3

  The Inn, The Bamboo and Tea

  When Gu Mingyu had woken up, he found himself on a rather large bed, in a rather large and expensive room. With both Zhao Yuwen and Zhong Quan gone, he decided to shape-shift back into his human form.

  He inspected himself and noticed that he had bandages wrapped around on his lower side closer to his waist. His clothes had surprisingly kept intact, and his eyes still had that Crimson Blood Red Color, but the only difference he could truly note in the mirror was the streaks of white hair appearing. He could only assume this as a consequence his old soul merging with a rather young body.

  And since he was inside the inn, he should try and find a stubborn bamboo, otherwise she might try and skin him alive when she realizes he was here without informing her ahead of time. Especially knowing he technically owed her money as well.

  Goodness, what was his life?

  The Inn was called [Yingzi Yu Taozi12] and in it’s in reference to the two owners, one who is named Yingzi13 and the other being named Taozi14. Which in the original work is implied to be just ‘good friends’ and ‘business partners’ but those fanfictions implied otherwise.

  “Ohoho, look who popped up?” Taozi said with anticipation, “Yingzi! Lao Huli15 came back, I think he and Xiao Zhu16 are going to be having another drinking competition!”

  “Do you always have to be so loud?” Yingzi lazily replied while slouching himself up, “Seriously Peaches, I can hear you just fine. I have six-ears after all, not deaf like those humans with only two ears.”

  See, what kind of people would assume they are straight? Honestly it is clear whoever the Author was (that shameless Old Lady who had the galls to try and make him become a loyal dog to that Shizun Slayer Su Qingqing clearly had eyes blinder than the dogs) is clearly blind to the very potential in front of them!

  Gu Mingyu had chosen to seat himself in the private section of the Inn, and there was the person he was expecting to appear. The Strong willed, blunt and through Hong Zhu17.

  In fact, there is a sentence within the original novel that described Hong Zhu so perfectly despite the tragic circumstances she suffered for.

  Hong Zhu is a peerless beauty, and with such bluntness in her words and such expressions. If one didn’t even notice closely, they wouldn’t even notice she is a Bamboo.

  “I am surprised you dared to show back up.” Hong Zhu said, “I expect such a shameless old bastard like you to run away and flee thinking of escaping the debt that you owe me.”

  “Me?” Gu Mingyu snorted, “I wouldn’t even dare. Even if I had a thousand lives, I wouldn’t even dare, besides if I ran, what would be the point of residing here for so many years? It’s not like I have any intentions of going back to the demon realm and killing cultivators who happen to cross my path of late is—rather boring.”

  “Your innocent face would fool others, Lao Huli but not me.” Hong Zhu replied, “What are you planning this time? And how many lives would it cost in the process?”

  Gu Mingyu let out a soft snort, as he lightly rested his arm on the table, and his chin resting on the front of his hand to lean in slightly.

  If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Oh? Since when did the ever so wise and eternally loyal to the City Lord, Head of the City Guard, Master of the Straight Face, Hong Zhu become so concerned about human lives?”

  “I am not.” Hong Zhu remarked, “I am more concerned about how much of a mess I might have to clean up if you decided to propose you plan to the City Lord.”

  “Oh? Is it because you are jealous?”

  Hong Zhu turned her head to glare right at Gu Mingyu, “You dare speak such nonsense again and I’ll cut your tongue out and prevent you from speaking in the future.”

  “Xiao Zhu….” Gu Mingyu voice sounded like almost a pleading tone, “You and I both know even if you cut out of my tongue, you and I both know that the feelings you feel for the City Lord shall never cease and one day she will discover the truth and one day you might even kiss, or even marry–”

  Hong Zhu had unsheathed her sword and aimed it right at the throat, with a single push closer, it would make him bleed. As Gu Mingyu became silent, Hong Zhu let out a small sigh and lowered the sword, placing it back onto the table.

  “I see no shame in such things. You are a Spirit, not a Human.” Gu Mingyu rubbed his throat to ease the pain, “You are not bound by mortal demands and standards, why feel compelled to be shamed?”

  “Our status is what I am concerned about, not the fact we are of the same gender.”

  “Oh? Really?”

  “Enough about me.” Hong Zhu insisted as she wished to change the subject, “How did you become wounded?”

  “Ah, that.” Gu Mingyu had begun to lean on his hand again, turning himself to face in the opposite direction of Hong Zhu but enough where she could still be able to hear him, “I overheard some low-ranking Cultivators about their elder having a First-Grade Pure Grade Pill and wanted to snatch it for myself, I had figured that maybe it would be help stabilize my cultivation since—you know.”

  A soft sigh sounded, “As it turned out the endeavor was not worth it, it turned out to be a false rumor to lure me. Such a waste in my opinion, then again maybe I should try the Huangjin Gong18 to find it.”

  Hong Zhu carried the tea pot and poured a cup for both of them. “I am pretty sure the owner of Huangjin Gong would not be pleased to see you, especially after the last time.”

  “Maybe.” Gu Mingyu picked up the teacup to sip it, “But it’s not my fault that the weapon I purchased through legal means ended up causing a whole fight amongst those pathetic, penny-pinching useless old dogs.”

  “Right, that is the reason and not for the fact you nearly slaughtered them all in the bid of protecting said item which in the end you decided to destroy to ensure others wouldn’t use it against you in the future.”

  Gu Mingyu finished sipping the tea while gently placing it back onto the table. “Well, does it really matter in the end?”

  “To them it does.”

  “Well, of course to them it does, that greedy—”

  “Zhuren.” Zhong Quan’s voice could be heard from the other side of the Inn, “I really feel like this is more trouble than it’s worth, even for a fox like this, I mean, it’s not like he is going to die without being fed a single day—”

  “It seems you really don’t want to keep your tongue today.”

  “Your Servant spoke too much.”

  Gu Mingyu had suddenly stood up, confusing Hong Zhu. As she raised a brow, “Did someone recognize you and intended to kill you in your sleep? If it’s for such a small thing, I doubt you need to run for that.”

  “It’s not that.” Gu Mingyu said, “But rather there is a mortal who doesn’t have a single hint of cultivation or martial arts who picked me up in non-human form and assumes I am an intelligent fox and nothing more. He doesn’t even know I have human form and for the sake of trouble, I’d rather keep this deception going.”

  “You intend to toy with him and then eventually devour him? If he has no cultivation, I doubt he would be so useful.”

  “Well, you know how The Heavens are, favoring those who don’t deserve it or rather unlikely to be favored.”

  Which would explain why he encountered Zhao Yuwen at least four or even five years before he did in his second life. Then again, such condolences cannot be taken lightly.

  “Then escape before he notices you.” Hong Zhu said, “I will be drinking tea and next time make sure to repay the debt fully, otherwise I will skin that fur of yours.”

  “I am aware of that.”

  He then jumped out the window, escaping out and decided he should likely get himself a couple of small jars of wine, maybe hang around on a rooftop and gaze at how beautiful the moon truly is.