to Ji Mansion. This is the Ji Family's Divine Ability Treasury, recording one of the Ji Family's ten great divine abilities. It was a congratulatory gift from the Ji Family's Clan Leader to Ji Xiaoyu. This item can only be opened with the essence blood of the Ji Family's direct bloodline. Of course, someone whose cultivation surpasses Spirit Transformation can also forcibly break through the restrictions inside."
"The Ji Family passed the Qilin Step to Ji Xiaoyu, and now they have given her the Divine Ability Treasury as well. It seems they intend to help her enter a Holy Land someday."
Divine Ability Treasury?
Gu An's gaze could not help shifting to the Bronze Fragment, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Jiang Qiong pushed the Bronze Fragment toward Gu An. "Keep this item here for now. Hide it inside the Eight Sceneries Grotto-Heaven. Once I obtain the essence blood of a direct descendant of the Ji Family, I'll come find you. If this thing stays on me during that time, I fear it will bring disaster."
Gu An looked at the Bronze Fragment on the table and could not help blinking.
Thank you to Xian Wujue for the 1,500 Qidian Coins, Jia You Mu Sansui for the 1,000 Qidian Coins, reader 20240525202749421 for the 500 Qidian Coins, Wang Xi for the 500 Qidian Coins, reader 20230708145409383 for the 100 Qidian Coins, leejunya for the 100 Qidian Coins, reader 20221202214910450 for the 100 Qidian Coins, Zhongli Yixue for the 100 Qidian Coins, Seeking Great Freedom for the 100 Qidian Coins, reader 20230711191309972 for the 100 Qidian Coins, Fragrant Alluring Bones for the 100 Qidian Coins, and Xue Rengui for the 100 Reading Coins~~
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