Gu Chengming stood in the center of the ruins, his gaze lingering on the line of semi-transparent text that had just popped up at the bottom of his vision.
【CG Fully Unlocked】
【Hundred Bones Resonating CG / Emperor Bai, Lend Me Your Strength: Derived by Hundred Bones Resonating from the Myriad Phenomena Transformation Fist. It allows one to mimic the overlord image of the Primal Boundless Sovereign of Myriad Daos, Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, Supreme of the Universe Emperor Art Hundred Bones Resonating, unleashing a supreme punch at the cost of all physical energy.】
【Damage Multiplier: 1.0 (Increases after reaching kill count milestones)】
Seeing this new addition that increased the damage multiplier after reaching a certain number of kills, Gu Chengming was a bit dazed.
Was this thing actually a growth-type move?
A 'Killing Fist' had arrived, so to speak.
Immediately following the unlocking of the CG, the originally hidden favorability status also began to appear.
【Current Favorability: 205】
【Favorability has surpassed two hundred】
【Bond Feedback Obtained: All current attributes +1】
【Hundred Bones Resonating is very happy; it feels it has taken another step toward becoming an emperor.】
All attributes plus one...
Old Bai, the rewards you give are getting more and more generous.
Gu Chengming clenched his fist, feeling the surging sense of power within his body.
With his current attributes, practicing the Red Dust Phantom Step, which had extremely high requirements for the physical body, was now more than sufficient.
In a great mood, Gu Chengming finally turned his gaze toward the pile of mangled meat at his feet that no longer looked human.
It was indeed the style Hundred Bones Resonating liked; forget an intact corpse, not even a single whole bone was left.
Amidst the mess, seven ancient-looking bronze oil lamps were scattered about. Five had completely gone out, and the remaining two had been turned into scrap metal by the force of the previous punch.
Gu Chengming bent down and picked up an oil lamp that was still relatively intact.
The lamp was cold to the touch, and its inner walls were covered in dense, tiny script, exuding a chilly and sinister aura.
'Seven Malignant Blood Embryo Dolls.'
Gu Chengming was thoughtful.
Though the Longevity Sect acted like lunatics, those madmen certainly had some methods that were hard to guard against.
This cloning technique not only allowed for the creation of entities with independent auras but could even block causal detection. If he didn't possess a causal-law powerhouse like the Yin Yang Creation Strategy, any other cultivator of the second realm or even the third realm would likely have been worn to death by Wang Zheng.
This kind of good stuff, even if broken, could be taken back to Senior Qin Qing. Perhaps she could dismantle it and figure something out. At the very least, it could enrich the Night Guard Division's vault and be exchanged for merit points.
After a simple cleanup of the battlefield, he stuffed the seven broken lamps into a burlap sack.
Carrying the sack, which was still dripping with 'evidence,' Gu Chengming turned and walked out of the underground secret room that had already halfway collapsed.
The sun was shining perfectly outside; it was a fine day to claim a reward.
It was only a half-hour walk from the hidden underground chamber to the Night Guard Division.
Gu Chengming walked at a leisurely pace. Occasionally, passing commoners who glimpsed the blood-soaked burlap sack in his hand would avoid him in fright.
By the time he stepped through the familiar gates of the Night Guard Division, the centurion on duty simply nodded at him as if it were a common occurrence.
Lately, this Master Gu's frequency of entering and leaving with a burlap sack was indeed a bit too high.
Inside the Night Guard Division, Vice Commander Liu was pinching the bridge of his nose, fretting over the mountain of documents on his desk.
Although no major trouble had occurred in the capital recently, those trivial matters were piling up one after another.
Just then, the light at the door dimmed. Vice Commander Liu looked up and saw Gu Chengming walking in with that familiar burlap sack.
Upon seeing the sack, Vice Commander Liu's eyelids couldn't help but twitch violently twice.
Last time this kid brought a sack in, it contained a third realm deacon of the Longevity Sect. This time...
"Vice Commander."
Gu Chengming dropped the sack onto the floor with a dull thud and cupped his hands. "The fly from the Longevity Sect who has been secretly harassing me has been dealt with."
Vice Commander Liu pointed at the sack, his throat bobbing. "You mean the one who could make clones?"
"Yes," Gu Chengming said with a smile. "I found where his original body was hiding and gave him a punch."
Vice Commander Liu took a deep breath, stood up, walked around the desk to the sack, and carefully untied the opening to take a look.
Then, he quickly tied it back up.
Even though he was mentally prepared, that direct visual impact still made his teeth ache.
That was a third realm peak-grade evil cultivator. Although he practiced heterodox paths and his combat power wasn't as high as a traditional cultivator's, his life-saving cloning technique was famously 'troublesome' in the records.
Several squads in the division had suffered at his hands without even catching his shadow.
Vice Commander Liu said somewhat gloomily, "I was planning to handle it personally, and you just killed him in passing?"
Gu Chengming thought for a moment and corrected him. "Actually, it wasn't exactly 'in passing.' I spent quite a bit of effort finding him."
—He had mostly done it to grind the progress bar.
Vice Commander Liu waved his hand, not wanting to dwell on this demoralizing topic. He bent down and picked up a damaged oil lamp that had fallen out of the sack. After examining it for a while, his expression darkened.
"These are 'Seven Malignant Lamps,'" Vice Commander Liu said in a heavy voice. "Refining these things is extremely sinister. It requires the heart's blood of seven children born during Yin hours on Yin days... Those beasts of the Longevity Sect!"
He snorted heavily and tossed the lamp back onto the table.
"This Wang Zheng was a nail the Longevity Sect planted in the capital region, specifically responsible for intelligence and assassination. You pulling him out—root and all—is a great service."
At this point, Vice Commander Liu's gaze toward Gu Chengming held a few more inexplicable layers of meaning beyond mere appreciation.
"Counting that deacon from three days ago, in just a few days, you've slaughtered two third realm evil cultivators in the capital area."
Vice Commander Liu rubbed his hands, seemingly weighing his words. "There are some rumors floating around outside now, saying our Night Guard Division has produced a 'God of Slaughter.' Not only does he slay demons without blinking, but when he kills people... cough, he's quite brutal."
"The Longevity Sect hasn't made a big move yet, but I reckon they're dazed right now. After all, no one has ever seen someone like you—someone who completely ignores the rules and flips the table the moment you meet."
Vice Commander Liu had originally wanted to advise Gu Chengming to show a bit of restraint when he acted, as being too brutal might give those fools at the Honglu Temple something to hold against them.
However, in the next moment, he heard Gu Chengming say, "Since they are evil cultivators, they are not human. If slaughtering pigs and sheep requires bleeding and skinning them, then killing these people is merely a bit crude in method. The result is the same."
Vice Commander Liu froze for a moment, feeling that these words were quite satisfying. On second thought, he realized he was the one being overly fussy.
"Good! Well said! Slaughtering pigs and sheep... that's how it should be!"
Vice Commander Liu sat back down in his armchair, feeling thoroughly refreshed. The irritation from the backlog of paperwork was swept away.
He picked up a vermilion brush and drew a heavy circle on the closing report for Wang Zheng's case—that was the mark for 'Special Merit.'
As for those spineless cowards at the Honglu Temple who only cared about etiquette... let them go try reasoning with evil cultivators themselves if they were so capable!
After speaking, he fished a heavy command tally out of a drawer and tossed it into Gu Chengming's arms, laughing and scolding, "Alright, take the tally to the storehouse to claim your reward. Stop being an eyesore here. Seeing you makes me feel old."
Gu Chengming caught the tally steadily. A sweep of his divine sense revealed the amount of merit points within, which left him quite surprised.
"Many thanks, sir. This subordinate will take his leave."
He cupped his hands in salutation and turned to leave with light steps.
As the door closed again, Vice Commander Liu looked at it, shook his head with a smile, and then buried his head back in his documents.
Just as Vice Commander Liu had said, although the news of Gu Chengming killing two third realm evil cultivators in a row wasn't loudly proclaimed, it still caused quite a stir in the dark undercurrents of the capital.
The Longevity Sect's strongholds in the capital were currently deathly silent.
Ever since Wang Zheng's soul lamp had been extinguished, the remaining few disciples responsible for the periphery had been completely terrified. They withdrew thirty miles from the capital overnight.
In their intelligence, Gu Chengming was no longer just a 'genius sword cultivator.'
He was a monster—a monster who could ignore realm suppression, ignore arrays and restrictions, and even directly lock onto an original body through causality.
The most terrifying part was that he seemed to have no interest in talking to you at all.
You try to talk terms, he gives you a punch. You try to play dirty, he gives you a punch. You hide, and he digs you out just to give you another punch.
Meanwhile, in the marketplaces and alleys, the news spread even more outlandishly.
In the largest teahouse in the Eastern Market, the storyteller slapped his wood block, spittle flying everywhere.
"...Gentlemen, it is said that the Longevity Sect demon used a ghostly cloning technique, transforming into a hundred black shadows to surround Master Gu of the Night Guard Division! The yin winds howled, and ghosts wailed!"
"But who is this Master Gu? He is the God of War descended from the heavens! He merely sneered, and without even drawing his sword, he simply reached out and made a grab toward the void!"
The storyteller struck a pose like a fierce guardian deity, clutching at the air.
"Only a 'squelch' was heard! That demon's original body, hidden deep beneath the earth, was actually crushed by Master Gu from afar! It was turned into a pool of blood!"
"This is what they call: Let demons and ghosts cease their madness, for one strength subdues ten, and the iron fist suppresses the eight wildernesses!"
A chorus of cheers erupted from the audience, and copper coins rained onto the stage like a downpour.
Though it was exaggerated, the impression that 'the Night Guard Division has a powerhouse' was firmly etched into the hearts of the capital's citizens.
In the Imperial Observatory of Daqian.
Compared to the noisy bustle of the markets, the Imperial Observatory in the northwest corner of the capital appeared exceptionally cold and solemn.
This place was closest to the heavens and furthest from the mortal world.
At the top of the Star-Gazing Tower, the wind whistled. Vice Director Song Zhixing stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze wasn't on the vast starry sky but on the report that had just been delivered.
The report was thin, containing only a few lines, recording Gu Chengming's battle achievements over the past two days.
Beside him, the young monitor Chen Mo held the supplementary volume of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, looking somewhat conflicted.
"Master Song."
Chen Mo couldn't help but speak up. "This Gu Chengming... isn't he rising a bit too fast?"
He pointed at the ranking in the volume. "A few months ago, he was at the sixty-fourth position. After he slew the Jiao-beast in the East Sea, you raised him to the twentieth. Now, how many days has it been? He's moving again?"
"This Hidden Dragon Ranking is tied to the destiny of the young cultivators of the world. If the changes are too frequent, I fear it might invite criticism."
Song Zhixing didn't answer immediately. He just turned around to look at the armillary sphere behind him.
The massive bronze mechanism turned slowly under the drive of spiritual energy, making a dull and rhythmic sound.
"Chen Mo, what do you think the Hidden Dragon Ranking ranks?" Song Zhixing asked suddenly.
Chen Mo was startled and answered reflexively, "Naturally, it is potential, combat power, and past battle records."
"Not entirely correct."
Song Zhixing shook his head and lightly tapped his finger on the name 'Gu Chengming' in the report.
"The Hidden Dragon Ranking ranks 'momentum.' Potential and combat power are just parts of that momentum."
"Look at this report."
Song Zhixing handed the report to Chen Mo. "Killing a third realm deacon relied on breaking magic with the physical body—that is 'strength.' Killing the third realm Wang Zheng by breaking his clones and finding his original body relied on causal insight—that is 'spirit.'"
"The most crucial point is... both of these people were killed within the capital's territory. What does that signify?"
Chen Mo flipped through the report. The more he read, the more alarmed he became, and cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
"It signifies that Daqian's dragon qi does not reject him? It's even helping him to some extent?"
"Indeed. As the saying goes, when the time comes, heaven and earth work together."
Song Zhixing thought of the scene he had witnessed on the Hehuan Sect's flower boat using Heavenly Sight and Earthly Hearing, as well as the phrase shouted by the Longevity Sect demon that he had long ago deleted using his authority: "You are a royal ancestor of Daqian possessing a body!" Looking at Chen Mo, he felt his disciple was still too young.
He sighed. "Decisive in slaughter, untainted by causality. This is not just strength..."
Then, with a sweep of his sleeve, he took the supplementary volume from Chen Mo's hand, picked up a vermilion brush, and dipped it deep into thick ink.
"If such a person doesn't enter the top ten, then this Hidden Dragon Ranking is a joke."
The brush fell, the ink piercing through the paper. The name originally in the twentieth position was crossed out heavily by the vermilion brush.
At the very top of that list of names, in the tenth row, a few lines were suddenly added.
【Hidden Dragon Ranking, Tenth: Gu Chengming】
【Origin: Wenjian Sect Inner Sect】
【Cultivation: Second Realm, Early Stage】
【Battle Records: ...Within the capital region, in two days, he successively slew a third realm deacon and a third realm incense master of the Longevity Sect. His methods were violent and overbearing; without using any spiritual energy or arts, he used only physical punch intent to blast the two third realm evil cultivators into dregs on the spot. He broke the Longevity Sect's clone secret technique, treating the evil sect's foundations as nothing.】
After finishing these lines, Song Zhixing let out a long breath, as if he had unburdened himself.
The vermilion brush was set down, the ink not yet dry.
The talisman officials of the Imperial Observatory worked through the night to transcribe a hundred copies of the new ranking and sent them by fast horse to every prefecture and sect.
The first to see this ranking was, naturally, the capital's cultivation world.
The next morning, when the first light of dawn hit the notice board outside the Imperial Observatory, it was already crowded with people.
The top ten of the Hidden Dragon Ranking was a watershed.
Those who could enter the top ten were without exception the head disciples of major top-tier sects or monstrous geniuses who had long been famous.
Most of these people were at the second realm peak-grade, or even experts with one foot in the third realm.
And now, the name of someone at the 'Second Realm, Early Stage' had forced its way in.
And he hadn't relied on some narrow victory or a fight of three hundred rounds.
The commentary wrote it clearly—"blasted into dregs on the spot."
In the Hidden Dragon Courtyard of the Night Guard Division.
The colleagues who had been drinking tea and chatting were now gathered around the sound transmission jade talisman.
Li Dujiang didn't even notice that his goji berry tea had gone stone cold. He looked at Song Qing beside him.
"Junior Brother Song, didn't you say before that you envied Junior Brother Gu for being on the ranking? How about now? Still envious?"
Song Qing swallowed hard and shook his head like a rattle. "No more envy, really no more envy. With my small frame, if I really ended up in that position, I'd probably have to sleep with one eye open."
Amidst the discussion of the crowd, the person in question, Gu Chengming, was sitting at his own desk, holding an official ranking that had just been sent from the Imperial Observatory.
【Hundred Bones Resonating: Emperor Gu, tenth place isn't enough! We want first! Let all those so-called world-travelers and Daoist leaders become losers beneath our fists!】
【Hundred Bones Resonating favorability +2】
Gu Chengming was a bit helpless. 'I'm a sword cultivator, Emperor Bai.'
Before the storm over the Hidden Dragon Ranking could settle, another, even colder wind whistled in from the north.
In the Director's Office of the Night Guard Division.
The sky outside the window was so gloomy it looked like it was about to collapse. It was early spring in the capital, but the wind delivered over the past few days carried a disturbing, biting chill.
Zhou Qingmu sat straight behind the red sandalwood desk. The 'Persuade with Reason' copper kettle she usually loved to play with was neglected on the side.
In front of her was a pile of urgent reports with crimson wax seals.
"Beiliang has lost two cities in three days..."
"Abnormal movement in the snowfield demon tide, suspected to be led by a fifth realm Great Demon, striking the border passes..."
"The local Night Guard Division has lost over half its strength and requests reinforcements from the capital..."
Zhou Qingmu flipped through the reports one by one, her long eyebrows knitting tighter and tighter.
This time, the demon trouble in the north had come too fast and too fiercely. In past years, during the transition from winter to spring, demon beasts would head south to find food, but they were mostly scattered stragglers that would disperse after being cleared by the border army and local cultivators.
But this year was different. Between the lines of these reports, there was a sense of it being 'organized and premeditated.'
Coupled with the previous restlessness in the Northern Frontier...
Zhou Qingmu sneered, her fingertip tapping heavily on a scroll titled Overview of the Northern Frontier Demon Calamity.
Those beasts hiding in their snow burrows seem to have forgotten the pain.
She stood up, her cloak fluttering in the wind.
Since the local Night Guard Division couldn't hold out, then only the sharpest blade from the capital could be unsheathed.
"Someone, come here."
Zhou Qingmu's voice pierced through the doors, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. "Send down the order to assemble the personnel. The Tianshu and Tianxuan squads of the Hidden Dragon Courtyard are to prepare immediately and follow me north."
"The peaceful days in the capital have lasted long enough. This blade should go to that bitter cold land and see some blood."
The news spread quickly.
When Gu Chengming received the list for the northern expedition, he wasn't surprised to see his own name on it, along with Song Qing, Li Dujiang, and other familiar faces.
One could say that besides a few unlucky souls who had to stay in the capital to maintain daily operations, almost all the young elites who were listed on the Hidden Dragon Ranking and had even a bit of strength were scooped up by Zhou Qingmu.
Looking at the command arrow in his hand that symbolized setting out for war, Gu Chengming felt a bit strange.
Old Bai really is the true child of destiny. Whatever it lacks, it gets.
【Hundred Bones Resonating cheers: The Northern Frontier? Hooray!】
【There are too many rules in this crappy place like the capital. To find a damnable evil cultivator to grind battle records, you have to rely on luck. But the Northern Frontier is different! There are demons and monsters everywhere there! Finally, we can kill to our heart's content!】
Gu Chengming was helpless, but he had to admit that the Northern Frontier was a good place for him right now.
Ever since he unlocked the powerful CG 'Emperor Bai, Lend Me Your Strength,' he had been thinking about how to increase the multiplier of this CG.
Although this one punch was already overbearing enough, as an aspiring 'player,' who wouldn't want to stack the multiplier to 10.0 or even 100.0?
In the capital, he couldn't exactly act like a serial killer and look for people on the streets to practice his punches on.
While Wang Zheng from the Longevity Sect was a good person who provided five lives, such kindhearted people were few and far between.
If he went to the Northern Frontier... images of ten thousand demons stampeding appeared in Gu Chengming's mind.
One punch should be enough to stack quite a bit of his multiplier, right?
In the small courtyard of Jishan Neighborhood.
When Gu Chengming returned, Yu Wenqiu was curled up in a wicker hammock, basking in the sun that wasn't very warm. A blanket was draped over her knees, and she held that pastry plate that would never be empty as long as she was there.
"Elder."
Gu Chengming sat down on a stone stool, weighed his words, and said, "The division has issued an order. In a few days, I must follow Director Zhou to the Northern Frontier."
He had originally thought the little Elder Yu would try to dissuade him or at least show a bit of worry.
After all, the news of the rampant demon trouble in the Northern Frontier wasn't a secret in the capital anymore.
To his surprise, as soon as Yu Wenqiu heard this, she didn't even care about eating the mung bean cake she had just picked up. Her eyes instantly lit up.
"Hooray! You can go!"
Yu Wenqiu even sat up straight in the hammock, slapping her thigh excitedly. "No need to be afraid of danger! The Northern Frontier is much safer than the capital! This elder will go too!"
"?"
A giant question mark appeared over Gu Chengming's head.
He looked at his elder, who sounded like she was talking about going on a picnic, and asked curiously, "Elder, are you still half-asleep?"
"What do you know?"
Yu Wenqiu rolled her eyes at him and flopped back into the chair, saying as a matter of course, "The reason it's safe over there is because Senior Sister Luo is in the Northern Frontier!"
Senior Sister Luo? The one who held the top spot on the previous Hidden Dragon Ranking? The 'thick thigh' his Elder Yu spoke of, who had let her comfortably win by doing nothing for years?
"Senior Luo has always been in the Northern Frontier?" Gu Chengming realized.
He had initially wondered why he hadn't seen her in the Wenjian Sect or in the capital. He had even thought this senior might have run into trouble during a secluded cultivation or had perhaps fallen in battle.
So, she had been grinding mobs in the Northern Frontier all along?
"You didn't know?"
Seeing Gu Chengming's dazed expression, Yu Wenqiu explained, "Senior sister is most annoyed by the convoluted nonsense in the sect, and she doesn't like the tedious etiquette of the capital. About ten years ago, she felt bored, so she took her sword and went to the Northern Great Wall. So many years have passed; the Great Demons over there probably haven't dared to show their faces for a long time because of her."
Yu Wenqiu pointed at the waist token on Gu Chengming's hip. "Probe your divine sense into that and flip through the past 'Heaven Ranking,' and you'll know."
Gu Chengming followed her advice, his divine sense entering the lustrous jade talisman.
As his thoughts turned, the list flipped rapidly, bypassing the dense names of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, and finally stopped at a list emitting a faint golden light.
That was the list recording the top-tier fourth realm cultivators within Daqian—the Heaven Ranking.
He didn't have to search hard.
Because that name was in the seventh position of the Heaven Ranking.
【Heaven Ranking, Seventh: Luo Jinyao】
【Origin: Wenjian Sect】
【Cultivation: fourth realm, full circle (Sword Cultivator)】
【Battle Records: Stationed in the Northern Frontier for ten years, guarding 'Falling Snow Pass' alone with a single sword.】
【During this period, she slew sixteen fourth realm peak-grade Great Demons. Three years ago, in the depths of the snowfields, she encountered the fifth realm demon king 'Heaven-Swallowing Toad.' With a fourth realm body, she fought upward, battling for three days and nights, and slew the fifth realm demon king while it was in a heavily injured state.】
【Commentary: The sword strikes with no self; the first sword of the Northern Great Wall.】
"?"
How could this person kill enemies across realms from the second realm all the way to the fourth realm?
Which 'cracked version' of the immortal path are you playing? Send me a copy too.
No wonder Elder Yu said the Northern Frontier was safe. With a heavyweight of this level covering them, as long as they didn't actively jump in front of a demon king, it was indeed as safe as going home.
"How is it? This elder didn't lie to you, right?"
Yu Wenqiu tilted her head proudly and stuffed a piece of pastry into her mouth. "So, for this trip to the Northern Frontier, we'll just follow behind Senior Sister Luo. She'll eat the meat, and we'll drink the soup. If we run into danger, just report your name as a disciple of the Wenjian Sect and run toward the place with the most demon corpses. You're bound to find her!"
With a thick thigh to lean on and the ability to grind mobs to stack passives, this trip to the Northern Frontier seemed secure.
The departure date was set for three days later.
During these three days, the capital seemed to remain as bustling as usual. However, perceptive people could notice that there were far fewer young cultivators on the streets and in the alleys dressed in fine clothes and riding swift horses, talking loudly.
The winds of the capital always seemed to have a bit more weight than elsewhere.
It blew over the red walls and yellow tiles, swirled through the long market alleys, and carried the rouge scent from some unknown tavern.
Before leaving, Gu Chengming specifically visited several places and saw several people.
Some words couldn't be said, and some gazes only met from afar for a brief moment.
But on the path of cultivation, how many perfect farewells could there be?
To have met at all was already a blessing.
In the forging workshop at the back mountain of the Night Guard Division.
The furnace fire still roared, and the sound of hammering was rhythmic and powerful.
Qin Qing still wore that slightly loose lotus-pink dress, leaning lazily against the doorframe with a jug of wine in her hand.
The spicy liquid slid down her throat, making her squint her eyes slightly.
She looked down at her hands, which weren't delicate due to years of holding a hammer. It was as if a trace of the causal thread she had stripped from the Six-Harmony Spirit-Restricting Bell still lingered on her fingertips.
"Have a safe journey, little guy."
At the Imperial Academy's School of Medicine.
Li Suizhuang was organizing the medicine cabinet. A few leaves from the pagoda tree outside had fallen onto her desk.
She picked up a withered leaf, her gaze losing focus for a moment.
That Senior Sister Fu who was always bustling about and shouting to get even had already returned to the sect. And that young man who had made her sister suffer yet remained in her heart was also leaving today.
"Everyone has to strive for that path..."
Li Suizhuang sighed softly and tucked the leaf into a medical text.
She looked toward the north. "Safe travels."
In the market alley, at Suxiangzai.
The queue for pastries was still long. The shopkeeper skillfully wrapped a package of osmanthus cakes and reflexively glanced toward the back of the line.
That young master who had come often lately—who bought two large bags every time, was extremely handsome, yet always carried a sword—didn't seem to have come today.
"I heard he went north to fight?" someone nearby whispered.
"Yeah, they say he went to kill demons."
"That's a good thing! Master Gu is very capable. Those demons are in for some rotten luck if they run into him!"
When the last thread of concern was tucked away in his heart, the flying boat finally broke through the clouds and sped toward the north.
The sea of clouds churned, and the sky was vast.
On the deck.
Gu Chengming stood against the wind, his robes fluttering.
Beside him, Yu Wenqiu had unceremoniously brought out a lounge chair. She was wrapped in thick white fox fur, still clutching that snack box that never left her hands, squinting like a cat... oh right, speaking of cats, that fat orange cat had also been entrusted to a neighbor by Elder Yu.
"Elder."
Gu Chengming looked at her vacation-like appearance and couldn't help but say jokingly, "We are going to the Northern Frontier. With that posture, anyone who didn't know better would think we were going to the snowfields to admire plum blossoms."
"Is there a difference?"
Yu Wenqiu stuffed a piece of preserved fruit into her mouth and said indistinctly, "Anyway, once we get there, Senior Sister Luo will protect us. We'll just cheer from behind and pick up some scraps. Isn't that pleasant?"
"Besides, this elder is called 'conserving energy.' Just in case... I mean just in case, if Senior Sister Luo happens to be in seclusion or isn't around, won't I need the strength to take you and run for our lives?"
Gu Chengming shook his head helplessly. "Elder, you truly have full confidence in that Senior Luo."
Yu Wenqiu instantly grew energetic and sat up in the lounge chair. "You haven't seen Senior Sister Luo's elegance back in the day. Once her sword is drawn, all arts fall silent. All those Daoist or Buddhist prodigies were just a bunch of unweaned babies in front of her."
"And senior sister, although she looks cold and doesn't like to talk, she's the most protective of her own."
"Back then, when I was bullied in the sect... cough, when I was misunderstood, Senior Sister Luo didn't say a word. She just took her sword and went to their door, carving that loudmouth's cave dwelling flat."
At this point, Yu Wenqiu seemed a bit proud and a bit nostalgic. "So, as long as we reach the Northern Frontier, it's like coming home. It's very safe!"
Gu Chengming looked at his lighthearted elder, and the trace of melancholy in his heart dissipated significantly.
Perhaps this was Yu Wenqiu's unique charm; being lighthearted and happy was also a good thing.
"Fair enough."
Gu Chengming smiled and turned around, his gaze fixed on the distant and vast northern horizon.
【The Qingxin Art holds her face in her hands, her purple eyes reflecting the sea of clouds outside, as well as your profile.】
【The North, huh? It sounds very cold.】
【She exhales softly, as if she could truly feel that chill. Then, she tilts her head and looks at you with a beaming smile.】
【But it doesn't matter.】
【Whether it's the misty rain of the capital or the wind and snow of the north. As long as you are here, wherever we go and whatever scenery we see, I'll be very happy.】
Gu Chengming's heart warmed. He was about to respond with a few words when another technique beside him bristled.
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual suddenly clutches the greatsword in its arms tightly, its eyes extremely wary!】
【Dammit! This woman is trying to steal the lead again! This is the crucial moment of going to a new place; how can she be allowed to show off alone?!】
【I must say something! I must express a love more intense than hers!】
【The Huiyuan Sword Manual's face turns red as it racks its brain. Finally, it squeezes out a dry sentence.】
【I want to be with you forever too!】
Compared to these two with 'romance on the brain,' the style of a certain emperor was completely out of place.
【The North! The North!】
【Emperor Gu! Do you feel it? That ancient and desolate aura!】
【There must be lost ancient demon inheritances there! There must be secret realms burying the bones of countless powerhouses! And those Great Demons that are thousands of years old and covered in treasures!】
Aside from that, there was a voice muttering in a corner.
【The Northern Frontier is a land beyond civilization. Demons know nothing of etiquette and live like savages.】
【This trip north is not just for exterminating demons, but for education.】
【Those who don't listen will be beaten to death. Being beaten to death is also a kind of end to 'propriety.' Yes, very good.】
And then there was the one where the lower head ruled the upper one.
【Will there be Chu-style fox demons in the North?】
Inside the sea of consciousness, it was noisy and chaotic. Some were confessing love, some were competing for favor, some were shouting for slaughter, and some were talking nonsense with straight faces.
However, this clamor made Gu Chengming feel a sense of groundedness like never before.
The road ahead was long, but so what if the wind and snow were coming?
With a sword in hand, someone by his side, and a place for his heart to belong.
On this journey to the Northern Frontier, he would surely startle the wind and snow with a sword and suppress the heavenly pass with a fist.
(End of Volume 2: Sword Sings in the Capital)
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