Mundane Saint-Chapter 44 – Go to someone's door

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the early morning, Old Man Gu's shop remained hidden deep in the alley. For the past three days, a sign reading "No Visitors" hung on his door, and he stayed inside. Of course, no one thought much of it; most ordinary people living in the west of the city knew him. Old Man Gu had an eccentric and solitary nature, which made people wonder if he had experienced some misfortune in the past, evoking a sense of pity.
However, his carving skills were indeed exquisite.
For three days, Old Man Gu hadn't rested, and even Lu Yan watched by his side for the entire time.
"Such vigorous and profound intent, so vast and rare in this world... I, Gu Yin, have truly encountered great fortune..."
Inside the small room, Old Man Gu was hunched over the table, his carving knife slowly moving across the entire sandalwood plaque. Each stroke seemed to carry his deepest understanding of the essence of calligraphy. The scroll given to him by Gu Heng had already been stored in his Mysterious Ring.
Old Man Gu knew that his understanding of calligraphy was far inferior to Gu Heng's.
Therefore, the profound intent contained in that scroll was something he couldn't fully comprehend at the moment. Normally, carving plaques was a simple task for Old Man Gu; a sweep of his true energy would suffice to create a plaque.
But not this time.
To firmly imprint the insights he gained from the scroll into his mind, Old Man Gu chose the most traditional method—carving slowly.
Very slowly.
"…Master has entered a state of enlightenment."
Lu Yan sat nearby, nervously watching Old Man Gu's carving. With each stroke, his eyes seemed to flash with a mysterious light, deepening his understanding of calligraphy. His eyes were dry and bloodshot from watching.
Old Man Gu was the same.
For these three days, he had almost forgotten to eat and sleep, solely focused on comprehending the profound essence hidden in the scroll. This was also the key to his breakthrough. If he didn't seize this opportunity, he might never reach a higher realm in his lifetime.
He didn't want to miss it.
In a flash, another two or three hours passed.
Old Man Gu let out a sigh of relief and put down the carving knife.
The task Young Master Gu had entrusted to him was finally completed.
"Phew... finally done!"
He wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling slightly relieved, and then looked down at his work.
On the plaque, the four powerful carved characters "Gu Family Medicine Hall," though carved, were rich in true intent, depicting mountains and rivers, dragons and phoenixes, vivid and lifelike. If a cultivator were to examine it closely, they would sense the grand and encompassing intent contained within.
"Alas, it's still lacking..."
Old Man Gu showed a look of regret.
"But Master, these characters are already quite impressive. I can only grasp a fraction of their essence..." Lu Yan couldn't help but feel aggrieved for Old Man Gu.
"What do you know?"
Old Man Gu glared: "It has form but lacks intent; it's just my clumsy imitation."
He wasn't even sure if this plaque would satisfy Gu Heng.
Old Man Gu looked seriously at Lu Yan and said, "Remember, that person is far more skilled than I can even comprehend. If you wish to reach such a level, you must diligently study and never slack off."
"Yes, yes, I remember."
Lu Yan quickly agreed.
This elder's skill was unmatched throughout the Sunflare Empire. Lu Yan's family wasn't that strong, and his perspective wasn't broad. He approached with a mindset of seeking guidance, and now he was naturally extremely respectful.
Whatever the master said, it was as good as law.
"Comprehend well. I see your true energy is about to break through. Wait here, and I'll take this plaque to Young Master Gu."
After giving instructions, Old Man Gu carried the large plaque and left.
...
...
South of Cloud Spirit City, in the Medicine Hall.
"Master, I'm going out for a while."
Qin Yiyao tied her belt, looked at the cloud-embroidered boots on her feet, and the "Cold Moon" sword at her waist, and called towards the back hall.
"Go, go, the sooner you go, the sooner you return."
Gu Heng's voice came out.
Hearing this, Qin Yiyao paused for a moment, then walked out the door.
Today was the day to make the Black Forest Gang pay!
She had focused on her cultivation for three days and had taken the Foundation Establishment Pill given by Gu Heng. Now, she was already at the second level of Foundation Establishment.
And it had only been four days since Qin Yiyao was picked up by Gu Heng.
With the bloodline of the Ascended Immortal Legacy and the unparalleled techniques of the Great Void Era, Qin Yiyao might seem weak now, but in a real fight, no matter who the opponent was, they would be shocked by her power!
Qin Yiyao looked at her dress, a pale blue and white one. If it got stained with blood, it wouldn't be good. Not to mention, this dress was a gift from her master.
It couldn't be dirtied.
For someone at the second level of Foundation Establishment to want to wipe out the entire Black Forest Gang might seem like a fantasy to others, but what she was considering was how to avoid getting her dress stained by the blood of those ants.
As Qin Yiyao pondered, she walked out of the south of Cloud Spirit City, heading towards the edge of the Cloud Ridge Forest.
The Cloud Spirit Forest was filled with poisonous insects and fierce beasts, and there were quite a few demon beasts as well. Not to mention ordinary people, even weaker cultivators often lost their lives there. Qin Yiyao, in her thin dress like the cold snow of early spring, stood out conspicuously. Her beauty and extraordinary temperament made her stand out even in such an environment.
Occasionally, people passing by would see such a charming young girl and mostly praise her beauty. However, some had greedy or covetous looks...
"This girl is so pretty..."
"Unfortunately, judging by her appearance, we won't be lucky enough to enjoy her..."
"Hmph, what's there to fear? No matter how pretty she is, she's just a little girl..."
Qin Yiyao, with her keen senses, heard the brazen discussions of those ruffians. She frowned, her gaze sharp as she looked over, and the scabbard at her waist trembled slightly, exuding a cold aura!
Seeing that she had noticed them, those few quickly avoided her gaze, fleeing in panic.
"Pathetic."
Qin Yiyao's lips curled into a cold smile as she continued forward.
She had lived south of Cloud Spirit City for ten years and was well aware of the forces outside the city. The Black Forest Gang was hiding four miles away on Black Forest Mountain. The terrain of Black Forest Mountain was steep, easy to defend and hard to attack. It was said that the leader of the Black Forest Gang was at the tenth level of Core Formation, making it a dominant force in the area.
Using true energy to hasten her journey, Qin Yiyao soon arrived at the foot of Black Forest Mountain.
She looked up at the dense forest on the steep mountain peak, touched the top-grade sword at her waist, her eyes determined, and ascended with her sword.
...
In the main camp of the Black Forest Gang.
The gang leader, Huang Su, had been feeling uneasy for the past few days.
He had sent his second-best fighter, Chong Jiu, with some men to gather information south of Cloud Spirit City.
And then nothing.
Three days had passed without their return. Either Chong Jiu had stolen the treasure and set up his own faction, or his men had all perished at the hands of that young Core Formation cultivator.
Huang Su believed it was likely the latter, but that possibility was even more terrifying.
The Black Forest Gang had already made an enemy of the other party, and none of the people sent had returned alive. So, even if he understood the situation, he didn't dare to send more people.
But to swallow this loss quietly, how could the Black Forest Gang continue to survive?
While Huang Su was wrestling with his dilemma, a voice came from outside the stone fort!
"—!"
" to the leader, a woman is climbing the mountain at the foot of Black Forest Mountain!"
"Oh?"
Huang Su raised his eyes and asked, "A woman? Do you know her identity?"
"We don't know, but her cultivation is only at the second level of Foundation Establishment. We've set up a blockade on the mountain path. Please decide, leader!"
Huang Su squinted his eyes, revealing a fierce look.
"Whoever she is, daring to intrude on the Black Forest Gang's territory at the mere second level of Foundation Establishment, capture her and bring her here!"
He didn't know who had come knocking, but Huang Su wasn't afraid.
Foundation Establishment level two?
What kind of waves could that possibly make?
On the mountain path of Black Forest Mountain, the members of the Black Forest Gang had all gathered. They looked at the distant, graceful figure approaching, their eyes filled with greed.
Her skin was as white as jade, and though her figure was slender, it already had a hint of elegance and grace. Her thin dress fit her well, still appearing somewhat youthful, but given time, she was sure to become a peerless beauty.
However, at this moment, her expression was extremely cold, her aura soaring.
Qin Yiyao moved lightly, stopping on the mountain path, her gaze icy as she looked at the members of the Black Forest Gang.
The deputy leader held a large hammer, his face full of contempt and lewdness, seemingly not considering this Foundation Establishment level two girl a threat.
They didn't feel any fear.
Qin Yiyao silently gripped the hilt of her sword, her voice carrying over: "Where is the leader of the Black Forest Gang?"
"Little girl, have you thought this through? This is Black Forest Mountain, the territory of the Black Forest Gang!"
"If you're here to see the leader, you'll have to get past the path guarded by us brothers. Behave, and maybe we'll take you up the mountain for some fun, hahaha!"
The members of the Black Forest Gang laughed loudly.
There was a hint of anger burning in her eyes. Being insulted by these scoundrels, how could she endure it?
Of course, even without the insults, it made no difference.
They were all going to die anyway.
"Then I'll kill all of you and then slaughter your leader."
Her tone was as cold as frost, as if a chilling wind had swept through.
The deputy leader seemed taken aback by Qin Yiyao's audacious attitude, but then he slammed the hammer handle into the ground and shouted angrily, "Hmph! You, a mere Foundation Establishment level two girl, dare to spout such nonsense here! Get her! Capture her, and there will be a hefty reward!"
At his command, the lackeys instantly became excited, a dozen or so people rushing towards Qin Yiyao with loud cries.
"Courting death."
Qin Yiyao coldly rebuked, her wrist turning, and the Cold Moon Sword unsheathed, transforming into a shimmering silver moonlight!