https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-229-The-9-999-Year-Life-Span-Limit/12593771/
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Chapter 230: Yang Jian's Aspirations
Chapter 230: Yang Jian's Aspirations
Summer faded into autumn, and the Third Pill Valley gradually took on a hue of withering yellow.
Yang Jian approached the Blood Prison Great Sage, respectfully offering a plate filled with fruits and flowers.
Lazing on the ground, the Blood Prison Great Sage glanced at him and asked nonchalantly, "Have they been washed clean?"
Yang Jian hurriedly nodded and whispered, "I cleaned them three times."
The Blood Prison Great Sage lowered his head to sniff and then said, "Good. Maintain this standard from now on. You may leave now."
Yang Jian stood up, bowed to him, and then retreated.
Ever since Gu An acknowledged his name, Yang Jian had been more driven than the other disciples. In addition to tending to the menial tasks in the valley, he also diligently attended to the Blood Prison Great Sage and the White Spirit Mouse, earning him scorn from the other servant disciples who gradually began to distance themselves from him.
However, Yang Jian didn't feel embarrassed by this; instead, he was filled with anticipation.
He was well aware of his mediocre talent, and he knew that if he merely did the same tasks as the other disciples, he would only receive a single Foundation Building Pill at most.
He believed that even if he achieved the Foundation Building stage, it wouldn't change his fate. There were plenty of disciples at the Outer Sect who were at the Foundation Building stage, and they still belonged to the bottom rung of the ladder.
However, if he could gain the favor of the Valley Master, that would be an entirely different story!
Lack of talent didn't matter to Yang Jian; in his eyes, Gu An represented the greatest opportunity.
He didn't know how to intentionally curry favor with Gu An, so he took it upon himself to help care for Gu An's mounts and spirit pets during his free time.
Yang Jian stood before the wooden fence, gazing at the vast expanse of the pill valley. He wiped the sweat from his face, his eyes filled with aspirations for the future.
Being able to join such a pill valley was already a stroke of great fortune! From now on, he would grasp this opportunity with both hands!
...
Days turned into weeks.
Towards the end of autumn, a visitor arrived to see Gu An—someone he hadn't seen in many years: Wu Jue.
Wu Jue was visiting the Third Pill Valley for the first time, and he, too, was astounded by its grandeur.
"I'm here to see Gu An." Wu Jue stopped a passing disciple, who happened to be Yang Jian.
Yang Jian, who was sweeping the floor, asked, "May I ask for your esteemed name, Senior, and your relation to the Valley Master?"
"I am Wu Jue, a brother to Gu An. I've been away for many years, and I've come today to pay him a visit," Wu Jue replied.
Upon hearing this, Yang Jian dared not slack off. He asked Wu Jue to wait for a moment while he rushed to find Xiao Chuan and inform him of the visitor, leaving the decision to him.
Xiao Chuan went to Gu An's loft and conveyed the message at the door.
In truth, Gu An had already sensed Wu Jue's arrival, but as Wu Jue was now cultivating a qi-concealing technique, he couldn't easily see through it, so he waited for his disciples to pass on the message.
"Bring him over," Gu An's voice sounded from within the room.
Xiao Chuan immediately called out to Yang Jian, instructing him to escort Wu Jue upstairs.
As Yang Jian turned around, Wu Jue rushed forward like a gust of wind, startling Yang Jian so much that his eyes widened in surprise.
He stood there dumbfounded as Wu Jue swept past, leaving behind a trail of afterimages, and quickly ascended the stairs. Even Xiao Chuan upstairs was blown by the gust, his hair dancing in the wind as he remained rooted to the spot.
Wu Jue pushed open the door and, upon seeing Gu An, a smile broke out on his face. He turned and closed the door behind him.
Xiao Chuan snapped back to his senses and turned to descend the stairs.
Yang Jian was still standing there in a daze, only snapping out of his stupor when Xiao Chuan waved at him.
Although he didn't inquire further about Wu Jue's identity, a fiery ambition ignited within him.
He, too, wanted to become a great cultivator like Wu Jue!
On the other side.
Inside the room, Gu An poured tea for Wu Jue as he listened to the latter recount his experiences over the years.
After sitting down, he adjusted his mindset and, like opening a mystery box, sent out a lifespan probe to Wu Jue.
[Wu Jue (Nascent Soul Stage, Eighth Layer): 124/890/7600]
So many years had passed, yet Wu Jue's maximum lifespan had not increased, indicating that he hadn't gained any insights in decades.
Gu An felt a twinge of disappointment. He had thought that Wu Jue would continue to gain insights throughout the years.
Of course, with Wu Jue's current talent and status, it wouldn't be difficult for him to reach the Nirvana Stage before the age of seven thousand six hundred.
However, Gu An felt it was a pity that Wu Jue might not be able to attain the maximum lifespan of nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine years.
Wu Jue didn't notice the subtle change in Gu An's expression as he enthusiastically narrated his experiences over the years.
Gu An listened attentively. The timid young man he had known had grown into a capable cultivator, and hearing about his journey now evoked a sense of emotion.
Time passed.
Wu Jue began to speak of his troubles.
"His Majesty has treated me very well and has gone to great lengths to win me over. But my master has also been extremely good to me, sparing no effort in nurturing me. Now, the Zhou family, which my master belongs to, is not only at odds with the Tai Cang Imperial Court but is also in conflict with the Tai Xuan Gate..."
Wu Jue's face was filled with anguish as he explained. He had embarked on the path of cultivation in the Tai Xuan Gate, and so his emotions ran deep for the sect. When the Zhou family had left the Tai Xuan Gate, it had put him in a difficult position, so he had chosen to serve under Li Xuandao, staying away from the fray. But now that the Zhou family was supporting the Da Jiang Imperial Court, a three-way battle between the empires was imminent, and he was once again faced with a choice.
This time, he had returned to seek Gu An's opinion on the matter.
After listening, Gu An also felt that it was a tricky situation. Repaying favors was never easy.
He pondered for a moment before asking, "Who do you think is the most important?"
Wu Jue fell silent for a moment before replying, "In my heart, the Tai Xuan Gate is undoubtedly the most important. Whether it's my master or His Majesty, they only chose me after I had grown up. Without the Tai Xuan Gate, I wouldn't have met either of them.
Yang Jian raised his eyes to meet Gu An's gaze, and his eyes gradually became firm.
Gu An smiled and said, "Since you have made your choice, I won't say more. No matter what you choose, I will support you."
Wu Jue's face lit up with a smile at his words, and he sighed, "I need to consider how to face them from now on."
"It's simple," Gu An reassured him. "Don't be their enemy. Support Tai Xuan Gate unilaterally. There are many ways to show your gratitude; you don't have to obey their every command."
Wu Jue nodded and began to take out treasure after treasure from his storage bag, placing them on the table.
"This is the Demon-Expelling Pill, which can suppress the birth of heart demons."
"These are the Sleeve Golden Sword Formations. Don't underestimate their size. Once you infuse them with spiritual power, they can automatically form a massive sword formation."
"This is the Talking Cricket, it's not very useful, but it can speak for you and keep you company when you're bored."
"And this is a high-grade magical artifact, the Congyun Boots. They can create clouds under your feet, allowing you to ride the clouds and fog. I received this as a reward from His Majesty when I slew the enemy commander."
Wu Jue introduced each item, and in total, there were eight treasures, each with a unique function.
After he finished, Gu An pretended to refuse, but Wu Jue insisted, saying that he had received a lot of pills from Gu An in the past and must repay him.
After several back and forths, Wu Jue glared and said, "Do you still consider me a brother? You must accept these, or we can't remain brothers!"
Gu An could only agree reluctantly.
"Next time, don't bring so many things. I don't need them, and our friendship can't be measured by treasures." Gu An said sincerely.
He truly didn't want them and hoped that Wu Jue wouldn't go to so much trouble.
Wu Jue waved his hand and said, "I don't care. Whenever I see something good, I think of you. Anyway, since you're not going out to adventure, just focus on your cultivation. Whatever magical artifacts or secret manuals you need, I'll help you find them."
Gu An smiled but didn't continue the conversation.
It was already evening when Wu Jue finally left. He had made up his mind to choose Tai Xuan Gate, and so he prepared to meet the Sect Master.
Gu An stood on the tower, looking in the direction Wu Jue had left.
The setting sun was infinitely beautiful, even as it neared dusk.
Gu An noticed Yang Jian staring in the direction Wu Jue had left, lost in thought.
Yang Jian had performed well during this period, and in Gu An's heart, he had already half-entered the ranks of disciples.
One day, Yang Jian would shock the world, perhaps even surpassing Wu Jue. Gu An wondered if, at that time, Wu Jue would remember that the little cultivator who had guided him was the now-famous Yang Jian.
Gu An's mouth curved up at the thought.
He found that his taste for mischief was increasing, as he always fantasized about the shocked expressions of those around him.
...
Time flew by, and another five years passed.
In these five years, An Hao had broken through to the Transformation Realm, and Wu Jue had reached the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul Realm and was about to break through.
Ever since Wu Jue made the decision to stay in Tai Xuan Gate, he no longer left the sect. After expressing his intentions to Lu Baitian, the latter was very pleased and began to invest a lot of resources in him, helping him build his reputation. Now, Wu Jue was one of the top three geniuses in Tai Xuan Gate and was ranked among the true disciples.
At the age of 127, Gu An's lifespan was close to 1,640,000 years, still far from the one billion mark. However, he hadn't yet harvested the high-grade spirit herbs in the Extrinsic Cave, and so he looked forward to their maturity.
After so many years, Gu An would occasionally go to Xian Island to purchase high-grade spirit herbs. There were now over 100,000 seventh-grade spirit herbs and over 10,000 eighth-grade spirit herbs growing in the Extrinsic Cave. Once these spirit herbs matured and were harvested, his lifespan would take a significant leap.
One day, Gu An had just returned from Xian Island.
As he entered the Third Pill Valley, his brows furrowed slightly.
Recently, more and more loose immortals had been keeping an eye on him, and he needed to consider buying spirit herbs from other islands.
A single seventh-grade spirit herb was extremely expensive, and with the amount Gu An purchased from Xian Island, his consumption power was already among the top ten on the island, naturally attracting envious glances.
As Gu An passed by Blood Prison Great Sage, he noticed Yang Jian standing beside him, helping to wash his body.
Gu An spoke up, "Don't spoil him too much. All he does is eat, sleep, and be lazy."
Yang Jian quickly replied, "It's fine, I don't have anything else to do anyway."
Gu An didn't say more and quickly ascended the stairs.
Blood Prison Great Sage thought that he had displeased Gu An, so he lowered his voice and said to Yang Jian, "Yang Jian, come here for a moment."
At his words, Yang Jian immediately came over and squatted in front of him.
"Come find me tonight at midnight. I'll teach you a magic technique," Blood Prison Great Sage said mysteriously.
Yang Jian's expression turned strange, and he said, "No need, no need. I'm not expecting anything in return for taking care of you."
What he wanted was Gu An's favor! What could a bull demon teach him?
"I don't care, you must come!" Blood Prison Great Sage insisted, and Yang Jian had no choice but to agree.
He stood up to leave, his eyes involuntarily drifting towards the tower where Gu An was.
How wonderful it would be if it were his master who was going to teach him a magic technique.
Inside the room, Gu An sat down and released his spiritual sense, looking towards the eastern ocean and the Great Rift.
The Great Rift had stopped extending, but it still existed in the ocean, often attracting powerful cultivators to observe it.
Gu An sensed a presence beyond the Yu Xian Realm flying above the Great Rift, brazenly displaying its might and attracting countless spiritual senses to investigate.
(End of Chapter)
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