Chapter 37 The Emperor's Recruitment
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A 3,000-year maximum lifespan?
Gu An was startled by the other party's lifespan information, it was the first time he had encountered someone with such qualifications.
Moreover, he was at the 8th floor of the Divinity Transformation Realm!
However, this lifespan seemed a bit low, not in line with Gu An's expectations for the Divinity Transformation Realm's lifespan, could someone in the Divinity Transformation Realm only live eight hundred ninety-nine years?
Gu An speculated that the other party might have been injured, losing some of his lifespan.
He immediately walked over, while contemplating in his mind, he guessed that the other party might be a high-ranking member of the Supreme Sect, but he couldn't be too respectful since the other party had suppressed his aura.
If he could see through the other party's cultivation level, the other party would certainly be relentless, and might even treat him as a spy for the Demon Dao.
Li Xuandao walked towards the interior of the valley, surveying the surrounding gardens as he went.
Gu An approached him, cupped his fist, and asked, "I am Gu An, Valley Master of Profound Valley, may I know your esteemed name, and what brings you here?"
Li Xuandao's gaze landed on Gu An, his eyes indifferent with an immense sense of oppression.
He cracked a smile, and the oppressiveness vanished, giving an illusory impression as he spoke gently, "I'm Xuandao, from Cangzhou, here to visit my children at the Supreme Sect, the journey was long and arduous, I wish to rest in your valley for a few days to restore my Spiritual Power, would the Valley Master grant me this favor?"
Upon hearing this, how could Gu An refuse? He immediately agreed and then called for Xiaochuan to arrange accommodations for Li Xuandao.
Gu An didn't watch Li Xuandao, to prevent arousing suspicion.
"Surnamed Li, visiting children, could it be a person from the Royal Family?" Gu An was inwardly curious.
So many other Medicine Valleys in the Outer Sect to visit, yet he came to Profound Valley, likely it has to do with Li Ya.
Gu An continued his patrol of the gardens, all as usual.
On the other side.
Xiaochuan led Li Xuandao to an uninhabited house, saying, "The place is plain, don't look down upon it, if you need anything, just let me or the other disciples know."
Li Xuandao nodded, then inquired, "On the way here, I saw sheep in the forest, and disciples tending to them, aren't you a Medicine Valley? Why do you have so many sheep?"
Xiaochuan didn't hide anything, he responded, "Originally, the valley only cultivated Medicinal Herbs, but my Spirit Root Qualification is limited, and I've given up on the idea of joining the Outer Sect. After learning that I like raising livestock, the eldest senior brother fulfilled my wish, meanwhile earning Spirit Stones to help more disciples practice and advance to the Outer Sect sooner."
"Oh? Is the eldest senior brother the Valley Master?"
"That's right."
"Then he's truly a good man, considering so much for you all."
"Indeed, my eldest senior brother is the best person in the world..."
Hearing Li Xuandao praise him, Xiaochuan immediately became joyful and began to praise Gu An endlessly.
This made Li Xuandao even more interested in Gu An, asking about more of his deeds, and without giving it much thought, Xiaochuan sat down with Li Xuandao and spoke with even more enthusiasm.
Gu An, who was inspecting the garden, had a smile lift the corners of his mouth, thinking to himself that he hadn't doted on this silly boy in vain.
No matter whether Li Xuandao was related to Li Ya or a high-ranking member of the Supreme Sect, having a good image was always a good thing.
It couldn't possibly be that Li Xuandao was from the Thousand-Autumn Pavilion, right?
Wait!
Thousand-Autumn Pavilion!
Gu An suddenly felt a chill up his spine, his smile stiffening.
Better safe than sorry!
He must be even more cautious when facing Li Xuandao in the future, safe sailing for ten thousand years.
Li Xuandao's arrival piqued the curiosity of the other disciples, as it was rare for visitors to come to Profound Valley.
That day, after Li Xuandao checked in, he didn't come out again, as if he was genuinely restoring his Spiritual Energy.
Because of Li Xuandao's visit, Gu An dared not venture to the Eight Scenic Cave Heaven, and spent the night honestly in the pavilion.
The next morning, as usual, Gu An led the disciples in their drills, and Li Xuandao, hearing the commotion, came out to watch, with Xiaochuan greeting him warmly.
Gu An merely nodded to Li Xuandao, not avoiding him.
As the morning drills started, Li Xuandao didn't care much at first, but as he watched longer, he found it quite interesting.
After the drills, Gu An dismissed the disciples and took a book out of his bosom, flipping through it as he walked towards the pavilion.
At this moment, he had to remain calm, not letting Li Xuandao's visit disrupt his normal state of life.
However, as soon as he stepped into the courtyard, Li Xuandao caught up.
"Valley Master, what are you reading?" Li Xuandao asked with a chuckle.
Gu An turned around, holding up the book, and said, "The Investiture of the Gods, have you read it?"
Li Xuandao's smile broadened, he replied, "I have indeed, and I know it by heart."
"Oh? So you're a fellow enthusiast?"
"Ha ha ha, I felt a kindred spirit with the Valley Master upon first meeting, shall we talk about The Investiture of the Gods?"
Hearing Li Xuandao's insincere words, Gu An could only respond with a smile.
He invited Li Xuandao upstairs, and once Li Xuandao was seated, he began to boil water for tea with his Spiritual Power.
Li Xuandao looked around the room, then asked, "Valley Master, what's your view on King Zhou?"
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Well, buddy!
Coming at me with a test right out the gate?
Gu An, with his back to Li Xuandao, replied as he put tea leaves into a cup, "Just from the story alone, he seems cruel and inhumane, but on close examination, his actions are somewhat illogical."
Li Xuandao, after listening, commented with emotion, "Yeah, when I read it for the first time, I thought King Zhou was foolish and brutal, but upon reading it again, I felt something was off. In the world of the book, Immortal Gods really exist, and King Zhou couldn't possibly have been unaware. Under such circumstances, he still dares to desecrate the sacred image of Nvwa—it doesn't seem like something a monarch would do."
"And Nvwa herself, she's high and mighty, yet when faced with mortals who desecrate her image, she doesn't punish them directly, but sends a fox demon to disrupt the Emperor's heart, causing chaos in the world. Can such actions truly befit an Immortal, let alone a God?"
Gu An turned around, holding the tea cup, and walked over to the table, placing it in front of Li Xuandao.
He began to laugh, "There are indeed many inconsistencies, but after all, it's a story made up by humans, written with contradictions to make it more interesting, so it's understandable."
He couldn't discern Li Xuandao's identity, so he kept his stance ambiguous.
Li Xuandao shook his head, "Perhaps the story is fake, but the society it reveals is real—it's a society where divine beings are believed to exist just three feet above one's head, and where people cannot overcome heaven."
Gu An hadn't expected him to interpret "The Investiture of the Gods" in such a way.
"What if King Zhou was powerful enough to dominate over all the Immortal God sects? How then would the story be written?" Li Xuandao asked.
Gu An thought for a moment, then said, "In that case, the struggle in the end wouldn't be with the Heaven-Reaching Sect Master, but with King Zhou."
Li Xuandao stared blankly for a moment, unable to suppress a chuckle, then he picked up the tea cup and blew away the steam.
Gu An couldn't be sure about his smile and had to remain silent.
After Li Xuandao took a sip of the tea, he began to inquire about the cultivation in Profound Valley, even asking some detailed questions about planting, to which Gu An responded one by one.
"You joined the Supreme Sect without seeking Immortality, and you focus on growing flowers and herbs—is this out of helplessness, or do you genuinely enjoy it?" Li Xuandao asked.
Gu An replied with a bitter smile, "It's a bit of both, desperation and affection. Everyone has their own pursuits. Longevity and immortality aren't necessarily the only meanings in life. Of course, if I had outstanding talent, I'd also seek immortality."
Li Xuandao teased, "You really are an interesting character, not the least bit secretive."
"In this life, looking back at the past and towards the future, there are only four words: finding joy amidst hardship," Gu An answered with a shrug.
He was becoming more suspicious that Li Xuandao was from the Thousand-Autumn Pavilion and wanted to test his attitude toward Profound Valley.
Li Xuandao put down the tea cup and asked, "What do you think of the current Sage Emperor? Do you see him as King Zhou?"
Gu An was stunned.
The topic changed so abruptly?
How did we suddenly start talking about the Emperor of the Tai Cang Dynasty?
Could it be that he's not from the Thousand-Autumn Pavilion, and is truly a relative of Li Ya?
Gu An's thoughts raced, and he replied, "I don't know much, after all, before I joined the Supreme Sect, I was just a house servant, and now in Medicine Valley, I am even more out of touch with the outside world. Why, has the Sage Emperor done something?"
Li Xuandao laughed, "No, it's just that he has been in power for too long. There is much talk about him in both the court and among the common people. The secular world seems to think that an Emperor cannot rule for too long; if he does, he will eventually become incompetent. Meanwhile, the Immortal Cultivation Realm fears that the Emperor might gain Immortal Cultivation and thus place the imperial power above the Immortal Cultivation Realm."
Gu An became nervous.
This topic was too sensitive, touching on too many layers of society, and he dared not speak recklessly.
Seeing Gu An reluctant to continue, Li Xuandao said jokingly, "Do you think it's better for an Emperor to reign for a long time, or is it better to have a change every few decades?"
Knowing that he dared not disobey someone who had a Cultivation Level of the eighth floor of the Divinity Transformation Realm, Gu An answered after a moment of contemplation, "In my opinion, it depends on the Emperor's character. If he is wise and can rule the world well, there's no problem with him staying in power. If the Emperor is wise and has many years of life span left, but abdicates to an incompetent son, that would be a disaster for the people. The common folks don't care about a thousand autumns; they live only about a hundred years. If they suffer in this life, they will blame that Emperor for abdicating."
Li Xuandao laughed again, and Gu An clearly felt his mood improve.
Wait a minute!
A relative of Li Ya, surnamed Li, first talking about King Zhou, then inquiring about the current Emperor...
Gu An had previously heard in the Ji Family that the Emperor of the Tai Cang Dynasty also practiced Immortal Cultivation and had been on the throne for two hundred years.
"You make a good point, I really shouldn't listen to those voices; I should go and see the lives of the common people for myself," Li Xuandao said cheerfully.
Upon hearing this, Gu An's face changed dramatically, and he exclaimed in shock, "You... You are the current Sage Emperor?"
Saying so, he was about to stand up.
Li Xuandao raised his hand, and a powerful pressure pushed Gu An back down; he did not resist, to avoid revealing his own Cultivation Level.
"Keep it down. You don't need to regard me as the Emperor; just think of me as Li Ya's father, and call me Uncle," Li Xuandao said with a laugh, his smile warm and lacking any imperial solemnity.
Gu An, however, did not know how to respond.
An Emperor with a Cultivation Level of the eighth floor of the Divinity Transformation Realm!
This was big trouble!
Li Xuandao spoke up, "Bring out the Celestial Star."
Upon hearing this, Gu An immediately took out the Celestial Star Sword from the Storage Pouch.
Li Xuandao's expression became complex as he saw the Celestial Star Sword; he picked up the scabbard and gently touched it.
Gu An recalled Li Ya's words: the Celestial Star Sword was a gift from his father to his mother, and after her death, the sword passed into his hands...
Now, seeing Li Xuandao's expression, Gu An began to imagine the possible love and grudges between Li Xuandao and Li Ya's mother.
After a long time.
Li Xuandao put down the Celestial Star Sword and pushed it towards Gu An, saying, "In the Supreme Sect, your relationship with Li Ya is the best, and I heard that you even saved him. Take this sword; I bestow it upon you, and from now on, you will be the master of the Celestial Star Sword."
"Additionally, I am planning to establish a Medicine Valley near the Supreme Sect, where many High-Tier Cultivation Herbs will be planted. You will help me manage it, and I won't let you down. In the future, helping you reach Foundation Establishment, and even Core Formation, will be no difficult task. However, you need to understand one thing: on the surface, you will be a disciple of the Supreme Sect, but your heart belongs to me."