Gu An rode on, replaying his recent actions in his mind.
Though the targets were mere mortals, one must still give full effort when a lion hunts a rabbit. His strike was clean and decisive—no time for them to speak—which was good.
But the commotion had been enormous; everyone knew about it. Not good. Next time, he would have to be quieter, more subtle, taking out targets without drawing attention.
He wondered if anyone from Heiyan County would come to report this…
Blacky, his black-scaled horse, galloped like lightning, covering five hundred li in three hours. Soon, Gu An arrived at Heiyan County city—the city of Heiyan.
The city lord and his retinue were waiting at the city gates. Seeing Gu An riding a rare mount, his presence commanding, they hurried to greet him.
"City Lord of Heiyan greets the Immortal."
Gu An nodded slightly, acknowledging them.
The city lord, seeing him unwilling to speak, continued introducing the surroundings.
"Master Chu resides in the city. Just two streets over, the vermilion mansion is his. I can…"
"My surname is Gu," Gu An interrupted, leaving them stunned as he rode on. The city lord remained, bowing deeply, only daring to lift his head after a long while. The others did not speak a word.
The gap between cultivators and mortals, deeply entrenched by Qingyuan Sect's thousand-year rule, was palpable.
The sound of horse hooves echoed across the empty stone streets. Though it was afternoon, the sun bright and temperature pleasant, the streets were deserted—clearly by order of the city lord.
"I didn't think I'd become a street-clearing tiger myself," Gu An muttered wryly.
He arrived at the Chu Mansion. A white-robed maid waited at the entrance, chirping, "Master is waiting inside." She guided him in and opened the door.
The vermilion gates gleamed like molten sunset, gold-bronze studs catching the light. Two stone lions, perched on black stone pedestals, seemed to guard the clouds. Ancient trees rose in the front yard, their canopies providing natural shade.
Passing through three hanging flower gates and walking over a wooden bridge into the main hall, Gu An noted the redwood pillars with intricate cloud-and-thunder carvings, bearing the signature of master craftsmen. In the center, an elder in a brocade robe sat in the grand chair—skin wrinkled, hair white, face gaunt.
"Disciple, here to take over the assignment?" The question was firm, almost a statement.
"Yes, Senior Brother Chu. I have indeed taken the responsibility of overseeing Heiyan County," Gu An replied, sensing the elder's Qi—likely at the sixth stage of Qi Refinement.
Yet judging by his frail form, he had little time left. In this world, Qi Refinement cultivators lived around 120 years, Base-Building 200, Golden Core 500, and Nascent Soul could reach a thousand. But age, old injuries, and hidden ailments often shortened life. This elder was clearly at his limit.
Seeing Gu An staring, Chu Senior frowned and coughed. Gu An quickly apologized.
"Never mind, I don't have many days left anyway. Best I return to the sect for recuperation."
"You are impressive," Chu Senior smiled faintly. "Back at Bai Jing Lake, you were already assigned this task."
Gu An remained silent, not wanting to claim credit. Whether he was chosen by coincidence or backing, better to let the elder speculate.
Chu Senior chuckled, "Listen carefully. Don't blame me if you miss something."
"Heiyan County isn't large, only 200 li. Mountains dominate the terrain, rich in black rock, and occasionally black-veined iron—low-grade first-tier spirit iron—needs collection for the sect."
"Over three years, you may encounter wild beasts, mostly early-stage Qi Refiners—no real threat to you."
"A few scattered cultivators exist, harmless. No need to bother."
"But one faction, the Lin family of Red Maple Mountain, is different. Two centuries ago, a Base-Building elder nearing the end of life purchased the Red Maple Mountain spirit land with his personal wealth, securing a first-tier middle-grade spiritual vein."
"Currently, the Lin family has nine Qi Refiners: one late-stage, two mid-stage, six early-stage. They produce red maple sap and maintain eighty acres of spirit fields, offering some yield."
"Usually obedient, but you must monitor them carefully: numbers, cultivation levels, and land output. This affects the sect's spiritual tax. Be thorough."
Chu Senior paused. "Clear?"
"Understood," Gu An said, presenting his sect token. With a surge of spiritual energy, the token flew to Chu Senior.
Chu Senior tapped his pouch, another token appearing. They merged the tokens, connecting with spiritual energy—the handover complete.
"I'll leave shortly. Will you reside here?" Chu Senior asked, recalling the token.
"No need. I'll build a cottage by Bai Jing Lake. Just have some people set it up," Gu An replied, uninterested in formalities. His mind was on releasing his spirit fish—sooner they were in the lake, sooner they could repay their debt.
The city lord did not dare disobey, sending a black-armored captain to organize craftsmen. One team prepared the cottage; another led Gu An.
Blacky led the way, Gu An at the rear.
Bai Jing Lake was seven to eight li from the city—less than half an incense stick in travel time.
The small lake spanned five to six li, irregularly round, mountains on three sides, open grassland on one. A tiny island lay at the center.
Evening descended. The setting sun gilded the water, clouds merged, and ripples reflected the last gold of the sunset. Sparse willows on the shore swayed in the wind, water plants lifted their heads, birds skimmed the surface, leaving glittering trails.
One spiritual lake, one small island—everything his to command.
Gu An exhaled, utterly relaxed. His longing for a pastoral retreat in his previous life was fulfilled here in the cultivation world: a simple home, fields, and the promise of tending to his spirit fish.