The Attack of the Wastrel

Later that night, while Gu Lingzhi was asleep, someone came from the backyard and took Cui Lian away.

Gu Lingzhi tossed around in her bed, her mouth bore a slight smile. 

She thought to herself, Go ahead and interrogate her. The more questions you ask and the more you suspect, the easier it is for me to get my revenge.

The second day, Cui Lian helped Gu Lingzhi with her morning routine. When Gu Lingzhi was about to leave, Cui Lian asked hesitantly, "First Mistress, aren't you going to ask me what Mistress Lin interrogated me about last night?" 

Gu Lingzhi did not even turn her head and responded lightly, "I believe you are smart and won't take your life as a joke." Lingzhi left after this comment.

Cui Lian laughed bitterly as she watched Gu Lingzhi leave, unable to deny that First Mistress was much more remarkable than Second Mistress now. Based on her calmness and composure alone, it was not something that the impatient and hasty Linglong could match up to.

When her life was threatened by Gu Lingzhi, indeed she did not dare to say a thing, never mind the fact that the Gu Lingzhi today showed unlimited future potential. 

At this moment, she came up with an idea.

Now, Gu Lingzhi did not have anyone reliable by her side, if Cui Lian could become Lingzhi's first confidant, then there was a high chance that she would be acknowledged by others. 

An advanced Medicinal Cultivator was much more valuable than an advanced Martial Artist.

Cui Lian was not the slightest bit worried that Gu Lingzhi would be like what Gu Linglong had said and only had Spiritual Roots but lacked the aptitude. In contrast, she knew that Gu Lingzhi's magical aptitude was extraordinary. With only a bit of training, Lingzhi had already become a Level Three Martial Student.

To think Gu Linglong had trained for one or two years? Gu Lingzhi only took a few days!

However, Cui Lian was still Lin Yue-er's confidant. Would Gu Lingzhi be able to accept her loyalty?

While walking towards the Gu Family's Hidden Library, Gu Lingzhi had no idea  Cui Lian's thoughts have changed, but even if she knew, she would have just laughed it off.

She would never forget how Cui Lian plotted against her and allowed Lin Yue-er to control her. Furthermore, she would never want a servant who can betray her mistress so easily.

The Gu family's library was near the Training Grounds. Gu Lingzhi had not been here since her previous life.

Looking at the building, her heart was full of sorrow. In her past life, this was where she had always dreamed of going, and now, standing at the entrance, she did not feel even a hint of excitement. 

Her ability to time travel, however, could never be exposed. One person's talent will arouse the envy of others, and she had learnt this from her past life.

She spent almost half an hour on the first floor of the library, picking out two books that were suitable to her Spiritual Roots before arriving at the Training Grounds.

At the Training Grounds, there were already a few disciples of the Gu Clan, most of which were a few ranks below a Martial Teacher. If they were a few ranks higher, the Demonstration Grounds would not be enough for them to train.

When everyone saw that Gu Lingzhi had arrived, they all stared in awe. The transformation of a wastrel to a talent overnight had a large impact on everyone. 

The first step of a Martial Artist's training is physical training. Gu Lian, the person in charge of training these lower ranked clan members, gave Gu Lingzhi a subtle nod before letting her join the other Martial Students.

"Since it's your first day of training today, you only have to run a hundred rounds around the Demonstration Grounds."

After Gu Lian said this, the whole crowd roared in protest. They looked at Gu Lingzhi with pity evident in their eyes.

A hundred rounds around the ground was what they ran in order to become a Level Two Martial Artist. Gu Lian was obviously trying to make things difficult for Gu Lingzhi.

Some children who were tested for Spiritual Roots yesterday also felt pity for Gu Lingzhi. They only had to run up to fifty rounds, and even then they were already incessantly whining. Gu Lingzhi's training was actually twice of what they had gone through.

Gu Linglong, who was in the middle of the running crowd, smiled delightfully.

Gu Lian's son had liked Gu Linglong for a long time. As a result, the subtle hint she gave him was more than enough for him to beg his father to give Gu Lingzhi a hard time today.

Gu Linglong did not believe that Gu Lingzhi's weak physique could handle a hundred rounds. Gu Linglong was hoping that Gu Lingzhi would break down so that she could mock her. 

Gu Lingzhi did not know that the first day of training would be so intense, but from the pitiful looks from everyone, she knew that Gu Lian was trying to make things difficult for her. She did not try to defend herself, instead she put the two books that she got from the Library down at a nearby cabinet and joined everyone in running.

"A wastrel is a wastrel, there are so many good books in the Library, yet you chose to borrow the worst ones. A pheasant will never be a phoenix even if it changes its feathers." 

Such sharp and unkind words could only come out of Gu Linglong's mouth.

Gu Lingzhi was unfazed and retorted back lazily, "It's only useful if you pick books that match your Spiritual Roots. Little sister, be careful not to pick books that do not match your Spiritual Roots in order to attain a fake reputation. To put in double the work for half the results, the gains certainly do not make up for the losses."

Those who understood Gu Lingzhi's words laughed to themselves silently.

Everyone knew that Gu Linglong was very ambitious. When she had first tested for water and earth-based Spiritual Roots, she was insistent in learning the Gu Family's Fifth Level earth technique. However, that technique was only suitable for a martial artist who only had water-based Spiritual Roots. In the end, this had caused her to be stuck as a Level One Martial Student for almost half a year. If it was not for the Clan Leader who forced her to learn another technique, Gu Linglong would not be the fast learner that she was today.

"You!" Gu Linglong was so angry her eyes were as big as saucers. Her hands twitched and she wanted to teach Gu Lingzhi a lesson then and there, but before she could attack, she stumbled. With a loud sound she fell to the ground. Everyone sniggered at the sight.

"Ouch!" Gu Linglong exclaimed in pain, and Gu Lian who stood nearby, quickly helped her up. He took out his handkerchief and wiped the dirt off her face. Looking down at Gu Linglong's feet, he screamed at everyone in anger, "Who did this? There's a pile of soil at Gu Linglong's feet."

Everyone saw the pile of soil, what Gu Lingyue said was true.

The ground was supposed to be flat from the amount of running that had been done on it, so it was extremely peculiar that there was suddenly a pile of soil around the height of a teacup.

Gu Linglong fell because of the sudden appearance of a pile of soil that was actually made by someone.

"Gu Chengze, was it you who did it?"

Gu Linglong wiped the dust off her face, and with reddened eyes, questioned a teenager wearing a blue shirt.

Gu Chengze was still treating this entire situation as a joke. Suddenly being called upon, his face immediately soured. 

"Second Mistress, you need evidence to back up your words. Without any evidence, you are trying to smear my reputation, do you think I am a pushover?"

Gu Linglong froze for a moment, yet she was unyielding, "Amongst everyone who has earth-based Spiritual Roots, you are the one standing closest to me. If it isn't you, then who else could it be?"