The leg technique is very fast?
Xiaochuan, Lu Jiujia, and Ye Lan all had a slight change in their expressions. They simultaneously thought of Gu An, but they didn't look at him, only pondering in their hearts.
Meng Lang asked: "What do you mean? You two haven't fought that demon cultivator?"
Shi Yang's face turned sullen at once.
He took a deep breath and said: "Indeed, we were outmatched. My cultivation level is in the Fifth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and my cousin's is in the Fourth Layer. The demon cultivator who defeated us with ease has an unfathomable cultivation level. If you have any clues, inform us as soon as possible to avoid leaving a disaster for yourself."
When he revealed his cultivation level, Meng Lang and Xiaochuan drew a sharp breath.
Meng Lang felt a surge of fear and quickly asked: "Since you are no match for him, why did you still seek him out? Why not call an Inner Sect Disciple for help?"
Shi Yang replied: "We have our contingencies."
He became increasingly annoyed with Meng Lang; the boy was too brazen and his words were hitting the sore spots.
Gu An seized the chance and said: "If the opponent is truly a demon spy and easily defeated you two, that doesn't make sense. I see that the injuries of you two seniors are not severe. Would the demon path be so merciful?"
Shi Yang looked at him with a subtle expression. After thinking for a moment, he replied: "It's hard to say, but Outer Disciples and Inner Disciples all have their caves and won't come here to cultivate. It is definitely suspicious. Are you sure you have no clues?"
Li Xuanyu scrutinized Gu An, who feigned nervousness and did not dare to meet the eyes of the two Outer Disciples.
"It seems my disciples indeed have not encountered any demon spies," Cheng Xuandan said, breaking the tense atmosphere.
Shi Yang still wanted to speak, but Li Xuanyu interrupted first: "In that case, we take our leave."
She bowed to Cheng Xuandan and then turned to leave.
Shi Yang could only follow her, giving Meng Lang a glare before leaving.
Xiaochuan turned to Gu An, about to say something, but Ye Lan stopped him. She put her finger to her lips, gesturing for silence, and kept winking.
Cheng Xuandan did not say much and turned to his pavilion.
Watching Shi Yang and Li Xuanyu leave the valley, Gu An then walked towards his courtyard, followed closely by the others. Xiaochuan was hesitant to speak.
Gu An glanced at him and asked with a smile: "What's the matter? Do you think my leg technique is mighty enough to defeat two Foundation Establishment cultivators?"
Xiaochuan's face turned red, and he scratched his head involuntarily.
Meng Lang burst out laughing and said: "Your master is only at the Third Layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm. Plus, the Residual Wind Leg he practices is one of the most common leg techniques in the Outer Sect. How could he possibly be the demon spy that those Outer Disciples are talking about?"
Lu Jiujia nodded. He truly didn't consider Gu An as a demon spy, seeing him as the most gentle and kind person he had ever met.
Ye Lan, on the other hand, was somewhat dissatisfied and said: "Even if it's the most common leg technique, our master will eventually master it."
The incident where Gu An suppressed Meng Lang with a single leg had not reached Meng Lang's ears. This was at Gu An's request, and the junior brothers and sisters did not leak the word.
Meng Lang shook his head with a smile, then left alone, preparing to practice spells in the woods.
Ye Lan looked at his back, angrily waved her fists, and her small face puffed up like two buns.
"Alright, everyone go back to your cultivation. Strive to join the Outer Sect soon," Gu An said with a smile and waved to indicate the juniors disperse.
Meanwhile.
High among the mountains, Shi Yang and Li Xuanyu were flying on their swords side by side, not moving very fast while scanning the terrain below.
"Cousin, I feel something was off at Medicine Valley," Shi Yang said, his eyes cold and stern.
That guy was too infuriating!
Shi Yang felt increasingly angry thinking about Meng Lang's ugly face.
Li Xuanyu's face remained icy cold as she whispered: "I think that servant disciple had a point. Maybe the person isn't a demon spy but just doesn't want to be recognized. The fact that we're alive is proof enough."
Shi Yang frowned and said: "Is there really someone like this among the Outer Sect? It felt like he had at least the Ninth Layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, and that leg technique was something I had never seen before. It must be some ultimate skill; his background must be significant."
"We will find out eventually."
Li Xuanyu looked towards the distant sky, seemingly pondering something, her eyebrows knit tightly.
Shi Yang also fell silent; both were well-known Outer Sect geniuses. The thought that their opponent from the other night was also an Outer Disciple was a severe blow to them.
...
As summer gradually arrived, the Supreme Sect's summer was extremely hot. The whole world seemed to distort in the heat, and Lu Jiujia, who was tilling the land, was emitting white vapor from his body.
Gu An, who had turned twenty-one, was practicing alchemy in the courtyard. Before him was a small cauldron, and he stared at the boiling medicinal liquids, hesitating whether or not to throw in the herbs in his hand.
Alchemy is truly a skillful art!
Just as Gu An was in a dilemma, Meng Lang hurriedly rushed into the courtyard and into his room. Within ten breaths, he came out with a bundle.
"Gu An, I'm going to take the Outer Sect examination. When I make a name for myself, I will come back to take care of you!"
Meng Lang left with those words, excitedly departing.
Outer Sect examination?
Gu An was surprised; Meng Lang was only in the Seventh Layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm. How could he take the examination?
If one couldn't show extraordinary talent upon entry, one had to wait until achieving the Foundation Establishment to join the Outer Sect.
This was the Supreme Sect, the foremost sect in the Taicang Dynasty!
A Foundation Establishment cultivator would be revered in some third-rate sects, but in the Supreme Sect, they were only an Outer Disciple.
Gu An looked in the direction Meng Lang had left and saw that Cheng Xuandan was coming down the stairs.
Cheng Xuandan was actually taking Meng Lang out of the valley.
Gu An sensed something was amiss, but even if he tried to stop Meng Lang now, he wouldn't listen. Meng Lang had become obsessive about becoming an Outer Disciple.
"What do I care? I'm pursuing the path of longevity. If I worry about this and that, how can I ever find peace?"
Gu An thought so, his eyes becoming resolute.
He continued practicing alchemy, striving not to think about Meng Lang.
Therefore, he sat in front of the small cauldron for a whole day, only managing to create a pile of dregs.
It wasn't until deep into the night that he quietly left.
He left Medicine Valley not for Meng Lang but for his own cultivation. Since it had been two months since Shi Yang and Li Xuanyu left, he planned to start his daily routine.
Every night from now on, he would sneak out and devote a year of his lifespan to improving his cultivation level.
This time, the disturbance from sacrificing his lifespan to enhance his cultivation was equally noticeable but much less than before, and it ended quickly.
The next morning, Gu An casually asked Ye Lan how her cultivation went the previous night. This time, Ye Lan hadn't heard any noise, and her cultivation had gone smoothly.
Gu An was completely at ease. The daily plan could proceed!
Days passed by.
Cheng Xuandan and Meng Lang had been gone for half a month and had yet to return. Gu An concluded that Meng Lang was probably doomed.
Previously, Zhang Chunqiu went to the Outer Sect and always returned within seven days. He never stayed long.
Xiaochuan and the others inquired about when their master would return, and Gu An could only divert their attention, urging them to focus on their cultivation.
Two months later, Cheng Xuandan finally returned.
Cheng Xuandan's hair had turned completely white, and he no longer wore his headscarf. His appearance shocked Xiaochuan and the others, who all rushed to him, while Gu An did the same.
"I'm fine. Just need to rest for a few days."
Cheng Xuandan waved his hand, speaking weakly. He gently pushed Lu Jiujia aside and then headed to his pavilion.
Gu An frowned deeply.
He saw that Cheng Xuandan's cultivation level had fallen to the Second Layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm, and his lifespan was greatly reduced, leaving only two years.
He had thought Cheng Xuandan was planning to harm Meng Lang, either by seizing his body or turning him into a puppet, but Cheng Xuandan instead looked like he was dying.
Gu An watched Cheng Xuandan's back, lost in thought.
Ye Lan believed he was worried about Cheng Xuandan, so she consoled: "Senior Brother, don't worry. Master will be fine."
Gu An looked at her and nodded with a smile.
After chatting briefly with the junior brothers and sisters, Gu An left alone.
"I feel like something's wrong with Master," Lu Jiujia whispered to Xiaochuan, frowning with sharp eyes.
Xiaochuan nodded and said: "Indeed, something's off."
Lu Jiujia leaned in to whisper to him.
Ye Lan kept watching Gu An's departing figure.
...
After Cheng Xuandan returned, he stayed in his room, and Gu An could sense that he was practicing and healing, but his aura grew weaker by the day.
As winter was approaching, Cheng Xuandan finally emerged. From afar, he called out to Gu An, who quickly ran over.
"Master," Gu An greeted respectfully.
Cheng Xuandan's hair was completely white, even his beard and eyebrows had turned, and his face had brown spots, looking incredibly aged.
"Let's go, I'll take you to the Outer Sect." Cheng Xuandan stroked his beard and smiled kindly.
Gu An couldn't help but ask: "What are we going to the Outer Sect for?"
"Don't you want to become the Valley Master?" Cheng Xuandan asked in return.
Gu An's heart raced at his words, but his face changed with concern, asking in fear: "Master, what's wrong? Don't scare me!"
Seeing him so anxious, Cheng Xuandan's gaze softened even more.
"Let's go. We'll talk on the way." With that, Cheng Xuandan turned and walked towards the valley's exit.
Gu An quickly said something to Xiaochuan, who was closest, and then followed Cheng Xuandan.
Upon leaving the valley, Cheng Xuandan headed for the forest. Now that he could no longer fly, it meant they had to walk to the Outer Sect.
Gu An suddenly wanted to turn back and tell Xiaochuan and the others not to harvest the soon-to-be-ripe medicinal herbs, but wait for his return.
The master and disciple walked in the forest. Gu An tried to support Cheng Xuandan, but he was gently declined.
"The Sect's salary for the Valley Master is limited. When recruiting servant disciples in the future, you must be careful. Moreover, you need to provide a certain amount of yield every year..." Cheng Xuandan walked in front, talking casually.
It seemed like Gu An was listening attentively, but he was also wary.
After all, Meng Lang's fate was still uncertain.
Cheng Xuandan's pace was not very fast. Furthermore, the nearby area was mountainous. After walking for an hour, they had only covered a few miles.
Gu An could hardly stand it. How long would it take to reach the Outer Sect at this rate?
He even wanted to carry Cheng Xuandan!
As they crossed a small brook, Cheng Xuandan suddenly asked ahead: "Why haven't you asked about Meng Lang's whereabouts?"
Gu An pretended to be puzzled and asked: "Didn't he go for the Outer Sect examination? Did he not pass?"
"I lied to him. He has been refined into a Medicine Poison by me," Cheng Xuandan replied as he walked, seemingly not afraid of Gu An attacking from behind.
Hearing this, Gu An's expression didn't change. He carefully perceived their surroundings, confirming there was no one else around.