Rules and regulations

So close!"

"They're finally gone!"

"Even if they start fighting, it is none of our inn's business anymore."

The employees that were left behind all sighed in relief as they patted their chests.

"Chi Yan, why did you do that?" The three girls were all surprised seeing the end result. Originally they hoped for some kind of twist, but it seemed as if Chi Yan helped Fang Yuan.

"Politics," Chi Yan lightly replied. "If there was a bar fight that involved Fang Yuan, then not much would happen, but if Mo Yan were to beat up Fang Yuan inside the Academy's Dormitory then she would be breaking the clan rules more heavily, a nd the punishment would be harsher. This would implicate the Mo family's honor. You know that my Chi family and the Mo family are political rivals."

The three girls seemed to be enlightened.

Chi Yan faintly smiled. "Fang Yuan is my martial arts sparring partner, so I also gave him a small chance to get out of it. As long as he knows the Academy rules well enough, he might be able to hole himself up in his room and convince Mo Yan to give up."

In fact, Chi Yan's motive was just to help out Fang Yuan, all while having fun at his expense.

Chi Yan's heart thought, 'It was also a test of Heaven's Will and Fate. Interestingly, everything went in Fang Yuan's favor just as I hoped and even these three girls didn't mention Fang Yuan's name by accident, not giving Mo Yan a hint.'

Chi Yan now expected that Fang Yuan would go scott free and only wondered if Mo Yan would still order Gao Wan to stay and guard Fang Yuan.

Inside the Academy's dormitory.

Fang Yuan reached the dormitory door, opened the lock and pushed the door open. He then took a step into the room and stopped.

Mo Yan stood at the doorstep, took a look inside and her face turned grim. "Junior, you better explain yourself well, there is no one in the room!"

Fang Yuan smiled faintly: "Aren't I someone?"

Mo Yan stared at Fang Yuan. "I am looking for Gu – Yue – Fang – Yuan!"

Fang Yuan snickered, "You know, I never said that I wasn't Gu Yue Fang Yuan."

"Hmm?" Mo Yan frowned, then her rage burst forth almost instantly as she suddenly understood that she had been fooled by Chi Yan and Fang Yuan.

"You are tremendously brave to try and deceive me!" While speaking, she stretched out her right hand to grab hold of Fang Yuan.

Fang Yuan stood firmly on the spot and waved his hand, presenting his room. "Mo Yan, you better think this through!"

Mo Yan stopped her actions. While she still stood right outside the door, her outstretched hand paused in midair and her face showed a sign of hesitation and resentment.

'If it's only me who broke the rules, that would still be fine. However, if this would affect the family and even grandfather's honor.' Thinking of this, Mo Yan reluctantly withdrew her arm. She looked at Fang Yuan who was inside the house with her bloodshot eyes. If her death-stare could be converted into fire, it would burn Fang Yuan to ashes in a second.

"I never lied to you, you know. I never said that I wasn't Fang Yuan. Actually, the matter of Mo Bei wetting himself was also Chi Yan's lie." Fang Yuan smiled faintly with his arms behind his back, ignoring the pressure of a Rank 2 Gu Master and fearlessly making eye contact with Mo Yan's furious gaze.

At that moment Mo Yan was stunned. She was stunned for a good while before she understood. 'I understand now. Chi Yan said that Mo Bei wet his pants to provoke me! Then he allowed Fang Yuan to come back to his dormitory room, because he wanted me to make a mistake!'

The following events repeated the novel, except that Mo Yan backed off more easily.

***

Next day.

"Did you guys hear? Fang Yuan killed someone!" A student whispered to his classmate beside him.

"I heard it too, he really killed somebody." The classmate clenched his chest with a pale face.

"There were many guards who saw him do it. Fang Yuan was chasing after that man. That guy tried to beg for mercy, but Fang Yuan paid him no heed and decapitated him immediately!"

"That's not all. After killing him, Fang Yuan didn't even spare his headless corpse. He dragged it back to the hostel and chopped it into a meat paste."

"Are you for real?"

The youths in the Academy did not pay attention to class as they held their little conversations. To this group of 15 year olds, the concept of killing was too foreign and too scary.

For killing a person, it was still beyond them.

"Who did Fang Yuan kill?"

When the identity of the servant that was killed was mentioned, a number of the youths turned to look at Gu Yue Mo Bei.

Mo Bei sat on his seat with a pale face – he had only heard about the news of Fang Yuan killing someone this morning. Additionally, it was the Gao Wan that Mo Bei was familiar with. 

A long while ago, Gao Wan had even sparred with Mo Bei for a bit. To think that this giant man was simply killed by Fang Yuan!

It was precisely because of this that Mo Bei felt astonished. He was full of disbelief and felt twice the shock compared to the others. However, compared to his shock, he felt a greater sense of worry and fear.

Facing a murderer like Fang Yuan, it would be a lie if Mo Bei said that he was not afraid. Actually, it was not just him – the other youngsters were afraid too. When Fang Yuan had robbed them twice previously, all of them had gotten physical with him.

"I actually fought with such a ruthless murderer? To think that I'm actually still alive." Many of them patted their chest, feeling a lingering fear.

Fang Yuan killing someone was still somewhat acceptable, but the crux was that he even dissected the corpse and chopped the body into meat paste.

That was way too cruel!

The truth of such a horrifying crime had a strong impact on all of the youths' pure and innocent minds.

The three girls who witnessed yesterday's scene at the inn with Chi Yan were all scared silly as well. They all thought that Fang Yuan would receive a lesson, but the result was the exact opposite. Fang Yuan murdered someone!

They now also understood why some as cool as Chi Yan didn't choose to fight Fang Yuan and only passed his primeval stones both times. At the same time, Chi Yan actually willingly sparred with a crazy murderer like Fang Yuan!

At this moment in the minds of the frightened and lovesick young girls Chi Yan became even more amazing.

Chi Yan glanced around his classmates with a mostly indifferent expression, looking at their faces. Although he just indirectly caused a person to get murdered by protecting Fang Yuan yesterday, he didn't feel affected much. He thought that perhaps it was because he already knew that Gao Wan's original fate was being chopped up by Fang Yuan either way.

Inwardly, Chi Yan felt glad had already gotten through his first experience of killing someone, and that someone was even Fang Yuan himself!

'In the future I should handle killing people much better, but I am still too soft for this world!' Chi Yan let out a silent sigh. He thought of killing some family servants purely to strengthen his character for the future, but he struggled to rationalize doing it for such a silly reason at this moment.

'Tie Ruo Nan would not like it much if she heard about me doing things like this…' Chi Yan then thought about the future, about the important stuff.

…

Later that day after the lessons ended.

From the layers of dark clouds in the sky, the spring rain fell.

The raindrops were thin like hair. As they fell, they enveloped Qing Mao Mountain in a layer of fine mist.

The dining hall on the first floor of the inn was rather empty. There were only four tables of guests.

Fang Yuan sat at a seat by the window. A gust of wind blew, bringing with it a poetic atmosphere and the scent of flowers.

An old man just finished telling his grandson the story of Ren Zu's, the second chapter.

'Rules and Regulations…' Fang Yuan's gaze was dark as he twirled his wine cup, looking at the liquor in his cup. His heart was touched.

Ren Zu's legend was widespread throughout this world and there were almost no people who did not know of him. Fang Yuan had naturally heard of him too.

But no matter if it was a legend or a story, it was dependent on the knowledge of the reader.

Just like Ren Zu. When Fang Yuan did not know the rules and regulations, he explored in the dark. Sometimes he bumped into things, knocking into others, causing himself to get injured and look like a mess. And at times within a wider area, he got lost and confused, moving without a sense of direction or purpose.

This darkness was not purely black or the absence of light. Strength, wisdom and hope could not oppose it.

Only when Ren Zu knew of the rules and regulations and said their names did the darkness dissipate and invite light into Ren Zu's life.

Fang Yuan switched his gaze from his cup and looked outside through the window.

He saw that outside the window, the sky was still dark, the greenery abundant and the pelting rain flying by like mist.

Fang Yuan concluded, 'This world's heaven and earth is like a huge chess board. All lifeforms are chess pieces, acting in accordance with their rules and regulations, their laws... '

'Humans naturally also have their own rules and regulations. Everybody has their own standpoints, desires, and principles.'

Fang Yuan thought about his own situation, his heart already clear. 'The Mo family's head desire is to protect his family branch's prosperity and benefits. Mo Yan found trouble with me and that would be considered spoiling the rules, so for the sake of his family honor, he will not do anything to me. In fact, he might even compensate me.'

'As for Chi Yan, he wanted Mo Yan and the Mo family to get implicated by finding trouble with me inside the dormitory, but he also gave me a chance to escape my predicament. He treated it as a game and did it for entertainment. With his short lifespan, it's no wonder that he views things as a game. He also showed me - I could make trouble for you if I really wanted, but I didn't. He's quite shrewd indeed.'

Fang Yuan naturally didn't know that Chi Yan simply parroted the novel when he told Mo Yan that Fang Yuan was Fang Zheng.

'Actually, the Mo family has great influence, so if they risk their reputation and are bent on punishing me, there is nothing I can do to resist them, but in practice they would never do it. Gu Yue Mo Chen is afraid that others would follow in his example. In a junior's scuffle, if the elders interfere, it would aggravate the situation. What if in future conflicts others laid their hands on his grandson Gu Yue Mo Bei? In his entire family line there's only one male, while the Chi family's inheritor is far more talented, so what would happen if Mo Bei died? He has this kind of irrational fear, maybe he doesn't even realize it himself. He is only subconsciously protecting the rules.'

Fang Yuan's eyes were clear as he had the perfect grasp and understanding of the matter from start till the end.

'Gu Yue Mo Chen should be able to understand my intention of compromise and threat from the time I sent a box of a minced corpse to them. This is also what I want him to think. If I'm not wrong, the Mo family will not pursue Gao Wan's death. Even if they do, I think Chi Yan with the Chi family would have my back purely for amusement.' Fang Yuan laughed in his heart.

…

An hour later that day in the Chi family's training ground.

Chi Chang sat in a seiza position as he nurtured his aperture walls. He looked at Fang Yuan who just entered. "Hello, Fang Zheng."

Fang Yuan faintly smiled. "You caused me a bit of trouble by angering Mo Yan."

"Nonsense. I knew that a bastard like you would be fine." Chi Yan smiled.

Fang Yuan laughed as he cupped his fists. "Many thanks, brother Chi."

Fang Yuan was hated by every single student in class, and for a good reason, but despite that Chi Yan was neutral and valued him for his martial arts skill, holding no prejudice despite his vile methods.

Fang Yuan knew that back at the inn Chi Yan could've troubled him if he wanted, but he preferred to maintain their relationship. It was the easiest thing in the world for one of the girls that accompanied Chi Yan to speak up and clear up Fang Yuan's identity, getting him in a bit of trouble. Mo Yan might have not noticed, but Fang Yuan was clear that Chi Yan stopped them from speaking.

Even when it came to the last extortion, Chi Yan was also the third to come up and he willingly gave Fang Yuan a primeval stone despite receiving the position of class chairman. It caused the other students to give up on ganging up on Fang Yuan and they either challenged him one by one or obediently gave away their primeval stones. It was obvious that Chi Yan wanted to be in his good books.

Chi Yan said instead, "Every student is training hard in martial arts and getting better, but after you killed the Mo family's servant they're all scared silly of you. Now your robbing will become even easier."

Fang Yuan faintly smiled. "Should you be saying that, mister Class Chairman?"

Chi Yan shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever. I pity them. If I was in their place and lost my precious primeval stones, then I'd probably be furious, but it's also an opportunity for them. Difficulties in life are wealth just like primeval stones, right?"

Fang Yuan laughed and said nothing, having to give Chi Yan a second look.

Chi Yan added. "Actually I thought you'd take eight primeval stones from me when I became the Class Chairman." 

Fang Yuan stroked his chin, seeming to be deep in thought. "That's a good idea."

Chi Yan looked at Fang Yuan for a while. "If you do that I'll throw all these primeval stones at your face with my full strength."

"That's fine by me." Fang Yuan laughed.

Chi Yan snorted and chuckled. He himself was aware that Fang Yuan's familiar attitude was naturally just a front, but he still enjoyed playing 'buddies' with him.

Chi Yan mirrored Fang Yuan's smile, before his expression turned serious. "Enough chatting. Fang Yuan, your martial arts coaching is great! If you keep at it, I'll definitely get you at least one Rank 1 Gu of choice for free. Then I can also help to get you other Gu worms that you want, and maybe even give you a small loan."

Upon hearing that Fang Yuan was slightly moved. With his abilities and connections it was indeed simply impossible for him to acquire Gu worms that are normally sold out immediately on the markets in these parts, Gu worms like Jade Skin Gu and White Boar Gu. Besides, they would also be expensive.

Chi Yan was really much different than Fang Yuan originally imagined, willing to endure and give up on small things, and even admitted that Fang Yuan was more 'talented' than him. But Fang Yuan considered it not too surprising. In this world there are as many outstanding individuals as there are stars in the sky.

"Then I'll do my best." Fang Yuan nodded.

Chi Yan nodded back. "Good. I want you to instruct me not only how to fight using pure martial arts, but most importantly I want to practice how to kill by any means necessary. I want my martial arts technique to supplement my Gu Master combat. The better you do, the better reward I'll give you. And like I said I can promise you to not interfere in your extortions with the skills I learn. I don't care about that. You have a natural talent for combat, so if possible I would also want to spar with you in armed combat, like swordsmanship and so on..."

Chi Yan was aware that there is a limit to what Fang Yuan would be willing to teach him and how serious he would be in training, because at one point Fang Yuan would be simply unable to explain how he got so good and gained such rich combat experience. There is a limit to natural talent. At the same time, teaching others to be better at fighting was basically teaching them how to kill him better; a wise person is careful of doing things like that.

Because of all that, Chi Yan wanted to entice Fang Yuan as much as possible to be serious and also show him that he might be trustworthy. In fact, he was honest in this exchange and had no ill will toward Fang Yuan, not at this point, so he hoped that Fang Yuan could see this.

Chi Yan's offer was very attractive, it really seemed like this. That's how Fang Yuan would certainly see it, but in reality it wasn't actually that beneficial to Fang Yuan at all!

Chi Yan knew that in just a while Fang Yuan would discover the secret Inheritance of Flower Wine Monk that hid the two Gu worms he wanted most, while in a year the merchant caravan would openly auction these kinds of rare Gu, because Fang Yuan would change the future. Even without Chi Yan, Fang Yuan would be able to obtain any of the Gu worms he wants.

Practically, Chi Yan was simply giving Fang Yuan some more primeval stones, compensating for what he caused Fang Yuan to not gain from the Academy in this world. Fang Yuan also worried about the future once he can't keep extorting his classmates after graduating from the Academy, seeing it as a well-paid job. However, in a year Fang Yuan should discover that his parents were actually filthy rich, and he would have an amazing source of income anyway. Fang Yuan would not lack primeval stones!

Because of all this future knowledge Chi Yan wasn't too worried about being generous toward Fang Yuan, as all this would have little worth to Fang Yuan in the end and wouldn't even change the future much.

In truth, Fang Yuan was sacrificing his precious cultivation time to wholeheartedly train Chi Yan, unaware just how little he would benefit from his efforts. The one who truly benefited from this cooperation was Chi Yan, receiving a demonic overlord's guidance!

"Fang Yuan, I might not be a truly good person, but I'm serious about what I said," Chi Yan said honestly and placed his hand on Fang Yuan's shoulder as he looked into his eyes.

"I understand, brother Chi. I have little experience in teaching people, but I'll do what I can," the leader and instructor of Blood Wing Demon sect said, his visage expressing seriousness.

With his years of experience, Fang Yuan became an expert at reading people. After interacting with Chi Yan these several days, he understood him quite a bit.

Chi Yan was truthful with his promises and was serious about helping him if he was satisfied with Fang Yuan's coaching, being very generous. He put aside everything for his goal of becoming better and didn't discriminate against Fang Yuan, even when everyone hated him and there was a large difference in status between them, holding onto his promises - a rare type of person!

Following that, Fang Yuan's martial arts class began.