"What secret technique?" Gu An asked expectantly. He had already learned many spells from Jiang Qiong, but as the saying goes, the more the better.
When Jiang Qiong left, it would be difficult to find such a dedicated Martial Master again.
Jiang Qiong took a bite of a chicken leg and said proudly, "One of the nine great secret techniques of our Thousand-Autumn Pavilion, the Demon Shadow Divine Skill!"
Demon Shadow Divine Skill?
It sounded...
Gu An frowned and asked, "Is this a cultivation technique?"
He didn't lack cultivation techniques. Changing techniques would mean rebuilding his spiritual power, and he didn't want to waste his life span.
"I already said, it's a secret technique. The Demon Shadow Divine Skill will help you be a better spy. You'll understand soon enough," Jiang Qiong said indistinctly, her mouth full of chicken, almost too full to speak.
Gu An's face twitched.
I don't want to be a spy for the Demon Path!
Forget it, I'll endure Jiang Qiong for now. Later, I'll speak what suits the occasion, whatever identity I need, I'll give myself.
...
The next day at noon, Gu An was reading under a tree. Seven steps away, Ye Lan and Zhen Qin were practicing swordsmanship, their movements graceful. Unfortunately, they couldn't capture Gu An's attention.
"Senior Brother, Brother Li Ya is here!"
Xiaochuan ran over and said, followed by a man, Li Ya.
Gu An immediately stood up and stuffed the Green Hero Travelogue into his robe, then walked toward Li Ya.
"Let's talk inside," Li Ya said first.
Gu An nodded and led him upstairs.
Zhen Qin stopped swinging her sword and looked at Ye Lan, asking nervously, "Martial Uncle Ye, could Martial Uncle Li Ya be here because of those two demon cultivators from yesterday?"
"Perhaps." Ye Lan glanced back and replied softly.
Inside the house.
Gu An and Li Ya sat facing each other. As he poured tea for Li Ya, Gu An asked, "What's the matter?"
Li Ya said, "I plan to stay in Mystic Valley for half a year, is that okay?"
"Of course, you can stay as long as you like. Did something happen?" Gu An readily agreed, taking the opportunity to inquire with concern.
Li Ya hesitated for a moment, then decided to recount his encounter yesterday. Perhaps knowing these matters could motivate Junior Brother Gu to cultivate diligently under pressure.
After hearing the story, Gu An's eyes widened in astonishment, "Those two are dead? Won't the Wanyin Sect cause trouble?"
Li Ya snorted, "He attacked Li Xuanyu and me. If anyone is to blame, it's the Supreme Sect who will deal with the Wanyin Sect. Besides the Supreme Sect, the court will also pressure the Wanyin Sect. Li Xuanyu is my father's most beloved daughter."
Gu An asked in surprise, "They still dared to attack Senior Li?"
"Xu Ruye and Chan Ji are notorious villains who stop at nothing. Chan Ji had a grudge against Li Xuanyu from their time in Yecheng. When they finally saw Li Xuanyu alone, they wouldn't miss the chance. And also..."
Li Ya sneered at the end but held back.
"And what?"
"Nothing."
Gu An felt like hitting someone. If you're not going to say it, don't even mention 'and also'!
Li Ya looked at Gu An and asked, "Did you see anyone else pass by Medicine Valley yesterday and today?"
Gu An shook his head.
"You didn't see them. If it weren't for that Nascent Soul Realm senior's intervention, Li Xuanyu and I would have been in grave danger. That senior's Sword Dao was truly terrifying, killing enemies with a leaf. Even a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator at the Ninth Layer would be like vegetables facing him, a leaf could kill them..."
Li Ya grew excited as he recounted the battle, depicting the scene with fervor.
Gu An's eyes widened, gasping occasionally as if he were listening to a mythical tale.
That Nascent Soul Realm senior only tossed out two leaves, yet Li Ya used all the words he knew to describe it, extremely animated.
"A true Sword Cultivator should be like this, winning without a sword. Anything in hand can be a sword. Even I... In short, Senior Brother, I've found my direction. From now on, I'll focus on practicing the sword and delving into Sword Dao..."
Li Ya showed a look of longing. Gu An nodded, secretly delighted.
Brother, that exaggerated senior is right in front of you, too bad your Dao level is too shallow to see through it!
Gu An interrupted Li Ya's reverie and asked, "The World Outer Sect Tournament is so grand, why doesn't the sect send disciples to patrol or protect us servant disciples?"
In the vicinity of Mystic Valley, within a radius of fifty miles, there were at least six caves of outer disciples. Although most people weren't in their caves, if the sect ordered, certainly someone would come.
Li Ya's smile faded, he said quietly, "Think about it, why would someone dare keep a Demon of Greed outside the Outer Sect? Isn't it because the sect doesn't care about servant disciples? But don't worry, I'll stay until the World Outer Sect Tournament ends."
Gu An was silent for a moment, then asked, "Aren't you participating?"
"My cultivation level isn't enough. If I participated rashly, I would only get hurt. Such an event is certainly dominated by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators at the Ninth Layer." Li Ya shook his head.
Gu An raised his opinion of him; he was quite self-aware.
Of course, it could also be that Xu Ruye had hit him too hard.
They chatted for a while before going downstairs. Gu An had Xiaochuan and Tang Yu help clear out a courtyard for Li Ya to live in alone.
Knowing Li Ya would stay for half a year, everyone in the valley was happy. Firstly, they had someone to protect them, and secondly, they could practice swordsmanship with Li Ya.
In their eyes, Gu An was good at everything, except that he knew few spells and couldn't guide them. Li Ya was different; he was a genuine Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator!
In the following days, many cultivators often flew over Mystic Valley with their swords. Gu An also saw various flying artifacts and demon beast mounts, which made him reflect.
This is the Immortal Cultivation World!
...
A month later, in the deep night.
Jiang Qiong leaned against a Green Vine Tree, swinging her right leg. Her white, tender calf was exposed under her robe, practically glowing. She was holding a book and glanced at Gu An in the distance, who was picking medicinal herbs.
She suddenly flipped up, the book flying into the pendant around her neck. She stretched lazily, extending her body.
"Dear disciple, stop for now and practice the Demon Shadow Divine Skill."
Jiang Qiong called. She leaped and landed in front of the pill furnace, which was brewing elixirs. Wisps of white smoke rose from the lid.
Gu An didn't turn his head and said, "It's no problem, I'll finish quickly."
Jiang Qiong shook her head, laughing silently, thinking, "This kid is really diligent. It's commendable. I should make him some elixirs."
Half an hour later.
Gu An brought the picked medicinal herbs to Jiang Qiong. He sorted the herbs by category on the ground, meticulously, earning Jiang Qiong's satisfaction.
This child is really impeccable!
Gu An's harvest of over thirteen hundred years of life span put him in a good mood. Such opportunities were hard to come by.
"Continue practicing. Ask me if you don't understand anything." Jiang Qiong stared at the pill furnace and said softly.
Gu An nodded and started practicing the Demon Shadow Divine Skill. He had been practicing this skill for a month, but it had not appeared on his attribute panel, which annoyed him greatly.
He was determined to master it now!
The Eight Scenic Caves fell into silence as Gu An and Jiang Qiong sat near the pill furnace, the pill smoke shrouding their figures.
Four more days passed, and the Demon Shadow Divine Skill finally appeared on Gu An's attribute panel.
Looking at his attribute panel, he smiled with satisfaction.
[Name: Gu An]
[Life Span: 27/12268]
[Spirit Root: First-Class Five Elements Spirit Root (Wood and Earth attributes are more prominent)]
[Cultivation Level: Nascent Soul Realm Eighth Layer]
[Cultivation Techniques: Fire Control Art (Unmastered), Divine Wood Pure Yang Skill (Mastery), Dragon Strength Divine Primordial Skill (Mastery), Alchemy (Initial Insight), Myriad Poison Mystic Skill (Unmastered), Yin Yang Art (Unmastered)]
[Ultimate Skills: Gale Shadowless Leg (Proficient), Taicang Divine-Shocking Sword (Proficient), Eight Directions Step (Unmastered), Demon Shadow Divine Skill (Unmastered)]
[Spells: Soul Capturing Skill (Unmastered), Sword Control Technique (Proficient), Enchanting Eyes (Unmastered), Poison Wood Array (Initial Insight), Wind Control Skill (Unmastered), Corpse Control Skill (Unmastered)]
As long as it appeared on the attribute panel, it meant it was genuine!
In over five years, Jiang Qiong had taught him eight types of cultivation techniques and spells.
Very dedicated!
This changed Gu An's view of her. Although she was a demon cultivator, her teaching attitude surpassed that of the Righteous Path.
Gu An stood up, bowed to Jiang Qiong, and said, "Martial Master, let's stop for tonight. I want to rest."
Jiang Qiong remained in a meditative position in front of the pill furnace, surrounded by demonic qi. She didn't open her eyes and said, "Go back and cultivate well. I will leave in at most two years."
Gu An didn't reply, turning to leave.
Jiang Qiong opened one eye, glanced at his back, and thought, "This kid seems a bit sad. Understandable, where else will he find such a good Martial Master? Seeing him so lonely, I'll find someone to guide him in the Thousand-Autumn Pavilion and have my father find someone to teach him Sword Dao."
Gu An turned his back to her, quickly walking towards the cave entrance.
He suppressed the joy in his heart, preventing himself from laughing out loud.
Finally, she's leaving!
Although Jiang Qiong treated him well, he preferred to enjoy the Eight Scenic Caves alone.
Returning to the woods, Gu An didn't return to the building immediately. He headed to a distant place, preparing to find a spot to invest a year of his life span into his cultivation level.
He felt he was close to the Ninth Layer of the Nascent Soul Realm, maybe within a few days.
Even though he felt close, he restrained himself, investing only one year of life span each day.
Traveling twenty miles away, Gu An sat under a tree, suppressing his aura to the lowest level, almost like the surrounding flowers and plants.
He immediately invested a year of his life span into his cultivation, and spiritual energy surged towards him.
The surrounding flowers and plants swayed as if cheering him on, wishing him an early breakthrough.
Soon, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth calmed, indicating he had completed a year of energy absorption cultivation.
Gu An stood up, ready to leave. Just as he was about to step forward, he sensed something and immediately hid behind the tree.
After about four breaths, two sounds of rushing wind approached, passing above him.
Gu An's eyesight was sharper than most. He caught a glimpse of the two figures and quickly cast life span detection on them.
[Zuo Yijian (Core Formation Realm Ninth Layer): 142/490/980]
[Zuo Lin (Foundation Establishment Realm Second Layer): 27/280/1400]
Core Formation Realm Ninth Layer!
Gu An was silently curious about which sect these two belonged to.
After they left, Gu An quietly returned to Mystic Valley.
The next morning, he, as usual, led the disciples in exercises while Li Ya greeted him, saying he was going to the Outer Sect.
It was not until noon that Li Ya returned by sword, bringing someone with him.
It was Zuo Lin, whom Gu An had detected last night.