Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Seizing Life Span
The sun beat down ruthlessly from a cloudless sky, making the surrounding peaks and the earth itself seem to throb with heat. A sudden mountain wind whistled through the garden, offering a brief moment of relief to Gu An as he stood amidst the greenery.
Wiping the perspiration from his brow, Gu An kept his eyes locked on the flora before him. Despite the punishing glare of the sun, every blossom remained vivid and full of life, showing no signs of wilting.
Two other youths stood to his sides. On this very day, the three of them had been admitted into the Elixir Hall of Medicine Valley, located within the prestigious Supreme Sect. Gu An was visibly moved by the opportunity, but his companions appeared bored, lazily dabbing away their sweat.
Facing them was a young man of unremarkable features but possessing a robust frame and sharp, energetic eyes. This was Zhang Chunqiu, the senior disciple of Medicine Valley. He was currently instructing them on the proper methods for gathering Spirit Flowers and Spirit Grass.
"The vegetation in this plot consists entirely of first-tier medicinal herbs. Do not yank them out by the roots during harvest; instead, slice them near the soil. Once cut, immediately wrap them in your Spirit Protection Paper to ensure no spiritual energy leaks out..." Zhang Chunqiu spoke with a booming, vigorous tone, seemingly unaffected by the sweltering heat.
Clutching a pair of shears in his right hand and white paper strips in his left, Gu An hung on every word Zhang Chunqiu uttered.
Unlike the others, he truly valued this post. He had endured countless cold shoulders and mocking looks just to grab hold of this chance.
To an outsider, it might look like he was wasting his potential on menial labor, but he knew the truth: this was his secret path to ultimate power!
"Very well, begin. Each of you harvest one plant so I can inspect your technique," Zhang Chunqiu commanded. Gu An immediately dropped into a crouch.
Setting his Spirit Protection Paper aside, Gu An used his left hand to delicately steady the stem of a crimson flower.
"Brother, why so tense? It is just a first-tier herb; it is hardly a disaster if you mess up. Back at my family estate, I would not even give such trash a second look; they are only good for basic elixirs," remarked Meng Lang from Gu An’s right. His expensive attire made his wealthy background obvious.
He wasn't lying. While Gu An had been a mere house servant, the other two came from affluent clans. However, wealth meant little in the Immortal Cultivation Sects without a high-quality Spirit Root. Since all three possessed the mediocre Five Spirit Roots, they were relegated to the rank of Servant Disciples within the Supreme Sect.
Gu An paid no mind to Meng Lang’s chatter, focusing entirely on the task at hand.
He gripped the stem, made a precise snip with the shears, and quickly encased the base of the red blossom in the Spirit Protection Paper.
Standing up, he presented his work to Zhang Chunqiu for review.
Zhang Chunqiu took the flower and gave a small, approving nod. "Well done, you are very meticulous."
Gu An remained silent, his gaze fixed on the red flower. He appeared even more anxious now than he had been during the harvest.
A few heartbeats later, a line of text visible only to him manifested in the air.
[You have successfully harvested a Red Spirit Flower (first-tier)—1 year life span]
It worked!
A smile broke across Gu An’s face as a massive weight was lifted from his heart.
It was confirmed: he could only harvest life span from living things that contained spiritual energy.
His first discovery of this power happened at age ten. He had accidentally collided with a servant carrying a potted plant; when the Spirit Flower fell, he suddenly gained twelve years of life.
The Court Guardian had been furious enough to demand Gu An’s hand as punishment, but the Third Miss, Ji Xiaoyu, had intervened to save him.
Even his placement in the Supreme Sect was thanks to Ji Xiaoyu. A rare genius with a dual Spirit Root, she was sought after by many major sects. When she brought five members of the Ji household with her to the Supreme Sect, Gu An was one of the two servants permitted to follow.
Had it not been for her, his lowly Five Spirit Roots would have limited him to some third-rate sect at best.
While Gu An celebrated internally, Meng Lang and the other youth, Li Ya, finished their tasks.
Stowing the three Red Spirit Flowers in his Storage Bag, Zhang Chunqiu spoke firmly. "Your objective today is to gather fifty Red Spirit Flowers as a group. Stay within this specific garden; do not wander into other sectors. Once you are finished, bring the flowers to the attic to find me."
With those instructions, Zhang Chunqiu turned and departed.
Meng Lang aimed a mock punch at the senior disciple's retreating back and hissed, "He spent so long lecturing us over such a minor chore. Has he never led juniors before?"
Li Ya slumped onto the dirt, desperately using his sleeve to mop his face.
Once Zhang Chunqiu was out of sight, Gu An turned to his companions. "Brothers, looking at your refined clothes, it is clear you come from noble stock and aren't built for this dirty work. Unlike me, I was a servant. Why don't you find some shade and rest? I will handle the harvest. Just remember to look out for me in the future."
Meng Lang’s eyes widened with joy. "That is a great idea, brother! You are very sensible. If you ever find things too difficult here, come find me; I will make sure you are fed and clothed for the rest of your life."
Li Ya, too drained to speak, simply nodded his head in agreement.
The two of them handed over their Spirit Protection Paper and leaned on each other as they hurried out of the sun-drenched garden.
Picking up the discarded papers, Gu An looked back at the field, his eyes shining with a fervor that outdid the sun.
To him, this garden of Red Spirit Flowers wasn't just a patch of herbs—it was a staircase of longevity stones leading straight to immortality!
He began to work with extreme care. He wasn't just trying to finish the job; he wanted to perform so well that he would never lose this golden opportunity.
The sun continued to pour down its scorching rays, indifferent to the labors of mortals.
From the comfort of a small pavilion, Meng Lang and Li Ya watched Gu An while constantly wiping their brows. They were far too exhausted to hold a conversation.
As the hours passed, Gu An was drenched in sweat, yet his excitement never wavered. A constant smile played on his lips.
Observing Gu An’s flushed face, Meng Lang noted, "The kid is really pushing himself in this heat. I like his spirit. We should definitely take care of him later—make sure he’s fed and protected so he can keep doing our chores."
Li Ya rolled his eyes and replied sourly, "There is hardly anyone in this valley; who would bully him? If the senior brother ever targets him, would you even dare to speak up?"
Meng Lang cleared his throat awkwardly and asked, "By the way, which Li family do you belong to?"
"The Li family of Changluo in Cangzhou," Li Ya answered flatly.
"Changluo? The imperial capital? Do you share the surname of the Imperial Family?" Meng Lang’s eyes went wide with shock.
Li Ya offered no further reply, choosing instead to watch Gu An in silence.
Meng Lang felt a sudden wave of unease. He hadn't expected to run into imperial royalty here.
On second thought, it made sense. This was the Supreme Sect, the premier Immortal Cultivation Sect of the Taicang Dynasty. The shared 'Tai' character in their names reflected the sect's divine status. It wasn't that strange for an imperial descendant to be found even in the lower ranks of such a place.
After a significant amount of time had passed,
Gu An finally finished gathering the fifty Red Spirit Flowers. He wrapped them carefully and stowed them in a bamboo basket. Hoisting the load onto his back, he glanced toward the other garden plots with growing anticipation.
The valley contained over fifteen different garden sectors; this was merely one small corner. He suspected that the herbs in the other areas might be even more valuable.
There was no rush!
Gu An didn't want to expose his Golden Finger just yet, so he decided that today's harvest was enough.
He walked toward the pavilion and signaled for Meng Lang and Li Ya to join him.
"Brother Gu An, you have worked so hard. Here, let me carry that," Meng Lang said with a forced laugh, remembering Gu An's name from their meeting with the Valley Master.
Gu An saw right through the gesture but simply smiled and handed over the basket.
Li Ya let out a quiet snort of contempt.
Gu An’s only goal was to keep his current position. He didn't want to overperform and risk being promoted or moved, so he let Meng Lang take the credit.
The trio entered the attic to meet their senior brother, Zhang Chunqiu.
Zhang Chunqiu looked up from his book as they entered. "Set the Red Spirit Flowers down. These three books are Basic Sorcery manuals left by the Master. Practice them in your spare time. If you work hard, you might one day leave this place and become true disciples of the Supreme Sect."
"Five years ago, a disciple here received a Spirit Pill from Master, successfully completed Foundation Establishment, and rose to become an Outer Disciple," he added.
With a flick of his wrist, three manuals flew from his sleeve and landed in their hands.
Gu An caught his and checked the cover.
Spring Wood Skill!
It sounded incredibly basic.
Still, Gu An wasn't upset. He knew he was at the very bottom of the Supreme Sect hierarchy.
After giving a few more warnings, Zhang Chunqiu told them to find quarters in the nearby courtyard. It was a place for Servant Disciples, and currently, only the four of them lived there. The Valley Master was away for the next few years, leaving Zhang Chunqiu as the sole authority in Medicine Valley.
Half an hour later,
Gu An collapsed onto a wooden bed, breathing heavily. His skin was still red from the prolonged sun exposure.
With a quick thought, the status screen appeared before his eyes.
[Name: Gu An]
[Life Span: 15/151]
[Spirit Root: Ordinary Five Elements Spirit Root (can invest life span to evolve in cultivation)]
[Cultivation Level: Nonexistent (can invest life span to evolve in cultivation)]
[Cultivation Technique: Fire Control Art (unmastered) (can invest life span to evolve in cultivation)]
...
In one single session, Gu An had gathered eighty-eight years of life span!
Previously, his total life span had been sixty-three years—twelve of which came from the flower pot incident at age ten—meaning his natural life span was only fifty years.
First-tier herbs only gave a year or two, but for a mortal, even one year was a treasure!
Gu An stared at his attributes, his excitement growing. Earning eighty-eight years so quickly made this job the best opportunity he could imagine!
He decided right then that he would stay in Medicine Valley forever!
He had no interest in becoming an Outer or Inner Sect Disciple.
He had heard that Official Disciples were sent into the Mortal World to battle terrifying demons and face constant peril.
Gu An had never even killed a chicken in his two lives, and back on Earth, he was just a normal guy. He had no desire for violence.
Remaining in Medicine Valley was superior in every way—safe, quiet, and perfect for hoarding life span!
Who declared that Immortal Cultivation had to be a bloody struggle?
Gu An drifted into a happy daydream, lost in the possibilities.
The night passed quickly.
Gu An rose early the next morning. After a brief wash, he sought out Zhang Chunqiu for his next assignment.
Zhang Chunqiu hadn't slept; he was busy with his Energy Absorption practice. He smiled, clearly pleased by Gu An’s dedication. He stood up, walked to the door, and pointed toward a specific plot of land.
"You can harvest the Spirit Heart Grass in that sector. When you are done, leave them by the door. There is no need to disturb me."
He waved his hand, and several sheets of Spirit Protection Paper drifted into Gu An’s grasp.
Seeing the excitement Gu An was trying to hide, Zhang Chunqiu hesitated for a moment before offering a kind, encouraging smile. "Junior brother, stay diligent and endure the hardships. You will surely find your way through."