Chapter 55: That Joke-Like Promise
[Experience Points +3200]
The system prompt sounded in his mind.
Gu Zhan glanced at his experience points; they had already accumulated over ten thousand.
However, he didn’t have any Innate-level cultivation technique right now and couldn’t advance his cultivation.
Still, he wasn’t worried,
Cultivation techniques could always be found.
Snow was falling heavily, and the battle on the long street was drawing to an end.
Actually, by the time the South City Hundred Households Office had arrived, the battle had already become one-sided. With the fall of three Innate experts, the outcome was settled beyond any doubt.
Especially after Gu Chuan charged into the battlefield and swiftly killed several of the Luo Family’s experts, the Jianghu fighters crumbled all at once. Some directly threw down their weapons and surrendered, while others scattered in all directions trying to escape.
Gu Zhan looked at Luo Bingsheng’s corpse and shook his head slightly.
He didn’t pay much attention to Luo Bingsheng’s last words before death.
Between him and Gu Chuan, although they were superior and subordinate, from the very beginning Gu Chuan had never forced him to do anything. He’d always been straightforward, about the dangers, about who he was,
Reaching this point was Gu Zhan’s own choice.
Luo Bingsheng might have just been projecting his own ideas, or simply trying to sow discord, or maybe he was making a last desperate struggle before dying, but for Gu Zhan, it made no difference.
Right at that moment,
Gu Chuan, dragging his blood-drenched long sword, slowly walked over. He had taken many wounds, and though he pushed through the fight, after that final effort, his spirits were exhausted.
"Brother Gu, thanks to you!"
Gu Chuan came over, looked Gu Zhan over, and asked, "You’re not badly hurt, are you?"
"No, just a few minor injuries."
Gu Zhan took a deep breath, walked to the eaves of a house, and sat down heavily on the ground.
Although he hadn’t been seriously injured, after struggling head-to-head with an Innate Martial Artist, his inner strength was almost completely spent. After that final slash at Luo Bingsheng, he couldn’t muster any more strength at all.
Gu Chuan also sat right next to Gu Zhan. His pale face was still slick with cold sweat as he quickly spread some Golden Wound Medicine on his wounds, then slowly raised his head to gaze at the wild snowstorm on the long street.
On the street, it was utter chaos,
The Embroidered Uniform Guard were cleaning up the battlefield—some were wounded, some dead, some so mangled not even a whole corpse remained. The warhorses were whimpering in low voices, and the wounded gritted their teeth and received treatment in silence.
The glow from the torches shone on the snowflakes,
making them gleam crystal clear.
"Brother Gu," Gu Chuan suddenly said, "I don’t know why, but I have this feeling that coming to Linjiang County from the Capital, my biggest gain isn’t that it gave my life’s resume a foundation."
Gu Zhan asked in confusion, "Then what is it?"
Gu Chuan smiled slightly and said, "I feel my biggest gain is befriending you, a brother like this!"
Gu Zhan smiled, "That’s a bit too much praise for me."
"Not at all."
Gu Chuan said slowly, "I told you before, this battle—win or lose—so long as I’m still alive, I won’t remain long in Linjiang City."
Gu Zhan nodded,
Gu Chuan had mentioned this before.
But that was normal. Gu Chuan was from one of the most prominent noble families under heaven. His time out adventuring was limited, and it was already quite rare for him to have stayed three years in a remote place like Linjiang City.
"Actually," Gu Chuan said, "actually, before today, I’d always intended to give you two choices after this matter ended: one was to stay in Linjiang City, the other, to follow me to the Gu Family. But now, I won’t ask you, because I know you definitely won’t go to the Gu Family."
"Why do you say that?" Gu Zhan asked.
Gu Chuan chuckled, "Because you’re not like most people. From you, I don’t see any fear—whether it’s towards people or the world itself. You’re proud—maybe you don’t even realize it, but this pride comes from the depths of your soul.
I sensed it the first time we met. Back then, I thought it was just youthful arrogance—most young talents have a bit of it. But as I got to know you, I realized your pride was different from the pride of someone simply achieving success young—you’re truly proud.
Still, I had considered inviting you to the Gu Family. But just now, when you struck down Luo Bingsheng, that hope was completely dashed. There’s no way you’d go to the Gu Family as a guest, serving the Gu Family as your lord. Even if the Gu Family is the top noble in the land, you would never bow."
Gu Zhan smiled faintly,
On this point, Gu Chuan really hadn’t guessed wrong,
In this world, so-called guest retainers might not be slaves, but they still serve the household as their lord, obeying their command.
The Gu Family was an excellent choice: powerful, wealthy, renowned throughout the land, a dream destination for countless people. Even just as a guest, you could enjoy resources out of reach for ninety-nine percent of the world.
If he didn’t have his Golden Finger, latching onto the Gu Family really would be a decent path.
But,
With the system’s Golden Finger as his backing,
Gu Zhan couldn’t think of a single reason to take shelter under anyone else.
Gu Chuan continued, "If I weren’t from a noble family, or if I were from a small clan, I’d definitely find a way to pull you aboard my ship, so we could take on this world together as brothers.
But it’s a shame, noble families like the Gu Family have too many rules, and the class divisions are too rigid, with all that crap about master, guest, staff officer and so on—there’s no crossing those lines!"
Gu Zhan smiled and took the jade pendant from Gu Chuan’s hand, saying, "That’s inevitable. It’s the same in every era."
"Haha," Gu Chuan laughed softly, "Hearing myself say that, it sounds a bit pretentious. After all, I’m just one of the beneficiaries of this world."
Gu Zhan glanced at Gu Chuan but said nothing.
After being with Gu Chuan this long, he could feel that Gu Chuan was full of contradictions—his status, his thoughts, all of it conflicted.
He seemed to want to break free of the chains of his era,
And yet, everything he had depended on those very chains.
"Sigh, enough of this,"
Gu Chuan patted Gu Zhan lightly on the shoulder, "Brother Gu, don’t worry. What Luo Bingsheng talked about won’t happen. Before I leave, I’ll take care of everything—I won’t leave you with a mess."
"I know." Gu Zhan replied calmly.
Gu Chuan froze for a second, then smiled, "You’re not the kind who chooses the wrong person to trust."
As he spoke, Gu Chuan slowly stood up. "Though I can’t walk side by side with you for now, I believe it won’t be long before you’ll be able to stand before me and the Gu Family with your head held high. When that day comes, I’ll introduce my sister to you—haha, she’s truly a beauty beyond compare!"
Gu Zhan chuckled, "Then I’ll be waiting."
"I’m waiting for that day too."