Chapter 68: Promotion in Rank, Searching for Pan An

Me? Write it?

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Gu An didn’t dare respond immediately. He wasn’t even sure why Ji Hantian was so angry.

If Ji Hantian wanted him to write something that would tarnish his own reputation, there was no way Gu An would agree!

“Why are you shouting so loudly?” Gu Zong asked with a hint of annoyance. He sat down and gestured for Gu An to sit beside him. Gu An nodded and took a seat on the nearby stool.

Ji Hantian struggled to compose himself before speaking. “Sacrificing tens of thousands of disciples to forge an array—how is this the righteous path? If not for that mysterious sword cultivator intervening, I’d still be in the dark!”

His anger was genuine.

At the time, Ji Hantian had been in seclusion when he sensed a powerful sword intent. Startled, he immediately broke his retreat and traveled tens of thousands of miles to investigate. By the time he arrived, he couldn’t save Chu Xian but heard the outer sect disciples’ curses. Their fury left him both enraged and curious about the sword cultivator’s identity, so he gave chase.

Only to be easily defeated by the other party...

Since reaching the Integration Stage, Ji Hantian had considered himself nearly invincible within the Taicang Empire. Few could match him, and most of those were reclusive old monsters. It had been a long time since he’d tasted defeat.

The most perplexing part? His opponent not only defeated him but also helped him!

“If that person hadn’t intervened, would the hatred for the outer sect’s annihilation have been pinned on the demonic sects by the time I emerged from seclusion?” Ji Hantian asked, glaring at Gu Zong.

Gu Zong smiled bitterly, offering no reply, though his silence spoke volumes.

Ji Hantian turned to Gu An. “I want you to write a detailed account of what happened three days ago, including the Demon-Slaying Hall’s vile deeds and the sword cultivator who averted the outer sect’s disaster. The fact that they acted suggests they’re likely a low-profile member of the Taixuan Sect. By extolling their virtues, you’ll help maintain the sect’s reputation and prevent it from being immediately labeled as demonic.”

Hearing that he could promote himself, Gu An felt much more at ease. However, he couldn’t agree too readily—it wouldn’t look convincing.

He deliberately hesitated, his expression conflicted, as though he wanted to speak but held back.

Ji Hantian frowned. “What’s the matter? Don’t want to do it?”

Gu Zong interjected with a snort. “This is a monumental task that could offend countless people. You’re throwing him into a hornet’s nest with one sentence—of course he’s reluctant!”

Ji Hantian looked slightly embarrassed upon hearing this.

Gu An took a deep breath and said, “I’m willing to serve the Taixuan Sect, but...”

Gu Zong grinned and asked, “What do you want? Just say it.”

Ji Hantian furrowed his brow but didn’t interrupt.

“I want to expand my Medicine Valley—the Third Medicine Valley in the inner sect. I’d like a hundred-mile radius of land allocated to me so I can plant more herbs. The herbs I hand over to the sect will remain unchanged; I won’t take more for myself,” Gu An replied earnestly.

Ji Hantian, taken aback, blurted out, “That’s all? You could ask for something far more ambitious!”

He had expected Gu An to demand exorbitantly but was surprised at the simplicity of his request.

Gu An nodded. “This is all I want. My talent is average, and seeking treasures or powerful techniques would only bring unnecessary trouble. Cultivating medicinal herbs is my passion—it even gives me inspiration for my writing. Plus, it’s a contribution to the Taixuan Sect.” ṛ

Ji Hantian turned to Gu Zong, his expression skeptical.

Gu Zong chuckled. “Don’t underestimate him. He means it. Pan An’s reputation precedes him, though you might not know much about him yet. Spend a few days learning more, and you’ll see. If he makes a request, the Elder Hall would undoubtedly elevate him to the rank of True Legacy Disciple.”

“Oh? His writings are really that impressive?” Ji Hantian asked, intrigued.

“Take a look at Romance of the Gods—you’ll love it,” Gu Zong replied with a knowing smile.

“Very well! In that case, I’ll personally approve your request. You’ll have that hundred-mile radius, and you can plant whatever you wish. You’ll also receive a sixth-grade protective spirit array for the area. Gu Zong, handle the details,” Ji Hantian instructed firmly.

Gu Zong nodded with a smile.

Gu An immediately bowed deeply to Ji Hantian in gratitude.

The conversation shifted as Gu Zong inquired about the Sect Master’s stance on the recent events. Ji Hantian responded with biting sarcasm, claiming the Sect Master would undoubtedly feign ignorance.

The Sect Master and Deputy Sect Master were clearly at odds!

During their talk, Ji Hantian also mentioned Lu Baitian, also known as Elder Tian, expressing strong dissatisfaction with him.

It seemed Elder Tian had altered his appearance and form so thoroughly that even Ji Hantian didn’t recognize him.

As the conversation progressed, Gu An finally understood that Elder Tian had indeed succumbed to Qi Deviation. Elder Tian had always preferred seclusion and rarely managed the Taixuan Sect, which allowed many to exploit his name for personal gain. After his deviation, they had elected Elder Chu Tianqi as Sect Master.

From Ji Hantian’s tone, it was clear that he considered Elder Tian as good as dead.

This revelation led Gu An to speculate further about the dynamics between Gu Zong and Ji Hantian.

Half an hour later, Ji Hantian and Gu Zong finally departed. Gu An stood on the grass, watching them leave.

Suddenly, Elder Tian approached out of nowhere, asking curiously, “Did something happen in the outer sect?”

Gu An nodded, briefly summarizing the events. Elder Tian furrowed his brows as he listened.

“Elder Tian, what’s your take? Do you consider the Taixuan Sect righteous or evil?” Gu An asked nonchalantly, crouching to inspect a medicinal herb in front of him.

Elder Tian replied, “The line between righteousness and evil is often indistinct. To judge good and evil, one shouldn’t focus on the present but leave it for future generations to evaluate.”

Those words…

No wonder the Taixuan Sect was so skewed!

Gu An chose not to respond, losing interest in continuing the conversation with Elder Tian.

Gu An began planning how to fully utilize the hundred-mile radius of land. Gu Zong had already promised to relocate nearby inner sect disciples, except for Shen Zhen, to avoid potential conflicts in the future.

Inner sect disciples were an entirely different breed from their outer sect counterparts. Those who could become inner sect disciples not only possessed exceptional talent but also intricate networks of connections. It was no exaggeration to say that any random inner sect disciple likely had a significant background.

Through this ordeal, Gu An came to understand that the Taicang Empire didn’t truly belong to the emperor or the sects—it was the domain of noble families.

The Ji family’s influence was a prime example. They could place their members as the Deputy Sect Master of the Taixuan Sect and infiltrate every major sect within the Taicang Empire.

And it wasn’t just the Ji family; there were also the Gu family, the Zhou family, and others.

Gu An suspected that both Chu Jingfeng and Sect Master Chu Tianqi hailed from the same clan. Clearly, the Chu family wasn’t simple either.

But none of this mattered to him. He had no intention of building his own family or accumulating ties that would weigh him down.

His approach remained steadfast: Seek the Dao first, then live as he pleased!

Gu Zong moved swiftly. Within seven days, all the paperwork was finalized, and the nearby inner sect disciples were relocated. He also brought a sixth-grade Protective Spirit Array for Gu An.

The Protective Spirit Array was specifically designed to enhance and contain spiritual energy.

In the vast expanse of the world, spiritual energy naturally flowed. Major sects typically established themselves on spirit veins and sealed the energy within, ensuring the sect’s abundance of spiritual energy—at the cost of depleting it from the surrounding lands.

With this array and a vast resource of medicinal herbs, Gu An could advance his cultivation to the Foundation Establishment Stage, the Nascent Soul Stage, and even the Transformation Stage while claiming that his talent was poor and his progress was entirely resource-driven. This way, others wouldn’t perceive him as a threat.

Additionally, Gu Zong permitted him to employ twenty miscellaneous disciples in the Third Medicine Valley. Typically, miscellaneous disciples weren’t allowed into the inner sect, and Gu An had already pushed boundaries by bringing in four previously. His close relationship with Gu Zong made this exception possible.

Gu An recruited seven new disciples from Xuan Valley, including Tang Yu.

As for Xiao Chuan and Wu Xin, they remained in Xuan Valley but were now allowed to visit the Third Medicine Valley whenever they wished.

Life was finally starting to settle into a comfortable rhythm.

A month passed since the outer sect disaster.

One day, Gu An visited the outer sect city. Without the Demon-Slaying Hall, the city had returned to its former vibrancy, bustling with life. The disciples passing through seemed far more relaxed.

As he strolled through the streets, Gu An suddenly noticed a familiar figure—Jiang Qiong!

Back when dealing with Chu Xian, Gu An’s spiritual sense had detected Jiang Qiong, but he had pretended not to notice. He had assumed that Jiang Qiong had left after the incident, but to his surprise, she was still here.

Jiang Qiong approached him directly, smiling as she said, “Come with me.”

Gu An glanced at the hunchbacked elder standing behind Jiang Qiong and cast a lifespan probe.

【Hu Mo (Transformation Stage – Tier 9): 970/1300/1570】

Gu An could sense the faint trace of demonic energy hidden within this elder.

Jiang Qiong was truly bold. Coming herself was risky enough, but bringing a Transformation Stage companion from the sect? Did she not fear being exposed?

Seeing Gu An hesitate, Jiang Qiong raised her hand, revealing a token.

Outer Sect Grand Elder!

Essentially the leader of the outer sect!

Gu An stared at her in astonishment. How had she managed this?

Jiang Qiong smirked smugly and brushed past him. Gu An quickly followed her pace.

Gu An soon found himself at Jiang Qiong’s residence. The compound housed many miscellaneous disciples, none of whom showed any signs of demonic energy.

Jiang Qiong led Gu An into a grand hall. Hu Mo remained at the doorway, and Gu An could feel him casting a spell to isolate the room from prying eyes.

Jiang Qiong sat in the main seat, even propping her leg up casually, showing no trace of the decorum expected of an Outer Sect Grand Elder.

“How did you pull this off?” Gu An couldn’t help but ask.

Jiang Qiong snorted. “Your master’s master has vast abilities. Becoming the Grand Elder of an outer sect city is nothing. Who knows? One day, I might even become the Sect Master.”

Gu An laughed at her audacity and asked, “If you did become the Sect Master, would your allegiance lie with the Thousand Autumn Pavilion or the Taixuan Sect?”

“If I became the Taixuan Sect Master, I wouldn’t be a demonic cultivator, now, would I? Naturally, my loyalty would lie with the Taixuan Sect. I wouldn’t switch sides even if offered the position of the Thousand Autumn Pavilion’s Pavilion Master,” Jiang Qiong replied nonchalantly, her tone filled with disdain for the Pavilion.

At that moment, Gu An understood why the Thousand Autumn Pavilion had so many spies in the Taixuan Sect but still couldn’t topple it.

To the cultivators of the Pavilion, it was clear that the Thousand Autumn Pavilion couldn’t compare to the Taixuan Sect!

Even Wu Xin, who was a young master in the Pavilion, preferred to remain a miscellaneous disciple in the Taixuan Sect.

“From now on, if any Thousand Autumn Pavilion cultivators come to you, you must never reveal the whereabouts of the Spirit Tree. That tree now belongs solely to us, not the Pavilion. Do you understand?” Jiang Qiong said seriously.

Gu An nodded.

Sorry—it belongs only to me.

Jiang Qiong smiled. “My dear disciple-grandson, tell me, is there anything you need? Don’t hesitate to ask.”

After some thought, Gu An said, “Could you promote Ye Lan from the Disciplinary Hall? She’s my junior sister. As for anything else, I don’t have any requests for now. My Medicine Valley in the inner sect has already been expanded. I don’t need more valleys, but if you come across seeds for high-grade medicinal herbs, feel free to give them to me. I’ll cultivate them and pass the harvest back to you.”

Jiang Qiong’s smile widened, her eyes glinting as she sized up Gu An. “Not bad! I didn’t misjudge you after all. Don’t worry, your master’s master won’t take advantage of you—but I also won’t let you down.”

She then added, “By the way, I have a task for you.”

Gu An raised a brow. “What could I possibly do for you besides growing herbs?”

“Keep an eye out for information about Pan An. According to what I’ve heard, Pan An’s cultivation level is not high, and he’s hiding in the outer sect. Exactly who he is remains unclear, as the Elder Hall is keeping it tightly under wraps.”