Volume 1, Chapter 9: The Mysterious Girl (Part II)

"Oh, thank goodness! Second Young Miss, we’ve finally found you." Shortly after Chen Tianming’s departure, two elderly men dressed in Zhongshan suits suddenly appeared beside the young woman, their expressions anxious. "Really now, why didn't you go to your dance class today? Why come to a place like this? This area is close to the slums and is full of people with ill intentions. If anything were to happen to you, we wouldn't know how to answer to the Master! Don't go wandering off like this again; you’ve worried us half to death today."

"If the Master finds out about this, he’ll surely break our legs!" the other elder hurriedly echoed.

"I only came out because Grandmother is sick! I had to find Gu Master Ni for medicine," the red-haired girl pouted, holding up her hands. "Look! This is the Healing Gu that Gu Master Ni gave me."

The two men were stunned. "It is said that Gu Master Ni has a very eccentric personality. Despite possessing vast, inexhaustible wealth, she refuses to live in the city center, preferring these slums instead. It’s impossible to fathom. Besides, I’ve heard she never helps anyone easily. I remember when the Third Elder of the Li family was severely wounded, he went to beg for a Healing Gu many times, and she never agreed. You went once, Second Young Miss, and succeeded?"

"Naturally. Do you know who I am? I am Murong Wenxin! Gu Master Ni must have been moved by my exceptional beauty and my sincere persistence, so she gave me the Healing Gu." With that, she opened her bag, revealing a pitch-black Gu jar inside.

She opened the lid gently, and the two men peered inside, catching sight of a cyan-blue Gu insect crawling around. They were overjoyed.

"Second Young Miss, you are truly amazing! When we return, the Master will surely reward you handsomely," the younger of the two said happily.

"Rewards don't matter. I am only an Entertainment Gu Master who awakened a Dance Gu," Murong Wenxin said, her spirits dampening.

"Second Young Miss," the older elder said, placing a hand gently on her shoulder with a meaningful look, "with the foundation of our Murong family, even if you hadn't awakened successfully, you could still lead a happy, carefree life."

"But I only want to do what I can to help the family solve its problems. I can't help with combat, so I have to find other ways."

As they spoke, they walked away, and soon their figures vanished around the corner of the alley. Just as they rounded the bend, the woman called Murong Wenxin glanced back one last time at the now-empty alleyway.

Chen Tianming knew nothing of what had transpired in the alley after he left. At that moment, he was immersed in the thrill of having successfully manifested the Palm Thunder. Although he had canceled it in time, the sensation of having such power at his beck and call was unprecedented.

It felt like someone drinking an ice-cold soda on a sweltering summer day—it was absolutely exhilarating!

So, this is Gu sorcery?

This is Gu sorcery!

No wonder everyone curses Gu masters, yet everyone longs to become one.

Indeed, powerful strength is the most intoxicating thing of all.

"Who else? Ha! I ask you, who else is there?" Chen Tianming felt like roaring at the sky. "What Li Chengying? What Zhou Zhen? They can only trail behind me, eating my dust."

Chen Tianming had mastered the Palm Thunder in just one semester, while the school’s requirement was a full year.

One Gu technique per year, three techniques in three years—that was the path to graduation.

Of course, if one were talented enough to learn four, five, or even more techniques during those three years of high school, they could naturally secure a place at a top-tier university.

The standard for a Probationary Gu Master is to master three techniques. Once you can proficiently use more than three, you become a glorious, esteemed Junior Gu Master.

Do not underestimate this title; the vast majority of people spend their entire lives without ever reaching this level, or they reach it only when they are too old and their potential has waned, rendering it meaningless.

The younger you are and the more techniques you master, the greater your potential, which naturally attracts the focus and support of schools, noble clans, and major conglomerates.

"Calm down, calm down. Don't stand here on the street grinning like an idiot."

Seeing that the area was deserted, Chen Tianming manifested the Palm Thunder again. Intense lightning crackled in his palm, snapping and popping incessantly.

He took aim at a small tree by the roadside and pushed his palm forward.

The next second, the tree, as thick as a bowl, was split into pieces, its trunk charred and emitting a burnt scent.

"The power is truly astonishing," Chen Tianming remarked, staring at the pulverized remains of the tree. "No wonder Lightning Gu masters are held in such high regard."

With a happy smile, he prepared to continue toward his aunt’s house. However, as he took a step, a wave of intense dizziness washed over him.

"This must be the mental exhaustion the mentors always talk about," Chen Tianming muttered, rubbing his temples.

Usually, Chen Tianming only felt this way after practicing Gu arts for more than three hours a day. He hadn't expected that just manifesting the technique twice and releasing it once would drain him so severely.

In truth, it was understandable. Maneuvering the Gu insect through the patterns within his mind didn't consume much energy—much like playing a video game where one can cancel a skill cast. But once the Gu pattern was fully traced and the technique was successfully materialized, it essentially consumed the bulk of his energy reserves.