Chapter 17: Like a Dream Realized

Gu Pinglin's injuries weren't severe. After about ten days of recuperation, he gradually improved. Duan Qingming hadn't returned to their room during this time, and his whereabouts were unknown. Gu Pinglin inquired around and learned he was in the Scripture Tower. The Scripture Tower was a restricted area of Lingxin Sect, housing its collection of secret manuals. Ordinary disciples had no access unless…

Yue Songting couldn't bear to let this genius go to waste after all.

To think that in this life, I would have no master-disciple bond with Yue Songting. Gu Pinglin fell silent for a moment, exhaling a long sigh. When he lifted his head again, his heart felt suddenly clear.

Master dedicated his life's blood and sweat to Lingxin Sect. As long as I live, I will protect it. What does status matter? But Duan Qingming was too dangerous a variable. What progress had he made during his days in the Scripture Tower?

After some thought, Gu Pinglin headed straight for the Scripture Tower.

The Scripture Tower's exterior was unassuming—just an ordinary three-story building nestled among verdant trees. Its sturdy stone walls, built against the mountain, made it a solid fortress. Two smaller annexes flanked the main tower, and Elder Wang Hanshi, Yue Songting's junior brother, personally guarded the place. Defenses were tight.

Thanks to his performance in the initiation competition, everyone in Lingxin Sect recognized Gu Pinglin. Two guarding disciples greeted him with smiles: "Junior Brother Gu, are your injuries healed?"

Gu Pinglin, familiar with them from his past life, felt a surge of warmth. "I'm fine now. Thank you for your concern."

One disciple stepped aside. "I assume you're prepared? Go on in."

"Hmm?" Gu Pinglin was surprised. "I can enter?"

The disciple replied, "Didn't you know? The Sect Leader instructed that both you and Junior Brother Duan may study in the tower for half a month."

So that was it. Yue Songting, impressed by both disciples, had made this decision. Bu Shui Han, knowing Gu Pinglin might rush over before fully recovering, had deliberately withheld the news.

"I see," Gu Pinglin understood. "Where's Duan Liu?"

The disciple answered, "Junior Brother Duan is still inside. He'll be out tomorrow."

Gu Pinglin thanked them and stepped inside.

The tower's interior was simple. The lower floor held three bookshelves with dozens of cloth scrolls containing Lingxin Sect's advanced sword techniques. The middle floor had a single shelf holding the sect's supreme cultivation method, the Spirit Heart Dao Art.

Familiar with the layout, Gu Pinglin didn't linger. He ascended the stairs directly to the upper level.

As he remembered, the upper room was filled with tall wooden bookshelves crammed with ancient tomes. These were fortuitously acquired manuals from other sects and the handwritten notes of Lingxin Sect's past elders. The notes recorded cultivation insights and understandings of other sects' techniques and swordsmanship.

Sunlight streamed through narrow windows, slanting beams illuminating the wooden shelves. Fine dust motes danced in the shafts of light.

Between the bookshelves, in the shadows, lay a figure.

"Hmm?" Gu Pinglin approached.

Duan Qingming lay on his back on the floor, head resting on his arm, breathing steady and even. He showed no reaction to Gu Pinglin's arrival—clearly asleep. Even in such a casual, seemingly indolent pose, Gu Pinglin saw him as a vigilant serpent coiled in the darkness.

Gu Pinglin's sharp gaze swept the surrounding shelves. Frowning, he nudged Duan Qingming with his foot. "Duan Qingming!"

"So rough," Duan Qingming opened his eyes, a lazy smile playing on his lips. "You nearly kicked me into a serious injury. You're here."

"You were sleeping."

"Indeed."

"The Scripture Tower isn't open to everyone. Seize this rare chance," Gu Pinglin said pointedly. "There are records here about Xuanming Sect's sword techniques too."

"Oh? Are you concerned about me?" Duan Qingming feigned surprise, his eyes brimming with mockery. "Shouldn't my rival wish for me to fall behind?"

"I don't need you to hold back," Gu Pinglin said coldly.

"Why would I hold back for you?" Duan Qingming chuckled, tilting his head to look at him. "Do you think, in your heart, that I'm a kind and fraternal good person? Or perhaps you believe you hold some special place in my eyes?"

Gu Pinglin was momentarily taken aback. "You…"

"I've already declined the Sect Leader," Duan Qingming cut him off. "I have no interest in that position. As you said yourself, Lingxin Sect's sword techniques aren't suited to me. His nurturing would only constrain my sword path."

Gu Pinglin remained silent.

Duan Qingming pressed on, "Do you still believe I'm yielding to you?"

Gu Pinglin met his gaze.

Duan Qingming finally stood up. "With all these restraints weighing on your heart… how do you plan to compete with me?"

Gu Pinglin countered, "Restraints change nothing. The ability to resolve them is capability."

Duan Qingming retorted, "Even if it means gambling with Lingxin Sect?"

Gu Pinglin frowned.

Duan Qingming pressed further: "See? With so many burdens, how can you compare yourself to me?"

Gu Pinglin paced a few steps, then suddenly turned. "Duan Qingming, you indeed have other paths you could take. But regardless, you have now joined Lingxin Sect. You've consumed Lingxin Sect's pills, learned Lingxin Sect's sword techniques, and received Sect Leader Yue's care. These are facts."

"Hmm?" Duan Qingming's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Repay karmic debts—that is the Great Dao. My sense of obligation to Lingxin Sect is natural," Gu Pinglin stared directly at him, his gaze piercing. "So it's not that I have too many restraints. It's that you are excessively cold and detached."

Duan Qingming's expression became unreadable, his aura subtly receding.

"Duan Qingming, you are the abnormal one," Gu Pinglin enunciated each word clearly. "The Dao path is destined. I am more suited than you."

His handsome face, half-lit by the slanted sunbeam, seemed veiled by the fragile dance of dust motes, yet it couldn't mask the stern authority radiating from him.

Silence hung heavy.

Duan Qingming looked at him for a long moment, then sighed. "If you put it that way, the karmic debts I bear are immense. Every ant or insect I inadvertently tread upon daily… truly unforgivable, barring me from the Great Dao." He laughed softly. "You almost swayed me. Such aggressive words—one careless moment and they could plant a demon in the heart. Gu Xiao Jiu, you are far from simple."

Gu Pinglin sighed inwardly, recognizing his ploy was seen through, yet remained composed. "Pity. It's impossible to deceive you. Who could easily plant a heart demon within Duan Qingming?"

The Great Dao was inherently about defying heaven, fighting fate for life itself. Legends spoke of the Boundary-Shattering Venerable Bai Chuan who had slain foes. Demonic cultivators existed. While the heavens demanded repayment for karmic debts, and the weak were inevitably eliminated, if one was strong enough to defy heaven's will, what fear was there of karma?

Duan Qingming asked, "If I truly acted against Lingxin Sect's interests, what would you do?"

"That approach lacks finesse," Gu Pinglin deflected. "Do you not dare face me in a fair contest?"

"Lacking confidence?"

"Of course not," Gu Pinglin retorted coldly. "As long as I'm here, I will stop you."

"Ah, I adore that confidence," Duan Qingming smiled. "Then you'd better keep a close eye on me."

He walked towards the stairs, seemingly ready to leave.

Gu Pinglin called after him, "There's still one day left. Not waiting?"

"You said it yourself—my aunt is a Grand Cultivator of Xuanming Sect. My understanding of Xuanming sword techniques far surpasses anything recorded here," Duan Qingming yawned, turning back to look at him. "This floor is too hard. My bones ache from sleeping on it. It's your turn now. Take your time to appreciate it."

Watching him descend the stairs, Gu Pinglin sat down cross-legged.

His words hold truth. But that aunt could at best demonstrate sword forms for him. What he needs is precisely not that. The Guying Swordplay was vastly superior to Xuanming's techniques. Supreme swordsmanship required a matching cultivation art to support it. In the past life, the Heaven Mending Art was derived from Xuanming Sect's methods. A sect's core cultivation art was its foundational secret—never to be divulged! Leaking it was the gravest treason, punishable by relentless pursuit unto death, extending even to innocent kin. This harsh practice was tacitly accepted across the cultivation world; no one dared intervene. Even his own aunt would never dare commit such a crime.

Gu Pinglin could do nothing but wait and see how events unfolded.

Naturally, Gu Pinglin wouldn't sleep. There was nothing else to do. He had read every manual and handwritten note in this tower in his past life. With those memories, rereading was unnecessary. Like Duan Qingming, his fortnight's stay was merely a pretense to avoid arousing Yue Songting's suspicion. The tranquility here was suitable for cultivation.

Half a year from now, the journey to Misty Wasteland.

The thought made Gu Pinglin sigh with emotion.

In my past life, it was in Misty Wasteland that I first encountered Duan Qingming. A man like that—no one could easily forget him. Everyone was deceived by his outward appearance. Perhaps bound by fate, I vaguely sensed his danger and didn't approach him. Back then, he hadn't noticed me either. Yet, who could have foreseen what followed?

The irony is, in this life, through twists of fate, this mortal enemy has become my sect brother. Though our rivalry remains unchanged, living together, step by step understanding this monster… this strange relationship we have now is something the Gu Pinglin of the past life could never have imagined.

A sense of absurdity washed over Gu Pinglin. It felt like a dream; everything before him seemed unreal.

What changes will this trip to Misty Wasteland bring? Will I still meet that woman? In my past life, she appeared alongside Duan Qingming…

.

Fifteen days later, Gu Pinglin successfully used the Creation Secret Art to consolidate his fourth-level Naying realm cultivation. Though his progress wasn't significant, he wasn't anxious. As soon as he stepped out of the Scripture Tower, a disciple sent by Yue Songting arrived to summon him.

With Duan Qingming's refusal, Gu Pinglin became Yue Songting's personal disciple by default. Seeing the unconcealable regret on Yue Songting's face, Gu Pinglin could easily imagine Duan Qingming humbly claiming he was "naturally indolent." With just a few words, Duan Qingming had convinced Yue Songting, gotten his way, solved Yue Songting's dilemma, and effortlessly regained the Sect Leader's favor. Yue Songting undoubtedly felt he owed this "understanding" genius disciple and, fearing to hinder his Dao path, wouldn't refuse any of his requests—perhaps even granting him special privileges. Gu Pinglin only needed to see Bu Shui Han's expression to guess as much.

Yue Songting was also highly satisfied with Gu Pinglin as his personal disciple. As in the past life, he poured resources into nurturing him. Over the next few months, Gu Pinglin spent most of his time in seclusion, rarely returning to his quarters and seldom seeing Duan Qingming. Occasional inquiries revealed only that Duan Qingming often visited the Alchemy Yard and Medicine Tower. No one knew what he was actually doing there.

Alchemy and poisons were Duan Qingming's fortes—that wasn't strange. But Gu Pinglin was certain that after their recent duel, Duan Qingming must have detected the anomaly in his cultivation art. Would he truly do nothing and divert his attention to those things? Gu Pinglin didn't believe it. However, with his current focus on enhancing his own strength and limited energy, Gu Pinglin decided to set aside the suspicion for now.

Two days later, Gu Pinglin unexpectedly received a returned letter from home.

Previously, Gu Jin had written demanding pills. Gu Pinglin had deliberately delayed his reply for two months. Now, the letter had been returned unopened, with news that the Gu family had moved away.

Just as Gu Pinglin was puzzling over this, another letter from Gu Jin arrived.

In this letter, Gu Jin showed no anger; instead, he seemed pleased. He wrote that the family had "relocated to the Duan Clan's northwest Spirit Herb Garden" and instructed Gu Pinglin to "must draw closer to Young Master Duan Six and exert effort in his service."

Gu Pinglin frowned deeply upon reading it and immediately went to find Duan Qingming.