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

Ye Lan successfully established her foundation with the help of a Foundation Establishment Pill in just one month. That night, Gu An watched over her in secret as she endured her tribulation, and it passed with more thrills than dangers.

The day after her successful foundation establishment, Ye Lan took her leave in a hurry.

Her sudden success in establishing her foundation became a marvelous topic among the disciples of Mystic Valley. There were many speculations, some said it was thanks to the Foundation Establishment Pill given by Gu An, others theorized that Ye Lan had a fortuitous encounter, and still, others believed there was divine assistance during her cultivation in the forest.

Regardless, Ye Lan had ultimately departed.

Beneath the hot summer sun.

Gu An stood on the balcony of the loft, watching the busy disciples and suddenly felt a sense of change, that things were no longer the same.

Cheng Xuandan, Zhang Chunqiu, Li Ya, Meng Lang, Lu Jiujia, and Ye Lan were all gone.

The ones who remained were now his juniors.

The oldest among them in terms of tenure was Xiaochuan.

Xiaochuan had given up on thoughts of leaving the Outer Sect, but he was not disheartened and continued to live an active life. Apart from cultivating, he found other meanings in life.

Gu An's gaze turned to a corner of Medicine Valley, where a bamboo fence enclosed a duck pen. Xiaochuan was leaning on the fence, communicating with the ducks.

These weren't ordinary ducks from among the common folk; each had a hint of third-rank demon beast blood in them. Each was priced at a hundred low-grade Spirit Stones. Xiaochuan had emptied his own purse to buy just two; the remaining ten were paid for by Gu An, which deepened Xiaochuan's gratitude towards him.

Though these ducks had the bloodline of a third-rank demon beast, it would be considered extraordinary if they could grow to the first rank.

"The flesh of low-rank demon beasts is beneficial to cultivators as well. Should I start a livestock business? It could not only increase my life span but also earn Spirit Stones..." Gu An suddenly felt tempted.

If herding sheep or cows in the mountains was acceptable, then why not?

However, doing so would invariably require expanding manpower, and he feared making too much of commotion and drawing the attention of the Supreme Sect.

He had considered running away to the mountains to do this on his own, but he quickly discarded the idea. Not to mention the difficulty in moving the Green Vine Tree, just the resource channels of the Supreme Sect were something he did not want to miss out on.

Inside the Supreme Sect, as long as he had enough Spirit Stones, he could buy anything he desired, which wouldn't necessarily be the case outside.

Certain rare items were hard to come by!

If it came to it, he would just glorify the Supreme Sect in his books later on.

Gu An thought to himself that as long as the medicinal herbs and demon beast meats he contributed were sufficient, why would the Supreme Sect make things difficult for him?

They might even assist him!

Yes, that was the plan!

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In the future, Xiaochuan would become a Beast Tamer, and Wuxin would become the chief disciple in charge of cultivation; they would be his Left and Right Guardians in Mystic Valley.

The more Gu An thought about it, the more feasible it seemed, and he began to contemplate his plan.

The jade ring found by the White Spirit Rat contained a vast fortune. He had calculated it to be equivalent to two million low-grade Spirit Stones or two hundred top-grade Spirit Stones, which was enough for him to make bold moves.

Once he had the idea, he acted on it!

Gu An called out to Xiaochuan, who immediately ran over and leapt onto the balcony.

"Big Senior Brother, do you need something?" Xiaochuan asked.

Gu An shared his thoughts, and Xiaochuan's eyes lit up. The more he listened, the more excited he became.

The two of them hit it off instantly!

In the end, Gu An had Xiaochuan make a trip to the Outer Sect. When the time came, Xiaochuan would bring a list written on paper, and he agreed without hesitation, departing that very day.

Xiaochuan, too, had mastered the Sword Control Technique, but as his Spiritual Power was insufficient, a round trip would take him two days, including a night's rest in between.

Three days later, Xiaochuan returned and handed Gu An the list he had prepared earlier. He spoke excitedly without pause, revealing that he had met Lu Jiujia in the Outer Sect. Lu Jiujia personally took him to inspect the demon beasts, saving him a great deal of trouble.

After discussion, Gu An decided to start by purchasing fifty young beasts to test the waters, since only with such an order would the Beast Hall of the Outer Sect consent to deliver them to Mystic Valley.

After a day's rest, Xiaochuan set off with the Spirit Stones provided by Gu An, accompanied by Tang Yu and Su Han, both of whom had reached the fifth layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm, giving them a substantial presence.

If not for a batch of medicinal herbs that were soon to be harvested, Gu An would have wanted to go himself, fearing being swindled.

Luckily, such concerns were unfounded as the Supreme Sect was, after all, a reputable and righteous faction.

Five days later, Xiaochuan and the others returned on swords. Following behind them were three double-horned white eagles with wingspans of five zhang, each with a cultivator standing on its back, and their talons carrying large cages, inside which bound lamb cubs with no horns yet could be found. The flight had not been bumpy, thanks to the talisman papers on the cages.

Upon landing, Gu An went forward to thank them. The three disciples from the medicine hall were not particularly warm, but they did not embarrass him either. After exchanging pleasantries, they left on their eagles.

"Xiaochuan, these sheep cost me a thousand low-grade Spirit Stones. You'd better take good care of them," Gu An said, patting Xiaochuan's shoulder with a meaningful tone.

It wasn't just the Spirit Stones; it was his life!

Once grown, these lamb cubs would have the strength of the first rank, equivalent to the third layer of the Energy Cultivation Realm, though they would not develop the same sentient intelligence as humans.

Xiaochuan nodded seriously, scratching his head and said, "Big Senior Brother, can I recruit a couple more Servant Disciples to give me a hand then?"

Gu An replied, "Have others help you for the time being. We will recruit more disciples after six months; my Storage Bag is a bit tight right now."

Xiaochuan, all smiles, thanked him profusely.

Gu An actually had plenty of Spirit Stones left, but fearing too much attention, he chose to restrain himself for six months.

After dealing with Xiaochuan, Gu An returned to the loft.

All the people in the valley came running over, curious to see the first-rank Sheep Demons, as they offered a novel sight to those who normally focused on plants.

Gu An returned to the attic, prepared to write the next volume of "Investiture of the Gods." Liu Chang from the Book Collection Hall had urged him several times, so it was time for him to write.

Listening to the laughter and joyful voices of the disciples outside the window, the corners of Gu An's mouth involuntarily turned up.

...

In a courtyard, the white-haired Zuo Yijian sat meditating under a tree, pinching a leaf in his right hand, his brow furrowed tightly.

Compared to himself, who had successfully crossed the Tribulation years ago, he had aged significantly, lost his edge, and no longer looked like a Nascent Soul Realm Great Cultivator.

Zuo Lin walked into the courtyard and turned his head to look. Seeing his father under the tree, he immediately approached and snatched the leaf from his hand.

"Father, how long do you plan to continue this decadence?"

Zuo Lin asked angrily, tossing the leaf in his hand to the ground and stepping on it.

Zuo Yijian looked up at him, his gaze as calm as still water, and said, "Your father has not been decadent."

"You sit all day with a leaf, how long have you been looking at it? How long since you last absorbed energy, and how long since you've refined your Sword Intent?"

Zuo Lin said with a tone of disappointment, his anger surging as he thought about the frustrations he'd endured over the years, struggling to contain it.

Zuo Yijian bent down to pick up the leaf and asked, "And when you sat there clutching your sword, deep in thought without absorbing energy, what was it for? Are you working harder with a sword in your hand than I am with a leaf?"

"I..."

Zuo Lin choked up, his face reddening, and he gritted his teeth, "A sword is a sword, a leaf is a leaf. It's because I haven't grasped the Sword Dao that I sit in frustration. You're different; are you seeking the Dao of the leaf?"

"But the Flying Leaf Sword Immortal defeated me with just a leaf. Do you think the leaf in his hand is not a sword?"

"That's different..."

"The true Sword Dao has never been limited to a certain sword."

Zuo Yijian spoke softly, his gaze once again locking onto the leaf in his hand, his eyes becoming distant.

Zuo Lin cursed under his breath and reached into his Storage Bag, pulling out a book and said, "Father, take a look at this book, it's called 'Investiture of the Gods.' It's been spreading through the Immortal Cultivation World these past two years, and many sects are discussing it. Some say it contains records of the great wars of Immortal Cultivation from the Ancient Era."

Zuo Yijian remained unmoved.

Zuo Lin placed "Investiture of the Gods" at his feet, then turned and left.

As soon as he left the courtyard, he couldn't help but pull out another copy of "Investiture of the Gods" from his Storage Bag.

Zuo Yijian began to daydream.

After an unknowable amount of time, he finally couldn't help but blink, his gaze unconsciously glancing down at "Investiture of the Gods" on the ground.

...

During the autumn season, Mystic Valley was covered with the colors of withering yellow and green.

Inside the attic, Gu An and Li Ya sat opposite each other drinking tea, with Li Ya holding a book and speaking incessantly.

It was "Investiture of the Gods."

"These past two years, Supreme Sect has really been in the limelight. One is the Flying Leaf Sword Immortal who defeated the Maniac Swordsman of Canghu Lake from the Nascent Soul Realm with a single leaf, becoming famous in the Immortal Cultivation World.

The other is because of this book, 'Investiture of the Gods.' The Immortal Cultivation stories recorded within are so grand that all sects are discussing it. Some people even say this might be a real account from the Ancient Era..."

As Li Ya kept praising "Investiture of the Gods," Gu An's eyebrows tightened.

Is it that popular?

But his share of the profits isn't that much.

Is it the Book Collection Hall taking a kickback, or are the other sects not reading genuine copies?

On second thoughts, how could there be copyright in the Immortal Cultivation World?

After talking for a long time, Li Ya finally added with enthusiasm unfinished, "I wonder who this Pan An really is. He is truly talented. I really want to meet him. They say even Inner Sect Disciples and Inheriting Disciples are reading this book."

Gu An said with curiosity, "So powerful. Then I have to see it, to see if it can match up to 'Green Hero Travelogue.'"

"Can that lowbrow book even compare to 'Investiture of the Gods'?" Li Ya said with disdain.

Gu An just smiled.

Li Ya put down the book in his hand, picked up his teacup, and drained it in one gulp before saying, "I'm leaving to gain experience and probably won't be able to return for at least ten years."

For him, ten years meant little, but for Junior Brother Gu, it was different, so he had made a special visit to inform him.

Gu An was not surprised; what Cultivator would spend a lifetime nestled within the sect? They must venture out to train, seek opportunities, and refine both their cultivation and heart.

"Do you have a goal?" Gu An asked casually.

Li Ya revealed a smile and said, "Indeed, I do. There is a Divinity Transformation Realm Great Cultivator in the southernmost Jizhou who will soon face the end of his lifespan. He wishes to choose a suitable successor before his final moment. This person is a Sword Cultivator, and I plan to go and try."

"Divinity Transformation? What realm is that? How many levels above the Nascent Soul Realm?" Gu An asked with feigned curiosity.

Li Ya laughed and said, "Divinity Transformation is just above the Nascent Soul Realm. If it were several levels higher, he wouldn't appear in Taicang, for there is more to this land than the Taicang Dynasty. Besides, it is said beyond the sea lies an even vaster world, but one cannot travel there without reaching the Nascent Soul Realm."

He stood up, a proud smile on his face, and declared, "Junior Brother Gu, when I return, I'll be the heir of a Divinity Transformation Realm Great Cultivator. Then, if you call me Senior Brother, I might even let you see the spells of the Divinity Transformation Realm."

With that, he turned, walked to the window, and leaped out, stepping on his sword to fly away.

Gu An looked at the footprints on the windowsill, raising an eyebrow.

Divinity Transformation Realm, huh?

I must reach it before Li Ya returns!