Chapter 115: Every One of Them Is a Talent

Shu Yu felt quite irritated. If she hadn't been injured by Zhang Weiyu, she would never have needed to go out of her way to beg Gu Yi for help in dealing with Qing Feng.

She already had a target on both Qing Feng and Zhang Weiyu, and now she was even debating whether to add Gu Yi to the list.

Gu Yi, meanwhile, was completely oblivious, bustling about the Eighteenth Pavilion Master’s quarters, preparing a meal. With the lake view and the spring breeze, occasionally carrying the scent of food, if one could forget they were trapped here, it would be quite a comfortable existence.

In particular, ever since Gu Yi had left Luyang for Desheng Pass, he had been in a state of high tension. He was exhausted, and as he leaned against a flat rock, enjoying the leisure of the roasted fish, he drifted into a deep sleep in the middle of the day without realizing it.

The Eighteenth Pavilion Master didn't wake him. Time and urgency held no meaning here, but he failed to do one thing for Gu Yi: when Gu Yi woke up, he found that all the food had been reduced to a pile of bones, and even the bones were gnawed clean.

The Pavilion Master was sitting at a writing desk, brushes in hand. He looked like a respectable man, though his actions were anything but.

"Don't look at me like that. I left some for you, but it was eaten by a guest."

Gu Yi instinctively didn't believe him. "What kind of guest could there be here?"

"Naturally, one of the others trapped in the Great Rain Palace." The Pavilion Master stopped writing and handed the sheet of paper to him. "Since the heavens and earth first divided, there have been immortals. Every living creature seeks to ascend, including humans and demons alike."

"Long-legged Cat?"

The three bold, powerful characters on the paper caught Gu Yi’s eye. While silently admiring the calligraphy, he read them aloud. "Is it a demon?"

The Pavilion Master smiled faintly. "Not in the sense that people usually describe demons. In fact, we are kinder than you. I have no reason to frame anyone; having more people around makes things more interesting. It’s dull being trapped here, and if you kill everyone else, you’ll eventually go mad yourself. Compared to these fellows, you’re the real devil among men."

Gu Yi: "..."

He understood why. The Great Rain Palace had harsh standards for men. Anyone with the traits of a scumbag, human or demon, would surely have been killed by the Palace Mistress. But everyone needs a sense of self-satisfaction—why was he the most wicked one here?

"How many of us are trapped in the palace?"

"People come and go; I don't remember many. Some appear and vanish quickly, others hide away to cultivate and won't move for ten years. So I don't recall the exact number, but as for the ones who often challenge me to a fight, the Long-legged Cat is one of them."

"Is he strong?"

"Mediocre at best. Just a small demon who got lucky enough to reach the Hedao realm."

Gu Yi kept silent, feeling as though he had gained some strange new knowledge. He had to remember: in this environment, Hedao was considered quite poor.

"That doesn't sound boring, then. At least you have people to fight with."

The Pavilion Master shook his head. "They're all too weak. How could it not be boring?"

Gu Yi: I'll just keep my mouth shut.

"But you have talent, and you're from Luyang Academy. I will do my best to help you improve your strength, so that hopefully, I won't be so bored."

Ever since he left Xiaoyuan Mountain, his 'drifting' had gone from bad to worse. At Luyang Academy, he was at least a promising scholar; here at the Great Rain Palace, he had become a sparring partner, hired to help someone kill time. It was enough to bring one to tears. He had to get his 'cheat' back at all costs.

"Cultivation must follow its natural course; it will happen when the time is right. How does the Pavilion Master intend to improve my strength?"

Usually, Gu Yi would have scoffed at anyone offering such help, but the Pavilion Master was different. This was a man who had realized the world was weakening through his own perception—a man who deserved to be called truly terrifying.

The Pavilion Master seemed confident when talking about cultivation, but before he spoke, he paused. "What other tricks do you have from the Yuzhen Pavilion? Make something else, and we can talk while we eat, wouldn't that be better?"

Gu Yi: ???

He had gone from a sparring partner to a cook?

Despite his thoughts, Gu Yi complied, if only because he was hungry. "Where is the kitchen? I need to get some seasonings, otherwise, it won't have much flavor."

There had to be someone cooking in a place this large; surely Gu Bai-ci had to eat.

"You really know how to cook?"

Gu Yi’s 'know-how' wasn't like Ye Xiaoniang’s; he could throw together a big hodgepodge. He had studied it on Xiaoyuan Mountain, and it was certainly better than boiled meat. It was just ten thousand miles behind Ye Xiaoniang's cooking.

"I know a little bit." Gu Yi looked at the Pavilion Master with anticipation. "But before I start, can you let me know what you intend to teach me?"

The Pavilion Master sighed, somewhat helpless. "That is why I say you are the biggest villain here. Just go ahead; I’ve sat here for twenty years, do you think I have nothing good to teach you?"

"With your word, I am at ease."

Gu Yi turned and left. He planned to cook a 'Huanong Old Method' dish for the Pavilion Master, starting by finding a hen to test the waters.

After he left, the Pavilion Master laughed. This lad was a clever one, and perhaps, a bit more interesting than the rest.

Gu Yi went out in search of ingredients. With no Pavilion Master around, he was the king of his own domain. He wandered through the wild meadows and clear lakes, though there wasn't much food to be found. He wondered if there were other 'foodies' here.

Walking up to a three-story building, he smelled a fragrant aroma and saw steam rising. Looking down from above, he saw girls in goose-yellow dresses bustling about. According to the Pavilion Master, Gu Bai-ci was actually more tolerant of women, so girls from ordinary families were willing to come here to work—it was safe and provided a living.

At the same time, Gu Yi had to be careful not to do anything untoward to these underage girls, or he would be in for a rough time.

He landed on the roof and peeked inside. The sound of chopping echoed, and the clatter of pots and pans was quite noisy. Just as he was deciding which seasonings to grab, someone tapped him on the back. A voice chuckled, "Kid, what are you trying to steal?"

Gu Yi was at the Fanpu realm, yet he hadn't noticed anyone approaching. He was shocked and immediately flipped over, only to see an ugly face with small eyes, a long nose, and white fuzz on the chin, looking like a ghost.

"What the hell!"

Gu Yi retreated in fear and flew off the roof, but when he looked back, he saw no one.

"Kid, looking for me?" The voice was playful, coming from right behind his back, as if someone were whispering into his ear.

"Who is it?!"

Gu Yi spun around, only to see empty air!

"It's me, it's me, ha-ha-ha." The voice came from behind his head again.

This wasn't a ghost, but the creature was incredibly fast, and its cultivation was clearly higher than his. After the initial panic, Gu Yi steadied his mind. "Who are you? Why not show yourself in front of me?"

"Ha-ha, I won't let you see me. You can't see me. I'm right behind you."

The creature seemed to be having even more fun now. It was toying with him.

Gu Yi stayed still, then spun around in mid-air, but only caught a glimpse of green clothing—he still couldn't tell if it was a human or a demon. The creature was simply too fast.

"Eh? You can't see me, ha-ha, you can't see me."

"I don't believe it. You're right next to me playing tricks, and I can't even see you?"

"Then come look, come look."

Gu Yi spun his body repeatedly. The monster’s speed was impressive, and it seemed to predict Gu Yi’s every move. The two of them spun around until Gu Yi was dizzy, even using his spiritual energy, but he still couldn't pin the creature down.

"Hey! What are you doing this for?"

"If you see me, I'll tell you."

Gu Yi lunged, turning his head sharply, but missed again.

"Hey, I'm here."

He had to use his brain. He realized he couldn't beat the creature with raw speed. "So, if I see you, that's all that matters?"

"Yes, yes!" The voice was high and excited.

"No matter how I do it, as long as I see you?" Gu Yi was determined to show the creature why humans had wisdom.

The creature agreed readily. "Yes, yes, no matter how, as long as you see me."

Gu Yi continued to lead him on. "Good, then let's play a more interesting game. What do you say?"

The creature was thrilled. "Interesting?! Good, good, good! Tell me how to play, tell me!"

"Just finding you is boring. How about this: if I can see you, from now on I'll do whatever you say. If you tell me to stand, I won't sit. If you tell me to sit, I won't stand. If you want me to play, I'll play even if I don't sleep!"

"Good, good! This is good!"

"But..." Gu Yi wasn't a fool. "If I see you, then it goes the other way. You have to do whatever I say. It’s fair, what do you think? Think carefully, don't say I tricked you."

The creature laughed. "No need to think, no need to think. This is fair. Let's play this game: the loser calls the winner 'Dad', and the son must listen to the father, right?"

Gu Yi continued to swindle him. "A bit crude, but that’s the spirit. But there has to be a standard for 'seeing' you, otherwise, I could lie and say I saw you when I didn't. Tell me if there's a mark on your face. If I name it, that counts as seeing you, and neither of us can go back on our word."

"That sounds reasonable... Ha-ha, I like you, little one. You're honest and don't try to cheat me. Good, good. Alright, on my left cheek, there is a character. If you can say it, you win; if not, I win."

Gu Yi was set. "Alright, is there a time limit?"

"No limit, no limit. To limit such a fun game would be a waste. We'll play until you're tired. You don't lose until you admit it; consider it me, your big brother, letting you have a go."

As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Yi surged with spiritual energy and dashed away, then spun around. He only saw the trails of energy left by the creature; he couldn't see its form, let alone the character on its face.

"Faster, faster!"

Gu Yi was moving at top speed, but he couldn't shake the creature clinging to his back.

Gu Yi spun wildly in the air, causing the creature to shout excitedly, "This is fun! This is fun!"

"Are you the Long-legged Cat?"

"Smack!" The creature hit him on the head. "How could I be that guy? Shame on you, keep playing, don't let your mind wander!"

Gu Yi, having nothing better to do, wanted to test his strength against this Hedao-realm creature.

Bang!

He spread his arms, and a surge of spiritual energy exploded outward.

"Ouch," the creature, being so close, couldn't block it in time and was knocked away, but it was unharmed and still happy. "Not bad, kid! Good hit, good hit!"

Gu Yi spun around to create distance, but in the instant he turned, the creature was back on his back. If this were a real battlefield, Gu Yi would have been killed a hundred times over.

"Who said the Hedao realm was rare? I keep bumping into them."

"Don't give up, kid!"

He wasn't giving up, just lamenting. He wanted to see if he could actually do it. There had to be a way. If you're on my back, I can't see you? I’m a product of nine years of compulsory education—I have tricks up my sleeve.

"If I recognize the character on your cheek, I win."

"Yes, yes!"

Whoosh!

Gu Yi moved again, constantly trying to turn his head. Two streaks of light crossed through the sky.

"Ha-ha, fun, fun."

Gu Yi thought to himself, I'll make it not fun soon enough. He wanted to end this, so he started looking for a mirror-like lake, which were everywhere in this fairyland. He spun his body repeatedly, getting the creature used to hiding behind his back.

Until, in a split second, Gu Yi stopped in mid-air, hovering just above the water. The creature was naturally hovering right above him.

The movement froze.

The creature asked happily, "Why did you stop? Why did you stop?"

Gu Yi tilted his head to the right. He was so close to the water he could smell its sweetness. As he tilted his head, the face of the person above him was reflected in the water.

"Ah!" The creature reacted quickly, crying out and flying away, turning its back to Gu Yi. "You rascal! That's against the rules!"

Gu Yi curled his lips into a smile and straightened his body. "Senior, you are truly impressive. What you did was extremely difficult; no matter what I did, I couldn't shake you. If you had wanted to kill me, I would have died a hundred times over."

"But since you are a senior, I’m sure you won't go back on your word. Our agreement was that if I see the character on your left cheek, no matter how, I win."

"The character is 'Er' (Two)."

After so long, Gu Yi finally saw what the creature looked like. It wore gray-white robes, with a fat upper body and thin, long legs—it was clearly a demon that had cultivated into human form. But it didn't seem evil. The Pavilion Master had said the biggest villain here was himself!

A demon at the Hedao realm. The Great Rain Palace was truly full of talent.

"That doesn't count. I don't accept it. You didn't see me directly; you used the lake."

This was getting tiresome. Gu Yi didn't want to play this game anymore. "Then let's call it a draw. Neither of us listens to the other, how about that?"

The creature seemed to be considering it.

Gu Yi bowed, prepared to leave. "I have things to do, so I’ll be going. Please, senior, feel free to do as you please."

"No! You have to keep playing with me!" The creature turned around. He looked much like Gu Yi had imagined: small eyes, a long nose, and a somewhat sleazy appearance.

"I'm starving, I have no energy left to play. And I have to find food for the Eighteenth Pavilion Master so he can teach me powerful cultivation methods."

The creature was very dissatisfied. "What’s so good about him? Anything he can teach you, I can teach you too. Play with me, and I’ll teach you that 'shifting shadow' technique!"

Gu Yi laughed. How could a Hedao master act like such a child? "I can't, I gave my word to the Eighteenth Pavilion Master."

He turned and walked away.

"Hey, don't go!"

Don't go? If you don't play by the rules, why would I play with you?

The guy with the 'Two' on his face didn't seem very bright. Although he shouted loudly and his strength was clearly high, he didn't attack, instead rolling around in the air and jumping back and forth.

Gu Yi ignored him. He had seen something good in the kitchen earlier—a cooked chicken. Of course, people in the Great Rain Palace had to eat! Gu Yi grabbed it and ran, racing back to the pavilion!

The Eighteenth Pavilion Master came out, smelling the aroma. "You found food?"

His expression changed slightly. "This looks so good. You didn't steal it, did you? Gu Bai-ci forbids outsiders from stealing food."

Gu Yi was about to say, 'Why didn't you tell me sooner?' but he simply shook his head mechanically, set down the chicken leg, and watched as the Pavilion Master took a bite and swallowed it. Only then was he relieved. They were in this together now.

Not long after, Gu Yi heard the familiar voice calling for 'Eighteen, Eighteen'—it was the guy who refused to admit defeat.

"Eighteenth Pavilion Master, did a cunning little..." He walked in, his squinting eyes landing on the chicken leg Gu Yi had put down. He froze. "What are you doing? Stealing the Palace Mistress's food?"

Gu Yi wondered if he would go tattle on them.

Instead, the creature's voice became low and excited. "Stealing food and you didn't share any with me?"

Gu Yi picked up the chicken leg, licked it all over before taking a bite, just to be sure.

"Every time I eat, it's either you, Yan Lang, or that Long-legged Cat. I’m not sharing this. And it wasn't stolen; my junior here made it."

Gu Yi, still eating, suddenly felt the weight of Yan Lang's expectant gaze.

"You really know how to cook? You can cook and play—come with me! This old lecher can't teach you anything good."

'Old lecher'? Was he referring to the Eighteenth Pavilion Master?

Before he could process this, Gu Yi felt someone else coming.

"Eighteen, are you having a late meal again?"

It seemed like another Hedao master.

Gu Yi, at the Fanpu realm, kept quiet and ate, afraid he wouldn't get another bite.