Well, it looks like I really should thank Emperor Bai for the assist?

Gu Chengming thought to himself. Even though the process was slightly skewed, the outcome was more or less what he had envisioned.

You tell me—was it a successful swindle or what!

As that ”
Ancient Dragon Python”
was digested, Hundred Bones Resonating’s affection level climbed to 137 points.

Looking at this progress, Gu Chengming nodded in satisfaction.

This child had been smart since he was little—so easy to raise.

The next morning, before the early mist had even dispersed, the Spirit Kitchen in the back mountain was already buzzing with activity again.

Gu Chengming arrived at the Slaughtering Platform with practiced ease. The moment he appeared, the surrounding disciples—who had been yawning moments before—instantly snapped to attention and gathered around.

”
Senior Brother Gu! You’
ve finally come!”

The plump steward, Wang Dahai, trotted over with his round face beaming, eagerly holding a pot of hot tea.

”
A batch of Purple-Back Wild Bulls arrived today. Every one of them is incredibly thick-skinned. The brothers’
blades are getting notched, and they’
ve barely managed to strip any meat. We’
ve all been waiting for you, Senior Brother!”

Gu Chengming took the tea cup and gave a dismissive wave.

”
You’re too polite. Since this is part of my cultivation, I should naturally tackle the difficult tasks. Where are those wild bulls?”

”
Penned in the back! Senior Brother, this way!”

Wang Dahai bowed and scraped as he led the way. The surrounding disciples instinctively parted for them, their eyes filled with pure adoration.

As expected of Senior Brother Gu, his aura truly stands above the rest.

In the days that followed, Gu Chengming settled into a regular routine.

Although ordinary butchery could no longer provide significant CG unlock progress, the method he had previously figured out still worked.

He stopped chasing quantity and started focusing on quality—quality that he fabricated in his mind, of course.

On the third day, he stared at an ordinary Firefeather Chicken for a long time. With a solemn expression, he declared it possessed a faint trace of the Ancient Phoenix-Luan bloodline. After a ”
fierce”
struggle, he finally struck it down.

【Hundred Bones Resonating exclaims that Emperor Gu’s fortune is heaven-defying, managing to encounter such a divine creature!】

【Huiyuan Sword Manual/Monster-Trapping agrees deeply.】

CG Unlock Progress +9%.

On the fifth day, he discovered the mutated bloodline of the legendary Cloud-Treading Qilin in a horned goat.

Although that goat had nothing about it resembling a Qilin—except for a slightly crooked horn—under Gu Chengming’s high-stakes performance and his remark that ”
this goat’s footwork matches the heavenly constellations;
if my sword skills weren’
t godly, I fear I couldn’
t get close,”
the two cultivation manuals were once again fully convinced.

CG Unlock Progress +5%.

The days went by like this.

During this time, Gu Chengming had collected one ancient monster bloodline and one mutated bloodline. Although they were all made up, the effects were immediate.

【Current Unlock Progress: 85%】

Looking at the progress bar nearing the end, Gu Chengming breathed a long sigh of relief.

”
That’
s about enough,”
he warned himself inwardly.

While the feeling of exploiting them was great, overdoing it could be counterproductive.

If he did this too frequently, even Hundred Bones Resonating might start to have doubts.

Plus, since Monster-Trapping’s CG progress was already at 85%, he just needed to proceed step-by-step from here.

However, in the world of cultivation, things rarely stay quiet when one wants them to.

One afternoon, the sun was particularly fierce.

The entire Spirit Kitchen was drooping from the heat, and even the scent of blood floating in the air felt thicker and more pungent.

Boom—!

A loud crash broke the afternoon stupor.

”
This is bad! The cage broke!”
”
Run! The beast is going wild!”

Gu Chengming snapped his head up toward the sound. On the other end of the Slaughtering Platform, the heavy profound iron cage used to house high-level demon beasts had been ripped open by a massive force.

A massive creature, dark blue-green with needle-like mane fur, was slowly stepping out of the damaged cage.

It was a ”
Blue-Mane Magic Lion.”
According to the records, this lion had been wounded and captured by a patrol elder on the sect’
s periphery. It had arrived at the sect on its last breath with many of its bones shattered.

Yet now, as the magic lion stood amidst the wreckage, although its wounds were still gruesome and some spots even exposed bone, its aura was nowhere near that of a dying beast.

”
ROAR—!!!”

The lion roared toward the sky. A visible sound wave swept out, flipping over the steamer baskets and chopping boards stacked nearby.

The terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire Spirit Kitchen.

”
second realm, Middle Stage?!”

Not far away, the plump steward’s face turned deathly pale. The record book in his hand dropped to the floor with a thud.

”
How is this possible? It was clearly only at the early stage when it arrived, and its meridians were shattered…”

”
It was faking it!”

”
This beast had already developed spiritual intelligence. Knowing it was doomed, it intentionally feigned weakness and even broke its own meridians to mislead the elder’s inspection. It was all for a final desperate gamble when it reached the Spirit Kitchen where security is the most lax!”

Once a monster beast reaches the second realm, it gains sapience. Some cunning beasts are even more difficult to deal with than humans.

Though still injured and not at the full strength of a Middle Stage, this beast could still barely reach the power of an early stage.

In the Spirit Kitchen right now, aside from Gu Chengming and the plump steward, most of the rest were service disciples at the third or fourth levels of the first realm. They clearly stood no chance against such a monster.

The plump steward was at least an old hand at the ninth level of the first realm. At the critical moment, he gritted his teeth and stood forward.

He shoved away a younger disciple who was paralyzed with fear and roared:

”
Don’t just stand there! Go to the back courtyard and get the Elder! I’
ll hold the line!”

With that, he turned to Gu Chengming. A smile that looked worse than crying appeared on his round face.

”
Senior Brother, Senior Brother Gu…”

”
I know this is asking too much, but there are so many junior brothers and sisters here. If this beast gets out, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

”
Could you please… stand with me and hold it back for a moment?”

The plump steward knew his own limits. Although his cultivation wasn’
t low, his body was built for the kitchen, not combat.

His only hope was that this Senior Brother Gu would help him delay until the Elder arrived.

【Huiyuan Sword Manual/Monster-Trapping stares intently at the magic lion radiating a thick, baleful aura.】

【This beast dares to commit violence in broad daylight;
it must be eliminated!】

Gu Chengming took a deep breath and spoke to the plump steward:

”
As it should be.”

The moment the words left his lips, the lion lunged forward.

Seeing this, Gu Chengming didn’
t retreat. He advanced. The plump steward had just gripped his blade and hadn’
t even shouted ”
Be careful”
when his vision blurred. With a metallic clang, the first clash between the two sides began.

《Monster-Trapping Sword Manual》—Snare Foot!

Zheng!

A piercing metallic ring rang out.

Gu Chengming felt a shock in the web of his thumb that sent his blood and energy churning.

However, he did not panic. Borrowing the counterforce of the clash, he jumped backward to deflect most of the power. Meanwhile, his sword stance didn’
t falter. The iron sword swung up again, entangling the beast’s front limb.

A specific force traveled through the blade’
s edge. The beast felt its front leg go numb, and its pounce unexpectedly deviated by several inches.

Boom!

Its claw missed and slammed into a nearby stone platform, sending shards flying everywhere.

Before it could react, Gu Chengming had already circled to its flank. His sword light wove through the air like silk. He didn’
t aim for vital spots;
instead, he targeted the beast’s joints and tendons.

The beast was enraged and lashed its tail wildly, but no matter how much power it exerted, Gu Chengming remained glued to its blind spots.

When you advance, I retreat;
when you retreat, I advance.

”
ROAR—!”

The beast began to lose its reason.

And that was exactly what Gu Chengming wanted.

This beast was already at its limit, sustained only by a single breath of vitality. As long as he stalled it, the moment that breath escaped, it would be finished.

Just as Gu Chengming expected, the beast’s movements finally slowed down.

”
Grrr…”

Now!

Without a hint of hesitation, Gu Chengming suddenly pivoted.

—Flowing Light Sword Shadow

Pfft!

A soft sound.

The beam of light sliced through the lion’
s neck without any resistance. The massive body jerked and stiffened. The ferocity in its eyes faded rapidly, as if it didn’
t even understand what had happened.

A moment later.

A massive lion head soared into the air. Boiling hot blood gushed out like a fountain, drenching half of the Slaughtering Platform.

Boom!

The headless corpse crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

A deathly silence fell over the entire back mountain. Especially the plump steward, who had only just realized Gu Chengming had charged in. He stared with his mouth agape at the scene before him.

And at that very moment.

In the depths of his sea of consciousness, the progress bar that had been stuck at 85% surged.

【Monster-Trapping feels an unprecedented sense of satisfaction.】

【Slaughtering monsters and eliminating evil—as it should be.】

【CG Unlock Completed】

With this notification appearing in his mind, his stagnant spiritual energy suddenly became like a flood breaking a dam, rushing through his entire body.

Gu Chengming stood there with his sword. Though his chest was heaving from the intense battle, every acupoint in his body suddenly opened wide.

The barrier between the Eighth and Ninth levels of the first realm—which had bothered him for days—was shattered instantly.

This breakthrough wasn’
t the gradual progression of meditative seclusion. It was a natural conclusion brought on by the thin line between life and death and the attainment of sword intent.

Rolling spiritual qi surged into his sea of energy. His previously floating spiritual power was repeatedly refined, becoming more condensed and substantial.

As the last thread of turbulent qi calmed down, Gu Chengming slowly exhaled a mouthful of stale air.

First Realm, Ninth Level—complete.

As the dust settled, the smell of blood permeated the air.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the massive headless corpse and the young man in green who stood with his sword, his hem remarkably unstained by a single drop of blood.

The heavy bone-chopping blade the steward held dropped to the ground with a clank. His legs went weak;
if he hadn’
t been holding onto a nearby pillar, he likely would have collapsed.

He was the closest and saw everything most clearly.

In that moment of life and death, he had even thought of what to write in his suicide note. But who could have guessed… Junior Brother Gu… no! Senior Brother Gu, with a single person and a single sword, had killed the beast before he could even react.

Everything happened within the span of a few breaths.

Senior Brother Gu just killed a second realm Middle Stage demon beast?

Even if it was heavily injured, that aura was at least at the early stage… An eighth-level first-realm disciple counter-slaying an early-stage second-realm beast?

”
Wait.”

The steward rubbed his eyes, sensing the spiritual pressure emanating from Gu Chengming that hadn’
t been fully retracted yet. His eyes widened further:

”
This spiritual qi fluctuation is the ninth level? Senior Brother Gu… he broke through mid-battle?!”

The surrounding disciples finally came to their senses. First came suppressed gasps, followed by a sudden burst of cheers for having survived the catastrophe.

”
Senior Brother… Senior Brother Gu is mighty!”

No one knew who shouted first, but soon, the entire back mountain was boiling with excitement.

Right then, a heavy spiritual pressure descended from the sky. Accompanied by the whistling of the wind, a streak of light slammed into the ground, kicking up a large cloud of dust.

The newcomer was the Elder in charge of the Spirit Kitchen, Elder Pang.

He had been savoring tea in his cave dwelling when he heard the urgent report that a monster had gone wild. He was so startled he dropped his tea cup and rushed over in a panic.

This back mountain was the sect’
s logistics heart. If a major disaster happened and disciples died, his time as an Elder would be over.

However, as he landed and saw the state of things, the anger and anxiety in his chest got stuck in his throat.

”
This…”

Elder Pang looked at the cooling corpse of the magic lion, then at the surrounding disciples who were shaken but unharmed, and finally let his gaze fall on the young man in green.

”
Gu Chengming?”
Elder Pang was stunned.

Gu Chengming gave a bow.

Seeing this, Elder Pang waved it off and walked over to the monster’
s body, squatting down to examine it carefully.

The more he looked, the more shocked he became.

If it had charged into the crowd, the results would have been devastating…

Elder Pang inhaled a breath of lingering fear, then stood up and looked at Gu Chengming with a complicated expression.

”
You were the one who killed it?”

”
A stroke of luck.”

Gu Chengming replied:

”
Although the beast was ferocious, its old injuries hadn’
t healed and its strength had been depleted by the restrictions. I used the 《Monster-Trapping Sword Manual》 to stall it and only killed it after finding a flaw.”

”
Monster-Trapping Sword Manual?”

Elder Pang raised an eyebrow. He was a man of experience and could naturally see the dense, fine sword scars on the beast’s body, as well as the smooth-as-glass cut on the lethal neck injury.

To take a notoriously basic sword style to such a miraculous level, and then switch sword stances for a fatal strike in an instant…

How was that a stroke of luck?

Looking at the young man, Elder Pang suddenly felt a surge of jealousy.

He finally understood why that old geezer Ren Wencai guarded his disciple like a thief and kept him so well hidden.

This level of composure under pressure, this combat prowess far exceeding his peers, and this humble, well-mannered attitude…

Sigh…

Elder Pang sighed in his heart and couldn’
t help but curse silently.

Ren Wencai was usually a stingy old man whose alchemy was only half-baked;
by what merit did he deserve such a piece of unpolished jade? The heavens are truly blind.

Despite his internal bitterness, Elder Pang showed none of it on the surface.

He straightened his robes, put on a kind smile, and walked over to pat Gu Chengming’s shoulder.

”
Good! Well done! If not for you turning the tide today, the consequences would be beyond thought!”

”
Elder overestimates me. As a sect disciple, it is my duty to slay demons and uphold the Dao.”

”
Ai, those with merit must be rewarded;
that is the rule.”

Elder Pang waved a hand and pulled a golden token from his sleeve. Injecting it with spiritual energy, he carved several strokes on it.

”
According to sect law, a disciple who slays a Second Realm, Early Stage monster earns two hundred merit points. Although this beast was injured, its ferocity remained, and it was classified as high-risk. I will record it as a second realm Middle Stage, granting you three hundred merit points.”

He paused and glanced at the surrounding disciples, who were brimming with gratitude, before waving his arm generously.

”
Furthermore, because you were fearless and prevented a major tragedy, saving your fellow disciples’
lives, I will personally reward you an additional two hundred merit points.”

”
A total of five hundred points. They will be transferred to your identification tablet shortly.”

Five hundred merit points!

A chorus of envious gasps broke out among the disciples.

In the Wenjian Sect, one merit point was roughly equivalent to three low-grade spirit stones at the exchange hall. However, because merit points could be used for resources and secret manuals that spirit stones couldn’
t buy, their actual value was much higher.

Five hundred points—that was fifteen hundred low-grade spirit stones!

For a prospective Inner Sect disciple who hadn’
t yet ignited his soul lamp, this was a massive fortune.

However, when Gu Chengming heard the number, he was slightly taken aback.

”
Five hundred points… equal to fifteen hundred stones?”

He maintained a grateful look and cupped his hands in thanks: ”
Thank you for the generous reward, Elder.”

But in his heart, a strange thought arose.

He recalled when he defeated Li Mozi at the Sword-Questioning Platform, Ren Wencai had casually tossed him a storage pouch.

Five thousand spirit stones, three bottles of second realm pills, and a pass for the third floor of the Scripture Repository…

And that wasn’
t even counting the priceless monster blood essence Elder Ren had taken from his private vault to help him cultivate 《Hundred Bones Resonating》.

”
So… killing a second realm monster at the risk of my life in the sect only gives an official reward of fifteen hundred stones?”

Gu Chengming was secretly shocked.

No wonder Elder Yu said Elder Ren was incredibly good to his disciple.

Those rewards he received earlier were indeed not meant for someone at the first realm.

After handling the aftermath and politely declining Elder Pang’s invitation to a celebratory banquet, Gu Chengming returned to his small courtyard as dusk fell.

As he pushed open the courtyard gate, the familiar silence greeted him, completely isolating him from the noise and the scent of blood outside.

Gu Chengming first went to the washing room to bathe thoroughly, washing away the bloodstains and exhaustion. He changed into a dry, fresh set of green robes before returning to his bedroom and sitting down cross-legged.

As his mind sank into his sea of consciousness, his first priority was to check the star of the show that had kept him busy for several days.

The original 【Huiyuan Sword Manual/Monster-Trapping】 was gone.

In its place was a familiar name.

【Huiyuan Sword Manual notices your arrival.】

【It seems a little embarrassed. Recalling its bloodthirsty attitude of ‘
killing and slaying’
every second and its constant shouts for ‘
Milord’
over the past few days, a wave of intense shame floods its heart.】

【If you were to misunderstand its true nature and stop liking it because of that, what would it do?】

Looking at this familiar tone, Gu Chengming felt that his hardships were finally being rewarded.

Just as he was about to say a few comforting words, more text popped up.

【But on second thought… Huiyuan Sword Manual is a little smug.】

【Even though the process was a bit embarrassing to talk about, the outcome is good. At least there isn’
t another technique vying for your attention.】

Fine, its possessiveness was as strong as ever…

Gu Chengming smiled, amused, and offered a couple of soothing words to the Huiyuan Sword Manual.

If nothing else, it was quite easy to please—second only to Hundred Bones Resonating.

After the consolation, Gu Chengming shifted his attention to the ”
Sword Chess”
interface.

With the complete unlocking of the ”
Monster-Trapping”
CG, three brand new ”
chess pieces”
slowly emerged in the previously vacant slot.

【Sword Intent (Entangle)】 and 【Basic Sword Manual】 were self-explanatory, but what surprised Gu Chengming was a new keyword named 【Daqian】.

So even Daqian had its own entry?

【Daqian: Beneath the wide heaven, all is the King’
s land.】

【Bond/Daqian: All damage dealt to targets increased by 5%, and carries a faint ”
Official Aura”
suppression effect.】

【Bond/Royal Dao: ??? (Currently insufficient chess pieces to activate)】

Gu Chengming was thoughtful.

While the bonus for the 【Daqian】 trait didn’
t seem very high, its practicality was excellent. After all, it was a pure damage increase, putting it on par with the Basic Sword Manual.

Moreover, this built-in ”
Official Aura”
suppression—though he didn’
t know the exact manifestation—would likely have a miraculous effect when facing low-life rogue cultivators.

However… if the 《Monster-Trapping Sword Manual》, being entry-level reading for the Daqian Demon-Slaying Bureau, could produce the 【Daqian】 trait, then why didn’
t the 《Zhou Rites》—a direct lineage from the orthodox Daqian Imperial Academy—have this label?

Gu Chengming shook his head, not dwelling on the issue for too long.

He re-evaluated his gains.

Unlocking the CG didn’
t bring any attribute increases, but there were pros and cons.

According to the logic of the ”
Sword Chess”
system, if he wanted to gain 【Sword Intent (Entangle)】 through traditional means, he would have had to fully court the Monster-Trapping Sword Manual from start to finish… including raising affection and clearing bond events. Only then could he possibly unlock the 【Sword Intent (Entangle)】 trait.

After all, the Huiyuan Sword Manual was like that—the so-called ”
Sword Intent”
only revealed itself when a style was mastered, likely meaning traits only unlocked once the manual reached maximum affection.

Now, by only unlocking a CG, he had obtained three traits. Though he lacked attribute boosts, the difficulty had decreased significantly.

With a thought, Gu Chengming took the 【Basic Sword Manual (Mortal)】 that was on standby and the newly acquired 【Sword Intent (Entangle)】 pieces and pushed them into the active slots on the board.

A streak of pale blue light instantly connected the two pieces, forming a stable bond cycle.

【Bond Activated—Sword Intent (Entangle): 2/2】 【Bond Activated—Basic Sword Manual: 2/2】

Following that, Gu Chengming drew the Tinglan Sword and flicked his wrist, thrusting the sword casually into the air.

”
…”

He held the stance, sensing carefully for a long while, but eventually sheathed his sword with a hint of helplessness.

He truly felt nothing.

”
This won’
t work. I need to test this on a live person.”

This kind of controlling, dirty playstyle… without hitting a person, he wouldn’
t know exactly how disgusting it was.

Gu Chengming pondered potential ”
victims.”

First, he ruled out Jiang Lu.

Though Junior Brother Jiang had recently progressed to the eighth level of the first realm, his combat experience was… frankly, underwhelming.

Using this sword set on Jiang Lu wouldn’
t feel like a duel—it would feel like bullying.

He needed someone tough, mentally resilient, with higher cultivation than himself, and someone who could endure this combo string.

With that in mind, a sturdy face carrying an Itasha sword appeared in his memory.

Senior Brother Lu Che!

A second realm sword cultivator, durable as an ox, and he practiced the 《Passionate Sword Art》, so his mind was incredibly firm.

Most importantly, after Gu Chengming had taught him the ”
galgame Guide Methodology”
last time, they shared a bond akin to a teacher and pupil. It would be perfectly reasonable to find him for a sparring session.

Thinking of this, Gu Chengming immediately straightened his clothes and headed straight for the Guizang Gate.

However, reality is often full of drama.

When Gu Chengming excitedly reached the peach blossom-covered peak and stood before the cave dwelling with the plaque reading ”
Upholding Justice and Hanging Mirror,”
he was met with a closed door.

A note was pinned to the stone tablet at the cave entrance, written with sword qi in a wild, almost maddened hand:

【In Seclusion, Do Not Disturb!】

【I wish to undergo ‘
Closed Death-Seclusion’
to integrate the Great Path of Strategy into the 《Passionate Sword Art》. If I do not reach the perfection of the second realm, I shall never emerge!】

【P.S.: If any junior sisters come looking for me… please make sure they leave a sound transmission talisman! DEFINITELY!!】

Gu Chengming sighed and cupped his hands toward the cave, silently wishing his senior brother an early mastery of his technique.

As for sparring, that would have to be set aside for now.

On the way back, since he couldn’
t find a partner, Gu Chengming felt a bit frustrated. He slowed his flying speed and hovered over the most prosperous market city of the outer sect.

It was afternoon, and the tea houses and taverns in the market were filled with noise.

Besides the usual trading and shouting, there seemed to be a lot more talk today regarding Daqian.

”
Did you hear? Daqian is opening the imperial examinations again!”

”
They say it’s to deal with the demon threat in the north. They urgently need a batch of officials who understand cultivation and have the talent to govern.”

”
A position in the Daqian bureaucracy is no small matter;
it’s protected by Dragon Qi. If you can land even a minor post, not only can you cultivate using the kingdom’s destiny, but you can also mobilize local spiritual veins…”

The noisy discussions from below reached his ears on the wind.

Initially, Gu Chengming didn’
t pay it much mind.

But then!

【Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art suddenly snaps awake!】

【Imperial Examinations! That is the great ceremony for selecting the virtuous and talented and educating the people!】

【It screams loudly: A gentleman must enter the world through the examinations! One must establish a heart for the heavens and the earth, and a destiny for the people!】

Seeing the manual getting so hyped, Gu Chengming sighed and explained:

”
We Wenjian Sect are one of the guardian sects of the Daqian Empire. According to the Daqian laws and the sect treaties…”

”
Every Inner Sect disciple of our Wenjian Sect already has an official rank by default when they go down the mountain for trials. There’
s no need for an examination.”

【Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art is shocked.】

【Directly appointed as an official?】

【Without exams or selection, just by relying on being a sect disciple, one can hold a high position and govern a region?】

【Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art Affection +3】

Damn, why does it gain affection just knowing I’
ll be an official?

I do not acknowledge these three points! Take them back!

Gu Chengming was a little annoyed. It felt like a galgame master had done all the thinking, only for the manual to gain affection through a random whim.

After a long while, he sighed.

Thinking about it, it was a good thing. At least the future path for winning it over was clear.

He just had to wait until he entered the Inner Sect and verified it when going down for trials in Daqian.

A day later.

Azure peaks stood distant;
clouds rolled and dispersed.

Within that familiar courtyard in the back mountain of the Huiyuan Gate.

When Gu Chengming pushed the door open, Ren Wencai was leaning against a wicker chair, playing with a crystal-clear jade slip. Seeing his disciple arrive, a faint, half-mocking smile appeared on the old man’s face.

Ren Wencai set the jade slip down and spoke with a teasing tone:

”
This old man sent you to study that 《Monster-Trapping Sword Manual》 so that you could broaden your horizons and learn a thing or two about balancing hardness and softness. But look at you, you’re too honest for your own good—did you really spend half a month being a butcher in the back mountain?”

”
I hear Fat Pang is praising you to everyone he meets, saying your knife skills are godly and that you’re a natural at deboning and skinning. He even asked if I could lend you to him for a few years.”

Gu Chengming’s expression froze, and he scratched his head in embarrassment, chuckling awkwardly:

”
Elder Ren is joking. I wasn’
t just… cough, I wasn’
t just doing that for no reason. I was verifying my sword arts and honing my Dao heart. Although the Slaughtering Platform is messy, it’s a good place for self-cultivation.”

”
Self-cultivation?”

Ren Wencai snorted. He clearly didn’
t believe a word of it, but he didn’
t push it.

He was about to wave his hand to let the boy sit down when he suddenly sensed something. He straightened up, looking slightly staggered.

”
You broke through?”

He remembered clearly that this boy had just reached the eighth level a month ago.

”
In response to Elder Ren, I spent the last few days practicing in the Spirit Kitchen. I had some insights and luckily broke through.”

”
Luckily…”
Ren Wencai’s mouth twitched.

Lucky, my foot! If slaughtering a few pigs led to lucky breakthroughs, all those senior disciples stuck at bottlenecks for decades would have wiped out every pig on the back mountain long ago!

”
First Realm, Ninth Level…”

Ren Wencai put down his tea and slowly stood up.

After the shock faded, a sense of worry began to grow.

Cultivation is like building a high tower;
the deeper the foundation, the higher the building can go.

Gu Chengming’s speed of advancement was too fast. If his foundation wasn’
t solid and his spiritual power was floating, he might look glorious now, but when he tries to charge into the second realm Foundation Establishment, he’
ll likely suffer heavily or even risk Qi Deviation.

Ren Wencai took a deep breath and flicked his wide sleeve.

Swoosh—

A peach wood sword hanging on the wall flew into his hand and rested steadily.

He looked at Gu Chengming, the joking expression on his face vanishing, replaced by the authority of a Grand Elder:

”
Since you’ve reached the completion of the first realm, then today I shall test your weight.”

”
I will not suppress you with my realm. I will only use the cultivation of a Ninth-Level first realm to spar with you. Give it everything you have;
show me whether this cultivation of yours is true skill or just a paper tiger used to trick people.”

He called it a test, but he intended it to be a grounding lesson.

He planned to use the spar to crush the boy’
s arrogance, let him know there are always taller mountains, and force him back into honest, steady meditation so he wouldn’
t be overeager for success.

However, when Gu Chengming heard this, his eyes brightened.

He had been worrying about not finding anyone to test the strength of his new style;
he hadn’
t expected someone to hand him exactly what he needed.

Even if Ren Wencai suppressed his cultivation, his insight, experience, and swordsmanship were right there—he was arguably the best sparring partner in the world.

”
In that case, please forgive me!”
Gu Chengming did not decline.

Ren Wencai stood with one hand behind his back, holding the sword with the other. Gu Chengming stepped forward, closing the distance instantly.

This thrust was ordinary—so ordinary it lacked any spiritual light. It looked like a beginner’s basic strike.

Ren Wencai’s eyes flashed with a hint of approval. Not flashy;
that’s good.

With a flick of his wrist, he tilted the wooden sword to casually parry the blow away.

However, at the moment the two swords met…

”
Hmm?”

Ren Wencai’s brow twitched imperceptibly.

Something was wrong.

The expected crisp feeling of impact didn’
t come. Instead, a sticky, slithering sensation traveled up the sword’
s body.

Gu Chengming’s sword was like a slippery eel. Not only was it not parried away, it actually slid along Ren’s blade and drew closer.

”
Body Coil?”

Ren Wencai was surprised. Wasn’
t that a move from the 《Monster-Trapping Sword Manual》? This kid actually made some real progress in it?

But he didn’
t care. He adjusted his footwork and moved the wood sword in a circle, intending to use skill to break the force.

But at that moment, Gu Chengming’s sword style changed. If the previous thrust was a bog, then the current sword was like willow catkins in a gale—now fast, now slow, floating unpredictably.

That was the bonus provided by 【Flowing Cloud Following Moon (Cloud)】!

Dang, dang, dang—!

Within a single breath, Gu Chengming unleashed seven strikes. None were fatal or heavy, but every single one was incredibly annoying.

With every block, Ren Wencai felt a feminine, internal force drill into his body. Though faint, they were stacking.

His movements—previously smooth as flowing water—actually began to show signs of stagnation.

”
What kind of bizarre sword art is this?”
Ren Wencai cast aside his contempt.

If his skill was being entangled, then he would use absolute speed and power to break out!

”
Break!”

Ren Wencai gave a low shout. The spiritual power he had suppressed to the ninth level of the first realm erupted. The wood sword glowed with light as he prepared to unleash ”
Pines Welcoming Guests”
to force open Gu Chengming’s entanglement.

However, just as his spiritual energy surged and his sword move was about to form, Ren Wencai felt the internal qi—which was usually as obedient as his own limbs—be significantly slower to mobilize than he anticipated.

The sword move had barely begun to form when it came to an abrupt stop.

Gu Chengming, naturally, would not miss this chance.

He flicked his wrist, and the Tinglan Sword drove straight through his defenses.

Ren Wencai held his pose midway through his stroke, frozen in place.

He stared with wide eyes at the longsword mere inches away from him, then looked down at the wooden sword he hadn’
t been able to fire in time.

Even though he had suppressed his realm, and even if it was just a spar, as the Grand Elder of the Huiyuan Gate, he had truly lost this half-stroke.

That sudden spiritual energy blockage just now… what the hell was that?!

Gu Chengming retracted his sword and stepped back: ”
Thank you for the guidance, Elder Ren.”

Ren Wencai said nothing.

He slowly lowered the wood sword, staring at Gu Chengming as if seeing his disciple for the very first time.

A long silence followed. He took a deep breath, and his immense divine sense belonging to a fourth realm cultivator swept over Gu Chengming’s body. Finally, he locked onto the lingering charm from the strike Gu had just performed.

That wasn’
t ordinary spiritual power manipulation, nor was it just a sword technique.

That was…

”
You…”

Ren Wencai’s voice was dry, carrying a trace of unbelievable trembling:

”
You’
ve mastered Sword Intent?!”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep