Splendour Translations
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Chapter 3: Gu Chen, Please Show Some Respect!:
Wow!
No wonder the system was called 'Growing Stronger Just by Living.' It seemed that as long as he stayed alive, he could gradually enhance himself just by doing various things?
Su Mu thought about it for a moment and then picked up the teacup again to take another sip.
[You drank a sip of tea, Water Affinity +1]
[You drank a sip of tea, and your mood improved significantly, triggering a critical hit. Water Affinity +2]
Su Mu suddenly understood.
Although each enhancement was small, even if he drank an entire cup of tea, it might only increase his Water Affinity by four or five points...
But small increments could lead to significant change over time!
As long as he kept living, he could continuously grow stronger.
Wasn't that precisely what the system name suggests?
"The selection process has ended!"
"Five people have passed the initial trial. The rest are eliminated!"
A calm voice from a Absolute Beginning Holy Sect's elder announced the results.
Normally, such a preliminary selection wouldn’t require a high-ranking elder to attend; at most, a direct disciple would lead the team.
The large square was filled with sighs of disappointment.
Out of the roughly 3,000 people eligible to participate from Yanmen City, only 5 passed in the end.
And this was just the preliminary trial!
The final number who would remain in the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect could be one, two, or... perhaps none at all.
Upon hearing the results, the City Lord of Yanmen and others remained composed.
They were used to this.
The Northern Spirit Realm was vast, and within the Great Flame Ancient Empire alone, there were countless cities like Yanmen.
The five who passed the preliminary trial—three men and two women—were brought before Su Mu.
"So, this girl is the female lead in the novel?"
His gaze briefly lingered on Gu Xiaosang.
She was indeed beautiful. The light-colored plain dress outlined her budding figure. Her skin was as fair as jade, and her features were delicate.
No wonder the original Absolute Beginning Holy Sect’s Holy Son was captivated by her at first sight.
As for the so-called protagonist...
Su Mu’s eyes swept over a young man in plain clothes, who was staring at him.
When the young man noticed Su Mu’s gaze, he quickly lowered his eyes, unconsciously rubbing the black ring on his hand.
Hmm, interesting.
A protagonist with a 'mysterious old mentor' type, huh?
Su Mu's expression turned amused. If things had followed the original plot, he would have ended up being killed by this guy.
[You ponder deeply, noticing a discrepancy. Insight +1]
Su Mu: "..."
This was really something, wasn’t it?
The 'Growing Stronger Just by Living' system was indeed a bit outrageous.
At this rate, there was no need to fear being killed by the protagonist, was there?
Competing in growth? This system wasn’t afraid of anything.
"Kneel before the Holy Son!" the City Lord of Yanmen sternly ordered.
"We pay our respects to the Holy Son!"
The five who passed the preliminary trial all bowed in unison.
Even Gu Chen, who harbored resentment toward Su Mu, was no exception.
He knew the importance of hiding one's strength, so during the aptitude test, he held back some of his power, only showing a middle-grade Gold Spiritual Root.
But what no one knew was that he had also been granted an exceptional Fire Spiritual Root by his master!
"Just wait. One day, I will trample you underfoot!"
Gu Chen silently vowed.
With the guidance of his mysterious master, what was the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect? Nothing more than a stepping stone on his path to success.
"No need for formalities." Su Mu said with a warm smile, his voice gentle as jade. His jet-black hair gleamed in the golden sunlight, and without saying much, just standing there, he stood out, as dazzling as a crane among chickens.
One of the girls among the five, who had passed the preliminary trial, already had stars in her eyes.
At this moment, Gu Xiaosang suddenly took a deep breath and said respectfully, "Gu Xiaosang of the Gu family, humbly requests to follow Young Master."
The young girl's figure was tall and graceful, her skin as smooth as jade, and her delicate features were the dream of countless young men in Yanmen City. She was seen as an unattainable goddess, yet now her eyes were filled with nervousness.
Gu Chen suddenly turned his head, staring at her in disbelief.
"What?"
Su Mu was momentarily stunned before a smile of amusement crossed his mind.
Did the plot change?
Well, it made sense. This was a real world, after all; it couldn't follow the novel's plot exactly.
"This little girl is quite clever."
"Her Water Spiritual Root may not be particularly outstanding in the Holy Land, but with her ice-like beauty, she can barely qualify as a follower of His Highness."
"She’s extremely beautiful, though her aptitude is somewhat lacking..."
Nearby, several elders of the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect smiled as they evaluated her.
"No way!"
"I won’t allow it!"
A sudden shout rang out.
Everyone was stunned and turned their heads in unison to look at Gu Chen.
Gu Chen took a bold step forward, reaching out his hand to grab Gu Xiaosang’s hand, his eyes full of affection. "Xiaosang, I know you’re being forced into this! Don’t worry, as long as I’m here, no one can make you do anything you don’t want to do!"
"Gu Chen, please show some respect!"
Gu Xiaosang frowned. She stepped back, her face as cold as ice.
"I do what my heart desires!"
"What does it have to do with you to interfere in my choices?"
As she spoke, she quickly glanced at Su Mu out of the corner of her eye, afraid that he might misunderstand their relationship.
In reality, her interactions with Gu Chen were limited to occasional encounters and a few words. She had once intervened when he was being bullied by a servant, punishing the servant.
In Gu Xiaosang’s eyes, no matter how pathetic Gu Chen was, he was still a member of the Gu family and shouldn’t be bullied by a mere servant.
Allowing such rumors to spread would disgrace not just Gu Chen but the entire Gu family!
"Xiaosang, you..."
Gu Chen’s outstretched hand froze in the air as he stared at her, his eyes filled with pain and disappointment.
It was as if the pure image he had of her in his heart was shattered.
"Can a mere candidate for the Holy Son position sever the bond between us?"
"Xiaosang, don’t you realize that this world is vast, and the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect may not be as great as you think? Why won’t you give me some time?"
Gu Chen felt heartbroken, convinced that Gu Xiaosang had changed.
Stubbornly clinging to his idealized fantasy, he blamed Su Mu for everything.
But he never stopped to think.
As the legitimate daughter of the Gu family, who had been pampered since childhood, was as beautiful as a goddess, and had the best cultivation talent in the city, why would she ever be interested in him, a lowly son born of a concubine?
It was only then that the dumbfounded Gu family patriarch finally realized the situation.
Sensing the cold, murderous intent from the elders and direct disciples of the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect, he felt both shocked and terrified. He shouted angrily, "Insolent! Unfilial son, do you even know what you're saying?"
"Of course I do!"
Gu Chen replied coldly, glaring at him.
"My dear father, do you have any idea how I’ve lived all these years? Even a mere servant dares to bully me just because I was born of a maid, just because..."
"How boring."
Suddenly, a calm voice interrupted his impassioned rant.
"I have no interest in your family matters."
Su Mu said, gently blowing on the floating leaves in his teacup. "But as a candidate for the Holy Son, I can't just ignore insults to my sect."
He took a sip of tea, his expression indifferent.
But as he did, a radiant divine light enveloped his entire body, even turning his hair golden. He radiated power like a furnace capable of refining all things.
The immense Qi he emanated covered half the sky.
"Boom!"
The pressure hit Gu Chen first, and he fell to his knees with a crash.
He was both shocked and furious, his hands pressing against the ground as he roared in defiance. Flames surged around him as he tried to stand.
But in the next instant...
An even more terrifying pressure descended like an overwhelming tide, smashing his head into the ground with such force that the platform cracked beneath him!
-To be continued!
T/N: Thanks for reading!
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