Martial Saint

Jiang Lu's heart was filled with dread. He felt that no matter how he changed his moves, whether his sword path was fast or slow, hard or soft, the opponent could always find a perfectly fitting way to stick to his Sword Momentum, slow it down, resolve it, and then continue that endless entanglement.

At this moment, Gu Chengming was completely immersed in his sword techniques. His eyes were bright, his mind highly focused, and every swing of the wooden sword in his hand resonated strangely with the constantly updating Affinity prompts on the panel for the Huiyuan Sword Art.

Jiang Lu retreated step by step, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, only able to endure bitterly.

He felt extremely stifled. Clearly, in terms of strength and speed, he hadn't lost much to the opponent. If Gu Chengming had chosen to confront him head-on, he might not have ended up in such a sorry state.

But the opponent simply refused to confront him directly. He just used those endless sticking moves and evasive maneuvers, constantly wearing down his sharpness and patience, making him unable to exert his strength, and so frustrated he wanted to spit blood.

No, I can't go on like this anymore!

Jiang Lu knew that if he continued to be "played" like this, defeat was inevitable.

A trace of determination flashed in his eyes. He made a decisive move, let out a loud shout, and seized the moment when Gu Chengming swung his sword, his old strength exhausted and new strength not yet born. He poured all his strength and spirit into the tip of his sword. The wooden sword in his hand let out a groan of being unable to bear the load, and with a resolute posture of charging forward without looking back, he thrust it towards Gu Chengming's chest!

This sword condensed his years of arduous cultivation insights, it was the summary of his swordsmanship experience, it was the most stunning sword strike he could unleash at this moment.

Jiang Lu has the great, Jiang Lu has arrived!

However, the moment he drew his sword, Gu Chengming opposite him, as if he had expected this, suddenly changed his previously entangled sword path.

He did not dodge, nor did he block. Instead, he also thrust his wooden sword forward, meeting Jiang Lu's death-defying strike head-on!

The instant the two swords met, Jiang Lu finally saw clearly.

He saw what was contained behind Gu Chengming's seemingly ordinary sword strike.

It was not pure strength, nor was it exquisite technique.

It was an intangible yet incredibly heavy "momentum" accumulated from countless instances of sticking, entangling, circling, and evading, starting from the very first move.

This "momentum" was like rivers flowing into the sea, like a hundred rivers returning to one source.

It contained all of Jiang Lu's previously resolved sword moves, all his worn-down sharpness, all his disrupted rhythm. Every retreat, every entanglement by Gu Chengming before was like adding a drop of water to this great momentum.

And now, this magnificent momentum, formed by countless drops of water, finally poured down!

Jiang Lu felt that the wooden sword in his hand was not hitting another sword, but a towering mountain pressing down towards him, a surging, boundless, monstrous wave! The pressure was heavy, vast, and irresistible, making him feel a sense of insignificance and powerlessness from the depths of his soul.

His proud, stunning sword strike was as fragile as a withered branch in the face of this magnificent momentum.

"Clang!"

A loud noise. Jiang Lu felt his tiger's mouth tremble violently, and an unstoppable great force came from the sword body. He could no longer hold on. The wooden sword in his hand flew out of his grasp, tracing a parabola in the air, and landed on the grass in the distance.

The cold sword tip stopped precisely in front of his neck.

Gu Chengming's calm voice echoed in the courtyard.

"Junior Brother, you lost."

Chapter 6: Trouble

If the spring breeze had affection for flowers, could it grant me youth again?

Alright, strictly speaking, in front of Gu Chengming, Jiang Lu was the one who was "young."

But Jiang Lu had always had a misconception about this Senior Brother Gu, which led him to have such a thought.

Honestly, after enduring the overwhelming power of Gu Chengming's sword strike, Jiang Lu felt a sense of seeing his life flash before his eyes.

He slumped on the ground for a long time, replaying the thrilling sword moves in his mind.

At this moment, Jiang Lu didn't quite know how to express his complex feelings.

If he had simply been worn down by the opponent's "entangling" technique and lost passively, it wouldn't have caused such a strong impact. But with that last sword strike, he had used all his skill, integrating his lifelong learning, seeking that fleeting, decisive blow.

Yet, he still lost.

He lost so thoroughly, so... naturally.

This left him feeling both lost and bewildered, even beginning to doubt the Huiyuan Sword Technique he practiced.

Had his understanding of this sword technique been flawed from the very beginning?

He carefully processed the impact of that last sword strike and the "momentum" contained within Gu Chengming's "entangling" sword path.

After a long while, he slowly stood up, cupped his hands again to salute Gu Chengming, his voice hoarse:

"Thank you... Senior Brother for your guidance."

Undoubtedly, Gu Chengming's last sword strike had opened a brand new door for him.

It had completely shattered his complacency and shallow understanding, which had been confined to his own small world for a long time.

Saying "thank you for your guidance" was indeed a sincere expression from Jiang Lu's heart.

Gu Chengming stepped forward, helped him up, and said politely:

"Junior Brother Jiang is too kind. I also benefited greatly from sparring with you just now. Your sword path is ever-changing, and I have gained insight into its exquisite points."

Jiang Lu was momentarily speechless. He had initially come with the intention of "correcting" Gu Chengming's "misguided" sword technique.

But the result was that he himself had been "taught" by the other party, and it was a complete and utter defeat.

This huge contrast made him feel ashamed.

But at the same time, he also realized that this Senior Brother Gu seemed far from as simple as he had previously thought.

His mind began to wander into all sorts of wild thoughts.

The sword intent and realm displayed in Gu Chengming's sword strike just now were clearly not something a disciple at only First Realm Level Three could wield.

Especially in a sect like Wenjian Sect, where sword techniques and cultivation realms were closely related, the gap in realms was often an insurmountable chasm.

Could it be... Senior Brother had been hiding his true strength all along?

Scenes like "a hidden dragon in the abyss" and "great wisdom appears foolish" from storytelling scripts immediately surfaced in his mind.

The figure of Senior Brother Gu before him instantly took on a few shades of inscrutability and unfathomability in his eyes.

Daring not to think further, Jiang Lu once again sincerely expressed his thanks, cupped his hands, and took his leave.

After all, Gu Chengming's sword strike just now had indeed benefited him greatly. He needed to find a place to calm his mind and properly digest this realization.

On the other side, Gu Chengming watched Jiang Lu's slightly pensive back disappear outside the courtyard gate, feeling that he too had benefited greatly.

Of course, his "benefit" did not come from any inspiration he gained from Jiang Lu's swordsmanship.

It was because.

The information on the panel had refreshed.

[Huiyuan Sword Art sees that you used your own sword intent to defeat Jiang Lu in a way that completely exceeded its expectations. It is momentarily filled with mixed emotions.]

[Among the many disciples of Huiyuan Gate, either their talent is exceptionally outstanding and they completely look down on it, this Basic Sword Art, or their talent is too poor, and they practice it haphazardly without any method.]

[Huiyuan Sword Art feels a sense of inexplicable comfort, but at the same time, a faint sense of inferiority arises.]

[It feels that it is ultimately just a basic cultivation technique and cannot directly grant the user powerful strength like those high-level sword arts.]

[Huiyuan Sword Art Affinity +15]

[Current Affinity: Friendly (45/100)]

Gu Chengming looked at the increased affinity, and a stone in his heart finally landed.

As expected, the most effective way to deal with a complaining "woman" was to make her feel recognized and needed.

Gu Chengming rubbed his chin, thinking to himself.

At the same time, Daoning Gate.

On a mountain peak shrouded in clouds and mist, a delicate Cave Abode stood quietly.

In front of the cave abode, several lush spiritual bamboos swayed in the wind, emitting rustling sounds. The air was filled with a faint fragrance of grass and wood.

Inside the cave abode, a young girl sat cross-legged, her eyes slightly closed. She was dressed in a plain white long dress, its hem spreading like flowing clouds on the smooth stone floor.

The girl's eyebrows were like distant mountains dusted with ink, her eyes like autumn water reflecting ripples. Her nose was delicate and straight, her lips a pale, elegant hue, and her skin was fairer than snow, possessing an almost translucent quality.

Her raven-black hair, like a waterfall, was unbound and cascaded freely behind her, further enhancing her cool, ethereal aura, as if she were a Guanghan fairy who did not partake in worldly affairs.

She was Daoning Gate's "Dao Seed," Su Qingmeng.

A faint sound of footsteps came from outside the cave abode. A young girl in Daoning Gate disciple attire stopped at the entrance and bowed respectfully.

"Jingshui Pavilion disciple You Yuyao, on patrol duty. I apologize for disturbing Junior Sister Su's cultivation."

Jingshui Pavilion was an organization within Wenjian Sect responsible for maintaining sect rules and patrolling the safety of disciples' cave abodes. Its members were mostly chosen from meticulous disciples with decent cultivation.

Su Qingmeng slowly opened her eyes. There was not the slightest ripple in her clear gaze.

She looked at You Yuyao at the entrance, her voice as clear and cold as jade striking jade.

"Senior Sister You, please come in."

Given permission, You Yuyao carefully entered the cave abode.

She looked at the legendary "Dao Seed" junior sister before her, her words unconsciously carrying a hint of restraint and awkwardness.

"Jun... Junior Sister Su, I... I'm just doing a routine check to see if the cave abode's restrictions are intact. It won't take up too much of your time."

You Yuyao's voice was a little tight, her face showing a mixture of admiration and nervousness.

Su Qingmeng nodded slightly, saying nothing more, just watching her quietly.

You Yuyao forced herself to calm down, took out a small compass, and walked around the cave abode, carefully checking the spiritual power flow of each restriction. Her movements were light, as if afraid of making any extra sound that might disturb the junior sister's cultivation.

After the inspection, You Yuyao put away the compass and bowed again. "Junior Sister Su, the restrictions are all normal. I... I will take my leave now."

"Senior Sister You," Su Qingmeng suddenly spoke.

"Ah? Yes!" You Yuyao stiffened and quickly responded.

"Your Condensing Water Art seems to have encountered a bottleneck." Su Qingmeng's gaze fell on You Yuyao's wrist, where a faint spiritual power fluctuation was slightly sluggish. "Impatience is a great taboo in cultivation. Calm your mind, and a drop of water can wear through stone."

Upon hearing this, You Yuyao's face instantly flushed with overwhelming joy. She hadn't expected that such a minor cultivation issue of hers could be seen through at a glance by Junior Sister Su, and that she would receive such valuable guidance. She was so excited that she became somewhat incoherent. "Tha... Thank you, Junior Sister Su, for your guidance! I... I understand! I will definitely calm my mind and cultivate diligently!"

Su Qingmeng merely nodded faintly and closed her eyes again, as if nothing had happened.

You Yuyao dared not disturb her further and carefully retreated from the cave abode.

After leaving Su Qingmeng's cave abode, You Yuyao's emotions remained turbulent for a long time.

She walked towards her Cave Abode, replaying Su Qingmeng's words in her mind. It felt like a sudden enlightenment, and the bottleneck that had troubled her for so long seemed to show signs of loosening.

Just as she was immersed in excitement, a hushed conversation drifted from not too far ahead, capturing her attention.

She followed the sound and saw several female disciples from Daoning Gate gathered under an ancient pine tree, whispering to each other with looks of schadenfreude on their faces.

"Did you hear about that Gu Chengming from Huiyuan Gate?"

"The one who went to ask Junior Sister Su to be his Dao Companion a while ago?"

"What? That actually happened?"

"It's indeed... a bit unbelievable."

Every word reached You Yuyao's ears, and the excitement on her face instantly vanished, replaced by an unsightly expression.

In her opinion, Junior Sister Su Qingmeng was an exceptionally pure and exceptionally talented individual, the pride of Daoning Gate and even the entire Wenjian Sect.

As for that fellow named Gu Chengming, You Yuyao had specifically inquired about him.

He had been in the sect for many years, yet his Cultivation had always remained at First Realm Level Three.

You Yuyao felt that associating such a person with Junior Sister Su Qingmeng's name was a great insult in itself!

She couldn't listen any longer and walked over quickly, coldly interrupting their idle chatter:

"Are you all that idle? Don't you need to cultivate?"

The female disciples turned around and saw You Yuyao from "Jingshui Pavilion," their faces immediately looking sheepish.

Although they were gossiping behind people's backs, they didn't want to offend anyone from Jingshui Pavilion.

"Senior Sister You..."

The few of them stammered a greeting and then wisely dispersed.

You Yuyao snorted coldly, watching their retreating figures. The anger in her heart had not subsided in the slightest.

She returned to her Cave Abode, closed the stone door, but the jarring discussion from earlier continued to echo in her mind.