When I Achieved Sainthood, the Immortal Official Actually Called Me to Raise Horses!

Chapter 164: Demon Invasion—Descending the Mountain to Hunt!

As the year drew to a close, Gu An wandered through the Outer Sect City, listening to the excited chatter of disciples discussing the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path and his legendary slaying of the Six-Headed Flood Dragon, Luo.

Street vendors had even begun selling figurines and paintings of the slain demon king, some depicting his fierce battle, others illustrating his gruesome demise.

Staring at the images, Gu An unexpectedly thought of Shen Zhen.

She was still in seclusion. If she had been present, she might have been deeply inspired by this event.

He hadn’t seen her in years, and strangely enough, he missed her—not as a person, but for her storytelling talent.

He didn’t want Shen Zhen to give up writing, as long as she didn’t use him as inspiration for her next novel.

Roaming through the city, he enjoyed hearing disciples praise the Sword Sovereign, feeling a secret thrill. Even the lingering worries in his heart were momentarily eased.

The Northern Territory had been cleared of demons, and no other Demon King on par with the Six-Headed Flood Dragon had appeared. Everything seemed to be improving.

The Demonic Cataclysm was still looming.

Across the Da Jiang Empire’s northern borders, demons continued pouring into human lands, from east to west, infiltrating territories bordering the Demonic Lands. Though their numbers weren’t overwhelming yet, they were enough to pressure the sects.

For now, the infiltrating demons weren’t enough to shake the foundation of the Eight Dynasties.

That meant Gu An could continue biding his time.

After wandering for a while, he finally headed to the Library Hall to submit his latest book.

Then something unexpected happened.

Grand Elder Feng Shang approached him with a request—the sect wanted him to include the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path in Shattering the Void to glorify his image.

Gu An pretended to hesitate.

Then Feng Shang mentioned that the sect had prepared one hundred sixth-grade medicinal herb seeds for him.

At that, he reluctantly agreed.

When Spring Festival arrived, neither Ye Lan nor Zhen Qin returned.

Gu An spent the holiday with disciples, but something felt missing this year.

An unfamiliar unease crept into his heart.

Years later, when all his loved ones were gone, would New Year’s still be a celebration for him? Or would it be a day of sorrow?

Late at night, he arrived at Nianchu Cave Dwelling, and the melancholy slowly faded.

At the very least, Tian Yao’er would accompany him for eighteen thousand years. And if he could reach Nirvana, she could stay with him even longer.

Still, he had to learn to accept the impermanence of life. Only then could he truly walk the path of immortality.

By the stone table, Gu An and Tian Yao’er roasted lamb leg over an open flame. The warmth of their laughter filled the cave.

Tian Yao’er was never short of things to say, making the atmosphere feel festive despite the isolation.

Suddenly, she frowned and asked, "Master, I keep hearing a strange sound coming from outside. Could it be that a demon has found our cave?"

Her face was smeared with oil and seasoning, making her concerned expression look oddly amusing.

Gu An chuckled and reassured her, "Don't worry. I know the source of that sound. It’s just a guest staying on Phoenix Mountain for a while."

Hearing this, Tian Yao’er finally relaxed.

She took another bite of lamb before asking, "Master, where do you go when you leave the cave? Do you live among humans?"

"I have other cave dwellings to tend to."

Her eyes widened. "What?! Master, you’re not raising other demons too, are you?"

"A few, but none as strong as you."

She narrowed her eyes. "Are any of them female demons?"

Gu An laughed. "How could they be? They haven't even developed human forms yet."

Tian Yao’er beamed with relief, but her expression quickly changed as she asked, "Master, do you have a Dao companion?"

Gu An raised an eyebrow. "Where did you learn about Dao companions?"

"From the books you left behind! So… do you?"

Gu An casually replied, "Of course not."

Tian Yao’er grinned—only to be crushed by his next words.

"But there are a few women who might become my Dao companion. Honestly, I’m a bit troubled over who to choose."

Tian Yao’er put down her food, wiped her face, and asked seriously, "Master… what about me?"

Gu An gave her an unimpressed look. "You want to climb the ranks, huh?"

"No! It’s just… based on the books, I think I fit the standards. And I would never betray you like the Dao companions in those stories! I swear, I’d follow you in life and death!" ᚱÃΝO͍ＢËꞨ

Gu An sighed internally.

Follow me in life and death?

I plan to live forever—I don’t want to die with you.

His goal was immortality, surpassing even the heavens themselves.

He flicked her forehead and said, "Focus on cultivation, little demon. Whether human or demon, training should always come first. Emotions are just a secondary pursuit."

Tian Yao’er pouted. "Fine… but what kind of Dao companion would you even want?"

Gu An smirked. "I was joking earlier. I don’t plan to have a Dao companion. Watching someone die before you—what’s the point in that?"

Tian Yao’er thought about it and nodded. "That… actually makes sense."

"Good. I let you read books to learn about the world, not to dwell on romance."

"Got it! No romance! But if you change your mind, I’m always available!"

Gu An instinctively glanced downward, but quickly looked away.

He swiftly changed the subject to cultivation techniques, and though Tian Yao’er pouted, she still listened carefully.

After all, she only got to see Gu An twice a month, and she cherished every second.

With the Sword Sovereign’s name spreading across the world, the Taixuan Sect wasted no time.

A wave of demon-slaying missions was issued, and more and more disciples descended the mountain to protect the people.

In Xuan Valley, Gu An sat in his tower, weaving a new robe.

Unlike most cultivators, he didn’t need to meditate to absorb spiritual energy, so he had plenty of time for his hobbies.

This time, he needed a new outfit because he was going down the mountain.

One—to slay demons and help the people.

Two—to gather more lifespan and reach ten million years faster.

Once finished, Gu An donned a deep purple robe embroidered with a dark red phoenix, strapped the Qinghong Sword to his waist, and put on a theatrical mask and a bamboo hat.

Checking himself with divine sense, he smirked.

"Perfect. Just like a wandering swordsman."

With that, he vanished into the wilderness.

In a forest hundreds of miles away, a battle raged.

A convoy of guards struggled against a swarm of monstrous beasts, protecting a mother and child inside a carriage.

The guards were martial artists, not cultivators, and were clearly outmatched.

Just as despair set in—

A gust of wind swept through.

A lone figure leaped from the treetops, moving like a phantom, his sword flashing like lightning.

In three seconds, nine monsters lay dead.

The guards barely caught a glimpse of his dark red phoenix embroidery before he vanished into the night.

"Incredible!"

"He must be a cultivator!"

"I didn’t even see how he moved!"

Hearing their awed whispers, Gu An smiled beneath his mask.

This… feels even better than slaying the Six-Headed Flood Dragon.

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