Chapter 101: The person is as old as his heart has aged
Translator: Skyfarrow Editor: Skyfarrow
With his abilities, Gu Yue Dong Tu could easily find Fang Yuan’s residence.
He was wearing the Gu Master’s uniform which he rarely wore; he had leg wrappings around his legs and was wearing a red belt around his waist. Everything was neat and clean, and gave off a faint feeling of majesty.
He looked at Fang Yuan who was slowly coming over and his line of sight fell on the latter’s belt; deep emotions emerged in his heart.
"Only C grade aptitude but he has already broken to Rank two at sixteen, it is truly surprising. I really don’t know how he succeeded. However...this quick speed should be mostly attributed to the Liquor worm. Pity that Liquor worm has no use at Rank two."
Following that, he saw the faint smile hanging on Fang Yuan’s mouth.
This smile made Gu Yue Dong Tu’s heart chill.
Anger rushed through his mind, "This kid acts so calm, does he think he has me trapped within his palm?!"
Fang Yuan slowly walked over and stopped in front of Gu Yue Dong Tu, he knew the latter was definitely here for him.
Sure enough, Gu Yue Dong Tu opened his mouth, "Fang Yuan, I think we can have a talk."
"What do you want to talk about?" Fang Yuan slightly frowned.
Gu Yue Dong Tu laughed but then talked of another thing, "Do you know, I was the same as you, I became a Gu Master when I was fifteen."
"It was right at the time of wolf tide, there was a large number of casualties and we - students - also had no choice but to fight. I had B grade aptitude; I reached Rank two initial stage at sixteen, upper stage at seventeen and peak stage at eighteen. When I was nineteen, I was already beginning my charge to Rank three. At that time, I believed I could be a Rank three Gu Master at twenty."
"Hahaha, I was too frivolous, I thought I was above everyone else and thought I could accomplish anything. I even thought I was omnipotent, I simply didn’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. It was when I was twenty. I went out to do a mission and was beaten by a Xiong village’s Gu Master. I was on the brink of death but fortunately, medicine hall’s elder personally moved and saved me. But after that event, my aptitude dropped down to C grade, I couldn’t recover from this shock for a whole of eight years."
"At my twenty-ninth birthday, I started to have another look at myself and this world. I discovered that a single person’s strength was limited. So what if I had broken through to Rank three? Living in this society, the most important thing is not individual strength, but the connections with others."
"I began my life anew when I was thirty. I stepped down from the frontlines when I was forty-five. A hundred Gu Masters jointly petitioned to elect me as an elder dozens of times. Even though I only had the cultivation of Rank two peak stage, I couldn’t take that final step but there was also no need. I had already achieved success. Clan members call me as the ‘hidden elder’. Most of my peers have already passed away but my life sailed smoothly. I still have influence on many Gu Masters."
After giving a lengthy report, Gu Yue Dong Tu returned to the main topic. He looked at Fang Yuan, his mouth curved up, "Fang Yuan, you are too young and inexperienced, just like I was back then. Believing you can accomplish anything and finish everything by yourself. Hehe."
Gu Yue Dong Tu shook his head and continued, "But when you gain more experience, you will understand that human is a social animal and not a lone beast. Sometimes we need to lower our heads and take a step back. Being an extremist and arrogant person will only bring isolation and destruction. I believe you have already felt it; no group will take you and everyone is leaving you out. Even if you receive the family inheritance mission, what would that do? As a person who has been left out by everyone, you definitely won’t have the chance to finish the task. Give up."
Fang Yuan indifferently looked at the middle-aged man; his expression, calm.
"I wonder what expression he will show if he knew I have five hundred years of experience?"
Fang Yuan’s eyes couldn’t help but reveal a trace a of smile when he thought this.
Actually, his uncle’s way of thoughts had been his life’s concept for a long period of time in his previous life.
Thus, he had created the Bloodwing Demon Sect, relying on the system and human emotions to create an enormous influence. Ten thousands would come forth with his one call, seizing resources and fighting enemies.
However, when he broke through to Rank six, he saw a completely new scene.
Gu Masters up to Rank five were mortals but Rank six were immortals. When he stood at that height and looked at the world, he suddenly comprehended — an enormous influence was indeed a powerful help but at the same time was an enormous burden.
No matter which world, there was only one thing which one could truly rely on; that was oneself.
Only that such people were usually weak. People couldn’t endure loneliness and liked chasing after family love, friendship and romance to fill in their spirit. They indulged in being in a group and were afraid of being alone.
When they received setbacks, they would hide in the group, complain to relatives and share with friends. They didn’t dare to confront their fears and defeats by themselves. When there was pain, they would be busy sharing it; when there was something good, they would be anxious to boast of it.
Gu Yue Dong Tu succeeded? No doubt he succeeded.
He couldn’t walk his original path, so he went in another path and left for a new scene.
But at the same time, he was also a failure.
He had lowered his head because of one setback; he was no more than a coward, but he was content with his running away.
Gu Yue Dong Tu didn’t know Fang Yuan had already labelled him as a coward. He saw Fang Yuan made no reply, so he thought the latter was absorbed in his speech.
He continued, "Fang Yuan, I won’t beat around the bush, you are not Fang Zheng. If you give up your idea of inheriting the family assets, you will receive my friendship and you can use all my connections. I will also give you a thousand primeval stones. I know you are hard pressed for money these days and you are even late in paying the rent by two days, right?"
Fang Yuan indifferently smiled and spoke, "Uncle, you don’t wear these clothes often, right?"
Gu Yue Dong Tu was taken aback, he hadn’t expected Fang Yuan would suddenly talk about this.
Fang Yuan was indeed correct, he had already been retired for a long time now, this uniform was usually stored deep in a box. He had worn this uniform especially to meet Fang Yuan today; it was to increase his persuasion and deterrence power.
Fang Yuan sighed, he sized up Gu Yue Dong Tu’s clothes and continued, " A Gu Master’s uniform isn’t so clean and neat. It would be covered with sweat, mud and blood; it would be in shreds and patches; that is the smell of a Gu Master."
"You are old. Uncle. Your great ambitions and aspirations have already disappeared from your youth. These years, you have lived an easy life and it has corrupted your heart. You are vying for the family assets, not for cultivation but to maintain your rich life. With such a mentality, how could you obstruct me?"
Gu Yue Dong Tu’s face instantly turned ashen, anger surging through his mind.
There was always a group of ‘old’ people in this world. They touted their social experience everywhere. They considered others’ dreams as illusions; considered others’ passions as frivolous; considered others’ persistence as arrogance. They would seek their own existence and superiority by lecturing the later generations.
No doubt, Gu Yue Dong Tu was such a person.
He wanted to educate Fang Yuan but he had never thought that Fang Yuan not only didn’t listen to him or yield to him, but would instead lecture him!
"Fang Yuan!" Gu Yue Dong Tu shouted, "I wanted to guide and persuade you with good intentions as your elder but you don’t know what’s good from bad. Hmph, since you want to go against me, then so be it. I am not afraid to tell you that I already know the contents of your family inheritance mission. Young people don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth. Haha, I really want to see how you will complete this mission!"
Fang Yuan had a ridiculing smile on his face, there was no need to conceal now. Anyway, they could no longer reconcile, so there was no harm in enjoying Gu Yue Dong Tu’s upcoming wonderful expression.
Thereupon, he took out the bullskin water bag and opened it; a fragrance that was specific to honey wine floated out.
"What do you think is in here?" He asked.
Gu Yue Dong Tu turned pale with fright, his mood immediately sank to an all-time low.
"How can this be? Where did you get this honey wine?!" He roared, a stunned expression appeared on his face.
Fang Yuan ignored him, closed the cap, put the water bag back and walked towards the internal affairs hall.
Gu Yue Dong Tu’s forehead was covered with cold sweat, many thoughts surging in his mind.
"Where did he get the honey wine? I already made sure that as long as he looks for other groups, I would get the news the very first moment. Could he have done this alone? No, that’s not possible, he doesn’t have a defense Gu worm. Someone definitely helped him. No! The point now is not finding the reason. This kid already has the honey wine, he is going to hand over the mission!"
Gu Yue Dong Tu was already panicking as he thought this and no longer had the calm appearance from moments ago.
He quickly chased after Fang Yuan, "Fang Yuan, wait, everything can be discussed."
Fang Yuan didn’t speak and continued to walk, Gu Yue Dong Tu could only follow beside him.
"If one thousand primeval stones won’t do, then how about two thousand, no, two thousand five hundred." Gu Yue Dong Tu kept on increasing the offer.
Fang Yuan turned a deaf ear to Gu Yue Dong Tu, instead increasingly having some expectations towards the family assets. On seeing how Gu Yue Dong Tu was so anxious and was continuously raising the offer, the real family assets should definitely be very good.
Gu Yue Dong Tu was perspiring, he saw Fang Yuan was not moved, his face revealed a fierce look and he threatened, "Fang Yuan, think this through clearly! What end will you have if you offend me, hmph, don’t blame uncle for being cold-hearted if you miss an arm or leg in the future."
Fang Yuan laughed.
This Gu Yue Dong Tu was really a lamentable person. He was bound by rules and regulations; the water bag was clearly within his reach, but he didn’t dare to snatch it. If he didn’t even have this much guts, how could he succeed in fighting for the benefits?
Riches and danger went together. No matter which world, if you want to obtain something, you need to pay its price.
"Fang Yuan, you think everything will be well after you get the family assets! You are too young, you don’t have a clue about society and its dangers!" Gu Yue Dong Tu snarled by Fang Yuan’s ear.
Fang Yuan shook his head and ignored him, walking into the internal affairs hall in front of his glaring eyes.
Actually, he didn’t hate or even loathe this uncle of his.
He had seen a lot of such people and understood this type of people.
If Fang Yuan had enough primeval stones to support his cultivation, he wouldn’t even fight for the family assets. But what good will giving such insignificant benefits to uncle do?
For what reason was he reborn?
It was not for this momentary period, but to step to the highest peak. This type of passerby, as long as they didn’t interfere with this and only raged from the side, Fang Yuan would disdain to even step on them.
But unfortunately, this Gu Yue Dong Tu obstructed Fang Yuan’s path.
Since it was so, then he will stamp on this obstacle and move forward.
"Fang Yuan! Fang Yuan…" Uncle Gu Yue Dong Tu watched on as Fang Yuan stepped into the internal affairs hall; his whole body shook and veins bulged up on his forehead.
The light of the setting sun shone on his hair which was already turning white.
He was indeed old.
When he sustained that injury at the age of twenty, he had already aged.
Translator's Thoughts
Skyfarrow Skyfarrow
Chapter 101... Well when I started out, having never translated before, I took so long (a few days) just translating the first chapter. I never would have thought I would reach 100 today, it was hard to imagine back then. Thank you everyone for your support!!