Gu Chengming stopped what he was doing and furrowed his brows. The surroundings were silent. Only a few birds flitted past the branches, their crisp cries ringing out.
Finding nothing, Gu Chengming thought no more of it.
What he didn't know was that a hundred paces from the little courtyard, deep in the canopy of a Giant Ancient Tree, layers of leaves and branches hid a figure.
An old man wearing a battered Bamboo Hat and Coarse Cloth Linen Clothes patched all over leaned against the trunk, a dark red Wine Gourd hanging at his waist. He had blended perfectly into the night.
The old man raised the Wine Gourd and took a swig. A flash of surprise crossed his cloudy eyes.
"Hm?"
He smacked his lips, savoring the harsh burn of the cheap liquor, but never took his eyes off the little courtyard.
"This kid... actually sensed me?"
Though he hadn't deliberately used any profound Stealth Mystical Art, he was still far beyond the perception of some junior in the First Realm.
The instant the kid had turned around, he'd clearly relied on some kind of instinctive intuition.
"Interesting."
That intuition hadn't come from Spiritual Sense. It seemed more like it came from... the sword.
"Could it be Clear Sword Heart?"
Clear Sword Heart meant being keenly alert to the slightest disturbance, possessing an instinctive sense for the Way of the Sword.
The old man didn't know whether Gu Chengming truly had Clear Sword Heart, but he thought to himself that perhaps he'd really stumbled on a hidden gem this time.
If he'd wanted to approach Gu Chengming, he could have shown himself long ago.
He'd held back for two reasons. First, he wanted to test the kid's character.
Talent was one thing; character was another. If the kid had Wicked Intent, then no matter how gifted he was, the old man wouldn't give him a second glance.
The other reason was that he was wary of the old fogeys in Wenjian Sect.
He was an outsider, after all. If he approached a disciple recklessly, he could easily cause a fluctuation in the Sect Great Formation or draw the attention of those elders who had nothing better to do all day.
He needed to wait for an opportunity...
The old man looked toward Wenjian Sect's main peak.
"Once that Disciple Grand Examination starts in a few days, the Sect Great Formation will be running and there'll be people everywhere. Those old fogeys will be busy fighting over promising seedlings... That'll be the perfect time to make my move."
Still, he felt a little more pressed for time.
A few days ago, he'd personally seen a young Sword Cultivator in a blue robe come looking for the kid.
Though the man had changed his appearance and suppressed his cultivation, the old man had seen at a glance that he was an elder in the Third Realm.
"That blue-robed brat was grinning from ear to ear when he left. He must have tested the kid and found something."
The old man sighed and took another swig.
"Seems this uncut jade isn't buried all that deep after all. Someone's already noticed him. I'd better hurry, or this duck that's already in my mouth might fly away. What a loss that'd be."
About a week later.
That afternoon, Gu Chengming set down the final stroke, let out a long breath, and placed his brush on the brush rest.
He'd finally finished the second part of the story.
Almost the instant he stopped writing, that familiar panel appeared in his mind again, accompanied by a pleasant notification chime.
[Clear Heart Art watched your creative process from beginning to end and greatly praised the plot concerning "Inner Demon and True Self" in this volume.] [It believes your portrayal of the state of mind touches on something fundamental. Though your writing is still somewhat rough, your ideas are profound.] [Current Favorability: 30 (Friendly)] [Congratulations! Your relationship with Clear Heart Art has risen from "Stranger" to "Friendly."] [Reward received: Spirit +2] [Spirit attribute increased: 12 -> 14] [Status acquired: Clear Mind (Permanent Passive)]
Gu Chengming heard a soft whirr in his mind.
A wave of coolness swept through his entire body. His mind, which had grown foggy from writing for so long, now felt clearer than ever.
He looked at his status panel.
[Spirit: 14 (Clear Mind: Sharpens thought, increases resistance to Illusion Techniques and mental attacks, and improves the efficiency of comprehending Cultivation Methods)]
Gu Chengming was a little surprised.
The Huiyuan Sword Art had only granted its first status buff at the "Adoration" stage, yet Clear Heart Art had given him one at merely "Friendly"?
Looks like she's a rich lady, after all.
In a good mood, Gu Chengming gathered the freshly written manuscript into a booklet, brought this weighty "offering," and headed for Sword Repository Pavilion.
Wenjian Sect, Sword Repository Pavilion.
Behind the counter, Yu Wenqiu had been idly turning a Jade Slip in her hand. As if sensing something, she immediately looked up, her eyes lighting up.
"Gu..."
She was about to speak, but remembered the other disciples nearby and forced down her excitement. Only her faintly trembling fingers betrayed how thrilled she was.
Gu Chengming understood. He stepped forward and discreetly patted his chest to indicate he'd brought it.
"Ahem."
Yu Wenqiu cleared her throat, stood up, and said to a female disciple nearby who was bent over sorting records:
"Xiao Lan, watch things here for a bit. I have some... important business and need to take this disciple to my cave abode for a private discussion."
The female disciple called Xiao Lan looked up, revealing a delicate face tinged with grievance.
She glanced at Yu Wenqiu, then at Gu Chengming. Her eyes clearly accused the elder: "You're skipping work again."
But cowed by her elder's authority, she could only nod unhappily.
"Yes, Elder."
Gu Chengming was a little surprised.
When he'd come looking for Yu Wenqiu before and hadn't found her, wasn't this the same female disciple who'd been filling in?
So this was the legendary Personal Tool.
Gu Chengming gave her a sympathetic look, then followed the impatient Yu Wenqiu out of Sword Repository Pavilion.
A path opened through the bamboo grove. It was the same place Gu Chengming had visited last time.
As soon as they entered, the warding formation activated.
Yu Wenqiu instantly dropped her elder's dignified airs, turned, and held out her hand.
"Hand it over!"
Gu Chengming didn't hesitate. He took the storybook, still fragrant with fresh ink, from his robes and handed it to her.
Yu Wenqiu snatched it and carefully stroked the cover, a satisfied smile spreading across her face.
Still, she didn't open it right away.
After all, she was an elder, and he was her junior. She ought to show some appreciation for what he'd given her.
She put the storybook away, then turned to Gu Chengming as if remembering something.
"By the way, Xiao Gu."
"The sect's Disciple Examination is only a few days away. I've noticed you've been cultivating diligently lately. I assume it's for that."
She paused, then said casually:
"If you're short on cultivation resources, just ask me. I'm not one for fighting, but I've got plenty of odds and ends stashed in my cave abode."
That was no exaggeration.
As an elder, she received a generous annual Attendant's stipend. On top of that, she was a homebody who didn't like going out to gain experience and didn't use many resources, so her private stash was quite substantial.
Gu Chengming understood.
He certainly wouldn't be polite. At a time like this, politeness would only get in the way of his own future.
He cupped his hands and replied frankly:
"Thank you for your generosity, Elder. I've been practicing Hundred Bones Roar lately, and I really do need some Body Tempering Ointment to help temper my bones and sinews."
"Body Tempering Ointment?"
Yu Wenqiu thought for a moment, then brushed a hand over the Storage Bag at her waist.
A flash of light, and a delicate little white Jade Bottle appeared in her hand.
"Here."
She tossed the bottle to Gu Chengming as casually as if it were some worthless trinket.
"This is Spirit Rhinoceros Bone Quenching Dew. It's made with the marrow of a Third Realm Spirit Rhinoceros Beast as its main ingredient."
"It's gentle in nature and highly effective for tempering a Cultivator's bones. It strengthens the bone and repairs hidden injuries."
Gu Chengming caught the bottle, feeling its weight settle into his palm.
He pulled out the stopper, and a rich medicinal fragrance rushed out. Just one sniff made the bones throughout his body feel faintly warm.
He was stunned.
The marrow of a Third Realm Demonic Beast?!
That was an elder-grade ingredient. In the Marketplace, this tiny bottle could probably fetch a sky-high price!
Elder Yu was truly wealthy and unfathomable!
"Thank you for this gift, Elder Yu!"
Gu Chengming quickly put the stopper back in and thanked her solemnly.
Yu Wenqiu waved it off, unconcerned. Her eyes had already drifted toward the storybook in her sleeve.
"Enough, enough. It's just a little trinket."
"But remember, though its effects are gentle, it's still a high-grade product. Use a little at a time, dilute it with water, and then apply it. Don't bite off more than you can chew and end up wrecking your body."
After that reminder, she waved her hand.
"All right, I've given you the thing and said what I needed to say. If there's nothing else, go back and cultivate properly. Try to place well in the Grand Examination."
Gu Chengming could tell the elder was eager to enjoy Gala Ge Mu alone.
He smiled knowingly and cupped his hands in thanks once more.
"Then I won't disturb your Pure Cultivation any longer, Elder."
With that, he turned and left the cave abode.
As the cave's doors slowly closed, Gu Chengming touched the warm Jade Bottle inside his robes.
With this bottle of Spirit Rhinoceros Bone Quenching Dew, he should be able to reach the entry level in Hundred Bones Roar, right?
P.S. This chapter is also three thousand words, bringing the update to six thousand in total. That counts as three updates.
To be honest, the results so far have been better than I expected. Thank you all for enjoying the story.
It's usually not a good idea to post extra chapters during a new book's launch period, since it can make it harder to get the most out of recommendations. But to make things more enjoyable for everyone, I've decided to keep an extra chapter for every thousand daily recommendation votes.
I only ask that you keep reading. Please!
Chapter 23: Gu Chengming, Break Through for Me! (Part Two)
The night was as dark as ink, and stars dotted the sky.
Yet Gu Chengming's room was brightly lit.
Before you continue