Time flowed on, year after year.
In the blink of an eye, three full years had passed.
The Gravekeeper Forbidden Ground remained as dark, eerie, and horrifying as ever.
At this moment, within the Twilight Cliff Wind Ravine, the wind roared violently. The howling gusts sounded like countless sharp blades tearing through the air without end, chilling the heart.
Amid the storm, a strikingly handsome, composed, and cold young man sat silently at the edge of a sheer cliff.
Behind him, a girl of about ten years old held the Azure Spirit Sword in her hand, moving with the wind in light, ethereal motions. Though her swings appeared casual, she was in fact constantly responding to the sinister gusts that slashed toward her.
Her posture was flawless, her features breathtakingly beautiful. Her skin was pale, her expression firm and icy. At a glance, she resembled a fairy fallen into the mortal world, untouchable and unapproachable.
It was hard to believe she was only ten years old.
The young man and the girl were Gu Chengxing and Shen Ruochu.
Three years had passed. Gu Chengxing had not changed much, but Shen Ruochu had transformed visibly. The childish softness had faded from her face, and her features had grown ever more refined and delicate.
This was Gu Chengxing’s final training session for Shen Ruochu.
The mission objective was clear: endure within the raging wind for three days without pause.
Now, only the final fifteen minutes remained.
Gu Chengxing opened his eyes, stood up, and turned to look at Shen Ruochu, whose figure was tossed about by the wind. His mood was strangely unsettled.
Three years had passed in the blink of an eye. Tomorrow, he would leave the Gravekeeper Forbidden Ground and formally assume the position of Peak Master of Transcendent Peak. The thought left him momentarily dazed.
He opened his System Panel.
[Host: Gu Chengxing]
[Age: 22]
[Realm: Peak Mid-stage Void Shattering Realm]
[Physique: Heavenly Demon Physique]
[Technique: Azure Cloud Transcendent Art (Heaven-tier High-Grade), Heavenly Demon Fatal Art (cultivated to the Fourth Life Stage—Demonic Delusion)]
[Martial Skills: Azure Cloud Shadow Step (Heaven-tier High-Grade, Peak), Azure Cloud Sword Technique (Heaven-tier Low-Grade, Peak), Azure Cloud Eight Extremes Burst (Mystic-tier Low-Grade, Peak), Sword Drawing Technique (No Grade, Great Mastery), Demonic Shadow Fatal Flash (Divine-tier Top-Grade, inherited martial skill of the Heavenly Demon Physique, self-comprehended to Peak)]
[Secret Art 1: One Lifetime of Transcendence, I Am Free (Divine-tier Top-Grade Secret Art, usable in desperate situations)]
[Secret Art 2: Chaos Demonic Descent (Divine-tier Top-Grade Secret Art, self-comprehended upon reaching the Third Life Stage of Heavenly Demon Fatal Art)]
[(Sword) Intent: Wind Sword Intent (Peak), Chaos Demonic Sword Intent (Peak, self-comprehended as demonic art deepened), Thunder Sword Intent (Peak), Fire Sword Intent (Peak), Earth Sword Intent (Peak), Water Sword Intent (Peak), Ice Sword Intent (Peak), Yin-Yang Sword Intent (Peak), Netherworld Sword Intent (Peak), Reincarnation Sword Intent (Initial Stage)]
[Dao: Transcendent Dao (Minor Mastery), Chaos Demonic Dao (Major Mastery, self-comprehended as demonic art deepened), Yin-Yang Dao (Major Mastery, comprehended after using ‘Moment of Dao Enlightenment’)]
Looking at the panel, Gu Chengxing felt slightly helpless, especially at the long list of Sword Intents. Most of them had been obtained from villain choice rewards. For some reason, the system seemed particularly fond of rewarding various forms of intent.
Just then, the system’s voice sounded.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for completing Choice Three: assisting the Chosen female lead Shen Ruochu in mastering Peak-level Wind Sword Intent. Mission Reward: Peak-level Nature Sword Intent.]
Gu Chengxing felt curious about this so-called Nature Sword Intent. More importantly, this reward was already at the Peak level. Normally, rewards began at Minor Mastery and gradually advanced. New chapters come out on NovelPing first.
From his memory, he had never even heard of Nature Intent before.
After receiving it, he instinctively activated it. In that instant, he froze.
“So… ‘Nature’ means this…”
It referred to nature itself.
He reopened his System Panel. The long list of Sword Intents had greatly condensed.
[(Sword) Intent: Nature Sword Intent—Wind, Water, Earth, Fire, Thunder, Ice (Peak), …]
Nature Sword Intent unified and fused the elemental Sword Intents into a single, more powerful, refined, complex, and profound Sword Intent.
Not only that, Gu Chengxing could clearly sense that his comprehension of Nature Sword Intent was extremely deep. It was only a step away from evolving from Intent into Dao. He could distinctly feel that with the slightest push, he could comprehend the Nature Dao.
It was even displayed on the panel.
[Dao: Transcendent Dao (Minor Mastery), Chaos Demonic Dao (Major Mastery), Yin-Yang Dao (Major Mastery), Nature Dao (Greyed State)]
Gu Chengxing felt somewhat pleased. With Nature Dao included, he was on the verge of controlling a fourth Dao.
But when his gaze drifted toward Shen Ruochu, the sense of satisfaction faded.
Compared to the Chosen female lead, what did he even amount to?
Subconsciously, he activated the Glazed Divine Mechanical Eye. Shen Ruochu’s attribute panel appeared before him.
The Glazed Divine Mechanical Eye was a conceptual item obtained a year ago from a villain choice, allowing him to view Shen Ruochu’s personal attributes.
[Name: Shen Ruochu]
[Age: 10]
[Realm: Peak Spirit Shaping Realm (Peak Foundation Establishment)]
[Physique: Nirvana Saint Physique (Unsealing Progress: 10%)]
[Technique: Ninefold Nirvana Art (Heaven-tier Top-Grade, taught by Ji Liang)]
[Martial Skills: Ninefold Wind Shadow Step (Heaven-tier Top-Grade, Minor Mastery), Thirteen Wind Shadow Swords (Heaven-tier Top-Grade, Major Mastery), Wind Seizing Flash (Earth-tier Top-Grade, Peak)]
[(Sword) Intent: Killing Sword Intent (Peak), Wind Sword Intent (Peak), Fire Sword Intent (Peak), Nirvana Sword Intent (Minor Mastery)]
[Dao: Slaughter Dao (Can be comprehended at any time)]
[Weapon: Azure Spirit Sword (Top-Grade Spiritual Weapon)]
Gu Chengxing let out a deep breath.
Especially when he saw the words “Can be comprehended at any time,” he could only marvel.
Only ten years old, and already on the verge of comprehending Dao.
So this was the protagonist’s talent. Truly outrageous.
While he was thinking, the final fifteen minutes quietly passed.
Shen Ruochu stopped moving, sheathed the Azure Spirit Sword, and turned to look at Gu Chengxing.
As always, she said nothing. Her clear yet indifferent eyes locked onto him, waiting to be teleported out.
For three years, it had always been like this.
Gu Chengxing nodded. “The mission is complete. Very good. My task is finally finished as well.”
Shen Ruochu frowned slightly, looking at him as he seemed to mutter to himself, confused.
What nonsense are you saying? Why are you not sending me out?
A cold snort echoed in her heart as killing intent surged.
Fine. Then I will kill him once more.
Her thoughts flashed. With a flick of her wrist, the Azure Spirit Sword instantly appeared in her grasp. Her figure shot forward at extreme speed, the sword thrust straight toward Gu Chengxing’s throat.
Gu Chengxing seemed long accustomed to it. He tilted his head slightly to avoid the strike, raised his right hand, and lightly tapped the blade with his finger.
Clang.
A tremendous force traveled through the sword into Shen Ruochu’s hand.
A muffled groan escaped her lips as her body was forced rapidly backward.
Gu Chengxing shook his fingers lightly and looked at her. “Not bad. Your strength has improved. At this rate, perhaps in several decades, you may reach a level that can threaten my life.”
Shen Ruochu pouted, clearly displeased, and ignored him as she silently put away the Azure Spirit Sword.
Then Gu Chengxing said something that made her pause.
“You will no longer need to come to the Gravekeeper Forbidden Ground.”
She looked up, something indescribable flickering deep in her eyes.
Gu Chengxing met her gaze unintentionally. For a moment, he felt something was off. It was not exactly strange, yet deeply unsettling.
It seemed like hatred. It also seemed… ferocious.
The feeling was complex.
What did that look mean?
He felt a trace of confusion but did not dwell on it.
“Three years have passed. I will return to Transcendent Peak next and reside near your quarters. From then on, you may come and try to kill me whenever you wish.”
Shen Ruochu lowered her head. The strange emotion in her eyes disappeared, returning to silence.
Gu Chengxing suddenly understood.
So she was worried she would not be able to kill me anymore.