“Hurry and look, hurry and look, the Eldest Young Master is here again.”
Chu Canyuan looked at the bustling street not far away and asked with some curiosity.
“What is happening up ahead?”
A man beside him sized up Chu Canyuan from head to toe and spoke to explain.
“It’s the Eldest Young Master. The Eldest Young Master often goes out to investigate the people's conditions and distribute food to the homeless.”
“Compared to that Little Young Master who only listens to music at the Drunken Dream Pavilion, it’s like heaven and earth.”
“I don’t know what the City Lord is thinking, to actually want to establish the Little Young Master as the Young City Lord at first.”
Another woman heard this and quickly nudged the man with her elbow.
“If someone overhears you discussing the City Lord, just wait to be punished.”
The man was then dragged away by the woman, leaving Chu Canyuan standing there contemplating.
“It seems the reputation of this Little Young Master is not very good.”
Chu Canyuan also walked towards the street where the Eldest Young Master was, casually standing in a corner, curiously watching the enthusiastic Eldest Young Master not far away.
The Eldest Young Master had gentle features and an air of noble purity, dressed in a sapphire blue brocade robe, his handsomeness revealing a hint of wildness.
“The Eldest Young Master’s physical condition also seems a bit off.”
Chu Canyuan shook his head helplessly, turned around, and prepared to leave: “Their family matters are truly inscrutable.”
“How about it, the trivial matters of our family are indeed this unfathomable.”
A familiar voice came from beside Chu Canyuan. Chu Canyuan turned his head upon hearing the sound.
“L-Little Young Master.”
The people nearby heard Chu Canyuan call out the Little Young Master and all turned to look. They saw Guan Yi standing beside Chu Canyuan with a smile on his face.
“Little Young Master.”
“Greetings, Little Young Master.”
Seeing this, the surrounding people hurriedly bowed to Guan Yi.
Guan Yi raised his hand to signal them to dispense with the formalities, then waved towards the Eldest Young Master and called out.
“Big Brother, my eighteenth birthday banquet is in a month. You haven’t forgotten to prepare a gift for me, have you?”
The Eldest Young Master looked at Guan Yi and smiled dotingly: “Of course, which year has Big Brother not prepared one for you.”
“I knew Big Brother was the best to me. We have things to do, so we’ll take our leave first.”
Guan Yi glanced at Chu Canyuan. Chu Canyuan understood and followed Guan Yi away from the spot.
“Heh, has the Little Young Master found a new girl again?”
“I wonder where the Little Young Master found such a beautiful woman this time.”
“I heard that not long ago the Little Young Master caused a scene at the Drunken Dream Pavilion, insisting that Miss Zhi Yu, who had caught a cold, play a tune for him.”
“Look at the Eldest Young Master, he has cultivated diligently since childhood, reaching the Third Realm Transition Stage at only twenty-eight years old.”
“Even the Second Brother, who rarely shows his face, is said to have broken through to the Third Realm a year ago, and he is a year younger than the Eldest Young Master.”
“Compared to the Little Young Master, who is ignorant and has no cultivation, the Little Young Master doesn't have an ounce of the demeanor a Young Master should possess.”
“It’s fine, we will naturally have a result that satisfies us in two months.”
Everyone stared at the retreating backs of Chu Canyuan and Guan Yi, discussing animatedly.
The Eldest Young Master snorted coldly, and the crowd fell silent, looking at each other with lowered heads.
Looking up, the Eldest Young Master’s face held a thoughtful expression as he looked at Chu Canyuan beside Guan Yi.
Guan Yi led Chu Canyuan out of the city center. The two stopped beside a lake, where a Pavilion stood quietly by the water.
The area around the Pavilion was lush with greenery, with distinct layers of vegetation, adding much vitality to the structure.
A gentle breeze blew across, causing ripples to spread across the lake surface, and the Pavilion’s reflection swayed gently with the water waves.
“This place is a leisure spot specially built by Father for us brothers. Ordinary people don't have the chance to enter.”
“Don’t be reserved, sit down quickly.”
Guan Yi collapsed directly onto a seat inside the Pavilion, spread his palms, and a Glazed Bottle appeared in his hand from his storage ring.
His fingers gently tapped the Glazed Bottle, and a faint aroma of wine wafted out.
He tilted it slightly, first sniffing the wine fragrance, then his lips curved upwards as he slowly took a sip.
Guan Yi gazed at the amber-colored liquor in the bottle, seemingly intoxicated by the rich aroma.
“This Snow Cliff Dew lives up to its name, good wine, good wine.”
Chu Canyuan looked at Guan Yi with some bewilderment: “What exactly did the Little Young Master call me here for?”
“In two months, which is the month after my eighteenth birthday banquet, there will be the Young City Lord Contest.”
“I need your help.”
Chu Canyuan questioned: “Why me? The Little Young Master doesn't even know my full name.”
Guan Yi said casually: “Then what is your name?”
“Chu Canyuan.”
Guan Yi chuckled: “Good, my name is Guan Yi. Now we are acquainted.”
“Isn’t the Little Young Master being a bit too rash in doing this?”
Guan Yi raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this and spoke leisurely.
“Acting this way is indeed somewhat improper, but the Weight of Karma on you tells me you are no ordinary person.”
Chu Canyuan was startled by this. He hadn't expected the Little Young Master, whom others claimed had no cultivation, to be able to discern the karma surrounding him.
Seeing that Chu Canyuan was about to refuse, Guan Yi immediately spoke up: “After succeeding, I will give you a Treasure to suppress your karma, which can reduce some unnecessary trouble for you.”
Chu Canyuan pondered for a moment and asked softly: “How can I help you? Help you seize the position of Young City Lord?”
Guan Yi shook his head, stood up, and downed another gulp of the cold wine.
“I want you to help my Big Brother, Guan Xun, win the position of Young City Lord.”
Chu Canyuan was somewhat confused but didn't ask further, stating plainly: “What form will the Young City Lord Contest take?”
Guan Yi walked to Chu Canyuan’s side and placed a hand on his shoulder.
“In two months, Father will place the three of us brothers and the helpers we each find into a Mountain forest.”
“The Mountain forest is full of Demonic Beasts. The time limit is one week. Whoever slays more Demonic Beasts means they are fit for the position of Young City Lord.”
“Of course, during these seven days, the three of us brothers are also allowed to fight each other in the Mountain forest. The loser will be immediately eliminated from the Mountain forest and withdrawn from the Young City Lord Contest.”
Chu Canyuan spoke seriously: “What are the cultivation levels of your two elder brothers and their helpers?”
“My Big Brother Guan Xun and Second Brother Guan Bu are both at the Third Realm Transition Stage. As for the helpers…”
“The helpers’ cultivation levels are restricted to the Third Realm and below, so it is already known that all four of them are in the Third Realm.”
“As for you, although the karma on you is heavy, it shouldn't be enough to possess a cultivation level surpassing the Third Realm at such a young age.”
Guan Yi held the Glazed Bottle and stretched, appearing completely unconcerned about this Young City Lord Contest.
“In other words, after joining forces with the Eldest Young Master to defeat the Second Brother, you will voluntarily forfeit, and the position of Young City Lord will naturally go to the Eldest Young Master.”
Guan Yi nodded slightly upon hearing this: “You grasp things quickly, as expected of the person I chose.”
He then gripped the Glazed Bottle tightly and drank the liquor down in one go, gazing deeply at the lake surface.
Chu Canyuan spoke slowly: “Won’t you get drunk?”
Guan Yi shook his head and smiled bitterly: “This is the only thing that can keep me sober.”
Immediately, a mouthful of fresh blood coughed out of Guan Yi’s mouth. Seeing Chu Canyuan about to step forward to help, Guan Yi quickly waved his hand in refusal.
Chu Canyuan thought it over again and again, but still spoke up.
“Little Young Master, I have studied the way of Medicinal herbs since childhood. If I am not mistaken… does the Little Young Master know that he only has two and a half years left to live?”
Guan Yi smiled with a sense of relief: “How could I not know about my own body?”