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

As the year ended, snowflakes danced in the air.

Inside the attic, Gu An was pouring tea for Ye Lan, who was recounting her experiences in the sub-sect.

Having not seen each other for many years, Ye Lan now more than ever exhibited the demeanor of a Great Cultivator. Cultivators at the Divinity Transformation Realm could become leaders everywhere on the continent, and naturally, her aura grew stronger with each passing day.

This made Gu An find her even more charming.

Back then, she was always hanging around him, the little girl who always followed him around. Now, she had become an existence that stood above tens of thousands, which made him feel not only nostalgic but also immensely proud.

Her experiences in the sub-sect mainly involved power struggles and gaining profit. With Lv Baitian having paved the way, she always managed to secure victories in various conflicts, and overall, she had a smooth journey.

After discussing her own experiences, she asked Gu An how he had been over the years.

"Growing various plants, playing chess, and occasionally teasing the disciples for fun. I'm quite content," Gu An said, looking at Ye Lan with a smile.

Ye Lan raised her eyebrows and asked, "Who is the girl downstairs?"

You've been wanting to ask that, haven't you?

That's what Gu An thought to himself, but he said aloud, "Her identity is not simple. I will only tell you, and you mustn't let it slip!"

The attic had a protective restriction, strong enough to ward off the probing of any Cultivator below the Divinity Transformation Realm, so Gu An was not afraid of being overheard by Ji Xiaoyu.

Ye Lan nodded expressionlessly.

Gu An took a deep breath and said, "Her name is Ji Xiaoyu. You understand, right?"

Ye Lan frowned and asked, "Isn't Ji Xiaoyu already deceased?"

Ji Xiaoyu had once been a renowned genius, famed for her beauty across the world. Her death had sparked much discussion within the Supreme Sect, and Ye Lan too had heard about it.

"She did die, but she has also reincarnated..." Gu An shared the information he got from Stealing the Five Elements, his face full of emotion.

Upon hearing this, Ye Lan too was taken aback. Such oddities existed in the world, and the background of Ji Xiaoyu was far beyond her expectations, even shattering her previous perceptions.

Gu An cautiously said, "Junior Sister, this matter must not be disclosed. Otherwise, it might bring us great trouble involving reincarnation, and the enemies we would attract are extremely formidable. Faced with such entities, the Supreme Sect would have to either submit or be annihilated."

Ye Lan nodded, then exclaimed with emotion, "Honestly, I was just feeling jealous of her, but not anymore. The gap between her and us is too vast, not to mention whether she would take a fancy to you, Senior Brother. Even if she did, I think it would be a good thing. Haven't you always said that your talents are mediocre? And since your relationship with that senior has been severed, you must cherish her. Perhaps she could change your destiny."

As she spoke, her expression grew very serious.

Gu An was moved by her attitude.

Truth be told, due to his experiences in his previous life, Gu An felt that it was impossible for someone to consider others completely selflessly—even love started from individual needs.

He had rejected Ye Lan many times, but she had remained consistent, and he didn't want her to suffer losses. Thus, he had always helped her. Of course, he was moved by this; at least Ye Lan had an irreplaceable position in his heart.

But he hadn't expected Ye Lan to hope for his future to the extent of wanting him to cozy up to another woman.

This silly girl...

Gu An glared at Ye Lan and said irritably, "Cherish what? She and I don't have that kind of relationship. At most, we are just Daoist friends, and in her heart, there isn't a place for romantic feelings—only the Immortal Path."

That was the truth; he could feel Ji Xiaoyu's ambition.

Whether in her past life or now, Ji Xiaoyu was not a woman obsessed with romantic love; otherwise, she wouldn't have chosen death to resist a marriage arranged by her family in her previous life.

Ye Lan rolled her eyes at Gu An and said, "Senior Brother, a woman staying in your building must have a significant background. How could she not have feelings for you? Even if you can't really pursue her, establishing a better relationship with her would still be beneficial for you."

Although she had reached the Divinity Transformation Cultivation Level, she still felt that her path to immortality had come to an end. At least she no longer dared to hope for longevity, but she hoped Gu An could have that chance.

The reason? She couldn't really say; she just hoped for Gu An to have a better life, and she felt he deserved it.

From a young age, she always believed that her Senior Brother was worthy of all the good fortune in the world. Even when Gu An rejected her, she wasn't angry. She liked her Senior Brother—why should he have to comply with her wishes?

"Forget it, Senior Brother. I rather prefer a peaceful life. If she wishes to stay in the Third Medicine Valley, I will not treat her badly, and if she wants to leave, I won't keep her. She and I are ultimately not people of the same world; we should not hinder each other's paths," Gu An shook his head and said.

This too was his heartfelt truth.

His goal was longevity, not marriage and children.

Ye Lan blinked, unsure whether to feel happy or to sigh.

"Senior Brother, if you don't achieve longevity in this lifetime, would you accept me?" Ye Lan asked.

Gu An thought for a moment, then said, "If neither you nor I achieve longevity, then let's just live out a mortal's life in the last hundred years. A mortal's life spans only a century, and before that, let both of us strive for the Immortal Path—who knows what might be possible? Although I seek a stable life, I have not given up on cultivation."

Ye Lan smiled upon hearing this, gazing at Gu An and said dreamily, "Senior Brother, with you saying this, I suddenly feel like the life limit isn't so scary."

Gu An raised his hand to ruffle her hair, messing it up under her scolding gaze before he finally stopped.

Later, Ye Lan brought up the Great Cold Demon Sect.

She had also learned quite a lot about the Great Cold Demon Sect, which made her very anxious.

She feared that the continent might not survive this calamity, so she had come back early to see Gu An, to avoid regrets.

Of course, she still held hope, that being Sword Venerable Fudao.

This was also the reason why most disciples of the Supreme Sect hadn't panicked. Over the years, the protection of Sword Venerable Fudao gave them faith and confidence to fantasize about and tackle all adversities.

As long as Sword Venerable Fudao didn't abandon them, or be defeated, they would surely be able to overcome the calamity.

In the end, Gu An invited Ye Lan to stay, and naturally, she did not refuse.

After night fell, Gu An took Ye Lan around the valley and even took her to watch others play chess.

He also called Yang Jian over and had Yang Jian pay respects to Ye Lan.

Yang Jian's attitude was very respectful, sensing that his Master treated Ye Lan differently. His Master calling him over must have a profound meaning.

Could she be not a Martial Aunt but the Mistress?

Thinking this, Yang Jian also felt joyful, suddenly sensing that his Master wasn't as unapproachable and even had a human side.

That night, Ye Lan stayed at the Third Medicine Valley, occupying Gu An's room. While Gu An read, she practiced Qi Absorption Cultivation.

By late night, when Ye Lan opened her eyes, she saw Gu An still engrossed in his book, the candlelight illuminating his face, and a blissful smile appeared on her face.

Actually, this was quite nice.

Ye Lan watched Gu An for a while before closing her eyes.

As dawn neared, the situation changed.

"Senior Brother, you must be tired, let me give you a shoulder rub."

"Why would I be tired? You're the one who's been cultivating all this time."

"It's fine; I'm at a higher cultivation level, I'm not tired."

"Is this a shoulder rub?"

"I'm just checking your body, afraid you might've developed some problems from your usual routines."

"Wait, don't touch any lower!"

"Senior Brother! How could your Junior Sister harbour any inappropriate thoughts towards you! I have a unique sorcery that can nurture your Qi-Blood."

"That's not okay, not there…"

…

At dawn, Gu An descended the stairs with a complex expression, and Ye Lan followed behind, her face radiant with a brilliant smile.

Ji Xiaoyu emerged from the room, her gaze shifting toward the two, her brows slightly knitted.

After descending, Gu An introduced the two women to each other but didn't talk much. Ye Lan then followed Gu An to practice exercises.

Ji Xiaoyu stood still, watching. After a while, her brows relaxed.

Ye Lan planned to leave after the Spring Festival. Gu An would take her with him to the Outer Gate City and the Mystic Valley, but not to Tianya Valley or other places. She didn't ask much, thinking that it was good for her Senior Brother to have secrets, indicating that he still concealed his identity.

Naturally, she hoped her Senior Brother would become even more formidable.