Gu An wasn’t particularly thrilled by his rapid breakthrough. He remained on high alert, worried that someone might arrive unexpectedly.
The Tai Xuan Sect was vast, and within a hundred miles of the Medicine Valley, it was rare to see a soul. Surely, his breakthrough wouldn’t disturb any major cultivators, right?
Just as Gu An was thinking this, he suddenly sensed two powerful auras approaching from a distance, even stronger than Chu Jingfeng’s had been.
The very thing he feared!
He was still in the process of his breakthrough from the fourth to the fifth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, making it inconvenient for him to move. Even if he tried to run now, it would be hard to escape from the two individuals approaching.
This was serious trouble!
Gu An anxiously monitored the two auras as they drew closer. When they were within a hundred feet, they stopped, with only a mountain between them and Gu An.
Gu An remained hidden in the dark forest, wearing his dark blue robe, with dust swirling around him, making it difficult for anyone to make out his figure.
Feeling relieved that they hadn’t charged at him directly, Gu An relaxed a little.
It seemed they were wary of him too and didn’t want to provoke him recklessly.
His cultivation continued to rise, and due to the noise around him and the distance of the mountain, he couldn’t hear what the two were saying, keeping him on edge.
By the time Gu An had broken through to the fifth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the two on the other side of the mountain still hadn’t made any moves.
As his cultivation growth began to slow down, Gu An raised his right hand, pressing it against the tree behind him. With his spiritual energy connecting to the tree, a green light formed around his palm and flowed over the bark.
Once the green light formed a complete loop, Gu An pulled his hand back, tearing off a section of the tree to create a wooden mask.
He placed the mask over his face, and with his other hand, carved two eye holes, letting the wood fall away. Now, a complete mask covered his face.
Although spiritual energy continued to pour into him, he was finally able to stand.
Perhaps sensing that the flow of spiritual energy was settling down, a loud voice rang out:
"Who’s there, breaking through in the wild? Why not conduct your breakthrough in your own cave dwelling?"
The voice was stern, clearly suspicious that Gu An wasn’t a member of the Tai Xuan Sect.
Gu An hesitated, unsure if he should respond.
He was only a lowly servant disciple. If it was discovered that he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm within just a few years of joining the sect, even if he was allowed to enter the outer sect, he’d still be in danger!
The commotion he caused tonight was too big. If those two found out his identity, word would spread, and if anyone harbored ill intentions, what then?
Gu An had seen the dark side of human nature growing up as a servant and had learned to be cautious.
As he tied the mask to his face with vines, his eyes flickered with a cold light in the darkness of the night.
No, I can’t expose myself!
Gu An wasn’t interested in getting involved in any trouble. Even becoming an outer disciple wasn’t necessarily a good thing for him.
The Tai Xuan Sect didn’t support disciples for free—outer disciples had to take on sect missions, many of which involved life-threatening dangers.
Once his cultivation stabilized, Gu An stood up, his face hidden behind the mask, leaving only his eyes visible. A whirlwind of spiritual energy still swirled around him.
Just then, he sensed the two auras rapidly closing in from the mountain. Clearly, they had mistaken him for an intruder.
The reason Gu An hadn’t spoken was that he judged the two weren’t much stronger than him. If they had been far stronger, he wouldn’t have dared to take the risk.
Without hesitation, he turned and sprinted into the depths of the forest.
Whoosh!
A sharp sound split the air behind him. Gu An glanced back and saw a flash of cold light rushing through the dark forest, slicing through branches as it approached, followed closely by a woman.
The woman was dressed in white, her right arm outstretched, with her palm aimed at the hilt of a sword. The spiritual energy connecting them caused the blade to radiate fierce sword energy, unstoppable as it streaked through the trees like a shooting star.
In an instant, the sword was only half a meter away from Gu An.
His left foot hit the ground, and he pivoted, dropping into a crouch just as the sword blade passed over him.
The woman’s eyes widened in shock, her face obscured by the night, but the sword light illuminated her astonished gaze.
In a flash!
Using his Dragon Force Divine Essence Art, he suppressed his cultivation to the third layer of the Qi Refining Realm, confident that he wouldn’t be recognized.
Soon, Cheng Xuandan emerged from his pavilion and walked quickly toward the pair. The two were a white-robed woman and a blue-robed man.
The woman was strikingly beautiful, her skin as white as jade, with almond-shaped eyes and delicate brows. She held a sword by her side and radiated a cold, aloof demeanor that kept others at bay.
The man in blue was also handsome, tall and straight, and dressed in luxurious robes, though his face looked a bit pale.
Both were outer disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect. The man’s name was Shi Yang, and the woman’s was Li Xuanyu.
Facing Cheng Xuandan, Shi Yang smiled and explained their purpose.
After listening, Cheng Xuandan replied, "No one else has visited the Medicine Valley in the past few days."
Having lived for over a hundred years, Cheng Xuandan remained calm, unfazed by the situation.
Shi Yang glanced toward the valley and said, "Could you gather your disciples?"
Cheng Xuandan agreed and called out loudly, summoning all the disciples, including Gu An.
"Xiao Chuan, go get your Senior Brother Meng as well," Cheng Xuandan ordered.
Xiao Chuan nodded and rushed off to find Meng Lang.
Shi Yang and Li Xuanyu began scrutinizing Gu An and the others, their brows furrowing as they remained silent.
Cheng Xuandan stood by quietly, waiting for Meng Lang to arrive.
Seizing the opportunity, Gu An used his ability to probe the lifespans of the two outer disciples. The previous night had been too rushed for him to do so.
[Li Xuanyu (Foundation Establishment Realm, 4th Layer): 24/245/1670]
[Shi Yang (Foundation Establishment Realm, 5th Layer): 25/298/1304]
Good grief!
They’re both prodigies—only in their twenties, and already in the Foundation Establishment Realm. And their maximum lifespans reach over a thousand years. Li Xuanyu’s lifespan even surpasses Li Ya’s.
They’re both surnamed Li. Could she be from the imperial family too?
Gu An was inwardly startled. It was a good thing he hadn’t revealed his identity that night.
Not long after, Xiao Chuan returned with a clearly irritated Meng Lang in tow.
Shi Yang’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Meng Lang, transmitting a message to Li Xuanyu, "Junior Sister Li, this one’s spiritual energy is chaotic, as if he’s on the verge of going mad. His cultivation is low, but he might be connected to the person we’re looking for."
Li Xuanyu’s cold eyes fixed on Meng Lang, as if she could see through him.
Feeling their gaze on him, Meng Lang noticed their exceptional attire and immediately calmed down. He walked over to stand beside Gu An, while Xiao Chuan followed closely behind.
Cheng Xuandan spoke up, "Two nights ago, a mysterious cultivator had a breakthrough about ten miles from the valley. We suspect it was a demonic infiltrator. Have any of you seen anyone unusual lately?"
Good grief!
Now it’s a demonic infiltrator?
Gu An mentally groaned, while outwardly furrowing his brow, appearing tense.
Meng Lang’s eyes widened, and he blurted out, "Is there another demon attack?"
"Another? What do you mean?" Shi Yang asked, narrowing his eyes.
Unable to keep quiet, Meng Lang began recounting the incident with the The Demon of Greed and Rage. When he mentioned that it involved an inner disciple, Shi Yang’s expression changed slightly.
Is this area really that dangerous?
Shi Yang immediately lost interest in pursuing the investigation further.
Seizing the opportunity, Gu An asked, "Seniors, did you catch a glimpse of this demonic infiltrator? Can you provide us with any clues?"
The others nodded, growing anxious at the mention of demons.
Shi Yang pondered for a moment before saying, "It was too dark that night. All I remember is that his leg techniques were incredibly fast."