Book 4: Chapter 80: Occasionally Dabble

Li Shenji, Ye Shenzhen, and Long Shenwu stared at Gu Hai, seemingly frozen.

Rationally speaking, the three did not believe him. What a joke! We spent so much effort and plotted heavily. Li Shenji even ended up injured, nearly dying. Despite all that, we did not even see Gongyang Sheng’s shadow.

Yet, you say that you rescued Gongyang Sheng?

From an objective perspective, all the more the three could not believe him. The three of us are Middle Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators. Yet, you, a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, managed to save someone when we failed?

The three just stared at Gu Hai.

Gu Hai smiled faintly and asked, “Are you not coming in?”

The three looked at Gu Hai in confusion. Gu Hai is that confident?

After Gu Hai spoke, he went inside with Long Wanyu.

The three exchanged looks. Although they were skeptical, they still followed.

Whoosh!

Strong energy flowed within the inner room. As the three stood outside that room, their expressions suddenly changed.

“This aura?” Ye Shenzhen followed Gu Hai into the room, feeling shocked.

Li Shenji and Long Shenwu also entered the room.

Whoosh!

The energy in the room withdrew into the body of the white-clad man sitting crossed-legged in the center of the room.

That white-clad man slowly opened his eyes and saw the flabbergasted faces of Li Shenji, Ye Shenzhen, and Long Shenwu.

“Oh? Third Crown Prince, Eunuch Ye, and Battalion Commander Li? You are here as well?” The white-clad man let out a long breath, showing some joy in his eyes.

Prince Shenwu: “…”

Ye Shenzhen: “…”

Li Shenji: “Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough…”

This…this is impossible!

The three immediately gave Gu Hai strange looks. This was especially so for Li Shenji, who openly mocked Gu Hai earlier, saying that failing to save Gongyang Sheng meant one was incapable while succeeding made one capable. Now, this made him appear incapable before Gu Hai.

“Lord Gongyang was not in Bat Valley at all? Gu Hai, did you lie to me? Cough! Cough! Cough!” Li Shenji shouted, holding his wounds.

Prince Shenwu’s and Ye Shenzhen’s expressions changed. That’s right. It would make sense if he was not in Bat Valley.

Everyone looked at Gu Hai. However, Gongyang Sheng said, “I was trapped in Bat Valley. Was it Gu Hai who rescued me?”

Li Shenji: “…”

After Li Shenji managed to find an excuse for his failure, the excuse immediately got crushed by Gongyang Sheng.

Did Gu Hai really rescue him from Bat Valley?

“Battalion Commander Li, the next time you scold someone, do observe propriety. Otherwise, you might end up failing to scold the other person and end up scolding yourself instead,” Gu Hai said bluntly.

Li Shenji immediately flushed red.

To think that I—Li Shenji—a person with great strength and schemes ended up getting lectured by a vile person like you?

“I don’t need you to give me a lecture. Humph!” Li Shenji snorted coldly, feeling depressed.

“Of course. My brother-in-law got you out. Otherwise, you would still be a floating corpse in the blood pool!” Long Wanyu immediately said cockily.

Long Wanyu did not care for any credit. Giving the credit to her brother-in-law made her even happier than claiming it for herself. As for Purple Subtlety and Longevity, Gu Hai let them eat as much as they wanted. Right now, they were in the kitchen eating.

“Oh? This is?” Gongyang Sheng’s eyelids twitched as he looked at Long Wanyu.

Gongyang Sheng had never met Long Wanyu before. However, her words sounded too harsh. What do you mean by “a corpse floating in the blood pool”?

“This is Princess Wanyu, Princess Xiaoyue’s daughter,” Ye Shenzhen explained.

“Oh? Princess Xiaoyue’s daughter?” Gongyang Sheng raised his eyebrows.

“She is the apple of His Holy Eminence’s eye. Don’t take what she says to heart,” Ye Shenzhen added.

After all, Long Wanyu had not been born yet when Gongyang Sheng got imprisoned.

“What do you mean, the apple of that old fogey’s eye? Impotent Ye, what nonsense! That darn old fogey never lets me go out to have fun. How could I be the apple of his eye?” Long Wanyu said in disdain.

“How dare you?!” Gongyang Sheng glared.

Darn old fogey? Is she humiliating His Holy Eminence?

“What are you glaring at?” Long Wanyu glared back.

Now, Gongyang Sheng realized how much the Qian Heavenly Emperor doted on her.

Darn old fogey? And Impotent Ye for Eunuch Ye at the side? Even so, the third crown prince and Li Shenji do not seem surprised at these addresses?

“The princess even addresses His Holy Eminence like that. As I said, don’t take it to heart,” Ye Shenzhen said with a bitter smile.

Gongyang Sheng’s eyelids twitched again. Long Wanyu’s importance suddenly increased significantly in his heart. She now appeared incredibly mysterious. This is something I don’t understand. I had better suppress my anger first.

“You are Gu Hai?” Gongyang Sheng suddenly looked at Gu Hai, who was at the side.

“Elite Hall Master, Gu Hai, greets Mister Gongyang!” Gu Hai said with a faint smile.

“You composed ‘Chivalrous Legends’ and ‘Bring in the Wine’?” Gongyang Sheng’s eyes suddenly lit up.

“It is indeed my humble self. However, to some people, they are just nonsensical poems for creating a sensation.” Gu Hai glanced at Li Shenji.

This was exactly how Li Shenji mocked Gu Hai earlier.

“Which bastard said such ridiculous words? What do you mean by nonsensical poems? ‘Chivalrous Legends’ and ‘Bring in the Wine’? If these are nonsensical poems, then what are good poems? Just creating a sensation? That is just sour grapes. Gu Hai? Well written!” Gongyang Sheng smiled with wide eyes.

Everyone showed a strange expression as they looked at Li Shenji. He now flushed even redder.

“It’s good that Lord Gongyang likes them. They are nothing much,” Gu Hai said with a faint smile.

“Who is your teacher?” Gongyang Sheng asked with a solemn expression as he stood up.

“Huh?” Gu Hai appeared slightly confused.

“The person who taught you the calligraphy Dao. For you to have written such a good poem, you must have a famous teacher. I wonder if I know him. Who is your teacher?” Gongyang Sheng asked out of curiosity.

Everyone looked at Gu Hai.

Gu Hai replied with a strange expression, “I do not have a teacher.”

“You don’t have a teacher? Then, how did you write ‘Chivalrous Legends’ and ‘Bring in the Wine’?” Gongyang Sheng appeared skeptical.

“Uh…I composed them on the spur. I only just recently heard of the calligraphy Dao,” Gu Hai said with a bitter smile. 

Gongyang Sheng goggled at Gu Hai.

However, Ye Shenzhen said, “Hall Master Gu did indeed come in contact with the calligraphy Dao only recently. Three years ago, he was just an ordinary person who did not cultivate.”

“Oh? You composed it on the spur?” Gongyang Sheng’s eyes brightened amid his shock.

Gu Hai showed a faint, bitter smile as he nodded. That was all he could say. Otherwise, there would be no end to this.

“You only recently came in contact with the calligraphy Dao, but you can already compose such works! What incredible talent! This proves that you have a transcendent comprehension ability for the calligraphy Dao. For some people, even if they worked for their entire life, they could never reach your height. How can such talent be left buried? How about you be my student? I will impart the calligraphy Dao to you with everything I have!” Gongyang Sheng said incredibly gravely.

Take Gu Hai as his student?

The expressions of Ye Shenzhen, Prince Shenwu, and Li Shenji changed.

“Lord Gongyang declared long ago that he would no longer take in any more students. To think that he intends to make an exception for Hall Master Gu?” Ye Shenzhen exclaimed.

Sima Feng, who was standing at the entrance, felt jealous.

However, Li Shenji raised his eyebrows. It was not just because Gongyang Sheng thought highly of Gu Hai. More importantly, as the imperial academy’s chancellor, Gongyang Sheng had many connections in the Qian Nation. Who knew how many of the officials were his students? If Gu Hai became Gongyang Sheng’s student, Gu Hai’s access to resources would immediately increase significantly. It would be much more problematic for Li Shenji to deal with Gu Hai in the future.

“Uh…” Gu Hai felt slightly startled.

“What do you think?” Gongyang Sheng looked at Gu Hai confidently.

The imperial academy’s chancellor would be equivalent to being the dean of Tsinghua University and Peking University and the minister of education on Earth—Gu Hai’s previous world—simultaneously. The offer to be taken on as his student was a great honor. Few calligraphy Dao cultivators could reject it.

[TL Note: Tsinghua University and Peking University are China’s top two universities.]

Gu Hai forced a smile as he said, “Many thanks for Mister Gongyang’s appreciation. However, I only occasionally dabble in poetry. I do not intend to pursue the calligraphy Dao.”

“Just occasionally dabble? You don’t intend to cultivate the calligraphy Dao? You do not intend to cultivate the calligraphy Dao despite such talent?” Gongyang Sheng glared.

“My brother-in-law’s music Dao is even more incredible. Where will he find the time to learn the calligraphy Dao from you?” Long Wanyu said in disdain.

Long Wanyu initially found Gongyang Sheng pitiful for being locked up for so long when they rescued him. However, he now claimed that he wanted to take her brother-in-law as his student. How is Brother-in-Law inferior to you?

“Music Dao?” Gongyang Sheng felt slightly startled.

“Hall Master Gu’s music Dao is indeed incredible. Not long ago, he defeated Lu Yang and Army Breaker in Ying Province with the music Dao. His pieces are unrivaled, even acknowledged by the Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s manor lord. He surpassed countless music Dao masters and obtained a heaven-grade zither,” Ye Shenzhen explained with a bitter smile.

“That’s impossible. Although the music Dao also requires strong comprehension, it is the polar opposite of the calligraphy Dao. How could he be incredible in both? Furthermore, didn’t you say that he just entered the cultivation world? Does that mean that he also only just recently came in contact with the music Dao?” Gongyang Sheng said skeptically.

“I’ve only heard of it over the past few years.” Gu Hai nodded.

“Surpassing countless music Dao masters and obtaining a heaven-grade zither? The Silver Moon Mountain Manor’s manor lord is really generous. To think that your music Dao is so incredible! Are you going to take the music Dao in the path of your cultural cultivation? However, your calligraphy Dao is so incredible. How unfortunate!” Gongyang Sheng said ruefully. 

“Oh! Speaking of which, I also only occasionally dabble in the music Dao,” Gu Hai said with a forced smile.

Another occasional dabble?

Gongyang Sheng suddenly turned his head and looked at Gu Hai. “You only dabble in the music Dao as well? Dabble? Gu Hai, many people lack the talent to do even one. You have two, yet you don’t treasure them?”

Gongyang Sheng appeared disappointed. As Ye Shenzhen dealt with intelligence, he understood Gu Hai quite well. Now, he could no longer hold back, saying, “Lord Gongyang, there’s no need to worry for Hall Master Gu. Hall Master Gu’s most incredible cultural cultivation is the Go Dao. In the Innate Puzzle World, Hall Master Gu used one Go stone to suppress one hundred thousand Go Dao experts and even defeated the Heavenly Go Pavilion’s Ninth Young Master.”

Gongyang Sheng: “…”

Go Dao?

Is he planning to conquer all cultural cultivations? Gongyang Sheng skeptically eyed Ye Shenzhen.

However, who was Ye Shenzhen? He was the Divine Night Guards’ envoy commander. How could he be wrong? Suppressing the Heavenly Go Pavilion’s Ninth Young Master? While others might not understand the significance, Gongyang Sheng instantly understood how skilled Gu Hai was in Go.

Where did such a demon come from?

“So, many thanks for Mister Gongyang’s appreciation,” Gu Hai said while shaking his head.

Gu Hai understood his situation the clearest. He was only incredible at the Go Dao. His calligraphy Dao and music Dao were due to special circumstances. If he learned from Gongyang Sheng, it would all be exposed.

Gongyang Sheng felt very conflicted in his heart, even more conflicted than when he was imprisoned in the blood pool. Where did such a monster come from?

Boom!

Just at this moment, a loud sound came from Bat Valley to the west of the city. The surroundings of Bat Valley exploded, and a bright crimson light shot into the sky.

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