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

After arriving at the Outer World Cave, Gu An indeed saw a Seventh-Order Medicinal Grass maturing. However, he felt it could still be left to grow, as the roots at the bottom of the plant kept growing, generating more seeds in the surrounding soil.

Gu An watched for a while. He didn't pick it, looking forward to it producing more seeds for better sustainable development.

Having already reached the Ninth Layer of the Mystic Law Spirit Immortal Realm, Gu An no longer needed to rush to harvest thousands or even tens of thousands of years of life span.

His goal was a hundred million years of life span!

As long as the overall time taken was shorter, that was fine.

If the high-rank medicinal herbs in the Outer World Cave reached maturity, he might be able to harvest tens of millions of years of life span in one go. Just thinking about it made him a little excited.

"I'm planning to expand this cave. Later, you can move in. If you get bored, you can also raise some demons, but they must know the rules and not damage my medicinal herbs."

Gu An looked at the boundless medicinal garden and smiled softly.

Hearing his words, Tian Yao'er and the other two women were very excited and began to imagine things together.

Compared to raising demons, they were more eager to go out and explore.

Gu An promised them that once they reached the Mahayana Realm, they could go out and play, which was also for their own good.

Upon hearing about the Mahayana Realm, the three women's faces all fell.

How long would they have to cultivate to reach that level?

"The world outside is dangerous. If you get caught, being bullied would be the least of your worries. You might be skinned alive, have your flesh turned into elixirs, and your bones made into ornaments..." Gu An shook his head, scaring the three women in just a few sentences, making them not dare to think about going out anymore.

Before meeting Gu An, they had all faced hardships. Tian Yao'er had been kept in captivity by the Heaven Phoenix Demon Mother, while Tianqing and Tian Bai were orphans who roamed everywhere after their parents died. During that time, their wounds had never healed.

Tianqing sighed, "It's better to focus on cultivation and not raise any more demons to avoid distractions."

Tian Bai hugged Gu An's arm and nodded, swaying her body. Seeing this, Tian Yao'er quickly pushed her away and then took Gu An's arm herself.

"There's a calamity brewing outside right now." Gu An's heart fluttered, but his face remained serious as he began to talk about the calamity on the ocean. The three women were quickly intrigued and listened attentively.

The Sea Breaking Rift, Divine Exotic Realm, Divine Exotic Resentful Ghosts, and other details made them tremble with fear.

Immortal and indestructible ghosts, they didn't know how to deal with them.

"Master, will this calamity affect you? Should you hide in the cave?"

"If the forces on the sea can't handle it, it will eventually spread to the continent where we are."

"How could there be such terrifying ghosts in the world?"

The three women started chattering again.

After staying in the Outer World Cave for an hour, Gu An finally returned to the Supreme Sect.

He went to the Third Medicine Valley, habitually going to watch Nine-Finger Divine Lord play Go, but was stopped by You Yingying on the way.

"Why do you smell so fragrant? And it's not just one type. You didn't visit a brothel, did you?" You Yingying looked at him, perplexed.

Gu An's mouth twitched. He said irritably, "Nonsense. Can't you talk more decently?"

"Fine, did you go to the Pleasant Fragrance Pavilion?"

"That would be cleaner than you."

You Yingying wasn't angry at his retort and instead smiled, "Indeed, no man is any good."

Gu An couldn't be bothered with her and walked past her.

"Wait, the Star Sea Congregations are giving the Supreme Sect a thousand cultivation spots for five years. If you want to go, I can help you get one." You Yingying caught up and said.

Gu An didn't turn his head, "With my relationship with the sect leader, do I need your help?"

You Yingying responded, "The Supreme Sect will surely choose the thousand most talented disciples. Even if you go, considering your cultivation level, you'll only feel pressured. If I put in a word for you, you'll have a better experience and greater gains. You might even go into closed-door cultivation upon returning and break through to the Nascent Soul Realm."

Gu An stopped and looked at her.

This girl only had a Foundation Establishment cultivation level, but her tone was so grand, indicating her high status within the Star Sea Congregations.

Gu An suddenly became interested and began probing the mysterious power of cause and effect within You Yingying's body.

He had long noticed that You Yingying's cultivation level was suppressed by this mysterious power of cause and effect, but he didn't want to cause trouble before, so he had been too lazy to investigate.

Now, with his higher cultivation level, he could take a look.

Because of this power of cause and effect, Gu An couldn't directly deduce her fate.

Suddenly!

Gu An saw a grotesque face bursting out from You Yingying's body, lunging at him, then dissipating into smoke.

This was just an illusion, without any real destructive power.

Seeing through this illusion, Gu An felt puzzled.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything? Are you thinking about how to thank me? It's simple. Just write another Journey to the West, focusing on the story after Sun Wukong becomes the Victorious Fighting Buddha. Stop wandering around aimlessly without any proper work," You Yingying said with her hands on her hips.

Gu An laughed, "No way, this stops here. Some stories don't need to be written to the end. Leaving space for imagination makes them continually intriguing."

You Yingying gave him a glare and asked, "Are you going or not?"

"I'm not going. Thanks for your goodwill, but I'd rather spend my life peacefully in the Medicine Valley. If I go and your Star Sea Holy Daughter falls for me, what then?"

"Pah, shameless. Our Star Sea Congregations don't have any Holy Daughter."

"Being entangled by a female genius is also quite stressful, just like now."

"You..."

You Yingying started to make a move, and Gu An quickly jumped away and slipped away.

This guy really didn't know what was good for him!

Gu An was afraid he might kill her with a single shock.

Life continued quietly. After going to Outer Heaven once, Gu An didn't go back. Having roughly understood the Great Heavenly Spirit Land, he felt no need to go again.

The first snow of winter quietly arrived, and the Third Medicine Valley gradually turned white.

Gu An went downstairs and stood in front of the pavilion, raising his right hand to touch the falling snow.

Feeling the slight chill in his palm, Gu An's mood became joyful.

His gaze turned to the entrance of the valley, where a vague figure was walking through the white, snowy landscape.

A Wandering Immortal, and at the Ninth Layer.

It was because of this person's arrival that Gu An had come downstairs.

Why would a Wandering Immortal arrive for no apparent reason?

Gu An watched quietly as that person entered the valley.

The person was a handsome monk draped in a cassock, holding prayer beads, advancing with his eyes closed. The falling snow formed a white cape on his shoulders.

[Shen Xinzi (Wandering Immortal Realm Ninth Layer): 45865/190000/999999]

Hmm?

A lifespan of nine hundred ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine years?

Gu An had never seen such an extreme lifespan before.

This was definitely the highest lifespan beyond Nirvana he had ever seen.

Nine was the highest number. He wondered if An Hao and Yang Jian, after their Nirvana, could reach such a lifespan.

Gu An pondered thoughtfully, watching as Shen Xinzi walked toward the Go area in the Medicine Valley, evidently heading for Nine-Finger Divine Lord.

Many disciples in the valley noticed Shen Xinzi's arrival. So not only was Gu An watching him, Shen Xinzi did not draw much of his attention, and he did not even open his eyes.

After arriving among the crowd, Shen Xinzi heard Nine-Finger Divine Lord's urging voice.

"Can you play faster? Your slow pace makes you an indecisive player!"

Nine-Finger Divine Lord looked impatient, with his arms crossed.

Across from him, Elder Lu muttered, "You were even slower than me when you played against my master."

Nine-Finger Divine Lord glared and replied, "I wanted to drag it out and win against your master. Do you think you can drag it out and win against me? Even if you lay in a coffin, I could leisurely sit here and wait for your next move. Does it have any meaning?"

Hearing this, Elder Lu's face turned green. The surrounding disciples, displeased, began to criticize Nine-Finger Divine Lord for speaking excessively.

Of course, they dared to speak out because they knew Nine-Finger Divine Lord well and knew he wouldn't be genuinely angry.

Unbeknownst to when, Nine-Finger Divine Lord, within the Third Medicine Valley, could show his true self without pretenses, and he enjoyed this feeling.

Even in the midst of verbally jousting with everyone, Nine-Finger Divine Lord glanced at Shen Xinzi in the crowd.

He only took a look before withdrawing his gaze.

Shen Xinzi opened his eyes and began observing the game.

After an hour, Elder Lu conceded the match. Others took turns playing, while Shen Xinzi stood by and watched. Although they were curious about him, no one questioned him further. By now, they were used to Great Cultivators coming to the Medicine Valley to observe Go games, all for Nine-Finger Divine Lord.

Gu An did not continue to watch Shen Xinzi. He rode the Blood Prison Great Saint and began to patrol the Medicine Valley.

After noon, Nine-Finger Divine Lord won another game. He looked at Shen Xinzi and said, "Little monk, want to play a round?"

Shen Xinzi responded, "Amitabha, then I humbly seek your guidance."

The disciples, seeing his exceptional aura, made way.

After taking a seat, Shen Xinzi made the first move.

Having observed three games, he already knew the rules.

With a smirk, Nine-Finger Divine Lord adopted Gu An's aura and played each move faster than the last.

In just thirty minutes, Shen Xinzi lost.

Nine-Finger Divine Lord asked proudly, "How was it? How do you find this game?"

Shen Xinzi pondered, "It truly contains profound principles. The small board encompasses myriad phenomena. Black and white swallowing each other resembles the competition of all things in heaven and earth, ever-changing. It can turn despair into hope and hide traps to kill, very intriguing."

Nine-Finger Divine Lord stood up, "Let's go somewhere else to chat. We shouldn't disturb the others playing Go."

Shen Xinzi nodded and stood up.

The disciples sighed in relief. With Nine-Finger Divine Lord gone, they could enjoy the fun of Go without his constant guidance.

Nine-Finger Divine Lord wasn't only formidable at playing but also loved to instruct them, making their game experience quite torturous.

The two walked along the path in the Medicine Valley. Nine-Finger Divine Lord, gazing at the boundless sky, asked, "Little monk, why are you here? Just passing by, or directed by the Bitter Sea Buddha Sect?"

With hands pressed together, Shen Xinzi replied, "I am commanded to go to the Sea Breaking Rift. Passing by here, I sensed your presence, so I came to visit. I didn't expect to find other disciples of my sect in this Supreme Sect. Observing the Qi fortune of this sect, perhaps you intend to support it?"

Nine-Finger Divine Lord laughed, "Supporting them? You haven't heard of Sword Venerable Fudao?"

As Shen Xinzi was about to inquire, his attention suddenly shifted to You Yingying, who was passing by at a distance. His brows immediately furrowed.

Nine-Finger Divine Lord noticed his gaze and asked, "You saw her too. What will you do about it?"

His tone was intriguing, as if eager for a spectacle.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Xinzi replied, "A demon should naturally be eradicated."