"Do you really want me to meet him?"
Gu An picked up a book from the table, smiling as he looked at Lu Jiujia.
By now, Gu An hardly cared about so-called geniuses.
However, people are not heartless. Lu Jiujia treated the disciple as if he were his own, and Gu An could tell he was trying to help the young man secure a brighter future. That was why he had brought up the matter.
Seeing his senior brother's gentle smile, Lu Jiujia gave an awkward chuckle, cleared his throat, and said, "Indeed, I hope you can meet him. Not only is he exceptionally talented, but he's also very diligent."
"In that case, bring him up."
Gu An shook his head with an amused expression. Putting aside their senior-junior relationship, after all the years Lu Jiujia had worked tirelessly for him, Gu An felt that granting such a small favor was no big deal.
Without revealing his true cultivation level, Gu An could change someone's destiny with just a few words. This was the privilege earned by five centuries of connections within Tai Xuan Sect.
Hearing this, Lu Jiujia was overjoyed. He quickly bowed in thanks and left in a hurry.
Gu An returned to his book. Though he spent most of his time away from Xuan Valley, Lu Jiujia regularly stocked the study with fresh material, ensuring that there was always something new for him to read.
Before long, Lu Jiujia returned, this time accompanied by a young man.
The youth wore simple cloth robes, his features were not particularly striking, but his complexion was fair, and his frame was a bit thin.
Clearly nervous, the young man took a quick glance at Gu An before lowering his gaze, not daring to look again.
Lu Jiujia stepped forward to introduce the young man, and Gu An sent out his Lifespan Investigation to appraise him.
[Jiang Shi (Foundation Establishment, Level 2): 23/350/4800]
A maximum lifespan of 4,800 years—this was indeed a rare talent.
"Disciple Jiang Shi greets Master!"
Jiang Shi knelt respectfully, bowing deeply.
Gu An, out of habit, probed into Jiang Shi's karmic ties, deducing his past and possible futures. Meanwhile, he maintained a warm smile and said, "Stand up. In Xuan Valley, there is no need for formal kneeling rituals."
Jiang Shi raised his head. Seeing Gu An's gentle demeanor, he relaxed noticeably before standing and beginning to speak.
As Gu An deduced Jiang Shi's fate, he casually engaged him in small talk, inquiring about his cultivation and daily practices.
It was Jiang Shi's first time interacting with a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. Though initially anxious, he spoke with ease, displaying a natural poise that was neither overly humble nor arrogant.
Watching Jiang Shi's composure, Lu Jiujia felt a sense of pride. Jiang Shi had not embarrassed him.
To Lu Jiujia, his senior brother had encountered countless geniuses. If Jiang Shi faltered under pressure, he would certainly lose favor.
Gu An suddenly glimpsed something in his deduction, and his gaze flickered ever so slightly. However, his tone remained unchanged.
After some time, Gu An finally said, "Alright, I've learned enough about you. Return to your cultivation for now."
Jiang Shi hesitated for a moment before bowing again and leaving.
Once Jiang Shi had descended the stairs, Lu Jiujia turned to Gu An and eagerly asked, "Senior Brother, what do you think? Does this disciple meet your expectations?"
Gu An considered for a moment before replying, "His talent is remarkable. I could recommend him to a suitable master."
Lu Jiujia pressed on, "Could he not cultivate under you directly?"
With Jiang Shi's aptitude, finding a master would be effortless. But in Lu Jiujia's eyes, the greatest opportunity for Jiang Shi would be to become Gu An's direct disciple.
Over the centuries, Lu Jiujia had refrained from prying into his senior brother's affairs, but he had always suspected a close connection between Gu An and the Sword Master of the Dao.
The Sword Master's former identity as the Flying Leaf Sword Immortal had frequently been associated with events near Xuan Valley. His rise to fame had coincided with battles that saved Lu Jiujia, Ye Lan, and Zhen Qin. The coincidences were too many to ignore.
Moreover, the Innate Reincarnation Technique—a cultivation art of such rarity—was unparalleled even within Tai Xuan Sect.
Lu Jiujia had wisely chosen not to voice his suspicions, nor had he ever mentioned them to others.
If Jiang Shi were to follow Gu An, he might someday receive the favor of the Sword Master.
"Jiujia, do you care about him that much?" Gu An asked, fixing Lu Jiujia with a steady gaze.
Lu Jiujia nodded earnestly. "I brought him to Xuan Valley when he was seven. I've watched him grow up. To me, he's like a son."
Gu An sighed. "If I were to take him under my wing, he would become permanently tied to Xuan Valley. Because of him, you would meet a premature end, and he would cause great calamity."
In his deduction, Gu An had seen Jiang Shi's seemingly virtuous exterior conceal a ruthless nature willing to use any means to achieve his cultivation goals.
Joining Xuan Valley had been no simple feat. Over centuries, it had become increasingly difficult to gain entry as even servant disciples were carefully selected. Jiang Shi, at the age of seven, had poisoned other candidates—those he deemed a threat—to secure his place.
No one had suspected a child of such schemes, allowing him to succeed without consequence.
Once he joined Xuan Valley, Jiang Shi behaved impeccably, hiding his true nature with great skill.
However, Gu An's deductions revealed that Jiang Shi would eventually steal a core Tai Xuan Sect technique, triggering a massive manhunt. Lu Jiujia, in his attempt to shield Jiang Shi, would be mistakenly killed by Tai Xuan Sect cultivators.
While this future was based on Gu An's non-intervention, it was enough to illustrate Jiang Shi's potential for disaster. If Jiang Shi's current relationship with Lu Jiujia deepened, trouble would be inevitable.
Gu An had already calculated over a thousand ways Lu Jiujia could die, and in most scenarios, Jiang Shi played a critical role.
Hearing Gu An's words, Lu Jiujia's expression changed drastically. He did not react defensively but instead fell into deep contemplation.
If anyone else had said such a thing, Lu Jiujia would have been furious. But coming from his senior brother, he had to take it seriously.
Though he valued Jiang Shi greatly, his regard for Gu An far surpassed it. No matter how promising Jiang Shi was, it wasn't enough to make him cross boundaries. This was why he hadn't taught Jiang Shi the Innate Reincarnation Technique, despite his fondness for him.
"I understand!"
Lu Jiujia took a deep breath, gave Gu An a respectful bow, and turned to leave.
Gu An said nothing more, returning to his book.
For now, Jiang Shi was not a threat to him.
By evening, Gu An left Xuan Valley and made his way to the Third Medicine Valley.
His first stop was to find An Xin, to inform her of the situation with the Chen family and instruct her to head to the inner sect city the following day.
The city's chief elder belonged to the Lü family, and with Gu An's longstanding relationship with Lü Baitian, the Lü family would undoubtedly intervene on his behalf.
The seasons passed, and before long, six months had flown by.
Late one night, Lu Jiujia was cultivating in his room when a knock came at the door. Without opening his eyes, he said, "Come in."
The door creaked open, and Jiang Shi entered. He approached Lu Jiujia and bowed deeply.
"What is it?" Lu Jiujia asked, his tone cold and distant.
Jiang Shi could hear the detachment in his voice.
"Senior Brother, I was wrong!"
Jiang Shi suddenly knelt, his voice filled with regret.
Within Xuan Valley, there was only one recognized master—Gu An. Even though Jiang Shi and Lu Jiujia were like father and son, the rules dictated that Jiang Shi could only address Lu Jiujia as "Senior Brother."
Lu Jiujia opened his eyes, his brows furrowed in confusion.
Jiang Shi pressed his forehead to the ground, his voice trembling. "I don't know what Master said to you that day, but I can sense the shift in your attitude. I admit I made mistakes in my youth, but I had no choice. Before my family was executed by imperial decree, they secretly sent me to Tai Xuan Sect. I had to do whatever it took to survive. At the age of seven, I believed Xuan Valley to be the most formidable place, so I..."
He proceeded to confess everything about his childhood actions.
Lu Jiujia listened in stunned silence, never expecting Jiang Shi to have done such things. No wonder his senior brother harbored doubts about him.
However, as Jiang Shi spoke, Lu Jiujia's feelings grew more conflicted.
In Jiang Shi's story, he saw echoes of his own past. He, too, had made grave mistakes and would have perished long ago if not for his senior brother's guidance.
Though Jiang Shi's misdeeds were far less severe than his own, Lu Jiujia knew he couldn't let the boy's fate become intertwined with Gu An's.
When Jiang Shi finished, Lu Jiujia let out a long sigh.
Jiang Shi looked up at him with reddened eyes, waiting for his response.
After a long pause, Lu Jiujia finally said, "Don't blame your master. It was my decision to prevent you from bringing trouble to Xuan Valley."
Jiang Shi quickly replied, "How could I ever blame Master? Over the years, I've received countless pills from Xuan Valley. Without Master's protection, I wouldn't have advanced to Foundation Establishment so quickly. My mistakes were mine alone. If I were in Master's position, I would've expelled someone like me long ago."
Jiang Shi thought of Gu An with nothing but reverence.
He had assumed no one knew about his past actions. To learn that his master had known all along, yet still chose to keep him in Xuan Valley, only deepened his awe. Gu An's magnanimity and demeanor were truly befitting of a great master.
In truth, Jiang Shi felt a sense of shame for his youthful transgressions. But at the time, he had no other choice.
His family faced annihilation, and he had heard that Xuan Valley's master had strong ties with Li Ya, a legendary cultivator and the emperor's most favored son. For Jiang Shi, joining Xuan Valley had been his only path to survival.
Lu Jiujia looked at Jiang Shi, countless words on the tip of his tongue, yet none came out.
Finally, he said, "You have two options. Either transfer to a branch sect, where Master will arrange for a suitable position for you, or stay in Xuan Valley and focus on cultivating with humility."
Without hesitation, Jiang Shi replied, "I choose to stay in Xuan Valley! I will not let you or Master down!"
"Would you like to hear my story?" Lu Jiujia asked, his expression darkening.
Jiang Shi nodded eagerly, ready to listen.
And so, Lu Jiujia began recounting his past, starting from the day he joined Tai Xuan Sect.
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the ocean, Gu An was in the Submerged Spirit Palace.
He gazed upon the palace he had meticulously crafted, satisfied with the result. The Submerged Spirit Palace glowed a deep blue, its walls shimmering under the dim light. Two towering statues of phoenixes stood guard before its grand entrance.
As Gu An prepared to enter the palace, he suddenly sensed something and turned his gaze eastward.
In the distance, a massive creature was approaching—a giant fish with a disproportionately large head and a body spanning a thousand meters, resembling a mountain in motion. It was chasing a much smaller fish, the two like a boulder rolling after a pebble.
The smaller fish darted through the water like lightning, evading the giant predator at every turn.
Gu An's eyes narrowed. The surrounding seawater rippled with his energy, causing the smaller fish to abruptly change course and swim away from the Submerged Spirit Palace.