Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses

```

At the end of the year,

Gu An arrived at the Outer Sect city and found that the streets were full of disciples discussing the feat of Sword Venerable Fudao slaying the Six-Headed Sea Dragon. Some stalls even began selling dolls of the Six-Headed Sea Dragon, as well as various drawings, including those depicting its death.

Looking at those images, he inexplicably thought of Shen Zhen.

Shen Zhen was still in seclusion; had she not been, perhaps she would have been exhilarated by this event.

Having not seen her for many years, Gu An actually missed her for a moment.

It was not her person he missed, but her ability to create.

He didn't want Shen Zhen to stop writing; he only hoped she wouldn't use him as a subject in her next book.

Gu An began to wander around the city, listening to the disciples praising Sword Venerable Fudao. He inwardly reveled in their words, and the lingering worries in his heart were somewhat alleviated.

The Demons of the Northern Territory had been eradicated, with no Great Demon King on the scale of the Six-Headed Sea Dragon appearing. Everything seemed to be developing in a positive direction.

Yet, Gu An knew that the great Demon calamity was still approaching. Now it was not only the Northern Territory of the Great Jiang Dynasty that was being breached, but Demons continuously infiltrated the lands of the Human Race, from east to west, near the Demon Land. The invasions were on a small scale, preventing the various sects from stopping them entirely.

Fortunately, the number of Demons currently infiltrating was not large, and they were at least not enough to shake the foundation of the Eight Dynasties. Gu An could still survive.

After roaming around for a long time, Gu An finally headed to the Book Collection Hall to submit his books.

Then, something happened that left Gu An not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

The Great Elder Feng Shang hoped Gu An could incorporate Sword Venerable Fudao into the 'Shattering Void' narrative to enhance his image, as per the Sect's wish.

Gu An feigned difficulty, and then Feng Shang mentioned that the Sect had already prepared a hundred sixth-grade medicinal herb seeds for him, so he reluctantly agreed.

...

With the new spring's arrival, this year's Spring Festival found Ye Lan and Zhen Qin absent, so Gu An spent the holiday with the disciples, which felt somewhat lacking compared to previous years.

This sudden realization made him somewhat panicked.

Years later, if all his old acquaintances had passed away, would the Spring Festival still be a joyous occasion, or would it be filled with sorrow?

When it was late at night, his mood began to lift as he arrived at Nianchu Cave.

No matter what, Tian Yao'er at least could accompany him for eighteen thousand years, and if she could undergo Nirvana within this period, she could join him for even longer.

However, he also needed to learn to reconcile with himself, to be open-minded about the ways of the world in order to achieve the Dao.

Next to the stone table, Gu An and Tian Yao'er began roasting lamb legs. They chatted and laughed, with Tian Yao'er always having endless topics when facing him, creating a festive atmosphere.

"By the way, master, I've been hearing a strange noise lately, like it's coming from the outside. Could it be that a Demon has discovered our cave?" Tian Yao'er suddenly asked. Her mouth was greasy, her face smeared with dipping sauce, and her furrowed brows made Gu An want to laugh.

Gu An answered, "Don't worry, no Demons will break in. The owner of that noise is someone I've met. It's just temporarily residing in the Heavenly Phoenix Mountain."

Hearing this, Tian Yao'er immediately felt reassured.

"By the way, master, where did you go after you left the cave? Did you return to live with the Human Race?" Tian Yao'er asked.

"Well, I have other caves to look after."

"Ah? Master, you haven't raised other Demons, have you?"

"There are a few, but none of them are as formidable as you."

"Are there female Demons?"

"Of course not, those Demons are low in aptitude and still cannot Shape-Shift."

"That's good, master, do you have a Daoist friend?"

Tian Yao'er, as if opening a floodgate, bombarded him with questions.

Raising an eyebrow beneath his mask, Gu An asked, "Where did you learn about Daoist friends?"

Tian Yao'er took a bite of the lamb, speaking indistinctly, "From the books you left behind, do you have a Daoist friend or not?"

Gu An replied, "Of course not."

Tian Yao'er's face lit up with joy, but Gu An's next sentence made her face fall, "However, there are several women who might become my Daoist friends, and I'm troubled over whom to choose."

Tian Yao'er put down the lamb leg, wiped the stains off her face, and asked seriously, "Master, do you think I qualify?"

Glancing at her, Gu An replied irritably, "What? You want to ascend the ranks now?"

"No... I just think based on the standards for Daoist friends in the books, I could fit as well. Moreover, I definitely will not betray you like the Daoist friends in the books, destined to live and die with you!" Tian Yao'er quickly explained.

You may want to live and die with me, but I certainly don't.

I am someone who seeks immortality!

Gu An had resolved to live longer than heaven and earth, so such words could not move him.

He replied with annoyance, "Focus on your cultivation, Minor Demon. Don't entertain foolish thoughts. Whether human or demon, cultivation is the priority. As for feelings, at most they are a secondary pursuit."

"Alright, then what are your requirements for a Daoist friend?"

"I was just teasing you earlier. I don't need a Daoist friend. If I had one, I'd have to bury her someday, and that would be too sad."

"That sort of makes sense."

"I let you read books to under the different facets of life, don't indulge in thoughts of affection in the future."

"Hmm, I won't think about feelings, but if my master wishes, I am always ready!"

As Gu An looked at Tian Yao'er's earnest expression, his gaze involuntarily drifted downward, but after just a glance, he quickly withdrew it.

He changed the subject and began talking about matters of cultivation.

```

Tian Yao'er pouted. Although she felt depressed inside, she still listened attentively; she could only see Gu An twice a month, so she cherished their time together.

...

After the New Year, the name of Sword Venerable Fudao had spread far and wide. The Supreme Sect had also been busy issuing numerous demon-slaying tasks, and more and more disciples began to descend the mountain to save the common people.

Mystic Valley, within an attic.

Gu An was weaving a robe for himself. Since he didn't need to sit in meditation to absorb energy, he had plenty of time to pursue his interests, and tailoring used to be one of them.

The reason he was making a robe was that he was preparing to descend the mountain to slay demons and eradicate evil.

One reason was to help the people, and the other was to seize the opportunity to accumulate lifespan, striving to reach a lifespan of tens of millions of years as soon as possible.

He also wanted to experience the kind of life Ye Lan and Zhen Qin led.

Finally, Gu An finished weaving his robe. He stored the robe in his Storage Bag, then picked up the Qinghong Sword and walked out of the attic.

He greeted Lu Jiujia with a nod and then left Mystic Valley.

Lu Jiujia wasn't curious about where he was going; after all, Gu An left the valley every now and then. In the eyes of the valley's disciples, their master was a very busy person.

...

Under the clear blue sky and white clouds, Gu An stood on a cliff. He was dressed in a deep purple robe cinched at the waist, embroidered with a dark red phoenix, and had the Qinghong Sword at his side.

He took out an opera mask and put it on his face, then placed a bamboo hat on his head.

After making adjustments, he used his Divine Sense to observe his image.

His figure was quite impressive, and his aura commanding!

Like a chivalrous wanderer of the martial world!

Gu An leaped forth, jumping into the forest and quickly vanishing from sight.

A hundred miles away, amidst the mountains and fields, a fierce battle was taking place. Several escort vehicles stopped alongside, and more than a dozen armed escorts were fighting demons beasts attacking from every direction. Behind the escort vehicles, there was a carriage with panicked horses neighing continuously, and inside the carriage, a mother and son clung tightly to each other.

These armed escorts were not cultivators but merely martial artists, no match for the demon beasts.

Just as the armed escorts despaired, a swift gust of wind approached.

Then, a figure burst out from the neighboring woods, swift as a cunning rabbit, his swordplay as fast as the wind, slaying a demon with each strike. In less than the time of three breaths, nine demon beasts lay dead.

The armed escorts turned to look, barely catching a glimpse of the dark red phoenix embroidered on the stranger's back before he quickly departed.

"Amazing!"

"That person just now must be a cultivator, right?"

"Nonsense, what martial artist has such skills?"

"Truly amazing, I didn't even see how he made his move just now."

"Me neither, and I don't know which sect or school of cultivators he belongs to. I once sought to learn from the Ancient Sky Sect when I was young but was refused because I didn't have a Spirit Root."

Elsewhere in the woods, Gu An heard their conversation, the corners of his mouth curling slightly under his mask.

This feeling of saving people was quite good; it may not be less satisfying than the sense of achievement from slaying the Six-Headed Sea Dragon.

Thus, Gu An began his journey of demon hunting. The demons he killed were all those that attacked the common people, so every time he acted, he was saving someone.

"Saving a life is more meritorious than building a seven-story pagoda." I wonder if it counts in this world?

Regardless, Gu An was at peace with himself. Slaying a demon, saving a person—he believed the good would offset the evil, and he shouldn't be troubled by sins.

...

In the deep of night.

A group of cultivators were sitting in meditation around the forest, with campfires scattered around, each encircled by five or six people.

Ye Lan and Zhen Qin were also there. Ye Lan was meditating with her eyes closed, while Zhen Qin was discussing with the disciples nearby about the recent demons encounters and matters of the Immortal Cultivation World.

"I wonder what the Six-Headed Sea Dragon actually looks like. I heard five Great Cultivators of the Mystic Heart Realm were devoured by it," Zhen Qin said softly, her face a mix of curiosity and fear.

When she brought up the Six-Headed Sea Dragon, the other disciples became excited and started talking about Sword Venerable Fudao.

After slaying the Six-Headed Sea Dragon, Sword Venerable Fudao's reputation in the Immortal Cultivation World had peaked. How powerful he truly was had become the question of greatest curiosity among all cultivators.

It seemed that no matter how strong the opponent was, Sword Venerable Fudao could always easily slay them.

As they chatted, the discussion turned to some of the momentous events in the Immortal Cultivation World.

"Su Han of the Hateful Heaven Divine Sword just devoured the Spiritual Power of twenty Nascent Soul cultivators not long ago. It's said that he's about to step into the Divinity Transformation Realm. What Demon Skill has he been practicing?" a male disciple said with worry.

As they frequently fought against demons, they were very concerned about encountering Su Han.

Listening to their talk about Su Han, Zhen Qin's mood suddenly became gloomy.

"What? You want to know the Cultivation Technique Su Han practices? Then you're in luck tonight. You're about to find out."

A sinister laugh suddenly echoed through the forest, startling the Disciples of the Law Enforcement Hall to their feet, including Ye Lan, who unsheathed her White Spirit Sword, ready for battle.

"Prepare to fight!"

Ye Lan commanded in a stern voice. The disciples quickly gathered, each drawing their Magic Artifacts.

Looking around, the night woods were eerily silent, with mist swirling in the depths, obscuring any figures.

Ye Lan suddenly looked in one direction, her brows furrowing, and the others did the same. They saw figures emerging from the darkness, carrying a coffin upon their shoulders!