Chapter 18 : Lin Wei
Chapter 18: Lin Wei!
Another year passed. Gu Yan sat cross-legged within his small courtyard on Pill Glow Peak. With a thought, his personal panel appeared:
【Gu Yan】
【Lifespan: 25/310】
【Realm: Foundation Establishment · Fifth Layer】
【Entry: 《Five Elements Spiritual Body · Orange》】
【Cultivation Technique: 《Taiyi Dao Virtue Scripture · Complete Volume》……】
【Martial Arts: 《Flowing Light Splitting Shadow Sword》, 《One-Line Sky》……】
Unknowingly, his Foundation Establishment realm had already reached the Fifth Layer—his progress could not be considered slow.
His lifespan had also increased from 235 years at the First Layer of Foundation Establishment to 310. Truly satisfying!
Gu Yan lowered his gaze, landing on the martial art 《One-Line Sky》.
This sword technique, obtained from the top floor of the Sword-Resting Peak Scripture Pavilion, had already been fully comprehended by him.
When he first acquired it, he only felt that its sword moves were exquisite. Only after cultivating it to a deeper level did he understand its true meaning.
It was a supreme sword principle of simplifying the complex, condensing countless transformations into a single instant.
No matter how intricate or unpredictable the opponent’s moves were, no matter how overwhelming and terrifying their momentum—
what 《One-Line Sky》 pursued was finding that single, inevitable line in the midst of lightning and sparks, and breaking it with one sword strike.
The realm of “one sword breaking ten thousand techniques” might still be far away, but he had already glimpsed the essence of “one sword breaking ten thousand moves.”
This sword art truly deserved its place at the top floor of the Sword-Resting Peak Scripture Pavilion.
Aside from this, over the past year, Gu Yan had also practiced many martial arts within the sect.
The panel did not list them all, which he actually found preferable.
If it truly listed the hundreds of techniques he had read and learned, the panel would probably stretch several meters long.
After a few more days, Gu Yan stopped cultivating and rose to his feet.
He decided to head to Evergreen Market.
Although Foundation Establishment had already freed him from the need to eat mortal food, he still descended the mountain every half month or month, casually purchasing some ordinary food and medicinal herbs.
On one hand, it relieved the monotony of long periods of meditation; on the other, it maintained the outward appearance expected of a normal inner sect disciple.
Just after leaving Pill Glow Peak and stepping onto the main road leading to the marketplace, quite a few gazes quietly fell upon him.
Several female disciples walking together slowed their steps, their eyes flickering as faint whispers could be heard:
“Look, it’s Senior Brother Gu Yan…”
“I heard he’s only been in the inner sect for a few years, yet his bearing is becoming more and more extraordinary.”
“Not just his bearing—those features… I thought he looked like someone from a painting when I saw him from afar last time. Up close today, it’s even more…”
“Shh, keep your voice down! But… he really is a bit too good-looking.”
Some covered their mouths and giggled softly, others pretended to remain composed while sneaking glances, their ears quietly flushing red.
Not only the female disciples—even some passing male disciples could not help but take a few extra looks, muttering inwardly:
“Strange, every time I don’t see him for a while, this guy seems to get even more handsome?”
“Hmph, just good looks. In cultivation, strength is what matters… though his aura is steady, not like someone superficial.”
Some inner sect disciples who knew him understood his quiet nature and solid cultivation, and simply nodded from afar in greeting.
Gu Yan responded with his gaze but did not linger due to the surrounding attention.
To him, this physical appearance was merely a byproduct of cultivation, something he did not care about.
After strolling around Evergreen Market for a while and purchasing some dry rations and medicinal herbs, Gu Yan prepared to return.
Just as he reached the marketplace exit, a crisp female voice filled with surprise rang out:
“Junior Brother Gu?”
Gu Yan turned his head and saw a charming woman in the attire of a true disciple of Pill Glow Peak walking quickly toward him.
It was Lin Wei.
Lin Wei felt quite excited.
Back then, after she returned from the outer sect herb garden mission, her master had gone to visit friends in the western region, and she had accompanied them, leaving the sect for a period of time.
When she returned several months later, the first thing she did was go to the C-Grade Herb Garden to look for Gu Yan.
But she found that it had already been taken over by another outer sect disciple, and Gu Yan had disappeared at some unknown time.
Her heart had felt empty, and she had even secretly wondered whether Gu Yan had known she would come looking for him and deliberately avoided her.
Because of this, Lin Wei did not deliberately inquire about his whereabouts.
Several years had passed. Though she devoted herself to cultivation, that figure would still occasionally surface in her thoughts.
She had never expected to meet him again in the marketplace today—and now he was already wearing the attire of an inner sect disciple, clearly having entered the inner sect long ago.
“Junior Brother Gu, when did you enter the inner sect? Why have I never run into you before?”
Lin Wei stepped closer in a few strides, her eyes bright, her words flowing endlessly once she began speaking.
A barrage of questions came at him, and Gu Yan sighed inwardly:
This is bad. Just now, I was momentarily distracted and didn’t release my divine sense in advance to check my surroundings—I ran into an acquaintance.
With no choice, he cupped his hands and said, “Senior Sister Lin. I entered the inner sect several years ago and have been cultivating quietly on Pill Glow Peak. I rarely go out, so it is only natural that Senior Sister has not encountered me.”
The emotions Lin Wei had suppressed for years seemed to find an outlet. In her delight, she reached out to grab Gu Yan’s arm.
“That’s wonderful! Now that we’re both on Pill Glow Peak, Senior Sister will have to take good care of you!”
Gu Yan subtly shifted his body, neatly avoiding her grasp.
“Senior Sister Lin, there are many people in the marketplace. Such pulling and tugging might invite gossip.”
Lin Wei’s hand fell empty. She froze for a moment, then raised her brows slightly and said in a soft, teasing tone:
“I’m a woman and not afraid of gossip, yet you, a dignified man, are the one worrying about it first?”