Chapter 10: Alchemy, A Promise as Firm as Jade
Chapter 10: Alchemy, A Promise as Firm as Jade
Gu An tried his best not to dwell on Cheng Xuandan's intentions and focused his attention outside the valley, remaining vigilant for any potential enemies.
He kept watch throughout the entire night.
Just before dawn, Gu An quietly returned to the house.
He wanted to go to the battlefield to take a look, but fearing traps, he could only endure and remain patient.
With the addition of Ye Lan and Lu Jiujia, the Medicine Valley felt more lively. The two of them, full of youthful energy, dragged a usually quiet Xiao Chuan to run all over the valley.
Leaning against the wooden fence of a garden, Gu An held the Qing Xia Adventure in his hands, enjoying the caress of the autumn breeze.
His gaze kept drifting towards Cheng Xuandan's attic from time to time.
The eye contact they had last night lingered in his mind, and he wanted to talk to Cheng Xuandan, but he was also afraid of disrupting the delicate balance between them.
At this moment, Lu Jiujia approached Gu An with a hopeful look on his face. "Senior Brother, I heard from Senior Brother Meng that you're proficient in a profound leg technique. Could you teach it to me? I'm willing to help you with all the herb-picking tasks."
Gu An looked at him and smiled. "It's not exactly proficiency, but if you want to learn, I'll gladly teach you. As for the herb-picking tasks, let's leave them to Senior Brother. I should do my part, and besides, I enjoy herb-picking."
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiujia felt even more admiration for Gu An.
Senior Brother is such a good person!
He was thrilled.
Gu An tucked the book into his pocket and began teaching Lu Jiujia the Canfeng Leg Technique.
Before long, Xiao Chuan and Ye Lan also ran over to learn. As for Meng Lang, he couldn't bring himself to join them, and he felt that Gu An wasn't as strong as he was. The reason he had mentioned Gu An's leg technique was that he didn't want to be bothered by Lu Jiujia.
The Canfeng Leg Technique was fierce and sharp. Even though Gu An was holding back, the three youths were still amazed by its power.
After an hour, just as Gu An was thinking of an excuse to leave, a voice called out from a distance:
"An'er, come here."
Gu An turned his head and saw Cheng Xuandan standing at the window, beckoning to him.
Here it comes!
Without hesitation, Gu An made his way towards Cheng Xuandan's attic. Xiao Chuan and the others didn't think much of it and continued practicing the Canfeng Leg Technique.
He walked into Cheng Xuandan's house and closed the door behind him. Taking quick steps, he approached Cheng Xuandan and bowed.
Cheng Xuandan was meditating in front of a pill furnace and pointed to the other side of the furnace, saying, "Sit."
Gu An walked to the spot he indicated and sat down cross-legged, his mind racing as he prepared his words.
"Have you found Chu Jingfeng?" Cheng Xuandan's first question interrupted Gu An's train of thoughts.
What a straightforward question!
Gu An decided to be honest and answered, "Yes, he found me before and said that if I came across any clues about the Greedy-Hatred Demon Ghost, I should contact him immediately. Senior Brother Zhang recommended me to help an outer disciple named Zhu Moyi manage his cave abode. When Zhu Moyi returned, I went to hand over the duties and saw the Greedy-Hatred Demon Ghost hidden behind the vines. His cave abode is too close to ours, so I had no choice but to find Chu Jingfeng."
Cheng Xuandan nodded. "You did the right thing. This matter could only be handled by Chu Jingfeng. Chu Jingfeng is not someone simple. He not only has exceptional talent but also has a prominent background, which is why he was able to become an inner disciple despite only having the Foundation Establishment cultivation base."
A prominent background?
No wonder he dared to investigate the Greedy-Hatred Demon Ghost!
Gu An felt relieved. He had also been worried that if Chu Jingfeng failed, the powerful cultivator backing the demon ghost would trace it back to him.
"Chu Jingfeng has been investigating the Greedy-Hatred Demon Ghost, which is why he took on our Medicine Valley's task. This is part of a power struggle between his father and a prominent figure within the sect. However, I'm still puzzled. It has been several months since you returned from Zhu Moyi's place, but you only contacted Chu Jingfeng recently. Why the delay?" Cheng Xuandan fixed his gaze on Gu An as he asked.
Gu An sighed. "Master, you should know me by now. I dislike trouble, and I hate conflicts even more. No matter how Meng Lang orders me around, I'm too lazy to argue with him. So, initially, I thought of pretending that I hadn't seen anything. But after you brought my junior brothers and sisters into the Medicine Valley, I had no choice but to contact Chu Jingfeng."
These words came straight from his heart, and indeed, these were his reasons.
Cheng Xuandan looked deeply into his eyes, his gaze then shifting to the pill furnace beside them. "You did well. From now on, you will be my true disciple, and I will teach you everything I know."
"As for this matter, let's forget about it, both you and I. Whether it's Chu Jingfeng's father or the powerful figure backing the Greedy-Hatred Demon Ghost, they are not people we can afford to offend."
Hearing this, Gu An was stunned. Looking at Cheng Xuandan's profile, he suddenly felt that he might have misunderstood this master of his.
"Master!"
Gu An stood up and bowed deeply to Cheng Xuandan, his manner respectful and solemn.
Cheng Xuandan turned to look at him, his face now radiating kindness, a stark contrast to his usual self.
"In the future, if there's anything you want to know or learn, feel free to come to me. Don't worry about disturbing me. I don't have many years left, and the days I can teach you are limited," Cheng Xuandan said, his eyes and tone softer than Gu An had ever seen or heard before.
Gu An sat down and asked cautiously, "Master, do you know how to refine the Rejuvenation Pills?"
Rejuvenation Pills were a staple for protagonists in the immortal cultivation world, ensuring eternal youth. Gu An had no desire to become a white-haired old man in the future.
Cheng Xuandan shook his head and smiled. Then, with a wave of his hand, he summoned a jade bottle, from which he poured out a pill and handed it to Gu An.
Without hesitation, Gu An swallowed the pill.
The reason for his boldness was that both the Shenmu Chunyang Gong and the Longjing Shen Yuan Gong had detoxifying effects. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was now immune to all poisons.
Seeing Gu An's complete trust in him, Cheng Xuandan's eyes showed a hint of satisfaction.
After taking the Rejuvenation Pill, Gu An didn't feel anything special, as if he had just eaten a piece of melting candy.
"Do you have any thoughts on alchemy?" Cheng Xuandan asked.
Gu An's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded, "To be honest, Master, I've wanted to learn pill refining from you for a long time, but I didn't dare to ask."
Cheng Xuandan stroked his beard and burst into hearty laughter.
The atmosphere in the room became very harmonious as Cheng Xuandan began to impart his knowledge of pill refining, starting with igniting the furnace. Having mastered the Fire Control Incantation, Gu An picked it up quickly, leading Cheng Xuandan to mistakenly believe that he had a talent for pill refining.
Later, when Cheng Xuandan's topic veered away from fire, Gu An started to get confused, causing Cheng Xuandan to fall silent for a moment.
...
After Gu An and Cheng Xuandan established a genuine master-disciple relationship, Medicine Valley became even more bustling. Cheng Xuandan, who had been shut in his house for years, also started to go out and actively guided Gu An and the others on how to cultivate medicinal herbs.
Lu Jiujia and Ye Lan grew more fond of Cheng Xuandan, often praising him for his kindness, which Meng Lang scoffed at.
Following the intense battle that night, there were no more sounds of combat outside the valley.
Neither Chu Jingfeng nor Zhu Moyi came to Medicine Valley, and Gu An dared not investigate the situation, so he could only keep it to himself.
Time flew by.
A year passed in the blink of an eye.
Gu An crossed the threshold of twenty years old, and his lifespan increased to over two thousand and eight hundred years.
On this day, at noon, Gu An lay on a cliff halfway up the mountain, reading a book. Below him was Medicine Valley, where he could see Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiujia sparring their leg techniques.
Ever since the words "Pill Refining" appeared on Gu An's attribute panel, he stopped pestering Cheng Xuandan.
The process of learning pill refining was incredibly dull.
It's worth mentioning that, at Gu An's suggestion, Cheng Xuandan obtained more seeds from the outer sect. It must be said that after they officially became master and disciple, Cheng Xuandan was very diligent in his duties.
Gu An propped his head with his left hand and held the book in his right. He exhaled and flipped the pages with his breath.
His eyes suddenly widened, and he immediately sat up.
The latest edition of "Qing Xia Adventure" actually had illustrations!
Not bad! Gu An carefully admired the pictures in the book, his mouth muttering criticisms.
A shrill cry descended from the sky, and he abruptly looked up, his eyes turning sharp.
A white falcon with a wingspan of over ten feet long descended. When it was about two zhang away from Gu An, its claws released a letter, which he caught.
The white falcon drew a perfect arc in the air and quickly disappeared behind the mountains.
What a magnificent falcon!
Gu An couldn't help but think of his own White Spirit Mouse, which was about the size of a palm, furless.
He opened the envelope and found a jade pendant with the character 'Chu' carved on it, along with a letter.
He pinned the jade pendant to his waistband, tucked the "Qing Xia Adventure" into his breast, and then read the letter.
This letter was actually written by Chu Jingfeng.
Chu Jingfeng first briefly explained the previous battle. Zhu Moyi had died by his sword, and during this year, he had been collecting evidence and brought down the powerful cultivator manipulating the Greedy-Hatred Demon Ghost. He assured Gu An that he need not worry about this matter anymore.
The jade pendant was a token of their Chu family. If Gu An ever encountered a problem he couldn't solve, he could use this jade pendant to seek help from him or his clan.
The Chu family valued jade over people. One jade was a promise kept.
Gu An's impression of Chu Jingfeng improved greatly. He hadn't expected this proud inner disciple to be so righteous.
Even if Chu Jingfeng didn't repay him, he would have no recourse, and he had previously said that he didn't need Chu Jingfeng to contact him again.
After reading the letter, Gu An tore it into pieces and scattered them on the ground. He then twisted his right foot slightly, and the spiritual power beneath his feet rippled, turning the letter fragments into dust.
This was the power of an eighth-layer Ling Qi realm cultivator! Gu An's lips curled up, and he leaped into the air, soaring like a wild goose. Along the way, his toes tapped the leaves on the slopes and trees, landing gracefully.
Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiujia had long gotten used to this sight.
Gu An controlled his aura to resemble that of a second-layer Ling Qi realm cultivator, and his Crushing Wind Leg Technique had already been praised by Cheng Xuandan. Now, he resembled a formidable martial arts master.
Gu An was low-key in his actions, but he felt it unnecessary to always hide his strength. Occasionally displaying his capabilities would help him establish a better life in the valley.
As soon as he landed, the White Spirit Mouse scurried over and climbed up his leg to his shoulder.
"It's been several days since I last examined your leg techniques. Come, let's spar. The two of you can team up." Gu An smiled at Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiujia.
Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiujia glanced at each other and then rushed towards Gu An.
The three of them fought with their leg techniques on the grassy area outside the park, their bodies agile and long legs like whips. In an instant, the wind howled, and grass clippings flew everywhere.
Gu An took on both Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiujia with a single leg, dismantling their leg techniques.
Although Xiao Chuan's leg technique was passable, it was a bit clumsy. Lu Jiujia, on the other hand, had high talent. Each of his kicks carried the momentum of the Crushing Wind Leg, but every move was slower than Gu An's.
After half an incense stick's worth of time, Xiao Chuan and Lu Jiujia were already out of breath. They glanced at each other and conceded together.
Gu An slowly retracted his leg, which had been hovering in the air, and smiled, "You two have made great progress. It was challenging for me to keep up, and I estimate that it won't be long before you surpass me."
"How long is 'not long'?" Xiao Chuan asked bluntly.
Gu An patted the dust off his pants and smiled, "That depends on how hard you work."
The White Spirit Mouse lay on his shoulder, squeaking as if laughing.
...Thanks to 'I Love to See', 'Monet', 'No Regrets', and 'Honeydew' for your support!
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(End of Chapter)
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