Having studied for a hundred years, why do you call me the Martial Saint?

In the afternoon, outside the gate, on the Qing Shi Shan Road.

Gu Shuxian huffed and puffed as he carried two loads of firewood along the road. After walking for a while, he seemed to be unable to continue, so he put down the firewood and pretended to wipe his sweat.

This weight is nothing to him at present, but a questionable Meridian Opening Realm cultivator is nothing to the Suishan Sword Sect either.

Gu Shuxian found a rock to sit on and used the twenty coins in his pocket as a cushion.

The reason we only earned so much money today is because a menial disciple should act like a menial disciple.

If things go too strangely, an old man might suddenly spring out of the bushes, glaring angrily, and shout, "Boy, let me check your internal energy!"

Then it was discovered that his internal energy was the Vajra Internal Energy, which was specifically designed to counter the core mental techniques of the Suishan Sword Sect. Under questioning such as "Who sent you?" and "What is your purpose?", he was speechless.

A gust of wind blew by, and Gu Shuxian enjoyed a moment of peace, like a weary disciple doing odd jobs.

"Hah! Whew! I'm exhausted!"

Just then, a boy, not much older than him and clearly also a servant disciple, walked by carrying firewood. Seeing Gu Shuxian resting comfortably by the roadside, he also stopped to catch his breath.

"Brother, where are you delivering this firewood?" the other person asked after a short rest.

"The library, and you?" Gu Shuxian replied.

"The library? Tsk, you're really unlucky. That's the most remote place; you have to walk a long way!" The other person tried their best to move their facial muscles, but couldn't hide their gloating expression. Then, they said with a hint of pride, "Hehe, I'm different. I delivered this firewood to the inner sect!"

"That's great, you're lucky. So all you have to do is deliver it to the Imperial Household Department?"

Gu Shuxian showed an envious expression, without mentioning that he had volunteered to send it to the library.

"That's right, there are even internal affairs disciples taking over at Tingsong Pavilion halfway up the mountain, so it's easy!" the other person said smugly.

Indeed, happiness is built on the suffering of others.

The servant disciple, who had been exhausted and looked like he was about to die, was now breathing heavily and beaming with joy.

nerve!

Gu Shuxian's lips twitched, but in order to cooperate with the other party, he still had to pretend to look dejected.

Judging from the other party's apparent gloating and somewhat unethical behavior, he coughed lightly and said:

"Don't be too discouraged, brother. July is for firewood and August is for charcoal. Autumn is the busiest time for our firewood yard. Everyone has to take on multiple jobs. Things will be much easier after this period."

Gu Shuxian nodded in agreement.

After chatting for a few more minutes, they learned that the other person was Wei Youde from room number five.

"Alright, Brother Gu, let's finish this quickly so we can go practice at the training ground before it gets dark." Wei Youde patted his firewood.

The training ground he mentioned was a plaza reserved for miscellaneous disciples, where senior disciples from the outer sect would come every two weeks to explain the Sui Shan Jin technique.

After finishing their own work, the disciples could also go there to practice their skills.

After seeing Wei Youde off, Gu Shuxian also carried his load to his destination, the library.

About 15 minutes later.

Gu Shuxian's line of sight came into view a two-story wooden building with whitewashed exterior walls and vermilion painted doors and windows, which looked very exquisite.

However, Gu Shuxian, who had visited several times, knew that this was just a facade.

The Suishan Sword Sect was founded by its founder, Yang Qingfeng, twenty-seven years ago, and its foundation is not as strong as those centuries-old sects.

A library with few or no cultivation techniques is one indication of a lack of profound cultural foundation.

In an attempt to appear more impressive than it actually is, the library contains a plethora of strange and unusual books, including miscellaneous texts, military treatises, geographical records, and other oddities.

As a result, it's not easy to put the core techniques inside; instead, most of the techniques inside are second- or third-rate techniques that the major sects wouldn't consider.

Therefore, this library is exclusively for the use of outer disciples, although they don't really like to come here.

However, today is somewhat unusual.

Gu Shuxian, carrying his load, hadn't even gone inside when he heard voices coming from inside the wall.

"Junior Sister Liu, listen to your senior brother's advice. Life is limited and time is fleeting. For ordinary people, it is already difficult to master one martial art. If one has talent, it is icing on the cake to cultivate a complementary technique. But the Five Elements Mixed Yuan Technique is extremely difficult. Finding the technique, practicing it, and regulating one's internal energy are all problems. Moreover, the martial arts realm is more difficult than the next. You will only waste your time."

"Senior Brother Huang is right. I understand all these principles. I don't want to try the Five Elements Mixed Yuan Method. I just want to find a cultivation method that suits me. The triennial outer sect competition is coming soon. I want to give it my all. If I can be valued by a master and become an inner disciple..."

Gu Shuxian stopped eavesdropping and instead stepped into the library, which was quite inappropriate.

There is an old locust tree in the courtyard, with sparse branches and leaves.

Two people were standing under the locust tree.

The man was around twenty years old, wearing a dark blue cross-collar robe with silver-gray cloud patterns on the collar and cuffs. He had a dark leather belt around his waist with a palm-sized iron plaque hanging from it, on which was engraved a mountain peak.

With that kind of air, anyone in the martial arts world would immediately recognize him: "Wow, he's an inner disciple of the Suishan Sword Sect!"

Opposite the man was a girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old. Her features were delicate, but she wore an ordinary light gray, narrow-sleeved outfit. If you knew it, you would think it was the outer disciple's uniform of the Suishan Sword Sect; if you didn't, you would think it was the clothing of some martial arts school.

Even in this shabby state, it's still better than the menial disciples, whose coarse linen clothes aren't even made to match the style.

The two noticed Gu Shuxian, the uninvited guest.

The girl glanced at him curiously and, seeing that the servant had a rather effeminate appearance, couldn't help but stare at him a few more times.

The senior brother Huang glanced at it casually and said in a flat tone, "Send the firewood to the woodshed."

He pointed casually and then stopped looking at him.

He then continued his conversation with that junior sister Liu.

Gu Shuxian remained silent, head bowed, and followed the direction pointed out by Senior Brother Huang, bypassing the front yard and entering the woodshed at the back.

The woodshed wasn't big, but it was half full of dry firewood.

Gu Shuxian unloaded the firewood but didn't leave immediately.

He carefully stacked the firewood piece by piece, moving slowly and deliberately, while listening intently to any sounds outside.

"Since that's the case... then..."

"Thank you, senior brother..."

The conversation outside faded away, footsteps receded into the distance, and the sound of the outer gate girl leaving could be heard.

He then dusted off the sawdust from his hands and walked back to the front yard at a leisurely pace.

Under the locust tree in the courtyard, Senior Brother Huang stood with his hands behind his back, watching the departing figure of the outer sect girl, clicking his tongue in amazement:

"This Junior Sister Liu is truly wealthy. I wonder which rich man's daughter she is. She spent so many contribution points just to find a cultivation method suitable for her physique. There are still five months until the outer sect competition. If she wants to catch up, the cost of medicinal herbs will be enormous. Tsk tsk tsk..."

The contribution point system is exclusive to outer sect members and has nothing to do with inner sect members or servants. Contribution points can be accumulated through sect missions or purchased with real money.

"According to what you're saying, senior brother, this physique can also affect the cultivation speed of different attribute internal skills?"

Gu Shuxian stepped forward and asked curiously.

"That's natural. Wood, fire, earth, metal, and water; liver, heart, spleen, lungs, and kidneys—the five internal organs are endowed with different constitutions, so the five elements in the body will be either too strong or too weak," Senior Brother Huang replied casually.

"For example, those with abundant wood energy can progress rapidly in the Purple Cloud Technique, but if they practice the Vajra Inner Strength, it's like using a dull knife to chop stone—laborious and unrewarding. Or, for example, those with purplish lips and a damaged heart can be... well, you know..."

"Tsk, why are you asking so many questions, you menial disciple?"

Senior Brother Huang glared at him.