https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-68-The-Furious-Deputy-Sect-Master/12575121/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-70-The-Sword-Sovereign-Who-Aids-the-Path-Shaking-the-World-with-His-Fame-Fourth-Update-/12575211/
Chapter 69: Advancing in Status, Seeking Pan An
Chapter 69: Advancing in Status, Seeking Pan An
"You want me to write it?" Gu An didn't dare to agree immediately, as he didn't understand why Ji Hantian was so angry. If Ji Hantian wanted him to smear his own name, he wouldn't do it!
"Why are you shouting?" Gu Zong asked in displeasure. He sat down and motioned for Gu An to sit next to him, which Gu An did.
Ji Hantian tried to calm himself, "Using tens of thousands of disciples to form an array, is that really the way of righteousness? If it weren't for that mysterious Sword Cultivator taking action, I would still be in the dark!"
He was truly distressed.
Back then, he had been in seclusion when he sensed a powerful sword intent. Startled, he immediately emerged from his cultivation and rushed over a distance of tens of thousands of miles, but he hadn't been able to save Chu Xian. However, he had heard the angry curses of those outer sect disciples, which made him both angry and curious about the identity of the Sword Cultivator. So, he had chased after him.
And yet, he had been easily defeated by that person...
Ever since reaching the Fusion Realm, Ji Hantian felt that he could stride across the entire Tacheng Empire with ease. Very few people could rival him, and those who could were mostly old monsters who kept to their prolonged seclusions. It had been a long time since he had tasted defeat.
More importantly, not only had that person defeated him, but they had also helped him!
"If that person hadn't taken action, and I had only emerged from my seclusion later, would the hatred of the outer sect's destruction have been pinned on the demonic cultivator sects instead?" Ji Hantian asked, staring at Gu Zong.
Gu Zong smiled bitterly and didn't answer, but his answer was obvious.
Ji Hantian then looked at Gu An and said, "Write down everything that happened three days ago in detail. This includes the despicable deeds of the Demon-Subduing Hall, as well as the Sword Cultivator who prevented the outer sect's calamity. The fact that he took action shows that he is also a member of the Tai Xuan Sect, just a very low-key one. By praising his virtues, we can help maintain the Tai Xuan Sect's image and at least prevent it from being labeled as a demonic cultivator sect all at once."
Hearing that he could praise himself, Gu An felt relieved.
However, he couldn't agree too easily.
Gu An pretended to hesitate, as if he wanted to say something but was holding back.
Ji Hantian frowned and asked, "What's wrong? Don't you want to do it?"
Gu Zong said unhappily, "Such a big matter, if he dares to write about it, he will offend a lot of people. With just one sentence, you will put him in great trouble. You really dare to make such a request!"
Upon hearing this, Ji Hantian felt a bit embarrassed.
Gu An took a deep breath and said, "I am definitely willing to do things for the Tai Xuan Sect, but..."
Gu Zong asked with a smile, "What do you want? Just say it."
Ji Hantian frowned but didn't say anything.
"I want my medicine valley to be expanded. It's the third medicine valley of the inner sect. I want the area within a hundred miles to be given to me, and I will plant more medicinal herbs there. The amount of herbs supplied to the sect will remain the same, and I won't be greedy." Gu An said seriously.
Upon hearing this, Ji Hantian couldn't help but ask, "Is that all? You can make higher and more demands."
He had originally thought that Gu An would make excessive demands, but he didn't expect such a modest request.
Gu An nodded, "I only want these things. I have mediocre talent, so asking for treasures and cultivation techniques would only bring me trouble. Growing medicinal herbs is my hobby, and it will give me more inspiration when I write. Moreover, it can also contribute to the Tai Xuan Sect."
Ji Hantian couldn't help but look at Gu Zong.
Gu Zong smiled, "Don't underestimate him. He really thinks this way. You don't understand Pan An's fame. Just learn more about it in the next few days. As long as he speaks up, the Elder Hall will definitely promote him to a true disciple."
"Oh? Is the book he wrote really that amazing?"
"Take a look at The Investiture of the Gods; you'll definitely like it."
"Alright, since that's the case, I'll make the decision right now. I'll give you that area within a hundred miles. You can plant whatever you want, and you'll also receive a set of Sixth-Rank Spirit Guarding Array. Gu Zong, you handle this matter." Ji Hantian said seriously.
Gu Zong nodded with a smile.
Gu An immediately raised his hand and bowed to thank Ji Hantian.
Gu Zong then asked how the Head considered this matter, to which Ji Hantian replied sarcastically that he would definitely pretend to be ignorant.
The Head and the Deputy Head were not on good terms!
During the conversation, Ji Hantian also mentioned Lu Baitian, also known as Old Tian. He was very dissatisfied with Old Tian.
It seemed that Old Tian had changed his appearance and figure, which was why he couldn't recognize him.
Hearing this, Gu An finally understood that Old Tian had truly fallen into madness. Old Tian usually liked to seclude himself and didn't manage the Tai Xuan Sect much, which allowed many people to do as they pleased in his name. It was only after he fell into madness that they elected Elder Chu Tianqi as the Head.
From Ji Hantian's words, it was clear that he considered Old Tian to be dead.
This made Gu An even more curious about the relationship between Gu Zong and Ji Hantian.
Half an hour later, Ji Hantian and the others finally left.
Gu An stood on the grass, seeing them off.
Old Tian suddenly came over and asked curiously, "Did something happen to the outer sect?"
Gu An nodded and briefly recounted the events, causing Old Tian to frown.
"Old Tian, what do you think? Do you think the Tai Xuan Sect is righteous or evil?" Gu An asked casually as he squatted down to examine a herb in front of him.
Old Tian replied, "There are originally areas between righteousness and evil that are difficult to define. When discussing righteousness and evil, we should not look at the present but let future generations judge."
These words...
No wonder the Tai Xuan Sect was so warped!
Gu An didn't ask any more questions and ignored Old Tian.
He began to plan how to fill the area within a hundred miles with herbs. Gu Zong had already promised that, except for Shen Zhen, he would ask the nearby inner sect disciples to move their caves further away to avoid future conflicts.
Inner sect disciples were different from outer sect disciples. Those who could become inner sect disciples not only had high talent but also had intricate connections. It was no exaggeration to say that anyone randomly picked from the inner sect had a powerful background.
After this incident, Gu An finally understood that the Tacheng Empire was not ruled by the emperor, nor was it dominated by any particular sect. Instead, it was controlled by the influential clans.
Not only could the Ji family produce a deputy leader in the Tai Xuan Sect, but they also had members infiltrating every major sect in the Tacheng Empire.
As for the Gu and Zhou families, there was no need to mention them.
Gu An suspected that Chu Jingfeng and the sect leader, Chu Tianqi, shared a similar lineage, indicating that the Chu family was also a force to be reckoned with.
However, this didn't concern him. He had no intentions of establishing his own clan and preferred to avoid attachments that would weigh him down.
First, he would seek enlightenment, and then he would act as he pleased!
...
Gu Zong acted swiftly. In less than seven days, he had completed the necessary procedures, relocated the nearby inner sect disciples, and even provided a Sixth-Rank Spirit Guarding Array.
The Spirit Guarding Array was specifically designed to enhance and contain spiritual energy.
In the vast world, spiritual energy flowed freely, and major sects were often established upon the discovery of spiritual veins. By sealing off these veins, sects could ensure an abundance of spiritual energy within their confines, though this often led to a depletion of spiritual energy in the surrounding areas.
With this array and the expansive herb resources at his disposal, Gu An could attribute any rapid advancements in his cultivation—be it at the Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, or Nascent Soul stages—to his abundant resources, rather than innate talent. This would help alleviate any potential concerns about his growing power.
Furthermore, Gu Zong allowed him to keep twenty menial disciples in the third medicine valley. Typically, menial disciples were not permitted in the inner sect, and the previous four had been an exception due to their connection with Gu Zong.
Gu An recruited seven people from Xuangu Valley, including Tang Yu.
As for Xiaochuan and Woxin, they remained in Xuangu Valley, but Gu An now allowed them to visit the third medicine valley whenever they wished.
Life was finally taking a turn for the better.
Time flew by, and a month had passed since the outer sect's calamity.
On this day, Gu An arrived at the outer sect's city, which, without the Demon-Subduing Hall, had regained its former prosperity from years past. The disciples going back and forth no longer seemed as tense.
As he walked, Gu An suddenly spotted someone.
During their confrontation with Chu Xian, Gu An's spiritual sense had detected Jiang Qiong, but he pretended not to know, assuming that she would leave after a month. Yet, here she still was.
Jiang Qiong approached him with a smile. "Come with me."
Gu An looked at the hunchbacked elder behind her and sent out a lifespan probe.
[Hu Mo (Nascent Soul Stage, Layer 9): 970/1300/1570]
Gu An could sense the hidden demonic energy within the elder.
Jiang Qiong was bold indeed. Not only had she come herself, but she had also brought a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator with her, seemingly unconcerned about their cover being blown.
Seeing Gu An's hesitation, Jiang Qiong raised her hand and presented a token.
An outer sect elder! Equivalent to the master of the outer sect!
Gu An looked at her in surprise. How had she managed that?
Jiang Qiong smiled triumphantly and walked past him, and he quickly fell into step beside her.
Gu An was then led into Jiang Qiong's mansion, where several low-ranking disciples were present, none of whom had any trace of demonic energy within them.
Jiang Qiong guided Gu An into a grand hall, while Hu Mo stood guard at the door. Gu An could sense him casting a spell to isolate the hall, preventing anyone from prying into what transpired within.
Gu An watched as Jiang Qiong sat at the head of the hall, casually propping her legs up—a far cry from the dignified demeanor one would expect from an outer sect elder.
"How did you manage that?" Gu An couldn't help but ask.
Jiang Qiong huffed, "My master has boundless abilities. Becoming the master of an outer sect city is nothing. Perhaps one day, I'll even become the sect leader."
Amused, Gu An asked, "If you were to become the sect leader, would your allegiance be to the Qianqiu Pavilion or the Tai Xuan Sect?"
"If I were the leader of the Grand Mystery Sect, I wouldn't be a demon cultivator anymore," Jiang Qiong replied offhandedly. "Naturally, my loyalty would be to the sect. Even if you offered to replace me with the leader of the Thousand Autumn Pavilion, I wouldn't take the deal." Her words carried a clear disdain for the Thousand Autumn Pavilion.
Gu An suddenly understood why there were so many Qianqiu Pavilion spies within the Tai Xuan Sect, and yet the pavilion couldn't overthrow the sect.
In the eyes of its cultivators, the Qianqiu Pavilion was far inferior to the Tai Xuan Sect!
Woxin would rather be a menial disciple in the Tai Xuan Sect than return to the Qianqiu Pavilion as its young master.
"From now on, if any cultivator from the Qianqiu Pavilion comes to you, you must not reveal the location of the vine. That vine now belongs only to you and me, and it has nothing to do with the pavilion anymore. Understand?" Jiang Qiong said seriously.
Gu An nodded.
Sorry, but it only belongs to me now.
Jiang Qiong smiled. "Disciple, speak. What do you need? Just ask."
Gu An thought for a moment. "Can you promote Ye Lan from the Enforcement Hall? She's my junior sister. As for other requests, I don't have any for now. My medicine valley in the inner sect has already been expanded, so I don't need any more. In the future, if you have seeds for high-grade medicinal herbs, you can give them to me, and I'll help you plant and cultivate them before harvesting them for you."
Jiang Qiong's smile widened, and she appraised Gu An. "Not bad. I was right to take you on as my disciple. Rest assured, your master won't treat you lightly, and I certainly won't let you suffer any losses either."
"Also, I want to give you a task."
Gu An asked, "Aside from planting medicinal herbs, what else can I do for you?"
"Keep an eye out for any news about Pan An in your spare time. According to my information, Pan An's cultivation isn't high, and he's hiding in the outer sect. As for his specific identity, the elders' hall is keeping it tightly under wraps."
(End of Chapter)
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