Splendour Translations
Pledge on Patreon to get rewarded with +10 Advance chapters.
Chapter 10: Can Efforts Truly Be Called Cheating If They Lead to Success?:
In the cold and damp dungeon, Gu Chen slowly regained consciousness.
The moment he opened his eyes, a flash of fear crossed them as he instinctively reached for the ring on his finger.
"Master?"
"I’m here."
A lazy and soft voice came from the ring, slightly calming his panicked heart.
"What happened? Why did I faint?"
Gu Chen was filled with unease.
Just moments ago, his vision had gone black, and he suddenly lost consciousness. Even now, his neck throbbed with pain. Someone had knocked him out forcibly!
"I did it," replied the scarlet demoness, lying comfortably on a soft couch. "Your mind was too tense, your will unsteady, which isn't good for your cultivation. It would also hinder our escape plan. Knocking you out was to let you rest properly."
"I see. Thank you, Master, for your concern… Master, do you already have a plan to escape?"
Gu Chen was deeply touched, but also felt a bit ashamed.
Earlier, he had thought that his beautiful master wasn’t concerned about the humiliation he suffered from Su Mu, and he had even doubted her true intentions. But now, he realized he had misjudged her with a narrow mind.
"Yes."
After consuming the Soul Nourishing Herb, the scarlet demoness's soul had become significantly more solid. She responded lightly,
"The Absolute Beginning Holy Sect has existed for hundreds of thousands of years and is deeply rooted in power. There are several ancient monsters cultivating near the dungeon. I'm not yet strong enough to face them. For now, you should focus on practicing the 'Heart-Burning Fire Curse' that I taught you and wait for the right moment."
Gu Chen nodded solemnly, his gaze firming up. He sat cross-legged, began to perform the incantation, and soon his body was enveloped in flames.
He had no idea that, within the ring, a cold and eerie golden light flashed in the demoness’s eyes as she murmured to herself, "In just two days, your once-thriving luck has diminished so much. If it keeps falling like this, when will I be able to rebuild my physical form? Gu Chen, whether you live or die will depend on whether heaven continues to favor you…"
A faint chill flickered within her golden eyes.
She was an unparalleled demoness! Even though her voice was soft and gentle, the path she had walked was paved with countless corpses.
...
Time flew by, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
Su Mu rarely left his own Third Peak.
Each day, he would read cultivation manuals, savor exquisite delicacies, and feel his strength growing stronger by the day, his mind becoming ever clearer.
It was worth noting that Gu Xiaosang’s progress was also astonishing.
In just a few short days, she had leapt from the Innate Realm to the 9th stage Foundation Establishment Realm, only one step away from the Spirit Bridge Realm. The Cold Spirit Body truly lived up to its reputation as one of the most formidable constitutions in history.
Every night, Gu Xiaosang would sit cross-legged atop a mountain peak, absorbing the essence of the moon, which greatly accelerated her cultivation.
"Young Master, the Martial Arts Hall has just sent these manuals." Gu Xiaosang said as she walked up the mountain peak, bathed in a layer of faint moonlight.
Her aura had grown even more ethereal, like a fairy descending from the moon palace, distant and unapproachable.
"Mm, just leave them here."
Su Mu nodded slowly, glancing at her. "Why do you look troubled? Is something on your mind?"
Gu Xiaosang hesitated, opening her mouth but stopping short of speaking.
"If you have something to say, just say it. There's no need to hold back in front of me."
Su Mu said this casually while flipping through the neatly arranged sword manuals.
"Young Master, I heard from Elder Fang that Gu Chen’s cultivation has been advancing rapidly in the dungeon. Aren’t you worried?"
Gu Xiaosang frowned slightly, asking with concern.
Elder Fang was an elder who had supported Su Mu’s candidacy for the Holy Son for a long time. He was also one of those who had gone to Yanmen City recently.
"Worried about what?"
Su Mu chuckled lightly. "Worried that this trash might make a comeback, and one day, turn the tables on me?"
"...Yes."
Gu Xiaosang hesitated for a moment, feeling that her concern might be disrespectful to Su Mu, but she still nodded slightly.
She was genuinely worried.
The system's task notification for the second mission had indicated that Gu Chen could pose a threat to Su Mu. And in recent days, Gu Chen's rapid progress in cultivation had indeed shocked her.
Su Mu remained silent, his smile unfaltering.
Gu Chen might be improving rapidly, but did that mean Su Mu was standing still?
The scarlet woman’s power was unfathomable, and perhaps in the past, the 'old him' would have been gradually surpassed by Gu Chen. But now…
You have your old master, and I have my cheat system.
No, no, no. He thought better of it.
Each day, he diligently studied martial arts manuals, enjoyed the finest foods, occasionally asked Gu Xiaosang to massage his shoulders when tired, and now and then soaked in hot springs to boost his affinity with water and fire elements…
All this effort had built up his strength over time. Could that really be considered cheating?
Suddenly, a terrifying clap of thunder roared in the skies above the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect. Dark clouds gathered, like a mountain of darkness pressing down.
Gu Xiaosang looked up in shock at the sky.
Within the rolling thunderclouds, a towering figure bathed in lightning appeared, resembling a Thunder God descending from the heavens.
The boundless lightning wove together to form an endless temple, an awe-inspiring sight.
"Open!"
He roared, his fists blazing with thunderous flames as he struck the gate blocking his path.
In the next moment, the Heavenly Gate burst open with a thunderous crash!
Countless eyes in the Absolute Beginning Holy Sect looked up at the figure in awe.
"It's Young Master Yan Yunkong! After his humiliating defeat to Young Master Su Mu a few days ago, he went into closed-door cultivation, and now he has finally made a breakthrough into the Heavenly Gate Realm, standing once again on equal footing with Young Su Mu!"
"It seems the battle for the position of Holy Son is still far from decided…"
"Thunder arts are known for their fierce attacks. Although Young Master Su Mu advanced first, the outcome is still uncertain!"
On the Third Peak, Gu Xiaosang's delicate eyebrows furrowed as she looked at Su Mu with worry in her eyes. "Young Master…"
But Su Mu’s expression remained calm, his long black hair flowing, utterly unmoved by the scene that had shaken the heavens.
[You have read the ‘Heaven-Slicing Sword Technique,’ Sword Intent proficiency +100]
[You have read the ‘Heaven and Earth in One Sword,’ Sword Intent proficiency +80]
[Ding! Sword Intent proficiency has reached its maximum value. Automatically upgrading to Sword Dao, current level: Lv1]
Suddenly, under Gu Xiaosang’s astonished gaze…
A brilliant sword light shot up like a rising sun, a golden beam piercing through the stormy sky, tearing apart the thunderclouds and shattering the temple of lightning!
In that instant, the world fell into silence.
-To be continued!
T/N: Thanks for reading!
***
Pledge on Patreon to get rewarded with +10 Advance chapters.