Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

"What's there to fear? There are more people named Gu An in the world than just you. Unlike you, I can't just create characters at will; I need to acknowledge someone before I can write their story. From my perspective, you fit the role of the male protagonist the best. According to what I know, your only flaw is that your cultivation level is low."

Shen Zhen spoke earnestly, causing Gu An's face to twitch.

Was this a compliment?

Why did it sound more like a personal attack?

If I were to reveal my cultivation level, even your father might not be able to measure up!

Gu An continued to persuade, but Shen Zhen stubbornly refused to change his name.

In the end, Shen Zhen suggested exchanging a secret manual for his name, and Gu An had no choice but to agree.

After Shen Zhen left, Gu An stayed in the attic, browsing through the secret manual she had given him.

Mystic Sound Art!

This was a musical spell that could damage one's internal organs and bewilder an enemy's senses, quite comprehensive indeed.

Gu An had been lacking in this type of spell and could further his study in the future.

After reading through the Mystic Sound Art once, he tossed it into his storage bag and got up to leave.

...

A month later, Gu An arrived at the Outer City. He first went to the Elixir Hall to submit this year's harvest.

Elder Zhu Qinglu met him. Gu An noticed that Zhu Qinglu looked fatigued, and there was a trace of demonic qi surging within him, just like Lu Jiujia.

"Elder Zhu, you look unwell, what happened?" Gu An asked.

He wasn't sure how the Outer Sect's Demon Skills were cultivated. Some people had gone missing, but on this visit to the Outer City, he noticed a hidden trace of demonic qi in many disciples, almost all of whom belonged to various factions and were not ordinary disciples.

Was it collusion or a trap? He couldn't judge, and Shen Zhen hadn't elaborated.

Elder Zhu Qinglu said with a smile, "The practice is strenuous, but no worries. Don't you have a Medicine Valley in the Inner Sect? You better move there quickly, don't stay in the Outer Sect anymore. Recently, Demon Cultivators have been rampant, and it's too dangerous out here."

Gu An tentatively asked, "A lot of people have told me that it's very dangerous in the Outer Sect now. If it's so dangerous, why doesn't the leadership send more people to wipe out the demons?"

"And what is the area under construction in the city? It is almost occupying one-fourth of the city area."

Upon arriving in the Outer City, he had seen many disciples laying stones at the city center. Those stones were not mortal stones; each could contain spiritual energy.

No matter how he looked at it, it appeared just like a gigantic sacrificial platform was being set up.

Elder Zhu Qinglu replied nonchalantly, "The higher-ups have their considerations which we cannot speculate. What we can do is try to protect ourselves. As for the thing being constructed in the city, it's an array platform that will provide protection for the Outer Sect in the future."

Seeing his demeanor, Gu An felt that he was not a good person; he likely knew the inside story and had benefited from it.

Gu An did not continue to inquire and, after exchanging a few pleasantries, left.

Stepping out of the Elixir Hall, Gu An stood on the street and looked distantly at the array platform under construction.

Dark clouds filled the sky. The once-thriving, sunny Outer City seemed so gloomy, as if it belonged to the Demon Path.

Gu An stood still, watching for quite some time before finally turning to leave.

The autumn breeze swept through the street, stirring his garments and slightly shaking the Qinghong Sword at his waist, its scabbard flashing with a cold light.

After leaving the Outer City, Gu An went to tend to the caves.

When he arrived at Li Xuanyu's cave, he found her inside.

"From now on, you don't need to come here. I have to move to the Inner Sect. Here is your compensation," Li Xuanyu said as she sat at the table, waving her right hand and piling spirit stones on the table.

Gu An immediately bowed and then went to collect the spirit stones into his storage bag.

He didn't say much and turned to leave.

Li Xuanyu watched his leaving figure and asked indifferently, "I heard your leg technique is very powerful?"

Gu An stopped, turned to look at her, and said, "Did Brother Li Ya tell you that? My leg technique is no match for his."

Recently, Li Ya had stayed in Mystic Valley, watching Tang Yu practice the Residual Wind Leg, and had learned about the time Gu An had used the Residual Wind Leg to subdue Meng Lang.

He hadn't expected him to tell Li Xuanyu so quickly...

"Hmm, I just asked casually."

Li Xuanyu's face remained calm as she spoke. She paused and then said, "I look forward to the day you join the Inner Sect. Then you and I can compete."

Gu An replied, perplexed and helpless, "How can I compete with you, Senior Sister? I could never catch up to you."

"Go back now."

Li Xuanyu didn't continue his line of conversation but instead gave him the order to leave.

Gu An could only depart.

After leaving her cave, Gu An didn't feel much psychological burden.

As long as he denied everything, what could Li Xuanyu do about it?

...

Late at night, Gu An walked through the mountain forest. In the afternoon, he had already told Wuxin that he needed to go out and wouldn't return until tomorrow.

The reason he had mentioned it in advance was that he was preparing for a breakthrough.

Once he made a breakthrough, it would undoubtedly cause a significant disturbance. If the disciples were looking for him then, and found he wasn't in his room, they might get suspicious.

Ever since his visit to the Outer City, Gu An had sensed a strong atmosphere of danger.

The rulers practiced Demon Skills, and the nobles' children fled the Outer Sect—all these signs made him anxious.

Although the Void Crossing Realm, Level Nine, was strong, the Supreme Sect had its share of those from the Void Crossing Realm. Thus, after several days of struggle, Gu An decided to break through to a higher major realm first.

Ultimately, delaying the unlocking of the million-year lifespan feature by one year wouldn't be too bad!

This time, he took a long detour, traveling three hundred miles by night, and stopped in a dense forest. He stopped because he sensed two Nascent Soul auras, one of which he had felt before.

Zuo Yijian!

The Maniac Swordsman of Canghu Lake, who had previously gained Sword Enlightenment near Mystic Valley, was injured by Gu An in the guise of the Flying Leaf Sword Immortal. Since then, Gu An had only seen him at the Ji Family estate.

Gu An had suppressed his aura to the lowest level, fearing no detection by anyone in the Nascent Soul Realm.

Miles away, above the forest, Zuo Yijian, clad in blue robes, hovered in the air, with five precious swords floating beside him, circling around his body, epitomizing the demeanor of a Sword Cultivator.

Facing him was a man in a wide black robe, burly in stature, wielding a long staff, with thick eyebrows and piercing eyes, and a square and imposing face. His black robe fluttered intensely, and his overwhelming domineering presence caused the trees below to tilt to the sides.

"Zuo Yijian, you should have been content to stay in the Inner Sect and study, so why obstruct me?" the man in the black robe asked coldly.

Zuo Yijian, expressionless, replied, "Chen Xuanjin, as a Great Elder of the Outer Sect, you practice Demon Skill, harming your fellow disciples. It's not me who obstructs you; it's your abundance of injustice that compels me to act on behalf of the heavens to apprehend you."

Hearing this, Chen Xuanjin burst into derisive laughter.

"Do you really not know whom I'm working for?" Chen Xuanjin snorted coldly, then planted his staff into the ground. A burst of purple light emerged from the base of the staff, forming purple runes and creating a complex and mysterious formation with a diameter of over a hundred meters.

Just as the edge of the formation nearly touched Zuo Yijian, it was blocked by an invisible Sword Intent. From above, it looked as though a piece was missing from the edge of the purple light formation.

"Of course I know. I cannot take on him, but I can handle you. Killing you means that even if your successor as Great Elder of the Outer Sect continues to commit wrongs, I can protect the Outer Disciples for a while."

Zuo Yijian said expressionlessly, as the five precious swords around him unsheathed simultaneously, their sword light illuminating the night sky.

"You think you can kill me?"

Chen Xuanjin reacted as if he had heard a huge joke; his face twisted ferociously as his aura suddenly exploded, and a fierce wind arose, shaking the trees in the surrounding ten miles severely.

Zuo Yijian's expression changed slightly, and he involuntarily squinted.

"You at Nascent Soul Realm level one think you can kill me at Nascent Soul Realm level nine? Zuo Yijian, do you think because you have your master as a backup, I wouldn't dare kill you?"

"Since you've chosen the path of power, refusing to remain ordinary, you are fundamentally mistaken. Saving some mediocre Outer Disciples as opposed to saving the entire Taicang Dynasty—weigh what's heavier and what's lighter. If you don't understand, then you've lived in vain!"

Chen Xuanjin stood proudly, his domineering aura compressing Zuo Yijian's sword shadows, causing his five precious swords to tremble.

"I'll give you one last chance, turn back now and it's still not too late. Either go back to your Investiture of the Gods or die." Chen Xuanjin's staff emitted rolling Demonic Qi, surprisingly condensing into a massive black dragon that coiled around him.

Zuo Yijian took a deep breath and said, "Since you mentioned the Investiture of the Gods, do you know of the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array?"

Immortal-Slaying Sword Array!

Chen Xuanjin's expression drastically changed, revealing a look of astonishment.

Gu An, who was secretly keeping an eye on them from a distance, was also surprised.

"One breath becomes three pure ones, the marvelous technique penetrates Mount Sumeru..."

Zuo Yijian muttered, his surrounding precious swords trembling fiercely, quickly dispersing and forming an array, its killing intent soaring into the heavens.

Gu An, standing under a tree, was stunned.

Could studying really reveal Daoist Sorcery?

Was he a genius?

Chen Xuanjin was also frightened and immediately cast a spell to attack.

A great battle erupted instantly!

The heavens shook and the earth moved, and the forests toppled.

Gu An stood under the tree, unflinchingly, his pupils shining with Sword Qi, closely watching Zuo Yijian's figure.

After ten breaths,

the battle ended.

Gu An sighed with relief.

That scared me!

Gu An truly thought Zuo Yijian had discerned the Immortal-Slaying Sword Array from the Investiture of the Gods.

If that were so, wouldn't it mean that the Investiture of the Gods was real? What a world that would be!

The swordsmanship Zuo Yijian used was self-created, truly powerful enough to compete with a Great Cultivator at Nascent Soul Realm level nine, but it did not last for long.

The night sky cleared, the mountains and forests turned to wasteland, and dust flew into the air.

Chen Xuanjin hovered in the air, gasping heavily, his face full of lingering fears. His eyes looked down at the rolling dust below.

He could feel that Zuo Yijian was not yet dead, his brows furrowed in consternation.

Although he wanted to kill Zuo Yijian, reason told him that doing so might cause trouble.

Even though he was at the Nascent Soul Realm, within the Supreme Sect, he was still just a pawn.

Just then, a sound of something cleaving the air came, startling Chen Xuanjin. He glanced up abruptly, his pupils dilating.

A cold light sped from the horizon, scattering the dust and stirring up countless leaves as it passed, like a chilling sword slicing through the ages.

Lying in the rubble, Zuo Yijian sensed something and instinctively opened his eyes. The dust above suddenly dispersed, the night sky reflecting in his pupils, where amidst the darkness, a bright light shined mesmerizingly.

"It's him..."

Zuo Yijian's eyes widened as he saw the swirl of Sword Qi around the leaves piercing Chen Xuanjin's chest, blood splattering the night sky.

In that moment, Zuo Yijian finally understood.

The Flying Leaf Sword Immortal had not intended to harm him back then, but to guide him; otherwise, how could he have survived?

Now, the Flying Leaf Sword Immortal's intervention to save him both surprised and shamed him.

Just who was this senior?