Gu Daoist Master

Chapter 38

Chapter 38 – Demon walking in the light

From the layers of dark clouds in the sky, the spring rain fell.

The raindrops were thin like hair. As they fell, they enveloped Qing Mao Mountain in a layer of fine mist.

The dining hall on the first floor of the inn was rather empty. There were only four tables of guests.

Fang Yuan sat at a seat by the window. A gust of wind blew, bringing with it a poetic atmosphere and the scent of flowers.

“The light rain from the sky is sleek and crisp, the color of grass is seen from afar but disappears when close.” Fang Yuan looked outside through a window and quoted a poem lightly before he turned his sights back to the inn.

Before him was a table filled with good wine and dishes. The color, smell and taste were all top notch. Especially the green bamboo wine which oozed with the fragrance of alcohol along with a hint of freshness. The dark green colored liquor sat quietly in the bamboo cup. From his angle, it shone with an amber-like luster.

A grandfather and his grandson were sitting at the table nearest to him. Being mortal humans, they wore modest clothes.

The grandfather sipped his rice wine while looking enviously at Fang Yuan. He was evidently attracted to the green bamboo wine but could not afford it.

The grandson ate his braised beans, a crunching sound emitting from his mouth as he chewed. At the same time, he pestered his grandfather, shaking his arm. “Grandpa, grandpa, tell me about the story of Ren Zu. If you don’t tell me, I’ll report to grandma that you secretly came out to drink!”

“Sigh, I can’t even drink in peace.” The grandfather sighed but his face showed a doting expression towards the child. With his twig-like arm, he patted the boy’s head, “Then let me tell you the story of Ren Zu who gave his heart to the Hope Gu, escaping his predicament of being captured…”

Ren Zu’s story was the most popular and widespread tale in this world, as well as the most ancient legend.

The old man’s story was something like this.

The story mentioned that Ren Zu was able to escape his predicament because of hope. But eventually he grew old and without Strength and Wisdom, he could no longer continue to hunt. Even his teeth fell off, making him unable to chew many wild fruits and vegetables.

Ren Zu felt death slowly approaching.

At this time, the Hope Gu said to him, “Human, you must not die. If you die, your heart will be lost and I will lose my only place of residence.”

Ren Zu was helpless. “Who wishes to die? But if the heavens and earth want me dead, I have no choice.”

The Hope Gu said, “There’s always hope in everything. As long as you can catch a Longevity Gu, you will be able to increase your lifespan.”

Ren Zu had heard of the existence of the Longevity Gu long ago but he waved his hand helplessly. “When the Longevity Gu stays still, nobody can detect it and when it flies, it is faster than light. How can I possibly catch it? It’s too hard!”

The Hope Gu then told Ren Zu a secret, “Human, don’t give up hope no matter what. Let me tell you, on the northwest corner of this continent, there is a huge mountain. On the mountain, there is a cave and in that cave, there is a pair of round and square Gu worms. As long as you can subdue them, there is no Gu in this world that you cannot catch, including the Longevity Gu!”

Ren Zu had no choice, this was his last remaining hope.

He braved all difficulties and finally found the mountain. He then risked his life and ventured through countless dangers to ascend the mountain. On the mountain top, near the cave entrance, he used his last remaining strength to slowly make his way in.

The inside of the cave was completely dark and one would not be able to even see their own fingers. Ren Zu walked in the darkness. Sometimes, he would bump into things not knowing what they were. This caused himself to get injured and wounded all over. At times, he felt that this dark cave was huge beyond words as if this was a world of its own. He felt as if he was the only person in the area.

He spent a lot of time but he could not walk out of the darkness. Not to mention subduing the two Gu worms.

Just when he was at a loss about what to do, two voices spoke to him from the darkness.

Go back, for even if you had the Strength Gu, it would be

go back, we will not take your life. Even if you had the Wisdom Gu to help

do not have much lifespan left so I’m at my wits end. But as long as there’s hope in my heart, I will not give

words, the two voices

a while, one of the Gu said, “I understand, human, you have already given

we shall give you a chance. As long as you can say our name, we will allow

stunned. To find their names among all the words in

did not even know how

the Hope Gu, but it did not know

names. He said many many names and

the scene of the evening’s setting sun. The sun that would slowly descending had already been lowered halfway across the horizon,

becoming slower and he

so we will let you go. Using your remaining time, you can climb out of the cave and take a final look at the world. But you have offended us, and as punishment, the Hope Gu shall stay here as

heart and rejected, “Even if I die, I

bright light. At Ren Zu’s chest area, a light began to shine. But this light was too weak, it could not illuminate the darkness. In fact, it could not even

Zu could feel a renewed surge of energy gushing into his body from the Hope

was already muddled. A lot of names had already been said but he

continued to flow, Ren Zu’s lifespan was almost

when he was on his final day, he said out the

perseverance. You have said my name, so from today onwards, I will obey your commands. But only with my brother can I aid you in capturing all the Gu in the world. Otherwise, with my ability alone, it is impossible. Thus, you should give up. You’re almost dead, you might as well

all his time to continue saying out names as he

and minutes went by and soon he

time, he unknowingly said the word

Immediately, the darkness dissipated.

had said, one was cubic, called ‘Regulations’. The other was spherical, called

names, we will listen to them. Human, since you know our names already, we will be at your service. But you must remember, it is important to not let others know of our names. The more people that know our names, the more people we have to obey them. Now that you are the first to subdue us, tell us your

was overjoyed. “Then I order you both,

together and captured an eighty-year Longevity

Zu was already a hundred years old but after consuming this Gu, the wrinkles on his face vanished and his frail limbs became muscular again. A vibrant aura of

he jumped up onto

at his body, knowing that he had regained the

grandson.” The old man, having completed the story, finished his

to Ren Zu after?” The grandson was unyielding

I’ll tell you when there’s another chance.” The old man wore his straw hat and jacket, then gave his

out of the inn, stepping into the rain and slowly vanishing

twirled his wine cup, looking at

world and there were almost no people who did not

the reader. The grandfather and grandson earlier merely treated it as a story,

like that Ren

explored in the dark. Sometimes he bumped into things, knocking into others, causing himself to get injured and look like a mess. And at times within a wider

was not purely black or the absence of light. Strength, wisdom and hope could not

and regulations and said their names did the darkness

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