Taking a Concubine for My Husband

If she'd been "ambushed" at the Marketplace the first time, she could still have said Gu Chengming was despicable and underhanded.

But what about this time?

Right in front of her, with her guard up, and even after she'd taken the initiative to put some distance between them. And the result? She hadn't even touched the hem of his robe before he'd knocked her down in two breaths.

What did that prove?

That the earlier "ambush" had been nothing but an excuse! Those two girls simply weren't good enough, and they'd lost but refused to admit it.

"Oh my..."

Ren Wencai broke the silence at just the right moment.

With his hands behind his back, he strolled leisurely over to Su He and Li Miao, bent down, and made a show of examining them. Then he straightened and looked at Elder Liu with concern.

"Junior Sister Liu, it seems your two disciples really are a little..."

He deliberately left the sentence hanging, as if the words were too difficult to say aloud, then sighed.

"Do they spend so much time practicing Mystical Arts that they've neglected their bodies? How could a light touch from an Outer Sect Disciple like me knock them over?"

As he spoke, he deliberately sighed again, then scolded Gu Chengming in a tone of disappointed reproach.

"Gu Chengming! Honestly!"

"Didn't I tell you to spar with them? How could you use so much force? What if you'd hurt the two Senior Sisters? Hurry up and apologize to Elder Liu!"

Gu Chengming readily bowed with cupped hands.

"This disciple was wrong. I'll be more careful next time and handle them gently."

"You... you..."

Elder Liu trembled with rage, pointing at the master and disciple who'd played their parts in perfect harmony. For a long while, she couldn't manage a complete sentence.

Though she was foul-tempered and infamous for protecting her own, she'd still needed the basic discernment and sense of fairness to rise to the position of elder in Wenjian Sect.

A loss was a loss.

And this was the sort of loss where she'd been stripped down to her underwear.

If she kept making a scene now, she wouldn't just be disgracing herself; she'd bring shame on Daoning Gate as well.

Elder Liu drew a deep breath, forcing down the anger in her heart.

"I was wrong about what happened. I wronged an innocent man."

"I was blind and ungrateful. I hope you'll forgive me."

With that, she swept her broad sleeves, lifting the unconscious Su He and Li Miao from the ground.

She was too ashamed to stay even another second. Wind surged beneath her feet, and she transformed into a streak of Escape Light, carrying the two burdens with her as she fled into the sky. In the blink of an eye, she vanished over the horizon.

No matter how you looked at it, her retreating figure was a sorry sight.

"Safe travels, Junior Sister!"

Ren Wencai called after her.

Only after the Escape Light had disappeared completely did Ren Wencai turn back.

He looked at Gu Chengming, his eyes practically overflowing with amusement.

Liu An had relied on Daoning Gate's numbers to trip him up at sect meetings more than once. Today's little performance had let him vent years of pent-up resentment all at once.

And...

Ren Wencai looked Gu Chengming up and down, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

That Wine Old Man had been willing to pay a high price to poach a disciple, even giving Gu Chengming that Hidden Immortal Wine Sword Art.

Ren Wencai had been a little worried. He'd feared Xiao Gu wouldn't be able to resist the temptation, would switch to that sword art, and would end up being lured away by the Wine Old Man.

But now...

Faced with the temptation of such a profound sword art, Gu Chengming had managed to stay true to himself and resist outside influences.

As expected of a disciple of Huiyuan Gate.

Of course, he had no idea that Gu Chengming lacked enough attribute points to practice it.

Ren Wencai let the smile fade from his face, returning to his usual air of calm and inscrutable wisdom.

Standing with his hands behind his back, he gave a slight nod and spoke in a mild tone.

"Mm. Well done."

"You upheld the sect's reputation without truly damaging your fellow disciples' foundations. You showed acceptable restraint."

Gu Chengming promptly lowered his head. "Thank you for the praise, Elder."

Ren Wencai looked at Gu Chengming, liking him more and more, but began to calculate in his mind.

The Wine Old Man had given him a Cultivation Method. If he, as his proper senior, didn't offer anything at all, wouldn't that make him seem stingy?

What if the kid came to his senses one day, decided Hunyuan Sect offered better treatment, and left?

No, he'd better give him a taste of the good stuff.

"Ahem."

Ren Wencai cleared his throat. With a turn of his palm, a thin, yellowed booklet appeared in it.

"You performed well today. I also noticed that your swordsmanship is fast, but your moves lack a little force. You rely purely on technique to win."

"This Flowing Light Sword Shadow was something I acquired during my travels in my younger days. It's no peerless divine art, but it is nimble and versatile, and focuses on the word 'fast.'"

"Take it and study it carefully. Don't disappoint my good intentions."

As he spoke, the booklet floated lightly into Gu Chengming's hands.

Gu Chengming's heart stirred.

"Thank you for bestowing this art, Elder!"

Ren Wencai nodded with satisfaction.

Then his gaze fell on Jiang Lu, who stood nearby.

If he rewarded only Gu Chengming, it would be unfair and do nothing to foster unity among his fellow disciples.

After all, the rain should fall on everyone.

"Jiang Lu, you didn't take part today, but reporting what happened still counts as a merit."

Ren Wencai flicked his hand, sending two delicate porcelain bottles flying toward Jiang Lu.

Jiang Lu fumbled as he caught them, then thanked him.

So that was why his master had told him to spend more time with Senior Brother Gu. From a certain point of view, he'd benefited from it too.

Taking a Concubine on Her Husband's Behalf

After thanking Ren Wencai and exchanging a few polite words with Jiang Lu, Gu Chengming walked back to his little courtyard beneath the moonlight.

He hefted the Flowing Light Sword Shadow in his hand. The paper felt rough to the touch, yet it couldn't conceal the sharp Sword Intent faintly emanating from within.

If it had been anyone else, they would probably have been eager to read the manual, perhaps even trying out a few moves on the spot.

But Gu Chengming didn't hurry to open the Cultivation Method. First, he didn't even know whether he could practice it...

Second, since he already had a clear path to winning over Hundred Bones Cry, the right move was definitely to max out Lao Bai's Favorability first.

Over the next few days, Gu Chengming continued to use Dragon Blood Grass to raise its Favorability, as usual.

"What potent medicinal power! Dragon Blood Grass really lives up to its name!"

"Hundred Bones Cry! Help me suppress this beast!"

[Hundred Bones Cry sensed the vast medicinal power—which did not exist—rampaging within it!]

[Not wanting to let down this peerless Divine Medicine, or your trust, it did everything in its power to circulate and digest the medicinal power!]

And so the days passed, one after another, in the harmonious atmosphere of "I deceive you, you believe me, and we both have a bright future."

At last, on a night when the moon shone bright and stars were sparse...

With the last Blood Activating Grass swallowed, the Favorability bar that had been steadily climbing finally crossed a crucial threshold.

[Hundred Bones Cry thought that in all its life, it had met countless people, but you were the one genius most likely to rise from humble beginnings alongside it and make a place for yourselves in the world.]

[If you died, it would surely recreate your body, just like in the story you wrote!]

[Favorability +2]

[Current Favorability: 60]

[Status change: [Friendly] → [Fondness]]

The rise in Favorability status granted one fixed attribute point and one free attribute point.

Without the slightest hesitation, Gu Chengming willed the free attribute point into the "Constitution" category as well.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

His heart began to pound violently.

His previously pale skin gradually took on a healthy flush. His bones crackled, and though his muscles didn't become exaggeratedly bulky, they grew firmer and more resilient.

[Current Constitution: 5 -> 7]

The data below that line changed in the most immediately noticeable way.

[Current remaining lifespan: six years]

From a precarious seven hundred-plus days, it had surged straight to six years!

"Whew..."

Gu Chengming let out a long breath.

But the surprises didn't end there.

His leap in Constitution directly increased the amount of Spiritual Energy his body could contain.

His bottleneck at First Realm Level Four, washed over by such abundant life force, was like a paper window—one poke, and through it went.

There was no need for deliberate guidance.

The abundant Qi and Blood and Spiritual Power within him surged with joy, flowing upward through his meridians, breaking through the barrier and gathering in his Dantian.

Hum—

The air trembled faintly, and the surrounding Spiritual Energy seemed to be drawn toward him.

First Realm Level Five, achieved as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

Having broken through, extended his lifespan, and put himself in a fine mood, Gu Chengming didn't choose to rest and celebrate.

While the iron was hot, he took a Jade Slip from his robes.

It contained the advanced sword move Ren Wencai had given him earlier: Flowing Light Sword Shadow.

This sword move was fairly well-known within Wenjian Sect. Its central principle was "speed." Once mastered, the sword would flash like flowing light, its shadow moving with the wielder, its true and false forms impossible to distinguish. It was a deadly weapon.

Sword moves differed from sword arts. Strictly speaking, a sword move was only one kind of technique, more like... a skill?

So, in theory, it shouldn't have particularly demanding attribute requirements.

Of course, by the same logic, it probably wouldn't trigger a strategy option either.

Thinking this, Gu Chengming sent his Spiritual Sense into the Jade Slip.

[System prompt: Host detected attempting to practice Flowing Light Sword Shadow.]

[Constitution attribute insufficient] [Agility attribute insufficient] [Strength attribute insufficient]

[Flowing Cloud Following Moon Sword Art, incomplete, has not met strategy requirements]

Looking at the string of red warnings, Gu Chengming couldn't help cursing inwardly.

"What the hell..."