Gal Martial Saint

Ren Wencai shook his head, his tone laced with a hint of regret:

"Although that child left a mark, he also gave his all, even nearly damaging his Foundation. Moreover..."

He paused, holding up two fingers:

"He has already reached Second Realm Perfection Cultivation, and is only a single step away from the Third Realm."

"Second Realm Perfection?"

Zhao Wuji was taken aback, his taut heartstrings instantly relaxing.

To leave a mark on the Sword Seeking Stone at the Second Realm Late Stage was indeed worthy of being called a genius, a prime prospect that various peaks would vie for.

But... that was all.

After all, leaving a mark on the Sword Seeking Stone, while difficult, was still achievable for some disciples from deeply rooted aristocratic families if they pushed themselves hard enough upon reaching the Second Realm Late Stage.

However, speaking of which, Huiyuan Gate had been in decline for so long, and this old fox had truly hit the jackpot.

"So that's how it is..."

The shock on Zhao Wuji's face faded, replaced by a complex expression of envy and relief. He said sourly:

"Leaving a mark at the Second Realm Late Stage is still an uncommon talent! Senior Brother Ren has truly struck gold this time, congratulations, congratulations!"

While offering congratulations, he was reassuring himself: Thankfully, thankfully, he's just a genius at the Second Realm Late Stage. Although it's enviable, it's still within an acceptable range.

"Not at all, not at all, it's just luck."

Ren Wencai appeared humble, but his heart was blooming with joy.

Heh heh, Second Realm Late Stage?

Seeing Zhao Wuji's expression of "I'm envious but can still accept it," Ren Wencai suppressed his laughter and exchanged pleasantries with him for a few more moments before using the excuse of needing to return to tend to his disciple's injuries and hastily took his leave.

The moment he turned to leave, the troubled look on Ren Wencai's face vanished, replaced by an irrepressible smile.

Old man, you still want to pry for information? You don't even know who I am.

Adjusting his beard, Ren Wencai shook his head, thinking to himself how his lips hadn't stopped curving upwards since he discovered that kid Gu Chengming.

This is not good, not good.

On the other side, the night deepened, and the moonlight flowed like water.

After the Elder left, Gu Chengming sat cross-legged on the couch and circulated his Qi for several cycles. Once the surging Blood Qi within his body finally subsided, he let out a long sigh and slowly opened his eyes.

Although his body was still sore, the feeling that it might fall apart at any moment had subsided considerably.

"Hoo..."

He rubbed his temples, calmed himself, and with a thought, summoned the System Panel.

To be honest, although he seemed to have seen the words "Bond Achieved" in a fleeting glance before he passed out, Gu Chengming still felt a little uncertain.

After all, reality wasn't a game; there was no chance to reload.

Even though he had gambled with the stubbornness of a Galgame player, firmly believing that doing everything to the extreme would lead to a Happy End, what if?

What if reality was just a trash game with only a Bad End?

With this uneasy feeling, Gu Chengming looked at the semi-transparent light screen floating before his eyes.

The next second, he was startled by the dense pop-up windows in front of him.

Oh my, why are these unread messages like a screen refresh?

He quickly calmed himself, his gaze immediately locking onto the most crucial one.

[Huiyuan Sword Art saw you wake up, and the heart that had been hanging finally landed.]

[It looks at your pathetic state, with countless complex thoughts churning within. It is moved by your persistence, pained by your injuries, and even more so by the relief of having found something lost.]

Finally, all the words in its heart could only turn into a complaint with a slightly Resentful Woman-like tone.

[Next time, you can't do such dangerous things anymore...]

The text on the interface paused briefly, as if calming its emotions. Then, a new line of small text slowly appeared.

[You promised me you would accompany me to the very end.]

Seeing this familiar tone, the big stone in Gu Chengming's heart finally completely settled.

Thankfully, it was still the familiar little Resentful Woman.

It hadn't turned into the appearance of Flowing Cloud Following Moon, nor had it completely shut down due to excessive inferiority.

It seemed his efforts had been effective.

Gu Chengming comforted himself in his heart, stating that he wouldn't take risks again next time.

[Huiyuan Sword Art did not speak.]

[It silently circulated its faint Spiritual Power, helping you clear the blocked Meridians within your body.]

Feeling the wisps of coolness within his body, Gu Chengming thought, this is more like it.

Just then, Gu Chengming suddenly remembered something. Before he fainted, he seemed to have seen a "CG Unlocked" prompt?

As soon as this thought crossed his mind, the system interface in front of him flickered, and a brand new tab he had never seen before appeared on the navigation bar--[CG Gallery].

Is this a newly unlocked interface?

Gu Chengming's eyes lit up, and he immediately clicked on it.

The interface was very simple. Currently, only one lonely card was lit up, while the others were gray question marks.

He looked closely. The name of the lit-up card was not what he had previously thought, [Flowing Light Sword Shadow], but--

[Huiyuan Sword Art/A Sword Technique Just For You]

"Huh? This name..."

Gu Chengming's heart stirred, and his finger lightly touched the card.

The next moment, the card flipped over, and an exquisite character illustration appeared before his eyes.

Gu Chengming's previously listless spirit instantly revived.

This was the real Galgame!

A Galgame must have character illustrations!

The next moment, a beautiful character illustration slowly unfolded before his eyes.

The background was a ruin. Amidst the broken walls and crumbling remnants, the setting sun was like blood. In the center of the picture sat a small figure dressed in coarse linen clothes.

She looked thin and frail, with a bit of dust on her face and tear stains still wet at the corners of her eyes.

But the most eye-catching thing was the wooden sword she tightly held in her arms.

The wooden sword was rough and crude, even a bit crooked. It was much taller than she was, looking comical and ridiculous.

Yet, she held it so tightly, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world, and smiled brilliantly at the screen.

However...

"This..."

Gu Chengming stroked his chin, a strange feeling rising in his heart.

Isn't this image a bit too "young"?

He had originally thought that as the sword art that had accompanied him so far, it should at least be a mature woman, or a young lady.

While Gu Chengming was staring blankly at the illustration, a conversation suddenly came to his mind.

[Huiyuan Sword Art seemed to notice what you were looking at and was instantly shocked.]

[It tried to use dialogue to cover up that character illustration.]

[Don't look! Don't look--!]

If I don't look at the CG, what am I playing a Gal game for?

[Huiyuan Sword Art felt a little shy. Although the connection between you and it was already unbreakable, it still felt a bit embarrassed to let you see its truest form.]

Just as he was thinking this, another line of text appeared before Gu Chengming.

Hundred Bones Ming silently watched the entire process from the side.

[Thinking, "What a cheesy couple."]

Gu Chengming ignored Hundred Bones Ming's reaction.

He closed the CG interface, but a new question suddenly popped into his mind.

If the CG unlocked by Huiyuan Sword Art was [A Sword Technique Exclusively Yours], then where did [Flowing Light Sword Shadow] go?

And that so-called [Flowing Cloud Following Moon] true meaning, did it just disappear?

As if to confirm Gu Chengming's thoughts, the moment the idea arose, the system interface fluctuated strangely again.

Below the entry that originally belonged to Huiyuan Sword Art, a new, independent entry slowly emerged.

[Flowing Cloud Following Moon (Fragment)]

[Affinity: 5/Stranger]

"Huh?"

Gu Chengming was stunned.

This thing was still here? And it had become independent?

Before he could react, several lines of text filled with chilling coldness and inexplicable resentment jumped out.

[Flowing Cloud Following Moon had been watching from the side for a long time.]

[Seeing that you finally realized its existence at this moment, it couldn't help but let out a cold sneer.]

[Heh, you finally remembered it?]

"?"

A question mark slowly appeared above Gu Chengming's head.

This tone... why does it sound a little familiar?

[Flowing Cloud Following Moon recalled how you were willing to risk serious injury for that sword art, refusing to use its power, and then seeing the two of you acting so lovey-dovey now, it felt a knot of resentment tighten in its heart, even a little nauseous.]

[What a disgusting sword art.]

[What a disgusting sword cultivator.]

[Although most sword cultivators in this world are self-righteous idiots, they all deserve to die.]

[But if we're talking about it...]

[Sword cultivators like you deserve to die the most.]

"??"

Gu Chengming hadn't reacted yet. Hundred Bones Ming had reacted first.

[It sensed that aura, which, though incomplete, was still lofty and supreme, and was greatly alarmed.]

[Holy crap, a Great Skill Master! When did it get here?]

This aura, though weak, was undeniably real in its hierarchical suppression originating from a high-level cultivation art.

Seeing that the "Great Master" seemed to have ill intentions and was clearly hostile towards Gu Chengming, adhering to the principle of fighting the weak and avoiding the strong.

Hundred Bones Ming immediately said, Gu Chengming! This new Great Skill Master dares to insult you like this, it's simply too much!

[It only regrets that its current strength is insufficient, not yet having cultivated a golden body, making it unable to help you vent this anger. To preserve its strength, it can only temporarily avoid the confrontation, it's definitely not because it's scared!]

[Just you wait, when its cultivation art is fully achieved, it will definitely help you get back at them and tear this cultivation art's mouth to shreds!]

After saying this, it nimbly retreated to the furthest corner.

Gu Chengming was a little speechless.

However, although Hundred Bones Ming was cowardly, it was not afraid with the cultivation art present.

[Huiyuan Sword Art saw its host being scolded, and the emotion it was immersed in from being touched instantly vanished, replaced by a fierce protectiveness.]