Chapter 116 - 115: Earth Tier Martial Arts
The bright moon hung in the sky, and countless stars glittered.
Gu Zhan swung off his horse, gently wiping away the blood on his face.
At the end of the long street, Rong Yichu led a group on horseback, galloping rapidly towards him.
Rong Yichu swung off his horse, clasped his fists, and said, "Lord, all of Linjiang City’s underworld and respectable figures have mobilized to hunt down the remnants of the Six Great Families. They cannot escape Linjiang City."
Gu Zhan patted Rong Yichu on the shoulder and said, "You’ve worked hard."
Today, Rong Yichu truly had a tough time. At first, he gathered the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the various guilds to storm the Prefecture Government; afterwards, he tirelessly sealed the city to pursue the Six Great Families. If not for Rong Yichu’s quick response, the Six Great Families would surely have stirred up another storm, rather than waiting passively for death.
Moonlight poured over the silent black night,
The steeds drooped their heads; Gu Zhan wiped the blood from his face,
Rong Yichu stood before Gu Zhan and suddenly knelt.
Gu Zhan was somewhat taken aback. He swiftly supported Rong Yichu by the arm, asking in confusion, "Yichu, what are you doing?"
Gu Zhan’s cultivation was profound; he easily lifted Rong Yichu back up.
Rong Yichu said slowly, "Lord, I must blame myself for my incompetence—placing you in a perilous situation of near death. You have favored me, yet I have failed your expectations. Even a hundred deaths would not atone for my guilt!"
Gu Zhan knew that Rong Yichu was blaming himself for not seeing through the vast situation in Linjiang City, which resulted in Gu Zhan being ambushed at the Prefecture Government.
Gu Zhan patted Rong Yichu on the shoulder and said, "Yichu, in truth, you’ve done more than enough. Even the wisest may err, and besides, playing these games of schemes has never been your specialty. What you are good at is stabilizing the situation and managing the rear. Without you, could I have gained command of the Embroidered Uniform Guard so quickly?"
Rong Yichu shook his head slightly and said, "As your most trusted staff officer, it is my duty to offer strategies and counter conspiracies on your behalf..."
"A man must grow,"
Gu Zhan said, "Moreover, human effort has its limits. Who were your opponents this time? Wu Yang, Wan Yan, Yang Yuzhi—are any of them not deeply scheming, cunning, and shrewd? To lose a round when facing them is nothing unusual."
Having said this, Gu Zhan paused for a moment, then slowly added, "To tell you the truth, what that bastard Wan Yan did with this death espionage plan was really fucking ruthless!"
Gu Zhan patted Rong Yichu on the shoulder and said, "Take it slow. The two of us have one advantage those old foxes can’t match—youth. When we reach their age, dealing with them will be child’s play. Don’t dwell too much on temporary loss or victory, lest shadows linger for a lifetime; that would not do.
We’re still young. In this troubled world, a moment’s win or loss means nothing; only the one who laughs last is truly the victor!"
Rong Yichu bowed deeply in salute and said, "Your student has been enlightened."
At that moment,
From the haze of night came a cool voice: "Lord Gu sees through all things. There are all kinds of people in the world, but only the young can afford to lose. These words are simple, yet brim with the deepest truth of life!"
With the voice, from the darkness, Yang Yuzhi emerged with his retinue, striding out slowly.
Gu Zhan was not surprised at all; he had long sensed someone in the shadows, but since he felt no hostility from them, he had not acted.
Seeing Yang Yuzhi appear, Gu Zhan said coldly, "I thought Lord Yang was going to hide in the shadows forever?"
Yang Yuzhi smiled faintly and said, "How could I? I came here especially to seek you out, Lord Gu. I just happened to overhear your conversation with Mr. Rong and was moved, so I took the liberty of eavesdropping briefly. I hope you forgive my offense, Lord Gu!"
Gu Zhan waved a hand and said, "May I ask what business Lord Yang has with me?"
Yang Yuzhi stepped closer, a faint smile on his face, and said softly, "I would like to invite Lord Gu to walk with me for a private word. Would you have time?"
Gu Zhan pondered a while, then slowly nodded and said, "Please."
Yang Yuzhi cupped his hands and said, "After you, Lord Gu."
Yuan Xing was a little worried; he tugged Yang Yuzhi’s sleeve and said softly, "My lord, perhaps let me accompany you..."
Yang Yuzhi waved him off. He knew Yuan Xing was wary of Gu Zhan’s reputation—as were most in Linjiang County these days, for few did not fear the God of Slaughter’s name.
Yang Yuzhi laughed, "If Lord Gu intends me harm, who could possibly stop him?"
Having said so, Yang Yuzhi folded his hands behind his back and left with Gu Zhan.
Beneath the starry sky with moonlight spilling down,
The long street was utterly silent; even their footsteps sounded crisp.
Their two shadows stretched across the flagstones, gliding along with their advance.
"Lord Yang, truly impressive methods," Gu Zhan said unhurriedly. "If Yichu hadn’t told me, I’d never have guessed that all the recent upheaval in Linjiang City bore your hand. Such a death espionage plan... enough to chill the soul!"
Yang Yuzhi sighed, "The death espionage plan was not devised by me—I was but its executor."
Gu Zhan answered coldly, "Be you the executor or schemer, I must congratulate you, Lord Yang, for achieving this extraordinary deed. From here, your official career will be smooth; soon enough, you’ll return to the Capital City, rise beneath the Emperor’s feet, and earn the envy of all!"
Yang Yuzhi gave a bitter smile, "Lord Gu, you need not mock me. My wife and children all died because of this death espionage plan. My junior brother of more than a decade, too, is forever lost to me. I... may claim to be without shame before the people and in matters of loyalty and justice, yet I am ashamed before my family and kin. When this is all settled, I’ll resign my post and keep vigil at their graves for the rest of my years."
Gu Zhan fell silent, not knowing what to say,
For Yang Yuzhi, from different perspectives, is a different person. From a small family’s view, he is a cold and distant head of household; from the greater perspective of country and people, he is a hero—one who could forsake everything for his nation. How to judge such a man, Gu Zhan could not say.
After a long silence, Gu Zhan asked, "Lord Yang, you sought me out—is there something you wish to say?"
"There are three things," Yang Yuzhi said slowly. "First, simply to see you, Lord Gu. I can’t say why—I just wanted to. For some reason, I have always felt you would become one of the most prominent men under heaven, so I wished to meet you in advance."
With that, Yang Yuzhi drew two books from his sleeve and handed them to Gu Zhan, saying, "Here are two secret manuals. One I found in the Prefecture Government, likely left by the Imperial Censorate—a secret manual, the second volume of Fierce Sun Skill.
The other was left by my junior brother Wan. In this death espionage plan, he was doomed to die, so he entrusted his most valuable possession to me. It is useless to me, and I hear you are obsessed with martial arts, Lord Gu. In your hands, perhaps it can fulfill its purpose.
This martial art is called Willow Leaf Flying Knife Technique; it is an Earth Tier Martial Arts. But Lord Gu, do not rush to cultivate it—Earth Tier Martial Arts require Dao Realm to be able to cultivate. Forcing the practice will bring dire consequences. My junior brother Wan’s martial talent was not poor, but from forcing his cultivation of the Willow Leaf Flying Knife Technique, he only barely reached entry level, at great cost. His martial arts became stuck at Innate Sixth Layer and he could not progress. So, Lord Gu, you must be careful!"