Saint Who Lay Low

Hearing Ji Xiaoya's words, Gu An couldn't help but feel curious.

Why would she have such thoughts?

In her previous life, right before Ji Xiaoya's death, Gu An had indeed intervened, but it was under his identity as the Sword Master of the Dao. Surely, Ji Xiaoya couldn't have seen through his true identity back then, right?

Impossible. His Nine Extremes Yin-Yang Body could block all prying eyes and causal deductions. To uncover his identity, someone's cultivation would need to vastly surpass his own.

Could it be related to Gu An's identity?

Gu An suddenly recalled the time when, as a child, Ji Xiaoya had come to his defense. Reflecting on it now, it seemed Ji Xiaoya had only ever saved him—never extending such kindness to other servants. She'd never meddled in their affairs.

Gu An chuckled, "Since you trust me so much, I'll make sure to treat you well. As long as you stay in Medicine Valley, you can cultivate in peace. No one will harm you."

Ji Xiaoya nodded and then brought up Journey to the West.

Lately, during her breaks from cultivation, she had taken to reading like Gu An, becoming increasingly enamored with Journey to the West.

The two chatted for half an hour before Ji Xiaoya finally left.

Autumn arrived.

Gu An returned once more to Xunxian Island. Despite the attack from the Spectral Wraiths, the island, though quieter than before, had not fallen into decline.

The island's strength remained formidable. Without Spectral Wraiths exceeding the realm of Loose Immortal, it was nearly impossible to shake the foundation of Xunxian Island.

Gu An transmitted a message to Hu Xiaojian, who soon appeared before him.

After bowing in greeting, Hu Xiaojian recounted the previous attack on the island. When he mentioned the Spectral Wraiths, his face was filled with terror and lingering fear.

"Those creatures would reform just five breaths after being dispersed. They're unbelievably troublesome. Thankfully, the Island Master used his divine abilities to teleport them all away. Unable to breach the defenses, they eventually dispersed," Hu Xiaojian said, trembling as he spoke.

Gu An listened and offered comfort. "It's over now. There's no need to worry. Xunxian Island has stood for countless years and won't be so easily destroyed."

"But what if a Spectral Wraith King descends…" Hu Xiaojian sighed.

"Is there anything on Xunxian Island that would attract a Spectral Wraith King?"

"That's true. Spectral Wraith Kings aren't interested in heavenly materials or treasures. They only seek to slaughter the strong and absorb their power."

Hu Xiaojian nodded, his mood improving.

He then led Gu An on a tour of the marketplace, all the while sharing information about the Deep Sea Rift and the Spectral Wraiths.

Gu An listened attentively. Across the ocean, sects everywhere were battling Spectral Wraiths. Their numbers were increasing rapidly, forcing even the most reclusive sects to take action. Many sects Hu Xiaojian had never even heard of were now revealing their strength, leaving him awestruck.

The Deep Sea Spirit Palace, the Mortal Peak, the Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect, the Purple Core Palace, the Fallen Immortal Gorge, the Grand Qi Dao Sect, and the Temple of Eternal Time…

The vastness of this world left Hu Xiaojian marveling.

Gu An, however, was unfazed. Through his spiritual senses, he had already discerned that this realm contained over a hundred sects equal in power to the Star Sea Sect, showcasing the immense strength of this world.

Some sects had even achieved the ability to ascend to the stars, yet they chose to remain in this realm. Perhaps the heavens beyond held dangers unimaginable to mortal minds.

What intrigued Gu An most was the force that enveloped this great heavenly realm, preventing beings below the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm from leaving. What was it?

Was it a restriction imposed by the world itself, or the work of some higher power?

In any case, Gu An wasn't eager to venture beyond the heavens.

If the Heaven and Earth Flying Immortal Realm was the minimum requirement for leaving this realm, Gu An decided he wouldn't attempt it until he was at least two great realms higher. To perish in the unknown would be far too humiliating.

Gu An's musings were interrupted when Hu Xiaojian brought up medicinal herbs, pulling his thoughts back to reality.

Compared to the Spectral Wraiths, Gu An was more focused on extending his lifespan.

Time flows relentlessly, bringing endless trials to the mortal world. Yet how many have truly achieved immortality?

To live forever—that was what Gu An cared about most.

Five years passed in the blink of an eye.

Gu An's lifespan had exceeded twenty-eight million years, drawing close to the thirty-million mark.

In those five years, the ocean had faced countless calamities. Xunxian Island was attacked twice more but survived. Meanwhile, the continent where the Tai Xuan Sect resided remained peaceful, unaffected by the chaos of the seas.

In a forest.

Gu An sat atop the Blood Prison Saint's back, watching Yang Jian and Li Lingtian spar with amusement.

Though Li Lingtian had reached the second layer of the Core Formation Realm, he was still being suppressed by Yang Jian, whose apparent cultivation was only at the Foundation Establishment Realm. In truth, Yang Jian had already formed his Nascent Soul. Even when suppressing his cultivation to the Foundation Establishment Realm, his physical strength was far beyond what a Core Formation cultivator could withstand.

Boom!

Li Lingtian was slammed into a tree, shaking the thousand-year-old trunk and scattering its leaves.

Ten zhang away, Yang Jian retracted his leg and dusted off his robe. The sharp, oppressive aura he exuded dissipated, leaving behind a calm presence.

Li Lingtian sat on the ground, clutching his chest, grimacing in pain.

The Blood Prison Saint's voice rang out, "Li Lingtian, your progress in cultivation is too pathetic. With results like this, how dare you call yourself 'Lingtian'?"

Hearing this, Li Lingtian grew furious, but with both Gu An and Yang Jian present, he swallowed his frustration.

"Damn it... What kind of monster is this guy…"

Li Lingtian struggled to his feet, his gaze at Yang Jian filled with fear.

He was grateful this was only a sparring match. If it had been a life-and-death fight, his death wouldn't have been simple—it would've been utterly miserable.

Over the years, Yang Jian's growing aggression had made even the fearless Li Lingtian apprehensive. He dreaded provoking him.

"Jian'er, your strikes were a bit heavy. Apologize," Gu An's voice came from nearby.

Yang Jian glanced at Li Lingtian and noticed the severity of his injuries. Feeling guilty, he quickly stepped forward.

"Sorry, I was distracted just now," Yang Jian said earnestly, his face full of regret.

Seeing his expression, Li Lingtian didn't feel better—in fact, he felt worse.

He forced a wry smile and said, "It's fine, I just wasn't skilled enough."

At that moment, Li Lingtian entertained thoughts of leaving the Third Medicine Valley.

He had initially thought staying close to Yang Jian would help him improve. Now, it felt like the gap between them was only growing.

He had almost forgotten what victory felt like—or rather, he had never won. As an adult, he sparred only with Yang Jian, avoiding bullying the other disciples in the valley.

Gu An called them back to the valley as his divine sense swept over the ocean.

Five years had passed, and the surrounding seas of the continent had started to show signs of Spectral Wraith activity. Although the numbers were still sparse, it was an ominous sign.

Gu An recalled his earlier intervention, destroying the thousand-zhang apparition and scattering the colossal wave. That act must have made the mysterious entities in the Deep Sea Rift wary of him. Yet, over the years, no real danger had arrived. This wasn't mere luck—those entities were likely scheming.

Gu An's desire to break through grew stronger.

At his current level of the ninth layer of the Unrestrained Primordial Immortal Realm, he was unafraid of calamities. Even if he couldn't defeat an enemy, he could always escape. But if he fled, what about the Medicine Valley and the people he cared about?

Taking them all with him would be inconvenient, and it would also expose his true cultivation level.

"Damn fate… Is this how it stops me from reaching one hundred million years of life?" Gu An muttered to himself, frustration building.

The Blood Prison Saint beneath him was oblivious to his thoughts, instead teasing Li Lingtian, whose face grew redder with embarrassment, as if he might explode.

When they arrived at the valley entrance, Gu An noticed a figure in the distance. He gently patted the bull's back, signaling the Blood Prison Saint to speed up.

But Li Lingtian ran faster, rushing forward like a gust of wind.

"Xiaoya, why are you here?" Li Lingtian asked with an ingratiating smile.

Sixteen-year-old Ji Xiaoya stood at the valley entrance, her tall figure dressed in a fitted blue outfit. Her elegant features and neatly arranged hair beneath a purple crown gave her the appearance of an immortal from a painting. Even the passing disciples couldn't help but steal glances at her.

Compared to her past life, she was even more beautiful, and her aura was far less cold.

She had been smiling, but upon Li Lingtian's approach, her expression stiffened. She took a deliberate step to the side.

This subtle move struck a heavy blow to Li Lingtian, who was already feeling low.

As the Blood Prison Saint approached, Ji Xiaoya's smile returned. She looked at Gu An and asked, "Big Brother Valley Master, are you finished with your work?"

Gu An nodded and asked, "Do you need something?"

"Let's talk in the house."

With that, Ji Xiaoya turned and headed toward Gu An's building.

Li Lingtian watched her retreating figure, hesitant to speak.

Gu An rode the Blood Prison Saint and followed Ji Xiaoya, while Yang Jian left on his own, intent on continuing his cultivation. He still wasn't strong enough to face Tian Wuchang.

Li Lingtian remained at the valley entrance, looking around in frustration.

"So you all just leave after beating me up? Is that it?"

On the other side.

Gu An escorted Ji Xiaoya to the second floor of his pavilion. He sat down, stretched lazily, and asked, "What's the matter?"

Ji Xiaoya sat down, picked up a brush and paper from the side, and began writing.

Gu An picked up a book, flipping through it while waiting.

His thoughts wandered. If he broke through ahead of time, should he also enhance his physique and techniques? His Mysterious Sacred Body was already superior to most physiques, having evolved from the Five Elemental Treasure Body into the Innate Dao Body before reaching its current form.

Still, he believed the Mysterious Sacred Body could grow stronger. After all, the pursuit of power had no limits.

After a while, Ji Xiaoya set her brush down, looked up at Gu An, and pouted. "Why don't you seem the least bit curious about what I'm writing?"

Gu An set his book aside and chuckled. "I was waiting for you to finish. I'm over 150 years older than you. Why would I get so easily curious?"

Ji Xiaoya pushed the stack of papers she'd written toward Gu An. "This is a technique I comprehended last night. Take a look."

Gu An picked up the papers and read them one by one.

When he finished, he looked at her in surprise. "What a brilliant technique. Did you really create this?"

The technique was truly extraordinary. Although it didn't compare to his own, within the Tai Xuan Sect, it would be considered a highly valuable treasure, far beyond what an inner disciple could normally access.

Ji Xiaoya nodded and said, "More or less. This technique can cleanse the meridians and marrow. Since you always complain about your aptitude, you could give it a try. It won't interfere with your Qi-gathering techniques, so you can cultivate it without worry."

Gu An raised an eyebrow. "Can I teach it to others?"

Ji Xiaoya frowned slightly at his question.

Gu An laughed and said, "If not, that's fine. Thanks a lot."