Chapter 345 - 193: Take Him Down as Soon as He Arrives_2

Wen Mingyan naturally followed his wife’s words to the letter—he was well aware of the importance of "reason" and public opinion.

As long as he had the upper hand in reason, he would act without much hesitation.

"Help Gu Sheng tidy up a room. I need to head to the Merit Hall to gather some sword practice tools for him. Once he returns, tell him to stay put for now. If Wu Gui, that bastard, catches him, things could get messy."

...

On his way back to the Fire Bamboo Forest, Gu Sheng happened to encounter Mo Buwen, Dyson, and Huang Miaoyin, who were all visibly cheerful and brimming with excitement.

As soon as Mo Buwen saw Gu Sheng, he ran over and grabbed his shoulder enthusiastically.

"Hey, Junior Brother Gu! We were just talking about looking for you, but here you are! Come on, come on—let’s head to Holy Pill City later to celebrate!"

"What’s the occasion that’s got you this excited?" Gu Sheng asked, seeing how joyful the three of them were.

Dyson flashed a big grin, exposing his pearly white teeth. "What else could it be? The three of us and Senior Sister Lin all got promoted to Inner Sect Disciples! Senior Sister Lin is at the Merit Hall right now, picking up her new token. As soon as she’s back, we’ll celebrate properly!"

"Junior Brother Gu, you haven’t gathered enough sect contribution value yet, right? Don’t worry. Starting tomorrow, the five of us will head back into the Red Cloud Mountain Range together. Everything we gain from the hunt will be yours. This way, you can also get promoted to Inner Sect Disciple. Then we can all go explore the Red Cloud Secret Realm together," Huang Miaoyin chimed in.

Her words instantly earned Dyson and Mo Buwen’s approval, and they exclaimed, "That’s right! With the strength of the five of us now, taking down those scumbags from the Thousand Poison Sect would be a piece of cake. It won’t be long before we collect enough contribution points for you. After that, a little silver and some good words in front of a manager, and you’ll be set!"

None of them realized that Gu Sheng had not only already amassed enough contribution points to be promoted to Inner Sect Disciple but had also gone straight to becoming a direct disciple of Wen Mingyan.

Although the promotion system didn’t explicitly state where a Peak Master’s disciple stood in rank, everyone understood that the disciples of Peak Masters and Great Elders were at least Core Disciples—usually far surpassing many of them.

Gu Sheng knew their intentions were kind, so he naturally didn’t reveal the truth.

"Hey, Junior Brother Gu!"

Lin Miaomiao spotted Gu Sheng and dashed toward him with impressive speed. She thoroughly scanned him up and down. "Junior Brother Gu, is everything resolved?"

Gu Sheng nodded. "I suppose you could say it’s resolved."

Lin Miaomiao patted her chest in relief, exhaling deeply. "That’s good! That’s good! As long as the Great Elder is willing to stand by you, everything should be fine."

Their conversation left Mo Buwen and the other two completely perplexed. Rubbing the back of his head, Mo Buwen asked with a puzzled expression, "Senior Sister Lin, what kind of riddle are you and Junior Brother Gu playing? Fill us in on what’s going on!"

Though their relationships were good, some secrets were better kept under wraps. Naturally, Lin Miaomiao wouldn’t reveal that Gu Sheng had killed Wu Xinyu. Instead, she gave them a mysterious smile. "If I told you the truth, it would scare you silly!"

Her words immediately piqued their curiosity. "Come on, tell us!"

Seeing their curiosity boiling over, Lin Miaomiao finally revealed it after a pause. "Junior Brother Gu ventured into the mountains alone this time and killed over twenty Bronze Bone Realm cultivators from the Thousand Poison Sect!"

Her words stunned the trio speechless, and when they finally processed it, they all looked at Gu Sheng like he was some kind of monster.

"Junior Brother Gu, what kind of miracle growth supplement have you been eating? Share some tips—I want to get as strong as you!" Mo Buwen clung to Gu Sheng’s arm, waggling his eyebrows and trying to get some insider information.

Gu Sheng could easily tell Mo Buwen was joking, so he responded humorously, "Oh, I’ve been eating Jin Keluo fertilizer! Works wonders—try some yourself!"

"Jin Keluo? What’s that? I’ve never even heard of it," Mo Buwen said, puzzled by the unfamiliar name.

Of course, Gu Sheng couldn’t tell him it was a fertilizer from a past life’s commercial slogan on Earth, so he played it off with a laugh. "Don’t worry about random nonsense like that! Since this is such a happy occasion, we absolutely need to celebrate properly! I picked up quite a bit during my time in the Red Cloud Mountain Range—my wallet’s overflowing—today’s on me!"

Gu Sheng patted his bulging coin pouch, all while presenting an ostentatious "I’m rich" demeanor.

"Sure! Mooching off the rich is my favorite activity! I’m determined to eat you broke today!" Mo Buwen exclaimed in excitement, patting his belly to prove his appetite.

"Junior Brother Gu cleaned out that many Thousand Poison Sect scumbags. He must’ve looted at least a few hundred thousand silvers from them. Eat him broke? You’re more likely to stuff yourself to death!" Huang Miaoyin teased.

They were all about the same age, and the atmosphere during their chat was laid-back. For Gu Sheng, who hadn’t socialized much since arriving in this world, their relaxed banter momentarily reminded him of the bygone days at the Gu’s Manor, where he’d shared hotpot meals with the hunters.

Life back then had been simple and a bit tight, but his horizons were humble, and he was easily satisfied. Earning a few extra coins or managing to hunt a gazelle would keep him smiling for days.

Thinking back now, life seemed easier at the bottom. Years of cultivation and exposure to the broader world had amplified his desires. Gu Sheng felt the "appetite" of his heart grow insatiable, pushing genuine joy further away.

Just as they were about to head down the mountain toward Holy Pill City, they ran into Wen Mingyan, who was coming from the Merit Hall.

Being the Peak Master of War God Peak, Wen Mingyan was naturally recognized by Lin Miaomiao and the others.

Their smiles instantly faded, and they bowed nervously towards Wen Mingyan. "Greetings, Peak Master."

Wen Mingyan walked toward them, his gaze landing on Gu Sheng. "Where are you all planning to go?"

Gu Sheng bowed respectfully in reply, "Reporting to Master, we’ve just been promoted to Inner Sect Disciples and were planning to celebrate in Holy Pill City."

"Boom!"

Gu Sheng’s words exploded in the minds of Lin Miaomiao and the others like a thunderclap.

"Master?"

The four were shocked beyond belief, glancing back and forth between Wen Mingyan and Gu Sheng with faces full of disbelief.

Who was Wen Mingyan? As one of the three Peak Masters of the Holy Pill Sect, he held a position second only to the Sect Master and Great Elder, towering above all other elders in status.

And yet, Gu Sheng was his disciple?! For Lin Miaomiao and the others, this was akin to discovering your closest buddy was secretly the heir to the world’s largest fortune!

Wen Mingyan paid no attention to their stunned reactions, instead looking seriously at Gu Sheng. "No! You’re not going anywhere during this period. Gather your things and return to War God Peak immediately. Wu Gui is no trivial opponent—he might ambush you in Holy Pill City. Without my explicit approval, you are forbidden from leaving the Holy Pill Sect!"

Thinking of how he had been betrayed by Shi Lezhi previously in the Red Cloud Mountain Range, Gu Sheng understood the gravity of the situation. In such a sprawling sect, it wouldn’t be surprising if Thousand Poison Sect had other spies lurking.

Wu Gui was a bona fide Marrow Refining Realm expert. As strong as Gu Sheng might be, he couldn’t possibly contend with an opponent of that level. For the sake of his own safety, Gu Sheng nodded. "Alright, I won’t go."

After Wen Mingyan left, Gu Sheng looked apologetically at the group. "Senior Brothers and Sisters, I’m really sorry. Master has ordered me to stay put, so I can’t go with you. Let’s plan for next time—once the situation cools down, I’ll make it up to you!"

By now, the four had clearly lost interest in celebrating, and instead encircled Gu Sheng, looking at him with expressions growing hotter—eerily reminiscent of star-struck fans meeting their idol.

"Junior Brother Gu! You’ve been keeping such a low profile—when did you become the Peak Master’s disciple? Don’t forget us when you rise to riches and glory—I need to grab onto your coattails!"

Looking at Mo Buwen’s shameless display, Gu Sheng couldn’t help but laugh and cry. "Senior Brother Mo, well... I’ve only been his disciple for less than an hour, actually."