Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Is That All?

The night was profoundly still, so quiet that even a falling needle would have echoed. Gu An leaned against the wall, his frustration mounting as he wondered why his heart was racing so uncontrollably.

Despite the lack of any audible movement outside, he felt an inexplicable, haunting certainty that the Demon of Greed was drawing near his home.

His eyes darted between the door and the windows. Thin beams of moonlight filtered through the crevices, appearing unnervingly bright and terrifying in the gloom.

Inside his robes, the trembling White Spirit Rat made Gu An’s chest itch. He felt a sudden impulse to toss the creature out, yet he couldn't bring himself to do it.

Time crawled by as Gu An held his breath, focusing every sense on the environment.

Never before had he craved the arrival of dawn as desperately as he did in this moment.

The Supreme Sect was far from a safe haven!

He realized then that he needed to amass a much greater life span in the future. While maintaining a low profile, his growth in strength must never falter!

Lost in these grim thoughts, Gu An didn't notice how much time had slipped away until his vision suddenly locked onto the door's threshold.

The entrance was less than a meter to his left. Bathed in moonlight, a dark shadow began to creep through the crack of the door, sending a violent shiver down his spine.

The Demon of Greed!

It had arrived!

Gu An’s heart leaped into his throat, every muscle in his body coiling with tension.

For a second, he felt a frantic urge to bolt outside!

Suddenly!

Gu An’s entire frame stiffened. He felt the sensation of a damp hand resting upon his head. Sharp nails dug into his forehead, and a cold dread washed over him.

His mind went blank. He slowly, cautiously tilted his head upward, only to find a pale arm extending from the darkness above. It looked like the limb of a woman, yet the hand atop his head possessed nails as sharp as predatory claws.

The owner of the arm leaned out from the shadows. A feral, disheveled face pushed forward; her features were a blur of horror, save for a mouth stretching wide to reveal dripping fangs.

She was grinning!

Damn it!

Driven to the brink of madness by pure terror, Gu An lashed out in a fit of rage, his arm swinging in a violent slap against the face of the Demon of Greed.

Boom!

The roof of the house was obliterated. Flesh and gore sprayed across the interior as roof tiles and turf were sent flying dozens of feet into the air, vanishing into the night.

Under the pitch-black sky, the mountains and forests surrounding Medicine Valley loomed like silent demons and specters.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

Gu An gasped for air, his right arm still raised and trembling. His palm was stained with blood, and the ichor of the Demon of Greed was splattered across his face.

Even after the chaos subsided, Gu An’s pulse refused to slow down.

Moonlight poured through the ruined roof, illuminating the wreckage of the room.

A gruesome bloom of blood adorned the wall, looking both horrific and surreal, while a pale, severed arm lay discarded at Gu An’s feet.

It took ten long breaths for Gu An to regain his composure.

[You have successfully taken 52 years of life from the Demon of Greed (Tier 2)]

He stared at the notification floating before him. Though still panting, a strange expression crossed his face.

"Was that really it?"

Gu An felt a sense of absurdity. Was he exceptionally powerful, or were the likes of Chu Jingfeng and the others simply too weak?

In the midst of his confusion, he heard the faint sound of a door opening nearby. He immediately dropped to the floor, shut his eyes, and pulled the severed arm of the Demon of Greed over his body.

To make the scene more convincing, he reached out, forced the demon's cold fingers open, and clamped them around his own neck. Having staged the struggle, he went limp and pretended to be unconscious.

As autumn drew near, the sweltering heat began to fade.

Gu An was busy harvesting Calming Grass in its designated plot while Li Ya and Meng Lang stood by the wooden fence, observing his progress.

Li Ya was heavily bandaged, with half his body wrapped in white cloth. Two jagged scars marred his face, nearly reaching his right eye—a grim testament to the ordeal he had survived.

Meng Lang, who appeared largely unscathed, watched Gu An and clicked his tongue. "The kid is still happily picking herbs, as if the encounter with the Demon of Greed never happened."

Li Ya remained stoic, the scars making him look even more formidable. He replied softly, "Perhaps he finds peace in his work. Who knows if he still smiles once he's behind closed doors?"

The events of four nights ago felt like a recent nightmare. Whenever Li Ya thought back to his clash with the Demon of Greed, a wave of fear still washed over him.

His survival had been a matter of pure luck.

Chu Jingfeng had fared worse, losing an entire arm in the struggle, while Cheng Xuandan, Zhang Chunqiu, and Meng Lang had escaped without injury.

The following morning, the Supreme Sect had dispatched several cultivators. All possessed higher cultivation than Chu Jingfeng, with the leader having reached the ninth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm. They had interrogated Gu An, who played the part of a terrified victim perfectly, claiming he knew nothing of how the beast died.

The investigators ultimately decided that a mysterious benefactor must have intervened to save the Medicine Valley servant. Since Gu An lacked even a shred of spiritual power, it was deemed impossible for him to have slain the Demon of Greed.

Following the incident, Gu An moved to a different room. Zhang Chunqiu began treating him with extra kindness, seemingly burdened by guilt.

While Li Ya and Meng Lang talked, Gu An was quietly enjoying the rewards of harvesting life span from the second-tier herbs.

These plants granted him between two and five years of life each. By assisting Li Ya and the others, he managed to collect sixty stalks, making for a very productive day.

Naturally, his thoughts drifted back to the Demon of Greed.

Killing the creature had yielded fifty-two years of life. Did that mean hunting demons was a more efficient way to grow his longevity?

However, the memory of that terrifying night and the sight of his injured comrades quickly quelled that thought.

It wasn't worth the risk!

He wasn't in a desperate rush to grow stronger. Why gamble with his life?

Indeed.

He had to avoid recklessness and focus on developing in secret!

A short while later.

Gu An finished gathering the sixty stalks of Calming Grass. He carried the bamboo basket over to Meng Lang to deliver the harvest.

Meng Lang cleared his throat, looking slightly sheepish. "You should be the one to report this to the eldest apprentice brother this time."

Remembering his own lackluster performance during the demon attack, he no longer felt right taking credit for Gu An’s hard work.

Gu An didn't argue and offered a smile. "Alright."

He gave a polite nod to Li Ya before making his way toward Zhang Chunqiu’s loft.

Li Ya departed toward the distant woods, leaving Meng Lang to stand there awkwardly, rubbing his nose.

Inside the hall.

Gu An presented the Calming Grass to Zhang Chunqiu. Instead of dismissing him, the eldest apprentice brother engaged him in small talk, asking about his well-being and sleep.

Zhang Chunqiu was haunted by the image of the Demon of Greed choking Gu An. He felt a deep sense of shame; as the eldest, failing to protect his junior was a blow to his pride.

He appreciated Gu An’s honesty and obedience. It would have been a tragedy if such a loyal disciple had perished.

"Listen, regarding the Demon of Greed—let's not mention it again. I've heard rumors that the beast belonged to an Elder within the Sect. Keep this to yourself; act as if it never occurred," Zhang Chunqiu advised solemnly.

Gu An’s brow furrowed at the news.

So that was the truth. It explained why the demon had been allowed to terrorize the area for so long.

Zhang Chunqiu added with a look of unease, "We cannot afford to offend such powerful figures. They could wipe Medicine Valley off the map with a single command. Given your background, you understand how status dictates our lives. Patience is the only way to survive."

He reached into his robes and produced a manual. "This is a Secret Technique Master prepared for you. It cost him five years of Sect contribution points. He felt you deserved compensation for what you endured."

Gu An’s face lit up with feigned joy as he accepted the book. The title on the cover read:

Residual Wind Leg!

"Thank you, eldest apprentice brother! Please thank Master for me!" Gu An bowed deeply in gratitude.

Zhang Chunqiu smiled kindly. "Practice it whenever you can. It might save you one day. Just keep this away from Meng Lang. As for Li Ya, his talent is exceptional, and Master intends to help him reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. He will likely move on from Medicine Valley within two years."

Gu An wasn't surprised. Keeping someone of Li Ya’s caliber in a place like this would indeed be a waste of potential.

After a few more pleasantries, Zhang Chunqiu dismissed him.

As the door clicked shut, Zhang Chunqiu whispered to himself, "Such a good-hearted boy. He’ll be able to care for Master once I finally leave this mountain... Lotus, just wait for me..."

Descending the stairs, Gu An’s pace faltered for a split second before he continued on his way.

Though the Demon of Greed hadn't claimed any lives in the valley, it had fundamentally shifted the mood. Li Ya became even more reclusive, spending all his free time training in the woods, and even Meng Lang began to take his Cultivation more seriously.

Gu An spent a month studying the Residual Wind Leg. He only managed to grasp the most basic form of the technique, which discouraged him. He eventually set it aside, deciding to rely on his luck later.

The seasons shifted, and the ground of Medicine Valley was soon carpeted in autumn leaves.

Gu An remained the busiest person in the valley, his presence seen everywhere. Zhang Chunqiu’s trust in him grew to the point where he no longer felt the need to oversee his tasks. Meanwhile, Cheng Xuandan remained hoistered away, obsessed with refining elixirs.

Autumn gave way to a snowy winter, turning Medicine Valley into a world of white.

A new year arrived amidst the heavy snowfall.

As the snow finally began to melt, visitors from outside the valley arrived, specifically seeking Gu An.

In his room, Gu An closed the door and poured hot tea for a young man sitting at the table.

The youth wore the blue robes of a Supreme Sect Outer Disciple. He scanned the room before asking, "How have you been these last eighteen months?"

Back when they followed Ji Xiaoyu to the Supreme Sect, five people had come along, including Gu An and this youth, both formerly house servants.

The youth, Du Ye, possessed a Four Spirits Root. With the Ji Family's backing, he had secured a spot in the Outer Sect and had clearly flourished over the past year.

"I've been well," Gu An answered simply.

Du Ye shook his head, looking at his old friend. "You were so stubborn about coming here. With the third miss's help, we could have easily gotten you into the Outer Sect. Why choose to rot here with no hope of Cultivation?"

Gu An glanced at Du Ye’s remaining life span—less than a hundred and fifty years—and compared it to his own nearly thousand-year reserve. He smiled and said, "My talent is poor, and I'm not fond of pain or danger. This quiet life suits me perfectly."

Du Ye laughed and teased him for a moment before getting to the point. "Young Master Ji Lin wants to build a power base for the third miss within the Sect. We all need to do our part. You need to gather medicinal herbs diligently. I'll be coming by every six months to collect them."

"These will be used as leverage for Young Master Ji Lin to build alliances with other disciples."

"I understand, that's fine," Gu An agreed immediately. The herbs meant little to him anyway.

Satisfied with Gu An’s cooperation, Du Ye smiled.

After a bit more catching up, Gu An walked Du Ye to the valley entrance before heading back.

Returning to the courtyard, he found Li Ya waiting for him.

Li Ya walked up and pressed a manual against Gu An’s chest. "I’m leaving soon. Take this sword technique as a parting gift. Thank you for your help over the last year and a half."