Gao Wu insists on cultivating immortality.

Chapter 141 A Magical Birthday

Mastering swordsmanship is not merely an improvement in swordsmanship skills; it also signifies an enhanced ability to react swiftly and adaptably in the face of an enemy, a deeper understanding of combat, a greater capacity to seize opportunities, and the ability to unleash the full power of the sword…

In short, mastering swordsmanship is equivalent to advancing one's martial arts realm!
Generally speaking, only martial arts masters can cultivate martial arts skills to a high level of mastery. Of course, this is not absolute.

There are always some geniuses who can do what others cannot. Just like Song Mingyue's Nine Transformations of the White Snake, which is already close to mastery.

The Nine Transformations of the White Snake is not a martial arts technique, but rather a fundamental cultivation secret method, just like his Nine Forms of the Dragon.

If Song Mingyue can cultivate the Nine Transformations of the White Snake to the highest level, she will surely be able to condense a second acupoint, and even a third acupoint.

Song Mingyue already possessed powerful mental strength, and through her mental power, she had already opened the acupoint between her eyebrows. However, this was different from the White Snake's Nine Transformations method of condensing acupoints...

Having become Lu Yuan's disciple, Song Mingyue's cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past few days, and reaching the Great Perfection realm is just around the corner.

Gao Wu was somewhat envious of this. If he could master the Nine Forms of the Dragon, he could directly advance to the rank of advanced warrior.

Based on his experience, a martial arts master's strength and agility are around fifteen points. If these two basic stats are increased by two points, advancing to the martial arts master level won't be difficult.

Unfortunately, the Nine Forms of the Dragon look a little short of being perfected, but that short distance is much farther than Gao Wu imagined.

Fortunately, his swordsmanship improved, and with the addition of the Heavenly Fate Sword, his swordsmanship reached a state of perfection, roughly equivalent to reaching the level of a martial arts master.

Although the Nine Limits of Heaven are difficult, they are only for warriors.

With the Heavenly Destiny Sword in hand, Gao Wu's combat skills have surpassed those of the eighth-level Giant Tiger. Relying on the eighth-level burst of the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Curse, his source power also surpasses that of the eighth-level Giant Tiger.

After several rounds of probing, Gao Wu seized the opportunity when the giant tiger opened its mouth to pounce, and with a single sword thrust, he killed the tiger.

The main reason is that the swordsmanship has reached a state of perfection. Looking at the giant tiger, you can see that its movements are simple and crude. At the same level of source power, as long as the martial artist has a divine weapon, it is not difficult to kill the giant tiger.

By the ninth level, the situation had completely changed.

The tiger is still the same tiger, but its source power, speed, strength, and armor have all increased by 20%, making it extremely terrifying.

Gao Wu tried to unleash the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Curse with all his might, and even with three times the source power, he was only at the same level as the giant tiger. The problem was that the giant tiger had an additional supernatural power in the final level: Tiger Roar Thunder Sound Bullet.

Yes, Yang Tielin told him this name.

The name "Tiger's Roar and Thunderous Sound" sounds impressive, and its release is even more impressive.

The giant tiger roared, and the sound waves, condensed by the source energy, transformed into a blue light bullet the size of a basketball, with extraordinary power.

Gao Wu guessed that the source energy conversion into sonic bullets might be a special state, where the same source energy would generate three times the power.

In his burst state, his source energy level was comparable to that of the giant tiger, and his swordsmanship was far superior to that of the giant tiger, yet he could not withstand the Tiger Roar Thunderclap.

Fortunately, the Thunder Sonic Bullet travels at the speed of sound, so it's not particularly fast. It also has a clear warning sign before activation, or rather, a skill animation, making it relatively easy to dodge.

However, the Tiger's Roar Thunder Bomb compensated for the opening of the giant tiger's mouth.

To kill the giant tiger, you either need to go through the back door or forcibly break through its armor. Both are extremely difficult.

Fortunately, Gao Wu's swordsmanship was highly skilled, and with the Heavenly Fate Sword in hand, he could hold his own against the giant tiger even without unleashing the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Curse.

I fought the giant tiger dozens of times, with each battle lasting an average of two minutes, seemingly in accordance with some mysterious law...

The main reason is that while the giant tiger has limitations in many aspects, its stamina is almost inexhaustible. Gao Wu, on the other hand, can only maintain his strength for two or three minutes even without going all out in such an intense battle.

After more than three hours of probing, Gao Wu finally found some opportunities. If he used Yin Shen, he had a 60% chance of killing the giant tiger.

However, Gao Wu was not in a hurry to clear the level.

The Nine Limits of Heaven are cleverly designed, with each level featuring a giant tiger in a different state, making it perfect for him to hone his martial arts skills.

The main reason is that the secret realm is sealed off, and the giant tiger will not record the battle, much less speak to reveal secrets.

His secrets include unleashing the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Curse and splitting his Yin Spirit to control the sword. He's not suited for sparring with others.

It was already four o'clock in the afternoon when Gao Wu packed his backpack and left the Heavenly Limit Nine Secret Realm.

Yang Tielin was a little surprised to see Gao Wu come out so early. "So early today?"

"I have something to do today."

Gao Wu said, "Uncle Yang, I'll be going now. How about we go for a drink tomorrow night if you're free?"

Yang Tielin smiled and said, "Sure, I'm fine anyway."

He didn't intentionally want to befriend Gao Wu; it's just that at his level, it's not easy to find someone to drink with without worry.

Being around people who are more capable than him is stifling, while those who are less capable are always trying to please him and take advantage of him. His peers and acquaintances are greasy and mercenary, and they've talked about the same things a million times, so it's all boring.

Don't let Gao Wu's youth fool you; he's knowledgeable, a great conversationalist, and very interesting—a rare find indeed. He'd make a good drinking buddy…

When Gao Wu returned to Building 18, Song Mingyue was already waiting for him in the living room.

Today, Song Mingyue wore a simple beige pleated cotton-linen blend wide-sleeved top, over a white Chinese-style shirt, black loose trousers, and white cloth shoes.

Her outfit is casual and refreshing, yet possesses a flowing, traditional Chinese aesthetic. Combined with her neat, short hair and sunglasses, it also exudes a modern and fashionable vibe.

Since becoming an apprentice, Song Mingyue has always worn her training clothes, and this is the first time she has dressed up so elegantly.

"You look beautiful today!" Gao Wu praised sincerely.

Song Mingyue nodded slightly: "I should dress up nicely for your birthday celebration tonight."

Song Mingyue, who comes from a respectable family, always dresses up nicely for formal occasions such as banquets. This is not only for her own appearance, but also out of respect for others.

This is also the most basic quality that everyone's children should have.

Gao Wu didn't have this awareness. He felt that it was just Sister Jun, Hong Ying, and Xiao Song, all his own people, so there was no need to make any special preparations.

Seeing Song Mingyue taking it so seriously, Gao Wu also went back to his room to take a shower and changed into a new white short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and white shoes.

After tidying up his bangs in front of the mirror, Gao Wu was quite satisfied with his appearance.

As long as you're clean and tidy, a handsome person will look good in anything!
At 5:30, Zhou Hongying drove up to pick her up.

Today, Shang Qingjun wore an elegant long dress, while Zhou Hongying wore a loose short-sleeved shirt and shorts. The asymmetrical off-shoulder neckline of the short-sleeved shirt revealed her smooth left shoulder and beautiful collarbone.

As the setting sun shone down, Zhou Hongying's white skin shimmered. Gao Wu, sitting behind her, couldn't help but take a second look; she was indeed a sight to behold.

Song Mingyue, standing nearby, noticed Gao Wu's subtle movements, but she didn't seem to care. All men like beautiful women; it would be abnormal if they didn't.

Shang Qingjun booked a private room at Jinhua Garden and also ordered a birthday cake for Gao Wu.

During the meal, the waiter brought out a three-tiered birthday cake, which surprised Gao Wu greatly. "That's too much!"

"It's your eighteenth birthday, so let's make it a bit more formal." Shang Qingjun said, handing Gao Wu a wrapped gift box. "Happy birthday, Xiao Wu!"

Zhou Hongying also came over and handed Gao Wu a gift box. She hugged Gao Wu and gave him a kiss on the cheek: "Happy birthday, may you achieve great things and dominate the world!"

Gao Wu suppressed the urge to return the gift; he couldn't afford to do that. Song Mingyue also said softly, "Happy birthday."

"Thank you, thank you." Gao Wu smiled and expressed his gratitude to the beautiful women.

The alloy bracelet that Shang Qingjun gave him has a built-in electronic sensor. Its features include being sturdy, durable, waterproof, and shockproof. It's even said to be bulletproof...

The bracelet has a simple design and looks quite nice. Gao Wu likes it quite a bit. This kind of bracelet is specially prepared for advanced martial artists. It can be worn during combat to record some physical data, so it does have some uses.

The price should be over 100,000 yuan, which is quite expensive. Zhou Hongying gave her a belt with a very fashionable platinum buckle. It's from a major luxury brand, and the price wouldn't be cheap.

The cake was huge; the three beauties each took a bite, but Gao Wu ate the rest. He loved anything high in sugar and oil.

The four of them had a few drinks, and Zhou Hongying suggested going to sing karaoke. Shang Qingjun agreed, and Song Mingyue did not object.

Gao Wu didn't really care about it; seeing that the beautiful women were in high spirits, he just joined them.

They found a karaoke room, and the four of them sang and played games, having a great time. Song Mingyue was especially excited and really got into it…

Song Mingyue was relaxed and cheerful. Gao Wu rarely saw her in this state, and he was very happy. Practicing martial arts all day long is not good; people need to relax and adjust their emotions.

They played until 11 o'clock before taking a taxi back to school.

Back at Building 18, Gao Wu and Song Mingyue changed their clothes before meeting up in the training hall.

Play is fun, but daily homework must not be neglected.

The two first practiced their boxing techniques.

Song Mingyue uses her mental power to guide the source energy to temper her body day and night. Although her physical strength is far inferior to that of a high-level martial artist, she is not much different in terms of agility and strength. Moreover, her understanding of martial arts techniques is far superior to that of a high-level martial artist, making her a worthy opponent for such an artist.

Even though Gao Wu's cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds in the past few days, Song Mingyue's mental power is enough to make her fight Gao Wu to a standstill.

As is customary, after practicing their fist and foot techniques, the two would engage in a spiritual resonance session to hone their mental strength.

Gao Wu suddenly looked at Song Mingyue and said, "Where's your birthday present?"

Song Mingyue hesitated for a moment: "I've been busy cultivating these past few days and haven't prepared anything..."

She had actually thought about it, but because she was so close to Gao Wu, she couldn't think of what gift to buy.

"How about this, a kiss will be your birthday present," Gao Wu said generously.

Song Mingyue glanced at Gao Wu. He'd said so much just to get a kiss from her. She thought for a moment and leaned in to kiss him on the cheek, but Gao Wu suddenly brought his lips close to hers.

She was startled and froze, staring straight at Gao Wu as he kissed her.

Actually, she didn't feel anything in particular, but this intimate gesture broke down some kind of barrier in her heart. She felt very flustered, very happy, and somewhat confused. All sorts of feelings were mixed and complicated, and she couldn't explain them clearly...

Gao Wu sensed that Song Mingyue's emotions were in complete disarray, to the point that even the Frost Serpent formed from her spiritual power was somewhat out of control. He activated the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation and pointed it at Song Mingyue's brow.

The spiritual light transformed from the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra entered Song Mingyue's brow in the most direct and brutal way, landing on the Cold Netherworld Serpent.

Stimulated, Song Mingyue instinctively tightened her mental power, but the dense vitality transformed from the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Curse converged with the Frost Nether Serpent. This was because the two had been in a mental resonance every day, and the Frost Nether Serpent was already extremely familiar with this special power.

The Frost Serpent was already on the verge of transformation. Stimulated by this, the white serpent stretched out its body, naturally guiding the source energy within Song Mingyue's body to gather. First, it condensed an acupoint in her heart, and then the white serpent between her eyebrows also transformed into a huge acupoint.

Song Mingyue sensed the changes in the two acupoints, and she naturally activated the Cold Nether Heavenly Serpent Secret Technique to circulate her source energy and strengthen the acupoints...

Gao Wu also breathed a sigh of relief. Last time he teased Song Mingyue, he noticed that Song Mingyue's emotional changes were closely related to the Cold Nether Serpent.

Seeing that Song Mingyue was on the verge of transformation and upgrading, he took the opportunity to provoke her. This move worked and made Song Mingyue take a substantial step forward.

However, Song Mingyue's ability to condense two acupoints in succession was somewhat beyond Gao Wu's expectations.

He murmured to himself with some emotion, "There are always stories about how a boy awakens a magical ability on his eighteenth birthday."

"I've been wondering why it has to be the eighteenth birthday. Is there some kind of monitoring device inside the boy's body that calculates the time so that it's accurate to the last day? Or is it that a certain cell needs to be eighteen years old to be activated?"

"Or there might be a god who governs the awakening on the eighteenth birthday!"

"No matter how you look at it, the timing of the awakening is so precise, it's terrifying to think about!"

"I was actually looking forward to my birthday today, but I never expected that my eighteenth birthday would be spent with you awakening and advancing!"

Gao Wu muttered to himself as he reached out and touched Xiao Song's soft, smooth cheek. He said softly, "What, are you the heroine of my story?"

Song Mingyue, who was meditating and refining her acupoints, could neither hear Gao Wu's words nor sense his subtle movements, so naturally she did not respond.

Looking at Song Mingyue, who was meditating with her eyes closed, Gao Wu couldn't resist reaching out and gently touching her lower lip. He used to play this childish game often when he was in elementary school.

The girl didn't react at all, which was rather boring.

Looking at the girl's pink lips, Gao Wu had another thought, but he quickly suppressed it. He wasn't that kind of person! If he were to kiss, it would be openly and honestly...

However, the chilling stillness surrounding Song Mingyue grew stronger and stronger, and she became like an ice statue, completely devoid of any life.

Gao Wu sensed something was wrong. The deathly aura of the Frost Serpent was the most troublesome, and its full eruption was not good for Song Mingyue.

He channeled his spiritual power to resonate with Song Mingyue, and Song Mingyue did not reject the spiritual resonance. Instead, she took the initiative to open her spiritual world and guide his spiritual power in.

Through the connection of spiritual resonance, Gao Wu "saw" the intricate and exquisite changes in Song Mingyue's source energy, and saw that her Frost Netherworld Serpent was undergoing a metamorphosis.

The crystal-like serpent grew even larger and more mysterious, its chilling aura intensifying.

The Frost Serpent is actually a manifestation of Song Mingyue's spiritual power, showcasing the characteristics of her mental strength.

The Frosty Heavenly Serpent exudes an aura of icy desolation, which has greatly influenced Song Mingyue's personality.

If this continues, the stronger Song Mingyue becomes, the weaker her feelings will become. This is not a good thing.

With a thought, Gao Wu activated the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Incantation. The azure celestial dragon and the Frost Netherworld Serpent danced together, their boundless vitality neutralizing the deathly aura of the Frost Netherworld Serpent.

Song Mingyue sensed the positive changes in the Frost Serpent and was delighted. She took the opportunity to guide the Azure Dragon's spiritual light into the acupoints between her eyebrows and her heart.

The Frost Serpent, which was undergoing the most crucial stage of its transformation, also had its foundation altered by the Azure Dragon's life force. The Frost Serpent's energy intensified, while the Deathly Stillness dissipated.

These changes were not found in the cultivation method of the Frost Serpent. Song Mingyue took advantage of the situation to eliminate the biggest hidden danger of the Frost Serpent, thus laying a solid foundation for her martial arts.

Gao Wu also realized this, so he added six Azure Dragon Divine Qi spells to Song Mingyue. This time, Song Mingyue's complexion was rosier, and when she circulated her source power, there was no longer that heart-palpitating deathly aura.

Sensing that Song Mingyue had entered a positive cycle, Gao Wu breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, he was also somewhat envious of Song Mingyue's martial arts talent.

During the crucial stage of condensing acupoints, he was able to adapt to changing the fundamental nature of the Frost Netherworld Serpent. This was not a matter of luck or a sudden inspiration.

Rather, it is because he has an exceptionally profound understanding of the Frost Nether Serpent that he can make changes at crucial moments without damaging the foundation of his own cultivation.

"This must be what they call martial arts talent!" Gao Wu was feeling emotional when the Book of Boundless Merit suddenly appeared before his eyes, and the ancient book slowly opened.

"Wow, this works!" Gao Wu was both surprised and delighted, his eyes wide as he stared at the changes in the Book of Boundless Merit before him...

(End of this chapter)