[Haha, Gu Chengming, we did it!]
The Hundred Bones Resonance had even forgotten to use the honorific "Emperor," which was a clear sign of just how overjoyed it was.
Gu Chengming's attention, however, had been drawn away by a newly appeared CG event titled "The Path Opened For You."
Okay, the CG visuals were cool in a way that felt almost too cool for the Hundred Bones Resonance.
And the contents of the CG were:
[Hundred Bones Resonance CG / The Path Opened For You: The Hundred Bones Resonance's favorability cap is no longer restricted — it now accumulates without limit. Increases in favorability will directly convert into proportional bonuses to physical body strength, ignoring realm bottlenecks and ignoring the limits of the flesh.]
The longer Gu Chengming read, the harder it became to keep a straight face.
Old Hundred, are you seriously a protagonist of the "late-bloomer" type?
[The Hundred Bones Resonance is extremely smug.]
[Emperor Gu, see? It always said it was a peak-tier cultivation method.]
Gu Chengming immediately launched into his signature combo — the full "Emperor Gu, horizontally sweeping through the ages" routine — showering the Hundred Bones Resonance with so much flattery that it floated clean off the ground.
Once the coaxing was done, Gu Chengming settled his mind.
He had actually been a little worried that the Huiyuan Sword Art, upon learning about the Hundred Bones Resonance's new CG effect, might start having all sorts of complicated thoughts.
He had been about to offer some reassurance, but before he could, several lines of text had already appeared on their own.
[The Huiyuan Sword Art feels a flicker of worry — but then it thinks: wasn't it you who redeemed it in exactly the same way, once upon a time?]
[It has nothing it can do for you, so it can only silently cheer you on.]
[The Huiyuan Sword Art, for the first time in a long while, feels a faint sense of urgency — but what it feels even more is a faint, fragile hope.]
[When all is said and done, it has no way of walking beside you forever. But if the Hundred Bones Resonance can find such a path, perhaps it too can find a road of its own.]
Reading the Huiyuan Sword Art's innermost thoughts, Gu Chengming couldn't help but pause.
It had to be said — the Huiyuan Sword Art's mentality really had improved a great deal compared to before. But what struck Gu Chengming even more was that very last line.
As an idealist-driven system, when a description like that appeared, the odds were high that it was a hint — a hint that there was "something there."
After offering the Huiyuan Sword Art a few words of comfort, Gu Chengming finally drew his attention back and refocused it on his own body.
That ordeal just now had been terrifying beyond measure — at one point midway through, the horrifying spectacle of his bones and blood shattering, his meridians surging in reverse, had actually manifested.
Had he not clung desperately to the clarity of his Spirit Terrace at the critical moment, then forcibly recalibrated the frequency by drawing on Pei Ming's theories from the Records of Daqian Miscellany, he would probably be a pile of paste by now.
But high risk, more often than not, comes with high reward.
He turned his gaze inward to his elixir field — and immediately gave a small start.
The spiritual energy vortex that had originally coiled within his sea of qi had swelled by a full size, and grown far more condensed and refined than before.
He had originally been just one step away from the seventh layer of the first realm, and had been planning to break through naturally in a few more days without rushing. But under this wave of "resonance with the Great Dao," that tremendous flood of heaven-and-earth energy had poured into him and driven him straight through to the eighth layer of the first realm.
Two consecutive breakthroughs — anyone else in his position would have been beside themselves with joy by now.
But Gu Chengming felt more helpless than anything.
The path of cultivation prized steady, step-by-step progress above all else, with a solid foundation.
This breakthrough of his, while it had ridden on the back of a qualitative transformation of the physical body and seemed perfectly natural on the surface, had in reality left his mental cultivation method lagging behind.
In the early and middle stages of the first realm, this problem hadn't been obvious.
But as one's cultivation rose, the total volume and circulation speed of spiritual energy grew at a geometric rate — and that beginner-level basic qi-gathering technique was now visibly struggling, unable to manage the surging spiritual energy of the eighth layer of the first realm.
Gu Chengming could feel it clearly: the spiritual energy circulating inside him right now was slightly "rushed." If not for the Huiyuan Sword Art and the Hundred Bones Resonance working without rest to assist in guiding it along, anyone else in his position would have had their spiritual energy in complete disarray by now.
He put his thoughts aside. Gu Chengming looked around at the still-quiet little courtyard.
The scene just now — "flesh and bone shattering, golden light reforging" — had been alarming, but fortunately this was the far edge of the Outer Gate, where few people came at the best of times. It probably wouldn't attract too much attention.
The very instant that thought settled in his mind.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A rapid, heavy knocking came from outside the courtyard gate.
Gu Chengming's heart lurched. Before he even had time to get up and answer the door, the wooden gate was shoved straight open.
The visitor wore the robes of an elder, and the spiritual energy fluctuations that still clung to him had yet to fully dissipate — clearly he had rushed here at full sprint. It was Liu Enchuan.
Liu Enchuan's face held none of his usual composure; instead it was laced with urgency and startled disbelief.
The moment he stepped through the gate, his gaze locked onto Gu Chengming and refused to budge, his spiritual sense sweeping over him with no restraint whatsoever.
He had been attending to sect business in the rear mountains when he had suddenly sensed an extremely obscure fluctuation of heaven-and-earth energy emanating from the direction of this out-of-the-way Outer Gate disciple's residence.
That kind of disturbance — not even a first-realm disciple should have been able to produce it. Even a second-realm cultivator might have struggled.
Seeing that the figure standing in the courtyard was a perfectly unharmed Gu Chengming, Liu Enchuan relaxed slightly and let out a long breath.
But he quickly recovered himself, and looked Gu Chengming up and down. His tone was serious:
"What just happened?"
Gu Chengming knew he couldn't hide it, and could only bow and say:
"In answer to Elder, this disciple was just... cultivating."
"Cultivating."
Liu Enchuan's expression turned strange. He had originally been about to ask what Gu Chengming had been practicing, but after probing carefully with his senses, he couldn't help blurting out in astonishment:
"When did you break through to the eighth layer of the first realm?"
He remembered it perfectly clearly — just a few days ago, when this kid had gone to visit Jiang Lu, he had still been at the sixth layer of the first realm!
In just a few days?
Gu Chengming had already prepared his explanation, and delivered it half-truthfully:
"Just now, while this disciple was practicing a body-tempering method, I happened to feel something — as if I had touched upon some kind of opportunity. Not only did the physical body make progress, but the accumulated spiritual energy also rode the momentum to break through the bottleneck."
"A body-tempering method?"
Liu Enchuan's brow furrowed tightly. He extended his spiritual sense to probe carefully, and after a moment suddenly snapped his head up, dumbfounded:
"Body-and-spirit co-vibration? You drew the resonance of the Great Dao into yourself?!"
At the first realm, that was the only way to achieve body-and-spirit co-vibration.
Seeing Liu Enchuan's reaction, Gu Chengming thought to himself, this is going badly, and steeled himself to say:
"A stroke of luck."
Hearing the confirmation, Liu Enchuan was stunned — and then came retroactive terror, followed swiftly by anger.
"Outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!"
Liu Enchuan pointed at Gu Chengming, his finger trembling:
"The resonance of the Great Dao — is that something a first-realm disciple should be touching?!"
"That is the might of heaven and earth! One misstep and your flesh dissolves from your bones, body and Dao perishing together! Even second-realm cultivators wouldn't dare attempt it lightly — and you went and tried it alone, on your own, without telling a soul?!"
He was scolding, but the concern underneath his words was something he couldn't conceal no matter how hard he tried.
Gu Chengming bowed his head and absorbed the lecture honestly, offering no rebuttal.
After all, Elder Liu was genuinely doing this for his own good.
After the tirade wound down, Liu Enchuan looked at the disciple before him — perfectly intact, in fact positively transformed — and felt a welter of complicated emotions.
Anger. Admiration. And a kind of helpless sense that "the waves of the Yangtze River push the waves before them."
This kid's talent and nerve were simply freakish.
"Hff..."
Liu Enchuan let out a long breath and forcibly steadied his mood.
"Fine. Since you've already succeeded, this is your fortune."
He looked at Gu Chengming with a complicated expression, his tone turning grave:
"But remember this: something like this, once and never again. On the path of cultivation, bold advance is necessary — but so is treading as if on thin ice."
"A reckless gamble with your life like today's must never happen again!"
"This disciple will take the Elder's words to heart."
Liu Enchuan gave a nod, then carefully examined Gu Chengming's physical condition. Only after confirming that truly no hidden injuries had been left behind did he finally let himself fully relax.
He clasped his hands behind his back and paced a few steps around the room, and couldn't help but think of that senior martial brother of his who was still playing the hands-off landlord.
Sigh, Senior Brother, Senior Brother... I told you long ago to take a disciple, and you held out until now.
Liu Enchuan grumbled to himself inwardly.
With someone to guide him, he wouldn't have done something this rash. If he cultivates himself into trouble down the road, see if you'll regret it!
Once his emotions had settled, Liu Enchuan sat back down in the chair.
"Now that you've broken through, do you have any plans for your next steps in cultivation?"
He looked at Gu Chengming with a meaningful expression: "Your current cultivation is high, but your foundation is still relatively shallow — and your mental cultivation method seems to have already fallen somewhat behind your progress."
"That spiritual energy is abundant, but it's a touch unstable. If you don't replace it promptly with a higher-grade mental method to regulate things, it may leave hidden trouble down the road."
Gu Chengming's heart stirred — he had been looking for a chance to bring up exactly this.
"Elder's insight is, as always, piercing." Gu Chengming bowed. "This disciple has been troubled by precisely this matter. In truth, I was planning today to seek out Elder Ren and ask his guidance on the question of choosing a mental cultivation method."
"Elder Ren?"
At the name, Liu Enchuan's hand paused mid-lift with his teacup, and his expression turned subtly peculiar.
The reason he had mentioned Ren Wencai was twofold. On one hand, he genuinely wanted to consult on the mental method — Elder Ren had, after all, been quite caring toward him, and was broadly knowledgeable. On the other hand, he also wanted to indirectly confirm a piece of information he had seen in the Myriad Wonders Assembly.
That item of news — about Elder Liu Changfeng of the Yunyue Sect being "ambushed and beaten senseless" on the road — had no evidence attached to it. But Gu Chengming's instincts told him the whole affair had the fingerprints of that Elder who looked every inch the transcendent immortal sage but was, in reality, viciously protective and grudge-keeping.
"Ahem..."
Liu Enchuan gave a light cough, his gaze drifting slightly, as if concealing something.
He set down his teacup and, rather than answering Gu Chengming's question directly, spoke in vague, roundabout terms:
"Senior Brother Ren... has been a bit busy lately."
"Busy?" Gu Chengming feigned puzzlement.
"Mm. The sect has some... external affairs that need him to handle personally. So for the next few days, I'm afraid you won't be able to see him."
"Probably three to five days. Once he's... done being busy, go find him then."
Watching the way Elder Liu was acting, Gu Chengming had already gotten his answer.
Ah. So he really did go to dole out a beating.
"Since Elder Ren has pressing business to attend to, this disciple wouldn't want to impose."
Seeing that he had smoothed it over, Liu Enchuan breathed a small sigh of relief, then said a few more rounds of the usual advisory boilerplate — "consolidate your realm," "don't rush forward rashly" — before clasping his hands behind his back and leaving with a furrowed, preoccupied air.
After seeing Liu Enchuan off, the small courtyard returned to silence.
Gu Chengming let out a sigh.
Since Elder Ren was "overwhelmed with business" and couldn't be reached, there was nothing for it but to go ask Elder Yu.
The following day.
Gu Chengming tidied himself up with his usual simplicity and set out for Yu Wenqiu's residence.
The bamboo grove was as serene as ever. The formation sensed his presence and, with practiced ease, parted to reveal a small path.
Yu Wenqiu was at that moment reclining sideways on the wisteria rocking chair with its cushioned surface.
The afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps between bamboo leaves, dappling her profile in fragmented light and shadow — stripping away some of her usual cool aloofness and lending her a quiet, bookish tranquility instead. She had clearly been posed like this for quite some time.
Yu Wenqiu's scroll-turning hand paused slightly. She raised her eyes and was just about to say something — then carefully extended her senses.
Eighth layer of the first realm.
And the physical body was seamlessly round and full, the qi and blood flowing like mercury.
The jade slip in Yu Wenqiu's hand hit the table with a clack.
She stared first in blank disbelief — and then those pretty eyes of hers filled with shock, which rapidly transformed into a kind of furious exasperation.
Those words she had spoken to him before had been partly the guidance of an elder, yes — but more than that, they had been a warning. She had wanted this kid to know when to give up, not to tie himself to the Hundred Bones Resonance and refuse to let go.
That so-called "drawing the rhythms of heaven and earth into oneself" was, by common understanding, a dead end.
She had assumed Gu Chengming was a clever person who could read good advice when he heard it — that he'd hit a wall, accept reality, and turn back.
But who could have imagined that this kid not only didn't turn back, he charged straight through and demolished the wall entirely?!
He had actually gone and tried it? And from the look of things, he had actually pulled it off?
This was sheer madness! Surely he understood the risks involved?
One slip and it would mean severed meridians throughout the body and a crippled future!
Yu Wenqiu felt a chill of retroactive dread. If this kid had genuinely crippled himself, how much guilt would she have carried?
But looking at Gu Chengming standing there full of life and vigor — improved, even — the reprimand that had risen to her lips got swallowed back down.
Scold him? He succeeded.
Praise him? Then she'd be afraid he'd grow even more oblivious to his own limits in the future.
This tangle of worry and helplessness left Yu Wenqiu feeling a knot in her chest.
In the end, ten thousand words collapsed into one long, resigned sigh. She told herself inwardly: forget it, forget it — as long as nothing went wrong, that matters more than anything.
Seeing that Elder Yu, like Elder Liu, had taken that same posture, Gu Chengming spent quite a while mollifying her before he was finally able to state his actual purpose in coming.
Yu Wenqiu let out a breath and said, "Your current situation is indeed somewhat unusual."
"Your physical body is far stronger than peers of your realm. Your spiritual energy is abundant but slightly unrefined. And inside you, it seems like you've been simultaneously training several cultivation methods of entirely different schools — sword intent, body tempering, and what seems like a mental-type technique as well?"
As the custodian of the Hidden Sword Pavilion, she had read broadly and her eye was keen. She didn't know the specific details of Gu Chengming's cultivation configuration, but she could make out the general shape from his aura alone.
"For an ordinary disciple, I might well recommend the Purple Sunset Art or the Grand Yi Water-Generating Formula — both are balanced, moderate, excellent choices for stabilizing one's foundation."
Yu Wenqiu shook her head:
"But for you, those are too narrow."
"Your approach is too unorthodox, too varied. If you choose a mental method with too pronounced a character, it will actually constrain the expression of your other cultivation methods — and may even generate conflicts."
At that, she looked toward Gu Chengming:
"Do you have any thoughts of your own?"
Gu Chengming considered for a moment and put forward his requirements:
"This disciple hopes to find a mental method with strong compatibility and good coordinating capacity."
"Ideally the type that is broad-minded and all-encompassing. As for supplementary cultivation speed, or the ability to regulate meridians and correct deviations — those don't need to be especially strong."
"No need for supplementary regulation? Only compatibility and coordination?"
Yu Wenqiu raised an eyebrow and gave him a slightly surprised look.
That was an unusual set of requirements. She closed her eyes, her mind skimming rapidly through the vast catalog of texts housed in the Scripture Library.
A moment later, she snapped her eyes open, a glint flashing through them.
"Got it."
Yu Wenqiu sat up straight:
"There is one mental method that might suit you perfectly."
"Its name is — the Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method."
"The Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method?"
"Correct."
Yu Wenqiu explained slowly: "This mental method did not originate within our Wenjian Sect. It comes from... the Grand Academy of the Daqian Dynasty."
"Daqian governed through Confucian principles, emphasizing ritual, moral education, and the harmony of heaven and humanity. This Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method is the foundational cultivation technique of that Confucian lineage."
"It does not train the five elements; it does not refine yin and yang. What it cultivates is the character of 'right,' and what it seeks is the principle of 'harmony.'"
"Its greatest characteristic is that it is balanced and impartial, vast and all-embracing. It regards the human body as a small cosmos, and regards the spiritual energies of all cultivation methods within it as the ten thousand things of that cosmos. Rather than forcibly altering the nature of those ten thousand things, it works by establishing a kind of order — allowing each thing to find its proper place within the body, fulfill its proper function, neither interfering with the others nor disturbing them, and in fact complementing them."
"It is like... a court governing all under heaven." Yu Wenqiu offered an analogy. "It does not care whether you are a sword cultivator or a body cultivator. As long as you operate within this 'court's' framework and observe its rites, it can accommodate you and coordinate you."
"As for the fine-tuning you mentioned..."
Yu Wenqiu smiled slightly: "This method espouses 'governing through non-interference' — once the grand framework is in place, it leaves the details largely to themselves. Which happens to suit your requirements exactly."
Establishing order. Each thing in its proper place. Governing through non-interference.
The longer Gu Chengming listened, the brighter his eyes grew. His heart settled completely.
"My deepest thanks for the Elder's guidance! This mental method is exactly what this disciple needs."
"Hold your thanks."
Yu Wenqiu waved a hand and poured cold water on him: "This method is excellent, but it has one drawback — it is extremely difficult to enter, and quite tedious. It requires extensive study of Confucian classics and the absorption of their principles of rite and order before one can even begin."
"Moreover, this method is rather obscure even within the sect, practiced by very few, and there are almost no annotations or personal notes on it."
She looked at Gu Chengming and gave him a serious warning: "I recommend you first go to the first level of the Scripture Library — there is a detailed introduction and some fragmentary transcripts of this method there. Read through them first, see whether you are truly suited to this approach, and decide then. It is not too late."
"Remember: a mental cultivation method is the root of one's cultivation. Once selected, changing it is as difficult as scaling heaven. Do not be as rash this time as you were before."
"This disciple understands. The Elder's words are golden and precious, and this disciple will keep them firmly in heart."
Yu Wenqiu, satisfied that he had listened, gave a nod of approval and waved her hand to dismiss him.
"Off with you."
Gu Chengming thanked her once more.
Taking his leave of Yu Wenqiu, Gu Chengming tucked the jade slip containing the clues to the Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method under his arm and headed straight for the Scripture Library.
The Wenjian Sect's Scripture Library had nine levels, towering and magnificent, an imposing sight.
Though the first level was the area open to Outer Gate disciples and housed mostly basic texts and miscellaneous records, when Gu Chengming stepped inside, even in broad daylight the interior was lit by everlasting shark-oil lamps, and the disciples coming and going all held their breath and moved with quiet, careful steps.
Per Elder Yu's explanation, this mental method was something of a fringe piece — but the first level of the Scripture Library should still hold a fragment or introduction sufficient for him to judge whether it was compatible with his complex and tangled cultivation path.
Just as he was preparing to walk toward the corner where miscellaneous texts were stored, a faint sound broke out unexpectedly from the direction of the front counter.
The atmosphere at the counter not far ahead was slightly oppressive.
Gu Chengming glanced over.
Standing before the counter was a tall male disciple.
He wore deep black inner-gate robes, a long rectangular sword case strapped across his back, and stood upright as a pine — his mere presence, just standing there, was like an insurmountable iron tower, blocking out all the light behind the counter.
Facing him across the counter, the female outer-gate disciple on duty was currently hunched over with her neck pulled in, her face drained of color, both hands gripping the hem of her robe for dear life, her eyes full of terror.
"S-senior Brother... the book you mentioned just now really... really has already been borrowed..."
The girl's voice was thin as a mosquito's hum, trembling noticeably.
The black-robed disciple's brow furrowed slightly.
"Borrowed? When will it be returned?"
"That... I don't know either..." The girl was on the verge of tears.
The black-robed disciple was silent for a moment. His gaze lingered on the girl's face for an instant.
"Understood."
He shook his head and turned to leave.
Only once the black-robed disciple's silhouette had disappeared around the corner did the girl let out a long breath, as if reprieved from a death sentence.
She collapsed bonelessly into her chair, her forehead already sheened with cold sweat.
Gu Chengming withdrew his gaze, clicking his tongue inwardly.
Second realm.
And not the kind of nebulous, freshly-entered second realm either — that murderous aura, condensed to an extreme, would likely mark him as someone outstanding even among the inner gate.
It was just that the killing air around this person was a little too heavy. Though no murderous intent was present, it made people instinctively want to keep their distance.
Gu Chengming shook his head and put the thought aside, just about to step forward — when a chill suddenly ran down his spine.
A gaze with almost physical weight had fallen on him at some point, without his noticing.
Gu Chengming instinctively turned his head. It was precisely that black-robed senior brother from before.
He hadn't gone far at all. He was standing by a nearby bookshelf.
Gu Chengming's heart sank with a thump — and before he could even react, the black-robed senior brother had already set off and walked straight toward him.
His stride was heavy and unhurried, and that wave of pressure he emanated sent the several disciples who had been browsing nearby scattering in all directions like startled birds, desperate to put as much distance between themselves and him as possible.
Gu Chengming stood his ground and didn't retreat, though he quietly began channeling the spiritual energy in his body, readying himself for any sudden developments.
Something about this feels hostile.
Have I been too conspicuous lately, drawing the attention of some faction in the inner gate?
Just as Gu Chengming's mind was cycling through a string of conspiracy theories, the black-robed senior brother came to a stop three feet in front of him.
At close range, that ferocious aura was even more overwhelming.
And yet, the very next moment.
The man gave a slight bow, clasped both hands before him, and directed at Gu Chengming an impeccably formal salute between fellow sect members.
"Fellow Junior Brother."
His voice was still low and deep, but his tone was, unexpectedly... friendly? Even somewhat careful and politely deferential:
"Are you here in the Scripture Library looking for some kind of cultivation method?"
Gu Chengming blinked and let out a breath.
"Indeed."
Gu Chengming returned the bow. Though his heart still held questions, nothing showed on his face, and he responded warmly:
"What instruction does Senior Brother have for me?"
"Instruction would be too strong a word."
The black-robed senior brother straightened up. On that sharply-angled, somewhat rugged face of his, a smile appeared — stiff and awkward, as though he were trying to convey goodwill, but paired with all that murderous air, it actually made him look a few degrees more ferocious:
"I am Lu Che, a disciple of the inner gate's Guizang Gate. Just now, I noticed that Junior Brother carried himself with extraordinary bearing — though dressed in outer-gate robes, his air was that of a dragon or phoenix. I could not help but approach to speak."
Guizang Gate?
Gu Chengming searched his memory. He recalled Jiang Lu saying something about it — in fact the impression had been quite vivid.
Apparently the Guizang Gate was full of sword fanatics, and was even more dangerous to offend than the Daoning Gate.
"I see — Senior Brother Lu." Gu Chengming bowed. "I am Gu Chengming."
"Gu Chengming..."
Lu Che murmured the name under his breath:
"A fine name. Junior Brother Gu, I won't pretend otherwise — I've been dithering around here for quite some time today, and actually have a difficult matter I'm hoping someone can help me with. When I saw Junior Brother's... ahem, his physiognomy is exceptionally auspicious... an intuition arose in me that perhaps Junior Brother could resolve my urgent predicament."
Gu Chengming's puzzlement deepened.
Exceptionally auspicious physiognomy? What kind of reason is that?
And moreover, given this senior brother's cultivation level — already a second-realm practitioner, clearly no small figure within the sect — if he had a problem related to cultivation, he could easily consult an elder. Why come looking for an outer-gate disciple?
Could this be because of my recent notoriety? Is he here to probe me?
"Senior Brother is too kind."
Gu Chengming said carefully:
"This junior brother has little cultivation and shallow experience, and I'm afraid I would be unequal to a great task. Would Senior Brother care to share what matter you've encountered? If it is within my power, I will naturally do my best."
At that, Lu Che looked left and right, and seeing no one nearby, drew a deep breath — as if steeling himself for something of enormous consequence.
He stepped half a pace closer, leaned in slightly, his eyes shifting, his voice pressed down very low:
"That is... Junior Brother Gu. Could you perhaps teach Senior Brother..."
"How to take a female cultivator as a cultivation partner?"
"..."
Gu Chengming: "?"
He carefully chose his words and said:
"The sect does not prohibit disciples from taking cultivation partners. Given Senior Brother's cultivation and standing, if there is a senior or junior sister you admire, you could simply make your feelings known — why come and ask me?"
In the cultivation world, strength was the greatest capital one could have.
A second-realm inner-gate disciple — just by letting word get out, any number of female cultivators would be willing to become his partner.
Lu Che heaved a long sigh:
"It's not that I don't want to — it's that my cultivation method imposes limitations. I simply can't find the door in."
"Your cultivation method imposes limitations?" Gu Chengming was even more puzzled.
Lu Che's expression was complicated as he explained:
"The sword art I practice is called the Passionate Sword Formula."
"This sword art emphasizes entering the Dao through emotion — one must experience the full ten-thousand-zhang depths of the mortal world, passing through love and hatred, separation and grief, before the sword intent can be honed to its full completion."
"I see." Gu Chengming had a flash of understanding.
Gets to play dating-sim games and level up at the same time? Isn't this basically the same type of player as me?
On that note, Lu Che sighed again and went on to describe his difficulty:
"I've been bitterly cultivating in the mountains since childhood. Besides the sword in my hand, I had nothing for company but a few volumes of storybooks."
"Previously, in order to get this sword art off the ground, I tried communing spiritually with the women in those storybooks."
"Spiritually communing?" Gu Chengming's eye twitched.
"Exactly." Lu Che said with complete sincerity: "I put myself in the shoes of the male leads in the stories, and fell in love with the talented women, the heroines, the demonesses between those pages — experiencing the joys and sorrows within. Through this, I managed to cultivate the sword art to a minor degree of completion."
As he spoke, he seemed to wish to prove he was telling the truth. His wrist turned, and a sword in its scabbard appeared in his hand.
"Junior Brother, have a look — this is my sword: Lianhua."
Gu Chengming looked closely and nearly lost his composure entirely.
The scabbard itself was made of excellent material — forged from premium black iron.
However, on this scabbard, rendered in extremely fine, painted strokes, were a series of girls: a tsundere with twin tails, a frosty immortal in flowing white, a demoness with fox ears.
Holy — a two-dimensional custom-painted itasha sword. An actual waifu sword.
Gu Chengming felt a surge of genuine respect: "If Senior Brother has such a wondrous method, why now...?"
"Alas, I've hit a wall."
Lu Che stroked the painted girls on the scabbard, a trace of sorrow entering his eyes:
"What you learn from books always falls short in the end. As my cultivation advanced, I found that the emotions conjured in imagination were ultimately illusory — lacking that real, living touch, that sense of genuine cause and effect. My sword intent is stuck at the peak of the first realm and hasn't managed to break through."
"My master warned me that to reach true mastery, I must enter the mortal world, experience genuine human connection, and take a real, living person as a cultivation partner to complete that final missing piece."
"And so — I emerged from seclusion."
Lu Che raised his head, his eyes full of defeat:
"But it is so hard."
"I've tried striking up conversations with several junior sisters — but for some reason, the moment they see me, they react as if they've seen a ghost and run away. Even when I do my best to squeeze out a smile, they just get more frightened, and some have even directly brought out their defensive talismans..."
Gu Chengming looked at Lu Che's face — which was essentially broadcasting "Mortals Keep Away, Trespassers Will Not Survive" — and felt wordlessly exasperated on his behalf.
Senior Brother, do you perhaps have some sort of fundamental misunderstanding about your own appearance?
"I understand."
Gu Chengming nodded, but he still had one question:
"Still... Senior Brother Lu, why did you specifically come looking for me?"
He had recently gained a certain reputation, true enough — but that was for being able to fight. Not for being able to charm.
Lu Che, upon hearing this, looked Gu Chengming up and down, and his gaze became unusually resolute and sincere:
"Intuition."
"Intuition?"
"Correct."
Lu Che said with grave seriousness: "The moment I saw Junior Brother walk through that door, I sensed he possessed an extraordinary quality — that composure, that calm, and... a certain air about him. Though he walks alone, it is as if he has weathered a thousand journeys, passed through a garden of ten thousand flowers without a single petal clinging — the aura of a true wanderer. It was overwhelmingly strong!"
"I, Lu Che, have never once been wrong in reading a person. Junior Brother, you look... exactly like someone who has many cultivation partners!"
"Those eyes in particular — they must have survived many trials of the heart."
Gu Chengming: "..."
If you count dating sim games, I suppose the number is genuinely rather high.
"If Junior Brother is unwilling to teach, it means he looks down on this Senior Brother! I would offer sect contribution points — even spirit stones — as payment! I only beg Junior Brother to pass on even a little of his true wisdom in finding a cultivation partner!"
Gu Chengming sighed inwardly.
Fine.
"Since Senior Brother is this sincere..."
Gu Chengming summarized the dating-sim strategy logic from his previous life — techniques like "analyzing a character's personality," "triggering event flags," and "high-emotional-intelligence dialogue options" — and laid it all out.
"That, broadly, is the gist of it."
This set of theories struck Lu Che like a revelation from the Great Dao itself. He listened in a state of rapturous absorption, writing furiously the whole while.
He snapped his head up and bowed deeply to Gu Chengming — a bow more solemn than any that had come before:
"One conversation with you surpasses ten years of reading. Junior Brother truly is a peerless hidden master in disguise! Please accept this Senior Brother's bow!"
You're still insulting me — this is called a hidden master!
Though speechless inside, Gu Chengming still reached out to support him as he stood, and sighed:
"Senior Brother is too kind. These are nothing more than armchair theories, shallow thoughts with no practical grounding."
"No! This is not armchair theory!"
Lu Che said earnestly: "I have already attained enlightenment. When I return, I'll change my clothes and go put Junior Brother's theories into practice!"
With that, he solemnly tucked the small notebook filled with his notes into his robe.
"On the day my sword Dao reaches its great completion, I will come back with lavish gifts to properly thank Junior Brother!"
He then summoned his waifu sword and took his leave.
Watching Lu Che's retreating figure, Gu Chengming mused that the cultivation world truly had everything and anything in it.
Though that Passionate Sword Formula does seem rather well-suited to a dating-sim veteran...
He shook his head and set his thoughts aside, turning once more to walk toward the first level of the Scripture Library.
First level of the Scripture Library. A quiet corner.
Gu Chengming held the rubbing transcript of the fragment titled Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method, his gaze moving slowly across the yellowed pages as his fingertip traced along.
Just as Yu Wenqiu had said, this mental method was not celebrated for accumulating spiritual energy, nor did it possess any earth-shattering combat power.
Its core was a single character: "right." And a single principle: "order."
The very opening of the text bore a general maxim: "The body is a state; the heart is its sovereign; qi is its people. When the sovereign is righteous, his ministers are wise. When the ministers are wise, the people are at peace. When all things are each in their proper place, moving in accordance with rite, heaven and humanity become one, and the Great Dao draws within reach."
The longer Gu Chengming read, the more wonderful he found it.
The philosophy of this mental method was to regard the human body as a miniature court.
It assigned "official ranks" and "hierarchical grades" to all the various forces, meridians, and acupoints within the practitioner's body.
The mental method itself did not directly interfere with the operations of these forces — instead, it established a strict "system of rites and laws."
For instance, the Huiyuan Sword Art, with its primary orientation toward offense, would be classified under "Marshal" or "Grand General," in charge of military affairs; the Hundred Bones Resonance, which strengthened the physical body, would be placed under "Minister of Works" or the "Ministry of Works."
This really does seem to suit me perfectly, Gu Chengming thought, and his decision was made.
Even so, he didn't rush straight to exchange for it.
By convention, with a special cross-system method like this, it was best to first notify one's own elder — to avoid having no one to cover for him if cultivation went wrong down the line.
Besides, counting the days, that "overwhelmingly busy" Elder Ren should be done with his business by now.
Three days later. A secluded rear-mountain estate of the Huiyuan Gate.
Gu Chengming stood outside the courtyard gate, straightened his clothing and appearance, and then respectfully knocked.
"Come in."
Ren Wencai's voice came from within. Gu Chengming pushed the door open and entered.
He found Ren Wencai seated upright at the stone table, holding a scroll of Daoist scripture, apparently in the midst of studying it.
His attire today, however, was somewhat peculiar.
The usually immaculately groomed silver-white hair was today looking a touch unkempt. The outer robes that symbolized his elder's status had an extremely faint tear at the collar, which had been cleverly concealed by spiritual energy — but with Gu Chengming's current eyesight, he could still make out a hint of it.
More tellingly, though Ren Wencai's aura was still as unfathomably deep as ever, it carried an undercurrent of restlessness that hadn't quite finished settling — like forcibly suppressed breathing after intense physical exertion.
Gu Chengming kept his eyes on his nose, his nose on his heart, and pretended he hadn't noticed a thing. He stepped forward and bowed:
"Disciple Gu Chengming pays respects to Elder Ren."
"Mm."
Ren Wencai set down his scripture scroll. His gaze swept over Gu Chengming in a single pass, and he gave a faint nod:
"Your realm has been consolidating well these past few days. Clearly the speed of your breakthrough hasn't left your foundation hollow. Not bad — you haven't made Old Man look bad."
"Elder is too generous with his praise."
Gu Chengming didn't waste time on pleasantries and cut straight to the point:
"This disciple has come today regarding a matter of mental cultivation. I deeply feel that my current qi-gathering technique is insufficient to support my cultivation going forward. I spent considerable time searching through the Scripture Library and have settled on a method called the Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method, and have come specifically to request the Elder's appraisal."
"The Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method?"
At the name, Ren Wencai's eyebrow rose ever so slightly, and a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.
He set down his book and leaned forward slightly, looking at Gu Chengming with something approaching astonishment:
"This method originates from Daqian's Confucian tradition — it emphasizes balance and impartiality, comprehensive coordination. It is genuinely a rare and excellent foundational technique. That said, it is rarely sought after within the sect — partly because its entry threshold is high, and partly because it is too gentle and slow, which doesn't suit the temperament of us sword cultivators."
He paused at that:
"However, considering that you are simultaneously practicing a body-tempering and a mental-type cultivation method, this method is, for you specifically, arguably the most fitting choice. It can both stabilize your foundation and harmonize the forces within you, preventing any internal conflict."
Ren Wencai might give the impression of not being serious ordinarily, but that eye of his was razor-sharp — he had seen the logic of it at a single glance.
"There is just one thing..."
"This method is deeply obscure, and its reputation is not well known. How did you come to know of it? And who recommended it to you?"
Gu Chengming's heart tightened.
Here it comes.
In his mind he instantly pictured Yu Wenqiu's languid face — and Ren Wencai's earlier warning to "keep contact with Elder Yu to a minimum."
If he told the truth — that Elder Yu had recommended it — would Ren Wencai, out of his bias against Yu Wenqiu, simply reject the method outright? Or start another round of lecturing about not letting himself be "led astray"?
Better not to add complications where none are needed.
Gu Chengming's expression remained unchanged: "To answer the Elder — no one recommended it. It was this disciple who, while browsing miscellaneous books in the Scripture Library, happened to come across a passing mention of it in a travel journal about cultivation in Daqian. Finding it intriguing, I followed the thread until I found the source. After reading it carefully, I felt it was rather well-matched to my current situation — which is what gave me the idea."
"Oh? You found it yourself?"
Ren Wencai stared into his eyes for a long moment. Seeing that Gu Chengming's expression showed no sign of deception, he finally withdrew his gaze.
"Mm. If you found it yourself, that means you and this method do have a certain affinity."
He nodded, and a note of genuine approval entered his tone:
"To find a path suited to oneself within the vast ocean of texts — the discernment and fortune required for that are themselves part of cultivation. Good. Very good."
"Since you have already made your decision, go ahead and practice it. This Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method may be a little difficult to enter — it requires studying Confucian classics and honing one's noble spirit — but for someone with a Dao-heart as firm as yours, it should be no obstacle."
"Many thanks for the Elder's blessing." Gu Chengming's heart settled completely, and he bowed once more.
With business concluded, Gu Chengming saw no reason to linger. Noticing that Ren Wencai seemed a bit low on energy, he tactfully took his leave.
Once Gu Chengming's figure had completely disappeared around the bend in the mountain path, Ren Wencai — who had been holding himself upright all this while — finally let himself sag.
"Hsss..."
He drew in a sharp breath through his teeth:
"Haven't done any fighting in several hundred years — nearly embarrassed myself in a ditch."
"But that old bastard won't be causing trouble for at least ten years. A reasonable deal, all things considered."
Leaving the rear mountain, Gu Chengming headed straight back to the Scripture Library.
With Elder Ren's blessing secured, Gu Chengming used the Scripture Library third-level access token he had previously received as a reward to exchange for the method.
Back in the small courtyard, Gu Chengming didn't rush to cultivate.
He first bathed and changed his clothes, burned incense and washed his hands, and brought himself to the optimal state of mind and body.
The Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method was different from other cultivation methods — it placed greater emphasis on the harmony of one's mental state and the clear comprehension of its "principles."
Per Yu Wenqiu's explanation, entry required extensive study of Confucian classics and the absorption of their principles of rite and order.
For native cultivators of this world, that might well be an enormous barrier.
After all, everyone here had grown up surrounded by theories of "the strong devour the weak" and "defy heaven and forge your own fate." To suddenly be asked to study "self-restraint and the return to propriety" or "benevolence, righteousness, rites, wisdom, and faithfulness" would be like playing a lute to a herd of cattle.
But for Gu Chengming... the Analects, Mencius, the Great Learning, the Doctrine of the Mean — he had a basic grasp of all of them.
Things like "let the ruler be a ruler, the minister be a minister, the father a father, the son a son" — or "cultivate the self, regulate the household, govern the state, bring peace to all under heaven" — he was broadly familiar with all of it.
"Let's hope this works."
Gu Chengming opened the first page — and found it far less abstruse than he had imagined.
As expected: entirely viable.
As his understanding of the classical teachings deepened, a faint, balanced and impartial aura began to stir into being within him.
It was not spiritual energy, nor was it the energy of blood and qi — it was a spiritual force known as "Righteous Noble Breath."
This force was not domineering, yet it was extraordinarily resilient. Like a clear current, it flowed gently through Gu Chengming's meridians, and wherever it passed, the spiritual energy that had been somewhat restless immediately became docile.
The Huiyuan Sword Art, the Hundred Bones Resonance, the Myriad Mysteries Convergence Method, the Flowing Cloud Moon-Following Art — the moment each of them sensed this aura, they all produced a subtle reaction.
They were not suppressed; they were not excluded. It was as if each had found an anchor, a "central pillar," and they began spontaneously gravitating toward this aura, arranging themselves according to some established order.
Hmmmm —
A soft resonance rang out in Gu Chengming's sea of consciousness.
No earth-shattering phenomena. No agonizing pain.
Everything was so natural. So effortlessly complete.
The previously scattered spiritual energy began converging in his elixir field, constructing a new, far more rigorous and expansive circulation system.
Within this system, every portion of spiritual energy had its proper place, and every cultivation method had its designated position.
Gu Chengming slowly opened his eyes. A glint of clarity flashed through them.
Done.
This mental method — which Yu Wenqiu had described as "extremely difficult to enter" — had yielded its first glimpse of mastery to him in the span of a single afternoon.
Damn, that was easy.
Gu Chengming was mildly surprised.
[Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method cultivation: entry achieved.]
[Target cultivation method selected: Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method.]
[Current Favorability: 5 / Stranger.]
Gu Chengming was feeling quite pleased — when a new dialogue box for this new cultivation target popped up.
[The Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method extends its greetings to you.]
[It says: A gentleman attends to the root. When the root is established, the Way is born. That you, amid the turmoil of a chaotic age, have kept your original heart, and found this balanced and righteous path — this is truly admirable.]
[It observes that your spirit hall is full and your bearing vast and boundless, and though you cultivate many methods at once within your body — seemingly in disorder — there is already a stillness within the chaos. This shows that though you have not yet cultivated this method, you have already grasped its essence.]
[It is our first meeting. If this one has been in any way discourteous, please accept its apologies.]
[The road of cultivation ahead is long. May we encourage each other, practice self-restraint and return to propriety, and together witness the Dao Supreme.]
Gu Chengming: "..."
He stared blankly for a long moment before he could extricate himself from this thoroughly "normal" atmosphere.
Courteous. Humble. Gentle. Reasonable.
So this is what a Confucian mental method is like.
Gu Chengming ventured a tentative reply: "You flatter me — I've only just glimpsed the threshold. I will need much guidance going forward."
[The Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method smiles gently: Guidance would be far too strong a word. Let us call it mutual refinement.]
[It sweeps a glance around the other "colleagues" present. Though their auras are varied — some of them carrying obvious traces of savagery and arrogance — it shows not the faintest trace of disdain or hostility.]
[A gentleman harmonizes without conforming.]
Elder Yu did not deceive me, Gu Chengming thought inwardly.
This mental method might not have a great reputation, but its practical utility was beyond question.
And as for its character...
Gu Chengming gazed skyward, and felt a sudden wave of genuine warmth.
Gentle and humbly courteous — this is, out of all the cultivation methods I have, the one that started off most normally, isn't it.
Excellent.
A few more days passed. Once he had fully stabilized this new cultivation method, Gu Chengming finally breathed easy and prepared to pay Elder Yu a visit.
Having received a favor from someone, the right thing to do was to call on them personally to give thanks.
Sending story scrolls — that was "official business." A private token of thanks was a separate matter entirely.
"Can't afford any heaven-sent treasures or rare spiritual materials, but a fine meal is well within my means."
His mind made up, Gu Chengming changed into a fresh set of azure robes, tidied his appearance, and set off toward the Hidden Sword Pavilion.
Predictably, Yu Wenqiu was not on duty at the Hidden Sword Pavilion — she was "cultivating in seclusion" in her bamboo cottage.
When Gu Chengming explained his purpose — that he wished to invite her down the mountain to Zuixian Tower for their newly launched "Grand Banquet" feast — this elder who usually couldn't be bothered to move a muscle instantly lit up.
"Zuixian Tower?"
Yu Wenqiu set down the story scroll in her hands and coughed with great restraint, while the corner of her eye had already drifted toward the wrap scarf hanging nearby:
"Ahem... well, I abstained from worldly food long ago. Such corporeal indulgences..."
She paused, and pivoted neatly:
"However, in celebration of your successful cultivation progress — if I were not to go, wouldn't that seem rather cold and unfeeling of me?"
As she spoke, her figure shifted, and she had changed into casual clothes in the blink of an eye — with a speed that left even Gu Chengming a little taken aback.
The two descended the mountain and headed straight for Zuixian Tower, situated in the most bustling quarter of the disciple market.
Zuixian Tower was a property of the Wenjian Sect, dedicated to the leisure of cultivators. Nine stories tall, with carved beams and painted rafters, it was a vision of lavish splendor.
Gu Chengming had gone all out this time, booking directly a private room on the top floor.
Push open the window and you could look down upon the entire glittering expanse of the market below. If you were lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the roiling, magnificent cloud-sea in the distance.
Yu Wenqiu stepped into the private room and looked around approvingly with a nod.
The table in the room was made of the finest rosewood — the round table was enormous, easily accommodating over a dozen guests.
Yu Wenqiu lounged somewhat lazily against the chairback. She even nearly propped her feet up out of habit, but with the disciple present she restrained herself at the last moment — simply adjusting to a comfortable posture, resting her cheek in one hand.
Gu Chengming took the seat across from Yu Wenqiu.
At that moment, a stream of warm and enthusiastic serving girls began filing in, carrying exquisite jade trays, dish after dish of spiritual cuisine, beautiful in color, fragrance, and flavor, set upon the table.
"Steamed Spirit-tail Fish, Braised Blazing-flame Chicken, and this main course..."
The aromas wafted up, stimulating the appetite instantly.
Yu Wenqiu lifted her chopsticks, her gaze lingering over the spread of delicacies with undisguised anticipation.
"Xiao Gu, don't be shy — go ahead and eat."
She said cheerfully.
Gu Chengming was just reaching for his chopsticks to say a polite word or two in return.
But then.
At that very moment, a line of text appeared before Gu Chengming's eyes.
[The Zhouli Heavenly Harmony Righteous Heart Method is enraged.]
[What gives a female cultivator the right to sit at the same table?]
Author's Note: This chapter is thirteen thousand characters.
Alright — still a thousand short of what I mentioned yesterday. Tomorrow it is, tomorrow it is. Sorry for the wait, my deepest apologies.
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