Chapter 230 The successor to the sect leader!

Gu An watched for a moment before retracting his gaze. Without knowing what the other party intended, he had no desire to provoke them.

The Ocean Rift had existed for many years without causing disaster. Gu An hoped this period of peace would last a little longer—it would give him time to grow.

He picked up Adventures of the Green Hero from the table and began flipping through it. This was the latest volume, personally delivered by Xuantian Yi. He had already read it several times, yet each time, he discovered a new flavor in its pages.

Xuantian Yi might seem arrogant and unruly, but in reality, he was meticulous—especially skilled at portraying women in his writing.

Deep into the Night

Yang hesitated beside the Blood Prison Great Saint, words on the tip of his tongue but left unspoken.

The Blood Prison Great Saint stood up and left behind a single sentence before swaggering off with his ox-like gait.

“Follow me.”

Yang sighed helplessly and could only follow.

“Oh well, if humoring it makes it happier, maybe it’ll stop tormenting me so much in the future.” Yang thought to himself, his mood suddenly improving.

Man and ox traveled several miles into a sparse forest, where the chirping of insects echoed in the open space.

The Blood Prison Great Saint turned to face Yang Shi, then began channeling his energy. Instantly, his crimson fur stirred as if ignited by blood flames, and a fierce aura erupted from within him.

“Hmm?”

Yang Shi’s eyes widened, and he instantly became alert.

This aura…

Could it be that this lazy ox actually knew magic?

The Blood Prison Great Saint let out a deep, guttural roar. Yang’s ears rang as if an explosion had gone off beside him, and his mind buzzed in chaos.

It took him quite some time to recover. When he finally regained his senses, he looked at the Blood Prison Great Saint in shock. The great ox still maintained its imposing aura, looking even more intimidating under the dark night.

Yang’s eyes burned with excitement as he gazed at the Blood Prison Great Saint.

Lifting its head proudly, the Blood Prison Great Saint declared, “This is a technique from the Blood Prison Divine Art, called the Blood Prison Roar. At the small accomplishment stage, it can cause opponents to become disoriented in battle. If mastered fully, a single roar could kill an enemy outright.”

“That powerful?! I want to learn it! Teach me!” Yang was completely fired up. His entire perception of the Blood Prison Great Saint had undergone a drastic transformation.

The Blood Prison Great Saint smirked smugly. “Training in the Blood Prison Roar isn’t easy. Are you prepared to endure hardship?”

“I’m not afraid of hardship!” Yang Shi responded with unwavering determination.

The Blood Prison Great Saint grinned widely. Under Gu An’s spiritual perception, a smiling ox seemed particularly eerie.

Was this guy up to something shady?

Winter Fades, Spring Arrives

As the seasons changed, the Third Medicine Valley began preparations for the Spring Festival once again.

On this day, Wu Jue arrived. However, since Gu An was absent, he could only wander around the valley.

He spotted a young cultivator who had once guided him through the valley, now carrying buckets of water. Wu Jue walked over and smiled, “Hey, little brother, aren’t you a cultivator? Why are you fetching water yourself?”

Yang’s eyes lit up when he saw Wu Jue. He would never forget Wu Jue’s graceful movement techniques—like an immortal descending from the heavens.

He opened his mouth to respond, “Th-this… is… o-our… t-train-training… m-method…”

His voice was hoarse and broken, his words halting and fragmented, making Wu Jue frown in discomfort.

“What happened to your voice?” Wu Jue asked with a furrowed brow.

“T-tra…ining…” Yang struggled to reply.

Wu Jue shook his head with an amused chuckle, patted Yang Shi on the shoulder, and turned to leave.

He only remembered Yang Shi because Gu An had asked for his opinion on the boy before departing. Being someone that Gu An took note of naturally piqued his interest.

But looking at him now, this kid’s aptitude seemed rather mediocre. After so many years, his cultivation hadn’t improved much at all.

Unaware of Wu Jue’s thoughts, Yang was already overjoyed just to be acknowledged by him.

Wu Jue continued strolling through the valley.

Half an hour later, he finally sensed Gu An’s presence. But when he turned his head to look, his brows furrowed.

There were two women by Gu An’s side!

“Where’s Miss Shen?” Wu Jue thought in confusion. He had always assumed that Gu An and Shen Zhen were mutually interested in each other. But now, seeing Gu An chatting and laughing with two women, he was instantly displeased.

“Gu An, how could you do this to Miss Shen?!”

Gu An descended with Ye Lan and Zhen Qin. The two women were filled with curiosity about the Third Medicine Valley, asking endless questions, which Gu An patiently answered with a smile.

As soon as the three landed, Wu Jue strode forward and pointed at Zhen Qin, “Gu An, who is she?”

His tone was harsh, making Zhen Qin look at him in confusion.

He recognized Ye Lan as Gu An’s junior sister. But seeing Zhen Qin clinging to Gu An’s arm affectionately, he immediately felt something was off.

Zhen Qin’s eyes brightened. “You must be Wu Jue?”

Ye Lan nodded, “Yes, he’s the true legacy disciple of Taixuan Sect who recently made a name for himself—Wu Jue.”

Looking at Wu Jue, she felt a wave of nostalgia.

Back during the Golden Ranking Tournament, she had met Wu Jue through Gu An. Back then, Wu Jue had surprised her, but she never expected him to reach such heights.

“Why does my senior brother always attract so many geniuses?”

Gu An chuckled. “This is my disciple, Zhen Qin. Let’s go inside and talk.”

Hearing this, Wu Jue’s expression softened.

“When is Miss Shen arriving?” Wu Jue asked, still convinced that Gu An and Shen Zhen were meant to be.

Gu An replied casually, “How would I know?”

Zhen Qin’s gaze flickered between Gu An and Wu Jue, as if deep in thought.

As the four of them walked toward the pavilion, Zhen Qin kept asking Wu Jue questions enthusiastically, making him a little flustered.

Before they could reach the pavilion, a figure suddenly flew over.

Gu An felt a headache coming on.

“Miss Shen!” Wu Jue called out excitedly, waving at her.

Ye Lan and Zhen Qin turned to look.

Shen Zhen descended beside Zhen Qin, dressed in a flowing white gown with a veil covering her face—like a celestial maiden gracing the mortal realm. Her presence was extraordinary.

She smiled and greeted Wu Jue, “Long time no see.”

Shen Zhen had been in seclusion for years and was unaware of Wu Jue’s recent fame.

Her gaze swept over Ye Lan and Zhen Qin, filled with curiosity.

Gu An tried to maintain a calm expression as he introduced them to one another. The three women exchanged pleasantries, but Gu An could sense the undercurrents in the air.

“Well, well, Gu An, you’ve got quite the harem, haven’t you?”

Suddenly, You Yingying appeared with a mischievous grin.

Wu Jue’s loud voice had drawn her attention. Seeing Ye Lan, Zhen Qin, and Shen Zhen surrounding Gu An while Wu Jue stood at a polite distance, she knew she was in for some entertainment.

Gu An’s face darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense!”

Ye Lan glanced at You Yingying and asked, “And who might you be?”

“I’m You Yingying, just a humble errand girl for Gu An.” She said playfully, though no one believed her—what kind of errand girl dared to call the Valley Master by name?

You Yingying smirked. “Oh, by the way, Senior Lu should be returning for the festival.”

Gu An’s expression remained unchanged. “Let her come if she wants.”

Ye Lan squinted at him. “Senior Lu—man or woman?”

“A woman, of course. Lu Lingjun. You Taixuan disciples should’ve heard of her—she’s a grandmaster of the Profound Mind Realm!”

Ye Lan and Zhen Qin’s faces shifted.

Shen Zhen, on the other hand, smiled like a crescent moon, looking at You Yingying with admiration.

“What a talent. I like her!”

Gu An took Ye Lan’s hand and led her toward the pavilion. Her cheeks flushed slightly, and Zhen Qin quickly followed, as if she had just won a battle. She even shot You Yingying a smug look.

You Yingying rolled her eyes at Zhen Qin before turning away. Meanwhile, Shen Zhen quietly trailed behind.

Wu Jue remained standing in place, watching the three women’s retreating figures. After some thought, he decided against following them.

“If they actually start fighting, I’ll just step in to protect Gu An.”

He shook his head and sighed.

“No wonder Gu An isn’t focused on cultivating—he’s too busy tending to his peach blossoms. Master was right. Women are obstacles on the path to immortality… they’re heart demons!”

With that, he continued strolling through Medicine Valley.

Inside the Pavilion

Gu An poured tea for the three women.

Ye Lan and Shen Zhen quickly fell into conversation. Having spent years in the Law Enforcement Hall, Ye Lan was tactful in her interactions, making their exchange feel both natural and harmonious.

Despite the laughter and casual talk, Gu An could sense an undercurrent of tension.

Shen Zhen suddenly turned to him and asked, “After Journey to the West, will you write another book? I’d love to see what happens to Sun Wukong after he becomes the Victorious Fighting Buddha.”

Ye Lan and Zhen Qin had already known Gu An was Pan An, the famous writer. But hearing Shen Zhen bring it up still made them curious, and they eagerly turned to him, waiting for his response.

Zhen Qin, in particular, gazed at him with admiration. “Master’s cultivation talent might be mediocre, but his writing is absolutely incredible!” she thought to herself.

By now, more and more people had discovered Gu An’s secret identity. He no longer cared that Shen Zhen had openly exposed him. After all, his apparent cultivation level wasn’t weak anymore—he could protect himself.

He shrugged and replied, “No, I’m too busy researching other things.”

Shen Zhen looked disappointed but quickly smiled and started praising Journey to the West.

She preferred it over Romance of the Gods, believing that Journey to the West carried deeper meaning—perhaps even a critique of something.

Ye Lan eagerly joined the discussion, while Zhen Qin simply stared at Gu An with sparkling eyes. She had been too focused on cultivation these past years and hadn’t realized how influential Journey to the West had become. It had even surpassed Romance of the Gods in popularity.

An Unexpected Guest

Half an hour later, another guest arrived at Medicine Valley, bringing Gu An much-needed relief.

Lü Baitian.

As soon as he entered, Ye Lan and Zhen Qin immediately stood up and saluted. As true legacy disciples, they had, of course, encountered Lü Baitian before.

Shen Zhen also greeted him respectfully.

Lü Baitian, however, was more focused on something else.

“This kid is impressive. Look at all these beauties around him—he’s even better than me!”

Suppressing his amusement, he said with a straight face, “You three should go out and explore for a bit. I have something to discuss with Gu An.”

Zhen Qin, ever curious, asked, “Sect Master, are you close with my master?”

Lü Baitian glanced at her. Since she was Gu An’s disciple, he answered with a smile, “Of course. He’s my chosen successor. The Golden Ranking Tournament, the World’s Number One Sword Dao Tournament, the Alchemy Tournament—all of them were his ideas. From now on, you can call me ‘Grandmaster.’”

The room fell into stunned silence.

Gu An inwardly groaned. “Crap.”

Shen Zhen was also taken aback. She knew Gu An and Lü Baitian were close, but she had assumed it was because of Pan An’s identity. She hadn’t expected Lü Baitian to value him this much.

Seeing Gu An’s troubled expression, Lü Baitian chuckled. “Forget it. You don’t have to leave. Stay and listen.”

The three women immediately bowed in gratitude, but when they turned back to Gu An, their eyes were filled with suspicion.

Gu An felt a shiver down his spine.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep