Chapter 287: Reputation Gu
Translator: ChibiGeneral Editor: ChibiGeneral
Fang Yuan charged for fifty steps before he stopped. He turned around, facing Li Ran, about to launch his second attack.
But Li Ran had already raised his hand, shouting loudly: "Wait, no more, I admit defeat!"
Once he said so, the surroundings went quiet, before exploding.
"What, no more?"
"We spent primeval stones to come here and see the all-out effort Gu."
"You coward, are you even a man, stand up and fight!"
Everyone shouted furiously.
Many people were angry and breathed roughly, feeling that their primeval stones were wasted, starting to grumble and scold. But a portion of the people understood Li Ran.
"There"s no way to win, it is wise to concede."
"That hit earlier showed their difference. If they continue, Li Ran"s life would be in danger.
"This Li Ran is a veteran in the battle stage. With his rich experience, I am not surprised he did that."
Clank.
A loud ring from the bell, and this match was over.
The spectators started to leave the stage, as Fang Yuan took his leave as well.
"Fang Zheng, wait first." Li Ran suddenly called, stopping him.
Fang Yuan frowned, turning around and looking at him: "What do you want?"
Everyone"s footsteps halted.
"Fang Zheng, you are indebted to me, but now you hurt and injured me, this is repaying kindness with vengeance, you have to compensate me!" Li Ran shouted.
These words were shameless, he wanted to challenge Fang Zheng without knowing their difference, now that he got injured, how could he say his opponent was "repaying kindness with vengeance".
Many people heard this and snorted, feeling disdain towards Li Ran.
Challenging Fang Yuan forcefully, that was because he could not take it lying down, many people understood his emotions. But after losing, he still continued to pester Fang Yuan, that was going overboard.
Fang Yuan shook his head, turning to leave: "Your brain was damaged by my attack too?"
Many people jeered and laughed.
But Li Ran struggled to get up, shouting at Fang Yuan: "Fang Zheng, I know your personality! You distinguish kindness and hatred clearly, the acclaimed "a droplet received in need will be repaid with a whole spring, a spark of hatred will result in the burning of an entire forest!" Shang Xin Ci showed you a little kindness and you risked your life to protect her, escorting her to Shang clan city. Shang clan leader wanted to reward you but you rejected all of them, saying that your kindness had been repaid. The Shang clan leader even had to force you to accept the purple thorn token!"
"Fang Zheng, to be honest, I have done you a favor. If I did not choose that stellar stone, would you be able to get that all-out effort Gu? No! Hehe, nevermind if it is another person, but I know you, I understand you. Although you are oppressive and tyrannical, you have to repay kindness or you will be unable to sleep. Isn"t that so? Think about it, you owe me a favor, can you sleep tonight?"
"Heh, that is because you have never seen Fang Yuan"s true colors!" Among the crowd, Bai Ning Bing heard Li Ran"s words and snorted coldly.
Fang Yuan obtaining the all-out effort Gu had made her curious.
After all, Fang Yuan was her rival.
Suddenly, Fang Yuan stopped in his steps.
As everyone watched, he turned around and faced Li Ran, with a serious expression.
"If you put it like that, it seems I owe you a favor. But firstly, it was because you offended me, and second, I cannot give the all-out effort Gu away. What do you want me to do?"
Fang Yuan"s words made everyone who was leaving stop their steps and observe their conversation again.
Bai Ning Bing gasped in her heart, feeling shocked.
"Although the all-out effort Gu is rank three, it originated from the Olden Antiquity Era, it is considered unique now, its true value cannot be estimated. Give me a hundred thousand primeval stones, and your favor will be considered repaid!" Li Ran thought about it and said.
"Is this Li Ran stupid?"
"He dares to ask for such a ridiculous sum, such stupidity, sigh…"
"Making such a request, he is so shameless!"
Everyone shook their heads, feeling disappointed at Li Ran"s shamelessness.
Fang Yuan thought about it, shaking his head.
"A hundred thousand primeval stones is insufficient, I"ll give you two hundred thousand, that would put me at ease." Saying so, he waved his hand and summoned the primeval elder Gu, pouring all the primeval stones out.
On the floor of the battle stage, a mountain of primeval stones appeared.
"This is eighty thousand, that"s all I have now. I"ll give you the rest when I have money!"
"What?!" Fang Yuan"s words sent everyone into shock.
"He actually gave it? And… and even raised it to two hundred thousand!" Everyone was tongue-tied.
"Did I see wrongly?! Although this Li Ran did not obtain the all-out effort Gu, getting so much primeval stones as compensation is almost as good." Everyone blinked, seeing those primeval stones, they almost drooled.
"This Fang Zheng is really…" Many people saw Fang Yuan leave and felt weird in their hearts, not sure of what to say.
Although they did not manage to see the power of the all-out effort Gu, hearing Li Ran and Fang Yuan"s conversation made the trip worth it.
News about this battle quickly circulated, and spread around Shang clan city.
The fact that Fang Yuan had a purple thorn token also circulated, resulting in people who had ill intentions to vanish without a trace.
Many people started to be envious of Li Ran, while others also felt doubt towards Fang Yuan"s promise of two hundred thousand primeval stones.
But no matter what, Fang Yuan"s "distinguish kindness and hatred" reputation also became well-known.
Back at Nan Qiu garden.
"Do you really intend to give that Li Ran two hundred thousand primeval stones?" Bai Ning Bing asked suspiciously.
This was not Fang Yuan"s style at all.
"Of course." Fang Yuan replied curtly. He was obviously not going to tell Bai Ning Bing that this was his secret agreement with Li Ran. Li Ran would act with Fang Yuan, and tell him the refinement recipe, while Fang Yuan compensates him two hundred thousand primeval stones.
Bai Ning Bing was solemn for a while, not believing him, then laughing coldly: "Two hundred thousand just for a reputation, is it worth it?"
Fang Yuan snickered: "Have you never heard the story of reputation Gu?"
Bai Ning Bing"s gaze was hesitant: "What are you trying to say?"
"Reputation is a bridge, one that allows people to cross through the abyss. Reputation is a travel token, more important and precious than the purple thorn token, it allows one to move about with ease. Two hundred thousand cannot even buy the purple thorn token, yet i spent that amount to obtain this reputation. This is the best trade in the world. Hahaha." Fang Yuan laughed.
Bai Ning Bing snorted, but thinking that he had a precognitive Gu, she chose to believe him for now.
Regarding the reputation Gu"s story, it originated from the legends of Ren Zu…
One time, Verdant Great Sun got very drunk, when he woke up, his head hurt and he forgot all that happened when he was drunk. He did not know why he was trapped on a lone hill, one which was surrounded by a bottomless abyss.
The abyss was filled with spiral winds, pale green color, this was the "usual wind". The winds blew dust into the air, those were the dark yellow color "mortal dust".
Verdant Great Sun"s heart sank, because he recognised that this was the ordinary abyss. No living being had ever managed to fly past it. He was trapped on this lone hill, unable to get out; he would die of starvation eventually.
Thankfully, there was a forest on the lone hill. Verdant Great Sun was hungry, and came into this forest to find fruits to eat. But this forest was very strange, the black soil was like a swamp, smelling extremely pungent. The trees had no leaves, and the branches looked like strange claws. But when the wind blew, there was the sound of leaves moving in the wind.
Verdant Great Sun could not find food, and fell into despair, knowing he was going to die soon.
A few days later, he was so hungry he could not move, leaning on the tree trunk as he laid on the ground.
He eventually fell unconscious.
In his slumber, he could hear many voices talking.
"Hey look, this person finally pa.s.sed out."
"Mm, as I expected, he"s finished."
"Actually, it is possible to leave the ordinary abyss, you just need the reputation Gu."
"Reputation Gu is at the center of the forest, hidden under a rock. Too bad he doesn"t know, hahaha…"
"Sshhh, speak softer, it will be bad if he hears us."
"It"s okay, it"s okay, he has fainted already, before long, the black soil will bury him, and turn him into nutrients for us trees."
Hearing this, Verdant Great Sun jolted awake.
It turns out this forest is Xi Yu forest, what he had thought was leaves brus.h.i.+ng in the wind turned out to be the whispers of the trees.
After hearing the information, Verdant Great Sun walked to the center of the forest, lifted the rock, and obtained the reputation Gu.
Reputation Gu was like a chrysanthemum, its petals were golden yellow, emitting a fragrance.
Reputation Gu said to Verdant Great Sun: "Young man, thank you for lifting the rock, and saving me. To repay you, I have decided to help you get across this ordinary abyss."
Reputation Gu told Verdant Great Sun the method to use it.
Verdant Great Sun was overjoyed, arriving at ordinary abyss, and placed the reputation Gu in his mouth, shouting as loud as he could...
The strange thing was, no matter how loud he shouted, there was no sound, but the vibrations in the air caused the ordinary abyss to shake, as the commotion got bigger, it was like an earthquake. The air was even filled with a brilliant fragrance.
Verdant Great Sun did not feel anything weird, as he had known from the reputation Gu: Reputation itself has no voice, but it can spread wide and create tremors.
As he shouted, a golden bridge appeared in midair, but the bridge"s length was limited, there was still a long distance to the other side.
Verdant Great Sun was too hungry, too tired, after trying several times, the effect continue to diminish, and his chance for salvation seemed dim.
Reputation Gu sighed: "Sigh, you have not eaten anything in a while, even though you have a breath left in your stomach, it is too little. From your diaphragm, it has to go through your stomach, chest, throat, and finally your mouth, the journey is too long, we have to reduce it, here, place me between your two b.u.t.tcheeks.
Verdant Great Sun did as instructed.
Reputation Gu landed near his private part, and turned into a chrysanthemum cave.
"Okay, you can start shouting again." Reputation Gu said.
Verdant Great Sun forced that last breath of his, out of this hole, out of his body.
Prrrrrrrrt—
In his daze, Verdant Great Sun heard a loud sound. The air was filled with an unimaginable stench, but that golden bridge became majestic and large, stretching over a thousand miles, reaching the other side.
A s.h.i.+tty reputation compared to good reputation, is always easier to obtain and maintain.
Verdant Great Sun quickly crossed the bridge, leaving the ordinary abyss and reaching the other side, saving his own life.
Translator"s Thoughts
ChibiGeneral ChibiGeneral
Life lesson out of nowhere. It takes a lot of effort to build a good reputation but a bad name spreads naturally on its own.