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Though he had visited the Outer Sect before, it had been just a single route.

Venturing more than twenty miles away from Xuan Valley made him uneasy, even though his cultivation had already reached the seventh layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Fortunately, the White Spirit Mouse didn’t keep running endlessly. After they approached the twenty-mile mark, it finally stopped.

This area was still mountainous, with a small stream flowing down from between the peaks. The White Spirit Mouse stopped by the creek and began running in circles.

Gu An approached. The banks of the creek were covered with many flowers and grasses, along with various stones, large and small.

He grabbed the White Spirit Mouse and then swept his right leg across.

Boom—

Grass and debris flew in all directions as rocks scattered. With just a single leg sweep, Gu An cleared out a large area.

As he examined the ground, he discovered a square stone slab near the creek.

Interesting!

A hidden cover?

Gu An squatted down in front of the slab. It was engraved with mysterious symbols—whether they were words or drawings, he had never seen anything like them before.

He could sense faint spiritual energy leaking from the edges of the stone slab, likely the reason the White Spirit Mouse had been able to find this place.

As someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm, Gu An had developed divine sense—a formless, invisible power that, when activated, allowed one to perceive things beyond the physical senses, like a third eye.

Although he rarely used it, that didn’t mean he wasn’t capable of it. In fact, anyone at the seventh layer of the Qi Refining Realm could begin cultivating divine sense.

He gathered his divine sense and attempted to penetrate the stone slab, hoping to get a glimpse of what was hidden below.

However, as soon as his divine sense touched the slab, it was instantly repelled by a mysterious force, causing his body to tremble.

So powerful?

Even the divine sense of someone at the seventh layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm couldn’t breach this barrier…

Gu An hesitated. With such a strong barrier, could there be a great danger hidden beneath?

There was spiritual energy flowing inside—either nourishing some rare and powerful treasure or, worse, someone might be cultivating in seclusion down there.

No, this wasn’t something he could afford to take lightly!

He needed to observe the area first.

Gu An released the White Spirit Mouse and began covering the mysterious stone slab with rocks and plants, camouflaging it completely. Only after ensuring the slab was fully hidden did he pick up the mouse and head back to the valley.

The White Spirit Mouse squeaked, but Gu An ignored it.

Upon returning to Xuan Valley, Gu An didn’t mention his discovery to anyone. It was as if he hadn’t left the valley at all.

From that night onward, aside from his daily cultivation tasks, Gu An made it a habit to visit the area around the stone slab to check for any changes.

Night after night, there was no sign that the covering had been disturbed.

Apart from that, Gu An also noticed that Wu Xin would venture into the forest every night, seemingly searching for something.

Gu An chose not to confront Wu Xin about it. His instincts told him that Wu Xin wasn’t just any ordinary person.

After all, Wu Xin had a lifespan of over three hundred years despite being at only the second layer of the Qi Refining Realm—he had clearly cultivated some extraordinary technique.

Gu An had once used his divine sense to observe Wu Xin\'s cultivation, but everything appeared normal, as though he were just practicing basic breath work.

And so, the hot summer days passed.

Xuan Valley was gradually blanketed in autumn’s yellow hue. Gu An had expanded the fields within the surrounding forest, opening up seventeen plots of land, increasing the workload significantly. Xiao Chuan and the others now had to patrol daily.

One evening, Cheng Xuandan found Gu An, gesturing with his eyes for him to follow. The two of them headed toward the northern mountain peak.

As Gu An watched Cheng Xuandan’s frail figure leading the way, his feelings were complicated.

Cheng Xuandan’s lifespan had diminished even further, now equal to his current age, meaning he was close to death.

Though Cheng Xuandan had deceived him, the old man had also given him much. As death approached, Gu An couldn’t help but feel some sorrow.

He tried to convince himself not to dwell on these feelings.

After all, his path was the pursuit of immortality, and he would face many more partings in the future. He would need to get used to it sooner or later.

Of course, that was only if he could live long enough.

Wu Xin, watering plants nearby, noticed the two of them and raised an eyebrow.

He silently noted the direction they were heading—there must be some secret hidden in that part of the forest.

Once inside the forest, Cheng Xuandan spoke. “I’m taking you to the entrance to the underground. This is a place you cannot reveal to anyone else—not even your junior brothers and sisters. Today they are close to you, but once they leave Medicine Valley to train outside, they will become strangers to you.”

Gu An didn’t argue. He had always understood this truth.

As long as Xiao Chuan and the others remained intent on joining the Outer Sect, their parting was inevitable.

After a moment’s hesitation, Gu An asked, “Master, were you always a member of Thousand Autumn Pavilion, or did they recruit you later?”

Cheng Xuandan’s steps were heavier than before. He replied, “My experience was much like yours. I inherited this identity from my master.”

Gu An fell silent.

For the first time, he felt some sympathy for Cheng Xuandan.

“I took on a few tasks for my master, and after that, I couldn’t escape. But I don’t regret it,” Cheng Xuandan added, his tone calm.

Hearing this, Gu An wanted to say something but held back.

He had yet to do anything for the sect. Could he still escape?

Cheng Xuandan began recounting his relationship with his master. According to him, his master was an eccentric with a volatile temper, sometimes strict, sometimes playful—like a child who never grew up.

As they wound their way around the back of the mountain, Cheng Xuandan stopped in front of a rock wall covered in moss and vines.

“Master, is your master still alive?” Gu An couldn’t help but ask.

He thought of the stone slab he had been observing. Its location wasn’t far from Xuan Valley, and given that the Valley Master was a demonic spy, it was reasonable to suspect that the slab might have been left by Cheng Xuandan’s master.

Cheng Xuandan answered, “He left before entering eternal meditation. I will follow his example soon. Tomorrow, I will be gone, and everything in Medicine Valley will be yours.”

Gu An furrowed his brow, not thinking about Cheng Xuandan’s departure but rather about his master.

So, Cheng Xuandan’s master might still be alive?

Cheng Xuandan pulled a compass from his sleeve, brushing aside the vines to reveal a small depression in the rock wall. He pressed the compass into it, and as his spiritual energy flowed into the compass, it began to tremble, emitting a faint glow.

Gu An noticed that Cheng Xuandan’s aura was growing even weaker.

He couldn’t help but worry that the old man might die right here.

The rock wall began to rumble. The sound wasn’t loud, but soon a narrow opening appeared, just wide enough for someone to duck inside.

Cheng Xuandan said, “Go on. I’ll wait for you outside.”

Gu An hesitated. “Master, perhaps you should give me the compass. I can go inside after you’re gone.”

Cheng Xuandan chuckled and handed him the compass.

The stone door inside the passage slid shut, sealing the entrance perfectly, as though it had never been there.

Cheng Xuandan turned and began walking back down the mountain, with Gu An following closely behind.

“The underground chamber has its own complete formation. In the future, if you wish to cultivate rare plants or herbs in secret, you can do so there,” Cheng Xuandan said quietly, as though giving his final instructions.

Gu An listened intently, his feelings conflicted. He was grateful for all that Cheng Xuandan had done for him, but he couldn’t shake a lingering sense of caution.

He wouldn’t relax until it was all over.

After all, Cheng Xuandan would be gone soon. Only after his death could Gu An lower his guard.

Gu An decided he would burn incense for Cheng Xuandan each year in gratitude—after he was dead.

The descent down the mountain was slow, with Cheng Xuandan speaking softly all the while, explaining every detail about the underground space. The information was thorough, making it seem unlikely to be a fabrication.

By the time they returned to Medicine Valley, night had fallen.

Cheng Xuandan left Gu An with these parting words: “Life is long. Sometimes, having ordinary talent is a blessing. It allows you to do what you truly want.”

Gu An watched as Cheng Xuandan walked back to his pavilion. Even after the old man closed the door, Gu An remained standing outside, deep in thought.

He stayed there for nearly half an hour before finally heading back to his own courtyard.

His junior brothers were all busy cultivating in their rooms. The courtyard was peaceful.

That night, Gu An focused on his own cultivation.

Just before dawn, he heard Cheng Xuandan’s footsteps. He walked to the window and saw Cheng Xuandan slowly descending the stairs.

The old man’s steps were unsteady, and he moved at a crawl.

Without looking in Gu An’s direction, Cheng Xuandan made his way toward the valley entrance.

Gu An watched him until he disappeared from sight.

As the sun rose over the eastern hills, the first rays of light shone across the valley, casting a long shadow behind Gu An.

When Xiao Chuan, Lu Jiu Jia, Ye Lan, and Wu Xin awoke, they all noticed something different about the atmosphere in the valley.

It didn’t take them long to figure out what was off—normally by this time, Senior Brother would have led them in their morning exercises. That foundational body-strengthening technique, known as "Soaring Eagle Ascends," was simple yet had profound benefits.

Rain or shine, Gu An had never missed a session. But today, for the first time, he hadn’t come to lead them.

It wasn’t until midday that Gu An appeared and gathered them together to announce that Cheng Xuandan had departed. From this day forward, Gu An was the new master of Medicine Valley.

Xiao Chuan and the others were excited and immediately began asking where Cheng Xuandan had gone. Ever since Li Ya had left, Cheng Xuandan had become much more amiable, treating all of his disciples well. As a result, they had a positive impression of him.

Only Wu Xin remained indifferent.

After half an hour of chatter, the others finally dispersed.

Gu An climbed to the top of a mountain and gazed out in the direction Cheng Xuandan had gone.

Only after he was sure Cheng Xuandan was long gone did he go to the old man’s pavilion.

The alchemy furnace was still there, and the nearby table was laden with items—a storage pouch, some letters, a few keys, and even a pot of spirit flowers.

Gu An picked up one of the letters and read it. The message was simple:

"I know you love to gather herbs. Before I leave, I’ve prepared a fifth-grade Tiger Blood Flower for you to pick, as a parting gift."

A smile spread across Gu An’s face as he picked up the storage pouch.

This was what he was most interested in.

No cultivator should be without a storage pouch.

And so, he began examining Cheng Xuandan’s inheritance.

By evening, Gu An finally left the pavilion, a purple cloth pouch now hanging from his waist—it was Cheng Xuandan’s storage pouch.

He walked toward the northern peak, where the entrance to the underground chamber was located. Once there, he retrieved the compass from the storage pouch and placed it into the wall’s indentation.

With a low rumble, an entrance appeared before him.

Gu An took back the compass and ducked inside. After walking five steps, the tunnel widened, and the door behind him slowly closed.

Gu An’s life as the Valley Master was about to begin—