Despite his honesty, specifically how honest should he be? After using this period of time to settle down, Gu Zuo carefully deliberated once more.
He must clearly explain the matters of the system. Otherwise, it might inconvenience his patron's plans or it might cause certain hindrances for him to act down the road. However, it shouldn't cause any obstructions. As for the matters of his transmigration, it wasn't necessary for him to talk about it.
He used Qi Tianyou's ident.i.ty very well. All aspects appeared pure and innocent, and he didn't actually know how the system came about. In that case, it was better to take out the part in the beginning.
After thinking things through, Gu Zuo rested his upper body against the wall of the tub. He started beating around the bush: “Young master Tianheng, I forgot to talk with you before about my fated meeting…”
Gongyi Tianheng's brows slightly twitched, but he didn't open his eyes.
Gu Zuo knew he could hear him, and just kept talking: “Young master Tianheng also knows about what I went through beforehand…”
He thought back on the process of Qi Tianyou's motive: “At that time, I felt I didn't have anything left to live for, just… En, just to kill myself.”
Tianheng cracked open his eyes.
Gu Zuo laughed awkwardly: “Perhaps, it was because the heavens sympathized with me. Suddenly, something calling itself a ‘System' entered my mind, then I continued to live.”
He also felt that his luck wasn't bad. When that truck hit him, he was supposed to drop dead, but the system arrived, and he lived instead. Granted that he survived by transmigrating, but whatever the case, he had hopes for returning, right?
“Afterwards, the system said I had to rely on completing missions to survive. And that the first mission was to collect thirty strands of medicinal qi within a month. At first, with my medical beads restored, I could've drawn support from the Qi Family, but they were too cold-blooded. With my original appearance, they went so far as to put poison in my food. They wanted me to slowly die. After I thought about it, I didn't want to let them know that I had such a fated meeting.
“The system gave me three ancient texts. I saw that there were boundless skills on the path of medicine refinement… The things before seemed like a pipe dream, and made me completely give up on the Qi Family.”
Talking to this extent, Gu Zuo felt even more awkward. The guilt in his heart that he hadn't experienced in a long time surged forth once more, “At that point, there was nothing more I could do. I could only stride forth to find someone to collaborate with for mutual a.s.sistance. Under that careful selection, that led to my impolite behavior to you that time [1]!”
Gongyi Tianheng seemed to listen, and said with some difficulty: “Contract?”
Gu Zuo nodded: “That contract we agreed on was provided by the system.”
He hesitated for a bit, thinking whether or he should to reveal the system's original plans. Although he didn't have any intentions of turning other people into slaves, he wasn't so certain that he wouldn't genuinely touch upon the dark side of the world later. If by any chance, there were unexpected situations that exposed him in the future… Up until the moment his patron found out, with his high IQ, maybe he'd overthink it…
After pondering for a while, Gu Zuo still confessed over the matters concerning drug slaves.
Gongyi Tianheng's tightened brows promptly loosened: “Drug slave binding?”
Gu Zuo hastily spoke: “After I refused the system, it didn't give me >.”
Tianheng said: “You have an opportunity. Learn it.”
Gu Zuo knew his patron was sure to take him into consideration, so he agreed.
In any case, his patron and him would suffer damage together. His patron shouldn't harm him no matter what Tianheng wanted to do. Learning more skills would always be to his benefit.
At this moment, a line of text once more appeared in Gu Zuo's mind.
[Supplemental prop: >.]
[Does the Host accept?]
Gu Zuo stared: I accept.
Afterwards, there was movement in his consciousness. From his storage s.p.a.ce, he took out a new ancient text.
Tianheng watched this scene. After Gu Zuo showed him the name on the ancient text, he started muttering to himself.
A good while later, he slowly spoke: “This system might be an almighty way of inheritance. You are a person chosen among others.”
The intense pain contrarily made his pondering even sharper, “The use of medicinal qi is clear. The system is harmless for the time being. However, you shouldn't relax your guard against it. If there are any peculiarities, tell me.”
Gu Zuo heard his patron's words, which were clear in his mind: “Young master Tianheng's words are reasonable. I'll listen to you.”
He also wasn't so foolish.
Strictly speaking, it was through the saving grace of this system that he survived. If the system didn't appear, he would've already died beneath the wheels of that truck. And he wouldn't even have the qualifications of completing the missions after.
However, he wanted to pay for the education he received previously. There were no free lunches under the heavens. One who behaved with integrity couldn't take unfair advantage of others and such. The system's benevolence was too great; it wasn't simply like lifting a finger [2]. According to reason, the system should also be seeking something.
Gu Zuo originally thought that after the system recognized him as its host, completing missions were just business transactions with the system. Yet, after he finished the first mission so easily by collecting thirty strands of medicinal qi, his state of mind eased. Though, he still somewhat felt that it wasn't too suitable.
Before he completed the mission, he received four valuable ancient texts and a cultivation method whose grade wasn't low. Payment for this stuff was relatively negligible — He'd yet to repay the favor for saving his life and already learned from precious texts. The compensation and the value of what he received was really too disproportionate.
This made Gu Zuo raise certain doubts towards the system.
But, listening to his patron's theories… Although he still didn't understand what the system was, nor its existing form, if it was some inheritance, then actually it was insightful.
His thinking wasn't baseless [3]. In the beginning, he had a complete cultivation method and a corresponding means of refining medicine. When Gu Zuo might've needed a drug slave, the system had a suggestion. After he saw the cruel side of the world, the system announced the second mission and gave another ancient text with an a.n.a.logous martial skill. His patron felt he could study the drug slave binding. That cultivation method, as a supplementary prop, really was finally in his hands.
At the same time, the contents of the second mission was just to supply thirty strands of medicinal qi every month…
— This really seemed like a disciple conforming to the will of a great master [4]. Once the disciple had his life saved, he'd keep to the working routine, gradually learning knowledge.
Gu Zuo naturally realized that his patron telling him not to let his guard down was correct.
It seemed like a folklore devil tempting a person into a trap. Wasn't it to first give benefits to win one's trust? Presently, it looked like there weren't any problems, but in the future, who knew?
Anyway, when he practiced his skills, he'd pay some attention if he felt unwell or if he was losing control of himself in obsession. He'd discuss this with his patron in advance… If it really was an inheritance, then he'd be a bit more prudent about his own advantages. And if it wasn't an inheritance, rather a bundle of honeyed poison [5], then no matter how prudent, he wouldn't be okay with it.
Gu Zuo silently asked a question: System, are you an inheritance?
[Insufficient privilege, unable to verify.]
Gu Zuo: …
[Host's guardian is pretty good.]
Gu Zuo's face fell: …Thanks for the compliment. I also think my patron is pretty good.
It was only in the hidden depths of his heart that he'd yet to perceive his own notions.
He and his patron needed each other. Indeed, he truly felt that they were incapable of harming one another. This was very good. His patron was someone he could trust… However, his patron was too intelligent. Such intelligence made him reverent.
Maybe, maybe it was precisely because the system and his patron restricted each other. It left him feeling at ease.
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Two hours later.
The color of the brownish medicinal decoction became lighter. Although Gongyi Tianheng's looks didn't change, it gave one the feeling that he was more relaxed than before.
Gu Zuo used the “unusual ability” of his eyes to observe the qi flow above the medicinal decoction. Sure enough, they were gradually fading away.
He opened his mouth to say: “Young master Tianheng, you can come out.”
Tianheng slowly breathed in and out, and stood up.
Gu Zuo politely handed over a large towel: “Young master Tianheng, if you're going to take a bath again, you can only use untainted water.”
Gongyi Tianheng nodded and gently said: “Many thanks, Ah Zuo.”
At this time, the continuously on guard Dragon One and Dragon Two were allowed entry.
Two people rapidly prepared a barrel of untainted water to let Tianheng wash himself. And then, they returned outside to guard on their own.
While Gongyi Tianheng took a bath with Gu Zuo sitting next to him, he spoke: “If Ah Zuo doesn't take offense, why don't you give the > and > to me to take a look at?”
That was exactly what Gu Zuo was hoping for. He promptly responded: “I was just about to ask young master Tianheng to teach me after you've read them!”
In the end, Gu Zuo wasn't a person from ancient times. When he studied the cultivation methods, it was done with difficulty. When he studied the hand arts, it would be cla.s.sified as a pale imitation. It was probably that all his technical ability was only based on refining medicine. Regarding martial skill, cultivation methods, and so on, it wasn't only because he didn't have a high understanding of those incomprehensible things, he really wanted to, but he still had a low IQ.
Tianheng saw Gu Zuo's sincerity. His gaze slightly moved, and soon after, he gently sighed: “Ah Zuo, don't rashly reveal each and every precious thing in front of others.”
Gu Zuo heard this, and smiled: “I understand. Rest a.s.sured, young master Tianheng.”
He paused before continuing, “Because young master Tianheng is my guardian, for the sake of averting any hostilities between us in the future, I acted this way.”
The patron he found treated his subordinates very well, but Gu Zuo also didn't intend on changing jobs and switching over to the kind of people under Tianheng's administration. So long as he made himself even more useful in the future, it'd be okay.
Gongyi Tianheng saw that he understood, and gave a smile.
Pretty good. A person who was a little clever but was still able to adapt to the circ.u.mstances. He was far stronger than a person who was self-conceited.
This little pharmacist took the initiative to come to Tianheng's door and recommend himself. If Gu Zuo was the sort of person with hidden intentions, he would've completely exploited him, squeezed out all that he knew, and firmly controlled him in his hands. And once the other party had rebellious intentions, he would preferably not use him. In no way could he be so lenient.
However, since Ah Zuo delivered himself into the palm of his hand, he would naturally return the favor. He would carefully nurture him, watch over him, and make him believe that the palm of his hand was the source of his livelihood.
…If there weren't any mishaps, in the future, he'd have his own exclusive, outstanding pharmacist.
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[1] 不敬之举 - Bu jing zhi ju, I don't know how to properly translate this in context. Thanks to user Charysa for the explanation!
[2] Actual idiom was 举手之劳, which means the effort of raising a hand. Changed it for semantics.
[3] 无迹可寻 - Wu ji ke xun, untraceable. However, in this context, it refers to an argument or idea that lacks logical or factual foundation.
[4] 世外高人 - Shi wai gao ren, someone at the pinnacle of talent, who is extraordinary, magical, refined, and erudite.
[5] “Poison” here is a guess. The actually Chinese characters are unreadable for my computer. Please help me fill in the blanks.
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T/N: Happy Chinese New Year!
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