Chapter 31 True Dragon Bloodline

Ever since Zuo Lin started teaching Gu An swordplay, each time they met, Zuo Lin would stare at him with a resentful gaze, making him uncomfortable. Luckily, Li Ya was around, so Zuo Lin didn't dare to pester him.

Days passed, one after another, with cultivators flying over Profound Valley every day.

Whenever someone passed by, Gu An used Life Span Detection to gauge their realm. He even detected the presence of those in the Nascent Soul Realm but couldn't discern their sect affiliations.

Spring turned to summer, and Gu An turned twenty-eight.

Since reaching the 9th Floor of the Nascent Soul Realm, he had temporarily halted his daily routines, fearing the waste of life span, and prepared to later use a massive amount of it to forcibly break through.

In addition to hard work, he also believed in metaphysics.

The scorching summer arrived.

In the forest, Gu An lay under a tree reading a book, Wuxin commanded Tang Yu, Su Han, and Zhen Qin to weed, while Xiaochuan and Ye Lan practiced cultivation in the valley.

Wiping sweat from his forehead, Tang Yu glanced at the "Green Hero Travelogue" in Gu An's hands, his eyes filled with curiosity.

What was in that book, exactly?

The valley's greatest secret was precisely what was recorded in the "Green Hero Travelogue."

The three disciples also wanted to read it, but unfortunately, Gu An had made it his personal treasure, and they couldn't find the complete series in the Library Pavilion.

Suddenly, a large white rat darted out from the bushes and ran into Gu An's arms, the White Spirit Rat.

Gu An noticed it had something in its mouth and sat up straight, just in time to see it spit out an egg about the size of a chicken egg, with a greenish-white shell marked with wavy brown patterns.

He could feel the pulsations of Spiritual Power within it.

Was this a Demon Beast egg?

Gu An had previously encountered Demon Beast eggs in the Outer Sect City; their prices varied widely. The highest-priced ones were astronomical, and just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.

While Wuxin and the others were not looking, he quickly tossed the Demon Beast egg into his Storage Pouch.

The White Spirit Rat lifted its head proudly, and Gu An laughed, hugging it and fervently stroking its fur.

After the weeding was done, Wuxin and the others began sowing seeds. Once everything was finished, they all headed back to Profound Valley together.

Walking beside Gu An, Tang Yu asked him about the difficulties of the Residual Wind Leg technique. He didn't like swords, so he was the only one among the three disciples who practiced the Residual Wind Leg earnestly.

Gu An provided guidance patiently, clutching the White Spirit Rat in his hands to prevent it from escaping.

Back in Profound Valley, Li Ya, who had gone to the Outer Sect in the morning, had already returned, but Zuo Lin had not, which was a good thing for Gu An.

Li Ya approached Gu An and said, "The Outer Sect Convention has ended, and now it's time for exchanges between sects. During this period, there will be disciples patrolling the area. I should be returning now."

Upon hearing this, Gu An immediately showed a look of reluctance, "Then I won't keep you. You aspire for the Immortal Dao, and I can't hold you back. If you ever miss this place, feel free to come back whenever you want. As long as I'm alive, I'll be here waiting for you."

Li Ya nodded, then pulled Gu An up to the attic, closed the door, and took out three White Jade Bottles from his Storage Pouch, placing them on the table. "These three bottles of Elixirs are the Foundation Establishment Pill, Top-Grade Spiritual Qi Pill, and Bone Purifying Pill. Keep these safe, don't reveal them carelessly, especially the Foundation Establishment Pill. Leave one for yourself, and don't trust your disciples too much. There are plenty who would kill their mentor for Elixirs, and people's hearts can change."

Gu An froze and quickly waved his hands, "That won't do. Even if I were Valley Master for a hundred years, I don't have enough Spirit Stones to repay…"

"Repay what! You're my junior brother, and I'll be coming back to bother you in the future. If you don't accept it, I won't come back!" Li Ya glared, his tone serious.

Gu An, upon hearing this, reluctantly accepted, deeply moved.

More than the precious Elixirs, he valued Li Ya's thoughtfulness towards him.

Li Ya continued, "Last night, a hundred miles away, Demon Cultivators fought, and several people died or were injured. They were the promising talents of various sects. Their deaths will certainly lead to investigations by the sects. You'd better not leave the valley these next few days."

Gu An nodded, about to say something, but Li Ya turned and left.

He didn't use the front door but leapt out the window instead. He soared into the sky with his Sword Control Technique, flying over the mountaintops, and disappeared without a trace.

Gu An turned back to look at the three bottles of Elixirs on the table, remaining silent for a long time.

Eventually, he sighed and swept the three bottles into his Storage Pouch.

...

Deep into the night, Gu An arrived at the Eight Scenic Cave Heaven, walking until he reached the base of the Cang Teng Tree.

Jiang Qiong was still meditating in front of the Pill Furnace, her aura growing stronger, not far from the 9th Floor of the Core Formation Realm. Gu An was happy for her.

It was finally time to leave!

"My good disciple, it's been a long time since you last visited. I thought you had almost forgotten about me," Jiang Qiong's voice rang out.

Gu An stepped forward to greet her and said helplessly, "Ancestor, could you not add the word 'good'? I really can't handle it."

A Demon Cultivator speaks so informally, indeed.

Jiang Qiong pressed her lips in a smile, not taking the bait.

Gu An took the Demon Beast egg out of his Storage Pouch and presented it before Jiang Qiong, asking, "Ancestor, what kind of Demon Beast is this?"

Hearing this, Jiang Qiong opened her eyes. She glanced casually at the egg in his hand, not particularly interested, and was about to look away when she suddenly realized something and her beautiful eyes widened.

She turned around and snatched the egg from Gu An's hands.

She examined it closely, her gaze as if it could penetrate the shell.

Seeing this, Gu An grew nervous.

Indeed, this thing was no simple matter!

When he had heard Li Ya mention the night's fight between Demon Cultivators, he suspected the White Spirit Rat had scavenged it from the battleground. Having lived in this area for so many years, not only had he never seen a Demon Beast egg, he hadn't even seen a Demon Beast.

"It really is the Sacred Beast of the Ancient Haos Sect..." Jiang Qiong muttered to herself.

Sacred Beast?

Gu An's eyelids twitched wildly, and he suddenly felt the urge to strangle the White Spirit Rat. This was nothing but trouble for him.

Jiang Qiong handed the Demon Beast egg to Gu An and said, "This is a Hao Long. It's rare in the Human World to have a Demon Beast that possesses the True Dragon Bloodline. It can grow into a 9th-floor Demon Beast with immense potential, capable of leveling mountains and overturning seas with its ferocity. Revered as a Sacred Beast by the Ancient Haos Sect, raise it well. A Hao Long serves only one master in its lifetime, gentle towards its owner but extremely vicious towards others. Should the master of a Hao Long fall, the Hao Long would go mad and slaughter all living beings."

Upon hearing this, Gu An hurriedly said, "If it's that powerful, then it's better to give it to the Ancestor. The Ancestor needs helpers too while traveling through the Immortal Cultivation Realm."

"Really?" Jiang Qiong asked with a smile that was not quite a smile.

Gu An nodded earnestly.

Seeing this, Jiang Qiong's expression softened, and she couldn't help but feel moved.

Thinking about it, ever since they'd met, this kid had always treated her with utmost respect. He never neglected any tasks she assigned, and now his words might truly be sincere.

Jiang Qiong had feigned death for seventy years due to a betrayal that left her in her current state. Over the years, she harbored hatred for many people. When she first met Gu An, she was also full of caution, which is why she tested him after recovering her body.

Jiang Qiong forcibly stuffed the Hao Dragon Egg into Gu An's hands, and the touch of their hands felt a trace of coldness to him.

"Don't refuse, it's perfect. The Cang Teng Tree requires a powerful force to guard it. If you raise the Hao Long here, you don't have to worry about being exposed," Jiang Qiong said earnestly.

Gu An, hearing this, felt it made sense.

This way, it could also prevent people from stealing plants and flowers.

Gu An sighed and said, "Alright then."

Jiang Qiong began to tell him about the legends and habits of the Hao Long, helping him understand more.

The more Gu An listened, the more excited he became, and he started to anticipate raising the Hao Long.

Eventually, he left the Hao Dragon Egg under the Cang Teng Tree for Jiang Qiong to raise.

...

Over the next month, the figures of Cultivators passing over Profound Valley became fewer and fewer, until no Cultivators had come and gone for three straight days. It was then that Gu An left the valley.

He had a part-time job to do, which brought in a considerable Life Span income. He couldn't miss it.

Compared to fighting and killing, Gu An preferred earning his Life Span in a steady and down-to-earth manner.

At noon, he first went to Chen Li's Cave Mansion. Chen Li was not inside, so he took one stick of incense's time to take care of the Medicinal Herbs before he left.

Next up was Li Xuanyu's Cave Mansion.

Li Xuanyu wasn't in her Cave Mansion either, so Gu An got busy.

Truly befitting a princess, Li Xuanyu had recently planted a batch of fifth-floor Medicinal Herbs, which made Gu An quite excited.

Fifth-floor Medicinal Herbs needed at least five years or even more than ten years to mature, but fortunately, Gu An could wait.

However, just as Gu An was about to finish up, Li Xuanyu actually returned.

"Have seen Elder Li," Gu An quickly went forward and gave a fist and palm salute.

Li Xuanyu was wearing a long white robe, still so cold and pure, but Gu An could sense that her breath was unstable.

She was injured again.

She really is combative!

Li Xuanyu said softly, "You and Li Ya are Disciples under the same master. There's no need to call me elder. You may call me Senior Sister."

Upon hearing this, Gu An had no choice but to comply, saying "Senior Sister."

Li Xuanyu glanced around the Cave Mansion and said, "You've done well. Do you need me to introduce this job for you? If I speak up, those employers will also show me some courtesy and won't treat you unfairly."

"I do, thank you, Senior Sister Li!"

Gu An quickly responded, as he was still hoping to accumulate a Life Span of a hundred thousand years, to break through to the realms above the Nascent Soul Realm. Naturally, he wouldn't refuse.

Li Xuanyu nodded and said, "Come back in a month."

Gu An gave a salute and then took his leave.

After he left, Li Xuanyu walked over to the bed and began Cultivating Energy to heal her injuries. Her face quickly turned pale, devoid of any color, then she spat out a mouthful of black blood which splattered on the ground.

Outside the Cave Mansion, Gu An sensed her chi suddenly surge, probably due to the outbreak of her wounds, but he did not stop his steps.

He wasn't a healer, and he didn't want to get too involved with Li Xuanyu.

...

After the Outer Sect Grand Assembly ended, time in Profound Valley passed as quickly as before.

When Gu An saw Li Xuanyu again, her injuries had mostly healed. With her leading, he went to meet with five Outer Disciples, and from then on, he was simultaneously taking care of the Cave Mansions of seven Outer Disciples.

Since each Cave Mansion was different, he had to leave the valley every three to four days. For convenience of travel, he raised his apparent Cultivation Level to the 6th Floor of the Qi Cultivation Realm, so that each trip he could utilize the Sword Control Technique. After all, the Spiritual Power of someone on the 5th Floor of the Qi Cultivation Realm was not enough for him to travel there and back in a day.

He didn't use the Celestial Star Sword but instead rode on an ordinary Flying Sword, a standard Magic Artifact he exchanged for at the Outer Sect to avoid drawing attention.

As summer gave way to autumn, the falling autumn leaves covered Profound Valley.

After the colors of autumn came the winter snow, once again turning Profound Valley into a vast expanse of white.

On this day, Gu An was on the loft writing vigorously.

After reading the Green Hero Travelogue many times, he also wanted to write a book. Just so happened that during his last trip to the Outer Sect, he learned that writing could earn Spirit Stones, but the approval was stringent.

As someone who reincarnated from Earth, Gu An decided to give the Supreme Sect a bit of a shock.

More Spirit Stones meant he could buy more seeds!

He was writing enthusiastically when he suddenly felt something and frowned.

The sky outside darkened as rolling thunderclouds tumbled from the horizon, and a terrifying celestial might engulfed the forests and mountains.