C4 Du Siyu

Outside the door stood a youth with delicate, handsome features, a slender frame, and long, ink-black hair tied behind him, lending an air of nobility. Despite the plain, fitted clothes, they did little to conceal the subtle curves of his chest.

Gu Xiaoxing recognized at once that this was a woman disguised as a man, and notably, her forehead bore no trace of the parasitic Devouring Spirit Insect.

"Who's there?"

They sized each other up.

The moment the disguised woman caught Gu Xiaoxing's glance at her chest, her brows knit together, and a chill crept into her peach blossom eyes. "Are you the new disciple of the firewood yard?" she asked.

Despite her unfriendly demeanor, Gu Xiaoxing, being new, refrained from showing any irritation. He nodded and offered a sheepish smile, "I'm Gu Xiaoxing."

The woman, having seen both the glance and the sly smile that followed, felt even less fond of him. She spoke with an icy tone, "My name is Du. You may address me as Senior Brother Du. Now that you're part of the firewood yard, you're expected to abide by its rules. Focus on your cultivation and don't entertain any foolish notions."

With a flick of his wrist, Senior Brother Du sent a small booklet flying towards Gu Xiaoxing, landing squarely before him. Emblazoned on the cover in bold characters were the words "Firewood Yard Rules."

Gu Xiaoxing was momentarily at a loss for words. He was well-versed in the Devouring Spirit Sect's regulations and had committed most to memory. What was this additional set of 'firewood rules'?

"The firewood yard is just the two of us. Unless it's a matter of importance, do not disturb me needlessly," Senior Brother Du declared, and without waiting for a response, turned on his heel and departed.

Gu Xiaoxing, still wearing a polite smile, saw his new acquaintance off, only to discover that Senior Brother Du's quarters were right next door to his own.

Once back in his house and the door firmly shut, Gu Xiaoxing's expression soured as he grumbled, "What's with the attitude? Is it such a crime to take a second look? She acts as if I've committed some indecency. It's my first time seeing someone so unattractive. As if I'd be interested!"

Gu Xiaoxing's sense of beauty was heavily shaped by his upbringing in Blessing Village, where being plump was considered the epitome of attractiveness—a belief that was ingrained in him. To the rest of the world, Senior Brother Du might be in men's attire, but his striking figure and handsome features were undeniable. Yet, in Gu Xiaoxing's eyes, someone as slender as him was the pinnacle of ugliness.

As for looks, Gu Xiaoxing typically dismissed them with disdain, considering them as inconsequential as passing clouds, unworthy of his aesthetic consideration.

Privately, Gu Xiaoxing felt free to scorn, but suddenly, a piercing cold swept over him, transforming the room into what felt like a frozen cavern. An icy voice rang in his ears, "You... Say that again!"

Though it was just a voice, Gu Xiaoxing couldn't help but picture Senior Brother Du with a furious, teeth-clenched expression, sending a shiver down his spine.

Could he have heard that faint whisper?

Realizing the gravity of the situation, Gu Xiaoxing braced himself for a beating, knowing full well that excuses would be futile against such clear evidence.

To his surprise, Senior Brother Du didn't erupt in anger. Instead, he sounded intrigued, "You've reached the Qi Condensation First Layer?"

He noticed?

"Senior Brother Du, you have keen perception!" Gu Xiaoxing replied with utmost respect.

In the adjacent room, Senior Brother Du's gaze flickered with indecision. He was tempted to drag the insolent boy out and give him a good thrashing, but the fact that Gu Xiaoxing had achieved the Qi Condensation First Layer in a single day suggested the rumors might be true—perhaps he did have a connection with Taoist Bai, the Devouring Spirit Sect's Great Elder. This gave him pause.

With no further word from Senior Brother Du, Gu Xiaoxing remained still, feeling as though he was trapped in an ice pit, until finally, a cold snort broke the silence.

"Spew such nonsense again, and I'll chop you up like firewood."

And just like that, the chill vanished.

Gu Xiaoxing's tension melted away, nearly causing him to collapse with relief. He hadn't expected to dodge such a bullet. Quickly gathering his belongings, he bolted from the room, choosing a new dwelling as far from Senior Brother Du as possible, settling on opposite ends of the firewood yard.

After setting down her luggage, Gu Xiaoxing breathed a sigh of relief, thinking to herself that she must be out of earshot by now. Her attention then turned to the booklet outlining the firewood yard's rules. Not wanting to provoke further ire, she picked it up and started to read, but soon her frustration boiled over.

"These aren't rules; they're completely unreasonable demands!" she fumed.

"Not allowed to leave at night is one thing, but banned from using the bathhouse? Forced to figure out my own bathing arrangements outside the yard? And no access to the latrine? I'm expected to trek down the mountain to take care of business?"

Her anger flared even more. "The worst part is the ban on any odd noises—even farting is off-limits! Where's the justice? What about the law?"

"This is beyond the pale. You wouldn't even treat a dog this way!"

Gu Xiaoxing's rage was so intense that she even cursed herself in the process. As she scrutinized the long list of stipulations in the booklet and saw the name Du Siyu at the end, she realized these were her personal edicts.

"These aren't the firewood yard's rules; they're Du Siyu's own tyrannical commands!"

Gu Xiaoxing was itching to confront her and argue, but reason prevailed, reminding her that such an action would likely result in nothing more than a beating.

So, she held her tongue.

Later, Gu Xiaoxing followed the instructions in the book to refine the storage bag, marveling at its wonder. But her awe was cut short by Du Siyu's voice piercing the air once more.

"The sect didn't send you to the firewood yard for self-reflection. Get moving and chop the firewood!"

"Why are you yelling like that?"

The shout left Gu Xiaoxing with a throbbing headache. Rubbing her ears, she stepped outside, her mood sour.

Arriving at the center of the logging field, her dissatisfaction grew. She eyed the round logs lying nearby—each about twenty feet long and stacked neatly. Without hesitation, she attempted to lift one to start her work.

But as she exerted her strength, the log remained immovable. Instead, it was Gu Xiaoxing who felt herself sinking, her spirits plummeting along with her body.

After advancing to the Qi Condensation First Layer, Gu Xiaoxing's frame remained lean and gaunt, yet his strength was undeniably real. Lifting a thousand kilograms was typically no challenge for him, but in his haste, he couldn't even hoist this particular log.

He attempted once more, exerting all his might until his face turned a deep shade of red. Gu Xiaoxing estimated that this short log must weigh several thousand kilograms.

With a resounding thud, he set the log down and drew his axe, delivering a forceful chop to the wood. Despite the power behind the swing, the blade barely made a scratch, not even reaching the depth of half a fingernail.

Eyes bulging with disbelief, Gu Xiaoxing relentlessly swung the axe, hacking away nearly a hundred times until he was gasping for air and his hands throbbed with pain. Yet, he had only managed to make a notch about one-tenth of the way through the log.

"How long is this going to take?" Gu Xiaoxing lamented.

In the firewood yard, there were standards to adhere to: logs needed to be two feet long and a palm's width. To meet this requirement with the round log, it had to be split into ten sections, each further divided into four pieces.

One log would fill two baskets, and Gu Xiaoxing was tasked with splitting ten. An impossible feat, indeed!

"Fool!"

Du Siyu's voice rang out once more. Invisible, her voice boomed in Gu Xiaoxing's ears like thunder, laced with impatience. "You're a cultivator now; don't you know how to channel your cultivation?"

At her words, Gu Xiaoxing's eyes sparked with realization. Forgetting to grumble about her booming tone, he immediately began to circulate the spirit control spell. Spiritual energy surged from his brow into his body's meridians, making him feel lighter and significantly stronger. The energy continued down his arms and into the axe, which began to emit a soft luminescence, hinting at its latent sharpness.

It was then that Gu Xiaoxing understood—this was no ordinary axe.