Martial Saint

Oh, it's true!

Jiang Lu felt a jolt in his heart, the flames of gossip burning fiercely.

He hurriedly leaned in closer and lowered his voice to ask, "Is it that Senior Sister You Yuyao from Jingshui Pavilion?"

Gu Chengming's fingers, which were turning the pages of a book, paused slightly. He looked up, a hint of realization appearing on his face:

"So her name is You Yuyao?"

"..."

So you finished a duel with someone and didn't even know what she was called?

Jiang Lu was somewhat speechless, but he had now completely confirmed that the rumor was not groundless; it was indeed true.

After confirming the facts, another layer of worry welled up in his heart.

He looked at Gu Chengming's expression and hesitated for a moment before speaking cautiously:

"Senior Brother Gu, during the duel, you didn't do anything... excessive, did you?"

Although Jiang Lu had long since changed his opinion of this Senior Brother due to his swordsmanship, and even felt a sense of admiration, the thought that the other party had truly committed the "feat" of publicly asking that Dao Seed Junior Sister to become his Dao Companion made it clear that his personality was still somewhat "free-spirited," or perhaps even a bit unconventional.

Jiang Lu was terrified that his Senior Brother might have acted on a whim and done something reckless, such as making lewd remarks or getting handsy.

Seeing Gu Chengming cast a puzzled glance his way, Jiang Lu hurriedly explained:

"Senior Brother, you might not know this, but Jingshui Pavilion is an inspection department under Daoning Gate, specifically in charge of sect discipline. The female cultivators in this pavilion often have... rather eccentric personalities. Although we at Huiyuan Gate aren't usually under their jurisdiction, if you truly offend them and get targeted, it will be nothing but trouble in the future."

To put it plainly, they were a group of "disciplinary committee members" who held real power and had strong personalities. If you couldn't afford to offend them, wasn't it better to just avoid them?

After listening, Gu Chengming let out an "oh" and smiled:

"Junior Brother Jiang is overthinking it. I didn't actually make her do anything excessive."

Jiang Lu breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, that's good."

However, Gu Chengming immediately added:

"I just made her apologize to the Huiyuan Sword Art."

"Cough, cough, cough!"

Jiang Lu couldn't catch his breath and nearly choked himself to death.

"Apol... apologize? Apologize to whom?"

"Toward the Huiyuan Sword Art," Gu Chengming pointed to the wooden sword in his hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "She insulted this sword art, so I made her apologize. That's reasonable, isn't it?"

Jiang Lu opened his mouth, a series of meaningless "uh, uh" sounds escaping his throat, but in the end, he couldn't manage to say anything at all.

"But then again," Gu Chengming shook his head, "the disciples of Jingshui Pavilion have such poor mental fortitude... they start crying the moment they lose a spar."

Hearing this, the hand Jiang Lu was using to hold his teacup trembled violently, spilling half the tea.

You didn't just beat her? You forced her to apologize to a technique?

And you ended up making her cry?!

"Is something wrong?"

Seeing Jiang Lu's expression, Gu Chengming asked, looking a bit puzzled.

Jiang Lu took a deep breath. It's fine, he told himself. As long as Senior Brother Gu displays that stunning talent for the sword during the upcoming assessment, Master and the other elders will surely treasure him like a gem. Even if Jingshui Pavilion wants to cause trouble then, Master will find a way to protect him.

Geniuses, after all, always have a few eccentric quirks.

He waved his hand, stiffly changing the subject. "Um... are you still going to the Training Ground today, Senior Brother? I heard that a few inner-sect senior brothers are giving a lecture there today."

"Not today, maybe another time."

Gu Chengming smiled and casually pulled a black token from his robe, placing it on the stone table.

"I still need to head to the Technique Pavilion today to return this to Elder Yu."

"?"

Jiang Lu looked over instinctively, his gaze falling upon the token.

It was cast from black iron and engraved with a simple, ancient character: "Qiu." It faintly radiated a subtle pressure.

Jiang Lu's pupils constricted; he immediately recognized the origin of the object.

This was clearly the personal token of Elder Yu Wenqiu.

"This... how is this in your possession, Senior Brother?" Jiang Lu's voice was slightly strained.

Gu Chengming didn't hide anything and simply explained to Jiang Lu how he had gone to collect his resources that day, only to find them withheld, and how Elder Yu had given him this token as compensation.

However, upon hearing that this was compensation given by Elder Yu Wenqiu because his resources had been withheld, Jiang Lu's expression became extremely strange.

He waved his hands almost instinctively, his tone firm as he said:

"Senior Brother, you've misunderstood."

"Misunderstood what?" Gu Chengming was taken aback.

Jiang Lu lowered his voice and explained, "That Elder Yu is famous in our sect for... ahem, not being fond of cultivation or managing affairs. Although she is an Elder, what she likes most is sleeping and sunbathing in her own courtyard."

Speaking of this, Jiang Lu paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before continuing.

"Moreover, Elder Yu comes from a prominent cultivation family and is frighteningly wealthy. How could she possibly covet your meager cultivation resources? To put it bluntly, your pills probably aren't even enough to cover the cost of the Spirit Tea Elder Yu drinks on a daily basis."

"She is too lazy to even collect her own sect attendant salary, so why would she care about the petty gains of an outer sect disciple?"

Gu Chengming was slightly taken aback upon hearing this.

If it wasn't Elder Yu who embezzled the resources, then where did my resources go?

As Jiang Lu spoke, he realized it himself.

That's right! If it wasn't Elder Yu who took those resources, then why did she give this token to Senior Brother?

Jiang Lu stopped talking, his gaze circling Gu Chengming's face twice.

His expression turned strange.

Chapter 15: The Homebody

Gu Chengming did not know that he had already been labeled as someone "living off a woman" in Jiang Lu's mind.

After a brief chat, the two parted ways at the fork in the road.

Jiang Lu headed to the Training Ground full of worries, while Gu Chengming, clutching the heavy token, walked toward the Sword Repository Pavilion.

However, when he arrived at the Sword Repository Pavilion, he found it empty.

Sitting behind the counter was no longer the lazy and cold Elder Yu, but a young female disciple he had never seen before.

Upon asking, he learned that she was a temporary replacement.

As for Elder Yu? It was said she was feeling unwell and would not be coming today.

"Feeling unwell?"

Gu Chengming felt puzzled.

Since she wasn't there, Gu Chengming asked the disciple where Elder Yu's cave dwelling was located.

After all, it would be more appropriate to return the token in person, and it would also count as a formal expression of gratitude.

The substitute disciple didn't think much of it, assuming Elder Yu had some important business to entrust to him, so she readily told him the general direction.

Gu Chengming thanked her and, following the directions, headed toward a quiet bamboo forest in the Back Mountain.

To be honest, this place was truly difficult to find.

The surroundings were filled with lush, verdant bamboo, each stalk looking much like the next. When the wind blew, the bamboo leaves rustled, leaving not a single distinct landmark to be found.

Furthermore, it seemed the occupant had set up some sort of highly sophisticated Illusion Array near their cave dwelling.

Gu Chengming circled around the bamboo forest for half the day, feeling as though he had been walking in circles the entire time; he was nearly dizzy from the confusion.

Just as he was about to give up, the token engraved with the character "Yu" that he had been clutching in his hand suddenly flickered, emitting a soft, gentle glow.

Immediately after, the mist before his eyes was parted as if by an invisible hand.

The bamboo thicket that had appeared to be a dead end suddenly parted on its own, revealing a winding, secluded path.

So, this token is actually a key.

Gu Chengming raised an eyebrow and followed the path that had appeared out of nowhere.

At the end of the path, the view suddenly opened up.

An exquisite and elegant Courtyard appeared before him.

The courtyard wall was low and covered in purple wisteria vines. The gate was left half-open, so Gu Chengming stepped forward and knocked.

"Knock, knock, knock."

There was no response.

Only a few colorful spirit butterflies danced gracefully among the flowers.

He knocked a few more times, but still, no one paid him any mind.

Is she not home?

Gu Chengming hesitated for a moment, then gently pushed the courtyard gate.

The gate was unlocked and creaked open.

The scene inside the courtyard was laid out in full view.

Underneath a massive, ancient locust tree in the yard hung a comfortable rattan hammock.

And lying on that hammock was a purple-clad figure.

Yu Wenqiu had shed her usual, slightly imposing elder's robes, wearing only a loose, soft, light purple dress. Her waterfall of black hair was not tied up, but instead scattered casually across her shoulders and the hammock, with a few stray locks playfully brushing against her cheek.

She was not asleep.

Instead, she was dangling her two smooth, fair feet, swaying them back and forth in the air, while holding a thick book in her hands, reading with great interest.

It seemed she had come across some exciting plot point, as she would occasionally let out a suppressed, silly giggle, roll over in her hammock, and stretch languidly, revealing a sliver of her snow-white, slender waist.

In this state, where was even a trace of the cold, arrogant demeanor she displayed as an Elder on a daily basis?

She looked exactly like a web-addicted girl who didn't want to work and only wanted to stay home and read novels.

She was so engrossed in her reading, completely immersed in the world of the book, that she didn't even realize Gu Chengming had pushed the door open and entered.

Gu Chengming stood at the doorway and cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Ahem... Elder Yu?"

No response.

The person in the hammock was still giggling.

Gu Chengming raised his voice: "Elder Yu!"

Still no reaction.

Helpless, Gu Chengming had to speak even louder: "Elder Yu Wenqiu!"

"Ah!"

This shout finally had an effect.

The person in the hammock jolted as if she were a cat whose tail had been stepped on. The book in her hands flew away, and she nearly tumbled out of the hammock entirely.

Yu Wenqiu sat up in a panic, her hair a mess, staring blankly at Gu Chengming standing at the door.

How could someone be here?!

The formation outside her cave dwelling was a top-tier Maze Formation she had spent a fortune to have a master arrayist set up!

Normally, even if other Elders wanted to find her, they wouldn't even be able to locate the entrance without using a Sound Transmission Talisman.

That was why she had felt safe enough to "let loose" in her courtyard.

But this guy... how did he get in?!