After breaking through to Martial Sensor Realm, Gu Cheng felt mentally exhausted. There had been three break throughs, two of them made him stronger, but one of them had only left a stinging pain.
The thick smell of sweat and dirt permeated through the air, Gu Cheng couldn't stand it anymore. He grabbed one of Liu Wei's clothes and went to take a shower.
After coming back refreshed, he laid down once again.
The bed was crooked, one of the legs had broke, but that didn't matter now. Finally relaxing his muscles, he quickly drifted off.
"I'll deal with the bed tomorrow..." He muttered under his breath.
Time passed in a flash, it was the next day.
"Gu Cheng...." Deep in the realm of dreams, a faint voice could be heard from all directions.
"Gu Cheng..."
"Hmm...?" Gu Cheng finally woke up, his eyes squinting.
It was Liu Wei, he was standing by the bed, his eyes tinged with urgency.
"Gu Cheng, you need to hide, quick!" Liu Wei whispered in a serious tone.
"Bang!" Before Gu Cheng had time to react, the door was kicked open.
"Ha! I was wondering where was the little demon, turns out Lord Liu has kept him as a pet eh?! Have you slaves forgot who you are?! Huh?!" A blaring voice came from the front door, it was one of the goons Gu Cheng met yesterday.
"Sir Hwang, please have mercy! Gu Cheng fell ill just the day before! As much as we would like to serve, he wasn't capable ah! I had even made sure the stable was as clean as a spring morning just now! May Sir Hwang please forgive us!" Liu Wei gave a deep bow, his tone apologetic.
"Hmph! Just the act of sheltering without permission alone is enough to warrant your execution! God knows what sickly things were you two doing then?!"
Looking down on them, Hwang yelled condescendingly.
His eyes darted around the humble shack, eventually settling at the figure on the bed.
The atmosphere was tense, but it faltered when Hwang realized something was wrong.
"Wait, where are your injuries?!" Exclaimed Hwang. He had just recalled, Gu Cheng's body was covered in blood and bruises! Where did they go?!
Gu Cheng stood up right away. Pulling Liu Wei to the side, only a few steps was all it took to close the distance between them. Still startled, Hwang involuntary took a step back. But one step wasn't enough, a small fist was breaking through the air, reaching right in the center of his chest in no time.
"Bughh!" The punch went in deep, further than where his organs originally were! Agonizing pain overflowed his mind, yet he wasn't able to exclaim without any air.
"Thump!" Hwang fell down on his knees.
Prior to collapsing, a fierce strike came flying at him, it was a claw strike. This time, the force was truly beyond his encumbrance, his head exploding with the force's arrival.
Blood and brains splattered through the room, some were still sliding down on the wall.
"Gu Cheng, you...you've broken through?" Liu Wei finally came to his senses, his voice in disbelief.
"Mmm..." Gu Cheng turned around, smiling at Liu Wei.
After wiping his hands with Hwang's clothes, Gu Cheng held Liu Wei's hands.
"I'll get us out of here soon..." Gu Cheng stared at Liu, his eyes sparkling with gentle light.
Liu Wei stared back, his face blushing despite the gore surrounding them. For a few seconds, they just stared at one another.
"Gu Cheng, I don't need to know how did you broke through...But it was known that the Zhi Family has not just multiple Grade 9 Martial Artists, but a Grade 8 Martial Sensor as well! Are you confident enough in dealing with them?" Despite the joy of a breakthrough, Liu Wei was worried.
"Grade 8 Martial Sensor...I think I'm confident if we suppress this news for a few days." Gu Cheng replied.
"It's Protector Han, I heard he had been a loyal guard for the Zhi family for the past twenty years. It was seven years ago did he achieved Grade 8 Martial Sensor, and was then awarded the Protector title. Don't forget, he has seven years of experience as a Grade 8 Martial Sensor..."
"I know, I have my ways. It shouldn't be of a concern." Gu Cheng smiled, trying to console him. It was a matter of a couple of sessions anyway.
"Let's clean up first" Said Gu Cheng.
Fortunately, the lodgings for farm slaves were isolated from the rest. In the barn, Liu Wei was in charge of the chickens, Gu Cheng for the horses, and Old Zhang for the pigs.
Old Zhang had been a long servant of the Zhi family, he was allowed to clock in late. During this time, he's probably out for a walk. The homestead wasn't frequented by anybody else, so it was safe to assume it was clear.
The couple managed to clean up the mess in less than one incense's time. Especially with Gu Cheng's newfound strength, with just a couple claws, a hole larger than the mess was created in the ground.
"Slush!" Liu Wei dipped his wiping cloth in a bucket filled with water mixed with fragrant herbs. He had given the final swipe, the shack was now cleaner than ever.
"Ahh.." Feeling soreness in his bones, he finally sat down. They sat on the bed, sharing the meal Liu Wei had prepped before the commotion. It was simply porridge mixed with berries, but the taste was sufficient enough to prevail over the period acting as servants.
Today, Liu Wei felt the sweetness was different than usual.
There was a strike of love, and a hint of hope.