Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Demon of Greed

High noon had arrived.

Standing before a wooden garden fence, Gu An, Meng Lang, and Li Ya were gathered together. Meng Lang leaned in, his eyes filled with curiosity as he inspected the white-haired elderly rodent held in Gu An's grip.

After a moment of reflection, Li Ya remarked, "This appears to be a White Spirit Rat. They are known as Treasure Hunting Rats because of their intense attraction to areas dense with spiritual energy. They are just barely categorized as spirit beasts."

"What actually separates a spirit beast from a demon beast?" Meng Lang felt compelled to ask.

"Demon beasts are creatures that have actively cultivated themselves into being. In contrast, spirit beasts possess a natural, innate connection to the world's spiritual energy from birth. While they can also practice cultivation, their aura lacks the gore-stained scent of demon energy. Simply put, spirit beasts aren't nearly as lethal as demon beasts," Li Ya clarified.

Hearing this explanation, Gu An's desire to kill the small creature vanished instantly.

Meng Lang’s fascination only grew. He let out a small chuckle and said, "Hey Gu An, why don't you just hand that old mouse over to me?"

Gu An’s brow twitched as he cursed the boy in his mind. This animal actually had the nerve to demand it!

Li Ya intervened with a cold tone, "White Spirit Rats are rarely solitary. If one is here, a burrow is likely nearby. Go find your own. It is beneath a cultivator to squabble over a single rodent."

Flushing with irritation at the rebuke, Meng Lang snorted, "Fine, I'll go catch my own then!"

He turned on his heel and marched away.

Once the boy was out of earshot, Gu An turned to Li Ya and said, "I appreciate it."

Gu An realized that while Li Ya seemed distant, he was actually quite noble and easy to talk to. He never barred Gu An from observing his sword practice, and today he had stepped in to speak up for him.

Without Li Ya’s intervention, Gu An would have faced a headache. If he had been forced to beat Meng Lang into submission, the brat’s loud wailing would have surely caused a massive scene!

Li Ya studied Gu An with a searching gaze. "You seem different lately," he noted softly. "I can't quite identify what it is, but something has changed."

Suddenly, Li Ya’s hand shot out to grab Gu An’s wrist. Though the movement appeared incredibly slow to Gu An’s enhanced perception, he chose not to dodge, instead feigning a look of shock.

"Brother Li, what is the meaning of this..."

"It is nothing."

Releasing his grip, Li Ya paused for a second before continuing, "Your internal aura is steady and your physique is healthy, though you lack spiritual power. Even if your talent is considered low, you must not neglect your cultivation. Through persistence, a path always opens."

Gu An nodded respectfully and began engaging in small talk following the advice.

Li Ya was unusually talkative today, seemingly in high spirits. Through their conversation, Gu An's knowledge of the Immortal Cultivation World expanded significantly.

He had to admit that those from the Imperial Family were exceptional; they possessed vast wisdom without ever needing to leave their homes.

By the time half a stick of incense would have burned away, Meng Lang came rushing back.

"We have a major problem!" Meng Lang whispered urgently as he reached Gu An's side, his expression fraught with worry.

Gu An shifted his gaze toward the Medicine Valley's entrance.

"What has happened?" Li Ya inquired.

With wide eyes, Meng Lang explained, "A cultivator is posted at the valley entrance. I spoke to him, and he claims to be an Inner Sect Disciple. Apparently, he accepted a mission from our master to guard us for the next month."

"Master must have requested this because of that demon we discussed. If even an Inner Sect Disciple can't stop it, aren't we all doomed?"

Gu An had already spotted the figure in the distance. His sharpened sight allowed him to see the stranger's features clearly.

The man was a handsome youth in a green robe, possessing a distinguished air that marked him as someone special.

[Chu Jingfeng (Foundation Establishment Realm, Level One): 19/290/870]

Nineteen years old and already at the first level of the Foundation Establishment Realm?

A true prodigy!

It made perfect sense for him to be an Inner Sect Disciple.

Gu An felt a wave of complex emotions as he stared at the inspection data.

The Supreme Sect was truly worthy of being the Taicang Dynasty's premier institution; it was overflowing with geniuses.

As Li Ya and Meng Lang continued to debate the mysterious demon, Meng Lang found it hard to believe. He argued that it was ridiculous for a demon to evade the mighty Supreme Sect for half a month without being caught.

Li Ya disagreed, explaining that since the Supreme Sect was so massive and Medicine Valley sat on the periphery, it was common for disciples to encounter such threats.

"A century ago, a Demon Cultivator infiltrated the Supreme Sect, slaughtered hundreds of disciples, and escaped without a scratch. This demon likely possesses specific Secret Techniques that make it elusive," Li Ya said, his voice trailing off.

"It isn't just the Supreme Sect; nowhere on earth is truly safe. Every year, the Dynasty pours a staggering amount of Spirit Resources into the Demon-Suppressing Mansion..."

Li Ya went on to describe the chaotic state of the world. Gu An and Meng Lang listened intently, hanging on every word.

Having been raised within the sheltered Ji Family, Gu An had seen very little of the world. This was his first real realization of how perilous the landscape truly was.

With demons and malevolent spirits everywhere, nearly forty percent of all Cultivators met their end at the hands of these monsters.

The more Gu An heard, the more his fear deepened.

He resolved never to leave the sect. He would stay within the safety of the Supreme Sect and focus entirely on accumulating life span!

He would survive for a thousand or ten thousand years—long enough to see the Supreme Sect itself crumble!

"But this valley grows such important herbs. Why would the Sect only send one Inner Sect Disciple?" Meng Lang grumbled with indignity.

Li Ya shook his head. "The Supreme Sect manages over fifty such valleys. The herbs here aren't actually that rare. Deeper within the Sect, there are Medicine Valleys filled with divine resources that can fundamentally rewrite a person's destiny."

Gu An’s interest piqued at this, and he began pressing for more information about those legendary valleys.

However, Li Ya only knew of their existence and lacked specific details.

After their discussion ended, the three went their separate ways to perform their routine inspections of the herb gardens.

Once their duties were finished, they retreated to their respective quarters.

Gu An used a small cord to secure the White Spirit Rat so it wouldn't wander off.

Sitting cross-legged on his bed with the rat in his lap, he commenced his daily training.

He focused on the Dragon Strength Divine Primordial Skill, which bolstered both his physical power and his life span. He didn't bother with other techniques; he found it much easier to simply sacrifice his excess life span when needed.

As night fell, a profound silence enveloped Medicine Valley.

With his senses now incredibly sharp, Gu An could hear the muffled conversation between Cheng Xuandan and Chu Jingfeng over a hundred zhang away. The master's respectful tone toward the youth suggested Chu Jingfeng held significant status.

From their talk, Gu An finally learned the demon's name.

The Demon of Greed!

Chu Jingfeng sounded dismissive of the creature. His confident demeanor seemed to calm Cheng Xuandan, as Gu An could hear the master's racing heart begin to steady.

"The Demon of Greed..."

Gu An wondered if his Dragon Strength Divine Primordial Skill was enough to defeat such a being.

According to the skill's inherited knowledge, its Dragon Strength was specifically designed for suppressing demons and purging evil.

He had to be ready for the worst-case scenario—what if Chu Jingfeng failed?

Despite his massive pool of years, he still only had one life.

He wasn't willing to gamble with it.

That night, the erratic breathing of everyone in the valley betrayed their anxiety. Sensing their fear, Gu An felt his own nerves fraying.

He only managed to drift off to sleep when the first light of dawn appeared.

Over the following five days, there was no sign of the Demon of Greed, and Gu An’s tension slowly began to fade.

Then came the sixth day.

As evening arrived, Gu An returned to his room. He had borrowed four travelogues from the library to help him learn more about the world outside.

The White Spirit Rat crawled out from beneath the bed and hopped onto the table. Since being exposed to the aura of the Dragon Strength Divine Primordial Skill, it had become quite attached to him and no longer tried to flee.

Gu An sat down, played with the rat for a moment, and then opened a book titled "Green Hero Travelogue."

He left the window slightly ajar. A cool night air drifted in, making the oil lamp's flame dance and causing the rat’s shadow to stretch and shrink across the table.

The book was surprisingly gripping.

It detailed the romantic exploits of a hero traveling the world, fighting monsters, and having various flings along the way.

As he read late into the night, something felt off.

Every single woman the hero met seemed to fall for him instantly. The protagonist would always act reluctant, yet somehow always ended up in their arms...

Was this written by some frustrated scholar?

Gu An scoffed at the writing, yet he found himself unable to stop reading.

Whoosh—

A sudden, icy wind surged through the window. Despite his cultivation, Gu An felt a chill down his spine. He set the book aside and stood up to shut the window.

Before he could reach it, a distant sound caught his ear. He froze, listening intently.

"Demon! Face your end!"

Chu Jingfeng’s booming shout made the hair on Gu An's neck stand up.

The Demon of Greed was finally here.

Chu Jingfeng sounded fearless and ready for the fight, which was a reassuring sign.

"Ah—"

Just as Gu An started to relax, a piercing scream from Chu Jingfeng rang out. Terrified, Gu An slammed the window shut and blew out the lamp.

He scrambled into a dark corner. The White Spirit Rat, sensing the danger, leaped into his chest.

The tiny animal was shaking violently!

This only made Gu An even more frightened.

He had never dealt with demons before. The Ji Family had been too secure. As a child, the scariest things he knew were the family’s burly guardians.

"Chu Jingfeng, I hope you weren't just talking big... and Li Ya, with your special destiny, you better be a protagonist who can kill this thing and save us all..."

Gu An tried to steady his breathing, his hands balled into fists as he circulated the Dragon Strength within his meridians.

He heard the door next door fly open. It was Li Ya, drawing his blade and rushing out to help.

Meanwhile, Meng Lang proved to be even more of a coward than Gu An, diving under his bed. Gu An nearly cursed him out loud.

The brat usually acted so tough, playing the role of the elder brother, but he was the first to hide when things got real.

Every passing second felt like an eternity of torment.

Suddenly, Chu Jingfeng’s presence vanished from Gu An’s perception. He couldn't tell if the man was dead or just unconscious.

"Demon! Silence!"

Li Ya’s voice reached Gu An’s ears, sending a fresh wave of dread through him.

Was the demon going to devour them?

Then, a heavy thud echoed, and Li Ya’s voice was cut short.

Was it over? Had he been defeated that easily?

Gu An’s heart hammered against his ribs like a drum.

Cheng Xuandan and Zhang Chunqiu remained locked in their rooms, ignoring the chaos. They truly were a master and disciple pair of the same cloth.

Outside, a deathly silence fell. Even with his heightened senses, Gu An could no longer detect any sound or the presence of the Demon of Greed.