When I Achieved Sainthood, the Immortal Official Actually Called Me to Raise Horses!

”You think you can take on that demon lord?” Gu An asked skeptically.

Li Ya smirked, puffing out his chest. ”I’ve reached the Golden Core stage! Don’t underestimate me!”

”Golden Core cultivators are only inner disciples in Taixuan Sect. Are you even a match for a demon lord?”

”You little brat! I came here specifically to protect you, and this is how you treat me?”

”I’m just worried you’ll repeat what happened back then. Remember when you charged out to fight that Greed-Fiend ghost and ended up injured on the ground?”

”Do we really have to bring that up?”

The two bickered, but Li Ya wasn’t annoyed by Gu An’s teasing. He knew it was out of concern, though Gu An’s actual worry wasn’t what he thought.

The truth was, Gu An didn’t want to expose his own strength. If a demon lord attacked and Li Ya was nearby, he’d have no choice but to intervene, blowing his cover.

Gu An couldn’t voice this thought, so he let the matter drop when Li Ya insisted on staying.

”By the way, have you seen Junior Brother Lu recently?” Gu An asked.

Li Ya shook his head. ”I haven’t. We used to cross paths occasionally, but ever since he joined the Demon-Slaying Hall, we’ve lost contact. I don’t get along with the elders there, so I avoid him.”

His tone was indifferent, clearly showing he didn’t hold Lu Jiuja in high regard. Though warm toward Gu An, Li Ya remained aloof toward others.

”Come on, let’s head upstairs. I’ve heard you acquired a new medicine valley in the inner sect. You’ll have to tell me all about it,” Li Ya said, dragging Gu An along.

The conversation stretched late into the night.

Gu An avoided mentioning his identity as Pan An, claiming his new medicine valley was a reward for the success of the current one. With rumors of Emperor Li Xuandao being criticized over Romance of the Gods, Gu An dared not reveal his identity, even to Li Ya. If Li Ya let it slip to his father, things could get complicated.

As summer transitioned into autumn, the days remained warm.

Ten days passed since Li Ya’s arrival. The valley stayed peaceful during that time, though Gu An continued venturing out to tend to the outer disciples’ caves. Li Ya insisted on accompanying him but refused to enter the caves, wary of causing trouble for Gu An.

Gu An suggested Li Ya stay behind to protect the disciples, but Li Ya had no interest in them. ”Teaching them swordsmanship was already a favor for your sake,” he had said.

That evening, Gu An was busy harvesting ripe medicinal herbs, while Li Ya meditated atop a western peak. The setting sun behind him cast a glow, lending him the aura of an unmatched master.

Suddenly, Gu An paused mid-harvest. His expression tightened momentarily before he resumed working.

”A demon lord, huh? Let’s hope they’re not interested in my valley.”

The demonic aura he sensed was far beyond the Foundation Establishment stage but didn’t feel threatening to him. The presence drifted away from the valley, and Gu An sighed in relief.

Thirty years of lifespan for killing them isn’t worth exposing myself.

As night fell, Gu An sat in his study, engrossed in the Purple Micro Array Manual. He was focused on wood-element arrays when his brows furrowed.

With a sigh, he muttered, ”The valley might be safe, but now Li Ya’s drawn their attention.”

On the peak, Li Ya opened his eyes from meditation. Standing, he stepped to the cliff’s edge, gazing toward the forest below. About a hundred meters away, a shadowy figure stood under the trees, blending almost seamlessly into the darkness.

Li Ya frowned, pointing his sword toward the distance before leaping into the night sky.

The shadow dissipated into black mist, vanishing without a trace.

A stick of incense later, Li Ya landed by a river cutting through the mountains. The moonlight danced across its surface.

Before he could settle, a swirl of black mist materialized across the river, coalescing into a humanoid form.

”You’re not the demon lord of Tianjue Sect,” Li Ya said, narrowing his eyes. ”But you seem to know me.”

A raspy voice responded, ”Prince Li Ya, inheritor of the first sword cultivator of Jizhou. Meeting you is an unexpected delight.”

Li Ya unsheathed his sword, pointing it at the figure. ”Enough theatrics!”

His body erupted with fierce sword energy, causing his robes to billow like flames. Seven silver sword shadows formed around him, radiating brilliance even in the dark.

”Just a Golden Core cultivator, yet you dare resist me?” the shadow mocked.

The figure vanished into mist, reappearing behind Li Ya in an instant.

Li Ya spun, his sword slicing through the air as the silver shadows streaked toward the figure.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The attacks struck the ground, sending dirt and debris flying. Before Li Ya could discern the outcome, a gust of force slammed into him from the side.

Flung like an arrow, he crashed through trees, finally halting hundreds of meters away. Bloodied and bruised, he slumped against a cracked tree trunk, struggling to rise.

Hovering above, the figure sneered. ”Kid, you’re bold to challenge me just after forming your core. Do you even know what realm I’m in?”

Li Ya could barely lift his head, his vision tinged with red.

”Damn it…”

As he gritted his teeth, a voice echoed in his mind.

”Sigh, you brat. Getting injured again? You’re not just risking your life—you’re risking your ancestor’s patience!”

The figure raised a hand, a dark aura coiling around their body. Before they could strike, another hand—shrouded in faint green wood energy—clamped down on their shoulder.

The figure froze as wooden tendrils burst from their body, intertwining with blood to form a grotesque bloom. Their demonic energy unraveled, revealing an older man in outer sect elder robes.

”Chen Elder?!” Li Ya gasped, bloodshot eyes wide.

The elder’s face twisted in disbelief. ”Demonic Shadow Technique… it’s you—”

Before he could finish, the green flames consuming him surged, reducing him to ashes.

Li Ya stared at the purple-black figure behind Chen Elder, his heart pounding.

”A Nascent Soul elder, obliterated in an instant… this is someone at least at the Void Transformation stage!”

”Fool! Get out of there now!” the ancestral voice in his head urged.

As Li Ya braced himself for death, the figure disappeared into the night.

”He’s gone,” the voice confirmed. ”He must’ve weighed the risks.”

Li Ya collapsed in relief.

”Idiot! Forget that Gu An and get to the inner sect! The outer sect is a death trap!”

Li Ya remained silent, his mind racing.

Meanwhile, back in the valley, Gu An examined a storage pouch and sighed.

”Sorry, Li Shixiong. If I didn’t let you get hurt, you’d never leave.”

He hadn’t intended for the elder to target Li Ya, but at least the incident would prompt his departure.

The pouch yielded 37 years of lifespan, but Gu An burned any suspicious contents.

At dawn, Li Ya returned, freshly dressed and looking unharmed.

Gu An met him downstairs. ”Shixiong, you look pale. Are you alright?”

Li Ya forced a smile. ”Just a minor mishap during training.”

Gu An pulled him upstairs and presented dozens of medicinal pills.

”Shidi, what’s all this?”

”Last night, you faced something dangerous, didn’t you?” Gu An asked sternly.

Li Ya hesitated, then sighed. ”Fine. I encountered a demonic cultivator. You’re right—this valley isn’t safe. I’m heading to the inner sect today.”

Gu An smiled, pushing the pills into his hands.

Moments later, as Li Ya soared away, he glanced back at the valley and muttered, ”Anyone who dares harm him will regret it.”

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