【Qingxin Art watched your performance.】
【Although it found your acting a bit exaggerated, it had to admit that this move of 'retreating to advance' was indeed well-executed.】
【Its interest in you increased by another point. It eagerly awaited whether this drama of 'trouble at home' would be so easily quelled once you truly mastered 'Hundred Bones Resonating'.】
【Qingxin Art Affection +1】
Gu Chengming's mouth twitched slightly.
At least some affection was gained; it wasn't a loss.
On the other hand, the cultivation effects of 'Hundred Bones Resonating' were, to say the least, hard to describe.
Gu Chengming had thought this 'gold-devouring beast' merely had a large appetite, but he hadn't expected its digestion to be so slow.
Fortunately, although this cultivation method was difficult to start, it wasn't a dead end that was impossible to practice.
Each cultivation session, despite the immense consumption of qi and blood, brought a satisfying soreness after muscle tearing, and a faint tightness upon waking the next day, all proving that it was indeed working.
Even if only a minuscule amount.
So Gu Chengming decided to attempt the initiation of Hundred Bones Resonating once a day, using the rest of his time to cultivate the Huiyuan Sword Manual.
Thus, the days passed, calm yet fulfilling.
Until that afternoon, Junior Brother Jiang Lu, whom he hadn't seen in a while, visited again.
This time, Jiang Lu was noticeably more reserved than on his previous visit.
He stood at the courtyard entrance, first meticulously tidying his attire, then knocked on the gate.
Seeing Gu Chengming emerge, he immediately cupped his hands and bowed deeply:
"Senior Brother Gu, I trust you have been well. After our last meeting, I returned and carefully pondered, indeed benefiting greatly. Today, I specifically came to thank you, Senior Brother."
At this moment, Jiang Lu had long since shed the subtle disdain he held during their first encounter.
After all, in terms of swordsmanship alone, Senior Brother Gu's 'Entanglement' sword intent truly earned him a heartfelt and respectful 'Senior Brother'.
The two exchanged greetings as they entered the courtyard and sat by the stone table.
As soon as Jiang Lu sat down, his gaze was drawn to the bottles of pills displayed on the stone table behind Gu Chengming.
Although those jade bottles were merely standard sect issue, their sheer number, stacked together, was quite visually striking.
"Senior Brother, this is..."
Jiang Lu asked hesitantly, clearly recognizing these as cultivation resources.
Gu Chengming followed his gaze, casually waved his hand, and explained:
"Oh, these? I collected them from Cangjian Pavilion the day before yesterday."
Jiang Lu was a little stunned. He roughly estimated the quantity; there must have been dozens of bottles, right?
He hesitated before asking:
"This is... how many years' worth?"
This clearly couldn't be Gu Chengming's resources for just one month.
It was too much; Jiang Lu suspected that his own cultivation resources from the past six months combined might not even amount to this much.
Gu Chengming said calmly, "One year."
"?"
A large question mark slowly appeared above Jiang Lu's head.
One year?
Although he didn't explicitly say it, Gu Chengming saw his puzzled expression and roughly guessed what he was confused about.
So, he briefly explained that he hadn't collected them before due to various reasons, and this time he had collected a whole year's worth of accumulated resources at once.
Upon learning that Senior Brother Gu had been initiated for three years and this was his first time collecting pills from Cangjian Pavilion, Jiang Lu's confusion not only didn't dissipate but deepened.
What did it mean, 'initiated for three years, yet never collected resources once'?
Jiang Lu's gaze towards Gu Chengming became even stranger.
Before, he couldn't quite understand why Senior Brother Gu's swordsmanship clearly surpassed his own, yet his cultivation realm remained stuck at a pitiful First Realm, Third Level.
Now, he understood.
So, for these three years, this Senior Brother hadn't used any cultivation resources at all!
Purely relying on his own talent and arduous cultivation to temper his sword intent?
All his previous conjectures seemed to be confirmed at this moment, becoming increasingly clear.
A latent dragon in the abyss, a hidden sword for three years; silent until it strikes, then astonishing the world?
Today, is he finally going to reveal his sword?
The more Jiang Lu thought, the more excited he became, his mind automatically completing a 300,000-word storybook of 'Breaking the Firmament'.
In his gaze towards Senior Brother Gu, besides the previous admiration, there was now a deep sense of awe and reverence.
Gu Chengming felt a shiver from his fervent gaze, subtly shifted his position, and broke the silence:
"Junior Brother Jiang, have you come to see me today for something important?"
Seeing the other party bring up the main topic, Jiang Lu suddenly snapped back to reality, reined in his scattered thoughts, and spoke:
"On one hand, it's to thank Senior Brother Gu for his guidance last time. On the other hand, it's to show Senior Brother Gu what I've gained from my recent contemplation and reflection."
Ever since being 'defeated' by Gu Chengming's last sword strike, Jiang Lu had returned to seclusion to ponder deeply, repeatedly dissecting and refining Gu Chengming's final sword, finally gaining enlightenment recently and creating a new sword move.
Gu Chengming smiled and said, "So, are you here for another sparring match?"
Hearing this, Jiang Lu's breath hitched, and his expression turned awkward.
He quickly waved his hand, saying, "Uh... let's skip the sparring for now. We can talk about it again if there's a chance in the future."
After all, the experience of being 'completely crushed' by Gu Chengming last time was truly disheartening.
Although he had come prepared this time and indeed gained something, what if... what if he lost again this time? The little confidence he had just built up would likely shatter into pieces, which would truly harm his dao heart.
The two chatted for a few more moments, and the atmosphere gradually warmed up.
Jiang Lu suddenly stood up, walked to the center of the courtyard, drew the sword from his waist, and his expression became exceptionally solemn.
"Senior Brother Gu, please watch carefully, this sword of mine."
As his words fell, Jiang Lu's aura suddenly changed.
He saw his wrist flick, and the long sword let out a clear, ringing hum.
The opening stance was unremarkable.
But then, the sword light flashed, like a gentle breeze sweeping across water, creating ripples.
Immediately after, the second sword followed, its momentum like a rising tide, each wave higher than the last.
The third sword, the fourth sword...
Jiang Lu's figure moved and shifted in the courtyard, sword light weaving, layer upon layer. Each sword strike was heavier, faster, and fiercer than the last.
It was as if the sea was rising; at first, only small waves lapped the shore, but gradually, the surging tides grew into towering waves.
Until the final sword strike.
"Hah!"
Jiang Lu let out a low shout, and his long sword, carrying a momentum capable of toppling mountains and overturning seas, chopped down fiercely.
Boom!
The air within the courtyard seemed to be split open by this sword, emitting a dull explosion.
Fallen leaves on the ground were swept up by the sword wind, scattering around like waves carried by a gale.
Its full power unleashed, like overturning the sea.
Gu Chengming sat by the stone table, watching this scene, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
He clapped softly and praised, "Good sword."
Jiang Lu stood with his sword sheathed, his chest rising and falling slightly, a blush on his face. Hearing Gu Chengming's praise, he scratched his head a little shyly and said:
"Senior Brother, you flatter me."
However, despite his humble words, he was quite pleased with himself inwardly.
After all, this sword move was his proud creation, born from days of arduous contemplation and personal insight.
He introduced with great interest, "This sword move is called 'Raging Waves Overturning the Sea Style', created by me after days of deep thought."
Then, he added in a seemingly 'casually understated' tone:
"Actually, before coming here, I also sparred with a few Senior Brothers of slightly higher cultivation using this style, and fortunately won a few moves. Even some elders of Huiyuan Gate, after seeing it, said this sword move was quite good, showing a touch of masterly style."
Creating one's own sword moves was a rare occurrence even within the Wenjian Sect.
If this sword move were submitted to the sect and evaluated by the elders, it might even earn a large amount of contribution points and resources.
But judging by Jiang Lu's demeanor, he didn't seem to have such intentions?
Indeed, the next second, Jiang Lu looked at Gu Chengming and said with sincere eyes:
"If Senior Brother Gu wishes to learn it, I am willing to teach you everything."
To be honest, this was quite a magnanimous gesture. After all, in this cultivation world, cultivation methods were resources. If others wanted to learn a self-created sword move, even fellow disciples often had to pay a hefty 'friendship fee' or owe a favor.
Even submitting it to the sect for resources would be a considerable fortune.
Yet Jiang Lu was willing to teach it to Gu Chengming for free, showing his genuine gratitude for Gu Chengming's previous guidance and his sincere admiration for this Senior Brother.
Gu Chengming's heart stirred slightly upon hearing this, but he ultimately shook his head and smiled, "No need."
Hearing these words, Jiang Lu was stunned instead.
He was a little anxious, thinking Gu Chengming didn't think much of the sword move, and quickly explained:
"Senior Brother, don't underestimate this sword art. Although it's my own creation and a bit rough, its explosive power is extremely strong, and if used properly..."
"Junior Brother Jiang, you misunderstand."
Gu Chengming interrupted him. He slowly stood up and casually picked up the wooden sword resting by the stone table.
"It's not that I look down on this sword move."
He said, walking towards the center of the courtyard.
"It's just that..."
Before his words finished, Gu Chengming's figure suddenly moved.
The opening stance was identical to Jiang Lu's just now.
But then, the feeling changed.
If Jiang Lu's sword momentum earlier was like watching the tide from the shore, surging yet ultimately separated by a layer.
Then Gu Chengming's sword momentum at this moment was like being directly in the midst of the vast ocean, facing those towering waves head-on.
One sword, one sword, one sword.
Each momentum heavier than the last, each wave higher than the last.
Gu Chengming's movements were fluid and seamless. The layered 'momentum' was expressed vividly under his sword, even more refined and terrifying than Jiang Lu's demonstration.
Finally, Gu Chengming flicked his wrist, and the wooden sword thrust out simply.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, nor any special effects of strong winds sweeping fallen leaves.
But in that instant, Jiang Lu only felt his vision blur, as if he saw a sky-covering sea overturning before him.
That suffocating sense of oppression made him instinctively hold his breath.
The sword struck, as if overturning heavens and seas!
This was his sword move.
Yet not entirely his sword move.
Because it was more exquisite, its momentum stronger, and its artistic conception deeper.
This was the true 'Fuhai'!
This time, it was Jiang Lu's turn to be utterly speechless.
He widened his eyes, his mouth slightly agape, stammering, unable to form a complete sentence for a long while.
"Senior Brother, this... this..."
Gu Chengming stood with his sword sheathed, looked at the dazed Jiang Lu, and then smiled, saying:
"It's not that I look down on this sword move; it's just that I actually know it."
"Wh-why?"
Jiang Lu asked subconsciously. He originally wanted to ask why Gu Chengming could learn it just by watching once? And perform it even better than him?
But on second thought, the sword move the other party performed was clearly much more exquisite than his own. It was obviously not mere imitation; it was more like... this sword move was originally like this, and he just hadn't practiced it well enough before?
But Jiang Lu truly misunderstood.
This sword move truly was his 'Fuhai'.
However, the core of this 'Fuhai' sword momentum was originally derived from the 'Layered Waves' concept within the Huiyuan Sword Manual.
And Gu Chengming, as an affection grinder for the Huiyuan Sword Manual, had already reached an incredible level of understanding for this basic sword manual.
Therefore, as soon as Jiang Lu made his move, Gu Chengming instantly saw through the essence and operational trajectory of the technique.
Coupled with his ingrained mastery of the Huiyuan Sword Manual, when he executed it using the same core principles, the effect was naturally a few shades more exquisite than that of Jiang Lu, the original creator.
Hearing Jiang Lu's bewildered "Why?", Gu Chengming pondered for a moment.
He looked at Jiang Lu and said earnestly:
"You don't cultivate the Huiyuan Sword Manual, so you wouldn't understand."
【Huiyuan Sword Manual thought: 'There's no need to mention me all day long.'】
【Huiyuan Sword Manual Affection +2】
—Why is there a 'tsundere' moment?
On the other side, Jiang Lu was somewhat bewildered by Gu Chengming's words.
What do you mean, 'you don't cultivate the Huiyuan Sword Manual, so you wouldn't understand'?
When I joined Huiyuan Gate, the first sword manual I learned was the Huiyuan Sword Manual! It's a mandatory introductory course!
But isn't this Huiyuan Sword Manual just a basic sword manual?!
Whose basic sword manual can achieve such an effect?!
Jiang Lu felt like crying without tears; he felt his worldview had been severely shaken.
He had originally thought that as long as they didn't spar, he wouldn't be disheartened. But now, just watching someone demonstrate his own sword move, the blow he received was even greater than losing the last match!
Why does it feel like... his dao heart was even more severely damaged?
After a long while, he finally hung his head dejectedly and forced a bitter smile:
"Alas, this path of the sword is truly... vast and boundless. I, your Junior Brother... have truly been a frog in a well."
Seeing Jiang Lu's deeply disheartened, almost existential crisis-like expression, Gu Chengming knew the timing was right.
"Junior Brother Jiang, do you want to learn?"
Gu Chengming's voice suddenly rang out, directly interrupting Jiang Lu's Wangyiyun state.
"Huh?" Jiang Lu suddenly looked up, a little slow to react.
"This true 'Fuhai' sword strike." Gu Chengming shook the wooden sword in his hand: "Do you want to learn it?"
Jiang Lu froze for a second, then immediately shed his previous dejected look.
His eyes instantly lit up.
"Yes!"
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