Gal Martial Saint

Gu Chengming stopped his movements, his brow furrowed slightly. The surroundings were quiet, with only a few birds flitting past the branches, letting out a few crisp chirps.

After searching in vain, Gu Chengming didn't think much of it.

However, what he didn't know was that about a hundred feet away from the courtyard, deep within the canopy of a Giant Ancient Tree, hidden among layers of branches and leaves.

An Old Man wearing a worn Bamboo Hat, dressed in patched Coarse Cloth Linen Clothes, with a dark red Wine Gourd hanging from his waist, was leaning against the tree trunk, perfectly blending into the night.

The Old Man took a swig from his Wine Gourd, a flicker of surprise flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

"Huh?"

He smacked his lips, savoring the spiciness of the Inferior Liquor, his gaze never leaving the courtyard.

"This Kid... can actually sense Old Man?"

Although he hadn't deliberately used any profound Stealth Mystical Art, it was by no means something a mere junior in the first realm could sense.

The moment that Kid looked back, it was clearly due to some instinctive intuition.

"A bit interesting."

This intuition didn't come from Spiritual Sense, but rather from... the sword.

"Could it be Clear Sword Heart?"

The so-called Clear Sword Heart is a state of extreme alertness to all disturbances, possessing a kind of intuition in the way of the sword.

Although the Old Man wasn't sure if Gu Chengming had a Clear Sword Heart, he secretly thought that this time, he might have stumbled upon a great treasure.

In fact, if he had wanted to approach Gu Chengming, he could have revealed himself long ago.

The reason he had delayed was, on one hand, to test the Kid's Disposition.

After all, talent was one thing, and disposition was another. If he was a person with Wicked Intent, then no matter how high his talent, he wouldn't give him a second glance.

On the other hand, he was wary of those old fellows in the Wenjian Sect.

He was an outsider, after all. If he rashly approached a disciple, it would easily cause fluctuations in the Sect Great Formation, or be detected by those Elders who were always bored and restless.

He had to wait for an opportunity...

The Old Man's gaze shifted towards the direction of the Wenjian Sect's Main Peak.

"After a few days, when that Disciple Grand Examination begins, the Sect Great Formation will be active, and there will be many eyes and ears. Those old fellows will all be busy snatching up good seedlings... that will be the best time to make a move."

However, he also felt a sense of urgency.

A few days ago, he had personally seen a young Sword Cultivator in a Green Robe come looking for this Kid.

Although that person was disguised and suppressed their cultivation, the Old Man saw through it at a glance – it was an Elder of the Third Realm.

"That green-robed kid left with a face full of joy. I'd guess he figured something out."

The Old Man sighed and took another swig of wine.

"It seems this Unpolished Jade isn't truly buried too deep; people are already starting to notice. I need to hurry, or if this duck that's already in my grasp flies away, it'll be a huge loss."

About a week passed.

This afternoon, as the final stroke fell, Gu Chengming let out a long sigh and placed the writing brush in his hand on the brush rack.

The second part of the storybook was finally finished.

Almost the instant he stopped writing, the familiar panel in his mind popped up again, accompanied by a pleasant chime.

[Clear Heart Art has observed your creative process throughout. It expresses great admiration for the plot concerning "Inner Demon and True Self" in this volume.]

[It believes your depiction of the state of mind has touched upon a certain essence. Though your writing skill is still shallow, the concept is profound.]

[Current Affinity: 30 (Friendly)]

[Congratulations! Your relationship with Clear Heart Art has been upgraded from "Stranger" to "Friendly".]

[Reward Obtained: Spirit +2]

[Spirit Attribute Increased: 12 -> 14]

[Status Obtained: Clear Mind (Permanent Passive)]

Gu Chengming felt a light sound, like a "buzz," in his mind.

An extremely cool stream of energy instantly swept through his entire body. His brain, which had been somewhat groggy from continuous creation, was now clearer than ever before.

He glanced at the attribute panel.

[Spirit: 14 (Clear Mind: Agile thinking, increased resistance to illusions and mental attacks, improved efficiency in comprehending cultivation methods)]

Gu Chengming was a little surprised.

Huiyuan Sword Art only rewarded the first status-type buff at Admiration, but Clear Heart Art gave a status reward just for being Friendly?

It seems to be quite the wealthy one.

In a good mood, Gu Chengming organized the manuscript he had just finished into a booklet and took this heavy "Tribute" to the Sword Repository Pavilion.

Wenjian Sect, Sword Repository Pavilion.

Behind the counter, Yu Wenqiu was idly spinning a Jade Slip in her hand. As if sensing something, she immediately looked up, her eyes shining.

"Gu..."

She was about to speak but hesitated, mindful of the other disciples around. She forcefully suppressed her excitement, though her slightly trembling fingers betrayed her inner thrill.

Gu Chengming understood implicitly. He walked forward and subtly patted his chest, indicating he had brought the item.

"Ahem."

Yu Wenqiu cleared her throat, stood up, and spoke to a Female Disciple engrossed in organizing Dossiers beside her:

"Xiao Lan, I'll leave this to you for now. I have some... urgent matters and need to take this disciple to my Cave Abode for a detailed discussion."

The Female Disciple named Xiao Lan looked up, revealing a delicate, slightly resentful face.

She glanced at Yu Wenqiu, then at Gu Chengming, her eyes filled with an accusation of "Elder, you're slacking off again."

But under the Elder's imposing authority, she could only nod aggrievedly:

"Yes, Elder."

Gu Chengming was a little surprised.

When he had come looking for Yu Wenqiu before and couldn't find her, it seemed this same Female Disciple was on duty?

It looked like she was the legendary "Personal Tool."

Gu Chengming gave her a sympathetic look, then followed the impatient Yu Wenqiu out of the Sword Repository Pavilion.

A path opened through the bamboo grove, the same spot Gu Chengming had visited last time.

As soon as they entered, the Restriction activated.

Yu Wenqiu instantly shed her Elder persona, turned around, and held out her hand, saying:

"Hand it over!"

Gu Chengming was not hesitant. He took out the Storybook, still carrying the scent of ink, from his embrace and handed it over.

Yu Wenqiu snatched it, carefully caressed the cover, and a satisfied smile spread across her face.

However, she didn't immediately open it to read.

After all, as an elder, taking something from a junior required some form of reciprocation.

She put away the storybook and turned to look at Gu Chengming. As if remembering something, she said:

"Oh, right, Xiao Gu."

"In a few more days, it will be the sect's disciple assessment. I see you've been cultivating diligently lately, and I assume it's for this matter."

She paused and said casually:

"If you're short on any cultivation resources, don't hesitate to ask me. Although I don't really like fighting, I have quite a few miscellaneous items stockpiled in this Cave Abode."

This was indeed true.

As an Elder, her annual stipend was already generous. Furthermore, she was an Otaku Girl who didn't like going out for trials and didn't consume many resources, so her private stash was quite substantial.

Gu Chengming understood.

He naturally wouldn't be polite. Being polite at a time like this would be detrimental to his future.

Therefore, he cupped his hands in a salute and spoke frankly:

"Thank you for your kindness, Elder. This disciple has recently been cultivating the Hundred Bones Resonance and is indeed in urgent need of some Body Tempering Ointment to assist in tempering the tendons and bones."

"Body Tempering Ointment?"

Yu Wenqiu thought for a moment and casually waved her hand over the Storage Bag at her waist.

With a flash of light, a delicate white jade bottle appeared in her hand.

"Here."

She casually tossed the jade bottle to Gu Chengming, as if throwing away a worthless trinket.

"This is 'Spirit Rhinoceros Bone Quenching Dew'. It is refined with the bone marrow of a Third Realm Demonic Beast, the 'Spirit Rhinoceros Beast', as the main ingredient."

"This item has a mild medicinal property and is extremely effective for Cultivators in tempering their bones. It can not only strengthen bone quality but also repair hidden injuries."

Gu Chengming caught the jade bottle, feeling a slight weight in his palm.

He uncorked the bottle, and a rich medicinal fragrance instantly assailed his nostrils. Just taking a whiff made all his bones feel a faint warmth.

He was greatly shocked.

Bone marrow from a Third Realm Demonic Beast?!

This was an Elder-level material. In the Marketplace outside, this small bottle could probably fetch an exorbitant price!

This Elder Yu was truly wealthy and unfathomable!

"Thank you for the reward, Elder Yu!"

Gu Chengming quickly capped the bottle and thanked her solemnly.

Yu Wenqiu, however, waved her hand dismissively, her gaze already drifting towards the storybook in her sleeve.

"Alright, alright, it's just a small trinket."

"But remember, although the medicinal effects are mild, it's still a high-grade item. Use it sparingly and frequently, dilute it with water before applying, don't bite off more than you can chew and ruin your body."

After giving this reminder, she waved her hand:

"Okay, I've given you the item and said what I needed to say. If there's nothing else, you should go back and cultivate well, and strive for a good ranking in the Grand Examination."

Gu Chengming could tell that this Elder was eager to enjoy the Gala Ge Mu by herself.

He smiled knowingly and cupped his hands again to thank her:

"Then this disciple will not disturb the Elder's Pure Cultivation."

With that, he turned and exited the Cave Abode.

As the Main Door of the Cave Abode slowly closed, Gu Chengming touched the warm jade bottle in his embrace.

With this bottle of "Spirit Rhinoceros Bone Quenching Dew", Hundred Bones Resonance should be able to get started, right?

PS: This chapter is also three thousand characters, totaling six thousand characters updated, which counts as three updates.

To be honest, the current results are somewhat beyond expectations. Thank you all for your support.

Although it's not ideal to have extra updates during the new book period, as it might not fully utilize recommendations, I've decided to make one permanent recommendation ticket extra update for everyone to enjoy more. I will update an extra chapter for every thousand daily recommendation votes.

I only hope that everyone will continue to follow and read. Please.

Chapter 23: Chapter 22 Gu Chengming, Break for Me! (Two Chapters in One)

The night was as black as ink, dotted with stars.

However, Gu Chengming's room was brightly lit.