Gu An tried hard not to think too much about Cheng Xuandan's intentions. He focused his attention outside the valley to avoid any enemy attacks.
He stayed on guard for the entire night.
At dawn, Gu An quietly returned to his room.
Gu An wanted to check the battlefield but feared it might be a trap, so he held back.
The addition of Ye Lan and Lu Jiujia brought more vitality to Medicine Valley. The two of them ran around the valley with Xiaochuan, full of youthful energy, making the usually quiet Xiaochuan lively as well.
Gu An leaned against the wooden fence of a garden area, holding the "Green Hero Travelogue" in his hands, enjoying the autumn breeze.
His gaze occasionally drifted toward Cheng Xuandan's pavilion.
The confrontation from last night lingered in his mind. He wanted to talk to Cheng Xuandan but feared shattering the delicate balance.
At that moment, Lu Jiujia approached Gu An and asked expectantly, "Senior Brother, I heard from Senior Brother Meng that you are skilled in a profound leg technique. Could you teach me? I'm willing to take over all the picking tasks."
Gu An looked at him and smiled, "It's not that I'm skilled. If you want to learn, I can certainly teach you. As for the picking tasks, I'll handle them. I need to keep myself busy, and I enjoy picking."
Hearing this, Lu Jiujia admired Gu An even more.
Senior Brother really is a good person!
He was extremely excited.
Gu An put away the book in his arms and began teaching Lu Jiujia the Residual Wind Leg technique.
Before long, Xiaochuan and Ye Lan also came to learn. As for Meng Lang, he couldn't put aside his pride and believed that Gu An wasn't as strong as him. He mentioned Gu An's leg technique only to avoid being pestered by Lu Jiujia.
The Residual Wind Leg techniques were fierce. Even with Gu An holding back, the young teens were still amazed.
An ancient hour later, just as Gu An was thinking of finding an excuse to slip away, a voice came from a distance:
"An Er, come over here."
Gu An turned his head to see Cheng Xuandan standing by the window, waving at him.
It had come!
Gu An immediately walked towards Cheng Xuandan's pavilion. Xiaochuan and the other two thought nothing of it and continued practicing the Residual Wind Leg.
He walked all the way into Cheng Xuandan's room, closed the door behind him, quickly approached Cheng Xuandan, and bowed.
Cheng Xuandan was sitting in meditation in front of the pill furnace. He pointed to the other side of the furnace and said, "Sit."
Gu An walked to the indicated spot and sat cross-legged, preparing his words in his mind.
"You are looking for Chu Jingfeng?" Cheng Xuandan's first words interrupted Gu An's thoughts.
Straight to the point!
Gu An didn't pretend anymore and replied, "Yes, he found me before. He said that if there were any clues about the Demon of Greed, I should contact him anytime. Senior Brother Zhang recommended me to take care of the cave of an Outer Sect disciple named Zhu Moyan. When Zhu Moyan returned, I went to hand over duties and saw the Demon of Greed hidden behind the vines. His cave is too close to us, so I had to find Chu Jingfeng."
Cheng Xuandan nodded and said, "You did the right thing. Indeed, this matter can only be entrusted to Chu Jingfeng. Chu Jingfeng is extraordinary. Not only is he highly talented, but he also has an illustrious background. That's why he could become an Inner Sect disciple with his Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation level."
A big background?
No wonder he dared to investigate the Demon of Greed!
Gu An felt relieved. He also worried that if Chu Jingfeng failed, the Great Cultivator behind the Demon of Greed would find him.
"Chu Jingfeng has always been investigating the Demon of Greed. That's why he took on our Medicine Valley's task. This is a game between his father and an elder in the sect. However, as your master, I am curious. Why did you only look for Chu Jingfeng recently, when it's been months since you returned from Zhu Moyan's cave?" Cheng Xuandan stared at Gu An and asked.
Gu An replied helplessly, "Master, you should know me. I dislike trouble and don't want conflicts. Whatever Meng Lang orders me to do, I am too lazy to argue. So I initially pretended not to see anything. But since Master brought junior brothers and sisters into Medicine Valley, I had to contact Chu Jingfeng."
Gu An's words were sincere. That was indeed the reason.
Cheng Xuandan gave him a deep look, then glanced at the pill furnace and said, "You did well. From now on, you will be my True Disciple. I will teach you everything I know."
"As for this matter, let's both forget it. Neither Chu Jingfeng's father nor the big figure behind the Demon of Greed is someone we can provoke."
Hearing this, Gu An froze, staring at Cheng Xuandan's profile, suddenly feeling that he had misunderstood his master.
"Master!"
Gu An immediately stood up and bowed deeply to Cheng Xuandan, very solemnly.
Cheng Xuandan looked back at him, showing a kind expression, quite different from his usual demeanor.
"In the future, if there's anything you wish to know or learn, come to me. Don't feel like you're disturbing me. I don't have many years left, and the days I can teach you are limited." Cheng Xuandan's eyes and tone were unprecedentedly gentle.
Gu An sat down and cautiously asked, "Master, can you make Youth-Preserving Pills?"
The standard equipment for an immortal cultivation protagonist is taking a Youth-Preserving Pill right at the start and maintaining eternal youth. Gu An didn't want to become an old man with white hair in the future.
Cheng Xuandan shook his head and laughed, then raised his hand. With a gesture, a jade bottle appeared in his hand. He poured out a pill and handed it to Gu An.
Gu An didn't hesitate and swallowed it directly.
The reason he was so bold was that both the Divine Wood Pure Yang Skill and the Dragon Strength Divine Primordial Skill had detoxification effects. Describing him as impervious to all poisons was no exaggeration.
Seeing Gu An completely unguarded, Cheng Xuandan felt gratified.
After taking the Youth-Preserving Pill, Gu An didn't feel any different, as if he had just eaten a piece of icy candy that melted in his mouth.
"Do you have any thoughts about alchemy?" Cheng Xuandan asked.
Gu An's eyes lit up, and he quickly nodded, "To be honest, Master, I've wanted to learn alchemy from you for a long time, but I was too embarrassed to ask."
Cheng Xuandan stroked his beard and laughed heartily.
The atmosphere inside the room became very warm. Cheng Xuandan began to teach him alchemy, starting with lighting a fire in the pill furnace. Having learned the Fire Control Art, Gu An learned quickly, making Cheng Xuandan mistakenly believe he had a talent for alchemy.
Later, when Cheng Xuandan's discussion moved away from fire, Gu An started getting confused, causing Cheng Xuandan to become silent for a while.
...
After Gu An and Cheng Xuandan established a true mentor-apprentice relationship, Medicine Valley became even more lively. Having stayed indoors for years, Cheng Xuandan started to come out, offering guidance on how to cultivate medicinal herbs.
Lu Jiujia and Ye Lan grew more fond of Cheng Xuandan, often praising him as kind and amiable, which made Meng Lang sneer.
Since that night's battle, there had been no more fights outside the valley.
Chu Jingfeng and Zhu Moyan didn't come to Medicine Valley. Gu An didn't dare to investigate and kept it in his heart.
Time flew by.
A year quickly passed.
Gu An turned twenty. His lifespan had extended to over two thousand eight hundred years.
One noon, Gu An was lying on a cliff halfway up a mountain reading a book. Below was Medicine Valley, where he could see Xiaochuan and Lu Jiujia practicing leg techniques.
Ever since the words "Alchemy" appeared on Gu An's attribute panel, he had stopped bothering Cheng Xuandan.
The process of learning alchemy was extremely tedious.
It's worth mentioning that on Gu An's suggestion, Cheng Xuandan exchanged more seeds from the Outer Sect. After truly becoming master and apprentice, Cheng Xuandan was very competent.
Gu An used his left hand as a pillow, holding the book with his right. He blew out a breath, using his Qi to flip the pages.
His eyes suddenly widened as he sat up abruptly.
The latest "Green Hero Travelogue" contained illustrations!
This is something!
Gu An carefully examined the illustrations, muttering critiques as he did so.
A screaming sound came from the sky. He looked up sharply, his eyes turning sharp.
A white eagle with a wingspan of nearly ten feet descended, releasing a letter close to Gu An. He caught it easily.
The eagle drew a perfect arc in the air and quickly disappeared behind the mountain.
What a magnificent eagle!
Gu An couldn't help but think of his White Spirit Rat, which was only palm-sized and utterly useless.
He opened the envelope, finding not only a letter but also a jade pendant engraved with the character "Chu."
He attached the jade pendant to his belt, tucked the "Green Hero Travelogue" into his bosom, and then read the letter.
The letter was written by Chu Jingfeng.
Chu Jingfeng briefly recounted the previous battle, stating that Zhu Moyan had died by his sword. Over the past year, he had collected evidence and brought down the Great Cultivator who manipulated the Demon of Greed. He advised Gu An not to worry about this matter anymore.
The jade pendant was a token of the Chu family. If Gu An ever faced an unsolvable problem, he could use it to find Chu Jingfeng or his clan members.
The Chu family acknowledged the jade, not the person. One jade meant one promise.
Gu An's fondness for Chu Jingfeng increased significantly. He didn't expect this proud Inner Sect disciple to be so loyal.
Even if Chu Jingfeng didn't repay him, he couldn't do much, since he had previously told Chu Jingfeng not to contact him.
After reading, Gu An tore the letter into pieces and scattered them on the ground. With a slight twist of his right foot, his spiritual power vibrated, turning the letter fragments into powder.
The spiritual power of the Eighth Layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm was just that strong!
Gu An's lips curved into a smile as he leaped gracefully, like a wild goose, and flew away. Along the way, he treaded lightly on the leaves of the forest trees on the mountainside, landing with flair.
By now, Lu Jiujia and Xiaochuan were used to it.
Gu An suppressed his aura to the Second Layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm. He had already displayed the Residual Wind Leg, receiving praise from Cheng Xuandan. Now, he seemed like a formidable martial arts expert.
Gu An conducted himself with humility, but he felt he couldn't always stay hidden. Showing a portion of his strength appropriately would help his farming life.
As soon as he landed, the White Spirit Rat scrambled up his leg and perched on his shoulder.
"I haven't checked your leg techniques in days. Come on, let's spar. Both of you, together." Gu An smiled at Xiaochuan and Lu Jiujia.
Xiaochuan and Lu Jiujia exchanged glances and immediately charged at Gu An.
The three of them practiced their leg techniques on the grassy field outside the garden, moving gracefully and with long legs like whips. In no time, the wind rushed, and grass clippings flew.
Gu An fought off the two of them with a single leg, dismantling their techniques.
Xiaochuan's techniques were decent but somewhat clumsy, while Lu Jiujia had high talent. His kicks already showed signs of the Residual Wind Leg, but each move was still slower than Gu An's.
After half a cup of tea's time, Xiaochuan and Lu Jiujia were panting heavily. They exchanged a glance and then surrendered in unison.
Gu An slowly retracted his leg hanging in the air and smiled, "You've made great progress. I had a hard time dealing with you. Soon enough, you might surpass me."
"Soon? How soon?" Xiaochuan asked stiffly.
Gu An patted the dust off his trousers and smiled, "That depends on how hard you work."
The White Spirit Rat on his shoulder chirped as if laughing.