Unsheathed

“Earlier, I made a trip out of Bamboo Scroll Lake with another guest elder of the sect, and I’ve acquainted myself with Great General Su Gaoshan. Are you interested in joining the military?” Liu Zhimao asked with a smile.

“It’s fine. I won’t trouble you to make arrangements for me, Master,” Gu Can replied with a shake of his head.

Liu Zhimao didn’t insist.

All of a sudden, a reminiscent look appeared in his eyes as he asked, “You still haven’t even turned fourteen yet, right?”

Gu Can nodded in response.

Liu Zhimao was silent for a moment, then said, “If I can successfully make a breakthrough to the Upper Five Tiers, then as a guest elder, I’ll be able to make three requests to the True Realm Sect. This is something that Sect Leader Jiang promised me from the very beginning. I’m planning to ask the sect to assign you a piece of territory that encompasses both Cyan Gorge Island and White Fish Island, among others.”

Gu Can’s expression remained unchanged, and he wasn’t in a hurry to speak.

“I’m not doing this solely for your benefit. Instead, there are some selfish considerations on my part as well,” Liu Zhimao continued. “I don’t want the lineage of Cyan Gorge Island to be severed. As long as you remain on Cyan Gorge Island, the ancestral hall will remain standing, and it’ll be fine even if very few people from the island remain.

“That way, as the island master of Cyan Gorge Island, I’ll be able to fully dedicate myself to serving Jiang Shangzhen and the True Realm Sect.”

“What do you need me to do, Master?” Gu Can asked. “I wouldn’t dare to proclaim that I’m willing to throw away my life for whatever cause you assign me, but as long as it’s within the realm of my capabilities, I’ll be sure to carry out your bidding to the best of my abilities.”

Liu Zhimao was very pleased to hear this, and he stroked his beard with a smile as he said, “I want you to help the Cyan Gorge Island ancestral hall flourish. It’s as simple as that. However, let me make something clear to you in advance: aside from Li Fuqu, I’m not acquainted with even a single one of any of the other elders of the True Realm Sect.

“In fact, there may even be enemies of mine among them, and I can tell that Jiang Shangzhen doesn’t fully trust me, so it may not be a good thing for you to take over Cyan Gorge Island and the subsidiary islands. Hence, you have to weigh up your options.

“Everyone wants money to fall out of the sky, but they could be crushed under its weight if too much money falls out of the sky at once. In my eyes, you are my only capable disciple, and that’s why I’m being so candid with you.”

“Please give me some time to think about it, Master,” Gu Can requested. “I’ll give you my answer in three days at the very latest.”

Liu Zhimao nodded as he said, “Take your time. Plan extensively before you make a move, but when you do decide to make a move, make sure to go all-in and don’t hold back. For vagrant cultivators like ourselves, that is the key to survival and success.”

“I’ll be sure to remember your teachings, Master,” Gu Can replied with a nod. “In the past, I thought I knew everything, but in reality, I knew nothing. My apologies for being such a conceited and disobedient disciple in the past.”

“All those who proclaim to know everything are always the ones who know nothing,” Liu Clan said with a smile. “Your behavior from back then appeared completely reckless and deranged, but in reality, you weren’t as inept as you think. As long as you survive, all of the suffering that you had to endure in the past would become invaluable experience to guide your path forward. Only the lessons that are learned the hard way are lessons that are truly learned.”

Gu Can nodded in response.

Liu Zhimao pulled out an antiquated book that looked as if it had been crafted from some type of material somewhere between gold and jade, and the title written on the cover of the book read: “River Severing Sutra.”

Liu Zhimao gently slid the book across the table toward Gu Can as he said, “Everything that I taught you in the past were the fundamental immortal techniques of the Cyan Gorge Island ancestral hall.

“At the very most, they could only be considered rudimentary techniques, whereas this sutra holds the key to the foundation of my Great Dao. Truth be told, in the past, I didn’t dare to pass this sutra down to you, nor was I willing to do so. I was afraid that you would join forces with that catfish to kill me.”

The sutra had been Liu Zhimao’s most prized possession for the past several centuries, but now that he had decided to give it to Gu Can, he didn’t spare it even a second glance.

“Things are different now. If I manage to reach the Upper Five Tiers, then I will have nothing to fear. If I fail and perish, then I will cease to exist, and I will have even less to fear then.”

Instead of immediately reaching out for the priceless immortal scripture on the table, Gu Can rose to his feet and extended another deep bow toward Liu Zhimao, who remained seated and accepted the bow.

The two of them had plotted extensively against one another over the years, but this interaction was as pure and simple as could be.

One person was presenting their prized scripture, while the other was bowing in gratitude. It was the purest form of inheritance in the cultivation world.

After this night, the two of them would continue to coexist as they had up to this point, and their relationship would still be as complex as ever.

Gu Can tucked the immortal scripture up his sleeve.

“Your Senior Sister Tian and your senior brothers are truly all fools!” Liu Zhimao scoffed in amusement.

“They have no one to blame but themselves,” Gu Can said with a smile.

“You know what? I’ll have a drink, after all,” Liu Zhimao said. “We can have a chat over some drinks. There’s no need to attend to me, I’ll pour my drinks, and we can each drink at our own pace.”

The door of the room remained open, allowing the moonlight to spill inside.

Gu Can made two trips to the kitchen, bringing back two flagons of the home-brewed wine gifted to him by Dong Shuijing, two bowls, and several dishes of snacks to complement the wine.

Liu Zhimao poured himself a bowl of wine, then took a sip after savoring a crispy Bamboo Scroll Lake dried fish.

It was a simple combination, but a blissful and delectable one, nonetheless.

His chances of making a successful breakthrough were quite high, and Jiang Shangzhen would do everything in his power to help him so that the True Realm Sect would have another Unpolished Jade Tier guest elder, but there were no guarantees in life.

There was still a possibility that this simple meal would be Liu Zhimao’s final one in this lifetime.

Liu Zhimao smiled as he said, “Out of the Ten Heroes of Bamboo Scroll Lake that you made up, the only ones that people actually knew were the nine of you. I bet even now, very few people have managed to guess that the final one to round out the list was that accountant staying at the entrance of our island. That’s a real shame. It should’ve become a fine story told for many years to come.”

Liu Zhimao had one foot resting on a bench as he took a sip of wine, then tossed several peanuts in his mouth before counting off the nine names on the list one by one: “There was Gu Can of Cyan Gorge Island, Tian Hujun of White Fish Island, your fourth senior brother, Qin Jue, your sixth senior brother, Chao Zhe, Fan Yan of Pond Water City, Lü Caisang of Oriole Island, Yuan Yuan of Drumbeat Island, Han Jingling the fallen prince, and Huang He, the son of the great general.

“Tian Hujun paid two visits to Palace Willow Island, but I didn’t see her on either occasion. The first time, she wandered back and and forth along the boundary for a day and a night before finally leaving in disappointment. The second time, she had become even more fearful of death, and she tried to force her way onto the island, hoping to lose half her life in exchange for her survival.

“Unfortunately, this heartless master of hers still refused to grant her an audience, so she lost half her life for nothing. What do you plan to do with her? Beat her or kill her?”

Gu Can smiled as he said, “Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Master. You intentionally drove Senior Sister Tian into a corner and cast her into complete despair so that I can extend her an olive branch and have her serve me and the future Cyan Gorge Island.”

Liu Zhimao nodded in response.

“The way that you dealt with Tian Hujun in the past wasn’t bad, but it’s a little like drinking wine on its own without any of these complementary snacks. Of course, the wine remains the star of the show, but it definitely leaves something to be desired. It sounds like a simple concept to combine malice with mercy when trying to keep someone under your thumb, but the execution of such a strategy is far from simple.

“You can learn from me and Zhang Ye in this regard. Adopting a one-dimensional strategy of ruling with an iron fist or invoking subordination with the promise of rewards is certainly much simpler and less taxing on the mind, but it’s simply not sustainable in the long term.”

Gu Can nodded as he agreed, “Different people must be treated differently. Some are more susceptible to threats, while others are more motivated by rewards, but different people desire different rewards, just like different fish desire different types of bait.”

Liu Zhimao burst into laughter upon hearing this.

“No wonder I’ve been hearing that you’ve picked up fishing as a hobby! It seems like you’re learning some life lessons from the endeavor!”

Liu Zhimao was very pleased to hear that Gu Can had finally learned the importance of nuance and subtlety. He had learned to tread in the gray areas of life, rather than seeing everything as black and white. Just because he had stripped off his lavish robes of old and replaced them with much more humble attire didn’t mean that he thought that everyone truly believed in his transformation into a complete saint.

“If that were the case, then it would mean that he had grown somewhat compared with his past self, but not by much. It would mean that he was still habitually regarding others as fools, and that would be sure to come back to bite him in the future. Back then, Fan Yan had managed to find a soft spot in his mental state, and with that tiny amount of leverage alone, he was able to have Gu Can dancing on the palm of his hand.

Just because Liu Zhimao had given Gu Can the River Severing Sutra didn’t mean that he couldn’t take it back upon his departure. Only by passing his test could Gu Can actually keep the River Severing Sutra.

At the very most, Tian Hujun would only be able to become an ordinary Nascent Tier cultivator in the future, and she was no more important than one of the dispensable dishes of snacks on the table.

However, Liu Zhimao wasn’t in a hurry to jump to any conclusions. The night was still young, and the test had only just begun.

“I’m sure you’ve already figured out at this point that Fan Yan has been the one truly pulling the strings behind the scenes in Pond Water City for quite some time now, right?” Liu Zhimao casually asked.

“Of course, Master. I’m not blind,” Gu Can replied with a wry smile.

“In that case, have you also identified that Fan Yan already has connections in the imperial court of the Great Li Empire?” Liu Zhimao asked with a smile. “I can tell you now that it’s not Guan Yiran, nor is it Su Gaoshan.”

Gu Can thought about it for a moment, then said, “I’ll make sure to be more tolerant of him in the future.”

Ideally, when it came time for revenge, Fan Yan and his parents would all still be alive and well, and it would be even more satisfying if their clan were also thriving and prosperous.

“Yuan Yuan certainly hit the reincarnation jackpot, given that both his parents are Golden Core Tier cultivators,” Liu Zhimao continued. “Drumbeat Island’s backer, or more specifically, the backer of Yuan Yuan’s mother, was that Nascent Tier swordsman from the Luminous Vermilion Empire. However, he was pursued by Ruan Xiu of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect and an unidentified young man all the way to the border before he was slain.

“His demise should’ve spelled the end of Drumbeat Island, but not only have they managed to secure a seat among the True Realm Sect’s panel of guest elders, they’ve even obtained a Peace and Safety Tablet from the Great Li Empire’s Ministry of Justice.”

Gu Can wasn’t very resentful of Yuan Yuan. Someone like him, who was constantly flaunting his shrewdness, was nothing more than a superficial fool who felt himself to be smarter than everyone else.

Drumbeat Island’s opportunistic tactics really weren’t impressive or remarkable at all. In fact, anyone could’ve easily replicated what they had done.

As long as Yuan Yuan didn’t bother him in the future, Gu Can would continue to welcome him as a guest on Cyan Gorge Island.

As for all of the facetious things that Yuan Yuan had said about him behind his back, those were nothing but words that were incapable of hurting anyone.

Throughout his life, Gu Can had heard more than his fair share of hurtful words, and that was no longer just cause for him to kill someone.

At the very least, he wasn’t going to be killing any more people on mere whims for perhaps a very long time.

However, he had the patience, and he could afford to wait.

He had learned that while he only had the ability to break rules and not to create them, then he had to follow the rules. During this period, each bout of hardship that was endured was an invaluable experience, as long as those hardships didn’t kill you. Gu Can was able to learn precious lessons through enduring these hardships, and he had come to embrace adversity as a result.

“Han Jingling is just about the luckiest person I’ve ever seen,” Liu Zhimao remarked.

He had fled to Bamboo Scroll Lake, completely abandoning his duties as a feudal lord and essentially leaving the citizens of his territory to die, but somehow, he had become lauded as a wise and capable lord, following which he had been elevated to the throne. It was such a fortuitous sequence of events that one could hardly imagine how things could’ve gone better for him. The other prince, Han Jingxin, had perished in the wilderness outside of the capital, so Han Jingling didn’t have to worry about any competition for the throne.

“As for Huang He, he was also doing quite well. As the close friend and confidant that had played a pivotal role in Han Jingling’s ascension to the throne, he had become the assistant minister of the Ministry of Rites at a very young age. He had been the one accompanying Han Jingling in the appointment of the Stone Brush Nation’s new set of Five Mountains, and the minister of the Ministry of Rites didn’t dare to complain at all.

“Even though he was only the assistant minister, he had much more authority than the minister himself. Furthermore, Huang He’s father was essentially the standing emperor of the Stone Brush Nation. He didn’t get to wear an imperial robe, but he was able to attend imperial assemblies with a weapon at his side, a privilege that was granted to no one else.

“Luck is also a part of one’s abilities,” Gu Can said with a smile.

Huang He had become extremely complacent and conceited in light of his good fortune, and he was sure to suffer a terrible fate at Han Jingling’s hands, so Gu Can wouldn’t even have to personally go after him.

Having said that, Gu Can was still hoping that he would get to put an end to Huang He himself.

After Gu Can fell from grace, Huang He was the only one who had dared to arrive on Cyan Gorge Island and demand for the door of that room to be opened, so Gu Can held a particularly deep grudge against him, and he was waiting for an opportunity to exact his revenge.

Liu Zhimao went through the rest of the names one by one, and he was able to gain a rough understanding of Gu Can’s attitude toward each person.

Clearly, he was still one to hold grudges, but in contrast with the wilful brat who killed whoever he pleased without discretion, the current Gu Can was far more measured and calculating.

Not only was he able to suppress his desire for vengeance, it seemed like he truly relished the current situation that he was in, viewing the adversity as a positive aspect of his life, rather than lamenting his fall from grace.

This was a very encouraging sign for Liu Zhimao.

The current Gu Can would be able to live longer and better than the Gu Can of the past.

In times of great adversity, those who possess the most patience are sure to be rewarded.

In essence, this was another form of cultivation.

Liu Zhimao had never been concerned that Gu Can would struggle on the path of cultivation.

He was born to a vagrant cultivator, perhaps even one that was destined to surpass Liu Laocheng!

Liu Zhimao poured himself another bowl of wine, then asked, “What are you going to do with the rest of the yin entities? If that’s not something that you can disclose to me, then you don’t have to tell me.”

Gu Can had just raised his bowl, and he set it down again. After a brief silence, he shook his head and replied, “It’s not anything that I can’t disclose. If their sole fixation in death is their desire for vengeance, then I would simply give them the chance to exact their revenge. As I’m sure you’re already aware, Sect Leader Jiang has marked out several islands with connected mountain and water fortune near Cloud Pagoda City, and he’s planning to give them all to me.

“I’ll establish a sect for ghostly cultivators on those islands, and all of the yin entities who wish to cultivate there can do so. If they need money, then I’ll provide it. If they require cultivation arts, then I’ll go seek out suitable ones for them. Whenever they feel ready to challenge me and get their shot at revenge, all they need to do is tell me.

“Outside of that, I’ll try to fulfill all of their other requests and wishes to the best of my abilities. I know that many of them are taking advantage of my goodwill, but that’s fine. As long as their requests aren’t unreasonable or outside the realm of my capabilities, I will try to satisfy them.”

“Would it have been easier for both you and Chen Ping’an if he had simply killed you instead of subjecting you to all of this?” Liu Zhimao suddenly chuckled.

Gu Can lowered his head as he raised his bowl, then paused momentarily to consider the question before answering, “Chen Ping’an is not that type of person, and I would also rather not die so early.”

Liu Zhimao’s expression remained unchanged, but internally, he was astonished.

He actually had no idea that Jiang Shangzhen intended to give those islands to Gu Can!

With that in mind, he heaved an internal sigh. It seemed that this final test that he was putting Gu Can through wouldn’t go quite as he had planned.

However, after taking a moment to weigh up his options, he still asked, “What do you think will be required for Cyan Gorge Island to survive and flourish? You don’t have to answer me right away. You can have a drink first and take some time to consider your answer.”