Saint Who Lay Low

After Li Ya left, Gu An quietly stored Elder Chen's storage pouch within the Eight Views Heavenly Cave. That same afternoon, he made his way back to the Third Medicine Valley.

He wandered around, inspecting the gardens, but his brow remained furrowed.

After a while, Elder Tian finally took the bait.

Walking over, Elder Tian curiously asked, "Valley Master, why do you seem so troubled?"

Gu An glanced at him and shook his head slightly, remaining silent.

Elder Tian stepped closer and said, "Perhaps I can't help much, but sometimes just talking about things can ease the pressure. I might even be able to offer some advice from an outsider's perspective."

Hearing this, Gu An sighed deeply and began to recount the recent events in the outer sect, including how Li Ya, who had just reached the first layer of Core Formation, was injured while protecting him.

The reason he specifically mentioned Li Ya was that he hoped the former sect master would remember Li Ya's contributions. Gu An couldn't shake the feeling that Elder Tian wouldn't stay in the valley forever and might make a comeback one day.

After he finished speaking, Elder Tian frowned as well.

Gu An couldn't help but vent, "The Demon-Suppressing Hall has been arresting demonic spies for years, yet demonic cultivators are still sneaking into Tai Xuan Sect. Is this sect truly the number one in the realm if it can't even ensure the safety of its disciples within its own borders?"

"I don't mind if I'm killed, but I worry about my disciples."

He sighed again, feeling deeply frustrated and aggrieved.

Inwardly, he praised his own acting skills. If acting could be a stat in his system, surely he would have reached the level of mastery, maybe even be on the verge of perfection.

Elder Tian sighed in response, "Indeed, it sounds troublesome. But that's how the world of cultivation has always been. No sect truly values its servant disciples. To put it bluntly, they don't even consider them real disciples."

This time, Gu An's frown was genuine. Hearing such words from the former sect master's mouth was unpleasant.

"But I've heard the new sect master has a heart of benevolence. He was the chosen one among the elders, so perhaps he'll improve the situation. He's certainly better than the last sect master," Elder Tian continued, his expression unchanged, as if he wasn't talking about himself, nor did his tone reveal whether he was being sarcastic.

Gu An didn't respond and only sighed again, continuing to inspect the herbs.

Elder Tian didn't follow and chose not to press further, wary of saying too much.

After an hour, Gu An returned to Xuan Valley.

For the time being, he decided to stay in Xuan Valley, making sure to return by the end of each day even if he left.

The disciples in Xuan Valley were puzzled by why Gu An had been staying close lately. It wasn't until Wu Xin and Tang Yu visited the outer sect that they learned about the recent infiltration of demonic cultivators. This news made the disciples both anxious and touched.

Their master cared about them!

Since the establishment of the Third Medicine Valley, many of the disciples had felt a growing distance between themselves and Gu An, but now they felt closer to him again.

Wu Xin felt the most pressure, pushing the disciples to focus on their spell practice, ensuring each one had some ability to defend themselves.

He even purchased some high-profile spells from the outer sect, ones that would cause enough commotion to potentially summon help if they were under attack.

Gu An didn't stop him. This could strengthen the unity of Xuan Valley and was a good chance to cultivate Wu Xin's leadership and organizational skills.

A few days later, Ye Lan came.

Like Li Ya, she came out of concern for Gu An.

In the pavilion, Ye Lan pulled a sword from her storage pouch and placed it on the table. "Recently, there's been an increase in demonic activity, and some of them are quite powerful. This sword is called Azure Swan Sword. Keep it with you. It doesn't possess great power, but it is linked to my White Spirit Sword. If you're in danger, I'll be able to sense it and come to your aid."

Gu An chuckled. "Junior Sister, your cultivation is only a few levels higher than mine. Don't risk your life for me."

Ye Lan paused for a moment before understanding his meaning. She glared at Gu An and said, "Senior Brother, don't be fooled by how I act in front of you. When it comes to others, I'm far more intimidating."

"Seems like I've underestimated you, my mighty Junior Sister," Gu An teased with a smile before picking up the Azure Swan Sword.

The scabbard was intricately designed, with a large bird engraved on it, soaring through clouds. It had an elegant feel to it. Gu An drew the blade, and a flash of sword light revealed a thin, sharp edge.

"This is beautiful. I'll keep it with me at all times," Gu An said, smiling.

Ye Lan beamed at his words.

As he observed her, Gu An realized that while Ye Lan's beauty wasn't as striking as Ji Xiaoya's or Li Xuandao's, her appearance was pleasant to look at, growing more charming the longer he gazed.

Ye Lan sat down, smiling as she watched Gu An fiddle with the Azure Swan Sword.

Suddenly, Gu An asked, "What about if you're in danger? Can Azure Swan Sword sense White Spirit Sword?"

Raising her eyebrows, Ye Lan smirked, "What, Senior Brother? You want to protect me too?"

"Hahaha, as if! You know I'm no fighter. If I came, I'd only be a burden."

"At least you know that. Senior Brother, if I'm in danger, don't even think about coming."

"Don't worry, I'm too afraid of dying."

"Hehe, I'm afraid too. I'll stay alive, or else who will keep people from bullying you, Senior Brother?"

"Nonsense, who has ever bullied me all these years?"

"Well then, I wish you peace and safety for the rest of your life."

...

Since Li Ya's departure, Xuan Valley had remained peaceful. When autumn arrived, Gu An estimated it was time for another batch of herbs to mature in the Third Medicine Valley, so he returned.

As he stepped off the teleportation platform, his eyes instinctively glanced toward his pavilion.

Someone was inside!

It was Shen Zhen.

Gu An didn't head straight for her. After all, there were no real secrets in the pavilion, except for The Adventures of Green Hero, and she liked that book anyway.

Instead, he went to one of the gardens and began harvesting herbs. As the notifications of lifespan gains appeared in his vision, a smile crept onto his face, filling him with joy.

No matter how high he climbed in cultivation, the sight of increasing lifespan never failed to make him happy.

Who knew how far a million years of lifespan could push his cultivation?

He had scoured the outer sect's library, but no records of ascension existed, and no one seemed to know just how vast this world truly was.

The larger the world, the higher the potential levels of cultivation. Tai Xuan Sect already had Void Crossing cultivators, and that wandering true disciple might have even surpassed that level, yet he wasn't invincible.

The path of cultivation was long and arduous.

As Gu An harvested, his thoughts drifted idly.

After finishing, he headed toward the pavilion.

Passing by Elder Tian, the old man remarked, "That girl, Shen Zhen, has been looking for you several times."

Gu An nodded and continued walking.

After a brief hesitation, Elder Tian added, "By the way, I've told Elder Gu Zong about what you mentioned. Perhaps they'll improve the situation in the outer sect."

Gu An turned and smiled. "Elder Tian, see? Everyone has their role to play. You keep saying you're nearing the end, but you've just helped countless disciples. Thank you."

He bowed slightly and continued walking, leaving Elder Tian in quiet thought.

"Everyone has their role to play…" Elder Tian murmured to himself.

...

Gu An entered the pavilion and found Shen Zhen sitting at the desk, writing. She was still dressed in black, her face hidden behind a veil, her long hair tied into a bun, with two strands of hair framing her face, adding a gentle beauty to her brow and eyes.

Shen Zhen didn't lift her gaze, acting as though she hadn't noticed Gu An's arrival.

Gu An walked over to her side, curious to see what she was writing.

At that moment, she calmly set down her brush and collected the papers.

Gu An, having caught a glimpse of the content, couldn't help but wear a strange expression, unsure whether to speak up.

Shen Zhen stood up, slipping the papers into her sleeve. She walked a few steps away, creating distance between them, and smiled. "I've been looking for you a few times, but you were always away. Is that outer sect medicine valley really so important to you?"

Gu An sighed. "The outer sect has been unsafe lately, and I can't bring all my disciples with me, so I need to stay and watch over them. After all, I'm stronger than they are."

He shared this in the hopes that she would relay the message upward.

The more voices speaking up, the more likely it would reach those in power.

"With your achievements, entering the inner sect, or even living in the main sect city of Tai Xuan, shouldn't be difficult. Why bother with all these mundane tasks when you could just focus on writing?" Shen Zhen asked curiously.

Gu An replied, "You're the saintess of Dao Tian Sect, enjoying resources most can't even dream of. Why don't you focus on cultivation? Why spend your time on the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting?"

Shen Zhen fell silent.

Gu An began tidying up the desk.

After a while, Shen Zhen sighed. "As expected of the author of Tai Xuan Immortal Sovereign. Only you could truly understand me. If you were to die, I wouldn't just lose your books—I'd lose a kindred spirit."

"No, I can't let you die. I'll tell you a secret."

With a wave of her hand, the door closed, and several talismans flew from her sleeve, sealing the windows and doors.

Gu An watched her with curiosity. What secret could possibly save his life?

"There are people within Tai Xuan Sect who want to practice demonic cultivation to break through to higher levels and face the coming demonic calamity. However, they aren't sure if it will work yet, so they're using the outer sect as a testing ground. They can't do this openly, as it would tarnish their reputation as a righteous sect, so they've been using the guise of hunting demonic spies," Shen Zhen said calmly, her eyes turning unusually cold.

Gu An frowned. "How do you know this?"

"Because Dao Tian Sect is doing the same. Sacrificing a portion of the lower disciples to ensure the sect's survival—it's considered a noble act that will be remembered for generations."

Gu An felt deeply unsettled by her words.

"What kind of demonic cultivation requires sacrificing disciples?" Gu An pressed.

"As cultivators, we strive to defy the heavens, but the higher one's cultivation, the more they feel the pull of destiny. This demonic cultivation aims to help those stuck at their current levels to break through the heavens' restrictions. In short, you should give up on the outer sect medicine valley. Staying there won't benefit you. Since you're Pan An, they won't tell you the truth because they fear you'll write about it. But remember, don't say I told you this," Shen Zhen warned.

Her words left Gu An in quiet reflection.

The divide between righteousness and demonic cultivation seemed laughable at this moment.

With a twinkle in her eye, Shen Zhen changed the subject. "By the way, you saw my writing earlier. What do you think?"

Gu An's expression grew strange again. He replied seriously, "The Adventures of Green Hero isn't flawless. Some aspects don't need to be copied."

"Why not? Those are the most authentic moments that reflect human emotions."

"Do you really need to write them?"

"Yes."

"Can you at least not name the protagonist Gu An?"