Finally, Someone to Talk To Arrived

Gu Yuanqing closed his eyes and looked within. Inside the Profound Martial Secret Treasure, the phantom of heaven and earth woven from the Qi of Heavenly Gang and Earthly Sha was gradually solidifying.

Within that phantom, a mountain peak could vaguely be seen standing tall, piercing straight into the clouds.

Gu Yuanqing stared at the mountain, finding it more familiar the longer he looked.

"No matter how I look at it, this mountain seems somewhat like North Spring Mountain, only far more majestic!"

"This... couldn't this be my Profound Martial Phenomenon?"

Gu Yuanqing seriously suspected that he and mountains had become inextricably bound by fate.

"Regardless, the scene before me shows that I've broken through to the fourth level of True Martial. The transformation of the True Qi within my body also makes it clear—my True Qi has begun to contain Dao Resonance."

Gu Yuanqing raised his palm. A wisp of True Qi emerged from it, and he felt the Vital Energy between heaven and earth slowly gathering around that True Qi as its core.

This was the inevitable process by which a Profound Martial Phenomenon extended from within to without.

"After going through all that, gaining such a harvest can be considered an unexpected delight. But..."

Thinking back to tonight's battle, Gu Yuanqing could only feel that he had performed terribly. Faced with a casual sword strike, he had nearly died inside the house.

"In the end, I've simply experienced too few battles and lack far too much combat experience. And the Concealment Art—it was completely useless. I was easily discovered despite an entire courtyard and house between us."

"If not for a Grandmaster stepping in, I'm afraid I would have struggled to escape calamity today."

Gu Yuanqing's brows furrowed slightly. What had happened today was a warning bell struck for him.

Though a tree wished for stillness, the wind would not cease. Even deep within the mountains, nowhere was absolutely safe. There would not always be someone there to help him. Besides, his life was still in the hands of the Great Gan Imperial Family. They might be ignoring him now, but who knew when they might change their minds? Was he supposed to simply sit still and obey?

"I must hurry my cultivation. Only by becoming a Grandmaster can I hold my own life and death in my hands!"

Looking inward at his Sea of Consciousness, the image of North Spring Mountain grew ever clearer in his mind. At a glance, it looked like a real mountain. Then he looked at the text beside it:

Host: Gu Yuanqing

Title: North Spring Mountain Master

Title Enhancement: Mountain Observation

Cultivation Talent: Mediocre (One in a Hundred)

Sword Dao Talent: Mediocre (Outstanding)

Comprehension: Above Average (Peerless)

Residence: North Spring Mountain (Spirit-Nurturing Ordinary Mountain)

Residence Enhancement: Cultivation Talent +2, Sword Dao Talent +3, Comprehension +3. Gain eight wisps of spiritual energy from heaven and earth daily.

The only change from a few months ago was that he now received more spiritual energy.

"It seems I'll have to wait until North Spring Mountain successfully undergoes Spirit Imbuing before other changes appear. Let's continue cultivating. Today's spiritual energy has arrived as well!"

At the foot of North Spring Mountain.

A secret letter was tied beneath the foot of a Sky-Hunting Eagle with a vigorous figure and feathers gleaming with a metallic sheen.

As Chen Chuanshan raised his arm, the Sky-Hunting Eagle perched upon it spread its wings and soared into the air.

An hour later, the Sky-Hunting Eagle descended into the Imperial Palace.

Within the Imperial Study of the Great Gan Imperial Palace, Lamp Fire burned brightly.

Li Haotian reclined sideways upon the dragon couch, reading memorials.

The chief eunuch of the inner palace, Xu Lianying, silently entered the room holding a thumb-sized letter tube sealed with wax and stood to one side.

After a while, Li Haotian raised his head and said blandly, "Where was this secret letter sent from?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it was sent by Deputy Commander Chen of North Spring Mountain. The letter is classified as Heaven-grade. The Divine Eagle Guard delivered it immediately upon receiving it."

"Bring it to me." Li Haotian set down the memorial in his hand.

Xu Lianying presented it with both hands.

Li Haotian accepted it, twisted open the letter tube, and pulled out the slip within. After reading it twice, he could not help but sit upright. After a moment, he slowly said, "Go ask the Tribute Bureau whether any Grandmaster tribute official went to North Spring Mountain tonight."

"Yes, this servant will go at once." Xu Lianying bowed, backed away several steps, then turned and left.

Only after the Imperial Study was left with Li Haotian alone did his face darken. He clenched his fist, and the secret letter turned to powder.

An elder of the Lingxu Sect had trespassed into a Great Gan Forbidden Ground. This was clearly a complete disregard for the Great Gan Imperial Decree. These sect people had no respect for law or order—they truly deserved execution!

If not for the great calamity of those years, which had drastically reduced the number of Grandmasters serving the Imperial Court, would the Imperial Court have endured this humiliation for the sake of the greater picture?

A quarter of an hour later, Xu Lianying returned.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, neither of the two Grandmasters in the Tribute Bureau left tonight. The other Grandmaster, Zhou Yin, is in Hexi Province dealing with suspected traces of the Red Moon Cult. There should be no Grandmaster tribute official near North Spring Mountain. Shall this servant send someone to investigate?"

"Forget it. Perhaps they went there for the North Spring Secret Sword again." Li Haotian's tone was indifferent. He paused, then added, "Did Xuan'er ask you to make a trip to North Spring Mountain soon?"

"Her Highness the Princess did indeed express such an intention."

"Then go tomorrow. The mountain is cold in winter; select two fine fur coats from the imperial treasury and deliver them."

"This servant obeys!"

"Send the Kunwu Sword delivered by the Heavenly Casting Bureau along with them."

Xu Lianying was slightly startled inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged as he bowed once more to accept the order.

At dawn, Gu Yuanqing returned to the courtyard after absorbing Heavenly Gang Qi.

Looking at the courtyard, where several rooms had collapsed, he felt somewhat displeased. A perfectly good courtyard now looked battered and broken.

He considered whether to switch courtyards, but ultimately decided against it. He had grown used to living here.

Today, the middle-aged woman Feng Tao brought Gu Yuanqing his breakfast, then began tidying up the courtyard for him.

After eating, Gu Yuanqing did not avoid her and began practicing his swordsmanship with a wooden sword.

Though last night's battle had been brief, he had still fought an expert in actual combat. Tempered by the experience, he had gained new insights into swordsmanship.

He tried his best to recall the feeling of gathering all his essence, energy, and spirit into one when he had drawn his sword last night, returning his state of mind to that moment again and again.

Gradually, he became immersed in it. Following the feeling in his heart, he swung one sword after another. His swordsmanship gradually broke free from the restraints of its original forms. With every casual flourish, Sword Qi crisscrossed and surged.

After a long while, he closed his eyes and deeply imprinted the insights from this sword practice into his heart once more.

When he opened his eyes, the wooden sword in his hand shattered inch by inch, turning into powder that scattered away on the breeze.

"This wooden sword was merely carved from an iron sheet in the ruins. It has accompanied me for over eight months, and today its life has finally come to an end. The swordsmanship I just used may not match the Big Dipper Seven Swords in sheer power, but only swordsmanship that suits oneself can be considered true swordsmanship. Everything else is merely sword forms!"

After resting briefly, Gu Yuanqing moved a chair beneath the sun, lay down to observe the mountain, and sent his consciousness into the underground chamber once more to read through a book of cultivation insights.

Having entered the fourth level of True Martial, the cultivation technique naturally required changes as well. Gu Yuanqing still needed to gradually refine it upon its original framework through his own insights.

Time passed little by little. Gu Yuanqing was suddenly startled awake. He saw a group of people making their way up the mountain steps from the foot of the mountain. The man leading them was none other than Eunuch Xu, who had brought him up the mountain.

Chen Chuanshan, deputy commander of the Divine Eagle Guard, followed half a step behind Eunuch Xu. Behind them, several soldiers carried shoulder poles laden with goods.

Gu Yuanqing's eyes lit up. Someone he could finally talk to had arrived!

But I saw this Eunuch Xu in the Prince's Manor. He is the chief eunuch of the inner palace and a trusted confidant of the Emperor. Could his visit this time bring some unforeseen change?

Gu Yuanqing took another "look" at the items in the loads. They were all supplies for mountain living, so he dismissed that suspicion.