Chapter 270: To Inevitably Seek and To Inevitably Save

Seeing Hei Shui nod, Zhao Li could no longer suppress his murderous intent. He pulled back his silver bow with all his strength!

His stance and effort seemed even greater than when he had faced Hei Shui!

Sensing that things were about to take a bad turn, Temple Keeper Huang was just about to rise and intervene, but the man beside him suddenly pressed him back down.

Confused, he turned to look at the mysterious gentleman beside him—and was instantly stunned.

Why does he look so much like…?

???

Could it be Mr. Gu?

Returning to the natural state, exuding an ethereal presence, appearing both mortal and divine—that is what a true immortal should be!

Recalling the drunken ramblings of Old Tailor Ma, and piecing them together with all the events of recent days, the yellow weasel¹ was now certain—the man sitting right next to him was none other than Mr. Gu, the very one he had long wished to repay a favor to!

His throat went dry, and his heart pounded wildly. Sitting up straight, Temple Keeper Huang’s expression subtly shifted—or rather, what started as a subtle change quickly transformed into something far more obvious.

Upon realizing that the person beside him was his revered Mr. Gu, his face all but split into a grin of undeniable advantage!

He downed his strong tea in one gulp, smacked his lips, and then—with a barely concealed smirk—turned to look at Zhao Li, whose face was now flushed red from drawing the bow.

Zhao Li, however, noticed this gradual shift in Temple Keeper Huang’s expression. At first, it was barely noticeable, but the moment he realized who was sitting beside him, his face nearly “split apart” from grinning too much!

And the most infuriating part? That this mere shape-shifted yellow weasel was actually looking at him with pity!

From across the tea table, Hei Shui also keenly observed the change in Temple Keeper Huang’s demeanor.

The reason he was so respectful toward Gu Ning’an was simple—he had absorbed the memories of Lustful Ghost.

It wasn’t surprising for Lustful Ghost to come across people she couldn’t see through.

But if even he couldn’t see through someone… that was a cause for caution.

Snap!

A sharp, cracking sound rang through the air!

Still in his bow stance, Zhao Li suddenly collapsed backward, falling hard to the ground.

He stared at his broken bowstring in horror—his palm now bearing a deep, bone-revealing wound!

“Impossible!”

“How could the Demon-Banishing Bow break on me?!”

Zhao Li gripped the bow tightly, his eyes full of disbelief. Even the searing pain from his wound couldn’t pull his gaze away.

“No… No, this isn’t right… Little Princess Ye said even if my strength increased tenfold, I still wouldn’t be able to break this bow!”

“Something’s wrong… Could it be a fake?”

“It must be a fake!”

Now looking almost deranged, Zhao Li sat on the ground, mumbling to himself before suddenly glaring at the people in the pavilion.

His voice turned sharp. “Which one of you switched out my bow?!”

At those words, Hei Shui cast a deep look at Gu Ning’an before turning back to Zhao Li.

He spoke calmly, “You’ve run out of chances. But since you put on quite the performance for me, I’ll grant you a swift death.”

As soon as Hei Shui’s words fell, a chilling wind howled through the pavilion, carrying with it the eerie cries of ghosts.

Zhao Li’s body began to melt into a pool of putrid sludge…

Not long ago, Zhao Li had been a tyrant, an unstoppable force.

And now?

He was gone, just like that—without a single sound.

Watching this unfold, the yellow weasel felt a chill run down his spine—because he hadn’t even seen when Hei Shui had acted.

Yet, that fear lasted only a fleeting moment.

After all, sitting right next to him was none other than a true immortal!

Even if he couldn’t be certain whether Gu Ning’an was a full-fledged immortal, just by observing Hei Shui’s careful attitude, the yellow weasel was convinced—Hei Shui couldn’t see through Mr. Gu either!

Otherwise, why would he go through all that elaborate pretense instead of dealing with him directly?

Hei Shui took a sip of tea, then smiled at Gu Ning’an.

“Now that this nuisance is gone, things are much quieter.”

He set down his teacup and asked, “Sir, what do you think about all this?”

“Will this be a favor repaid, or a grudge forged?”

Hearing this, Gu Ning’an smiled and retrieved three folded slips of paper from his sleeve. He unfolded one and placed it on the tea table.

Hei Shui glanced at it and frowned slightly. “Self-Salvation? I’m not sure what you mean by these two words, sir.”

Gu Ning’an responded, “Great Wu is in chaos, and the people suffer… If one wishes to survive in these turbulent times, one must first learn to save oneself—only then can they live with dignity.”

“Four Corners Town was once a land rich in spiritual essence, and the Shengxian River was a treasured stream brimming with natural energy.”

“Yet, once life became easier, most people lost their original purity… The love and support between husband and wife, the mutual aid between neighbors, the filial bonds between generations…”

“And so, when the Four Chang Ghosts unleashed their havoc, it took only a single night for all of Four Corners Town to fall into chaos.”

“Fortunately, not everyone in Four Corners Town abandoned their faith or convictions… Some dared to step forward, offering whatever meager strength they had in order to give back to the land that had raised them.”

“This is why Four Corners Town has the spirit of self-salvation—an invaluable virtue.”

Hearing this, Hei Shui’s frown deepened. He felt like he was beginning to understand Gu Ning’an’s meaning—and yet, at the same time, he wasn’t so sure.

Then, Gu Ning’an unfolded the second slip of paper, revealing the words “Salvation by Others.”

Sitting beside him, the yellow weasel stared at the two characters, his mind repeating them over and over.

“Salvation by Others—meaning salvation that comes from external forces.”

“In this case, the External Agents, Temple Keeper Huang and his companion, and even those Golden Guards—all of them played a role.”

“However, among those who offered help, some contributed greatly, while others were nothing but a hindrance. Some acted out of genuine sincerity, while others were merely fulfilling their duty for personal gain.”

“That being said, Zhou Zhongtian and Temple Keeper Huang performed their roles well.”

“Had it not been for those who dragged everyone down, this tea gathering wouldn’t even be necessary today. And those Golden Guards who fled early wouldn’t have ended up buried here.”

At this point, Gu Ning’an smiled and unfolded the final slip of paper.

“Salvation by Me?” Hei Shui read the words aloud before Gu Ning’an could speak. He looked at him with a puzzled expression, then exhaled deeply. “If I’m not mistaken, the ‘Me’ in this refers to you, sir?”

Gu Ning’an nodded. “Precisely. Since there are those who save themselves and those who are saved by others, it is only right that I step forward when their efforts alone are not enough.”

Hei Shui fell silent for a long moment. Then, he refilled the three empty cups with half a cup of tea each.

Setting down the teapot, he raised his own cup and gave a respectful nod to Gu Ning’an and Temple Keeper Huang, his expression solemn.

“Sir, you are extraordinary—your cultivation is extraordinary, and your convictions are extraordinary.”

“If circumstances were different, I would willingly abandon my claim on this land’s treasures, retreat, and instead seek a friendship with you.”

“However, the spiritual essence of Shengxian River is simply too important to me.”

“And so, I have my pursuit, and you have your salvation.”

“Let us finish this tea, and settle things with our own hands.”

Gu Ning’an raised his cup and returned the gesture. “So be it.”

Off to the side, though Temple Keeper Huang had no idea why Mr. Gu and Hei Shui could converse so well, he did understand one thing—

Once this tea was finished, the battle would begin.

Moments later, in unison, three cups were flipped upside down onto the table with a crisp “tap.”