Gal Martial Saint Chapter 15

"?"

Gu Chengming was completely baffled.

The two exchanged pleasantries for a while longer, and remembering his purpose, Gu Chengming spoke up to ask:

"By the way, Junior Brother Jiang, do you happen to have any Body Tempering Ointment like Cold Bone Paste on hand? If it's convenient, could you spare me some? Or at least tell me where I can get my hands on it."

"Cold Bone Paste?"

Jiang Lu found it a bit odd.

It was indeed a common type of first-realm Body Tempering Ointment, nothing particularly rare.

But the Wenjian Sect was a Sword Cultivator sect, and few disciples practiced Body Refining Techniques, so the sect's allocated resources included very little of this kind of ointment.

The problem, though, was that Gu Chengming had just collected a full year's worth of cultivation resources a few days ago.

Logically, even if the quota was small, he should have plenty on hand right now.

Gu Chengming seemed to read his confusion and explained:

"To be honest, the Body Refining Technique I'm currently practicing... is a bit special. It consumes resources like crazy. And..."

He trailed off, too embarrassed to continue.

After all, admitting that his talent was so poor he couldn't even get started and had to rely on force-feeding medicine was hard to say out loud.

Jiang Lu didn't overthink it and replied:

"Senior Brother Gu, don't worry. Leave this to me. I still have some stockpiled; I'll send it over later. If that's not enough, I'll ask around with the other senior and junior brothers for you."

"Then I'll thank Junior Brother Jiang in advance." Gu Chengming cupped his hands in gratitude.

Jiang Lu didn't linger long. After a bit more small talk, he took the chance to take his leave.

After leaving Gu Chengming's courtyard, Jiang Lu didn't head straight back to his own quarters. Instead, he diverted to the Sword Repository Pavilion.

He figured since he'd promised Senior Brother Gu, he might as well check if he could exchange for some higher-quality Body Tempering Ointment at the Technique Pavilion along the way.

After all, ordinary Cold Bone Paste might not be potent enough for Senior Brother Gu's current needs.

But when he stepped into the Sword Repository Pavilion, he saw a sight that only confirmed his suspicions.

There was Elder Yu Wenqiu, usually aloof and proud—though lazy, at least putting on a decent front—now slumped over the counter without a shred of dignity, yawning and rubbing her bleary eyes.

The faint dark circles under her eyes and her utterly sleep-deprived, drowsy look clearly showed she'd pulled an all-nighter.

"Yawn..."

Yu Wenqiu wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, radiating a defeated, slacker vibe.

Jiang Lu's heart stirred.

Connecting Gu Chengming's earlier mention of "having repaid part of a favor" with Elder Yu's "drained" appearance...

Could it be...

That Senior Brother Gu really had last night...

Just then, the disciple token at his waist suddenly buzzed, cutting off his wandering thoughts.

Jiang Lu picked up the token and glanced at it, his expression shifting slightly.

His master was summoning him.

Left with no choice, Jiang Lu had to set aside the matter of finding ointment for Gu Chengming for now.

Huiyuan Gate, Elder Hall of the Ministry of Works.

The hall was simply and solemnly furnished, with shelves on both sides crammed full of case files and jade slips.

The air carried a faint scent of ink and aged paper.

Jiang Lu's master, Liu Enchuan, sat at his desk, brows furrowed, holding a freshly compiled report on disciple assessments, sighing deeply.

The Elder of the Ministry of Works, as the title implied, was the elder in charge of all core personnel matters within a sect—discipline assessments, merits, promotions, rewards, and punishments.

It was a position of real power, but also one that drove a man bald.

Especially for the current Huiyuan Gate.

Liu Enchuan stared at the dismal data in his hands, feeling a headache coming on.

"Sigh..."

He set down the report and rubbed his temples, filled with a sense of helplessness.

Calling Huiyuan Gate's current situation a "Talent Drought" was already putting it mildly.

Forget competing with the other branches of the Cangjian Sect—even just avoiding last place had become a luxury.

The reasons for this state of affairs were complex, but at the root, it came down to a severe shortage of the kind of geniuses who could carry the sect's banner.

Huiyuan Gate's resources were already scarce, and what trickled down to each disciple was even more Stretched Thin.

A middling sword technique, middling resources, and middling—even somewhat poor—disciple quality... this formed a vicious cycle.

Good prospects looked down on Huiyuan Gate and flocked to the other sects; those left behind were either average in talent or the rejects of other sects.

"A hundred things await revival..."

Liu Enchuan sighed, his gaze landing on the glaring name at the end of the report—Gu Chengming.

The moment he thought of that name, his brow furrowed even tighter.

If one were to talk about the poor quality of disciples within the sect, the most representative example was probably this Gu Chengming.

Three years since joining, and he was still stuck at First Realm Level Three.

If this were any other sect, he would have long been advised to withdraw or demoted to a menial disciple.

It was only because Huiyuan Gate was short on people that they kept him around.

But with the triennial Grand Examination approaching, if this Gu Chengming showed no improvement and was truly expelled by the Wenjian Sect, then Huiyuan Gate would become the laughingstock of the other sects for years to come.

As the Elder of the Ministry of Works, he couldn't afford to lose face either.

That was precisely why, a few days ago, he had specifically instructed Jiang Lu to remind that Gu Chengming to at least put in some effort, so he wouldn't lose too embarrassingly.

"Knock, knock, knock."

Just then, a soft knock came at the hall door.

Liu Enchuan set aside his thoughts and said in a deep voice, "Enter."

The door pushed open, and Jiang Lu walked in, bowing respectfully: "Disciple Jiang Lu pays respects to Master."

Seeing this favored disciple of his, Liu Enchuan's tightly knit brow relaxed slightly.

He was fairly satisfied with Jiang Lu.

Steady in temperament, reliable in handling matters, and though his talent wasn't top-tier, among the current crop in Huiyuan Gate, he was the best of a bad lot—still worth cultivating.

With a bit more honing, he would surely become a pillar of the sect in the future.

"Mm, rise."

Liu Enchuan briefly asked about Jiang Lu's recent cultivation progress, and Jiang Lu answered each question with clear logic.

After some casual pleasantries, Liu Enchuan shifted the topic and got to the point.

"That matter I asked you to handle... how is it with Gu Chengming?"

Hearing this, Jiang Lu understood in his heart.

He knew his master had called him over mostly for this reason.

Seeing his master's worried expression, Jiang Lu chuckled inwardly, though his face remained relaxed.

He said with a smile:

"Master worries too much. If it's about this matter, even if you didn't bother, the situation you fear wouldn't come to pass."

"Oh?"

Liu Enchuan raised an eyebrow, looking at him with some surprise.

Those words... sounded like there was more to them?

"What do you mean?"

Jiang Lu put away his smile, his expression turning serious.

He sat up straight, looked Liu Enchuan in the eye, and said earnestly:

"Master, this disciple has had considerable contact with Senior Brother Gu recently and discovered some... astonishing things."

Then, he recounted everything that had happened over the past few days in full detail.

From Gu Chengming seeing through the flaw in his sword technique at a glance and casually offering guidance that greatly benefited him, to Gu Chengming at the Training Ground, with his First Realm Level Three cultivation, using pure sword skill to utterly suppress You Yuyao, a First Realm Level Nine female cultivator from Jingshui Pavilion, to the point of beating her to tears...

Finally, he took a deep breath and made his conclusion:

"So, Master need not worry about Senior Brother Gu being expelled. In this disciple's view, Senior Brother Gu is actually a sword genius lying dormant in the deep!"

"..."

Liu Enchuan listened to this tale, feeling it was nothing short of a fantasy.

Didn't this plot sound just like those cheap marketplace storybooks?

Liu Enchuan stared at Jiang Lu for a long while before finally asking hesitantly:

"Lu'er... have you been practicing the sword too hard lately? Your mind seems unsettled?"

He clearly took Jiang Lu's words as the ravings of someone who had overexerted themselves in training and gone astray.

Jiang Lu paused, seeming to realize that his bare words alone would be hard for his master to believe.

After all, if it had been a month ago, he probably wouldn't have believed such a story either.

He said helplessly: "This disciple knows it's hard to believe. But... hearing is empty, seeing is believing."

"If Master doesn't believe it, why not go and test it yourself?"

Chapter 20: Chapter Nineteen — Ah, You Yield

After Jiang Lu took his leave, only Liu Enchuan remained in the great hall.

He sat before the desk, his fingers lightly tapping against its surface.

Though Jiang Lu had spoken with such conviction, Liu Enchuan was still half in doubt.

After all, this matter was far too incredible to believe.

A disciple who had failed to break through for three years and was widely regarded as useless trash—suddenly transforming into a peerless sword genius?

The contrast was simply too stark.

"But this kid has always been steady; he's not the type to speak nonsense."

Liu Enchuan pondered for a moment, then finally rose to his feet.

"Forget it. Since he's so certain, This Seat will go and probe the depths himself."

"Hearing is false; seeing is truth. If that Gu Chengming truly has some skill, then it would be a blessing for our Huiyuan Gate."

However, since he was going to investigate, he naturally couldn't do it with great fanfare.

A dignified Elder of the Ministry of Works, going to spar with an Outer Sect Disciple? If word got out, where would he hide his old face?

Moreover, if the other party truly was a hidden master as Jiang Lu claimed, coming as an elder might make him unwilling to reveal his true abilities.

So, he needed to change his guise.

For a Third Realm Cultivator, disguising oneself was merely a trivial trick.

With a thought, Liu Enchuan circulated his Spiritual Power. Moments later, the imposing middle-aged elder vanished, replaced by a young Sword Cultivator with Sharp Eyes and Sword-like Eyebrows, clad in a Green Robe.

Gazing at the spirited "himself" in the bronze mirror, Liu Enchuan nodded in satisfaction.

"Mm, this appearance does carry a bit of the flair from This Seat's youth."