After Saving the Immortal Sect, I Became a Heartthrob - Chapter 5

Gu Congxing’s teaching plan was meticulous. While Zhong Ming was unable to engage in strenuous activity, he taught him mental cultivation methods and secret scriptures. Once Zhong Ming had been recovered for a month, he began teaching him sword forms.

It had to be said that their Master had a keen eye; every disciple under his wing possessed extraordinary talent. When Gu Congxing learned that Zhong Ming had managed to draw qi into his body in just ten days breaking the boundary between mortal and cultivator—he couldn’t help but marvel at his junior brother’s innate perception. Most cultivators take several months or even a year to achieve this; Gu Congxing himself had taken half a month and was already praised by his peers as a genius.

When Gu Congxing shared this with Zhong Ming, the boy was overjoyed, and his motivation for cultivation surged even further. Gu Congxing thought that teaching his junior brother was undoubtedly a worry-free task that provided a great sense of accomplishment though it would be better if he could save a bit more energy.

For instance, right now, the boy’s sword-drawing posture was always a bit crooked, requiring Gu Congxing to correct it personally.

“Lift your arm, tuck your wrist,” Gu Congxing said, standing behind Zhong Ming. He supported the boy’s right arm while his other hand lightly tapped his wrist. From a distance, it looked as if Gu Congxing was embracing Zhong Ming from behind.

Feeling the heat behind him and the faint breath against his ear, Zhong Ming’s body stiffened involuntarily.

“Junior Brother, focus.”

“Ye-yes!”

After Zhong Ming finished the sword move, Gu Congxing nodded in approval. Though the starting stance always needed correction, the boy’s actual sword dance was quite respectable.

“You have basically mastered the basic strikes. In the future, you just need more practice. Now, I can teach you the first style of the Flowing Cloud Swordplay.”

The Flowing Cloud Swordplay was a heritage of the Gu Clan, refined over a thousand years to become a world-renowned technique. It consisted of eighteen styles; Gu Congxing had learned up to the fifteenth before leaving the clan. Many cultivators spent vast amounts of spirit medicine and treasures just to enter the Gu Clan’s outer sect for a chance to learn even a single move but Zhong Ming didn’t know this, and Gu Congxing didn’t intend to tell him. As long as it kept his brother alive, he wouldn’t be stingy with techniques or artifacts.

Whir,

Gu Congxing brandished his Whale-Slayer Sword, his body moving like a dragon through soaring clouds, his steps like treading upon waves. The golden sword light was unstoppable. As a bamboo leaf drifted down, Gu Congxing shifted forward in an instant, his sword flicking out. It seemed like a delicate movement, yet the leaf and the bamboo behind it were instantly sliced in two.

“The sword intent is light yet sharp, striking later but gaining the upper hand, overcoming hardness with softness. Its myriad changes are like the drifting clouds.” Gu Congxing performed a sword flourish and sheathed the blade, a dashing smile on his jade-like face. “Junior Brother, does this Flowing Cloud Swordplay catch your eye?”

Zhong Ming was completely mesmerized. Coming to his senses, he nodded heavily. “Of course! Your swordplay is truly peerless, Senior Brother!”

Gu Congxing laughed. “Compared to Master’s swordplay, this is just showing off a slight skill before an expert.”

Over the next two months, the two practiced day and night. Zhong Ming’s cultivation progressed at lightning speed, successfully reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, while Gu Congxing reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, nearing the formation of his Golden Core.

Sometimes, watching Zhong Ming’s hardworking silhouette, Gu Congxing would think of his own years in the Youbei Continent—practicing at the Gu Clan’s martial grounds. He was even younger than Zhong Ming then, and his elder brother, Gu Mingting, would teach him with extreme care and endless patience.

Gu Mingting’s Flowing Cloud Swordplay was divine. Gu Congxing had admired him since childhood and started his training early. Back then, whenever he mastered a style, his brother would lift him high, sometimes tossing him into the air and catching him steadily.

“My brother is indeed gifted, no ordinary person!”

Back then, he would reach out and happily hug his brother’s head, sometimes naughtily ruffling his perfectly tied hair. Gu Mingting would pinch his cheeks and lightly scold him, yet his voice was filled with pure indulgence.

Even further back, when he was just a small child, he would follow his brother everywhere like a shadow. When his willful streak hit, he would claim he was too tired to walk, and his brother while complaining about his fussiness would always take him into his arms. He would pat his back and laugh while rubbing his soft earlobes. In his brother’s arms, Gu Congxing always felt a great sense of security, falling into a deep sleep in a comfortable position.

“Gu Mingting…” Gu Congxing whispered.

So, when did it all change?

It seemed to be when he was twelve, after his brother was officially designated as the next Clan Head. Their parents had died early, and the clan was led by their cousin-uncle, Gu Ci. His uncle and brother had practiced in the Gu Clan’s forbidden grounds for over a month; when they emerged, his brother was different. He became exceptionally stern. Before, he hadn’t exactly been soft, but afterward, he rarely smiled.

Once, when Gu Congxing had learned a new style and sought a hug from him as usual, he was shoved aside. “You are already this old, yet you are still so weak and spoiled! If you can’t learn all the styles within three years, get out of the Gu family!”

Gu Congxing had fallen to the ground in a daze and ran away without a word. In truth, he was distant from the rest of the clan; he only clung to his brother. Only before him would he show such a vulnerable side. After that time, he never asked for a hug again. He stopped acting spoiled and began greeting his brother with formal etiquette, just as the elders taught. He thought he remembered his brother’s body stiffening for a moment the first time he bowed formally, but perhaps he had remembered it wrong.

That man was, after all, the one who was willing to give his own brother a Mind-Losing Pill—

“Second Senior Brother?” Zhong Ming waved a hand in front of Gu Congxing, calling out softly.

Gu Congxing snapped back to reality and noticed Zhong Ming had finished his practice, covered in a light sweat. The boy’s dark-gold eyes were clear and full of warm smiles.

“Second Senior Brother, the sun is beautiful today. Shall we lie down and sunbathe together?”

“…Alright.”

The two lay on their backs on the grass, watching the clouds drift. After a moment, Zhong Ming spoke leisurely: “Senior Brother, I had a dream yesterday. I went to many strange places. It’s odd; I’ve only lived in a mortal fishing village and the Qingxuan Sword Sect, but the scenes in the dream were so real… Senior Brother, is there a place in this world called the Forest of Fallen Gods?”

Gu Congxing’s expression stiffened. He knew it well—it was located at the border of the Youbei Continent and the Demon Realm, the very place the Gu Clan constantly patrolled. Why would Zhong Ming dream of the Forest of Fallen Gods?

After a moment of silence, Gu Congxing summoned a scroll from his storage bag and tossed it into the air, where it unfurled into a map. Their world—the “He-Xu Realm”—consisted of three layers: the Mortal Realm, the Cultivation Realm, and the Divine Realm. The Sansang Tree, the world’s giant tree, stood at the center, piercing through all three.

Gu Congxing pointed into the distance. “That forest stretching for a hundred miles is the Forest of Fallen Gods. It is extremely dangerous; cultivators below the Golden Core stage cannot enter, and one must be at the Nascent Soul stage to reach its depths.”

Zhong Ming stared at the map, his gaze roaming across the five continents as if searching for something. When his eyes landed on a specific landmark in the north, they widened slightly.

Gu Congxing’s heart sank as he followed the gaze. That was the Demon Realm…

The cultivation world was divided into five continents: Zhongyu, Donglai, Youbei, Luoxi, and Nanming. They were ruled by “One Sect, Two Schools, and Four Great Clans.” The “One Sect” was the Qingxuan Sword Sect. The “Two Schools” were the Tianlin School (where Si Junjian resided) and the Qianyang School (where Xiao Wangyou was). The “Four Great Clans” were the Jiang, Gu, Yuan, and the now-extinct Kong Clan.

Among them, the Gu Clan and the Tianlin School were unique. Not only did they lead disciples in cultivation, but they also held the duty of surveillance, standing on the front lines against demons and monsters. Because Youbei bordered the Demon Realm and Luoxi bordered the Monster Realm, the Gu Clan and the Tianlin School shared a bond of mutual respect and were allied through generations of friendship.

As for the demons, they were the Gu Clan’s sworn enemies. Countless cultivators had died at their hands, particularly members of the Gu family. Gu Congxing was about to ask why Zhong Ming was looking at the Demon Realm when the boy asked first:

“Senior Brother, I heard the Gu Clan is powerful and wealthy. Why did you travel so far to join the Qingxuan Sword Sect?”

Gu Congxing was momentarily speechless. Memories of being trapped in the Punishment Tower flooded back. The iron walls were pitch black; only by looking up could he see a speck of sky. The base of the tower had an array that made the walls feel more oppressive day by day, breaking one’s mind in the claustrophobic darkness. He could have been released just by admitting he “misheard” or “misremembered” and dropping the matter of the Phoenix Feather.

But he wouldn’t. The youth had hammered on the door, his arms bruised, shouting hoarsely: “I am not wrong! Why won’t you let me investigate the Kong massacre? Why does the clan have their Phoenix Feather?! Is this the righteous path you taught me?! The Gu Clan is supposed to be a famous name that slays demons! Let me out, I want the truth—”

Naturally, no one answered. Instead, he was given a Mind-Losing Pill.

When the iron door opened and he saw his brother’s handsome face again, he was happy. When his brother offered him a warm spiritual meal with a rare smile, he thought they could go back to the way they were until he found the Mind-Losing Pill hidden in the cherries. It caused confusion and memory loss, and though the effects wore off after a week, it made one lose the memory of the preceding month. It was a banned drug because it could be used to manipulate minds.

Gu Congxing had discovered the recipe and characteristics of this pill by chance in the clan’s secret realm. It was thanks to being neglected for two years that he developed an interest in alchemy and carried various antidotes. That was how he managed to take the antidote before being watched, faking the symptoms to pretend he had forgotten about the Phoenix Feather. Soon after, his Master arrived, and he joined the sect.

If he hadn’t been heartbroken time and again, how could he have resolutely left his homeland?

“…Master’s sword dao is peerless, and the Qingxuan Sword Sect stands at the top. Every cultivator seeks the peak and ascension; naturally, I chose the stronger side.” Gu Congxing’s voice was flat. He did not wish to publicize his clan’s ugly secrets.

Zhong Ming seemed not to notice anything wrong and followed up: “After ascension, does one reach the Divine Realm?”

“So they say, but no one knows for sure. Whether the Divine Realm truly exists is a matter of debate, and even the creation myths are fading.”

“Creation myths?” Zhong Ming’s eyes brightened.

“Yes. Legend says that two thousand years ago, the He-Xu Realm only had the Divine and Mortal Realms. But due to a war between the five Great Divine Beasts, the sky collapsed. Half of the Mortal Realm’s land sank, becoming the current human world. The other half remained, protected by gods though ravaged by war. With the growth of spiritual energy, it became the current Cultivation Realm.”

Zhong Ming grew pensive and stopped asking questions. Gu Congxing also fell silent, letting the warmth fade as the cold wind whistled around them. He sat up, feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion. He ignored Zhong Ming and walked toward his quarters. Tomorrow was the auction, and he needed to prepare.

But after a few steps, he was held fast. He pulled at the arms locked around his waist but couldn’t budge them. He let out a light sigh. “What are you doing now?”

Zhong Ming’s voice came from behind him, muffled but urgent. “Sorry, Senior Brother, I didn’t mean to make you unhappy… I’m just very afraid. I wasn’t lying; I really had a dream, but it wasn’t just the Forest of Fallen Gods. I dreamed of another place.” He paused before speaking with determination: “Mount Zhangwei.”

Gu Congxing’s whole body jolted. Mount Zhangwei! It was deep in the heart of the Demon Realm, the location of the Demon Palace for generations! If it weren’t for the Gu Clan’s deep knowledge of demons, he wouldn’t even know what Mount Zhangwei was. How could Zhong Ming dream of it? No wonder his eyes had landed on the Demon Realm on the map.

“Senior Brother! In the dream, I saw a world of blood moons and black soil, filled with demons. But I wasn’t afraid; I even felt a sense of familiarity!” Zhong Ming seemingly couldn’t hold it back anymore; he turned Gu Congxing around to face him. He had been panicked when he woke up, but thought it was just a dream. Today, he realized it was a real place. At the moment he saw Mount Zhangwei marked on the map, his breath had hitched.

“Senior Brother, I have looked different from others since I was a child. I had no parents and was raised by an old man. Everyone in my fishing village called me a demon and said I cursed my relatives to death. Everyone avoided me like the plague.” Zhong Ming looked up with utter sincerity. “I lived with my grandfather and only wanted a quiet life, but a demonic cultivator came to the village!”

Gu Congxing listened intently as the boy poured out his heart. “That animal slaughtered the whole village! My grandfather died protecting me… I was lucky to be saved by Master and brought here, but I can never forget that day of blood. Senior Brother, I hate demonic cultivators and the Demon Realm!” He frowned, tears shimmering in his dark-gold eyes. “But why do I look different from you? Why do the people around me always die? Why do I have those damn dreams during such a wonderful time?!”

Zhong Ming’s voice grew louder, the pain in his eyes overflowing. His tears fell onto the brown earth like bloodstains. Gu Congxing couldn’t help but wrap his arms around him, letting the tears wet his robes.

“Senior Brother…” Zhong Ming sobbed and slowly closed his eyes. “I’m really afraid. If I am truly related to the Demon Realm, how will you, a descendant of the Gu Clan who is sworn enemies with them, be able to stay with me? How… how should I face you?”

Gu Congxing held him tightly and patted his back. His own voice trembled slightly: “No, Junior Brother. Zhong Ming, as long as I am here, I will never let you fall into the demonic path. Between us, there will never be a state of being sworn enemies.”

In a flash, the ending of the previous life’s Zhong Ming popped into his head: falling into the demonic path, becoming the Demon Venerable, and dying tragically. But now, he had already completed the rescue mission and was training him diligently, even choosing mental cultivation that stabilized the Dao Heart. Why! Why were there such dreams? What had gone wrong!

Suddenly, he remembered something he had forgotten for a long time the Character Inscription. Once he calmed his junior brother, he would call the System to find out. He patted Zhong Ming’s head, cupped his face, and wiped the tears with his thumbs. Zhong Ming was silent now, staring at him, though another line of tears fell. Gu Congxing studied the exquisite face deep features, straight nose, thin lips; he had always thought he was beautiful.

“So what if you look different? In my eyes, you are as beautiful as a flower. They must have been jealous to say such things to you.”

Zhong Ming blinked, momentarily dazed, before breaking into a tearful laugh. “So you can make jokes too, Senior Brother.”

“No, I’m serious. Your curly hair lets me find you in a crowd at a glance, and your golden eyes seem to glow in the sun.” Gu Congxing’s fingers lightly traced his features, moving slowly. “Your nose is like a person from the Western Regions, and the shape of your lips is very beautiful. Such an exquisite appearance… I can’t appreciate it enough, so how could I think of anything else?”

Zhong Ming remained silent, blinking in a panic. Gu Congxing embraced him again, resting his chin on the boy’s neck. It was a bit hot. “It must be hard losing relatives… but from now on, you have me, our eldest brother, and Master. We are all incredibly strong; how could we fall so easily?” As he said this, the memory of the previous life’s end caused a pang in his heart. But he told himself that was the past. The future was in his hands.

Zhong Ming gave a soft “Mm.” He was like a ruffled dog that had been smoothed down, curled obediently in his master’s arms. “It’s just a dream; it doesn’t mean anything. As long as you practice diligently and stay upright, who would dare say you are related to demons? If someone talks nonsense, I’ll pull out their tongue.”

Gu Congxing touched his forehead to Zhong Ming’s and saw the familiar light in those golden eyes. “Don’t be afraid. I’m right here. Sleep peacefully, Junior Brother.” He cast a sleeping spell; Zhong Ming took one deep look at him before falling into a deep slumber.

After laying him in bed, Gu Congxing returned to his usual indifferent face. “System.”

[Ding! Long time no see, Host!]

“What exactly is this ‘Character Inscription’ you mentioned?”

[An inscription is usually just one sentence. You can think of it as… the author’s judgment of a character.]

“Judgment?” Gu Congxing scoffed. “What an unpleasant way to put it.” Being a character in the book, his understanding of others was ultimately one-sided. If he could learn the author’s evaluation, even if short, it might be useful. “Let’s try it.”

[Host, inscriptions aren’t always positive. Also, they aren’t always accurate.]

Gu Congxing glanced at it and placed his palm on Zhong Ming’s head. The boy seemed to have stopped having nightmares, a light smile on his lips. Gu Congxing’s gaze was soft as he whispered in his heart: Character Inscription. Zhong Ming’s inscription.

A silver light emerged from where they touched, forming characters bit by bit. Gu Congxing’s heart drummed like a war bird. The words were…

【This is all fate, not a bit of it is up to the person.】

Gu Congxing’s breath hitched. Sensing the low atmosphere and Gu Congxing’s extraordinary rage, the characters dissolved and reformed. His expression was twisted, yet he held a hidden hope. Surely the first one was wrong—

The new inscription was only four words:

【Fate is hard to resist.】

Though he had expected it, seeing those words made his emotions surge; his clenched fists dripped with blood. “…Heh.” In his agitation, he let out a cold, angry laugh. He went outside, looked at the sky, and roared: “Author, is this your judgment of your characters?!”

What bullshit judgment! What bullshit inscription! If it’s not necessarily accurate, then it’s not fate! To hell with “fate is hard to resist”!

“We cultivators are best at changing our destinies against the heavens!”

“Just watch, I will change this damn fate! I’ll show you who the master of this body and soul is!”

Even if he died, even if he ground his bones to dust, he would achieve his goal—!!