But I really wanted to know what happened next!
Yu Wenqiu's fingers kept picking at the book's cover, while it was as if two little people were arguing in her head.
One said, "You've already read this far. Will you even be able to sleep tonight if you don't finish it?"
The other said, "He's right."
Blushing, Yu Wenqiu cracked the book open again, as if she were sneaking around.
Half an hour later.
Yu Wenqiu slumped in her chair. She had finished reading.
Not only had she finished reading, but scenes had also automatically played out in her mind.
That sense of forbidden transgression had left her utterly shaken.
She suddenly sat up straight, staring at the storybook in her hands with her brows knitted tightly together.
"Wait a minute..."
"The master in this book is aloof and cold, rarely smiles, and is a Sword Cultivator..."
"That's practically me!"
Yu Wenqiu's heart gave a sudden thump.
"Could it be..."
A frightening thought surfaced in her mind.
"Could that kid Gu Chengming be trying to hint at something?!"
"Does he have improper designs on me?!"
Yu Wenqiu bit her lip, both embarrassed and annoyed.
She kind of wanted to drag Gu Chengming back and ask him what he'd meant by writing a scene like that.
But... she had only just stood up before sinking back into her seat in defeat.
What if she was just imagining things?
If she stormed over and confronted him, wouldn't that be as good as confessing? Wouldn't it be admitting that she'd imagined herself in the story?
How humiliating!
She wanted to curse, but also wanted to read the next installment. She wanted to question him, but was afraid of making a fool of herself.
If Gu Chengming found out, he'd probably just say, "This is the ugly state of a Gala Idiot!"
Chapter Forty: Unlocking a Special CG
Night was as dark as ink, and the moon hung above the willow branches.
Wearing an unremarkable gray robe and keeping his aura completely concealed, Ren Wencai soundlessly landed in a tree outside Gu Chengming's courtyard.
This was already his fifth visit.
Ever since he'd given away Flowing Light Sword Shadow that day, he'd been itching with curiosity.
Though this sword art wasn't one of the sect's top secret techniques, it demanded exceptionally high aptitude. Its light, nimble, and ever-changing sword paths in particular were beyond the grasp of ordinary disciples, even after years of painstaking practice.
He wanted to know whether Gu Chengming, in whom he'd placed such high hopes and whom he even suspected might be a Bitter Sword Cultivator from ancient times, could truly master this sword art.
However, reality had left him a little baffled.
On his previous visits, Gu Chengming had either been staring blankly at a bundle of medicinal herbs and muttering to himself, or slowly practicing the most basic Huiyuan Sword Art in the courtyard.
There'd been no sign at all that he was practicing Flowing Light Sword Shadow.
"Could he not understand it?"
Ren Wencai knitted his brows, unable to stop himself from wondering.
That didn't make sense.
Those few strikes Gu Chengming had made before had been flawless, both in timing and in controlling his strength.
With that level of comprehension, how could he not even manage to get started?
Or was it... that he looked down on this sword art?
The more Ren Wencai thought about it, the more something seemed off. He was just about to show himself and give this ignorant brat a talking-to.
Just then, a thought crossed his mind, and he noticed what was wrong.
Since when had this kid reached First Realm Level Five?!
Just a few days ago, he'd still been at First Realm Level Four.
This discovery only further confirmed Ren Wencai's suspicions: Gu Chengming really was following the path of an ancient Bitter Sword Cultivator!
For people like him, so-called bottlenecks simply didn't exist.
Their earlier stagnation was nothing more than tempering their bodies and honing their minds, preparing for an eruption in the future.
Like an unrivaled treasured sword, which had to lie hidden and be carefully honed for a long time before it could leave its sheath.
And now, that sword had finally begun to reveal its edge!
At that moment, the great weight that had hung over Ren Wencai's heart finally lifted.
First Realm Level Five.
Passing the assessment and keeping his status as a sect disciple was all but certain.
In fact, if all Gu Chengming needed was to pass the assessment, his current progress had already gone well beyond what was necessary.
But Ren Wencai didn't see it that way.
Standing on the treetop, he stared intently at the still-cross-legged figure inside the house, his thoughts racing.
Since this kid was a piece of uncut jade, wouldn't it be a terrible waste to let him scrape by?
What mattered most to a Bitter Sword Cultivator?
The word was "grinding"!
The more a sword was ground, the sharper it became; the more a person fought, the stronger he grew!
Gu Chengming must now be at the stage where all his accumulated strength was about to burst forth, stunning the world.
He had to be put under pressure and given challenges, kept constantly on edge—that was the only way to bring out the full extent of his potential!
Only through unceasing battles and pressure could that newly budding Sword Intent be forged into something purer and sharper!
"Liu Enchuan was right to disguise himself as Liu En and seek this kid out for a spar..."
Ren Wencai stroked his beard, a glint flashing in his eyes.
What if he did it himself?
As the Great Elder of Huiyuan Gate, he couldn't act just like Liu Enchuan. But he could suppress his cultivation and disguise himself as some mysterious expert, or a wandering Sword Cultivator passing through, then give the kid a lesson in the dead of night.
He could test Gu Chengming's combat skills, hone his Sword Intent, and even point out the flaws in his swordsmanship along the way.
Three birds with one stone!
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
Ren Wencai's grin grew wider as he gazed at Gu Chengming's courtyard, like an old farmer eyeing a thriving patch of chives in his field and already wondering how best to harvest them.
"Heh heh, kid, if you don't want to practice Flowing Light Sword Shadow, then this old man will teach you himself."
Having made up his mind, Ren Wencai didn't rush into action.
Gu Chengming had only just advanced, and this was a crucial time for stabilizing his realm. He shouldn't be disturbed.
There was plenty of time.
Time flew like a white colt flashing past a crack in the wall. In the blink of an eye, several more days had passed.
Meanwhile.
Gu Chengming had no idea what Yu Wenqiu or Ren Wencai were thinking. Every day, aside from his unwavering routine of "eating grass" to raise Hundred Bones' Favorability, he worked on plotting out storylines, trying to push Clear Heart Art from friendly to fond.
Of course, Gu Chengming hadn't forgotten to keep an eye on the progress bar in his mind.
It was the progress of comprehending Flowing Light Sword Shadow through Huiyuan Sword Art.
At last, on a sunny afternoon.
Just as Gu Chengming had finished another round of tedious breathing exercises, the progress bar suddenly moved, without warning.
[Flowing Light Sword Shadow comprehension complete]
Holy crap, it really worked?
Though he'd always hoped it would, when it actually happened, Gu Chengming was still a little surprised.
Meanwhile, Hundred Bones reacted in exactly the same way.
[Holy crap, it really worked?]
While the man and the Cultivation Method were still in shock, the System Panel changed once more.
The data in the Huiyuan Sword Art section blurred, reassembled, and finally settled into an entirely new form.
[Huiyuan Sword Art: Flowing Light Sword Shadow (CG not unlocked)] [Current unlock progress: 0%]
"?"
Gu Chengming stared at the name, and a question mark slowly appeared above his head.
What did "CG not unlocked" mean?
And what was this about a CG?
Before he could figure it out, an unfamiliar emotion, tinged with excitement and liveliness, suddenly rose from deep within his mind.
[Huiyuan Sword Art giggled.] [It seemed very pleased with its new look, and a little excited.] [I'm so amazing, aren't I??]
"??"
Another question mark appeared above Gu Chengming's head.
Something felt a little off.
Chapter Forty-One: ?
The change had come too suddenly. Not only were Gu Chengming and Hundred Bones bewildered, but even Clear Heart Art, which had been lurking and watching the show, was startled into appearing.
[Clear Heart Art wondered how you would handle this amusing surprise.] [Clear Heart Art Favorability +1]
Could it please not raise its Favorability right now? This looked like it was gloating.
He'd barely finished grumbling to himself when the words before him changed again.
[Huiyuan Sword Art noticed your utter astonishment and felt a little confused.] [What's wrong? Don't you like how it looks now??]
Compared to Gu Chengming's shock, the other one reacted much more intensely—so intensely it was downright horrifying.
[Hundred Bones thought, holy crap, had it been possessed by some mighty Cultivation Method?] [Though it had long known the Dao Path was treacherous, even it couldn't help feeling the sorrow of a rabbit dying when it saw this.] [It thought, farewell, Sword Art friend. I'll take good care of Gu Chengming in your place?]
Gu Chengming's face darkened, but he didn't pay Hundred Bones much attention.
Before you continue