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Chapter 26: The Grand Assembly of the Outer Sect Disciples
Chapter 26: The Grand Assembly of the Outer Sect Disciples
"What is it?" Gu An asked, praying that it wasn't some troublesome matter. He had no desire to be dragged into the vortex of conflicts among the outer sect disciples.
Li Ya smiled and said, "Since you like gardening so much, and I heard that you're also taking care of another outer sect disciple's cave abode, there's now an opportunity for you to do so. The terms are quite favorable—you'll receive a middle-grade spirit stone and a bottle of Spirit Qi Pill for managing it for a year."
Upon hearing this, Gu An heaved a sigh of relief. He naturally wouldn't refuse an opportunity to earn more lifespan. After all, he rarely cultivated and had plenty of free time on his hands.
He began to inquire about the identity of the employer, and Li Ya didn't hide the fact that the outer sect disciple was his good friend, whose cave abode was located near the outer sect city.
After Gu An agreed, Li Ya immediately took him there, riding on a flying sword with Gu An standing behind him. The sight of the two riding together on a single sword stirred feelings of admiration and longing in Ogawa, Ye Lan, and the others.
Who wouldn't yearn to ride on a flying sword?
The tall and sturdy Tang Yu sighed, "If only Master could learn the art of riding a flying sword from Li Ya and then teach it to us, that would be wonderful."
Next to him, the slender and handsome Su Han nodded in agreement. Even though he had been in Medicine Valley for four years, he still longed for the outer sect.
He wasn't the only one; Tang Yu and Zhen Qin felt the same way.
Ye Lan, on the other hand, didn't say much. She pulled Zhen Qin back to their courtyard to cultivate.
On the other side.
Above the towering mountains, Li Ya flew swiftly on his sword, his black robe fluttering and his hair dancing wildly, exuding a carefree and uninhibited aura.
"I've noticed that Medicine Valley has been taking in more servant disciples lately. Gu An, try to limit the number of disciples you take in and invest more spirit stones in your own cultivation," Li Ya advised earnestly.
Although Gu An always claimed that he lacked talent, Li Ya felt that there was still hope.
He didn't want to still be in his prime a hundred years later, while Gu An had already entered old age.
In the many years since Li Ya joined the Tai Xuan Gate, he had made a few close friends and some friends with mutual benefits, but in his heart, none of them could compare to Gu An, his junior martial brother.
Gu An was the only one who treated him well without expecting anything in return, and he cherished this bond.
Gu An smiled and said, "Li Ya, don't worry. The reason I've been taking in more disciples is that we've expanded our gardens in the valley. Every year, I turn in more medicinal herbs, and the Pill Refinery has been gradually improving my treatment. I won't give up on my cultivation."
Hearing this, a smile appeared on Li Ya's face.
"That's true. You're diligent and always manage to achieve remarkable results."
"How can I compare to you, Brother? Your reputation in the outer sect is so illustrious," Gu An praised in return.
The two began to flatter each other, and although Li Ya usually despised such formalities, for some reason, he felt inexplicably pleased to hear these words from Gu An.
Two hours later.
Li Ya brought Gu An back to Xuan Valley and then departed on his flying sword.
As soon as Gu An landed, he was surrounded by two disciples, Su Han and Zhen Qin, who were curious about where he had gone. Gu An didn't hide the truth and dismissed them after explaining briefly.
Lu Jiu Jia's departure had greatly stimulated the disciples in Medicine Valley, making it much quieter than before. Whenever they had free time, the disciples would retreat to their rooms to cultivate, eager to catch up with Lu Jiu Jia's progress.
Back in his room, Gu An picked up the Yin Yang Manual and began to browse through it. Tonight, Jiang Qing would be teaching him spells, and he was looking forward to it.
Who among cultivators wouldn't want to learn more spells?
Moreover, Gu An lacked many basic spells.
...
Late at night, in the Eight Scenery Cave Heaven.
Under the vine tree, Jiang Qing stood in a white dress, her black hair cascading loosely around her, resembling a fairy who had descended to the mortal realm. At that moment, her exquisite face was filled with annoyance.
"Why are you so stupid? I've explained the technique of circulating qi so many times, how can you not remember it?" Jiang Qing scolded, barely containing her anger.
She stood next to Gu An, her eyes fixed on the black qi in his hand.
She was teaching him the Soul Capturing Technique, a sinister art that could seize people's souls.
Gu An said helplessly, "Master, how long has it been since you started teaching me? Can you please be a little more patient?"
"It's not that... it's just..." Jiang Qing suddenly didn't know how to explain herself.
Before she regained her physical body, she had looked forward to teaching Gu An, as she considered him a genius in her eyes. But the reality turned out differently from what she had expected.
This kid was too mysterious.
When it came to sword techniques, he grasped them instantly, but when it came to anything else, he was like a novice cultivator.
In terms of sword arts, Gu An was undoubtedly the most talented person Jiang Qing had ever seen. However, the crucial point was that she herself was not skilled in sword arts.
"If everything came easily to me, would I have ended up as a servant disciple?" Gu An sighed.
Jiang Qing struggled for a while before finally saying, "That doesn't mean you have to be so stupid, does it?"
Gu An's hand trembled.
Truly befitting someone from the demonic path, her words were so hurtful!
Losing his patience, Gu An retorted, "I also have my strengths. If we're talking about talent in sword arts, Master, you might not even be a match for me!"
Hearing this, Jiang Qing's eyes lit up, and she asked with a smile, "Then let's give it a try? Let's put aside our spiritual power and just exchange sword moves."
"Sure!"
Gu An released his grip, dispersing the black qi, and stood up, ready to teach Jiang Qing a lesson.
Jiang Qing stepped aside, raised her right hand, and extended her index and middle fingers together, smiling, "If it's an exchange, let's not hurt each other. We'll use our fingers as swords."
Gu An nodded, placing his left hand behind his back and his right hand in front.
Jiang Qing narrowed her eyes. For some reason, as Gu An lifted his hand, she felt a strange sense of unease.
"What's wrong with me? Why am I being intimidated by a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator?
Jiang Qing cursed herself inwardly, feeling that she had lost the arrogance of her youth.
Without hesitation, she lifted her finger and stabbed towards Gu An. With this move, she unleashed the speed of a Jindan cultivator.
Gu An's right hand struck her fingers with a horizontal strike, like plucking a guitar string, deflecting her arm.
Jiang Qing's eyes narrowed as she stepped to the side, her movements as swift as a ghost. She swept past Gu An, her fingers like a sword, aiming for his ribs.
Gu An turned, his fingers pointing downward, and stabbed at her. He struck the back of her hand, causing a stinging sensation that made her reflexively retract her hand.
The two continued to spar under the tree, exchanging blows and counterattacks.
Jiang Qing's attacks were fierce, while Gu An's movements were smooth and fluid.
After thirty exchanges, Gu An noticed that Jiang Qing was getting anxious, so he deliberately exposed an opening, allowing her to strike his abdomen. He then pretended to be in pain and stumbled backward.
Instead of pursuing her advantage, Jiang Qing stood up and stared intently at Gu An.
Gu An feigned a pained expression, but inside, he was startled by her gaze.
What kind of look was that?
It was as if she wanted to devour him.
Jiang Qing took a deep breath and said, "Okay, okay, I admit, I underestimated your talent for swordsmanship. Although your sword techniques lack structure, each move is simple and direct, targeting your opponent's weaknesses. You are a once-in-a-century sword genius. If you had a good teacher, you would surely become a renowned swordsman in the future."
Gu An shook his head. "I don't want to be famous. If I were, I'd attract a lot of trouble. I hate fighting, let alone killing."
Jiang Qing was taken aback for a moment, finding his attitude quite amusing.
She had never met such a timid genius before.
"It's my fault for getting angry. Come on, let's continue practicing the Soul Capturing Technique. Although you have a talent for swordsmanship, you must also master some spells to be well-prepared," Jiang Qing said, gesturing for him to come closer.
Gu An immediately stepped forward and continued to practice the soul-capturing technique.
After their spar, Jiang Qing's attitude towards him had indeed improved significantly. Her gentle voice and occasional touches sent shivers down his spine.
Every night, Gu An would come to the Eight Scenery Cave Heaven to practice spells with Jiang Qing. Once he mastered a spell and it appeared on his attribute panel, he would move on to the next one.
Jiang Qing thought he was discouraged and did not force him, as she herself knew many spells.
She found it interesting to teach her junior while also recovering from her injuries.
In addition, once every month, Gu An would visit the outer sect disciple's cave abode to tend to the herbs growing there.
...
As the year drew to a close, winter snowflakes filled the sky, obscuring the sun.
Gu An, wearing a straw hat, climbed halfway up the mountain to a cave abode. As he was about to take out his token, he suddenly sensed something.
There were people inside!
More than one, in fact! Gu An wanted to leave immediately, but the conversation inside the cave abruptly stopped. If he left now, he would confirm their suspicions that he could penetrate the restrictions and sense what was happening inside the cave.
He had no choice but to press the token against the mountain gate, which then opened.
He stepped inside the cave, walked through the passage, and entered the cave chamber. When he saw three people inside, he was taken aback and quickly bowed, saying, "Sorry, I didn't know seniors were here. I'll come back another time."
As he turned to leave, the master of the cave, Chen Li, who appeared to be in his early forties and exuded a scholarly aura, waved his hand and said, "No need for that. You do your thing, and we'll continue our chat."
Hearing this, Gu An had no choice but to turn back and bow again before heading towards the herb-growing area in the distance.
Gu An noticed the other two people—a man and a woman. The woman was none other than Li Xuanyu, whom he had sparred with before.
The man, however, was not Shi Yang, but another man with a graceful demeanor and handsome features. He looked like he had walked straight out of a painting, and even a man would be captivated by his stunning appearance.
Li Xuanyu looked at Gu An, clearly recognizing him, but she remained silent.
Gu An secretly probed the lifespan of the handsome man.
【Xiaocheng Jun (Jindan 1st Layer): 58/621/1508】
A Jindan cultivator! An inner sect disciple?
Chen Li noticed Gu An starting to harvest the herbs and turned to Li Xuanyu and Xiaocheng Jun, sighing, "The Heavenly Outer Sect Assembly is approaching, and it will be hosted by the Tai Xuan Gate again. Our pressure is immense."
Xiaocheng Jun smiled and said, "What's there to fear? There are plenty of outer sect geniuses, and even if those sects and cults join forces, it will be difficult for them to surpass the Tai Xuan Gate. Within the Great Cang Empire, the Tai Xuan Gate is the strongest."
Chen Li shook his head. "I heard that the Guhao Sect, the Tianjue Teaching, and the Qianqiu Pavilion each have twin spirit root geniuses in their outer sects. They are deliberately suppressing their cultivation levels to wait for this outer sect assembly."
He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on Xiaocheng Jun, and said with a hint of resentment, "Xiaocheng, why didn't you wait a little longer before breaking through? Your master should be aware of this matter."
Xiaocheng Jun laughed. "Chen, the Heavenly Outer Sect Assembly is held at least twice in a hundred years. How can we cultivators be so concerned about winning and losing? Moreover, the Tai Xuan Gate produces geniuses every year. Rest assured, the burden won't fall solely on your shoulders."
The three of them chatted casually about the Outer Sect Assembly, with Xiaocheng Jun and Chen Li doing most of the talking, while Li Xuanyu occasionally chimed in.
(End of Chapter)
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