Saint Who Lay Low

The late summer moon was full, but thick clouds quickly obscured it, leaving the night sky dim and heavy.

Gu An sat with Zhang Chunqiu inside his home, listening attentively as Zhang Chunqiu shared his life story over the years.

Zhang Chunqiu's tale sounded like something out of a scholar's book. He had left the Tai Xuan Sect for the sake of a woman he loved, only to discover that she was a demon.

Years ago, when Zhang Chunqiu traveled to the Tai Xuan Sect in search of immortality, he was attacked by a demon but was saved by a female demon named Xiao Lian. Thanks to her help, he was able to safely enter the Tai Xuan Sect.

Zhang Chunqiu never forgot Xiao Lian's kindness. Every year, he would leave the sect to search for her, and over time, their feelings grew. Many years later, after realizing he had no hope of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, he chose to leave the sect and live out his remaining days with Xiao Lian.

After they reunited, they moved to this town, purchased a manor, held a wedding ceremony, and even had a child.

However, after living with a demon for so long, Zhang Chunqiu's spiritual power was gradually drained, and his vitality diminished. Unable to bear being a burden to him, Xiao Lian left him one morning without saying goodbye.

Hearing this part of the story, Gu An wanted to say something, but he held his tongue.

"You might think I was deceived by her, but that's not the case. When a human and a demon come together, this is the natural outcome. I left the sect because my path to immortality had reached its end. I don't regret my decision. Her lifespan is much longer than mine, and I don't have many years left. It's better that she left early, sparing us the pain of parting by death." Zhang Chunqiu smiled warmly, his expression kind and gentle, his cloudy eyes reflecting the wisdom of one who had seen much of the world.

As Gu An looked at him, he couldn't help but think back to the days when he first arrived at Xuan Valley. Back then, Zhang Chunqiu was still full of youth and vigor.

How much time had passed, and how much had changed.

Through his lifespan investigation, Gu An discovered that Zhang Chunqiu had only three years left to live, a fact that weighed heavily on his heart.

Half an hour later, the demonic energy Gu An had sensed earlier finally reached the courtyard—it was none other than Zhang Chunqiu's son.

Zhang Buku (Foundation Establishment Stage, Level 2): 22/460/2300.

Twenty-two years old and already at the second level of Foundation Establishment—a true genius!

Could it be that the union between humans and demons often results in prodigies?

Gu An suspected that this might be due to Xiao Lian's exceptional talents.

"Buku, come here. This is your Uncle Gu An," Zhang Chunqiu called out to his son, who had just climbed over the courtyard wall.

Zhang Buku, who looked like a youth of sixteen or seventeen, had notably thick hair on his cheeks.

"Greetings, Uncle Gu," Zhang Buku said timidly as he approached.

Gu An smiled and nodded, pulling out a bottle of spirit qi pills from his storage pouch. "This is a bottle of top-grade Spirit Qi Pills, consider it a meeting gift."

"Junior Brother, this is too generous—" Zhang Chunqiu began to protest.

"Brother Zhang, don't tell me you're refusing my gift?"

"Of course not, I just think it's too valuable."

After some back-and-forth, Zhang Chunqiu finally relented and allowed Zhang Buku to accept the gift.

Zhang Buku curiously examined Gu An. It was the first time someone other than his parents had given him a gift, which made him warm up to Gu An quickly.

Zhang Chunqiu asked about the current state of Xuan Valley, and Gu An didn't hold anything back in his reply.

When Zhang Chunqiu heard that Cheng Xuandan and Meng Lang were dead, he wasn't sad—just contemplative. He advised Gu An to be careful in the future.

Later, Gu An mentioned that Li Ya had already formed his core, and Zhang Chunqiu marveled at the news, saying he had always known Li Ya was destined for greatness.

They talked for a long time.

It wasn't until Zhang Chunqiu grew too tired that Gu An finally excused himself.

Before parting, supported by Zhang Buku, Zhang Chunqiu turned back and said, "Gu An, you've reached Foundation Establishment, which means your potential wasn't so poor after all. Keep cultivating diligently, and perhaps one day you'll live to see the world hundreds of years from now."

Standing at the door, Gu An looked back and gave a slight nod.

Zhang Chunqiu never asked anything of him; he only wanted to reminisce about old times.

As Gu An left the courtyard, he couldn't help but glance back, overhearing the quiet conversation between Zhang Chunqiu and his son. Zhang Chunqiu was scolding Zhang Buku for causing trouble, and Zhang Buku explained that he had gotten into a fight with another young man.

The young man Zhang Buku had fought was none other than An Hao. Gu An had sensed their clash earlier, and although there was a gap in cultivation between them, Zhang Buku had no killing intent. They exchanged a few blows before Zhang Buku left.

It seemed like fate.

Zhang Buku had a lifespan of 2,300 years, and it was highly likely that he would grow into a renowned demon in the future. As for An Hao, his potential for greatness was even more evident, destined to pursue the title of the strongest in the world.

Many years from now, when these two met again, would they remember their youthful duel in this small town?

Gu An smiled as he disappeared into the night.

At dawn.

In a remote wilderness atop a cliff, An Hao and An Xin sat cross-legged, meditating beside Gu An, facing the morning sun as they practiced their cultivation.

Sunlight bathed them in a serene glow, creating a harmonious scene.

Three claw marks marred the left side of An Hao's face—scratches from Zhang Buku during their fight. An Hao had searched all night for Zhang Buku but had failed to find him. Even after leaving the town and traveling thousands of miles to this desolate place, he was still fuming with frustration.

Gu An, unable to remain idle, stood up and said, "I have some matters to attend to. I'll return by sunset. An Hao, take good care of your junior sister."

With that, he vanished from the cliff.

An Hao and An Xin opened their eyes and turned to look, only to find that their master had already disappeared.

"Who do you think Master really is? Why does he only stay with us at night?" An Xin asked curiously.

Rubbing his chin, An Hao thought for a moment and said, "Do you remember the storyteller who came to the village two years ago? He told a story about the martial world. I think Master might be one of the most infamous demons in the world. But his reputation must be misunderstood; otherwise, why would he save us? He probably doesn't want us to be affected by his reputation."

An Xin's eyes widened as she asked, "If Master really is a demon, what is he doing right now?"

"I don't know... but no matter what, he's our master. He treats us well, so we must remember his kindness."

"Mm!"

Gu An, who was being labeled as a demon by his own disciples, returned to Xuan Valley and immediately used the teleportation array to arrive at the Third Medicine Valley.

Sure enough, after a major battle, people were bound to come looking for him!

Gu An stepped into his study and found Shen Zhen sitting at his desk, painting.

"Saintess Shen, have you decided to make yourself at home here? Don't you fear offending me by showing up unannounced?" Gu An asked with a hint of exasperation.

Without even lifting her head, Shen Zhen replied, "Come here and take a look!"

Gu An walked over and, upon seeing her work, frowned.

"Is this Han Ming?"

"Yes. What do you think? Did I capture him well?"

"Aren't you afraid he'll hold a grudge against you?"

"Afraid? My father isn't one to be trifled with!"

Shen Zhen's dismissive tone left Gu An speechless.

Having a powerful backing was truly something.

Gu An took a closer look at her painting and had to admit that Shen Zhen's artistic skills were extraordinary. She had vividly depicted the scene of Han Ming pinned against the city wall, even capturing the cracks in the wall.

"What do you think? Impressed?" Shen Zhen asked proudly.

Gu An snatched the brush from her hand and added a few strokes to the painting.

Shen Zhen squinted at the canvas, then widened her eyes in surprise.

Gu An had added gusts of wind and shadows to the image, giving it a sense of dynamic motion—something akin to the style of Earth's comic art.

It wasn't necessarily better than Shen Zhen's original work, but it was a style she had never seen before.

Though it was just a sheet of paper, she could feel the motion and impact of Han Ming slamming into the wall as if it were happening right in front of her.

Turning to Gu An, she couldn't help but ask, "You know how to paint?"

"A little."

"What about poetry and music?"

"I dabble in those as well."

Admiration flickered in Shen Zhen's eyes, and Gu An couldn't resist tilting his chin up in a bit of smugness.

Still trying to show off, huh?

"Well, I suppose that makes sense, given that you wrote the Investiture of the Gods," Shen Zhen remarked, sighing with admiration.

Gu An then asked, "Why are you drawing this, anyway?"

Did Shen Zhen hold a grudge against Han Ming?

"To be honest, I'm quite interested in Sword Master of Dao. I imagine he must be a handsome, aloof swordsman. Even though so many people came to witness the duel, he didn't show himself. He has such an air of mystery," Shen Zhen said, her eyes glimmering with a touch of infatuation.

Gu An's mouth twitched. "What if he's not handsome and is actually an old man?"

"That's possible too. But aside from writing, my next project is to investigate and find the true identity of the Sword Master of Dao. I'll definitely track him down."

"And what will you do when you find him?"

"I'll marry him, of course! Pan An, you didn't think I've been coming to see you because I like you, did you? I may not care much for cultivation, but my future partner must be a top-tier cultivator. If he's not powerful enough, how could he protect me when I offend people with my writing or art?" Shen Zhen rolled her eyes at Gu An before gathering her painting supplies and heading for the door.

Gu An shook his head and chuckled, not bothering to follow her.

Once Shen Zhen left the valley, he descended the stairs to inspect his medicinal herbs.

The servant disciples were still discussing the Sword Master of Dao, their faces alight with excitement. Listening to their praises lifted Gu An's spirits.

Though he had just basked in glory, he wasn't about to get complacent. He knew he still had to diligently cultivate and accumulate more lifespan.

After all, reaching the ninth level of the Body Fusion Realm wasn't enough to satisfy him.

A year passed in the blink of an eye, and another summer arrived.

By now, Gu An didn't visit An Hao and An Xin every day. Instead, he went to see them twice a month. An Hao had already reached the ninth level of the Qi Refining Realm and was capable of protecting An Xin.

Just last month, An Hao passed a test Gu An had set for him—killing the wolf demon that had once hunted them. Gu An had spared the wolf demon for the purpose of giving An Hao the chance to defeat it.

Fine, he admitted that from the moment he saw An Hao's potential, he had devised numerous plans to nurture him.

The reason they hadn't gone to the Tai Xuan Sect yet was that An Xin's cultivation wasn't sufficient, and they were still young. Gu An wanted them to learn as much as they could from him before they formally joined the sect.

One day, at noon, Gu An made his way to the outer sect's Heaven Mending Platform.

The number of sword cultivators there had increased dramatically, many of whom weren't even from the Tai Xuan Sect.

The tale of the Sword Master of Dao defeating the Sword Maniac of the Great Yu Dynasty with two leaves had spread throughout the cultivation world. The Sword Master of Dao had become the most revered figure among Tai Xuan Sect disciples.

Even a year later, every time Gu An visited the outer sect, he could hear disciples discussing that legendary duel.

The fame of that battle had attracted countless sword cultivators to the sect. The Tai Xuan Sect didn't turn them away but instead bolstered the city's defenses, increasing Jiang Qiong's power as the grand elder of this city.

From a distance, Gu An spotted Han Ming standing next to Zuo Lin, angrily scolding him. Zuo Lin sat dejectedly on the ground, his expression gloomy.

Gu An smiled.

This was exactly the scene he had wanted to see when he recommended that Han Ming take Zuo Lin as his disciple.

Zuo Lin was a genius in many areas, but his comprehension of the sword was woefully poor. Yet, despite his shortcomings, swordsmanship was his passion.

Gu An watched the scene in amusement before scanning the platform for any unfamiliar great cultivators.

And as luck would have it, he spotted someone new!