Chapter Eighteen: Home-Cooked Meals

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Upon hearing this, Su Ling raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. This brash kid in front of him surprisingly knew about his past. What was more astonishing was the shamelessness with which he came to provoke trouble—truly the recklessness of a newborn calf unafraid of the tiger.

Su Ling recognized the boy’s audacity as unnatural and was well aware of his connection to Chen Ping’an. Reflecting on the original story and the boy’s demeanor, he suddenly realized this annoying brat was none other than Gu Can. Gu Can was close to Chen Ping’an and clearly knew that Su Ling had apprenticed under Ruan Qiong.

Gu Can snorted, sucking the disgusting snot dangling under his nose back into his nostrils. Finding nothing amusing about Su Ling, he appeared disinterested.

“Let’s go. I’m no sycophant, so I won’t be accompanying you, noble sir,” Gu Can said with a mocking tone. Su Ling couldn’t help but smile faintly at the sarcasm.

Yet, in the next moment, a heavy palm suddenly landed on Gu Can’s left shoulder, halting his advance. Gu Can turned his head and looked with surprise at the smiling figure before him.

“What’s the matter? Still want to cause trouble with me?” he challenged.

“If you don’t let go, I’ll call for help,” Gu Can warned.

“Let me go!” he demanded.

But no matter how hard Gu Can struggled, the hand on his shoulder felt like an iron frame, immovable.

Moreover, Gu Can’s anxiety grew as he recalled the turmoil that swept through the town three years ago. The one responsible for that upheaval was none other than the increasingly gentle-faced Su Ling before him.

This incident had earned Su Ling a notorious reputation in the town as a man not to be trifled with, one who never let grievances go unanswered.

“What now? Could he be taking it out on me?” Gu Can wondered.

“No way. How dare he lay a hand on this handsome face of mine...” But the memory of Song Jixin’s swollen face from three years ago sent shivers through him.

“Kid, you seem quite free these days.”

“No, I’m busy!” Gu Can stubbornly denied, unwilling to concede.

“Hmm, how about this? I’m free too, so I might as well come have a meal at your place.”

“That won’t do!”

Gu Can’s face paled at this, panic rising within. Could he truly be following in Song Jixin’s footsteps?

“Reluctant?”

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“No, no, it’s not that. I’m just worried you won’t like the simple food at home,” Gu Can hastily replied.

Su Ling chuckled at this, seeing how quick-witted Gu Can was—a clever little rascal indeed. No wonder children born in Liju Cave Heaven were known for their sharp intellect and outstanding talent.

“Let’s go. Lead the way.”

“This...”

“Hmm?”

“Alright, I’ll lead the way.”

After some friendly negotiation, Su Ling successfully persuaded the mischievous Gu Can to invite him over for lunch today. Inside, Gu Can was already filled with regret, his guts twisting in remorse. It was his own reckless mouth that had provoked the most dangerous person in town.

“Damn Chen Ping’an! This is the ‘easygoing and approachable’ Su Bro you talked about?”

“I spit on that! Today’s my bad luck, believing Chen Ping’an’s lies. No, I’ve got to get even...”

Gu Can had originally called out to Su Ling just to gain some admiration from others. After all, he had directly confronted the town’s notorious tough guy. If word got out, all the kids who followed him around would surely idolize him.

But now, not only had his bragging failed, he had also put himself in trouble. Gu Can certainly regretted it.

So, to protect his mother’s safety, Gu Can schemed endlessly, deliberately wandering around nearby to avoid going straight home.

However, after Su Ling’s little lecture—which to Gu Can felt more like coercion and bribery—he had no choice but to obediently lead the way, though the delay at least served its purpose.

The weather was neither too hot nor too glaring. Smoke curled from chimneys along the street as families prepared their midday meals.

“Can’er, where have you been? Your mother’s been looking for you everywhere,” a plainly dressed woman scolded Gu Can mercilessly as soon as they entered the house.

“Mother, don’t hit me. I know I was wrong!”

...

Watching this scene, Su Ling remained silent, though his quiet observation was short-lived. Gu Can’s mother glanced cautiously towards Su Ling.

“And who might you be?”

“Madam, good day. I am Gu Can’s friend. He invited me over for lunch today.”

“Is that so?”

Gu Can’s mother looked surprised. She glanced first at the silent, downcast Gu Can, then welcomed Su Ling with a smile, as if receiving an honored guest.

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“Pardon my intrusion. Here is a gift,” Su Ling said, producing a small, finely crafted object from his pocket. It was a delicate trinket forged at the blacksmith’s shop—clearly valuable.

This item was naturally a pendant he had fashioned during a rare idle moment at the forge.

Gu Can’s mother’s smile brightened as she accepted the gift. She then instructed Gu Can to be a good host before turning toward the kitchen to prepare lunch.

Once she was out of sight, Gu Can finally looked up, his gaze grave as he faced Su Ling.

“What exactly do you want?” Gu Can asked bluntly, refusing to believe Su Ling was merely a guest.

“Hm, you’ll know soon enough,” Su Ling replied.

“You!” Gu Can’s fury burned within him, but Su Ling ignored it and casually sat down in the courtyard, seemingly waiting for lunch, but in truth awaiting the arrival of a certain outsider seeking opportunity.

“Damn it! This is infuriating!”

“Chen Ping’an, just you wait!”

Gu Can felt his whole being ignite with rage. Just then, a knock came at the door.

“What? An unwelcome visitor!”

Gu Can glared furiously at the decayed figure at the gate.

The visitor was an elderly man past sixty, slender and stooped, dressed in elegant blue-and-white robes. His white hair was neatly groomed, and he sported a goatee.

Though he looked like a recluse who spent his days in a Taoist hall, his aura exuded an eerie, unsettling malignancy.

Liu Zhimou, bent over and holding a palm-sized jade bowl, entered and immediately spotted Su Ling seated in the courtyard.

“A martial artist?”

Frowning, Liu Zhimou knew that though the town imposed strict restrictions on heavenly forces, he could still employ some power. Moreover, the saint guarding the town, Qi Jingchun, was barely able to protect himself, let alone oversee the bigger picture.

This gave Liu Zhimou an opportunity to exploit a loophole.

Using his secret arts, Liu Zhimou gathered intelligence on Su Ling, his old face darkening further.

“A martial artist at the third level of Qi refinement, and a disciple of the swordsman Ruan Qiong?”

Perhaps wary of Ruan Qiong, Liu Zhimou showed no aggression. Ignoring the cursing Gu Can, he strode directly toward Su Ling.