Saint Who Lay Low

"What bad news?"

Gu An asked directly, sensing that Lü Baitian's aura was incredibly weak. He used a Lifespan Investigation on him.

[Lü Baitian (Body Fusion Realm Ninth Layer): 764/2050/3200]

At first glance, there didn't seem to be any significant changes.

Wait a minute!

His lifespan had dropped by eleven hundred years!

Gu An clearly remembered that Lü Baitian's lifespan used to be three thousand one hundred and fifty years.

Could it be that he had failed to transcend the tribulation?

Gu An's heart raced. No wonder, in his own experiences with cultivation breakthroughs, whenever he failed, it would take him many years to recover and attempt again. Reality was even harsher—if one failed in the real world, they might die on the spot, or, if lucky enough to survive, they would not be able to attempt the breakthrough again anytime soon.

Lü Baitian took a deep breath and said, "I failed to transcend the tribulation. I couldn't break through to a higher realm, and now I need many years to recover from my injuries before I can return to my peak strength."

Upon hearing this, Gu An's expression changed dramatically. He took two steps forward, his face filled with anxiety as he said, "Sect Master, are you alright? You must take care of yourself—Tai Xuan Sect cannot survive without you!"

Hearing this, a smile broke across Lü Baitian's usually grim face, and even Gu Zong seemed somewhat comforted.

However, Ji Hantian was less amused. "What do you mean we can't survive without him? If he dies, I'm still here."

Which vice sect master doesn't dream of becoming the sect master?

But isn't this a little too straightforward?

Gu An silently thought to himself, though outwardly his face was still full of concern.

"Don't worry, I won't die just yet. But, this lifetime's chances of breaking through to a higher realm are slim. If I fail again in the future, that may truly be the end for me." Lü Baitian's voice was calm, but the shadow of his near-death experience lingered on his face.

Gu An couldn't help but ask, "Is the tribulation that difficult? Even someone of your caliber couldn't pass?"

Ji Hantian snorted, "He already surpassed the limits of ordinary beings in the nine dynasties. How many humans or demons can even reach the Body Fusion Realm in their lifetime?"

Gu Zong nodded and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "I haven't even touched the threshold of the Body Fusion Realm."

Gu An took a deep breath and smiled bitterly, "I haven't even reached Core Formation Realm yet."

His public cultivation level was still at Foundation Establishment.

"Don't worry. Even if I have to drown you in pills and rare treasures, I'll push you to Core Formation Realm eventually. However, reaching Nascent Soul Realm will depend on your personal fortune and opportunities, and there's little the sect can do to help. Of course, there's always another option: become my disciple, and I'll pass all my cultivation to you directly," Lü Baitian said with his usual confident flair.

Not this again!

Gu An was about to refuse, but Ji Hantian interjected, "Enough talk about passing on cultivation! The Ephemeral Blossom Sect is eyeing us, and they could attack any day now. Even if Gu An inherited your cultivation, he wouldn't have your full power. Right now, Tai Xuan Sect needs you at the helm."

Gu Zong nodded, adding, "I've already reached out to the Supreme Elders, but I'm not sure how many of them will return in time."

As the conversation turned to the topic of the Supreme Elders, Lü Baitian's attention shifted, and he sighed.

It turned out that many of the Supreme Elders had left Tai Xuan Sect in search of opportunities to break through beyond the Body Fusion Realm. Historically, only about ten percent ever returned, and among those, only a small fraction had succeeded in their breakthroughs. The rest came back merely to live out their remaining years.

Ji Hantian then brought up the sect's True Disciple, who was considered Tai Xuan Sect's best hope to surpass the Body Fusion Realm, with even higher potential than the Supreme Elders.

This piqued Gu An's curiosity. Who was this legendary disciple, revered by everyone in the sect?

Gu An stood quietly, listening attentively and absorbing as much information as he could about the sect's history and internal workings.

After half an hour of conversation, the three elders finally finished their discussion.

"Now, the most important thing we need to tell you today is that we'll be sending more high-level seeds for you to cultivate. These plants are critical for the upcoming war with the Ephemeral Blossom Sect," Ji Hantian said, turning to Gu An with a serious expression.

Sending more seeds?

The more the better!

Gu An immediately promised, "No matter how many seeds you send, I'll do my best to cultivate them. I won't slack off, I swear!"

Gu Zong smiled warmly, "I like your attitude. None of the other Valley Masters are as diligent as you. They either neglect their duties or steal for themselves. Keep up the good work, and soon I'll promote you to an inner disciple."

Gu An immediately bowed in gratitude.

Afterward, Lü Baitian, Gu Zong, and Ji Hantian stood up to leave.

As soon as they stepped out of the pavilion, Lü Baitian's complexion instantly recovered. As the sect master, he couldn't afford to show weakness in front of the disciples.

Gu An followed them down the stairs, watching them disappear into the distance.

There was one thing Gu An regretted not asking—he had wanted to inquire about when the seventh-tier spirit tree from the Ji Family would arrive.

...

The news of the Ephemeral Blossom Tree's destruction and Lü Baitian's failed tribulation had not spread through the cultivation world. At least, when Ye Lan came to visit Gu An, she hadn't mentioned anything about it.

As the Spring Festival approached, Ye Lan had to decline the usual celebrations. The Law Enforcement Hall had a major mission that required her to be away for several months.

Gu An stood at the edge of his pavilion, watching as Ye Lan's figure faded into the snowy landscape. Once she had completely disappeared, he turned his gaze back to the forest, where Yang Ni was walking out.

As she passed by his pavilion, Gu An asked, "You say the Ephemeral Blossom Sect has no solid foundation, yet they manage to attract so many cultivators. Just how foolish are the cultivators of this world?"

Yang Ni stopped, looked up at Gu An, and said, "Perhaps the Ephemeral Blossom Sect offers something they desire."

"Is that so? To me, it seems more like a scam. The Demon Suppression Hall in the outer sect was the same way. Lu Jiujia once trusted the Demon Suppression Hall, thinking it would lead him to success, but he was only persecuted in the end."

Gu An spoke with a sigh, shaking his head. "This world seems to revolve around a single word—competition. That's why I prefer this medicine valley. Here, there's nothing to compete for."

With that, he turned and went back inside.

Yang Ni frowned. She felt as though Gu An was hinting at something.

Had Gu An figured out her connection to the Ephemeral Blossom Sect? If so, why didn't he confront her directly?

After some thought, Yang Ni decided to find Lu Jiujia and see what Gu An had meant by his words.

...

As snow continued to fall, the seventh-tier spirit tree that the Ji Family had promised finally arrived.

[Pure Yang Tree (Seventh Tier): 2/8999/64000]

Gu An carried the tree, which was taller than a person, searching for the perfect spot to plant it.

He eventually chose to plant the Pure Yang Tree in the open space in front of his pavilion. He called over some disciples to clear the snow and dig the soil.

Hearing that a seventh-tier spirit tree was about to be planted, many disciples came to watch.

Even though the Pure Yang Tree was still in its sapling stage, as soon as it was planted, the surrounding snow began to melt, and those nearby felt a wave of warmth, as if standing next to a tree made of fire.

This Pure Yang Tree was Gu An's personal treasure, and hearing the disciples marvel at it filled him with pride.

Suddenly, Gu An noticed several figures flying over the mountain peaks. Leading the group was Lü Songhan, the Grand Elder of the outer sect.

Following Lü Songhan were two hundred miscellaneous disciples, all at Qi Refining Realm and above.

Wait, why is she here?

Among the disciples, Gu An spotted Lu Lingjun, a woman who had ascended from another world. Her apparent cultivation was only at Qi Refining Realm eighth level, but Gu An knew she was hiding her true strength.

Who would suspect that this humble miscellaneous disciple was, in fact, a Body Fusion Realm ninth-layer cultivator, on par with Lü Baitian?

If they ever fought, Gu An doubted even Lü Baitian could match her. Lü Baitian was only a few hundred years old, while Lu Lingjun had lived for nearly two thousand years!

Lü Songhan landed and greeted Gu An with a smile, "Brother Gu, I've specially selected two hundred miscellaneous disciples for you to command. This has been approved by the higher-ups."

Miscellaneous disciples were often chosen for such duties because they were less likely to steal valuable herbs from the medicine valley. After all, this was the inner sect's territory, and with an outer sect city nearby, security was not an issue—the main problem was finding enough hands to work.

Gu An exchanged pleasantries with Lü Songhan.

Meanwhile, Lu Lingjun stood among the crowd, scrutinizing Gu An. She was curious—how could a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator command such respect from a Nascent Soul Realm elder?

Who exactly was this person?

The other miscellaneous disciples were excited. For them, working in the inner sect's medicine valley was a massive opportunity.

After Lü Songhan left, Gu An called over Xiao Chuan and instructed him to arrange housing for the new disciples.

He didn't give Lu Lingjun a second glance, not wanting to entangle himself with an ascended cultivator and risk forming any karmic ties.

That day, the new disciples were busy constructing pavilions and exploring The Third Medicine Valley.

Seeing that the valley housed not one but two seventh-tier spirit trees, Lu Lingjun was shocked.

Before her ascension, she had only ever seen one seventh-tier tree, which was over twenty thousand years old and larger than a mountain.

The depth of Tai Xuan Sect's resources was truly terrifying. She was determined to establish her roots here.

In the following days, Lu Lingjun worked diligently—so diligently that even Gu An couldn't completely ignore her.

After the Spring Festival, Gu An had Xiao Chuan select ten individuals to serve as Valley Stewards, responsible for overseeing the other miscellaneous disciples. Among them was Lu Lingjun.

Her gaze burned with intensity as she looked at Gu An, her attention making him uncomfortable.

With her stunning beauty, no other female disciple in the valley could compare to her. She worked so hard that if Gu An were to ignore her, it would only raise suspicions.

After giving the ten new stewards a few words of encouragement, Gu An dismissed them.

However, Lu Lingjun stepped forward and whispered, "Valley Master, I have something to discuss with you. May we speak privately in your study?"

Gu An hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement, leading her back to his pavilion.

The other stewards, who hadn't yet left, looked at Lu Lingjun with envy.

Beauty truly is a form of power!

Once inside, Lu Lingjun closed the door behind her, while Gu An walked to his desk and casually turned over his copy of The Adventures of Green Hero.

Lu Lingjun approached and produced a scroll from her robes, offering it to Gu An.

Gu An glanced at it.

Nine Turns Golden Body Technique!

The name alone sounded impressive!

Lu Lingjun spoke in a low voice, "This is a technique passed down through my family. I hope the Valley Master won't find it unworthy."

Gu An frowned. "What are you trying to do? Quickly put it away! What if someone sees? How improper!"

Understanding his reaction, Lu Lingjun retrieved the technique, but then she took out a magical artifact from her storage bag.

"I told you, stop this nonsense!" Gu An said in exasperation.

Lu Lingjun next produced a pill bottle, explaining that it could strengthen one's meridians and enhance qi and blood.

"Are you testing me? You're doubting my loyalty to Tai Xuan Sect!" Gu An stood up angrily, lowering his voice to avoid being overheard by the disciples outside.

Lu Lingjun cursed him silently for his greed.

Then, she thought of something and retrieved a small white jade bottle from her storage bag. "This is Heavenly Spirit Water. It may look small, but if poured onto the ground, it will form a lake that gathers spiritual energy. The water from the lake can improve the surrounding soil, allowing spirit plants to grow faster, and every year, the lake will produce spirit pearls that can be consumed or used in alchemy."

Hearing this, Gu An accepted the bottle, his expression serious. "This better be the last time. Now tell me, what do you want, but it mustn't harm the sect's interests."

Lu Lingjun smiled. "Valley Master, may I have permission to cultivate beneath the Mysterious Clear Tree?"

She had once stood before the Mysterious Clear Tree and noticed a large, plump White Spirit Mouse resting beneath it. Although the mouse seemed to be sleeping, with her discerning eyes, she could tell it was in a profound state of enlightenment.