Chapter 141: A Magical Birthday

Achieving mastery in swordsmanship is not merely an enhancement of sword techniques; it also signifies an elevation in combat reflexes and adaptability, a deeper comprehension of combat, a more precise grasp of tactical opportunities, and the further unleashing of a sword’s inherent power.

To summarize simply, reaching mastery in swordsmanship is equivalent to a breakthrough in martial arts realms!

Generally speaking, only martial grandmasters are able to cultivate martial arts techniques to the realm of mastery. Of course, this is not absolute.

There are always geniuses capable of accomplishing the seemingly impossible. Just like Song Mingyue’s Nine Transformations of the White Serpent, which is already approaching the realm of mastery.

The Nine Transformations of the White Serpent is not just a martial technique; it is a foundational cultivation secret art, much like his own Nine Styles of the Dragon Form.

If Song Mingyue manages to cultivate the Nine Transformations of the White Serpent to mastery, she will inevitably condense a second acupoint, or even a third.

Song Mingyue’s spiritual power is already formidable, and relying on her spiritual telekinesis, she had previously unlocked the acupoint between her eyebrows. However, this is distinct from condensing acupoints through the Nine Transformations of the White Serpent...

Having entered Lu Yuan’s tutelage, Song Mingyue’s cultivation has progressed by leaps and bounds over the past few days, and reaching the realm of mastery is just around the corner.

Gao Wu felt a slight trace of envy at this. If he could cultivate the Nine Styles of the Dragon Form to mastery, he would advance directly to an advanced martialist.

Based on his experience, a martial grandmaster's stats in strength and agility are around fifteen points. Raising these two foundational stats by just another two points would make advancing to a grandmaster quite achievable.

Unfortunately, although the Nine Styles of the Dragon Form looked just a hair's breadth away from mastery, that tiny gap was far more distant than Gao Wu had imagined.

Fortunately, with his swordsmanship leveling up, combined with the Mandated Sword, his swordsmanship had reached the realm of ultimate mastery, roughly equivalent to the level of a martial arts master.

Difficult as the Nine Limits of the Heavenly Ultimate may be, that applies primarily to ordinary martialists.

With the Mandated Sword in hand, Gao Wu’s combat techniques had already surpassed the giant tiger of the eighth trial, and relying on the eighth-layer burst of the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation, his source energy level also outmatched that of the giant tiger.

After a few rounds of probing, Gao Wu seized the opportunity when the giant tiger opened its mouth to pounce, thrusting his sword straight into its maw and dispatching the beast.

Mainly because his swordsmanship had entered the ultimate realm, looking at the giant tiger now revealed its movements to be simple and crude. Under the same level of source energy, as long as a martial artist wielded a divine weapon, killing the giant tiger was really not all that difficult.

By the ninth trial, however, the situation changed completely.

The tiger remained the same tiger, but with a twenty percent increase across the board in source energy, speed, strength, and armor, this creature became terrifyingly formidable.

Gao Wu tried unleashing the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation at full power; tripling his source energy brought him roughly on par with the giant tiger, but the problem was that the giant tiger of the final stage possessed an additional divine ability: the Tiger Roar Thunder Sound Bullet.

Well, that was the name Yang Tieflin had given him.

The Tiger Roar Thunder Sound Bullet sounded very imposing by name, and looked even more imposing when unleashed.

The giant tiger let out a roar, and its sonic waves, condensed by source energy, transformed into a blue light pellet the size of a basketball, possessing exceptionally destructive power.

Gao Wu guessed that converting source energy into a sonic energy bullet might be a special state, amplifying the power by threefold compared to ordinary source energy deployment.

His source energy level in his burst state matched the giant tiger, and his swordsmanship far surpassed it, yet he still could not block the Tiger Roar Thunder Sound Bullet.

Fortunately, the thunder sound bullet traveled only at the speed of sound, which wasn't overwhelmingly fast. Furthermore, its activation had an obvious precursor—or rather, a skill wind-up—making it not too difficult to dodge.

However, the Tiger Roar Thunder Sound Bullet effectively covered the weakness of the giant tiger opening its mouth.

To kill the giant tiger, one either had to strike its blind spot from behind or forcibly shatter its armor. Both options were exceedingly difficult.

Fortunately, Gao Wu’s swordsmanship had achieved great success, and with the Mandated Sword in hand, he could maneuver against the giant tiger even without triggering the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation.

After fighting passionately with the giant tiger dozens of times, with an average battle duration of two minutes, it mysteriously coincided with a certain mystic law...

Mainly because, although the giant tiger was restricted in various ways, its endurance was nearly infinite. Gao Wu, however, could not match this; even without fighting at full output, such intense combat could only be sustained for two to three minutes.

After more than three hours of probing, Gao Wu eventually found a few openings. If he utilized his Yin Spirit, he would have a sixty percent chance of slaying the giant tiger.

However, Gao Wu was in no rush to clear the trial.

The Nine Limits of the Heavenly Ultimate were ingeniously designed; the giant tiger in each stage corresponded to a different state, making it exceptionally well-suited for him to hone his martial arts techniques.

Above all, the secret realm was sealed off, the giant tiger neither recorded combat data nor spoke to leak secrets.

Unleashing the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation or dividing his Yin Spirit to wield the sword were all his secrets. They were not suitable for sparring with others.

It was already four o'clock in the afternoon. Gao Wu packed his bag and stepped out of the Nine Limits of the Heavenly Ultimate secret realm.

Seeing Gao Wu emerge so early, Yang Tieflin looked somewhat surprised. "So early today?"

"I have a few things to attend to today."

Gao Wu greeted him, "Uncle Yang, I'll take my leave first. Are you free tomorrow night? Let's go grab a drink."

Yang Tieflin smiled. "Sure, I don't have much going on anyway."

It wasn't that he was deliberately trying to cozy up to Gao Wu; rather, given his status, finding someone to drink and relax with comfortably was no easy task.

Those stronger than him made him feel oppressed when interacting with them; those weaker always tried to butter him up and take advantage of him. Peers and old acquaintances were worldly and cynical, and anything they could talk about had already been discussed eight hundred times over, making it dreadfully dull to listen to.

Despite Gao Wu's youth, he was knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely entertaining—a trait that was particularly rare. He made for a fine drinking companion...

Returning to Building 18, Song Mingyue was already waiting for him in the living room.

Today, Song Mingyue wore an understated beige pleated dress with wide sleeves made of a cotton-linen blend, paired with a Chinese-style white inner shirt, loose black trousers, and white cloth shoes.

Her attire was casual and refreshing, carrying an ethereal, Chinese-style aesthetic. Combined with her sharp, delicate short hair and sunglasses, it also radiated a modern, fashionable vibe.

Ever since becoming an apprentice, Song Mingyue had worn training clothes every single day; this was the first time she had dressed up so meticulously.

"You look very pretty today!" Gao Wu praised her sincerely.

Song Mingyue nodded slightly. "Since we're celebrating your birthday tonight, I should at least dress a bit more nicely."

Coming from a prominent family background, Song Mingyue always dressed up properly when attending formal occasions such as banquets. It wasn't just to look good for herself, but also out of respect for others.

This was the most basic etiquette expected of children from distinguished families.

Gao Wu lacked such awareness; he figured tonight’s gathering only involved Sister Jun, Hongying, and little Song—all of them close insiders—so there was no need to make any deliberate preparations.

Seeing Song Mingyue take the matter so seriously, Gao Wu returned to his room to shower and changed into a fresh white short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and white sneakers.

After tidying his bangs slightly in the mirror, Gao Wu felt quite satisfied with his image.

As long as one is clean and neat, a handsome person looks good in anything!

At five-thirty, Zhou Hongying drove up in her compact car to pick them up.

Today, Shang Qingjun wore an understated long dress, while Zhou Hongying sported loose shorts and a short-sleeved top with an asymmetrical, slanted neckline that exposed her smooth left shoulder and lovely collarbones.

As the slanted rays of the setting sun hit them, Zhou Hongying's skin flashed with a radiant whiteness. Sitting in the back, Gao Wu could not help taking a few extra glances; it was undeniably a pleasing sight.

Song Mingyue, sitting beside him, noticed Gao Wu's little movement, but she paid it no mind. All men liked beautiful women; one who didn't would surely be abnormal.

Shang Qingjun had reserved a private room at Jinhua Garden and had even ordered a birthday cake for Gao Wu.

During dinner, the staff wheeled out a three-tier birthday cake, leaving Gao Wu pleasantly surprised. "You've gone to too much trouble!"

"It's your eighteenth birthday, coming of age, so it ought to be a bit more formal." As Shang Qingjun spoke, she handed Gao Wu a packaged gift box. "Xiaowu, happy birthday!"

Zhou Hongying also hurried over to hand Gao Wu a gift box. She proactively embraced him and planted a bold kiss right on his cheek. "Happy birthday! May your ambitions soar and may you conquer the world from this day forward!"

Gao Wu suppressed the urge to return the gesture; one couldn't just mess around with things like this.

Song Mingyue also said softly, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you, thank you," Gao Wu said with a beaming smile, expressing his gratitude to the beauties.

The alloy bracelet gifted by Shang Qingjun had a built-in electronic sensor, characterized by being exceptionally sturdy, durable, waterproof, shockproof, and rumored to even be bulletproof...

The bracelet's exterior was designed with clean lines and looked quite stylish. Gao Wu liked it quite a lot; this kind of bracelet was tailor-made for advanced martial artists, allowing them to wear it during combat to record bodily data, making it genuinely useful.

It must have cost upwards of a hundred thousand, making it quite expensive. The belt gifted by Zhou Hongying featured a stylish platinum buckle from a major luxury brand, and its price certainly wouldn't be low either.

The large cake was massive; the three beauties only took small bites, while the rest was devoured entirely by Gao Wu. High sugar and high fat—his absolute favorites.

The four of them drank a little wine, and Zhou Hongying suggested going to karaoke. Shang Qingjun agreed, and Song Mingyue raised no objections.

Gao Wu didn't particularly care one way or the other, but seeing the high spirits of the beauties, he happily accompanied them along.

Finding a karaoke lounge, the four of them sang songs and played games, having a wonderful time. Even Song Mingyue grew somewhat excited, playing with great immersion...

Relaxed and cheerful, Song Mingyue rarely displayed this side of herself, and Gao Wu was delighted to see it. Constantly practicing martial arts day in and day out was unhealthy; everyone needed time to relax and adjust their emotions.

Playing until eleven o'clock, the four of them finally hailed a cab back to the academy.

Returning to Building 18, Gao Wu and Song Mingyue both went back to their respective rooms to change clothes before meeting up in the martial arts hall.

Playtime was playtime, but their daily homework could not be neglected.

The two began with a fist-technique sparring session.

Song Mingyue guided her source energy day and night using spiritual telekinesis to temper her body; her physical strength fell far short of Gao Wu's, but her agility and strength were not too far behind, and her comprehension of martial arts techniques far surpassed his, making her more than qualified to be his opponent.

Even though Gao Wu's cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few days, Song Mingyue's mobilization of her spiritual telekinesis was enough to fight him to a standstill.

Following routine, after finishing their fist and foot training, the two engaged in spiritual resonance to hone their spiritual power.

Gao Wu suddenly looked at Song Mingyue and asked, "Where is your birthday gift for me?"

Song Mingyue hesitated slightly. "I've been busy with cultivation these past few days and didn't prepare one..."

She had actually thought about the matter, but because she was so close to Gao Wu, she instead found herself at a loss for what gift to buy.

"How about this, kiss me once and consider that the birthday gift," Gao Wu said generously.

Song Mingyue glanced at Gao Wu. After all that build-up, he just wanted her to give him a kiss. She thought for a moment and leaned in, intending to peck him on the cheek, but Gao Wu suddenly turned his head so their lips met.

Startled, she froze instantly, staring blankly as he kissed her.

Actually, there wasn't any extraordinary sensation, but this intimate gesture shattered a certain barrier deep within her heart. She felt immensely flustered, overjoyed, and somewhat dazed all at once—a complex mixture of feelings she couldn't quite articulate...

Gao Wu sensed that Song Mingyue’s emotions were in complete disarray, to the point where the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent condensed from her spiritual telekinesis was slipping out of control. He immediately catalyzed the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation and pressed a finger against the center of Song Mingyue's brows.

The spiritual light transformed by the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation pierced directly and forcefully into the center of Song Mingyue’s brows, landing squarely upon the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent.

Stimulated, Song Mingyue instinctively tightened her spiritual power, but the dense vitality transformed by the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation merged together with the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent. Thanks to their daily spiritual resonance, the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent was already exceptionally familiar with this special energy.

The Netherworld Heavenly Serpent was already on the verge of transformation; stimulated thus, the white serpent's body stretched out, naturally guiding the source energy within Song Mingyue's body to converge. First, it condensed an acupoint at her chest, and immediately after, the white serpent between her brows also transformed into a gigantic acupoint.

Sensing the changes in the two acupoints, Song Mingyue naturally circulated the secret arts of the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent to run her source energy, consolidating and strengthening the acupoints...

Gao Wu also breathed a sigh of relief. Last time he teased Song Mingyue, he had noticed that her emotional fluctuations were closely linked to the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent.

Seeing that Song Mingyue was on the brink of transformation and upgrading, he had seized the opportunity to stimulate her. This trick had indeed proven effective, allowing Song Mingyue to take a substantive step forward.

Only, the fact that Song Mingyue could consecutively condense two acupoints exceeded Gao Wu's expectations.

With a touch of emotion, he muttered to himself, "There are always stories about youths awakening magical abilities on their eighteenth birthday.

"I've always wondered why it has to be the eighteenth birthday? Is there a monitoring device inside a teenager's body calculating the time so it happens without missing a single day, or is there a specific cell that requires turning eighteen to activate?

"Or perhaps there is a god in charge of eighteenth-birthday awakenings!"

"No matter how you look at it, for the awakening time to be this precise is terrifying to contemplate!"

"Originally, I had some expectations for my birthday today, but I never expected that my eighteenth birthday would end up being traded for you awakening and advancing!"

Muttering to himself, Gao Wu reached out and stroked little Song's soft, smooth cheek. He whispered softly, "What, are you the female protagonist of my story?"

Deep in meditation and refining her acupoints, Song Mingyue could neither hear Gao Wu's words nor sense his playful little gesture, naturally offering no response whatsoever.

Watching Song Mingyue sitting cross-legged with her eyes closed, Gao Wu couldn't resist the urge to mischievously reach out and flick little Song's lower lip—the kind of childish little game he used to play back in elementary school.

The young girl showed no reaction at all, which was somewhat boring.

Looking at the young girl's pink lips, another thought popped into Gao Wu's mind, which he immediately suppressed. He wasn't that kind of person! If he was going to kiss her, he'd do it fair and square...

However, the chilling, deathly silence aura surrounding Song Mingyue grew increasingly intense, turning her entire body as cold and still as an ice sculpture, devoid of any trace of vitality.

Gao Wu felt that something was amiss. The deathly silence qi of the Netherworld Heavenly Serpent was extremely troublesome; if all of it erupted at