Saint Who Lay Low

A seventh-grade spirit tree!

This was on par with the legendary Ancient Vine Tree. Could Tai Xuan Sect really provide a spirit tree comparable to the sacred tree of Thousand Autumn Pavilion?

Could it be that the Ancient Vine Tree in Eight Views Heavenly Cave wasn't a true sacred tree, or maybe it hadn't fully matured yet?

Gu An was thrilled. Such a treasure was something he could hardly refuse.

Convincing the Saintess to stay? How difficult could that be?

Didn't she love reading books?

He could just write her some Investiture of the Gods side stories!

"When will the Saintess arrive?" Gu An took a deep breath, trying to keep the excitement from showing on his face and instead adopting a concerned, thoughtful expression.

Gu Zong chuckled. "She'll be here within a year at most. There's no need to feel pressured."

Beside him, Gu Yu teased, "Don't worry about her asking for your hand in marriage. After all, the gap in cultivation between you two is considerable. She's only a fan of your writing."

Gu An nodded. He wasn't so narcissistic as to think that someone would fall for him just because of his books. Investiture of the Gods had countless admirers.

Gu Zong turned to the elderly man standing nearby and asked, "How have things been here for you?"

Old Tian nodded, "Very good. The Valley Master treats me kindly."

Gu An felt a pang of helplessness. Did Gu Zong think introducing his "distant relative" would erase all suspicion?

No, this act needed to be fully convincing!

Gu An looked at Gu Zong, hesitating as though unsure whether to speak.

Gu Zong seemed to sense his confusion and smiled. "He's known your true identity as Pan An for a while. In fact, he's here because he's a fan of Investiture of the Gods. Aside from him, only the Elder Hall knows your identity. You can rest easy. These days, we're more worried about your secret getting out than you are."

Before Investiture of the Gods was published, disciples had always written books, but none had ever caused as much of a stir. No one expected that a single book could bring a sect new disciples, cultivation resources, or even aid in diplomatic relations. After Tai Xuan Immortal Lord was released, the whole world's attention turned to Tai Xuan Sect, and those in power saw this most clearly.

Gu An let out a sigh of relief.

Suddenly, Gu Yu said, "By the way, Zhou Tongyu has been treating Gu Yu quite well. I take back what I said earlier—don't let Gu Yu bully him."

Gu An gave him an odd look.

Gu Zong laughed, "My reputation is also doing well. Everywhere I go, I hear people mentioning my name, asking when I'll return to deal with those evil-doers in my son's place."

"Ahem, we can't spoil the suspense just yet."

"True enough."

Gu An shifted the conversation to the Dao Tian Sect's Saintess. He needed to gather as much information as possible to be prepared for her arrival.

Gu Zong began explaining who the Saintess was.

Her name was Shen Zhen, a cultivator with three spiritual roots. She was the youngest daughter of the Dao Tian Sect's leader. Though her aptitude wasn't top-tier, she had an extraordinary talent for music-based techniques. She had a passion for music, chess, calligraphy, and painting.

Just from the introduction, Gu An got the feeling that Shen Zhen didn't have a particularly strong personality.

If she enjoyed such refined arts, she was likely to have a gentle temperament.

...

Late at night, in Eight Views Heavenly Cave.

Under the Ancient Vine Tree, Gu An was practicing the Wood Spirit Sword Technique.

This was the sword technique that Zuo Lin had passed on to test Gu An's skills. It wasn't a rare or difficult technique; in fact, it could be bought in the outer sect's city.

Since it was a wood attribute technique, Gu An had decided to practice it himself, without using lifespan points to speed up his mastery.

But then again, wasn't time itself a form of lifespan?

Thanks to his mastery of the Tai Cang Divine Shocking Sword and his Supreme Five Elemental Heavenly Spiritual Roots, Gu An found himself progressing through the Wood Spirit Sword Technique with ease.

He had already mastered the technique and was now pursuing even higher realms of understanding.

Every technique, spell, and martial art had different levels of proficiency. Based on his experiences, Gu An had categorized them from lowest to highest as: Novice, Beginner, Adept, Skilled, Master, Grandmaster, Peak, and Transcendent.

It felt a bit like leveling up in a game, which amused Gu An.

As he practiced, his sword movements left afterimages, making it seem as though ten versions of him were practicing at once. His sword, Heavenly Solemn, sliced through the air with precision, sending ripples of energy outward, though these dissipated within two meters, leaving the nearby plants unharmed.

After an hour of practice, Gu An finally sheathed his sword.

Clang!

The sound of the sword returning to its scabbard rang out like the clear cry of a dragon.

He tossed the Tian Su Sword into his storage pouch and stretched his arms.

Out of nowhere, Sky Dragon, a dragon now exuding true dragon-like majesty, descended from the sky and spoke in the voice of a young boy. "Master, you're amazing! Can you teach me?"

Gu An glanced at it and smirked. "Can your dragon claws even hold a sword?"

"I'll use my claws as swords. Isn't that possible?" Sky Dragon blinked his dragon eyes.

Gu An blinked, momentarily taken aback.

There was something to that idea!

Without a second thought, he pulled out a sword manual for the Wood Spirit Sword Technique that he had drawn himself. Tossing it to Sky Dragon, he said, "Then practice by yourself. When I return, if you have any questions, ask me."

Sky Dragon caught the manual in its claws and immediately responded, "Don't forget to bring me some roast chicken!"

Gu An laughed and nodded before turning to leave.

As Sky Dragon landed, it spread the manual on the ground and began flipping through the pages with its claws.

After leaving Eight Views Heavenly Cave, Gu An made his way into the forest. Though the ground was blanketed with snow, he left no footprints.

The next morning, Gu An had just finished leading his disciples in their morning exercises and was preparing to head to the Third Medicine Valley when Ye Lan arrived.

With his junior sister here, Gu An naturally had to keep her company.

The two entered the study to chat.

Gu An first asked her how she had been. No matter how busy she was, Ye Lan always made time to visit him at least once a year, which touched Gu An deeply.

"Since last year, several disciples from the outer sect have gone missing. No matter how much we investigate in the Law Enforcement Hall, we can't find the culprit. But the Demon-Slaying Hall, on the other hand, always seems to find a demonic spy to confess to the crime," Ye Lan sighed.

Ever since the new sect master took over, she had cut ties with Lu Jiujia. The two halls were already at odds, and things had escalated to the point where they were practically fire and water.

Gu An chuckled, "Then let the Demon-Slaying Hall handle it. That'll give you more time to cultivate."

Ye Lan shook her head. "It's not that simple. The Demon-Slaying Hall's Hall Master wants to swallow up the Law Enforcement Hall, and it seems the Elder of the outer sect is inclined to agree. If we don't show results soon, we'll be dissolved."

"No worries. If that happens, just come back here. The pills I provide are no worse than what the Law Enforcement Hall offers."

"No way! If I take from you, what will you do?" Ye Lan replied, her face serious.

Seeing her so determined, Gu An didn't push the matter and instead shifted the conversation to other topics.

Since Ye Lan wanted to stay a few more days, Gu An decided to remain in Xuan Valley until the New Year festivities were over.

...

After the Spring Festival, the snow finally melted away. Gu An first visited Tianya Valley, where he harvested several thousand years' worth of lifespan before planting new herbs. After staying there for two days, he made his way to the Third Medicine Valley.

Xuan Valley was bustling with people, and Tianya Valley had three monkey demons, so it wasn't lonely. But the Third Medicine Valley was different. Every time Gu An visited, it was silent as a grave.

Ye Yan and Old Tian both enjoyed the quiet, and neither disturbed the other.

Gu An entered one of the herb fields and began harvesting the ripe plants.

Old Tian approached him, curious. "Why do you always harvest the herbs yourself?"

Gu An replied, "It gives me something to do. Besides, when I harvest them myself and package them, I feel like I'm contributing to the sect. It gives me a sense of personal fulfillment."

Hearing this, Old Tian laughed. "You really are contributing, and it's not just about personal satisfaction."

"Let's hope the higher-ups think the same," Gu An chuckled as he continued harvesting.

Suddenly, Old Tian asked, "If you were made sect master, what would you do?"

Gu An's heart skipped a beat, but his hands didn't pause. With a playful tone, he replied, "Don't joke around. You're not the sect master, so it's not like you can hand the position to me. Besides, I'm only fit to manage a herb valley, not Tai Xuan Sect's millions of disciples."

"And with my cultivation level, who would listen to me if I became sect master?"

The last thing Gu An wanted was to become sect master!

He wanted to lay low and cultivate. Becoming sect master meant facing all sorts of pressures. What would he do if an unbeatable enemy came knocking? Could he even run away?

Gu An wasn't that loyal to Tai Xuan Sect!

Old Tian chuckled and didn't press further.

After Gu An finished harvesting, the two headed toward the study.

"I know an incredible cultivation technique. Want to learn it? Even Elder Gu Zong doesn't know about it," Old Tian suddenly asked.

"No thanks. I'd rather spend my time writing books. Besides, haven't you seen? I rarely cultivate; I rely on pills for my progress."

"You're still young. Why are you so—"

"You don't get it. This is what enjoying life looks like. I live within my means. But that's just me; everyone has their own path."

Gu An replied casually. Why was this old man suddenly so talkative today? Was he trying to shake his Dao heart?

Old Tian seemed about to say more, but a sound from the sky interrupted him. Both turned to look and saw Gu Zong approaching on his flying disc, with a black-robed woman standing behind him. She wore a black veil, revealing only her bright, captivating eyes.

The Saintess of Dao Tian Sect had arrived?

Gu An instructed Old Tian to store the herbs indoors, while he stepped forward to greet Gu Zong and the Saintess.

He discreetly activated his lifespan investigation ability.

[Shen Zhen (Core Formation, Stage 2): 78/660/1050]

As the golden disc landed, Gu Zong smiled. "Gu An, this is the Saintess of Dao Tian Sect, Shen Zhen. You must treat her well."

He turned toward Shen Zhen, who raised her hand in a respectful gesture. Gu Zong nodded, then stepped onto the disc and swiftly flew away.

Shen Zhen's bright eyes carefully examined Gu An, and just by looking at them, Gu An could tell she was an extraordinary beauty.

Raising his hand in greeting, Gu An said, "I am Gu An. It is an honor to meet you, Lady Shen."

Shen Zhen nodded slightly, then asked curiously, "Between Investiture of the Gods and Tai Xuan Immortal Lord, which one do you like more?"

Testing me already?

Gu An's expression didn't change as he replied, "I like them both. It's impossible for someone to only like one book. Depending on one's mood, different books will appeal to them."

Shen Zhen's eyes lit up.

"I've also written a book. Would you like to take a look?" Shen Zhen asked, blinking her eyes at him.

Gu An naturally wouldn't refuse. "Shall we go upstairs to read it?"

Shen Zhen nodded and followed him up to the second-floor study.

Gu An was planning to leave the door open, as being alone in a room with a woman could lead to awkwardness. However, Shen Zhen closed the door behind her.

They sat at the table, and Shen Zhen pulled out a book from her storage pouch. Her brows furrowed slightly as though she was hesitant. After a moment's thought, she handed the book to Gu An.

Gu An took the book and glanced at the title, his eyelid twitching.

Black Hero Adventures?

What kind of title is this?!