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

Gu An stood on a cliff, gazing down at the newly established Third Medicine Valley with a look of satisfaction.  

The valley stretched across several modest mountains, with a vast expanse between them spanning over a dozen miles long and two to three miles wide. The edge of the valley was lined with rows of trees, forming a natural barrier against the elements.  

Standing beside Gu An, Gu Yu explained, “There are caves belonging to inner sect disciples nearby, more than one of them. As long as you stay within a hundred-mile radius, you won’t encounter any demonic beasts.”  

Gu An nodded, his eyes full of expectation.  

What he saw wasn’t just a valley—it was an endless stream of potential lifespan digits.  

Patting Gu An on the shoulder, Gu Yu took off on his sword. Gu An, on the other hand, leaped into the valley, his limbs surrounded by visible gusts of wind—the Wind Manipulation Technique.  

Looking back mid-flight, Gu Yu raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. However, he didn’t turn back.  

After landing, Gu An first approached the valley’s entrance, where a bare stone tablet stood. Using his finger as a sword, he carved four large characters into the stone:  

Third Medicine Valley!  

The name was deliberately simple—he planned on having more valleys in the future.  

Admiring his handiwork, Gu An felt a sense of pride. His calligraphy, honed through his writing endeavors, exuded sharpness and a unique energy.  

After a moment of admiration, Gu An began scouting for a location to build pavilions. His first priority was setting up a teleportation formation.  

Twilight gave way to night, and by the light of a bonfire, Gu An sat on a rock, flipping through a book. It had been given to him by Ji Xiaoyu and detailed the steps for constructing the teleportation formation she’d provided.  

The book’s simplicity was astonishing, akin to a manual for assembly. Ji Xiaoyu had already placed restrictions on the formation; all Gu An needed to do was follow the instructions step by step.  

Determined, he decided to work through the night to complete the formation. Once operational, he would bring some disciples to begin sowing seeds.  

Teleportation formations required spirit stones for activation, but Gu An was well-funded. Besides his earnings from Romance of the Gods, Gu Yu had recently handed him a thousand high-grade spirit stones—enough for a long time.  

By dawn, the formation platform was complete. Gu An immediately flew back to Xuan Valley.  

Returning to his pavilion, he began constructing a corresponding teleportation formation. His activity quickly drew the attention of all the disciples, who gathered to watch.  

Xiao Chuan curiously asked what he was doing, and Gu An didn’t hide the truth.  

Upon hearing that Gu An was taking over a second Medicine Valley and constructing a teleportation formation, the disciples grew excited and bombarded him with questions.  

Gu An answered as he worked, and by noon, the formation was complete. Under everyone’s watchful eyes, he placed spirit stones into the grooves of the formation pillars. Infusing spiritual energy into the activation mechanism, the formation roared to life.  

The ground trembled slightly as the pillars emitted brilliant light, merging to form a shimmering curtain of energy.  

Turning to the group, Gu An announced, “Wu Xin, go to the outer sect and recruit three labor disciples. Su Han, Zhen Qin, and Ye Yan, come with me. The rest will remain in Xuan Valley.”  

Upon hearing this, the three named disciples eagerly stepped forward, following Gu An into the teleportation formation. Moments later, the light curtain dissipated, and the platform fell silent.  

On the other side, in the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An assigned the three disciples to weed the area while he focused on building pavilions.  

Su Han wielded his sword, Ye Yan used a spear, and Zhen Qin relied on her leg techniques to clear the weeds.  

Ever since Luo Hun had taught Ye Yan a spear technique, he had pleaded with Gu An for a spear of his own. Gu An eventually purchased one from the outer sect—a low-grade magical artifact capable of channeling spiritual energy.   ŗ

Though Gu An had little interest in spear techniques, Ye Yan’s progress was remarkable. Within six months of training, Ye Yan’s combat abilities had surpassed Su Han and Tang Yu, even when they worked together. This left the pair feeling disheartened.  

Watching Ye Yan’s rapid improvement, Gu An was reminded of his own limitations. Insight—true comprehension—was something lifespan alone couldn’t enhance.  

In this vast world, spiritual root aptitude wasn’t everything.  

Gu An’s decision to bring Su Han, Zhen Qin, and Ye Yan to the Third Medicine Valley was not just for labor but also to guide and nurture them. Their performance during the crisis with Qiu Qianli had earned his favor, and he was determined to help them go further on their paths.  

The valley’s abundant spiritual energy provided a perfect environment for cultivation. Occasionally, Gu An even offered them private lessons to accelerate their progress.  

Three days later.  

The Third Medicine Valley was fully planted with herb seeds, though the area still looked barren—time was needed for the seeds to sprout.  

Gu An led the disciples back to Xuan Valley to pack their belongings before relocating them to the Third Medicine Valley.  

This sparked curiosity among the remaining labor disciples, some of whom expressed interest in moving as well. However, Wu Xin, now the Valley Master of Xuan Valley, firmly suppressed such thoughts.  

“Xuan Valley is my foundation,” Wu Xin thought resolutely.  

With all three valleys now operational, Gu An’s idyllic farming life had officially begun.  

A month after planting the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An occasionally visited to check on progress while the three disciples managed the valley. Their daily duties only required a small amount of time, leaving plenty of room for cultivation.  

As the red hues of sunset bathed the valley, Zhen Qin stepped out of her room, stretching lazily and looking invigorated. The cultivation technique Jiang Qiong had taught her was yielding rapid results, fueling her determination.  

Glancing toward the hillside at the valley’s entrance, she saw Ye Yan practicing his spear techniques.  

“Without cultivating qi, how effective can just practicing spear techniques be?” she murmured before heading off to inspect the gardens.  

Meanwhile, Ye Yan, drenched in sweat, practiced tirelessly under the setting sun. His body ached, but he refused to stop.  

“This spear technique is my only chance,” he thought, determined not to waste the opportunity.  

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.  

“With such abundant spiritual energy in the valley, why not train here instead of on the hill?”  

Startled, Ye Yan turned to see a figure standing atop a distant tree. The man, dressed in flowing blue robes, exuded an aura of ethereal elegance.  

When did he arrive?  

Heart pounding, Ye Yan retrieved his spear and asked loudly, “Senior, what brings you here?”  

Gu An had warned them to address anyone encountered in the area as “senior,” as this was now within the inner sect’s domain.  

The blue-robed man wasn’t particularly handsome, but his piercing gaze was intimidating.  

“I was just passing by and noticed your spear technique. It’s quite rare—a method that incorporates both qi absorption and body refinement,” the man said, leaping down from the tree and approaching Ye Yan.  

Feeling uneasy, Ye Yan tightened his grip on his spear. His master wasn’t in the valley, leaving him unsure how to handle the situation.  

“You haven’t answered my question,” the man reminded him, his tone calm but commanding.  

Summoning his courage, Ye Yan replied, “Behind me is my master’s Medicine Valley. The seeds were planted only a month ago, and I don’t want my training to affect their growth.”  

“Was this spear technique taught by your master?”  

“No, it was a friend of his.”  

“Your master must be extraordinary to have such connections. May I know his name?”  

“My master is Gu An,” Ye Yan answered, his confusion growing.  

The man paused, raising a hand. “Let’s spar. I won’t use spiritual energy or artifacts—just pure techniques. What do you say?”  

Ye Yan hesitated, frowning deeply.  

“What? Are you afraid?”  

The man’s taunt ignited Ye Yan’s competitive spirit. If he hadn’t feared a demonic cultivator back then, how could he fear this stranger now?  

By noon the next day, Gu An arrived at the Third Medicine Valley through the teleportation formation.  

Scanning the area with his spiritual sense, he found no issues until his gaze settled on Ye Yan practicing near the valley’s entrance.  

Noticing Gu An’s approach, Ye Yan turned away slightly, his back facing him.  

“Yan’er, why are you injured?” Gu An asked, stepping closer.  

After a brief pause, Ye Yan turned to face him, revealing bruises and even a handprint on his left cheek.  

Reluctantly, he recounted the events of the previous evening.  

Hearing this, Gu An’s expression darkened.  

Someone dared to bully his disciple?  

“What’s his name? Will he return?” Gu An demanded.  

“I don’t know. He didn’t say, but he mentioned he’d come back

 after finishing his business.”  

“Don’t worry, your master has your back!” Gu An reassured him, placing a hand on Ye Yan’s shoulder and handing him some healing pills.  

Over the next few days, Gu An stayed in the Third Medicine Valley, waiting for the man to reappear. But each time he left to manage the outer disciples’ caves, he returned to find Ye Yan had been beaten again.  

The mysterious man came and went like a ghost, evading Gu An repeatedly.  

Over the course of two months, Ye Yan was attacked four times, always in Gu An’s absence.  

By now, Gu An was convinced the man was avoiding him on purpose.  

One afternoon, while Gu An was reading beneath a tree overlooking the valley, he sensed something.  

His brow lifted.  

Finally, he’s here!  

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