Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses Chapter 164

Chapter 164: Chapter 164: Demon Invasion, Hunting Down the Mountain!

At the end of the year.

Gu An arrived at Outer Gate City and noticed that the streets were full of disciples discussing Sword Venerable Fudao's feat of slaying the Six-Headed Sea Dragon. Some stalls were even selling Six-Headed Sea Dragon dolls, and there were various depictions of the creature, including illustrations of its death.

As he looked at those pictures, he inexplicably thought of Shen Zhen.

Shen Zhen was still in seclusion; if she weren't, she might have been inspired by this event as well.

Not having seen her for many years, Gu An found himself somewhat missing her.

He wasn't missing her as a person, but rather her creative skills.

He didn't want Shen Zhen to stop writing, as long as she didn't write about him in her next book.

Gu An started wandering around the city, listening to the disciples praise Sword Venerable Fudao, feeling secretly pleased, and the anxiety he'd been unable to shake off gradually diminished.

The demons in the Northern Territory had been swept away, and no Great Demon King on par with the Six-Headed Sea Dragon had appeared; it seemed like everything was moving in a positive direction.

However, Gu An knew that the great demonic calamity was still approaching. Not only in the Northern Territory of the Great Jiang Dynasty, but demons were also continuously invading human territories from east to west, near the Demon Land borders, although on a small scale that various sects could not completely stop.

Thankfully, the number of demons infiltrating was not yet large enough to shake the foundations of the eight dynasties, so Gu An could still endure.

After wandering for a long time, Gu An finally headed towards the Book Collection Hall to submit his book.

What happened next made Gu An laugh and cry.

Great Elder Feng Shang hoped Gu An could write Sword Venerable Fudao into “Shattering Void” and enhance his image; this was the sect's intention.

Gu An pretended to be in a difficult situation, but then Feng Shang said the sect had prepared one hundred sixth-tier medicinal herb seeds for him, so he reluctantly agreed.

When the New Year arrived, Ye Lan and Zhen Qin did not return, making Gu An spend the festival with the disciples, feeling that something was missing compared to previous years.

This suddenly made him feel a bit uneasy.

Years later, if all his old friends had passed away, would New Year's become a sad occasion for him instead of a joyful one?

As midnight approached and he arrived at Nianchu Cave, these feelings began to fade.

No matter what, Tian Yao'er could at least accompany him for eighteen thousand years, and if she could undergo Nirvana within that time, she'd accompany him even longer.

However, he also had to learn to manage his own feelings and understand the nature of the world to achieve enlightenment.

Next to the stone table, Gu An and Tian Yao'er began roasting lamb legs, chatting and laughing. Tian Yao'er was always talkative when facing him, creating a festive atmosphere.

“By the way, Master, I've been hearing a strange sound lately, as if it's coming from outside. Could it be that a demon has discovered this cave?” Tian Yao'er suddenly asked, her mouth greasy, face smeared with sauce, her frowned look making Gu An want to laugh.

Gu An replied, “Don't worry, no demon will intrude here. I've seen the one making that sound; it's only temporarily residing in Heavenly Phoenix Mountain.”

Hearing this, Tian Yao'er immediately felt relieved.

“Oh, Master, where do you go after leaving the cave? Did you go live among humans?” Tian Yao'er asked.

“Yes, I have other caves to tend to.”

“Ah? Master, you don't have other demons raised, do you?”

“There are a few, but none as powerful as you.”

“Are there any female demons?”

“Of course not, those demons lack the capacity to Shape-Shift.”

“That's good. Master, do you have a Daoist Friend?”

Tian Yao'er seemed to have opened a can of worms, constantly pressing with questions.

Gu An raised an eyebrow under his mask and asked, “Where did you hear about Daoist Friends?”

Tian Yao'er took a bite of lamb, replying unclearly, “From the books you left, do you have a Daoist Friend or not?”

Gu An answered, “Of course not.”

Tian Yao'er looked pleased, but Gu An's next words made her face fall, “But there are a few women who might become my Daoist Friends. I'm quite troubled, not knowing whom to choose.”

Tian Yao'er put down the lamb leg, wiped the grime off her face, and asked seriously, “Master, do you think I'm suitable?”

Gu An glanced at her and said irritably, “What? You want to climb ranks?”

“It's not that… I just thought I could meet the standards of the Daoist Friend in the books. Besides, I'll never betray you like those in the books; I'll definitely live and die with you in the future!” Tian Yao'er hastily explained.

You want to live and die with me, but I don't want to.

I'm aiming for longevity!

Gu An was determined to live longer than heaven and earth, so he wouldn't be moved by such words.

He replied grumpily, “Focus on your cultivation, little demon, and don't think about nonsensical things. Whether human or demon, cultivation should come first; emotions should be at most a secondary pursuit.”

“Alright, then what requirements do you have for a Daoist Friend?”

“I was just teasing you earlier, I won't seek a Daoist Friend. If I did, imagine the sorrow when I have to bury her in the future.”

“That does seem reasonable.”

“I asked you to read books so you could understand the world's ways, not think about feelings.”

“I understand, no thoughts about feelings, but if Master wants, I'm always ready!”

Seeing Tian Yao'er's serious expression, Gu An's eyes couldn't help but drift downward, but he quickly looked away.

He changed the topic and started talking about cultivation.

Tian Yao'er pouted, feeling a bit disheartened, but still listened attentively. She could only see Gu An twice a month, so she cherished their time together.

After the New Year, the name of Sword Venerable Fudao was already spreading across the world. The Supreme Sect wasn't idle either, issuing many demon-slaying tasks, prompting more disciples to descend the mountain to save the common people.

Mystic Valley, inside a pavilion.

Gu An was weaving a robe for himself. Normally, he didn't need to meditate or absorb energy, so he had plenty of time to pursue his hobbies, tailoring being one of them.

The reason he wanted to weave a robe was that he was preparing to descend the mountain to slay demons and monsters.

Partly to help the common people and partly to seize the opportunity to extend his life, striving to reach a lifespan of ten million years as soon as possible.

He also wanted to experience the lives of Ye Lan and Zhen Qin.

Finally, Gu An finished the robe, stored it in his Storage Bag, and then took up the Qinghong Sword and walked out of the pavilion.

He greeted Lu Jiujia and left Mystic Valley.

Lu Jiujia wasn't curious about where he was going; after all, he frequently left Mystic Valley, and in the eyes of the disciples in the valley, the master was a busy man.

Under the blue sky and white clouds, Gu An stood on a cliff, wearing a dark purple robe. A belt cinched his waist, and an embroidered dark red phoenix adorned his robe, with the Qinghong Sword sheathed at his waist.

He took out an opera mask, put it on, and then placed a bamboo hat on his head.

After adjusting himself, he used his Divine Sense to inspect his appearance.

The figure looked good, exuding a compelling aura!

Like a wandering hero in martial arts legends!

Gu An leapt into the forest below, quickly disappearing from sight.

Hundreds of miles away, a battle was taking place in the wilds. Several escort vehicles were halted, and over a dozen armed escorts were fighting against attacking demon beasts from all directions. Behind the escort vehicles, there was a carriage with spooked horses neighing incessantly, inside which a mother and son clung to each other tightly.

These armed escorts weren't cultivators; they were merely martial artists, no match for the demon beasts.

Just as the escorts were about to despair, a strong wind swept through.

Following that, a figure rushed out from the nearby forest, moving as swiftly as a hare, wielding a sword like the wind, cutting down one demon beast after another. In less than three breaths, all nine demon beasts were dead.

The escorts turned to look and could just barely make out an embroidered dark red phoenix on the figure's back. Before they could speak, the figure quickly disappeared.

“Amazing!”

“That person must be a cultivator, right?”

“Of course, how could a martial artist have such skills?”

“Incredible, I couldn't even see how he made his moves.”

“Me neither. I wonder which sect that cultivator is from. I tried to apprentice at the Ancient Sky Sect when I was young, but got rejected due to a lack of Spirit Root.”

On the other side, in the forest, hearing their discussion, Gu An's lips curled up slightly under his mask.

Saving people like this felt quite good, perhaps even matching the sense of accomplishment from slaying the Six-Headed Sea Dragon.

With that, Gu An began his journey of hunting demons and monsters. He only killed those demons posing a threat to the common people, ensuring that every act of killing also saved lives.

Saving one life could be more meritorious than building a seven-storied pagoda; would this hold true in this realm?

Anyway, Gu An felt at peace; killing one demon, saving one person. Good and evil balanced, he shouldn't be burdened with sin.

Late at night.

A group of cultivators were meditating in the forest, campfires scattered around, with five or six people by each fire.

Ye Lan and Zhen Qin were among them. Ye Lan was meditating, absorbing energy, while Zhen Qin was discussing recent demon encounters and events in the Immortal Cultivation World with nearby disciples.

“I wonder what the Six-Headed Sea Dragon looked like. I heard it ate five Mystic Heart Realm Great Cultivators alive,” Zhen Qin said softly, her face full of curiosity and fear.

When she mentioned the Six-Headed Sea Dragon, the other disciples instantly became excited, starting to talk about Sword Venerable Fudao.

After slaying the Six-Headed Sea Dragon, Sword Venerable Fudao's reputation in the Immortal Cultivation World had reached its peak. Everyone was curious about how powerful he truly was.

No matter how strong the opponent, Sword Venerable Fudao could always kill them effortlessly.

As they chatted, they started discussing some of the major happenings in the Immortal Cultivation World.

“Recently, Hateful Heaven Divine Sword Su Han absorbed the Spiritual Power of twenty Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. He is said to be on the verge of entering the Divinity Transformation Realm. What kind of Demon Skill is he practicing?” a male disciple worriedly said.

They spent their years slaying demons and monsters outside, so they were concerned about running into Su Han.

Listening to their discussion about Su Han, Zhen Qin suddenly felt downhearted.

“What's this? You want to know what cultivation technique Su Han practices? Well, you're in luck tonight; you'll find out.”

A chilling laugh suddenly echoed through the forest, startling the disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall. They all quickly stood up, with Ye Lan also rising, drawing the White Spirit Sword, ready for battle.

“Prepare for battle!”

Ye Lan said in a deep voice. The disciples each took out their magic artifacts and quickly gathered together.

Looking around, the silent forest under the night sky was so eerie, with mist swirling in the depths, obscuring any figures.

Ye Lan suddenly looked in a direction and frowned. The others did the same, only to see figures emerging from the darkness, carrying a coffin!

Chapter end

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