Gal Martial Saint

But I really want to know what happens next!

Yu Wenqiu's fingers picked at the book's cover, her mind caught between two little figures.

One little figure said: You've come this far—can you really sleep tonight without finishing it?

The other little figure said: He's right.

Yu Wenqiu's face flushed red. Like a thief, she once again cracked the book open a sliver.

Half an hour later.

Yu Wenqiu slumped in her chair, finished reading.

Not only had she finished, but scenes had automatically generated in her mind.

That sense of transgression left her deeply shaken.

She suddenly sat up straight, staring at the book in her hands, brows tightly knit.

"This doesn't add up..."

"The Master in this book has a cold personality, never smiles, and is a sword cultivator..."

"That's basically me!"

Yu Wenqiu's heart skipped a beat.

"Could it be..."

A terrifying thought surfaced in her mind.

"Could Gu Chengming, that kid, be hinting at something?!"

"Does he have improper thoughts toward This Seat?!"

Yu Wenqiu bit her lip, both embarrassed and annoyed.

She felt like grabbing Gu Chengming and demanding to know what he meant by writing such a scene.

But... just as she stood up, she slumped back down again.

What if she was just overthinking it?

If she stormed over to confront him, wouldn't that be admitting guilt? Wouldn't that be admitting she'd projected herself into the story?

Too pathetic!

She wanted to curse, wanted to read the next volume, wanted to confront him, but feared the shame.

If Gu Chengming found out, he'd probably just say, "This is the ugly face of Gala Idiot!"

Chapter 40: Thirty-Eighth Chapter—Unlocking Special CG

The night was as dark as ink, the moon hanging over the willow tips.

Ren Wencai, clad in an unremarkable gray robe, had his aura suppressed to the extreme. Soundlessly, he landed on a tree outside Gu Chengming's small 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 among the sect's top-tier techniques, its strength lay in its extremely high talent requirements—especially its nimble, ever-changing sword paths. Ordinary disciples might train for years without even touching the threshold.

He desperately wanted to know whether Gu Chengming, the one he'd placed such high hopes on—even suspected of being a seedling of the "Ancient Bitter Sword Cultivator"—could actually master this sword art.

Yet reality left him baffled.

The previous times he'd come, he'd seen Gu Chengming either staring dazedly at a bundle of herbs like a lunatic, or slowly practicing the most basic Huiyuan Sword Art in the courtyard.

There was no sign of him cultivating Flowing Light Sword Shadow.

"Could he not understand it?" Ren Wencai frowned, doubts churning in his heart.

That shouldn't be.

Gu Chengming's earlier sword strikes—whether in timing or force control—had been flawless.

With that kind of comprehension, how could he not even get started?

Or... did he simply look down on this sword art?

The more Ren Wencai thought, the more something felt off. He was about to reveal himself and knock some sense into this arrogant kid.

Just then, his mind stirred, and he finally noticed what was wrong.

When had this kid reached First Realm Level Five?!

Just a few days ago, he was only First Realm Level Four.

This discovery only reinforced Ren Wencai's guess—Gu Chengming truly was walking the path of the Ancient Bitter Sword Cultivator!

So-called bottlenecks simply didn't exist for someone like him.

Their earlier stagnation was merely a process of tempering their bones and honing their will, preparing for a future eruption.

Like a peerless divine sword, it must endure a long period of concealment and grinding before being drawn from its sheath.

And now, this sword had finally begun to reveal its edge!

At this moment, the heavy stone that had been pressing on Ren Wencai's heart finally fell to the ground.

First Realm Level Five.

Passing the assessment and securing his status as a sect disciple was a foregone conclusion.

One could even say that if the goal was merely to pass the assessment, Gu Chengming's current state was already somewhat "overflowing."

But Ren Wencai didn't see it that way.

Standing on a treetop, his gaze burning as he stared at the figure still sitting cross-legged inside the room, his thoughts raced.

Since this kid was a piece of Unpolished Jade, wouldn't it be a waste of heaven's gift to let him barely scrape by?

What did a Bitter Sword Cultivator value most?

It was the word "grind"!

The more a sword was ground, the sharper it became; the more a man fought, the stronger he grew!

He was currently in a period of accumulating power and waiting to burst forth with a single stunning strike.

He had to be given pressure, given challenges, kept in a constant state of tension to maximize his potential!

Only through unceasing battle and oppression could that newly sprouted Sword Intent be tempered into something purer and sharper.

"Liu Enchuan's idea of using the alias Liu En to spar with this kid wasn't wrong..."

Ren Wencai stroked the beard on his chin, a glint of sharpness flashing in his eyes.

What if he did it himself?

As the Great Elder of Huiyuan Gate, if he personally stepped in, he naturally couldn't act like Liu Enchuan. But he could suppress his cultivation level, disguise himself as some mysterious expert or a wandering swordsman passing by, and give this kid a lesson in the dead of night.

It would test his combat ability, hone his Sword Intent, and even allow him to point out flaws in his swordsmanship.

Three birds with one stone!

The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.

The smile on Ren Wencai's lips grew thicker. His gaze at Gu Chengming's small courtyard was like an old farmer eyeing a lush patch of chives in his field, already pondering the best angle to harvest them.

"Heh heh, kid, since you don't want to practice Flowing Light Sword Shadow, this Old Man will teach you himself."

Having made up his mind, Ren Wencai didn't act in haste.

Gu Chengming had just broken through; this was a critical moment for stabilizing his realm, not to be disturbed.

There would be plenty of time.

Time flew like a white colt passing a crack in the wall, and in the blink of an eye, several more days had passed.

On the other side.

Gu Chengming naturally had no idea what Yu Wenqiu and Ren Wencai were thinking. Every day, aside from his unshakable routine of "eating grass" to raise Hundred Bones Ming's Favorability, he spent his time plotting out story drafts, trying to find a way to break through Clear Heart Art from Friendly to Liked status.

Of course, Gu Chengming also kept an eye on the progress bar in his mind.

That was the progress of comprehending Flowing Light Sword Shadow from the Huiyuan Sword Art.

Finally, on a sunny afternoon.

Just as Gu Chengming finished a round of monotonous breathing exercises, it jumped without warning.

[Flowing Light Sword Shadow comprehension complete]

Holy shit, it actually worked?

Though he'd been holding out hope all along, when it actually happened, Gu Chengming was still a bit surprised.

And on the other side, Hundred Bones Ming's reaction was exactly the same.

[Holy shit, it actually worked?]

Just as this person and cultivation method were still reeling in shock, the System Panel changed again.

The data under the original Huiyuan Sword Art column began to blur, reorganize, and finally settle into a brand-new form.

[Huiyuan Sword Art: Flowing Light Sword Shadow (CG not unlocked)]

[Current unlock progress: 0%]

"?"

Gu Chengming stared at the name, a question mark slowly forming above his head.

What did "CG not unlocked" mean?

Since when were there CGs involved?

Before he could figure it out, a strange emotion—tinged with a hint of cheerfulness and liveliness—suddenly transmitted from the depths of his mind.

[Huiyuan Sword Art giggled lightly.]

[It seemed very pleased with its new appearance, even a little giddy.]

[Aren't I amazing? Don't you think so?]

"??"

Another question mark appeared over Gu Chengming's head.

Something felt off.

Chapter 41: Chapter Thirty-Nine?

This change came too suddenly. Not only did it leave Gu Chengming and Hundred Bones stunned, but even Clear Heart Art, who had been lurking and snacking on the drama, was forced to surface.

[Clear Heart Art is curious how you will handle this amusing accident]

[Clear Heart Art Favorability +1]

Could you not raise Favorability at a time like this? It just looked like you were gloating.

No sooner had he silently complained than the text before him shifted again.

[Huiyuan Sword Art sees you looking quite astonished and can't help but feel puzzled]

[What's wrong? Don't you like how it looks now?]

Compared to Gu Chengming's shock, the other party's reaction was far more intense—bordering on horror.

[Hundred Bones thought to itself, Holy crap, has it been Body-Seized by a Great Power's Cultivation Method?]

[Though it had long known the path of cultivation was fraught with peril, this scene still stirred a sense of sorrow for its own kind in its heart]

[It thought to itself, Farewell, fellow Sword Art. I will take good care of Gu Chengming for you.]

Gu Chengming's face was covered in black lines, but he didn't bother to pay Hundred Bones much attention.