Liu Fang hurriedly turned around and became even more humble. “Grandmaster Gu, as the saying goes, ice and charcoal need not speak for their coldness and heat to be known. I posted the notice only to find you as quickly as possible. I had absolutely no intention of showing disrespect.”
“After meeting you last night, his excellency the imperial preceptor praised you highly and wished he could sit down and talk with you at length. That is why I resorted to this underhanded method. Please forgive my offense!”
“Forget it!”
Gu Yi waved his hand and said, “Although this matter began because of you, you cannot really be blamed. I am not so unreasonable as to confuse right and wrong.”
“Tell me, what exactly did you come to see me about?”
Liu Fang said, “To be honest, his excellency the imperial preceptor’s health has been deteriorating day by day recently. It pains me greatly to watch. He and the imperial preceptor each handle the internal and external affairs of the empire respectively, and are truly indispensable pillars of the empire.”
“Last night, Grandmaster Gu said that you had the ability to refine a batch of life-extending pills for him. Is that really true?”
Although the Life-Extending Pill was only a Profound-Rank pill, it was a legendary medicine. In an ordinary lower plane, no one could refine it at all. Liu Fang had repeatedly traveled everywhere on behalf of the imperial preceptor in search of a Life-Extending Pill, but had found nothing.
Gu Yi nodded. “Naturally, what I said was true. But I am very busy and have no time to perform alchemy for him.”
“Besides, didn’t I already say so? If he cannot cultivate to the Deity Realm, what difference does it make whether he lives a few decades longer or a few decades less? He is already nothing but an old skeleton. Even if his life were forcibly extended, what meaning would that have?”
Liu Fang’s expression stiffened.
Gu Chengqian and the Others felt their hearts pound wildly!
This gu Yi was incredibly bold. The imperial preceptor had invited him, yet he still dared to put on airs? His words contained not the slightest trace of respect!
Was he not afraid of angering Liu Fang?
Just as everyone’s hearts pounded with alarm, Liu Fang merely shook his head and sighed. With a bitter smile, he said, “What you said is exactly the same as what the imperial preceptor said. It seems I was too attached to appearances.”
“But I wonder if Grandmaster Gu could spare a little time to meet his excellency the imperial preceptor once more. Even if you do not perform alchemy and merely chat with him, that would be good enough.”
Gu Yi stood with his hands behind his back and pondered for a moment before saying, “Tomorrow. I still have to prepare for tomorrow’s clan tournament today. Go back and tell him that tomorrow, during the xu hour, we will meet at the usual place.”
“Good! Good! Thank you, Grandmaster Gu!”
After Liu Fang rejoiced for a moment, he asked, “Is Grandmaster Gu participating in the clan tournament for the admission quota to the Martial Arts Sacred Grounds, which is offered once every two years?”
Gu Yi nodded. “That’s right.”
Liu Fang smiled. “That is simple. Grandmaster Gu need only tell me which Martial Arts Sacred Grounds you wish to enter. I will have his excellency the imperial preceptor write a letter of recommendation for you. No matter how vast the world is, you can go wherever you wish!”
Gu Feng, who was among the crowd, revealed a flash of envy in his eyes!
He secretly thought, “This way, with a lord’s recommendation, Gu Yi will not participate in the clan tournament and compete with me for the quota!”
Remembering the tragic state of second grand-uncle Gu Qilun’s corpse, he shuddered. He was already terrified of Gu Yi.
Adding to that Liu Fang’s immense respect for Gu Yi, Gu Feng had completely abandoned any thought of opposing him.
Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Gu Yi showed no intention of accepting at all. He waved his hand and said directly, “I intend to obtain the quota through my own ability. I have no interest in food begged for by others.”
“Besides, you need not go to such lengths to make me owe that old codger a favor. You have no idea how troublesome it is to refine a Life-Extending Pill!”
“Ha-ha…”
Liu Fang scratched his head awkwardly and smiled before bowing. “Since that is the case, I will take my leave first.”
“Go on!” Gu Yi waved his hand. Before Liu Fang could turn around, he suddenly called out, “Wait. Do not forget to give my chubby brother his reward!”
Xu Santong smiled awkwardly. “Rest assured, Gu Yi. General Liu is a great personage. How could he possibly owe me my reward?”
Upon hearing this, Liu Fang smiled and took a stack of silver notes he had prepared long ago from his robes, handing them to Xu Santong.
Before leaving, he cast a deep look at Gu Chengqian and the other clan members, then said coldly, “clan patriarch Gu, you truly cannot recognize gold inlaid with jade. For someone like Grandmaster Gu to come from your Gu Family, that is a blessing your Gu Family’s ancestors cultivated over ten generations!”
“Conduct yourselves well!”
“Yes, yes. General Liu’s reprimand is justified.”
Gu Chengqian wiped away a cold sweat and, together with the others, intended to see Liu Fang out the door.
“There is no need to see me out. I, Liu, cannot afford such an honor!”
Liu Fang snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and left.
Gu Chengqian awkwardly watched Liu Fang disappear into the distance. He turned around and looked at Gu Yi with a complicated expression, forced a smile onto his face, and hurried over to him. “Yi’er, what exactly is going on between you, General Liu, and the imperial preceptor?”
Gu Yi looked at him coldly and sneered. “Now you remember to ask me about the reason? What were you doing just now?”
“Didn’t you want to kill me? Come on, then.”
“Ahem!”
Gu Chengqian completely set aside his dignity and continued trying to warm Gu Yi’s cold reception. Laughing, he said, “Yi’er, what are you saying? We are father and son, connected even if our bones were broken, with blood thicker than water.”
“Ridiculous! Blood thicker than water? My father is probably still eating coarse rice in the dungeon, isn’t he?”
“Release him!”
Gu Chengqian turned to an old man and shouted, “fourth uncle, hurry and release third younger brother!”
Seeing this, some of the gloom in Gu Yi’s heart finally dissipated. He flicked his sleeve and said, “Forget it. Stop humiliating yourselves here. All of you, leave. I still have to prepare for tomorrow’s competition.”
Gu Chengqian said solemnly, “What else is there to prepare? There is no need to compete tomorrow. You are the champion. All the rewards and the quota to study at the Martial Arts Sacred Grounds belong to you.”
“How can that be?”
Gu Yi shook his head vigorously. “The laws of our ancestors are greater than Heaven, and rules are rules. I cannot overstep them. The competition must be held!”
He looked at Gu Feng and smiled darkly. “Gu Feng, isn’t that right?”
Gu Feng clenched his fists and met Gu Yi’s gaze. His stiff face forced out a strained smile, and he snorted unwillingly, “Of course!”
Gu Chengjiao and the others fled the Yunqi Courtyard in embarrassment and frustration. Before leaving, they did not forget to clean up the corpses of Gu Qilun and Gu Hao.
The small courtyard soon became tranquil, with only Gu Yi, An’an, Xu Santong, and Gu Bieli remaining.
Gu Yi had An’an pour tea and water, invited Gu Bieli to sit, and praised her with a smile. “Aunt, it has only been a few days since we last met, yet you have become even more beautiful and captivating.”
Gu Bieli gathered her hair and said angrily, “You little rascal, when did you become so formidable? You even dared to keep it from me!”
Gu Yi knew that Gu Bieli was not truly angry. Over the past nineteen years, he had always felt a mother’s warmth from this aunt of his. He gently shook his head and said, “Aunt, this is a long story, and it is simply unbelievable. Even if I told you, you would not believe me.”
Gu Bieli sighed softly, touched Gu Yi’s cheek, and said with a smile, “Regardless of how it happened, you have grown stronger, and your aunt is sincerely happy for you.”