Rules and Regulations

Ren Zu was able to escape his predicament because of hope. But eventually, he grew old and without Strength and Wisdom, he could no longer continue to hunt. Even his teeth fell off, making him unable to chew many wild fruits and vegetables.

Ren Zu felt death slowly approaching.

At this time, the Hope Gu said to him, "Human, you must not die. If you die, your heart will be lost and I will lose my only place of residence."

Ren Zu was helpless. "Who wishes to die? But if the heavens and earth want me dead, I have no choice."

The Hope Gu said, "There's always hope in everything. As long as you can catch a Longevity Gu, you will be able to increase your lifespan."

Ren Zu had heard of the existence of the Longevity Gu long ago but he waved his hand helplessly. "When the Longevity Gu stays still, nobody can detect it and when it flies, it is faster than light. How can I possibly catch it? It's too hard!"

The Hope Gu then told Ren Zu a secret, "Human, don't give up hope no matter what. Let me tell you, on the northwest corner of this continent, there is a huge mountain. On the mountain, there is a cave and in that cave, there is a pair of round and square Gu worms. As long as you can subdue them, there is no Gu in this world that you cannot catch, including the Longevity Gu!"

Ren Zu had no choice, this was his last remaining hope. 

He braved all difficulties and finally found the mountain. He then risked his life and ventured through countless dangers to ascend the mountain. On the mountaintop, near the cave entrance, he used his last remaining strength to slowly make his way in.

The inside of the cave was completely dark and one would not be able to even see their own fingers. Ren Zu walked in the darkness. Sometimes, he would bump into things not knowing what they were. This caused him to get injured and wounded all over. At times, he felt that this dark cave was huge beyond words as if this was a world of its own. He felt as if he was the only person in the area.

He spent a lot of time but he could not even walk out of the darkness. Not to mention subduing the two Gu worms.

Just when he was at a loss about what to do, two voices spoke to him from the darkness.

One voice said, "Human, you're here to catch us? Go back, for even if you had the Strength Gu, it would be impossible."

The other said, "Human, go back, we will not take your life. Even if you had the Wisdom Gu to help you, you may not be able to find us."

Ren Zu lay exhausted on the ground, panting. "The Strength and Wisdom Gu had left me long ago and I do not have much lifespan left so I'm at my wit's end. But as long as there's hope in my heart, I will not give up!"

Hearing Ren Zu's words, the two voices went silent.

After a while, one of the Gu said, "I understand, human, you have already given your heart to the Hope Gu. You will not give up no matter what."

The other continued, "In that case, we shall give you a chance. As long as you can guess our names, we will allow you to use us."

Ren Zu was stunned. To find their names among all the words in the world was akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

Furthermore, he did not even know how many words were in their names.

Ren Zu quickly asked the Hope Gu, but it did not know either.

Ren Zu had no alternatives and had no other choice but to randomly guess their names. He said many, many names and wasted a lot of time but the darkness did not respond to him. Evidently, he was wrong.

In time, Ren Zu's breath grew fainter, his transition from old age to impending death becoming clearer. The atmosphere mirrored the descent of the evening sun, already halfway below the horizon, casting the world into the twilight of sunset.

The food he had brought was gradually reduced, his brain becoming slower and he barely had any energy to speak anymore.

The voices in the darkness urged, "Human, you are almost dead, so we will let you go. Using your remaining time, you can climb out of the cave and take a final look at the world. But you have offended us, and as punishment, the Hope Gu shall stay here as our companion."

Ren Zu clenched his heart and rejected, "Even if I die, I will not give up hope!"

The Hope Gu was very touched and answered Ren Zu's call enthusiastically, emitting a bright light. Around Ren Zu's heart, a light began to shine. But this light was too weak, it could not illuminate the darkness. In fact, it could not even cover Ren Zu's entire body.

Yet Ren Zu could feel a renewed surge of energy gushing into his body from the Hope Gu.

He continued to speak, shouting out names. But his mind was already muddled. A lot of names had already been said but he could not remember them, wasting a lot of effort in the process.

As time continued to flow, Ren Zu's lifespan was almost over.

Finally, when he was on his final day, he said the word 'Regulation'.

A sigh came from the darkness as a voice spoke, "Human, I admire your perseverance. You have said my name, so from today onwards, I will obey your commands. But only with my brother can I aid you in capturing all the Gu in the world. Otherwise, with my ability alone, it is impossible. Thus, you should give up. You're almost dead, you might as well use this chance to take a final look at the world."

Ren Zu was determined and shook his head, he made use of all his time to continue saying out names as he tried to guess the other Gu worm's name.

Seconds and minutes went by and soon he only had one hour left.

But at this time, he unknowingly said the word 'Rule'.

Immediately, the darkness dissipated.

The two Gus appeared before him. As the Hope Gu had said, one was cubic, called 'Regulations'. The other was spherical, called 'Rules'. Together, they made up 'Rules and Regulations'.

The two Gu said together, "No matter who it is, as long as they know our names, we will listen to them. Human, since you know our names already, we will be at your service. But you must remember, it is important to not let others know of our names. The more people that know our names, the more people we have to obey them. Now that you are the first to subdue us, tell us your request."

Ren Zu was overjoyed. "Then I order you both, go and catch me a Longevity Gu."

The Rules and Regulations Gu worked together and captured an eighty-year Longevity Gu.

Ren Zu was already a hundred years old but after consuming this Gu, the wrinkles on his face vanished and his frail limbs became muscular again. A vibrant aura of youth oozed from him.

He ecstatically looked at his body, feeling that he had regained the body of a twenty-year-old!

(Legends of Ren Zu - Chapter 2)

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Thick raindrops pattered down heavily, drumming against the roof of the vibrant bamboo house with a brittle rhythm.

In front of the house, a pond's surface rippled and danced under the rain's embrace, with lively fish darting about and the aquatic plants swaying gently below. The sky, cloaked in a dense overcast, veiled the horizon with a curtain of rain, obscuring visibility as far as the eye could reach.

In a somewhat dim room of the Chi family compound, the window was open, allowing the cold breeze to enter. Alas, the sole inhabitant of the room didn't care about the weather, as he was currently immersed in his training routine. 

Bathed in soft light, a young man balanced on his hands near the open window. His arms extended fully, supporting his weight as he moved up and down in a controlled motion. With each movement, he lowered himself until his head nearly touched the floor, then pushed himself back up. With each push and lift, his muscles tensed and flexed, the strain evident in the beads of sweat trickling down his brow. His breath came in steady, measured intervals, synchronizing with the rhythm of his movements. Despite the physical exertion, his expression remained impassive, as if the body straining itself wasn't his own. Yet, amidst the controlled repetition of his exercise, his gaze shifted slightly, fixating on a bamboo parchment laid beneath his head. Even as his body trembled with exhaustion, his eyes remained glued to the words inscribed on the scroll.

After a few dozen repetitions, when he sensed that pushing further might strain his triceps and deltoids, Gu Yue Qin rose from his handstand, snatching the bamboo scroll from the floor. His eyes remained fixed on the text before him as he stood upright. 

He felt its coarse texture against his palms, the rigid material being the southern territory's specialty paper. With its rough quality and greenish overlays, this type of paper was well-suited for the humid climate of the region. The versatility of such bamboo paper was high, used not only for books and recipes but also for maps and various other purposes. However, the scroll he held in his hand contained a particular piece of information: the second chapter of the Legend of Ren Zu...

"Rules and Regulations..." Qin's gaze was tranquill as he controlled his breaths to return to a normal pace. His interest was piqued.

Ren Zu's legend was widespread throughout this world and there were almost no people who did not know of him, be they Gu Masters or simple mortals. The original Qin, whose soul was devoured, naturally heard of him too.

The Demon who stole Qin's body knew with complete certainty that the events depicted in the book were as real as could be, but he could also understand the deeper meaning of the story.

Just like that Ren Zu.

Before subduing the rules and regulations, Ren Zu fumbled blindly, frequently colliding with obstacles and sustaining injuries. He wandered aimlessly in a vast unknown, devoid of direction or purpose.

This darkness wasn't just the absence of light...it was a force that defied strength, wisdom, and hope.

It wasn't until Ren Zu understood the rules and regulations, uttering their names, that the darkness relented, allowing a glimmer of light into his life.

In essence, the darkness represented the rules and regulations, while the light that followed was likewise created by them.

Qin shifted his gaze from the scroll and looked outside through the window.

He noticed the persistently dark sky, the plentiful greenery, and the rain streaming past like mist. Nearby, the tall bamboo houses stood in a uniform row, extending into the distance. Along the road, several people walked, their feet marked with mud from the rain. Among them, some sported grayish-green straw coats, while others clutched yellow oiled cloth umbrellas.

'This world's heaven and earth are akin to a colossal chessboard. All lifeforms are mere chess pieces, abiding by their own rules and regulations. The four seasons follow their prescribed order, changing from spring to summer, then to autumn, and finally to winter. Similarly, plants and animals have their own set of rules, with plants sprouting, growing, flowering, and eventually withering, while animals are born, mature, reproduce, and pass away in accordance with their predetermined regulations...'

'Humans naturally also have their own rules and regulations, but those should not be confused with the rules and regulations imposed by Fate. While Fate is strong, it can not change the fundamental rules of the world, like the fact that there are 9 ranks of cultivation. It can only add more rules that it enforces through its strength and then control the destiny of the inhabitants of the world, like the limit of one's lifespan and the absorption of souls by the Door of Life and Death after the death of one's body...'

'Luck, as well, cannot directly oppose the rules and regulations of the world. In other words, if one's body, soul, and will are completely destroyed, along with their presence being erased from the river of time, no fate or luck would allow that person to continue existing in this world. What Fate and Luck do is prevent such an event from occurring by influencing the sequence of future events or the probability of specific outcomes...'

The only way one could possibly alter the most basic rules and regulations of this world, such as a True Death...would be the Rule path...or a rank 10 gu most likely... '

Qin pondered in silence, his gaze seemingly piercing through the dark clouds above, staring directly towards the heavens. Then, slowly, he lowered his gaze, observing the humans busily moving through the streets...

'But Rules and Regulations not only apply to the world itself. Every human has their own standpoints, desires, and principles, that are indeed shaped by their circumstances, which are in turn decided by Fate and Luck, but they are rules and regulations nonetheless, regardless of their origin. For example, in the Gu Yue village, the lives of servants are considered cheap while their masters' lives are deemed noble. This is a part of the rules and regulations of the clan. Because of this, nobody would offer more than a frown if a Gu Yue clansman decided to kill a slave in the streets over a perceived offense.'

"Each individual possesses their own set of rules and regulations, every profession delineates its unique norms, and every society and group upholds their own standards. Only through comprehension of these can we gain clarity from different perspectives. Letting go of the darkness and embracing the light, advancing and carving out our own path..." Qin murmured softly, his gaze profound.

He then reflected on his situation in relation to the Chi Family.

'As the head of the Chi family, Gu Yue Chi Lian's primary goal is safeguarding his family branch's prosperity and competing with the Mo Family. Additionally, he desires his grandson's happiness. However, these aspirations are threatened by Chi Chen's C-grade talent. While the reveal of this secret wouldn't make the Chi Family a laughingstock due to Chi Lian's status as a strong Rank 3 Gu Master, it would significantly damage their reputation and lead to a decline in their position. Their supporters would see the bleak future of the family, resulting in a complete loss of status upon Chi Lian's death. This outcome was, of course, unacceptable to the old man, prompting him to defy the clan's rules and fake his grandson's talent...'

Qin's eyes bore clarity, showing his understanding of the situation gleaned from the Reverend Insanity book written by that Prophet back on Earth, and his own week-long observations while feigning servitude.

'Alas, Chi Lian's actions resembled those of a drowning man clutching at straws, incapable of doing anything but delaying the inevitable, powerless to stop the collapse of his legacy...'

Qin contemplated silently, his gaze shifting toward the bulging bag of primeval stones resting on his bed. Inside lay 100 primeval stones given to him by Chi Lian after their discussion three days prior, along a reassuring pat on the back and a promise for another such bag arriving every week.

Suffice to say, this was an outrageous sum for a rank 1 Gu master. An ordinary Gu Master needed primeval stones to cultivate. Prolonged battles also required primeval stones and refining Gu also needed primeval stones. Trading was also not an exception, as primeval stones were usually accepted as currency between mortal cultivators. A primeval stone had enough value that it could feed an entire family of mortals for a month. That is to say, if Qin gave up cultivation, he would be able to feed himself for more than 20 years using the wealth in this bag alone. This was a sum that not even a rank 2 gu master would be able to obtain after a month of hard work, and yet Chi Lian decided to offer it to Qin weekly, without any incentives from the latter. 

Was this due to the goodness of his heart?

Of course not. Towards someone that wasn't even a member of his family, and whom had shown such dangerous ambitions as Qin, Chi Lian would sooner spit in his face than gift him so many primeval stones. However, there were three factors that Qin used to end up receiving such an amount.

'The first factor is the talent I feigned. By pretending to have a 78% aperture capacity, I positioned myself among the most talented youths of the clan. If an outsider with such talent were to join a faction, whether it be the Clan Leader's, the Mo or Chi families, they could negotiate for 15-30 primeval stones per week, depending on their negotiation skills. This amount would increase over time proportionally with their strength or after marrying into the family. Under normal circumstances, if the original Gu Yue Qin had possessed such talent, he would have also been treated similarly.'

The demon pondered calmly while absorbing the essence of a primeval stone. The primeval stone was simply condensed natural primeval essence.

A typical Gu Master had two methods to replenish consumed primeval essence. The first was natural recovery, where the primeval sea would naturally replenish the essence over time. In the case of a peak A-grade talent like Qin, it would take about one hour to replenish 10% of the primeval essence. The second method was to directly absorb natural essence from a primeval stone. Naturally, there were myriad other methods, but they all involved gu in some form or another.

'The second factor is the fact that I concealed my talent. With the words I told Chi Lian, I implied that my reason for hiding my talent was to raise my value in the eyes of the faction I join. As an experienced man, he would have realized that by doing this, I can avoid some potential suppression from other factions in the clan.'

'Of course, these reasons are merely bold-faced lies to fool those who wonder about my actions. The real reason for hiding my talent is to avoid arousing suspicions from Fang Yuan, that old demon. While he might not squint too hard at a measly C-grade talent, even after 500 years, there is no way he would forget a third B-grade or another A-grade appearing in his clan in the same year as his brother Fang Zheng. As such, my only option was to hide...'

'This is a double-edged sword. By taking such a route, I have made Chi Lian extremely wary towards me. My display of cunningness at such a young age is deeply unsettling, and if his grandson truly had a B-grade talent, he might have even hesitated a bit before accepting such a shady person. Alas, he was specifically chosen to play the role of my backer because of his inability to refuse. The good part is that by displaying such shrewdness, the value I demonstrated increased. If that was all, I would have been able to negotiate for twice as many primeval stones than a simple B-grade, maybe even more. The downside to this situation is the higher scrutiny with which he will observe my actions, a general distrust from Chi Lian, and extreme pressure to change my behavior and marry into the family. This would be akin to Chi Lian putting a leash on an attack dog he invested a lot in...'

Obviously, this wasn't the outcome Qin was aiming for, so additional measures had to be implemented.

'The third factor was the sob-story I crafted, portraying "Gu Yue Qin" as a talented and shrewd youth...that went mad after the death of his family...'

Humans are inherently reasonable creatures. However, the character Qin portrayed was anything but. Switching from an eerily calm youth to a trembling, frenzied mess at the drop of a hat? On earth, a psychologist might have diagnosed such a person with bipolar disorder resulting from severe PTSD. In Chi Lian's eyes, such a person was not fit to be called a human being! Chaotic behavior meant chaotic actions, and chaotic actions often spelled disaster for everyone involved.

Was Chi Lian supposed to believe that Qin wouldn't betray him in a heartbeat, despite his promises to serve the Chi family for life, if someone promised him more strength? Was Chi Lian supposed to believe that such a hatred-filled madman could be bound by love or swayed by the clan's doctrines? He might have believed it in the past, but after looking into Qin's madness-filled eyes, he gave up any hopes of integrating him into his family or changing his mindset. He also felt no more restraint in investing primeval stones in Qin's growth, even though his trust in him was basically nonexistent. This was because...he decided to treat Qin like a Gu Worm! Keep it fed while finding a way to bend it to your will, then use it till it dies! Why would one hesitate to sharpen a blade they will use to cut down their enemies? In Chi Lian's mind, the moment Qin finished his speech about revenge was the moment he relinquished his free will! That was the price he would pay for the Chi Family's unwavering support, regardless of whether Qin changed his mind in the future.

'That old man is most probably searching for a strong poison gu along with a cure...or perhaps another way to force me to put my money where my mouth is and dedicate my life to the Chi Family...' the young man pondered.

His eyes shimmered with a flicker of golden light for a brief moment, while a small smirk graced his lips as the now-empty primeval stone slowly transformed into greyish dust, carried by a gentle breeze through the open window.