Splendour Translations
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Chapter 7: The Ruthless Gu Xiaosang? The Second Mission!:
A distant rumble echoed as a mountain slowly crumbled, sending dust and debris into the air, while birds and beasts fled in panic.
The place where Yan Yunkong had been struck remained silent, the stones covering him completely. Though he wasn't dead, it was likely that he had lost consciousness.
Many onlookers were left speechless.
"What did I just see? Did Young Master Yan Yunkong really get sent flying hundreds of miles by just one slap from Young Master Su Mu?"
"This is unbelievable. I remember the two of them being evenly matched before. How did Yan Yunkong go out to train for half a year, only to fall so far behind?"
"There can be only one explanation—Young Master Su Mu has stepped into the Heavenly Gate Realm!"
After a brief moment of silence, the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect erupted in astonished whispers.
Everyone realized that the position of the Holy Son was likely decided.
Yan Yunkong, who once had equal strength to Su Mu, was now defeated in a single move, his body crashing into a mountain, likely sustaining severe injuries.
As for the other potential candidate, Jiang Feng, he was known to be slightly weaker than the other two.
At this moment, people's thoughts began to stir.
Many cultivators started to believe that it was time to choose sides. If they waited any longer, their efforts might be in vain.
...
At the foot of Su Mu's private peak, streams flowed gently, ancient trees swayed in the breeze, and fiery red petals hung from their branches like dancing flames.
A soft wind rustled the petals, sending them cascading through the air, creating a breathtaking scene.
Su Mu in pure white robes sat under a tree, calmly reading an ancient manual.
Beside him, Gu Xiaosang in a light, simple dress poured tea with serene, clear eyes that reflected the calmness of water.
As she stood amidst the forest, fiery red petals swirled around her, filling the air with a fragrant aroma and bringing a sense of peace to her mind. She felt a unique sense of clarity and emptiness.
"Young Master, how do you plan to deal with Gu Chen?"
"Are you here to plead for him?"
Su Mu didn’t even look up as he casually asked the question, continuing to read with full attention, not missing a single word.
[You have read the Taichu Yuan Sword Technique. Sword Intent Proficiency +50]
[You have read the Taichu Yuan Sword Technique. Sword Heart Clear, triggering a critical hit. Sword Intent Proficiency +200]
[Ding! Sword Intent Proficiency Maxed Out. Sword Intent Lv3—Lv4]
A pure stream of sword intent flowed through Su Mu's body, and a faint smile played on his lips.
As expected, reading certain techniques and battle skills could enhance his abilities. However, the type of activity determined the direction of improvement.
"Of course not!"
Gu Xiaosang, tall and slender, with a face as fair as jade and eyes full of intelligence, had gained an ethereal aura since her Cold Spiritual Body had been activated.
Her skin had become even fairer, almost translucent. Standing among the falling fiery petals, she looked like a reincarnation of the goddess Luo, so beautiful that she seemed unreal.
She explained, "As far as I know, Gu Chen's cultivation aptitude was very poor until just a few days ago when he suddenly seemed to have insight. There might be something unusual about him."
Upon hearing this, Su Mu looked up at her, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Are you suggesting something?"
Gu Xiaosang met his gaze without hesitation. Her clear eyes reflect her straightforwardness as she continued, "Gu Chen is a man with an unpredictable personality, and he harbors secrets. If he manages to escape, he could become a serious threat to Young Master in the future."
"Indeed."
Su Mu laughed, pleasantly surprised. He had initially thought that Gu Xiaosang might plead for Gu Chen, considering that they had known each other for many years, even though there was no real affection between them.
But to his surprise, she wanted Gu Chen gone?
Impressive.
Ruthless enough. It suited Su Mu's taste perfectly!
"Don’t worry, I have plans for Gu Chen."
As the fiery flowers continued to fall, Su Mu took a sip of his tea and smiled, "But as for you, how do you feel after awakening the Cold Spiritual Body?"
"I feel… wonderful!"
Gu Xiaosang channeled the spiritual Qi within her, and a thin layer of mist, like moonlight, gradually enveloped her translucent skin, giving her an ethereal appearance as if she were in a celestial realm.
This was an extraordinarily powerful physique!
The Moon Spiritual Body was extremely rare throughout history, with only a few individuals possessing it, each leaving a profound impact. It inspired endless interest.
In truth, if Gu Xiaosang had not been under Su Mu’s protection, any holy land would have eagerly nurtured her, possibly even making her a Holy Maiden.
She was deeply grateful to Su Mu.
While the system's guidance was helpful, without the Cold Spiritual Jade bestowed by Su Mu, her hidden physique would have remained a mere joke, and she would never have known its true potential.
As for Gu Chen, her thoughts were also influenced by the system.
[Second Mission: The secretive Gu Chen poses a significant threat to Su Mu. Advise Su Mu to take him seriously and eliminate the threat completely!]
[Mission Reward: Heavenly Yin Technique!]
[Mission Failure Penalty: Moon Spiritual Body goes berserk, Yin energy overwhelms, death!]
[Mission Time Limit: Three Months!]
This second mission had much harsher penalties than the first, with death as the consequence of failure. And there were only three months to complete it!
For both public and personal reasons, she had to succeed!
"Hmm, your strength is still too weak. You don't need to attend to me all the time. This mountain has an abundance of spiritual Qi. Find a place to cultivate. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to ask me." Su Mu instructed.
"Understood!"
Gu Xiaosang nodded earnestly.
She knew that her current level of cultivation was among the lowest in the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect. But with such an extraordinary physique, how could she be content with merely being a decoration?
"With the system's assistance and my own efforts, I should be able to gradually catch up with Young Master…"
Gu Xiaosang looked back, seeing Su Mu still sitting quietly under the tree.
His jet-black hair flowed down his back as he held the ancient manual. The fiery flowers fell onto his snow-white robe, and as she watched, she found herself lost in thought.
...
(In the dark and damp prison of the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect)
The air was thick with the stench of decay.
Dried bloodstains covered the walls, and the foul odor of rotting corpses pervaded the space.
Gu Chen laid motionless on the cold ground, his eyes hollow and devoid of any light.
The dreams of rising to power had yet to be realized, but he had fallen into the lowest point of his life, locked in this sunless prison, shackled by heavy black-gold chains.
Not only had Gu Xiaosang 'betrayed' him, but even the mysterious master he had relied on had yet to respond...
Was his life truly destined to end here?
A distant rumble echoed as a mountain slowly crumbled, sending dust and debris into the air, while birds and beasts fled in panic.
The place where Yan Yunkong had been struck remained silent, the stones covering him completely. Though he wasn't dead, it was likely that he had lost consciousness.
Many onlookers were left speechless.
"What did I just see? Did Young Master Yan Yunkong really get sent flying hundreds of miles by just one slap from Young Master Su Mu?"
"This is unbelievable. I remember the two of them being evenly matched before. How did Yan Yunkong go out to train for half a year, only to fall so far behind?"
"There can be only one explanation—Young Master Su Mu has stepped into the Heavenly Gate Realm!"
After a brief moment of silence, the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect erupted in astonished whispers.
Everyone realized that the position of the Holy Son was likely decided.
Yan Yunkong, who once had equal strength to Su Mu, was now defeated in a single move, his body crashing into a mountain, likely sustaining severe injuries.
As for the other potential candidate, Jiang Feng, he was known to be slightly weaker than the other two.
At this moment, people's thoughts began to stir.
Many cultivators started to believe that it was time to choose sides. If they waited any longer, their efforts might be in vain.
...
At the foot of Su Mu's private peak, streams flowed gently, ancient trees swayed in the breeze, and fiery red petals hung from their branches like dancing flames.
A soft wind rustled the petals, sending them cascading through the air, creating a breathtaking scene.
Su Mu in pure white robes sat under a tree, calmly reading an ancient manual.
Beside him, Gu Xiaosang in a light, simple dress poured tea with serene, clear eyes that reflected the calmness of water.
As she stood amidst the forest, fiery red petals swirled around her, filling the air with a fragrant aroma and bringing a sense of peace to her mind. She felt a unique sense of clarity and emptiness.
"Young Master, how do you plan to deal with Gu Chen?"
"Are you here to plead for him?"
Su Mu didn’t even look up as he casually asked the question, continuing to read with full attention, not missing a single word.
[You have read the Taichu Yuan Sword Technique. Sword Intent Proficiency +50]
[You have read the Taichu Yuan Sword Technique. Sword Heart Clear, triggering a critical hit. Sword Intent Proficiency +200]
[Ding! Sword Intent Proficiency Maxed Out. Sword Intent Lv3—Lv4]
A pure stream of sword intent flowed through Su Mu's body, and a faint smile played on his lips.
As expected, reading certain techniques and battle skills could enhance his abilities. However, the type of activity determined the direction of improvement.
"Of course not!"
Gu Xiaosang, tall and slender, with a face as fair as jade and eyes full of intelligence, had gained an ethereal aura since her Cold Spiritual Body had been activated.
Her skin had become even fairer, almost translucent. Standing among the falling fiery petals, she looked like a reincarnation of the goddess Luo, so beautiful that she seemed unreal.
She explained, "As far as I know, Gu Chen's cultivation aptitude was very poor until just a few days ago when he suddenly seemed to have insight. There might be something unusual about him."
Upon hearing this, Su Mu looked up at her, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Are you suggesting something?"
Gu Xiaosang met his gaze without hesitation. Her clear eyes reflect her straightforwardness as she continued, "Gu Chen is a man with an unpredictable personality, and he harbors secrets. If he manages to escape, he could become a serious threat to Young Master in the future."
"Indeed."
Su Mu laughed, pleasantly surprised. He had initially thought that Gu Xiaosang might plead for Gu Chen, considering that they had known each other for many years, even though there was no real affection between them.
But to his surprise, she wanted Gu Chen gone?
Impressive.
Ruthless enough. It suited Su Mu's taste perfectly!
"Don’t worry, I have plans for Gu Chen."
As the fiery flowers continued to fall, Su Mu took a sip of his tea and smiled, "But as for you, how do you feel after awakening the Cold Spiritual Body?"
"I feel… wonderful!"
Gu Xiaosang channeled the spiritual Qi within her, and a thin layer of mist, like moonlight, gradually enveloped her translucent skin, giving her an ethereal appearance as if she were in a celestial realm.
This was an extraordinarily powerful physique!
The Moon Spiritual Body was extremely rare throughout history, with only a few individuals possessing it, each leaving a profound impact. It inspired endless interest.
In truth, if Gu Xiaosang had not been under Su Mu’s protection, any holy land would have eagerly nurtured her, possibly even making her a Holy Maiden.
She was deeply grateful to Su Mu.
While the system's guidance was helpful, without the Cold Spiritual Jade bestowed by Su Mu, her hidden physique would have remained a mere joke, and she would never have known its true potential.
As for Gu Chen, her thoughts were also influenced by the system.
[Second Mission: The secretive Gu Chen poses a significant threat to Su Mu. Advise Su Mu to take him seriously and eliminate the threat completely!]
[Mission Reward: Heavenly Yin Technique!]
[Mission Failure Penalty: Moon Spiritual Body goes berserk, Yin energy overwhelms, death!]
[Mission Time Limit: Three Months!]
This second mission had much harsher penalties than the first, with death as the consequence of failure. And there were only three months to complete it!
For both public and personal reasons, she had to succeed!
"Hmm, your strength is still too weak. You don't need to attend to me all the time. This mountain has an abundance of spiritual Qi. Find a place to cultivate. If you encounter any difficulties, feel free to ask me." Su Mu instructed.
"Understood!"
Gu Xiaosang nodded earnestly.
She knew that her current level of cultivation was among the lowest in the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect. But with such an extraordinary physique, how could she be content with merely being a decoration?
"With the system's assistance and my own efforts, I should be able to gradually catch up with Young Master…"
Gu Xiaosang looked back, seeing Su Mu still sitting quietly under the tree.
His jet-black hair flowed down his back as he held the ancient manual. The fiery flowers fell onto his snow-white robe, and as she watched, she found herself lost in thought.
...
(In the dark and damp prison of the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect)
The air was thick with the stench of decay.
Dried bloodstains covered the walls, and the foul odor of rotting corpses pervaded the space.
Gu Chen laid motionless on the cold ground, his eyes hollow and devoid of any light.
The dreams of rising to power had yet to be realized, but he had fallen into the lowest point of his life, locked in this sunless prison, shackled by heavy black-gold chains.
Not only had Gu Xiaosang 'betrayed' him, but even the mysterious master he had relied on had yet to respond...
Was his life truly destined to end here?
-To be continued!
T/N: Thanks for reading!
***
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