This Little Gu Really Is a Stunner

To be honest, after these three rules appeared, Gu Chengming didn’t understand a single one.

“Master.” Gu Chengming weighed his words carefully. “...What exactly is this ‘Jiahao’?” Skipping the plot was equivalent to skipping life; the current Gu Chengming fully understood that having a bunch of incomprehensible settings suddenly appear was truly like skipping through life. The key was that I didn’t even skip the plot! Who pressed the skip button for me?!

Gu Chengming complained in his heart, even starting to suspect if there was an issue with the Unborn Lotus.

The Master hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to explain it for a time.

After a long while, he spoke: “Little friend, wait a moment.” He performed a hand seal, and a ripple of a Dao Throne’s aura emanated, but no actual Dao Throne appeared.

Instead, a phantom of an old man who looked somewhat like the Master appeared behind him. One hand was on his hip, the other behind his back, his chin slightly raised. The phantom waved its hand and spoke:

“Since ancient times, autumn has brought only sorrow and loneliness...”

It paused, seemingly feeling it wasn't enough, so it flicked its sleeve, its posture becoming even more flamboyant: “I say that autumn days surpass the morning of spring!”

“It is very...”

It dragged out the word “very,” seemingly wanting to add a weighty concluding remark, but for a moment it couldn't find the right word and froze there.

“?” A question mark appeared over Gu Chengming’s head. No, wait, who asked you?

The Master sighed and explained helplessly, “This thing is ‘Jia-intent.’”

“There is currently a rule pressing down on the capital; even ordinary True Monarchs find themselves suppressed by thirty percent upon arriving here. The most critical point is that a True Monarch cannot properly manifest their own Dao Throne.”

“In its place is this phantom.”

The Master glanced at the phantom still maintaining its exaggerated pose. The phantom cooperatively changed its posture, this time crossing its arms and turning its face to the side with its chin slightly raised.

Withdrawing his gaze, the Master continued his explanation: “Jiahao itself has no self-will; it can be viewed as a projection of the combination of the Dao Throne’s traits and the holder themselves. The more flamboyant and idiosyncratic it is, the stronger the Dao Throne’s power it can exert.”

Listening to this explanation, Gu Chengming felt a sense of nuance.

Wait, so Stand users have arrived?

Gu Chengming suddenly felt a bit of pity for those poorly informed True Monarchs who were still on their way to the capital, likely dreaming of “catching the Great Calamity to snatch a Dao Throne,” completely unaware that the atmosphere in the capital had already turned into this.

Seeing Gu Chengming lost in thought, the Master assumed he was digesting the details of this rule and didn't press him. Then, he discreetly dismissed the rather eyesore phantom.

He turned and took a roll of files from his sleeve, handing it to Gu Chengming. “When Qingmu created the Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art back then, this old man accompanied her in its study and left behind some shallow insights.”

“Little friend is a successor of the Zhou Rites lineage; perhaps you should take a look.”

Gu Chengming took it with both hands and thanked the Master for his kindness.

The Master exchanged a few pleasantries before rising to take his leave. His figure turned a corner under the veranda outside the curtain and seemed to be peacefully reclaimed by the night.

After the Master left, True Monarch Liuyun Suyu, who hadn't interjected until now, finally spoke: “It is largely as he said.”

She moved the low stool closer, picking up the nagging that had been interrupted by the Master. “Now that I am in the capital, there is less I can do to help little friend.”

Gu Chengming cupped his hands. “I have already troubled the True Monarch enough.”

“It is no trouble.” True Monarch Liuyun Suyu blinked, seemingly wanting to say something but swallowing it back, turning instead into another bout of nagging.

“This matter is not entirely bad for little friend. The rules in the capital suppress the means of True Monarchs, which means ordinary True Monarchs cannot exert their full strength here. If little friend encounters a situation like before, you won't be as pathetic as that time.”

“Whether it’s to avoid the calamity or seek opportunity, the capital is currently a good place to be.”

Listening to her nagging, Gu Chengming was quite moved.

Connecting it to the Master’s words just now, he finally thought of how she had looked when he woke up earlier, napping by his hand.

Thinking about it that way, that should also be a further influence of the rules brought about by the restriction of Dao Thrones, right?

He considered his words and spoke gently: “Senior has worked hard these past few days. With the rules of the capital being so strange, it must be troublesome for Senior to manage things for me here. I truly feel bad about it.”

The tips of True Monarch Liuyun Suyu’s ears suddenly turned red. She had been waiting for him to mention her “sleeping face” from earlier, but he hadn't said a word.

She originally thought he was holding back out of concern for her embarrassment. Now, hearing him being so polite, a subtle sense of disappointment arose in her heart.

She wanted to circle back and steer the conversation toward that unintentional nap to test his reaction, but the words reached her lips and were swallowed back.

The manual clearly stated that the trick to this move was “forgetting it once it’s done.” If one was too intentional, it would be considered low-class.

True Monarch Liuyun Suyu silently suppressed that sentence and changed her tune to remind him of a series of things to remember.

Gu Chengming agreed to all of them, and as the night grew deeper, he also took his leave.

After Gu Chengming left, True Monarch Liuyun Suyu returned to her desk. The thin manual she had hidden for several days was still spread out, its title quite bold.

—《Senior Hehuan Sect Female Cultivator's Guide to Capturing Your Ideal Cultivator's Heart》. Author: Fu Xiaoxiao.

She had gone to great lengths to find this manual. The compiler was said to be among the top three in the Hehuan Sect, hailing from a famous lineage with extensive experience. The writing style was direct and easy to understand, making it extremely suitable for a raw beginner like her.

The manual was open to Section Seven, the title especially eye-catching:

【When facing a male cultivator newly recovered from heavy injuries, one can pretend to have fallen into a nap by his hand due to careless exhaustion from nursing him, so that the first thing he sees upon waking is this scene. The depth of heart-fluttering caused by this far exceeds a thousand words.】

She understood the logic, but when the little friend woke up earlier, his expression didn't seem as moved as the manual described.

She sighed and turned to the next page.

Section Eight was 《Cleverly Using Mutual Friends to Indirectly Pass Messages》.

She pondered it. According to the method in this section, she would first need to find a friend close to the little friend, entrust them with a few words of her feelings, and have them relay them on her behalf.

But she really didn't know many people in the current cultivation world.

True Monarch Liuyun Suyu closed the manual and let out a long sigh.

She had always walked the path of a cold sword cultivator of moonlight and frost. Asking her to make such a turn overnight was truly a bit too much.

—Perhaps I could find the author of this book to ask for advice?

...

On the other side, Gu Chengming, having experienced many events, looked at the state of the outside world and fell into deep thought.

The waiter at the door of the teahouse was soliciting customers. Normally, this trade relied on a welcoming smile, but this waiter seemed to have a screw loose. He leaned obliquely against the doorframe, his chin held high: “Honored~ Guest~” He dragged out the tone. “Please come in.”

“The tea in other teahouses is brewed with tea leaves, emphasizing respect and purity. The tea in our teahouse doesn't use tea leaves; it emphasizes the natural Dao!” The waiter suddenly snapped his rag and then gave a ‘you know what I mean’ look: “—It is very!”

The manager of a rice shop was haggling with an old customer over the price of a peck of rice. Normally, such an occasion would be a battle of wits and words.

But the manager opened with: “Old Zhang, the wind today... is quite noisy.”

Logically, True Monarch Wangyue’s rules only applied to True Monarchs. Dao Thrones being suppressed and phantoms requiring Jiahao were restrictions on the Sixth Realm, having nothing to do with mortals.

Then what was with these people?

He pondered along this line for a while and gradually figured out a clue.

While the rules didn't directly affect mortals, the capital had been excessively lively lately. The bells of the Fengtian Grand Array, the heavens and earth overturning over the Imperial City, the tremors in the earth veins... even a blind man could notice such a series of commotions.

And where there is commotion, there are rumors.

“I heard that after True Monarchs enter the capital, they all have to put on an act; the more flamboyant they are, the more powerful they become.” “I heard even that Master has to do it.” “I heard...”

Rumors passed from one to two, two to three, and three reached the vegetable market. Once they reached the vegetable market, they were no longer called rumors; they were called the fashion.

The logic of the capital’s commoners was quite reasonable: Even True Monarchs have to Jiahao. If we commoners don't Jiahao a bit, wouldn't we be considered low-class?

Although they didn't know if there were any benefits to being Jiahao, there were surely no downsides, right? What if it was useful?

What if a passing True Monarch saw them and thought the kid had extraordinary talent? What if a certain street was blessed with a heavenly opportunity because it was Jiahao enough?

Under such herd mentality, the fashion and appearance of the capital left Gu Chengming quite helpless. Of course, the impact of this matter wasn't too large.

Gu Chengming decided to ignore it for now and instead went to find Ji Yixi. After all, the dragon qi matter was a conspiracy between him and Ji Yixi; he had to ask how things were on the Imperial Princess’s side.

...

Ji Yixi’s residence.

When Gu Chengming stepped through the door, Ji Yixi was sitting at her desk, her finger lightly pressed on a jade slip, her expression quite dazed.

The little black dragon on her shoulder reacted first, sliding down from her shoulder with a ‘pop’ and landing its four claws neatly on the floor tiles.

“Welcome, Gu—” It stalled after the word “Gu,” seemingly weighing whether to follow with “Ancestor” or “Director.”

In the end, it chose a middle-ground option: “Welcome, Fellow Daoist Gu!”

Only then did Ji Yixi withdraw her gaze from the jade slip. Seeing Gu Chengming, she rose to salute, then seemed to feel it was a bit much and changed it to a bow: “Director... Director Gu.”

Gu Chengming’s foot, which had just crossed the threshold, paused.

—Uh? Director?

He subconsciously thought Ji Yixi had simply gotten used to calling him “Vice Director,” but seeing the “I have something to say” look on her face, he felt this wasn't the time to clarify, so he suppressed that flicker of doubt for now.

“Your Highness, there is no need for such ceremony.”

Gu Chengming cupped his hands. “I have come this time to clear some things up with Your Highness.”

Ji Yixi seemed to have expected his arrival. She invited him to sit opposite her and sat back down at the desk herself.

Half a low table sat between them, and neither spoke first.

Ultimately, it was Ji Yixi who sighed first: “Fellow Daoist Gu, I did not consider this matter thoroughly.”

Her fingertip lightly scraped the edge of the jade slip. “I thought that leading you into the Royal Court to investigate the Dragon Qi Seed at the blind spot of the Imperial Observatory would be the end of it. I did not expect my father and the Master to have been moving pieces for a hundred years, turning the situation into this.”

She paused. “Involving you in such danger was my fault.” Ji Yixi wasn't being humble; she was self-reflecting.

The successor of the Great Record should have observed all divergences; at the very least, she shouldn't have been so passive regarding the Great Qian royal family’s own affairs.

【The Great Record let out an ill-timed cold snort: I told you long ago, there was no need to help these two fools.】

【Although she holds the Great Record, she doesn't necessarily know more than you, and most of what she does know, she cannot tell you. What exactly do you gain by cooperating with such an existence that purely drags you down?】

Gu Chengming thought to himself that he could tell it was very resentful.

He guessed that in the destroyed timeline, the Great Record must have experienced quite a difficult series of events, possibly even leading to its current state. Otherwise, it wouldn't have such great resentment toward Ji Yixi.

However, its “I’ve seen through everything, you fools” attitude was also truly annoying.

Gu Chengming casually replied in his heart: “Didn't you also fail to observe it?”

The Great Record was instantly silenced.

It truly knew nothing about the layout the Master and the Director had for the capital’s dragon qi, and for a moment, it felt quite embarrassed.

Ji Yixi clearly didn't hear this cross-dimensional dialogue. She pursed her lips, appearing to have much to say but not knowing where to start.

Finally, she looked up again and gave a solemn salute: “In any case, thank you, Director Gu.”

Gu Chengming nodded in acceptance, then couldn't help but speak.

“Your Highness.” He weighed his words. “The title ‘Director’...”

Seeing his expression, Ji Yixi was actually stunned.

“Eh? I thought Director Zhou had already informed you.” Hearing this, Gu Chengming’s heart skipped a beat.

Then Ji Yixi took a roll of official documents from her sleeve and handed it over. The cover of the document was stamped with two vermilion seals: the Great Qian court and the Night Guard Division.

—【Decree: Appointing Gu Chengming as Director of the Night Guard Division】

“?”

What did she mean, Director of the Night Guard Division?

The fact that he was the Director was something Gu Chengming couldn't wrap his head around for a moment.

If he was the Director, then what about Zhou Qingmu?

Before he could ask, Ji Yixi guessed what he wanted to know and answered first: “The current Director Zhou is now Vice Director Zhou.”

“?”

No? How could there be a demotion?!

【The Zhou Rites Heavenly Rectifying Art spoke with a smile: Grand Excellence, Chengming. We can be considered to have reached the peak of officialdom.】

【Recalling the state of mind when we first descended the mountain and looked toward the capital from afar, today’s success seems like an inevitability.】

【It’s not to say that being a Night Guard junior banner serving the people is bad, but this Director position... the sky is the limit.】

Gu Chengming thought to himself, Miss Zhou Rites, stop stealing people’s lines at a time like this.

That said, he was indeed very concerned about the fact that “his Director had mysteriously become a Vice Director, and he had mysteriously become her superior.”

Seeing his confusion again, Ji Yixi explained: “It was because of the dragon qi matter... Director Zhou took the initiative to take responsibility and recommended to my father that you take over as the new Director of the Night Guard Division.”

She finished, hesitating to say more.

Logically, although this matter was proposed by Zhou Qingmu on the surface, not a single person in the court opposed it, and even her father agreed immediately. Such a level of smoothness was itself somewhat eerie.

However, she kept this thought to herself and didn't speak it aloud.

Gu Chengming was also indeed puzzled.

In the entire dragon qi affair, while Zhou Qingmu couldn't be said to have merit, she definitely couldn't be said to have fault. Her move to step aside didn't look like she was dropping a burden, but rather like she was shedding a set of shackles.

After all, in this capital, people who took the initiative to give up power were more worth thinking about than those who reached out for it.

Ji Yixi looked at him with hesitation a few more times, but in the end, she only pushed that roll of appointment documents toward him and said no more.

Without a doubt, he was now definitely the one among all the sects who held the highest official position in the capital.

The position in the Night Guard Division was second only to one and above ten thousand, and with the favor from the Master’s side, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he had become a powerful minister in the capital.

As for the impact left by the dragon qi incident, it seemed it didn't just fall on Ji Yixi.

Zhou Qingmu had originally planned to use the opportunity of True Monarch Wangyue’s remains being unsealed to find a chance to charge toward the Sixth Realm. Gu Chengming had also held the same thought—first, to come into contact with the path of Dao Thrones early, and second, to help his old superior out.

Unfortunately, a series of developments midway had completely wiped out that originally sound plan.

Thus, from the moment he learned he had become the Director, he decided to go find Zhou Qingmu first.

...

Inside the side hall of the Night Guard Division, the scent of tea had not yet dissipated.

When Gu Chengming pushed open the hall door, Zhou Qingmu was sitting by the window reviewing a roll of documents. Hearing the noise, she looked up.

Seeing Gu Chengming at the door without his official robes on, her eyes crinkled, and she even gave a proper, serious salute.

“Director, good afternoon!”

That salute was so standard that it instantly reminded Gu Chengming of when she was disguised as Senior Banner Shen Jinghong in the Tianque Secret Realm.

Back then, Director Zhou had enjoyed the act immensely; now it seemed that acting was a genuine expression of her feelings.

“Director... stop teasing me.”

“I wouldn't dare.” Zhou Qingmu laughed while pouring tea for him. “You are the Director now.” She pushed the tea toward him, her tone relaxed.

“Just call me Xiao Qing.”

Gu Chengming silently picked up the teacup and weighed the name “Xiao Qing” in his heart. For a moment, he really didn't know how to respond to his old superior.

“I was thinking of finding you once you woke up, but I didn't expect you to come to my door first.” Zhou Qingmu put the teapot back on the table. “Why didn't you rest longer?”

“I wasn't really injured, so there was no need for more rest. But Director... what exactly is going on with this matter?”

“What could be going on?” Zhou Qingmu raised an eyebrow. “The Night Guard Division has always been a place where the capable lead. You are stronger than me, so naturally, the Director position should be yours.” She spoke and then laughed, as if afraid he would feel burdened, and added another sentence.

“Little Gu, don't feel pressured; I truly think so. I’ve always felt that being the Director was too difficult. During the time you left the capital, I spent every night thinking of various excuses and benefits just to trick you back into assisting me.”

“But after this incident, I suddenly realized something.”

“You grow too fast; you are destined for a broader world.”

“If that’s the case, why must it be you assisting me? Wouldn't it be the same if I assisted you?” She spread her hands and smiled. “So I recommended you to His Majesty.”

This woman’s rhetoric was truly skilled.

The slight sense of injustice Gu Chengming had originally felt for her completely collapsed in the face of her smooth words. Not only did Director Zhou’s move not make him feel like he owed her a favor, it actually sounded like she had gotten a bargain and was bragging about it.

In the end, he could only nod with a helpless smile. “I will remember the Director’s kindness this time.”

“What Director or not?” Zhou Qingmu added a bit more water to his cup. “We are colleagues now; seniority doesn't give you a reason to be a stranger.”

So the suggestion to “call me Xiao Qing” was really going to be put into practice.

Gu Chengming took a sip of tea and silently changed the subject. “Then what do you plan to do next?”

Zhou Qingmu understood the underlying meaning of his question; Little Gu was naturally asking about the Dao Throne.

She thought for a moment and realized that this kid’s understanding of the new rules in the capital was likely only skin-deep, and he hadn't grasped the specific intricacies yet.

“You should already know the new rule in the capital... the Jiahao rule.”

“It does sound absurd.” Zhou Qingmu laughed. “But this rule is actually quite beneficial to cultivators at the half-step Sixth Realm.”

Gu Chengming was surprised and took a listening posture.

Zhou Qingmu continued her explanation.

Sealed within the capital’s earth veins is the entire main branch of True Monarch Wangyue, and every Dao Throne upon it has detached from its original owner, turning into unowned Jiahao wandering within the cracks of the rules.

So it’s not just around Sixth Realm True Monarchs that one can see Jiahao; there are also Jiahao manifested from unowned Dao Thrones.

Hearing this, Gu Chengming was stunned. “...So, the Dao Thrones that True Monarch Wangyue originally attained have all turned into wild Jiahao?”

The phrase “wild Jiahao” also gave Gu Chengming a subtle sense of absurdity.

“Correct.” Zhou Qingmu nodded affirmatively.

Gu Chengming complained in his heart.

Crap, so they aren't Stand users, they’re Pokemon!

“But can’t only the rules of a Dao Throne counter a Dao Throne? How can an ordinary Fifth Realm cultivator go head-to-head with a wild Jiahao?”

“That is the most brilliant part of this rule.” Zhou Qingmu raised an eyebrow. “Ordinary half-step Sixth Realm cultivators who want to attain a Dao Throne must first prepare for a near-certain death. Dao Thrones are inherently difficult to attain, let alone the fact that most don't need to be snatched by force from other True Monarchs.”

“But here in the capital, the method for you to attain a Dao Throne is no longer a life-and-death struggle with other True Monarchs, but forcibly capturing a wild Jiahao from within these earth vein rules.”

“And the most abnormal point... it is not only the Sixth Realm that can possess its own Jiahao.”

“The Fifth Realm can as well.” After she finished this sentence, a phantom silently emerged in the void behind her.

The silhouette of that phantom looked somewhat like her, but its posture was even more flamboyant than her own.

One hand was behind its back, the other pressed against an non-existent horizontal blade at its waist. Its chin was slightly raised, its gaze looking straight ahead.

“If heaven did not give birth to me, Zhou Qingmu—”

“Great Qian’s eternity would be like a long night!”

“?”

Gu Chengming shifted his gaze from the phantom to Zhou Qingmu.

“When did the Director think of that line?”

Zhou Qingmu’s gaze drifted away by half an inch.

“Just now while I was waiting for you.”

Gu Chengming: “......”

—So during the half-hour you were waiting for me, you were busy thinking of this line?

Gu Chengming was still trying to overlay those two images in his mind, only reacting after a long while.

“So that means any cultivator hoping to charge toward the Sixth Realm will definitely come toward Great Qian’s capital.”

“Indeed.” Zhou Qingmu pointed out this layer for him. “A batch of Fifth Realm cultivators will be entering the capital one after another. You, the new Director, must be mentally prepared.”

She then explained the “method of condensing” a Jiahao.

First, sketch out an empty shell in your heart, then fill it with your own obsessions, fantasies, pride, and the traits of a Dao Throne.

Most people can only condense one Jiahao.

Of course, condensing one on the spot was unrealistic.

Gu Chengming noted everything down and thanked her, then looked up at Zhou Qingmu and said with a bright smile: “Since that’s the case, I will never go back on what I promised the Director before... if you need help, just let me know, I am duty-bound to assist.”

What he was referring to was naturally the promise to protect her while she attained a Dao Throne within True Monarch Wangyue’s remains.

It was just that the situation had changed now; the remains had become rules, and the Dao Thrones had become wild Jiahao.

But since he had promised, even if seeking an opportunity in the remains had to change to accompanying the Director to catch pets, it was fine.

Looking at him, Zhou Qingmu’s heart skipped a beat, and she was dazed for a long time.

Her gaze fixed on Little Gu’s brightly smiling face, and she didn't move for a long while, thinking to herself, how can Little Gu smile so beautifully?

Clearly, he used to smile at her this way too, so why did it look like a different person this time?

Either this time was different, or she was different this time.

A certain small thought she hadn't dared to face in the past was quietly emerging.

—This Little Gu really is a stunner.

She even felt some regret that she hadn't taken advantage of her position to subject him to workplace harassment back then.

But on second thought, maybe she could find a way to let him subject her instead...?

“Director, you’re drooling,” Gu Chengming reminded her.

Zhou Qingmu hurriedly sat up straight and wiped her mouth.