Chapter 21 - Abandoned

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  At the front of the boat, Jin Deming could be seen standing and ferrying with a long paddle, meanwhile, Gu Xuan was sitting at the seat in the middle of the small boat.

  His long black hair was tied into a neat ponytail and although his hair wasn’t silky smooth, because it was washed everyday due to his slight germaphobe problem, it gave a clean feeling.

  The feather-shaped earring that was dangling by his left ear also complimented his appearance that seemed like a scholar.

  If Gu Xuan’s robes were white, one might mistake Gu Xuan as a scholar rather than a martial artist.

  In a sense, maybe Gu Xuan was a scholar. After all, he seeks immortality and strength to know what he wants. Not for power, but for freedom to roam the world safely and witness a lot of things.

  Gu Xuan gave an aloof feeling but the gentle smile on his face and his previous polite interaction with Tang Yusheng made Jin Deming able to open his mouth and ask, “Fellow Disciple, you’re 15 years old right? So you’re at the 1st Layer of Qi Gathering Realm?”

  Even Jin Deming was surprised with himself that he was able to open his mouth and talk to Gu Xuan, he only hoped that Gu Xuan wouldn’t be displeased.

  Satisfying Jin Deming’s hope, Gu Xuan continued to smile warmly before speaking, “I’m not at the 1st Layer, Ferryman Jin.”

  “This…” Jin Deming was speechless at first before saying in panic, “How could you become a disciple of the Central District then? Don’t tell me… are you pretending so you can get off the island?!”

  Because of Jin Deming’s doubtful reaction, Gu Xuan chuckled but continued his previous answer, “Although I’m not at the 1st Layer, I’m at the 3rd Layer so there’s no need for you to worry, Ferryman Jin.”

  “3-3rd Layer? Isn’t that the same cultivation realm as the elders?” Jin Deming was so shocked that his hands even stopped moving his paddle momentarily.

  Jin Deming looked at Gu Xuan from bottom to top, and he was indeed, 15 years old but right now, he’s saying that he’s at the 3rd Layer?

  He hasn’t heard of such a monstrous cultivator within the sect in the past. Even if he started cultivating from his mother’s womb, was it even possible to reach that realm at the age of 15?

  Staring at Gu Xuan’s simple yet elegant demeanor, Jin Deming found it hard to believe that he was lying, if he was, he was a great one.

  Gu Xuan, of course, didn’t make it difficult for Jin Deming to believe him unlike most protagonists he had read in his previous life and raised his right palm facing Jin Deming.

  Under Jin Deming’s curious eyes, inner qi burst out from Gu Xuan’s pores and illuminated his palm with a faint blue light.

  The faint blue light then disappeared but reappeared in the next second, but this time centered around the tip of his right pinky.

  It disappeared once again but reappeared again in the tip of Gu Xuan’s right ring finger.

  The flickering of inner qi repeated until it reached the tip of his thumb finger.

  To make his control over inner qi more obvious, he also raised his left palm facing Jin Deming and from right to left, the inner qi reappeared and disappeared at the tips of Gu Xuan’s fingers like a christmas light flickering in the night.

  ‘This…’ Jin Deming was now sure that Gu Xuan wasn’t deceiving him, but now he was shocked, ‘That level of qi control! Even most seasoned central district disciples who go out a lot in sect missions might not have that! His 3rd layer cultivation… could it be real?’

  With Jin Deming’s expression basically telling him that he believed his words, Gu Xuan took back his inner qi and his palms rested on his sides at as he sat casually on the boat, “Although this doesn’t prove that I’m at the 3rd layer, it should prove that I’m at least at the 1st layer, right? Ferryman Jin?”

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  With Gu Xuan’s voice ringing by his ear, Jin Deming woke up from his stupor and replied, his voice slightly cracking, “O-of course. It was my fault for doubting you, Fellow Disciple Gu. I apologize.”

  “It’s fine, it’s fine. A young expert in terms of inner qi isn’t something you see everyday after all, I don’t blame you.” Gu Xuan waved his hand casually and turned in the direction the boat was moving to, “In any case, how long before we reach the Blue Cloud City? We’ve been moving for at least 10 minutes yet I don’t even see the silhouette of the island, let alone the island itself.”

  “Ah, yes. It usually takes at least an hour before we arrive at a point wherein we could see the Blue Lotus Continent’s silhouette.”

  “Is that so? I leave it to you then, Ferryman Jin.”

  “Of course, it’s my job! If you want I can make it so that we arrive in an hour and half with my experience!” Jin Deming boasted.

  Meanwhile Gu Xuan simply let out a laugh before waving his hand casually, “Haha, there’s no need for that, save your strength for your return trip, Ferryman Jin, I’m in no hurry.”

  Jin Deming also laughed, his heart had calmed down and interacting with Gu Xuan was easy so he continued to talk to him as he ferried the boat. “But Fellow Disciple Gu is really easygoing, I haven’t met disciples as easy to get along with as you. If it were other disciples, they would seldom talk to us and even have an air of arro… superiority.”

  With Gu Xuan’s observation skills, he, of course, noticed Jin Deming’s slip of words and his slightly nervous reaction that he might be displeased but he just replied with a smile, “I don’t really like those kinds of things, I’d rather be casual. I believe that even in the smallest conversation, we at least gain another acquaintance or a friend, don’t we? I’d rather have a lot of friends rather than have enemies.”

  He then looked Jin Deming in the eyes and said, “Don’t you agree, Ferryman Jin?”

  Jin Deming’s eyes glowed before he agreed, “I can’t agree with you more, Fellow Disciple Gu.” But in the next sentence, his voice lowered, “But with strength, maybe people don’t see the necessity to make friends with those of lower status?”

  “Is that so? But I think it depends on the person themselves. After all, at least in terms of cultivation, aren’t I stronger than most disciples yet I’m easy to get along with?”

  Jin Deming then remembered that Gu Xuan was at the 3rd Layer so he nodded, “That’s true, the disciples I usually ferry off the Crescent Island are at most 2nd layer, and even 2nd layer are rare yet Fellow Disciple Gu is at the 3rd Layer but is easy to get along with.”

  “Grandpa Liao… well, the 2nd Elder, said that we’re all family within the sect so I don’t see the point of being pretentious like your slip of the tongue earlier.” Gu Xuan teased as he explained.

  Jin Deming blushed slightly from embarrassment before asking in a doubtful tone, “Did the 2nd Elder really say that? But why do I feel that the lower district is…” Jin Deming hesitated for a moment but seeing Gu Xuan’s character after getting along with him for a while, he gathered his courage and continued his sentence, “Abandoned?”

  Gu Xuan stared at him but seeing that Jin Deming was getting nervous, he then answered, “It’s the order from the sect leader.”

  Before Jin Deming could ask more, Gu Xuan explained, “According to the sect leader, those who don’t have the will to improve themselves to at least the 1st layer are not worth the resources due to its scarcity. Even in the central district, disciples vie for resources with sect points. And as for the sect points, the difference is not very big, if lower district disciples earn enough sect points to exchange for blood ginseng in a year or two after doing stuff for the sect, the central district disciples can earn enough points in 50-100 days.”

  The doubling of spiritual qi in the environment was a secret so he didn’t include it and explained further, “The only privilege of a central district disciple is that they earn a little more. Of course, outside missions are an exception, it puts life at risk, so the points are more generous. In this case, the lower district is not abandoned, but put to the test whether they have their own will to vie for resources themselves. Does that answer your question, Ferryman Jin?”

  Jin Deming, after remaining silent as he rowed with the paddle, processed Gu Xuan’s words and sighed with a nod, “I understand, Fellow Disciple Gu. But it looks like my talent isn’t very high, I cultivate everyday yet I haven’t reached the 1st Layer yet. In contrast, Fellow Disciple Gu is very talented, he’s already at the 3rd Layer at such a young age.”

  Gu Xuan chuckled and found the word genius quite insulting but didn’t mind and asked, “How much do you cultivate a day, Ferryman Jin?”

  “About 30 minutes a day, Fellow Disciple Gu. Why do you ask?”

  Gu Xuan then, smiled and replied, “From the age of 5, I cultivated all day besides eating, bathing, and other physiological needs.”

  Jin Deming’s mouth widened as he heard Gu Xuan’s words, with Gu Xuan staring into his eyes, Gu Xuan asked, “Do you think I’m talented? If I didn’t need to do anything else, I would have cultivated all day. In other words, my efforts in cultivation are at least 20 times more than yours so let me ask again, am I:talented?”

  Jin Deming couldn’t help but feel ashamed so he went quiet as he rowed the boat, meanwhile, Gu Xuan didn’t speak further. It wasn’t that he was insulted, he simply wanted to show Jin Deming the truth.

  Although Jin Deming might be in his late twenties or early thirties judging by his looks, he was probably more naive than most mortals in the mortal world considering he had lived within the sect all his life.

  Gu Xuan might have lived within the sect all his life, he had experienced a first life after all, not only that, in a sophisticated world of knowledge like a modern world.

  Even if he wasn’t very old when he died, he could still be considered an old monster in terms of knowledge in a world like a cultivation world.

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