Humans have an innate yearning for powerful things.
"No. In my department—family, I am the most talented. The others are probably about the same level as you. I haven't met anyone stronger than me yet."
Gu Zhong delivered his longest speech to date, pouring cold water on the group of people present who were considering switching to kendo.
"However, if it were you, you wouldn't be much worse than me."
Gu Zhong said this specifically to Ling Yan.
"So, for people without talent, it doesn't matter what they learn—"
Someone cried out in despair.
"No, one's own sword is always more reliable than a magical artifact, because it will never betray you."
Gu Zhong retorted.
"It's as if these objects have a spirit."
Chu Cheng chuckled nonchalantly, clearly not taking Gu Zhong's words to heart.
“Hey! I think Miss Gu is right. Besides, there are members of the Ling family who can’t practice magic, but what if they can practice swordsmanship?”
"Miss Gu, how about you come and become a guest retainer in our family?"
Ling Ying was now a devoted fan of Gu Zhong, agreeing with everything she said and even dragging Ling Yan into the conversation, trying to get her to join the persuasion effort.
"Hey! Lingyan, didn't Miss Gu say you have talent? Don't you want to learn?"
"Miss Gu—"
As the call slipped out, a strange feeling welled up in Lingyan's heart. She found the name strangely familiar and easy to pronounce, and she paused involuntarily.
Trying hard to ignore the strange feeling in his heart, he continued speaking.
"From your words just now, it seems that you are also a wanderer. If you don't mind, you can stay at our humble abode for the time being. Although it can't compare to any royal palace, it is still a place where you can live a leisurely life."
Hearing that awkward yet familiar address from his previous life, Gu Zhong couldn't help but smile.
"There's nothing wrong with that."
She readily agreed again, saying that even if Lingyan didn't mention it, she would find a way to stay by Lingyan's side.
This world is fraught with danger, and Lingyan has lost her memory. It took Gu Zhong hundreds of years to find her. How could he feel at ease if he didn't take care of her with his own eyes?
"Thank you."
Ling Yan was taken aback when she didn't expect that all her requests would be so easily granted. She felt even more uncomfortable and her words of thanks dispelled the familiarity that had just been established and brought out a sense of estrangement.
A long string of firelight flickered on the edge of the jungle, illuminating their campfire; the rescue team that had seen the signal must have arrived.
With enough numbers and strength, they were not afraid of the demons in the dark jungle, and the Ling family's rescue team brought the injured down the mountain.
The injured young men from various families were then taken back to their respective inns, while Chu Cheng and Gu Zhong, as specially invited guests of the two young masters of the Ling family, stayed at the Ling residence.
This Demon Hunting Conference is hosted by the Ling family and will be held within their territory. This not only saves them the trouble of traveling, but also ensures that their accommodations are far superior to those at the post stations.
Gu Zhong's feat of slaying the demon with a single sword had been passed down by word of mouth along the way down the mountain, and had been embellished and mythologized countless times.
As a result, she received far more courteous treatment from the Ling family than she did in Chu City.
After all, true strength, no matter where it is or what others intend, will always receive the respect it deserves.
Gu Zhong pushed open the window sill and looked down from the luxurious guest room at the highest point of the Ling Mansion.
Her hawk-like eyes searched through the darkness, trying to find the courtyard she was looking for.
The flapping of birds' wings was exceptionally clear in the darkness. A black pigeon, released by someone unknown, disappeared into the night, its destination unknown.
Everyone should be able to get a good night's sleep tonight.
Chapter 119 Swordsman and Exorcist (Part 5)
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Due to the sudden appearance of the mountain demon, the Demon Hunting Tournament had to be interrupted midway, and many elite disciples from each family were also lost. In addition to their heartache, they couldn't help but blame the Ling family for not conducting a detailed survey of the training grounds.
The gathering of the various noble families ended in discord, with each member returning to their respective homes, thus bringing this year's grand event to a hasty close.
At the Ling family's warm invitation, Gu Zhong took up the position of guest minister and thus rightfully remained in the Ling household.
Chu Cheng also used the excuse of recuperating from his injuries to avoid returning to the capital with his fellow disciples. It was obvious to everyone that he stayed behind for Ling Yan's sake, and the Ling family was happy to see this happen.
The only person in the Ling family who might be unhappy about this is Ling Yan herself. She is extremely annoyed by this problem, yet she can neither scold nor punish her.
When she stayed in her own courtyard, this man would come to chat with her over tea and discuss the essentials of exorcising demons; when she mentioned going to the market, Chu Cheng was overjoyed and treated the flower field as a money bag, not caring how much he spent, since the students of the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion were never short of money; when she mentioned exorcising demons, Mr. Chu was willing to be her protector, and even though his own injuries had not fully healed, he still tried his best to follow her.
To outsiders, Chu Cheng had already shown Ling Yan enough sincerity; such enthusiasm would melt even the coldest heart.
Lingyan grew increasingly disgusted with him because of his relentless pursuit. If it weren't for the delicate relationship between the aristocratic families and the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion, she would have long since given up on him.
All she can do now is to give him the cold shoulder, but this seems to have no effect on Mr. Chu, who is completely clueless about reading people's expressions.
On this day, Lingyan finally managed to organize a competition under the guise of a trial, and sneaked out while Chu Cheng was competing against others.
After getting rid of the annoying flies, I immediately felt that the air was much fresher and the sky was much bluer.
Humming a little tune, Ling Yan walked briskly towards the garden behind the Ling family mansion, where there was an excellent camphor tree, tall and lush.
The tree trunk grows straight and majestic, and its crown spreads out in all directions, casting large shadows on the ground, allowing only sparse sunlight to filter through the gaps.
The best part is that you can lie in the tree and look down at the whole garden, but you can't see up from under the tree. It's a perfect place to find peace and quiet.
In addition, camphor trees can repel mosquitoes and provide shade, making them an excellent place to cool off.
When Lingyan didn't want to be seen, she would always hide here for a whole day, thus gaining some peace and quiet.
Having finally escaped Chu City for the time being, Lingyan naturally thought of her own precious place.
Skillfully climbing the tree trunk, Lingyan arrived at the branch where she usually lay, only to find that someone had already gotten there first.
She hadn't expected that her territory would be taken over by someone else today.
The man was someone I knew but not very well; he was a newly arrived guest advisor.
Gu Zhong was still dressed in all black, making people wonder if this was the only set of clothes she owned.
She lay on her back on a tree branch that was about the same thickness as her body, her eyes closed, her hands behind her head, looking like she was sleeping soundly.
The dappled sunlight cast shadows on her porcelain-white skin, giving it a warm glow.
With her eyes closed, she softened her sharp edge, and her features became much gentler.
Only then could Lingyan take a closer look at her appearance. Her eyebrows were slightly raised, with a slanted upward curve towards her temples. Her phoenix eyes were tightly closed, and her thick black feathers were incredibly alluring. Her nose was as straight as a mountain ridge, and her thin lips were slightly pursed.
No matter how you look at it, she is an absolute beauty, no wonder that arrogant Ling Ying fell in love at first sight.
Lingyan was engrossed in watching when the sleeping beauty suddenly opened her eyes and stared straight at her.
Feeling rather guilty, Lingyan was so startled that she almost lost her grip on the tree trunk and fell straight down.
Being caught peeping made Lingyan feel somewhat embarrassed.
"This is my place!"
Before she could react, the words slipped out with complete confidence. Lingyan, who should have been a polite guest elder, acted with utter nonchalance towards her.
Ling Yan was stunned, and Gu Zhong was also stunned.
Lingyan was shocked to find that she had torn off her disguise and exposed her willful and reckless side in front of people she didn't know very well.
Gu Zhong was momentarily lost in memories, as if he had returned to ten thousand years ago, when his Ah Yan was still carefree and unrestrained, without any pretense and without needing to pretend.
"Ah—Elder Gu, I didn't—"
Just as Lingyan was trying to make amends, the person who had been lying on the tree straightened up, chuckled, and leaned against the tree trunk to take her hand.
Ling Yan was stunned again, and before she knew it, Gu Zhong pulled her over and made her sit next to him.
The branch, which had been supporting two people, swayed, seemingly unable to bear the weight. Lingyan reflexively grabbed Gu Zhong's clothes, as if afraid of falling.
"Don't worry, it won't fall off."
Gu Zhong laughed again, making Ling Yan feel quite embarrassed, yet she couldn't help but turn her head to look at him.
Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum, growing larger and larger, pumping all the blood in her body upwards. Lingyan felt as if her face was on fire.
"Sorry, I don't know."
Gu Zhong added that she still lacked any coldness or sharp edges, and was completely different from how she appeared in public that night in the mountains and how she had acted in public recently.
Very gentle, very warm.
Is this her true self?
Ling Yan was still staring at Gu Zhong, lost in thought.
"Although this is Miss Ling's place, could you lend me some peace and quiet today? Ling Ying is really too troublesome."
The last sarcastic remark finally brought Lingyan back to her senses and resonated with her genuine feelings.
"Ah—no problem. To be honest, I also wanted some peace and quiet. Chu City is just too annoying."
The two sat in the tree and simultaneously let out a heavy sigh.
"Yes, these men are so clueless, they just keep going on and on. I'm starting to regret accepting your invitation."
Pretending to be annoyed and regretful, Gu Zhong said, half-jokingly.
"Elder Gu!"
Lingyan immediately exploded like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, but she herself did not know why she was unhappy.
"Elder, you sound really old. How about we change how we address you? I'm a few years older than you, so how about—you call me Sister Chong?"
With a displeased expression, Gu Zhong, who was actually quite old, resembled a wicked wolf with a wagging tail, trying to lure a pure and innocent girl.
"don't want!"
After a moment of contemplation, imagining herself calling out to Gu Zhong in that way, Ling Yan felt an overwhelming sense of shame and immediately rejected Gu Zhong's suggestion.
"Alright—you can't call me elder, and you can't be too formal either. So think about what you should call me."
Tilting his head and squinting at Ling Yan, Gu Zhong threw the question directly at the one who would veto it.