If I become a saint, a celestial official will summon me to raise horses.

Chapter 38 The Heaven-Hating Divine Sword, A Shocking Change at the Tai Xuan Sect
After Li Xuandao finished speaking, he looked at Gu An with a smile on his face, waiting for his decision.

Gu An was numb.

The emperor also wanted him to be a spy?

This is forcing him to become a triple agent!

This was not what Gu An was pursuing, but the key was that he couldn't refuse, as the other party was superior to him in both cultivation and status.

If you don't refuse, you'll face endless trouble later.

If you refuse, then you're in trouble now!
But when Gu An thought of the high-grade medicinal herbs he had just mentioned, his heart began to beat faster.

Gu An asked hesitantly, "Do I... have the option to refuse?"

“Yes, if you refuse, I will erase your memories of today, as if we had never met,” Li Xuandao said with a light laugh.

Gu An asked helplessly, "Why did you choose me? My talent is mediocre. With your status, it would be easy for you to poach disciples from the Tai Xuan Sect."

Li Xuandao shook his head and said, "I did not intentionally try to poach disciples from the Tai Xuan Sect. It just so happens that you have an excellent relationship with Li Ya, and I wanted to promote you. Moreover, since your aptitude is mediocre, I am more at ease because I can meet your needs."

He paused, then said in a flippant tone, "The world does not wish for the emperor to live forever, and I do not wish for my Lord of Medicine Valley to live forever either."

You're really funny!
Gu An could only say, "If that's the case, then I have no choice but to agree."

“Decades from now, when you look back, you won’t regret your decision today,” Li Xuandao said with a smile, his tone full of pride.

Gu An couldn't help but ask curiously, "Has His Majesty been paying attention to Senior Brother Li all this time?"

"The matter is settled. There's no need to call me Your Majesty anymore. Just call me Uncle. That's how we'll act like family," Li Xuandao said sternly.

Seeing that he didn't seem to be testing him, Gu An called him "Uncle".

Li Xuandao smiled and said, "To be honest, I have quite a few pawns in the outer sect of Tai Xuan Sect, and I am naturally aware of Li Ya's situation."

Gu An had previously thought that Li Ya had a bad relationship with his father, but now it seems that this is not the case.

Could there be a misunderstanding here?

He wanted to ask on Li Ya's behalf, but he held back.

The emperor before us desires immortality, so his attitude towards his princes must be complex. Even if he loves his princes, he probably harbors some reservations.

Which crown prince wants to be crown prince for life? Which prince doesn't yearn for the throne?
Gu An was filled with emotion. He had previously thought that Li Ya and Li Xuanyu were already quite talented, but after seeing Li Xuandao, he realized why the two were so gifted.

Bloodline inheritance!
A 230-year-old cultivator at the eighth level of the Nascent Soul Realm...

Could he have broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm at just over a hundred years old?

Outrageous!

Most importantly, this guy has also cultivated a secret technique to conceal his aura. If Gu An didn't have the ability to detect lifespan, he wouldn't be able to see through his true cultivation level at all.

Perhaps neither the imperial court nor the cultivation world can see through his cultivation level, which is why he has been able to cultivate steadily until now.

Afterwards, Li Xuandao began to inquire about the events in Gu'an Valley, curious about the origin of the Spring Festival mentioned by the disciples.

Gu An replied to him with the same words he would use to deal with others.

Li Xuandao became interested in the Spring Festival and decided to participate today. How could Gu An refuse?

Half an hour later, the two came down from the pavilion and joined the other disciples in preparing for the Spring Festival. The disciples were very happy, and laughter filled the air, which also infected Li Xuandao.

As night fell, Gu An took out the firecrackers he had made, and the Xuan Valley began to echo with deafening explosions.

The firelight illuminated Li Xuandao's face, which was beaming with smiles. He was even drinking with Xiao Chuan, making it impossible to associate him with the emperor of the Taicang Dynasty.

Tang Yu, Su Han, and other disciples prepared a variety of performances, including storytelling, sparring, acrobatics, and more, keeping the night lively until late.

The following day at noon, Gu An saw Li Xuandao off.

"Two more years? That's something to look forward to."

Gu An silently thought that Li Xuandao had said he would send someone to pick him up and take him to the Medicine Valley in two years.

He plans to reach a lifespan of 100,000 years within two years, and then break through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

No, to surpass the Nascent Soul Realm, he was not stronger than Li Xuandao. He was really uneasy. After all, serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. What if Li Xuandao suddenly went crazy and tried to harm him?
Gu An gazed in the direction Li Xuandao had left, wondering to himself why the emperor was going to the outer gate alone.

Could it be that the person he was actually visiting was Li Xuanyu?
Li Ya once said that Li Xuandao's favorite child was Li Xuanyu.

Gu An stopped thinking about it and turned to walk into the valley, preparing to plant some more medicinal herbs.

……

Spring passed and summer came, and Gu An turned thirty-four in the summer.

On this day, he saw off Du Ye, who had come to ask for medicinal herbs.

Valley mouth.

Du Ye turned around and said, "Over the years, you have provided a lot of medicinal herbs. Young Master Ji Lin is very satisfied with you. In a while, he will send someone to deliver Foundation Establishment Pills to you to help you reach the Foundation Establishment Realm as soon as possible. After you become a true outer disciple, he will also find a way to let you continue to take over this medicine valley."

Having said that, he turned and left, leaping across the mountains and forests on his sword.

Gu An shook his head and chuckled. Li Xuandao had said something similar when he saw Li Xuandao off at the beginning of the year.

He needs to keep his distance from the Ji family in the future, lest they plot against the Tai Xuan Sect and need his help.

Although the sect is powerful, the power of the aristocratic families is immeasurable.

On this land, dynasties rise and fall, sects are destroyed and new ones rise, but some aristocratic families survive, and the Ji family is one of them.

Ugh!
I just want to pick grass and flowers, so why are so many people trying to win him over?
As Gu An pondered this, he walked into the nearby woods.

A man was practicing his sword in the forest; it was Su Han. Su Han had now reached the seventh level of the Qi Refining Realm, second only to Gu An and Tang Yu in the valley.

Tang Yu practiced leg techniques, while Su Han practiced swordsmanship, but the swordsmanship he usually practiced was taught by Li Ya and was not considered profound.

Gu An watched him practice swordsmanship from afar, hesitating whether or not to offer him guidance.

Su Han was diligent in his work and hard at cultivation, and Gu An could not find any fault with him.

Huh?
No, he didn't practice the Li Family Seven Swords.

Upon closer inspection, Gu An realized that the swordsmanship he was using was something he was seeing for the first time.

This kid also had a lucky encounter?
When did this happen?

Gu An was secretly curious, and then deliberately stepped on the dead leaves to make a sound.

Su Han, who was practicing his sword, noticed Gu An's arrival. He immediately stopped, turned around, and bowed to Gu An.

"Xiao Han, entering the outer sect relies on cultivation level. Why do you practice swordsmanship so diligently?" Gu An asked with a smile.

Su Han scratched his head with his left hand and said, "I'm not in a hurry to enter the outer sect. I want to master the sword techniques first."

Why do you think that way?

"Entering the outer sect requires carrying out missions; if one's strength is insufficient, it will only jeopardize one's future."

Su Han's answer amused Gu An.

Yes, this boy suits his taste perfectly.

Gu An asked curiously, "Is your swordsmanship a family tradition?"

Su Han nodded and said, "It is my father's swordsmanship, but it is too profound. I have only recently managed to comprehend it."

"Your father must be very skilled. Although I don't like practicing swordsmanship, I have seen many exquisite sword techniques in the outer sect, but none of them are as good as the sword technique you just demonstrated," Gu An asked curiously.

Su Han shook his head and said, "My father was a cripple. He was blind from the time I can remember and had no magic. He died when I was seven years old. Later, I found this sword manual in his bag."

As he spoke, he took out a sword manual from his pocket and handed it directly to Gu An.

Gu An took a look and raised an eyebrow slightly.

The Heaven-Hating Divine Sword!

What a strange name!

Upon seeing this name, Gu An immediately wanted to expel Su Han from Xuan Valley.

This guy is clearly carrying a grudge!
Gu An quickly flipped through it. He was at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul Realm, which was enough for him to have a photographic memory. However, whether he could master it depended on his own comprehension of swordsmanship.

He returned the sword manual to Su Han and pondered, "This sword technique is indeed exquisite, but its mental cultivation method seems somewhat insidious. Do you really have to practice it?"

This sword technique requires tempering the internal organs with sword energy, causing the practitioner to suffer unimaginable pain, and some of its methods are even beyond Gu An's comprehension.

Based on his swordsmanship skills, it can be asserted that this sword technique is very strange!

Su Han was taken aback and asked, "Master, do you think I shouldn't practice?"

Gu An shook his head and said, "I just feel that this sword technique may bring you pain, but I don't know your background and can't understand your feelings. Whether you practice it or not is up to you. If you don't practice it, you can stay in Xuan Valley as long as you want. You will always be my disciple."

Upon hearing this, Su Han was deeply moved. He tucked the Heaven-Hating Divine Sword into his robes and nodded emphatically.

Gu An pulled a book from his pocket; it was the latest volume of Investiture of the Gods, a gift from Du Ye. Du Ye said that Ji Lin was obsessed with the book, which led them, his followers, to read it as well.

"The book you wanted." Gu An handed the Investiture of the Gods to Su Han and then turned to leave.

Su Han held the Investiture of the Gods, a smile spreading across his face.

Back in the Medicine Valley, Gu An began to observe the other miscellaneous disciples.

First Li Ya, then Wu Xin, and now Su Han—all have extraordinary backgrounds. This Xuan Valley is too mysterious!
Not quite right!

Half an hour later, Gu An finally returned to his pavilion.

The other servants couldn't see anything wrong with him for the time being, which put his mind at ease.

On second thought, that makes sense. Anyone who can enter the world of cultivation must have an extraordinary background or experience. In their eyes, they are the protagonist.

Late into the night, Gu An quietly arrived at the Eight Views Cave.

After playing with Haolong for half an hour, he took out the Heavenly Sword and began to cultivate the Heavenly Sword of Hatred.

Having more skills is never a bad thing; let's hone them up to the attribute panel first!
For a moment, the sound of whistling wind rose under the vine tree, the sound of swords clashing. Haolong watched curiously from several feet away, his dragon eyes reflecting Gu An's sword-wielding figure.

……

Late summer.

When Gu An arrived at the outer city, he first went to the Pill Hall to hand over the year's harvest of medicinal herbs, and then went to the Library Hall to submit his manuscript.

Since the Investiture of the Gods became a huge hit, Elder Liu Chang has valued him highly and always receives him alone, for fear that the news might leak out.

Liu Chang frankly expressed his fear that Gu An's reputation would be exposed and he would be kidnapped by the demonic sects. In that case, the library would lose a lot of spirit stones, which made Gu An even more cautious.

After handing over official business, Gu An went to visit Lu Jiujia. Lu Jiujia was very happy and invited him to go find Ye Lan together. It just so happened that Ye Lan was also in the city.

Not all outer disciples open cave dwellings outside the city, as the cost of building cave dwellings is high. More disciples choose to live within the outer sect and enjoy its spiritual energy.

Inside the courtyard, after the three sat down, Lu Jiujia poured wine for Gu An while mysteriously saying, "Something big has happened at the Tai Xuan Sect!"

(End of this chapter)