The car sped along the winding mountain road and soon reached Mount Canghua. In the study of the estate's villa, Gu Chen gently placed a revised cultivation technique on the desk and said to Elder Hua, "Old Master, I've made some adjustments to the technique based on how energy circulates through your meridians. Take a look and see if anything doesn't suit you."
"All right." Elder Hua nodded.
He took the cultivation technique titled Mystic Heaven Divine Art, put on his reading glasses, and studied it carefully, word by word. By the time he finished, his expression had grown solemn, and his brows were tightly furrowed, as though he were pondering something.
Suddenly, Elder Hua swayed and settled cross-legged on the soft carpet. He closed his eyes, focused his mind, and began to meditate and regulate his breathing. Seeing this, Gu Chen left him undisturbed. He picked up his teacup, walked to the window, and quietly gazed at the scenery outside.
About half an hour later, Elder Hua's eyes snapped open, gleaming brilliantly. His face was flushed and full of shock.
"Old Master, how was it?" Gu Chen asked with a faint smile.
Elder Hua looked at Gu Chen, his expression full of excitement!
"Mr. Gu, this technique... after your revisions, it fits my meridians perfectly. My true qi flows through them without the slightest obstruction! How on earth did you do it? This technique came from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, and your revisions actually produced such an effect?"
Gu Chen smiled slightly and said calmly, "You flatter me, Old Master. I merely made a few minor adjustments step by step according to your meridians. Any cultivation technique, so long as it suits the user, will naturally yield twice the results with half the effort."
Elder Hua stood up in excitement and bowed deeply to Gu Chen. "Mr. Gu, your talent is truly exceptional! I thought this technique was already perfect enough, but I never imagined your revisions could produce such an astonishing effect! Please accept this old man's bow!"
How could Elder Hua not be excited? If he cultivated according to the technique Gu Chen had provided, he would save at least a third of the time he had previously needed to cultivate!
At his age, even the slightest improvement was like crossing an impassable chasm, a feat difficult to accomplish!
And yet Gu Chen had made it possible for him!
At that moment, Gu Chen became even more mysterious and imposing in his eyes!
Gu Chen accepted the bow without reservation. As a former Divine Emperor, he was naturally qualified to receive such respect. He gently helped Elder Hua straighten up and said, "There's no need for such courtesy, Old Master."
"As for the technique, continue cultivating it at your own pace, and you'll discover its other benefits in time," Gu Chen said. "But I have a question now, and I hope you won't conceal anything from me, Elder Hua."
"You're too polite, Mr. Gu." Elder Hua chuckled. "Whatever you need, just ask."
"I'd like to know what this Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is, exactly. You said just now that this technique came from the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion in Huaxia?"
"You don't know, Mr. Gu?" Elder Hua was taken aback. "With your level of cultivation and attainments, have you never heard the name of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion?"
As he saw it, Gu Chen's cultivation had reached an extraordinary level. He was so young, yet had such cultivation and could even revise a technique for him. How could he not know the illustrious name of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion? But Elder Hua quickly reconsidered and said, "Could it be that you didn't cultivate in Huaxia before, Mr. Gu? Did you cultivate under some senior and only now enter the world?"
Gu Chen had been wondering how to answer. Seeing that Elder Hua had already come up with an excuse for him, he smiled and said, "Nothing gets past you, Elder Hua. Although the truth isn't quite the same, it's not far off. I did begin cultivating under a senior, and I've never known about the martial artists of Huaxia."
"Now I understand." Elder Hua let out a long breath as realization dawned on him. Then he looked at Gu Chen with envy and said, "To have taught a heaven-sent genius like you, Mr. Gu, your master must surely be a peerless figure of breathtaking talent!"
Gu Chen thought of his master, and his gaze suddenly grew profound as he recalled her voice, her smile, and her appearance. To Gu Chen, his master was far more than breathtakingly talented; she stood above all others on Heavenly Nether Star!
Her figure was ethereal and elusive, like the crimson silk veiling the skies of the eternal cosmos, as vivid as if it were yesterday.
With that, Elder Hua began to tell Gu Chen about the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion. "The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion is hailed as the foremost hall of martial arts in Huaxia. Its lineage has continued since the Ming dynasty, giving it a history of over six hundred years. It was founded by three experts at the peak of the Grandmaster Realm, with the purpose of gathering and organizing martial arts manuals scattered far and wide and carrying on the spirit of Huaxia's martial arts. Twenty years ago, I was fortunate enough to enter the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion once and chose this Mystic Heaven Divine Art. But since then, I've never had another chance to enter."
After hearing this, Gu Chen thought to himself, So a force this powerful exists on Earth as well. In his previous life, he had met his master after jumping off a cliff and then left Earth, so he knew nothing about these matters. But now it seemed that there were quite a few powerful people on Earth, and he had to act more cautiously.
What Gu Chen didn't know was that Elder Hua now had another suspicion: because Gu Chen was so young, he suspected that the technique might have been revised by the "master" behind him!
After all, this was a top-tier technique that could take one straight to the Grandmaster Realm. No matter how gifted Gu Chen was, experience still had to be accumulated day by day! For this reason, thinking of the master behind Gu Chen, Elder Hua treated him with even greater respect!
Around noon, Elder Hua asked Gu Chen to stay for lunch. This time, Gu Chen didn't refuse.
The dining table was laden with delicacies from the mountains and seas. The two ate and chatted, and the atmosphere was very pleasant.
After the meal, Gu Chen prepared to take his leave. Elder Hua suddenly asked, "Mr. Gu, aren't you going to ask who I am?"
Gu Chen smiled faintly and said, "Old Master, why must people have known each other before to meet? We trust each other. You don't ask about me, and I don't ask about you. Isn't that just fine for everyone?"
Elder Hua paused, then burst into laughter. "You're right, Mr. Gu! I spoke out of turn!"
At that moment, Hua Yumo muttered from the side, "What are you showing off for?"
Gu Chen turned to look at her, a faint smile on his lips and a flicker of teasing in his eyes. Hua Yumo glared at him, thrust out her chest, and said, "What are you looking at? Never seen a beauty before?"
Gu Chen sighed and said, "I've seen plenty of great beauties, but a little beauty like you really is rare."
As he spoke, his gaze swept over Hua Yumo's chest, seemingly by accident, and a hint of regret appeared on his face. Hua Yumo flushed with shame and anger and shouted, "Gu Chen, you bastard!"
Gu Chen laughed, turned, and got into Wang Hu's car, heading straight down the mountain. Hua Yumo was left stamping her foot in anger before she ran back to her room like the wind. She examined her chest again and again in the mirror, the corners of her mouth lifting, then said dejectedly, "Little? What's little about them?"