Chapter 7: Leaving Without Saying Goodbye

Plop.

A drop of rain fell from a leaf into a puddle on the ground, sending ripples across the surface and splitting Gu Yi’s reflection in two.

The rain had stopped, and dawn had broken.

The inn at Four Stones Town had a hint of a courtyard’s charm. Leaning over the second-floor railing, Gu Yi looked down and saw Old Chen waving his sword… making some odd movements.

He turned his head to the right, twisted his body to the left…

Hearing the noise, Old Chen looked up and said, “Mister Gu, you’re awake. How are you feeling?”

“Nothing serious. What are you doing?”

“Oh, right.” Old Chen leapt up with his sword. “Yesterday you said something about turning the head to the right, turning the body to the left… I tried it many times, but when I turn my head to the right, my body doesn’t respond. Why is that?”

Gu Yi: (￣△￣?)

“That only happens on a perfectly smooth surface.”

Old Chen lowered his head, mumbling, “This plank’s pretty well polished… Ah, forget it. I’ll go fetch the young miss and tell her you’re awake.”

Soon after, Hexian ran upstairs in a hurry, clutching the chicken named Shehuang.

“Sir Gu, all those things I said yesterday, I was scolding Shehuang, not you!”

Shehuang was probably still asleep, but at these words, it suddenly startled awake.

Gu Yi couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Yet somehow it felt as though you were talking about me.”

“No! Absolutely not!” Hexian waved her hands frantically, flustered and tongue-tied, unable to say anything right.

“All right, I was joking.” Gu Yi hastily reassured her, “I didn’t take it to heart.”

He knew that the phrase “Immortal of Little Yuan Mountain” and the Four Stones Dragon Gate Array carried enormous weight in the hearts of Xu people. Hexian’s reaction was understandable. Still, he wasn’t about to argue with a young girl.

Hexian, finally calming down, patted her flat chest and asked, “About what Old Chen said—right is right, wrong is wrong…”

“Well… Let me give you an example. That girl, Canlian, stood up to shield me from a blade. But in doing so, she disrupted my rhythm in facing the enemy. Was she right or wrong?”

Hexian thought for a moment, then replied, “To be fearless in the face of death and to help another—of course that’s right!”

Gu Yi was in no hurry. “But what if, because of her, my lack of skill led to a mortal wound—would that be right or wrong?”

“Well…”

Gu Yi continued, “You scolded me for ignoring the weak, believing it was right at the time. But later, after hearing some nonsense from an assassin about me leaving the Four Stones Array, you rushed over to apologize—so then you thought not scolding me was right. But it’s the same matter, so is it right or wrong?”

The question was too difficult. Hexian was lost, counting off on her fingers, hesitating between yes and no, and growing more confused.

Gu Yi left her to ponder. “Think it over yourself; I’m going to have breakfast. Old Chen, are we leaving today?”

Old Chen replied, “Not today. After that heavy rain, the dirt roads are muddy—neither carriage nor horse can travel. My master is in no hurry to return to Luyang. What about you, Mister Gu?”

Mister Gu?

Gu Yi turned his head. This was the second time he’d been addressed so.

“Entering the Four Stones Dragon Gate Array? Just because some swordsman mentioned it yesterday, you all believe it? If I’d truly inherited the Immortal’s teachings from Little Yuan Mountain, would I really have no cultivation at all?”

As long as he denied it, they could hardly reach a conclusion. Entering the Four Stones Dragon Gate Array was a bizarre matter. Not even the Emperor of Xu had done it; was it reasonable to believe he had?

“Besides, if what that woman said was true, and I used this title, I’d gain all sorts of benefits—wouldn’t it be better to simply admit it?” Gu Yi looked earnestly at Old Chen, his gaze carrying several rounds of subtle probing and confirmation.

Old Chen nodded. “You’re right! Ah, why didn’t I think of that with my blockhead?”

The master and servant were both left pondering their life choices.

At this moment, Canlian emerged from her room, stifling a laugh. She wasn’t so easily fooled—she had seen it with her own eyes.

Gu Yi waited until she came near. “If they ask why you insist on staying with me, what will you say?”

Canlian asked respectfully, “Please, sir, instruct me.”

This required a plausible, realistic reason.

“Just say… because I’m handsome.” Gu Yi considered this and decided it was perfect.

Canlian’s mouth fell open, but she obediently nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Although this reason…”

“It doesn’t matter; we only need to get through today.”

Canlian’s brows flickered with thought. What did that mean?

…

In truth, the rain had blocked the road—they were stranded.

All they could do was eat, read, and sleep indoors.

Gu Yi knew he couldn’t send Canlian away, so he didn’t bother trying. Let her stay—she would keep quiet anyway.

Hexian and Old Chen lingered as well, the four swordsmen’s visit having planted seeds of doubt in their minds. Though Gu Yi had talked his way out of it at the time, they would dwell on it with time.

Hexian glanced at Gu Yi, then at Canlian beside him. Everything else could be explained, but “because he’s handsome” was hard to believe. It might be true, but as a reason, it was odd.

“Since Canlian’s reason is clear, why won’t you accept her?”

Gu Yi slapped his thigh. “Would you believe such a ridiculous reason? I certainly don’t!”

Canlian was at a loss for words—it was you who told me to say that!

“But Canlian means no harm. She’s rather pitiful. Taking her in would be a good deed.”

This young woman had a chivalrous heart, always speaking up for others.

“She’s not pretty. If you don’t mind, you can take her in.” Gu Yi’s eyes stayed on his book, shamelessly voicing such words.

“You…”

Ordinarily, Hexian’s temper would have her scold him for such superficiality. But she thought better of it—perhaps it was best not to.

Still, she grumbled inwardly—how could an immortal have anything to do with such a vulgar man! As if he could enter the Four Stones Array—nonsense!

Suppressing her annoyance, Hexian pouted. “Canlian’s a girl. Don’t speak of her like that.”

“It’s all right.” Canlian smiled slightly, her freckles clear.

Sensing an opportunity, Old Chen interjected, “Mister Gu, that last move yesterday…”

On and on he went.

Gu Yi had anticipated this. From his sleeve, he produced a slim booklet bearing the words “High Mountain Sword.”

“If Old Chen is interested, I’ll give it to you.”

The man waved a hand while keeping his eyes fixed on it. “I couldn’t possibly. Cultivators shouldn’t covet others’ skills—I know that much.”

“Keep it, as thanks for saving my life.”

Hexian looked pleased. The elders always said good deeds bring good fortune—so it should be.

But in Canlian’s eyes, a thoughtful look appeared.

The rain did not return that day.

After nightfall, Gu Yi left a letter, packed his things, and quietly slipped out of the inn.

Hexian and Old Chen were full of doubts about this “youth of the Four Stones Array” and constantly probed for information. Gu Yi had no wish to talk, and with Canlian watching him lie so awkwardly, there was no need to travel together to Luyang.

He’d given them a sword manual and healed their wounds—he wasn’t ungrateful.

Perhaps, after these years, he was simply used to being alone.

In any case, as he watched the rain drip from the leaves that morning, he’d already made up his mind.

According to the innkeeper, Four Stones Town was forty li from Quanmen County, and another sixty li beyond that lay the capital, Luyang.

As for the letter left in the inn, it contained but sixteen characters: “An assassin’s words are nonsense, believe them not, spread them not. Too many rumors only breed trouble.”