The night was deep in the back mountain courtyard of the Huiyuan Gate.
Gu Chengming sat cross-legged beneath the old tree in the courtyard, palms facing upward, eyes slightly closed.
Ever since his last attempt to construct a Sword Domain using various techniques resulted in the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》 manifesting a pink domain that lasted less than two breaths, he had been unable to let the matter go.
It wasn't that he didn't want a Sword Domain; it was just that the manifestation of this particular multiplier was, frankly, a bit embarrassing.
Pink, ripples, and suggestive light—no matter how he looked at it, this didn't seem like a domain a proper sword cultivator should possess. It looked more like something belonging to some old demon from the Hehuan Sect.
Forget it. Whatever the color, we sword cultivators should not be bound by convention.
After comforting himself with the classic 'sword cultivator's excuse,' Gu Chengming began to mobilize the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》 within his body.
Spiritual energy flowed slowly through his meridians. He attempted to project this power outward using the 'manifestation of traits' method Elder Han Zhe had described. A circle of extremely faint pink light rippled out around him.
This time was slightly better than the last. The ripples expanded to a range of about twenty feet, but they still collapsed after only three breaths.
So, where was the problem?
He began to recall the state Elder Han Zhe was in when he demonstrated his Sword Domain.
"Projecting internal will into external reality..." Gu Chengming muttered the phrase, suddenly realizing the key.
When Han Zhe unfolded his Sword Domain, his entire being radiated a temperament identical to the domain itself. If one's state of mind conflicted with the traits of the technique, the domain would naturally be unstable.
In other words, if he wanted to construct a Sword Domain with the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》 as the core, he had to make his state of mind completely compatible with the technique's traits during that time. Specifically, he had to act very 'Hehuan Sect.'
Gu Chengming fell silent for a moment.
Within his Sea of Consciousness, the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》 was already restless.
【The Yin Yang Creation Strategy is quite expectant.】
【Oh no, it seems to know exactly what you are thinking.】
Gu Chengming took a deep breath, clearing his mind of stray thoughts.
...
He closed his eyes again and mobilized the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》 once more. The pink ripples spread out again.
This time was steadier than before. The domain expanded to about thirty feet. Within this space, the leaves of the spiritual bamboo swayed gently, the air grew soft, and even the moonlight seemed filtered, carrying a hint of hazy warmth.
Four breaths. Five breaths. Six breaths.
The domain continued to expand slowly.
Gu Chengming felt a surge of joy, but he immediately noticed unstable fluctuations appearing at the edge of the domain.
He instantly withdrew his spiritual energy, and the domain vanished. He now had a general idea of how to proceed.
This path was viable; it simply required repeated practice to make the harmony between his state of mind and the technique more natural.
As for the method of practice...
Gu Chengming stood up and began to swing his sword while circulating the Yin Yang Creation Strategy. Sword light cut through the night sky, trailing a faint, shimmering pink glow. With every strike, the surrounding air would ripple ever so slightly.
While it was still far from being a true Sword Domain, he had already taken the step of integrating the technique's traits into his sword moves.
Gu Chengming became increasingly immersed in his practice. His sword momentum grew more fluid, and the initial sense of awkwardness gradually faded, replaced by a feeling as if he were dancing with someone.
Under the moonlight, the sword light and pink glow intertwined, sketching a scene in the small courtyard that was hard to describe as either hazy or magnificent.
Gu Chengming was performing the Huiyuan Sword Manual, but it was different from the usual version. It was as if he were guiding and embracing a petite woman, dancing gracefully under the moon.
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual is feeling lightheaded, its heart filled with happiness: Chengming is holding me while dancing... Hehehe.】
Gu Chengming was also quite surprised and pleased. He hadn't expected this method of spiritual and mental fusion with his techniques.
Regardless of whether the Sword Domain was mastered, having another way to interact with the 'people' he liked was enough to make him happy.
【The Yin Yang Creation Strategy nodded in satisfaction: That's the spirit.】
【The Qingxin Art watched from the side with its chin in its hands for a long time before saying: Chengming looks so handsome when he practices the sword.】
【Seeing this, the Qingxin Art sighed again, lamenting that it wasn't a sword technique and couldn't enjoy this kind of treatment.】
【Flowing Cloud Following Moon saw this and gave a soft snort: It's nothing special.】
【It isn't envious at all. Only stupid sword techniques would be envious.】
Gu Chengming remained immersed in this new state of practice.
He planned to spend the next few days using this method to polish the prototype of his Sword Domain.
As for how this sword style appeared to outsiders... he hadn't considered that question yet.
The night wind blew across the back mountain of the Huiyuan Gate, quietly dispersing that faint pink sword intent. Meanwhile, a few peaks away, a certain discussion about him was quietly unfolding...
...
Daoning Gate, side hall of the Main Peak.
Several female disciples in white robes walked in small groups along the mountain path back to their residences. The rules of the Daoning Gate were always strict, and disciples rarely gossiped, but they still gathered occasionally like this to discuss interesting news within the Wenjian Sect.
"Senior Sister went again today." A young female disciple with her hair in twin buns broke the silence first, her voice low and laced with concern.
There was no need to specify who 'Senior Sister' was, nor where she had 'gone.' Everyone present knew exactly what she meant.
The Dao Child, Su Qingmeng, had gone to the back mountain of the Huiyuan Gate again today to spar with that Gu Chengming.
"She comes back with new injuries every time," another female disciple said, her brow furrowed. "The day before yesterday it was a bruise on her wrist, yesterday it was a sword mark on her shoulder, and today I saw her walking with an unsteady gait."
"What exactly is that Gu Chengming thinking? It's just a spar between fellow disciples; why does he strike so hard?"
"Do you think... Senior Sister Su is being threatened by him?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the footsteps on the mountain path stopped in unison.
Several gazes met in the dim light. No one immediately denied the possibility.
In fact, this suspicion wasn't baseless. Ever since Su Qingmeng came out of seclusion, the entire Daoning Gate had sensed various abnormalities.
First, the leader for the Immortal Sect Grand Competition had suddenly changed. The Dao Child of the Daoning Gate had always been the undisputed benchmark for the younger generation of the Wenjian Sect. This time, however, she had been replaced by a disciple from the Huiyuan Gate. Regarding this, although Elder Jingxuan had stated before all the disciples that there were 'no further objections,' how could the disciples not have their own thoughts?
Secondly, there was the matter of Su Qingmeng running to the Huiyuan Gate every day to get beaten up.
In the minds of the Daoning Gate disciples, Su Qingmeng was cold and proud. This Dao Child had always practiced only within the Daoning Gate's training grounds and never took the initiative to spar with outsiders. Now, she was suddenly running to a male disciple's residence every day and returning covered in injuries. No matter how they looked at it, it felt incredibly suspicious.
Combine that with the old story from two years ago, when Gu Chengming had publicly asked Su Qingmeng to be his Dao companion and was rejected.
While this matter wasn't widely publicized within the Daoning Gate, quite a few people knew about it.
Rejected and resentful, and now that he had gained power, he wanted revenge and humiliation?
Such a plot was cliché, but it wasn't without precedent in the cultivation world.
The female disciples walked in silence for a while until the girl with the twin buns finally sighed.
"Forget it, there's no point in us guessing blindly. We all know Senior Sister's temperament; if she didn't want to go, no one could force her."
"But what if that man used some kind of trick?"
"Our Dao Child practices the Dao Sword; no illusion or charm technique would work on her."
"What if it's not an illusion? What if it's coercion? For example, using the grand competition to blackmail her?"
"..."
The theories were getting more and more outrageous, but the more ridiculous they became, the tighter the Daoning Gate disciples' brows furrowed.
"Anyway, I don't think that Gu Chengming looks like a good person."
The twin-bun disciple spoke indignantly. "Third on the Hidden Dragon Ranking? Listen to his title—the Northern Border Murder Demon. You can't let your guard down around someone with that kind of reputation."
A female disciple who had been silent for a long time suddenly spoke up. "I agree with everything you've said."
Everyone looked over. The speaker was a slender, elegant disciple named Shen Yingxue. She was among the earlier batch of senior sisters in the Daoning Gate, with cultivation at the late stage of the Second Realm.
She usually didn't say much, but she held considerable prestige among the younger generation of the Daoning Gate.
Shen Yingxue looked at her fellow disciples. "But guessing here is meaningless."
"What do you mean, Senior Sister?"
"Instead of listening to hearsay, it's better to see for ourselves what kind of person that Gu Chengming really is."
Shen Yingxue was not an impulsive person.
In fact, among these young disciples, she was considered the most composed. However, when it came to matters involving Su Qingmeng, it was difficult for her to remain completely calm.
This wasn't out of any personal feeling, but because Su Qingmeng held a special significance to her that far exceeded ordinary friendship between disciples.
Shen Yingxue still remembered when she first entered the Daoning Gate.
It was a late autumn. At the time, she was just a girl of mediocre talent who had wandered from a small sect. She stood before the snow-covered gates of the Daoning Gate, her legs trembling from the cold and nerves.
The entrance examination for the Daoning Gate was extremely rigorous. Shen Yingxue passed, but the process wasn't exactly glorious.
Her talent was only mid-to-low tier among the new disciples. The reason she was kept was largely due to her almost obsessive tenacity.
The sword dao of the Daoning Gate required disciples to discard stray thoughts and sever worldly ties. This might not be difficult for geniuses who grew up in the sect and had little experience with the mortal world, but it was quite difficult for someone like Shen Yingxue, who had entered halfway and carried too many worldly attachments in her heart.
The elders' evaluation of her was often: "The sword heart is impure, with too many stray thoughts. If you cannot break through within six months, leave on your own."
Shen Yingxue had stared blankly at her sword in the dead of night more than once, wondering what the point of her persistence was.
Until one day, on an ordinary morning, Shen Yingxue was practicing her sword alone in a corner of the training ground.
Just as she swung her sword for the countless time, a white figure walked over from the other side of the training ground.
It was Su Qingmeng.
At that time, Su Qingmeng was already the acknowledged top genius of the Daoning Gate. Her breakthrough speed was unmatched by her peers, and it was said she was in seclusion to comprehend some profound sword dao profound mystery.
Shen Yingxue hadn't expected this Dao Child, who never appeared in the public training grounds, to be here, let alone practice her sword in such a place.
Looking at the other girl's sword, Shen Yingxue stood in the corner and completely forgot the sword in her own hand.
That white figure moved across the training ground, the trajectory of her long sword like flowing water or drifting clouds.
Shen Yingxue was entranced.
Su Qingmeng practiced for about the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, then she sheathed her sword and turned to leave. From beginning to end, she didn't look at Shen Yingxue once, and she might not have even noticed someone was squatting in the corner. But from that day on, Shen Yingxue never wavered again.
She knew she might never reach Su Qingmeng's height in her life, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that she had seen that sword.
It was the most beautiful swordplay she had ever seen in the world.
Shen Yingxue withdrew her thoughts and looked down at the long sword in her hand.
In truth, when she made the decision to 'go see that Gu Chengming,' there wasn't much aggression in her heart.
She simply wanted to confirm what right the man who beat Su Qingmeng every day had to do so.
"Senior Sister Yingxue, we'll go with you."
The several young Daoning Gate disciples behind her all expressed their support.
Shen Yingxue counted; there were five of them in total, including herself.
"You can go, but there are rules." She turned around, her tone serious. "We only watch; no trouble and no provocation. We are just going to see what kind of person he is, not to look for a fight. The Daoning Gate cannot afford to lose face."
The group nodded repeatedly.
A quarter of an hour later, the five white figures quietly left the Daoning Gate.
Along the way, although the young disciples kept their mouths shut, the glances they exchanged still betrayed their nervousness.
They were afraid of being caught by a patrolling elder and also afraid of a conflict if they really encountered the legendary, ferocious 'Northern Border Murder Demon.'
In this mood of both trepidation and curiosity, the group finally reached the territory of the Huiyuan Gate.
...
Back mountain of the Huiyuan Gate.
Shen Yingxue led her four fellow disciples along a rarely used mountain path to a high slope in the back mountains.
This position happened to overlook the small courtyard surrounded by bamboo forests below.
"Is this the place?" The twin-bun disciple looked around. "This is too remote. Our Dao Child runs this far every day?"
"Shh." Shen Yingxue made a silencing gesture.
She concealed her aura, and the group squatted behind the bushes at the top of the slope, looking down at the courtyard.
The courtyard gate was open. Under the old plum tree in the center of the yard, a young man in green robes stood holding a sword.
"Is that Gu Chengming?" a female disciple whispered.
Shen Yingxue didn't answer; she was carefully observing the man.
From this distance, she could see his general outline. A slender figure and a steady temperament—judging solely by his stance, he did indeed look like a sword cultivator.
But that was all. She couldn't see anything special.
Just as she was thinking this, the green-robed man in the courtyard below moved.
...
At this moment, Gu Chengming was in a state of self-forgetfulness. He noticed an aura approaching, but he didn't care.
After several days of repeated practice, he was able to smoothly integrate the traits of the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》 into his sword moves. While it was still a long way from a true Sword Domain, he had reached a proficient level in 'using the sword to carry technique traits.'
And tonight, he wanted to try pushing one step further.
Instead of simply carrying technique traits within sword moves, he would do the opposite: use the technique traits as the main body and the sword moves as the carrier.
To put it simply, he would unfold the domain first and then swing his sword within it.
Gu Chengming closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and completely immersed his state of mind into the traits of the 《Yin Yang Creation Strategy》.
On the hillside, Shen Yingxue's pupils suddenly contracted.
She saw that in the small courtyard below, with Gu Chengming as the center, a visible pale pink glow was slowly spreading.
Wherever the glow reached, the spiritual bamboo in the courtyard stopped swaying, the falling leaves hung suspended in mid-air, and even the moonlight seemed dyed with a soft, warm color.
Then, Gu Chengming drew his sword.
The sword light flashed out, as light as if it were casually brushing across the surface of water, yet it left a long, shimmering trajectory in the air. That trajectory did not dissipate immediately; instead, like a drop of ink falling into clear water, it slowly blurred and spread within that domain, transforming into wisps of drifting light threads.
Then, the sword momentum grew slightly heavier, and the light threads intertwined and coiled.
Shen Yingxue stood at the top of the slope, forgetting to breathe.
The four female disciples beside her were also frozen in place.
As Gu Chengming's sword momentum reached its peak, the air within the domain seemed to turn into a warm medium. Every swing of his sword left clear ripples within it. These ripples layered upon one another and intertwined, eventually forming a constantly flowing picture under the moonlight.
It was as if someone were using sword light as a brush and moonlight as ink to write a silent poem in the void.
Shen Yingxue felt as if something in her mind had 'cracked.' She recalled how she felt watching Su Qingmeng practice her sword in the corner of the training ground years ago.
That beauty that made one forget everything—no matter how many stunning sword techniques she had seen since then, she had always felt that there was only one most beautiful swordplay in the world.
But now, looking at the green-robed figure moving through the pink shimmering light below, only one thought kept revolving in her mind.
The most beautiful swordplay in the world no longer seemed to belong to Su Qingmeng.
She opened her mouth, wanting to say something to refute this absurd thought, but her throat felt blocked, and she couldn't utter a single word.
At that moment, a rustling sound came from beside her. Shen Yingxue turned her head.
The states of her four fellow disciples could be described as varied and fascinating.
The twin-bun disciple, who had been the most indignant earlier, was now holding her face with both hands, her eyes reflecting the shimmering light below, her pupils almost turning pink.
Two other younger junior sisters had their mouths slightly open, maintaining that expression for a long time, looking as if they were under a freezing spell.
The last junior sister, who was usually the most silent, was now tightly clutching her sleeve, the tips of her ears red all the way down to her neck.
Shen Yingxue: "..."
In this eerie silence, the junior sister with the red ears suddenly moved her lips.
"I..."
Her voice was very small, almost scattered by the mountain wind. It took her a long time to stammer out a complete sentence.
"I think having Senior Brother Gu represent the Wenjian Sect is actually quite good."
Once the words 'Senior Brother Gu' landed, the atmosphere on the hillside instantly became extremely subtle.
When they arrived, they had referred to him as 'that Gu Chengming.'
There were two breaths of silence.
"Right, right!" The twin-bun disciple was the first to follow, nodding so hard she looked like a woodpecker. "I think so too! Senior Brother Gu is clearly so powerful; we just didn't understand him before!"
"Senior Brother Gu is so beautiful..."
It no longer mattered who said that.
Shen Yingxue looked at her four fellow disciples who had just been vowing to seek justice for Su Qingmeng. Every one of them had clearly jumped from 'seeking justice' to 'becoming fans' on the spot.
This change in attitude was faster than flipping the pages of a novel.
She felt that as the eldest of the group, she had an obligation to maintain the last shred of reason.
But she opened her mouth, and that figure swinging his sword in the shimmering light involuntarily surfaced in her mind again.
"It seems..."
Shen Yingxue heard her own voice crawl out of her throat, as if pulled by something, completely out of her brain's control.
"It seems that is indeed the case."
The five of them squatted behind the bushes, collectively falling into silence.
The mountain wind blew, the leaves of the bushes rustled, and no one mentioned the matter of 'seeking justice for the Dao Child' anymore.
No one even mentioned the reason they had come. Finally, the twin-bun disciple was the first to stand up, brushing the grass clippings off her skirt.
"I think it's also quite good that the Dao Child goes to spar every day. Cultivation requires mutual sparring to progress quickly."
"Right, right."
"Mhm, mhm."
"Senior Sister is right."
Shen Yingxue took a deep breath, took one last look at Gu Chengming who was still practicing below, turned around, and led the four disciples who had completely changed their stance away from the hillside.
Along the way, none of the five spoke, but everyone's ears were red.
With the departure of these uninvited guests, silence returned to the hillside.
Below, out of their sight, the pink shimmering light that had completely captured them finally dissipated in the cool night wind along with the last wisp of sword qi.
...
In the courtyard below, Gu Chengming stood with his sword sheathed.
Although it still wasn't a true Sword Domain, being able to achieve this at his current realm was already quite remarkable.
【The Yin Yang Creation Strategy is quite satisfied.】
Even though the Yin Yang Creation Strategy only served as a 'connection' for the technique, it seemed to enjoy this immensely.
Gu Chengming tried to use the Yin Yang Creation Strategy as a catalyst to perform Sword Domains centered on other techniques, but unfortunately, only the Huiyuan Sword Manual had succeeded so far.
Little Huiyuan was consequently very happy, and Gu Chengming was naturally infected by its mood.
【Hundred Bones Resonating said pitifully: I also want to have a fusion ultimate move with Emperor Gu.】
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual snorted: This is the bond held by me and Chengming! You guys still have to practice slowly!】
The Huiyuan Sword Manual didn't speak with absolute certainty, because it felt that other techniques would eventually 'dance' with Emperor Gu like this. It was satisfied just being the first!
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual thought to itself to enjoy the opportunity to be with Chengming for now, hehe.】
Gu Chengming smiled helplessly.
Over the next few days, subtle changes quietly occurred within the Daoning Gate.
First, those few female disciples stopped publicly discussing Su Qingmeng's daily sparring at the Huiyuan Gate.
Not only did they stop discussing it, but if anyone mentioned Gu Chengming bullying the Dao Child in front of them, they would give the person a look that said, 'You just don't understand.'
Subsequently, more Daoning Gate disciples began to frequently appear on the mountain path leading to the back mountains of the Huiyuan Gate.
Their reasons varied: 'going to pick spiritual herbs,' 'taking a shortcut back to the residence,' or 'getting lost.' However, without exception, their routes would pass by the hillside near that small courtyard.
Of course, that is a story for later.
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