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

As Shen Xinzi finished speaking, his gaze grew sharp, and he took a step toward You Yingying.

The Nine-Fingered Divine Lord quickly grabbed him, scolding, “Are you seriously trying to cause trouble? That woman belongs to the Starsea Sect Alliance, and this is the domain of the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path. You better not act recklessly!”

Shen Xinzi remained firm. “Exorcising demons and slaying evildoers is the duty of a Buddhist disciple. How can I ignore my responsibility out of fear of the strong?”

He shook off the Nine-Fingered Divine Lord’s grip, determined to proceed.

The Nine-Fingered Divine Lord’s voice turned grave. “The world is full of demons. This one hasn’t done anything evil yet—how can you act without cause? Don’t forget your true mission. There are far greater calamities waiting for you to face.”

He felt a headache coming on. Why had this brat become even more stubborn after ten thousand years?

Although he knew that You Yingying had no direct connection to the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, fighting here would undoubtedly disrupt the peace of Medicine Valley—something he wanted to avoid.

Shen Xinzi frowned, his gaze locked onto You Yingying.

Sensing something, You Yingying turned her head, and their eyes met through the vast snowfall.

For some reason, the moment she saw him, an inexplicable discomfort surged within her, accompanied by a hint of fear.

She instinctively looked away and fled.

Even after putting some distance between them, the unease in her heart remained. She turned back hesitantly—only to find Shen Xinzi still staring at her.

Terrified, she snapped her head forward and quickened her pace.

Her mind was hazy as she hurried along, only snapping back to reality when she collided with someone.

Startled, she looked up—she had bumped into Gu An.

Snowflakes drifted down around them. Gu An stood tall in his flowing blue robe, his long sleeves swaying in the wind. He held a mirror in his hand as if it were a folding fan, and the hairpiece on his crown glinted under the light. The golden mark on his forehead shimmered faintly in the twilight.

You Yingying was momentarily dazed.

For the first time, she felt that Gu An truly had an air of elegance.

If celestial beings truly existed in this world… perhaps they looked like this.

“What’s wrong?” Gu An asked, feigning ignorance despite already knowing what had transpired.

You Yingying snapped out of her daze. Strangely, standing before Gu An, she no longer felt afraid.

“Just now… there was a monk staring at me the whole time…” she muttered, feeling wronged.

Gu An chuckled. “Aren’t you fearless? How can a mere monk scare you?”

You Yingying glared at him. “I don’t know why, but he made me feel uneasy.”

“Uneasy? Could it be that you’ve done something shady? You didn’t steal his kasaya, did you?”

“Pah! Do I look like the Black Bear Demon to you?!”

With Gu An teasing her, You Yingying finally relaxed.

Gu An made his way toward his pavilion, while the Blood Prison Great Saint followed closely behind, throwing a disdainful glance at You Yingying.

Enraged, You Yingying began shouting insults at the ox demon, and the two quickly devolved into a heated argument.

Gu An was already used to their bickering and couldn’t be bothered to interfere.

—

In the following days, Shen Xinzi remained at Taixuan Sect, secretly gathering disciples’ opinions on the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Shen Xinzi returned to Medicine Valley, having concluded that the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path was a noble figure, devoted to protecting the world. He believed that the Sovereign would not stop him from eliminating demons.

Upon arrival, he encountered Yang Jian and Li Lingtian.

Yang Jian was dragging Li Lingtian out the door, eager to find a sparring partner. Li Lingtian, on the other hand, looked utterly reluctant—but still refused to admit defeat verbally.

When Shen Xinzi saw them, his eyes lit up, unable to look away.

Stepping forward, he blocked Yang Jian’s path.

Yang Jian frowned slightly. Even with his cultivation suppressed, his innate aura was undeniable, exuding the poise of a true genius.

Standing beside him, Li Lingtian looked entirely overshadowed.

Li Lingtian scrutinized Shen Xinzi and grumbled, “Monk, what do you want?”

Shen Xinzi pressed his palms together and said, “Amitabha. This humble monk sees that you two are extraordinary talents with remarkable bone structures. Why not join my Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect and pursue the great Dao?”

Bitter Sea Buddhist Sect?

Before Yang Jian could respond, Li Lingtian exploded. “You want us to become monks? Not happening!”

He was a prince, how could he possibly shave his head and take up monastic life?

Shen Xinzi remained composed. “The term ‘monk’ is but a worldly label. Attaining Buddhahood is to attain the Dao, to achieve eternity.”

Li Lingtian scratched his head. The monk’s words were cryptic—he wasn’t sure if the guy was insane or genuinely enlightened. Either way, he suddenly felt hesitant to provoke him.

In Medicine Valley, one often encountered powerful cultivators, making it unwise to act recklessly.

Yang Jian responded calmly, “I appreciate your offer, but I already have a master. I have no desire to take another. Farewell.”

He sidestepped Shen Xinzi and headed toward the valley exit.

Li Lingtian quickly followed.

Shen Xinzi watched them leave, deep in thought, his fingers subtly moving in a calculation of fate.

—

Meanwhile, from a distance, Gu An and Ji Xuanyu stood beneath a pavilion, gazing at the snowy landscape.

Ji Xuanyu glanced at Shen Xinzi and remarked, “That monk seems unusual. I wonder if he’ll cause trouble for Yang Jian.”

Though she had never sparred with Yang Jian, she could tell he was no ordinary cultivator.

She had once been curious as to why Yang Jian followed Gu An with such unwavering loyalty. After learning that Gu An had nurtured Yang Jian’s talent through alchemy, she grew even more impressed.

Perhaps Gu An wasn’t the most gifted in cultivation, but his character was undeniably worthy of admiration.

Gu An turned to her and chuckled, “He’s a high monk. Why would he bring trouble to Jian’er? If anything, he’ll bring him blessings, wouldn’t you agree?”

Ji Xuanyu glanced at him, noting the genuine sincerity in his smile.

The two continued chatting idly, their conversation light and effortless.

—

That night.

Inside her room, You Yingying sat in meditation. The candlelight flickered, casting her shadow upon the wall.

Suddenly, she sensed something and opened her eyes—only to see a dark figure enter her vision.

Startled, her face paled, and she instinctively scrambled backward, only to hit the wall behind her.

“What do you want?!” she demanded, her voice loud—clearly hoping someone would hear.

Standing beside her bed, Shen Xinzi loomed over her, his expression grim.

“No need to waste your breath,” he said coldly. “I have already sealed this room. No one can hear you, and you won’t be able to escape.”

His presence was oppressive, and his voice bore no trace of hesitation.

You Yingying clenched her teeth. “Who are you? What grudge do you have against me?”

Shen Xinzi pressed his palms together. “Amitabha. We share no enmity, but I shall grant you understanding before your death. You are the reincarnation of a Sky Demon. Once you reach the Nascent Soul Stage, you will awaken your past-life memories and bring calamity to the world.”

Boom!

You Yingying’s mind went blank.

She sat frozen on her bed, stunned, a bitter smile creeping onto her lips.

“…So that’s how it is.”

She shut her eyes, resigning herself to fate.

Shen Xinzi raised his hand to deliver the final strike—

Tap.

A hand landed firmly on his shoulder.

Tap.

A hand landed firmly on Shen Xinzi’s shoulder, causing his entire body to tremble.

His Buddha Heart quivered, and an indescribable sense of dread surged within him.

He had faced countless powerful demons before—some he couldn’t defeat, but never had he felt like this.

To his horror, he found himself completely immobilized. His cultivation was being suppressed, his spiritual energy locked down, rendering him powerless.

A terrifying possibility flashed through his mind.

The Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path!

There was an old record in a certain book that described how the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path would place a hand on his target’s shoulder before striking them down…

He had always thought it was just a legend.

But now—

He couldn’t move.

A deep, calm voice rang in his ears, carrying an undeniable force of authority:

“Outsiders are forbidden from committing murder in Taixuan Sect.”

It was Gu An’s voice.

Shen Xinzi’s pupils contracted.

The moment Gu An removed his hand, Shen Xinzi felt an immense weight lift off his body.

He let out a shaky breath, his forehead drenched in cold sweat. His composure was shattered.

In that instant, he had genuinely believed he was about to die.

His eyes flickered toward You Yingying—his expression now filled with complexity.

”Amitabha!”

With that single exclamation, he turned and left.

The door creaked open, then shut again.

You Yingying opened her eyes, staring at the empty doorway, her thoughts a chaotic mess.

Just now… was he sighing?

—

Yet, she felt no relief.

Even after narrowly escaping death, she remained lost in thought, completely dazed.

Sky Demon reincarnation…

Born into the Starsea Sect Alliance, she had heard of the Sky Demon legends before.

No wonder her father had never allowed her to cultivate.

No wonder he had been so pleased when she decided to come to Taixuan Sect.

He wasn’t happy for her—he was getting rid of her.

That night, You Yingying sat against the wall, her mind adrift in endless thoughts.

—

The next morning.

After freshening up, You Yingying stepped outside.

She gazed at the disciples of Medicine Valley, practicing their daily martial routines.

Laughter filled the air.

Their faces radiated simple joy, a stark contrast to the weight pressing down on her heart.

She felt like a stranger in this world.

They had no outstanding talent, nor were they born into great lineages, but at least they could look forward to the future.

And her?

Born under an ill-fated star.

A father who didn’t love her.

A mother who avoided her.

Everyone treated her like a cursed being.

Her gaze drifted toward Shen Xinzi.

He stood beneath a tree, watching the disciples train.

His thoughts were unreadable.

Even as she stared at him, he did not turn to meet her gaze.

A bitter smile crossed her lips.

”He couldn’t bring himself to kill me? Or was he simply unwilling to dirty his hands?”

She remained in place, unmoving.

—

A while later.

Gu An, riding the Blood Prison Great Saint, passed by her courtyard.

He called out lazily, “Miss You, what are you standing around for? If you’re free, go help them shovel the snow. You’re living in my Medicine Valley, so you ought to pull your weight.”

You Yingying snapped out of her daze.

Gu An’s expression held a hint of dissatisfaction, as if scolding a lazy freeloader.

Subconsciously, she nodded.

Gu An looked pleased and gave her a smug glance, as if saying “Good, you know your place.”

Then, without another word, he urged the Blood Prison Great Saint forward.

Only then did You Yingying fully return to her senses.

She replayed Gu An’s self-satisfied smirk in her mind.

Her cheeks twitched.

“That bastard actually made me do chores?!”

Though she complained, there was no resentment in her heart.

For the first time, she didn’t feel so lost.

The world rejected her, but at least Medicine Valley accepted her.

Maybe… she wasn’t so pitiful after all.

If she couldn’t cultivate, so be it.

She could live a few hundred years just like Gu An—then grow old and die peacefully.

As for the next life?

She couldn’t be bothered to care.

After all…

In the next life, she wouldn’t be her anymore.