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

Chapter 585 Obsession
Xiao Lan felt as if she were dreaming today. She met an immortal who claimed to be exceptionally talented and wanted to take her as his disciple. After the immortal demonstrated his magic, her father, whom she considered the most powerful, actually knelt down and kowtowed.

Everything is so dreamy.

Even as dusk approached, Xiao Lan still hadn't recovered.

"What, don't you want to cultivate immortality?"

A familiar voice interrupted Xiao Lan's thoughts. She turned her head and saw Gu An walking into the garden.

Looking at Gu An, Xiao Lan's fear subsided considerably. She replied, "It's not that I don't want to, I'm just a little scared. After all, I've never been outside before. She... Master said she'd take me to the Dao Court. The Dao Court seems very powerful..."

She began to express her true feelings, and Gu An came up to her and listened attentively.

In the end, Xiao Lan said helplessly, "If only someone could go with me, but unfortunately, none of my brothers and sisters are approved by our master."

Gu An blinked and said, "I can stay with you. Your master has already accepted me as a disciple. Although there is still a difference in status between us, it won't be difficult for me to accompany you in the future."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lan's eyes widened. She excitedly grabbed Gu An's arms and asked, "Really?"

"When have I ever lied to you? Master Xiao already instructed me to take good care of you," Gu An said with a smile, raising his hand to rub Xiao Lan's head as he spoke.

Having lived in Xiao Manor for eighteen years, Gu An had long since integrated into the community. Everyone in the manor liked him. Through his experiences, Gu An had also developed a deep friendship with the Manor Lord. In addition, Gu An had watched Xiao Lan grow up, so the Manor Lord trusted him completely.

It's worth mentioning that the character "Lan" in Xiao Lan's name was given to her by Gu An, which shows how much trust Gu An had gained in Xiao Manor.

"That's great! Let's explore the world of cultivation together from now on!" Xiao Lan was extremely excited and hugged Gu An's arm tightly.

From childhood to adulthood, she loved playing with Gu An because Gu An would always give her whatever she wanted.

She shed her previous anxiety and confusion and became extremely looking forward to the future.

Two days later, the white-clad woman named Su Zhenren left with Gu An and Xiao Lan. Everyone in Xiao Manor stood in front of the gate to see them off.

Xiao Lan's mother wept uncontrollably, while Master Xiao's eyes were filled with anticipation.

His spiritual talent was limited, but Xiao Lan's experience gave him hope; perhaps he could gain the chance to live forever through his daughter.

Parting is always sad, but fortunately Xiao Lan had Gu An by her side. After leaving Xiao Village for a hundred miles, she regained her liveliness.

She disregarded Su Zhenren's immortal status and kept asking her about the Dao Court, chattering incessantly along the way.

Gu An followed behind the two, enjoying the scenery along the way. Midway through, he switched to his clone while his main body went to pick herbs.

Su Zhenren treated Xiao Lan with gentleness and doting affection. As for Gu An, although she wasn't very enthusiastic, she didn't give him a hard time either, and the atmosphere on the journey was quite pleasant.

Night falls.

The three stopped to rest in the woods. Su Zhenren did not plan to return to the Dao Court immediately. She was traveling in the mortal world, experiencing the world's affairs, and wanted to bring Xiao Lan back to the Dao Court after her training was over. During this time, she would teach Xiao Lan the methods of cultivation.

Xiao Lan was very excited, and even after half a day had passed, she still couldn't calm down.

"Master, tell us about the Dao Court and the cultivation world. I heard from my father that cultivators have their own levels. Although mortals can't see them, the cultivation world is magnificent, full of ups and downs, and heroes emerge in great numbers." Xiao Lan leaned against Gu An and asked Su Zhenren.

Su Zhenren was somewhat displeased with her close relationship with Gu An, but she did not show it. Instead, she began to introduce the Dao Court.

According to Su Zhenren, the Dao Court is the most powerful sect in the world, with countless branches. She mentions names, all of whom are famous geniuses within the Dao Court.

“My disciple, your talent is no less than theirs. As long as you are willing to work hard, I will help you surpass them and become the number one prodigy of the Dao Court.” Master Su looked at Xiao Lan and said with burning eyes.

Xiao Lan became even more excited. She sat up, patted Gu An's shoulder, and said triumphantly, "Brother Gu, I will be the number one genius in the world in the future. Just wait for me to protect you."

Gu An smiled and said, "Great! I'm already looking forward to it."

Su Zhenren frowned slightly.

In her eyes, Gu An was not good enough for Xiao Lan, and Xiao Lan's path did not require emotions.

To become a top genius in the Dao Court, one must devote all one's energy to cultivation.

However, she did not stop her. Once Xiao Lan witnessed the strength and splendor of the Dao Court, she would eventually lose interest in Gu An.

Her gaze toward Gu An turned sympathetic.

Being abandoned is a terrible feeling. In any case, this boy can be considered her disciple, and she will ensure his peaceful end. This Master Su's thoughts are quite interesting.

Listening to her thoughts, Gu An thought to himself that this journey was quite interesting.

Xiao Lan was unaware of what the two were thinking and was still dreaming about her life of cultivating immortality.

That year, Xiao Lan began practicing Qi cultivation. In addition to teaching her the techniques, Master Su also gave her pills, which made her cultivation speed extremely fast.

The following year, Gu An gifted the White Spirit Sword to Xiao Lan, which made Xiao Lan very happy.

She had grown up and had a vague understanding of feelings. She found that her feelings for Gu An were just like those of a married couple. Whenever she thought of this, she would blush and couldn't help but steal glances at Gu An. Neither of them confessed their feelings and enjoyed this hazy affection.

Although Su Zhenren did not deliberately stop them, she often took Gu An and Xiao Lan to see those mortals who suffered for love, wanting Xiao Lan to know that love is unreliable.

However, Xiao Lan was not affected. On the contrary, she was even more grateful that her Brother Gu was not that kind of person.

A blink of an eye.

Fifty years have passed in a flash.

Xiao Lan has already reached the Nascent Soul Realm, and her talent, symbolized by her maximum lifespan of 9,999 years, is now fully revealed.

According to Su Zhenren, her cultivation speed would be even faster if she cultivated within the Daoist temple.

Gu An's apparent cultivation level had reached the Core Formation stage, which would be considered exceptional in the Tai Cang Continent, but in Su Zhenren's eyes, such a cultivation speed was not worth mentioning.

Over the course of fifty years, they traveled through twelve dynasties, witnessed the customs and traditions of various places, and encountered cultivators, demons, and monsters.

Xiao Lan matured, untied the ropes binding her two braids, and gradually developed the air of a proud daughter of heaven.

No matter how much higher her level of cultivation was than Gu An's, her feelings for Gu An did not diminish; in fact, they grew stronger. Before, Gu An took care of her; now, it was her taking care of Gu An.

Whenever Gu An was silent, she would ask him questions, afraid that Gu An would feel pressured. This made Gu An both amused and exasperated, and also made Su Zhenren even more dissatisfied.

She really couldn't understand why Xiao Lan liked Gu An so much.

Xiao Lan had never left the manor before and had never met a man more outstanding than Gu An, so Su Zhenren could understand her feelings for Gu An.

But now that Xiao Lan has gained some experience, she likes Gu An even more, which she finds puzzling.

Most importantly, Su Zhenren found it difficult to stop it even if she wanted to.

Her intuition told her that if she interfered in the relationship, Xiao Lan would become her enemy.

On a hot summer day, the three walked along the riverbank, where waves crashed against the shore and white gulls flew in formation, creating a magnificent yet desolate scene.

"Brother Gu, are you hot? Do you need me to cast a spell for you?"

"Brother Gu, are you tired? Do you need to rest?"

"Brother Gu, look over there! That magical bird is so cute! Do you like it? Do you want me to catch it for you?"

Hearing these questions, even Gu An, let alone Su Zhenren, was finding it hard to keep up.

"I'm at least a Core Formation Realm cultivator, so why am I being treated like a weak scholar?" Gu An said helplessly.

Dressed in white and with makeup as beautiful as a fairy, Xiao Lan stood gracefully beside him. Hearing his words, she blinked and chuckled softly, "I just couldn't help it."

She didn't know why, but she was always thinking about Gu An, and sometimes she couldn't even listen to her master's words.

Looking at Gu An made her feel very happy, and she felt like the luckiest person in the world.

As she spoke, she couldn't help but hug Gu An's arm, as if afraid he would leave.

Gu An felt helpless but also touched. He hadn't cast any spells on Xiao Lan; this was a feeling that transcended reincarnation.

Ye Lan's love for him has become an obsession in the cycle of reincarnation.

(End of this chapter)