Martial Saint

"Senior Brother Gu," he called out, his voice filled with genuine sincerity, completely free of any mental burden.

In the cultivation world, the strong lead the way.

Gu Chengming's understanding of the Huiyuan Sword Art far exceeded his expectations, even surpassing his own as an Elder in some aspects.

Calling him Senior Brother wasn't shameful at all.

Moreover, he was using a false name and a disguised face. Who would know he was the esteemed Elder of the Ministry of Works, Liu Enchuan?

As long as his disguise was solid, calling him Senior Brother wouldn't cost him anything.

Gu Chengming also had a very good impression of this "Junior Brother Liu En."

It wasn't just because the exhilarating spar had deepened his understanding of the Huiyuan Sword Art, but also because of the opponent's final "move," which seemed clumsy but was actually incredibly profound.

Although Gu Chengming hadn't seen that move before, the characteristic of Clear Sword Heart made him feel a sense of danger at that moment.

Without a doubt, it was an extremely advanced sword technique.

If one were to disregard the Huiyuan Sword Art as a condition, and solely consider sword cultivation, this "Junior Brother Liu En" was undoubtedly a master far superior to himself.

The two sheathed their swords and stood, exchanging a few more insights.

The more they talked, the more they felt they hit it off, experiencing a sense of "meeting too late."

Of course, this feeling had subtle differences in their hearts.

Gu Chengming thought: Finally found a reliable, durable, and knowledgeable sparring partner!

As for Liu Enchuan, the more he looked at Gu Chengming, the more he liked him, the more satisfied he became.

This is the future hope of our Huiyuan Gate!

When he spoke, his tone unconsciously carried the tenderness and satisfaction of an elder looking at an outstanding junior:

"Senior Brother Gu, you must practice your sword diligently and not waste this talent. If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation, just... cough, just tell Junior Brother."

Gu Chengming felt a bit uneasy hearing this.

This tone... it's like a grandpa nagging his grandson?

He simply thought this Junior Brother was a sword fanatic, solely focused on practicing and lacking social graces, so he didn't think much of it, just smiling and agreeing.

Liu Enchuan seemed to realize he had been a bit too effusive, his tone perhaps a little too "tender."

He quickly composed himself, regaining the cheerful demeanor of a young sword cultivator. After a brief chat, he cupped his hands in farewell.

Watching Liu Enchuan's retreating back, Gu Chengming was in high spirits.

Today's fight was worth it!

Meanwhile, over at the Sword Repository Pavilion, Elder Yu was having a much harder time.

Ever since being cut off at a crucial moment that night, Yu Wenqiu felt as if she had been poisoned by something called "the need for updates."

Every day, she sat behind the counter of the Sword Repository Pavilion, seemingly meditating and contemplating the Great Dao, but in reality, her mind was filled with wild thoughts.

Even when disciples came to exchange cultivation methods, she appeared absent-minded.

"Elder, I want to exchange for this Blazing Palm."

"Mmm... what do you think would happen if the protagonist chose the third option?"

"Huh? What are you saying, Elder?"

"Cough, cough, nothing. Here you go."

This state lasted for two days, and Yu Wenqiu finally couldn't stand it anymore.

No, I can't just wait around! If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain!

She decided to take the initiative and find that young man named Gu Chengming to ask when the sequel would be delivered!

As an Elder, finding the residence of an outer disciple was incredibly easy.

With just a flick of her finger, she could access the sect's disciple roster and even pull up a map with precise house numbers.

Soon, Yu Wenqiu pinpointed Gu Chengming's location.

If Gu Chengming knew, he'd probably exclaim, "Holy crap! My privacy!"

Yu Wenqiu didn't go directly, but returned to her cave dwelling to prepare.

She changed out of her conspicuous Elder robes and put on a low-key yet exquisitely made moon-white long dress. Her hair was simply tied up in a bun, adorned with an elegant jade hairpin.

Once ready, she rode her escaping light and quietly approached Gu Chengming's residence.

As soon as she landed, she heard dull thudding sounds coming from the courtyard.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Yu Wenqiu curiously peeked inside.

She saw Gu Chengming in the courtyard, bare-chested, his muscles taut, sweat dripping down his back.

He was repeatedly smashing his body against a thick wooden post in the yard, in an extremely strange, almost self-abusive posture.

This is the "Bone Forging" technique recorded in Hundred Bones Resonance.

With every impact, a faint crisp sound could be heard from the bones. It hurt just to watch.

Yu Wenqiu's heart stirred slightly, her expression becoming somewhat subtle.

This kid... he's really giving it his all.

She thought of the Sect disciple grand examination that was fast approaching.

Gu Chengming was working so hard, likely to achieve good results in the examination and avoid being eliminated by the Sect.

Recalling how she herself had crammed and cultivated sleeplessly to pass the Elder's assessment back then, losing a handful of hair in the process...

A sense of shared hardship and sadness welled up within her.

Yu Wenqiu sighed inwardly.

She and this young Gu not only shared similar tastes in storybooks, but their experiences of struggling desperately for assessments were also so alike.

Since they were kindred spirits and he was such a hardworking child, she, as an Elder, naturally didn't want to see him eliminated.

More importantly... she was counting on this kid to buy her the later parts of that storybook!

If he were kicked out of the Sect, who would bring her books to read in the future?

Thinking this, Yu Wenqiu couldn't help but ponder how she could help young Gu.

Just then, Gu Chengming, who was concentrating on his cultivation, seemed to sense movement at the door.

He stopped, wiped the sweat from his face, and turned towards the courtyard gate.

Upon seeing the woman standing at the entrance, dressed in a moon-white long dress with a gentle aura, he froze for a moment before speaking in surprise:

"Elder Yu? What brings you here?"

Yu Wenqiu, who was immersed in thoughts of "how to support a struggling disciple," was jolted back to reality by his voice.

She then remembered why she had come.

"Ahem!"

Yu Wenqiu coughed awkwardly twice, quickly adjusted her expression, and walked in with her hands behind her back.

"Well... I happened to be passing by and remembered you exchanged for Hundred Bones Cry a few days ago, so I thought I'd drop by to see how your cultivation was progressing."

She feigned a look as she examined the somewhat deformed wooden post that had been struck, and nodded:

"Hmm, it seems you are indeed working very hard. Although progress with Hundred Bones Reverberation is slow, it has a solid foundation. Your diligence does not betray... ahem, the earnest effort I put in for you that day."

Her words were circuitous and grand, like a true elder concerned about a junior's academic progress.

Gu Chengming listened, stunned, and quickly cupped his hands: "Thank you for your concern, Elder. This disciple will certainly work hard."

Seeing that she had set the stage, Yu Wenqiu changed the subject, asking seemingly casually:

"Oh, besides cultivation... I also flipped through the storybook you sent the other day during my leisure time."

She paused, her gaze drifting slightly, pretending to be nonchalant as she said:

"Some of the plots... are quite novel. When might you be able to find the subsequent parts? So that I may... hmm, continue to comprehend the Profound Truths of the Mortal World within."

Gu Chengming watched her desperate attempt to appear indifferent while clearly being anxious, and found it amusing.

Could it be that she was another fellow fan?

Since she had come to him, Gu Chengming had no intention of hiding it any longer.

After all, they would be cooperating long-term, and letting her know the truth would be more beneficial for him to "hold the Son of Heaven hostage to command the feudal lords"... no, to establish a deeper revolutionary friendship.

So, he smiled and said, "If Elder Yu enjoys that storybook, it is this disciple's honor. Actually..."

He pointed to the stack of unfinished manuscripts on the stone table:

"This storybook wasn't bought by this disciple; it's something I made up in my spare time."

Yu Wenqiu's eyes widened in disbelief. She looked at Gu Chengming, then at the stack of manuscripts exuding the scent of ink on the stone table, and froze.

She secretly scanned the contents of the manuscript with her divine sense.

Indeed, it was his familiar handwriting, and the content continued the plot from the end of the first part! The protagonist had actually revived at the brink of death! And then...

She only glanced at it before being captivated, itching to read the rest immediately.

However, Gu Chengming said with a timely smile:

"However, this second part is still in progress and not yet finished. It will take some more time. Once this disciple has finished writing it, I will send it to Elder Yu."

Yu Wenqiu calmly withdrew her divine sense, feeling an unbearable itch, as if hundreds of cats were scratching at her.

Her feelings were extremely complicated at the moment.

On one hand, she felt this kid was too detestable! How dare he leave it on a cliffhanger! And hide the book from her!

On the other hand, she felt an unbearable craving and admiration. This young Gu was actually a master storyteller.

But in the end, all her emotions coalesced into one thought—

This kid absolutely cannot be kicked out of the Sect!

If he gets eliminated and packs his bags, what will happen to my storybooks?!

PS: This chapter is three thousand characters. Another chapter will be updated later, before midnight, also three thousand characters!

Chapter 22: Chapter 21 Clear Heart Art Favorability: Friendly

He wasn't aware of Elder Yu's thoughts.

After they exchanged pleasantries at the courtyard entrance, or rather, after she unilaterally urged him for more updates, Yu Wenqiu reluctantly took her leave.

Before departing, her normally languid phoenix eyes fixed intently on Gu Chengming, her tone as serious as if she were entrusting him with some Sect secret:

"When you've finished writing, be sure to send it to me immediately for review. Remember, remember!"

Gu Chengming smiled and nodded, watching as the Elder transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.

From then on, Gu Chengming's life returned to the monotonous yet fulfilling "three points and one line."

Practicing swordplay at dawn, body refining in the afternoon, and writing late into the night.

However, recently, Gu Chengming occasionally had a strange illusion.

It felt as if someone was watching him.

The feeling was faint, so faint it was almost imperceptible.

It wasn't a malicious lock-on, but a subtle, almost nonexistent gaze. At first, it happened while he was practicing swordplay, and later, while refining his body.

"An illusion?"