Chapter Forty: The Grand Tournament Approaches

More than two hours passed before the lightning force within Gu Weiyu’s body finally began to subside. With great effort, she moved her numb and stiff limbs, slowly opened her eyes, and looked ahead—only to find her illustrious ancestor gazing at her with an odd expression.

“Ancestor, why are you looking at me like that?” Gu Weiyu asked, feeling a little uneasy.

“Here, see for yourself.” With a light chuckle, Gu Qingzhou’s fingers flickered as he conjured a mirror of water before her.

Gu Weiyu instinctively lowered her gaze to the water mirror.

Reflected within was a face so filthy it was impossible to discern her features, streaked with soot and dust. On top of her head, every strand of hair stood upright, wild like the mane of a black lion.

The sight was so shocking that Gu Weiyu hastily squeezed her eyes shut, repeating to herself, “That’s not me, that’s not me…”

Seeing that even she couldn’t bear to look at herself, Gu Qingzhou shook his head with amusement. With a wave of his hand, he cast a spell to cleanse away all the dust.

At once, Gu Weiyu’s skin became spotless, revealing her delicate and charming face, and her hair fell neatly over her shoulders.

A gentle breeze seemed to brush over her, leaving her feeling refreshed. Only then did she open her eyes again.

“Ah Yu, how are you feeling now?” Gu Qingzhou leaned lazily, his manner relaxed and unhurried.

“Well…” Gu Weiyu took a moment to sense her body. “My meridians and body are fine, though there’s still some lingering numbness.”

“Try circulating your spiritual power,” Gu Qingzhou encouraged, his tone carrying a hint of expectation.

Obeying, Gu Weiyu closed her eyes and initiated a cycle of cultivation.

Very soon, she opened her eyes in delight. “Ancestor, when I used to cultivate before, I’d absorb ten points of fire and wood spiritual energy, but only seven or eight of lightning. Now, all three are drawing in energy at the same rate!”

“Good. Now try out a lightning spell.” Gu Qingzhou nodded, satisfied with the effects of the Spirit-Tempering Fruit so far.

Gu Weiyu rubbed her head, slightly embarrassed. She hadn’t learned any lightning spells yet. Haltingly, she said, “Ancestor, I don’t think there are any lightning spells in the jade slips you gave me. The attack spells in the ‘Scripture of the Eight Wildernesses and Seas’ require the sixth level of Qi Refinement, and so far, I only know Thunder Flash for movement…”

Gu Qingzhou pressed a hand to his forehead. “Very well, come with me.”

He stood up and, with deft fingers, undid the restrictions on the room. Leading Gu Weiyu out into the courtyard, he said, “Try your movement technique here.”

Gu Weiyu nodded and began running around the courtyard, activating Thunder Flash. She quickly noticed a subtle but distinct difference—her speed had increased noticeably.

“Ancestor, my movement speed has improved by about ten percent!” she reported joyfully upon returning to his side. Despite the ordeal, the benefits were tangible.

“It’s a pity the Spirit-Tempering Fruit only works best the first time. Using it again would be a waste.” Gu Qingzhou’s tone carried a touch of regret.

Gu Weiyu, however, felt no such loss. She was perfectly content with her current state.

Gu Qingzhou cast a sidelong glance at his content but unambitious descendant. “In a few days, there will be a grand competition among the juniors of the Gu, Lu, Lian, and Yun families. Go win a spot in the top three for me—let me have a little pride as your ancestor.”

Gu Weiyu’s face fell. She would be only nine years old in the winter, with just three years of cultivation. Wasn’t this demand a bit much?

“Enough, you may go,” Gu Qingzhou waved her away, the courtyard gate swinging open.

Knowing she was being dismissed, Gu Weiyu hurried out.

Though she knew her ancestor had spoken half in jest, she didn’t want to bring shame to the Gu family or her ancestor in the competition. She set her mind to cultivation in earnest.

In the days that followed, she left her house only once a month to complete the clan’s mandatory tasks, not even seeking out Gu Qingyun and the others.

The effects of the Spirit-Tempering Fruit soon became evident—her cultivation speed was now much faster than before.

In just two months, her spiritual energy swelled within her. In another ten days or so, she estimated, she would break through to the sixth level of Qi Refinement.

But she knew that haste would spoil the process, so she wasn’t in a rush. When the time was right and the energy had accumulated, the breakthrough would come naturally.

One evening at dusk, after dinner, she returned to her meditation room on the second floor as usual. She opened the window to admire the sunset before settling cross-legged on a cushion to cultivate.

As she activated the ‘Scripture of the Eight Wildernesses and Seas,’ the spiritual energy in the surroundings surged eagerly into her meridians, joining the current of her own spiritual flow.

Time ticked by. At some point, she noticed her absorption of spiritual energy was slowing.

Gu Weiyu’s eyes flew open—this meant her meridians were saturated. The moment to advance had arrived!

“Sister Crescent, I’m about to enter seclusion for a breakthrough. If the Ninth Sister or the others come, please let them know,” she instructed, stepping out to give her maid a special reminder before activating the room’s restrictions.

Crescent was worried, recalling all too vividly the injuries her mistress had sustained breaking through to the third level. Determined, she went to stand guard at the courtyard gate.

Inside, Gu Weiyu settled back into meditation, closed her eyes, cleared her mind, and focused all her energy on striking the barrier to the sixth level of her meridians.

Once, twice, three times…

With each unrelenting surge, that firm barrier finally loosened and then broke apart. Spiritual energy thronged into the new meridians, expanding their capacity…

“It’s done!”

Gu Weiyu’s eyes sparkled with joy—her world had transformed once again.

Now, if she wished, she could sense everything within a hundred miles with her spiritual awareness. The feeling of command over everything around her was intoxicating.

Moreover, at the sixth level of Qi Refinement, she could now learn many new spells—such as the first stage of Fivefold Thunderclap, which she had coveted for so long.

If she could master that, along with a few more offensive and defensive arts, she’d have more confidence in the coming competition.

The thought that the contest was only a few months away filled her with urgency.

“Why is Eleventh Sister cultivating again?” came Gu Qingyun’s disgruntled voice from outside. “It’s finally a rest day—I wanted to play with her!”

Though Gu Weiyu was inside her meditation room, her newly keen senses caught the words outside with perfect clarity.

She looked up at the window—unwittingly, the night had passed.

Though she hadn’t slept at all, her breakthrough left her more energetic than ever.

Realizing she hadn’t seen her twelfth brother in some time, she went to the window and waved. “Twelfth Brother—”

Gu Qingyun, who had been about to leave in disappointment, looked up in delight at the bamboo house. “Eleventh Sister, you’ve finished your seclusion?”

Gu Weiyu nodded. “Come in!”