Chapter 245

According to Gu Zhan's hearing.

According to Gu Zhan's hearsay.

Gu Han is a deputy general, while Gu Chen commands a hundred soldiers.

"Gu Han is a Bijang, while Gu Chen is a Captain of Hundred."

Even though Gu Han earned his deputy general rank through merit, his strength is surely superior to Gu Chen's.

"Even though Gu Han's Bijang rank was earned through merit, his strength is surely superior to Gu Chen's!"

He doesn't know how Gu Han went from being a martial novice to reaching this level in such a short time.

"Although he doesn't know how Gu Han rose from a mere martial novice to such a level in such a short time."

But Gu Zhan believes he's likely no match for Gu Han.

"But Gu Zhan himself believes he is probably no match for Gu Han."

If he wants to make a name for himself before the family head and elders, Gu Chen is the perfect opponent to challenge!

"If he wants to show his face before the Family Head and the elders, Gu Chen is his best sparring partner!"

Gu Han isn't fazed by a grand spectacle.

"Gu Han enjoys watching the spectacle, unafraid of a big commotion,"

Gu Chen, elder brother, you think I'm an easy target.

"Gu Chen, older brother, this is because I think you're a soft persimmon."

They rarely interacted with Gu Zhan and the other main lineage disciples.

"They and Gu Zhan, these main-branch disciples, usually have no interaction."

Nobody would believe that Gu Zhan provoked them for no reason.

"To claim that Gu Zhan provoked them with no ulterior motive? Even ghosts wouldn't believe it!"

I'll be right back.

"I'll go and come back right away."

Today is a happy day, and Gu Chen doesn't want to spoil the fun, so he immediately rises and goes to the center of the banquet.

"Today is a joyous occasion, and Gu Chen doesn't want to dampen everyone's spirits; he immediately rose and went to the center of the banquet."

Some elders had wanted to make an excuse for Gu Chen, but seeing him volunteer to stand, they let it go.

"The several elders had originally wanted to find an excuse for Gu Chen, but seeing him rise voluntarily, they let it be."

Gu Zhan excitedly watches the red-sleeved maiden nearby, her fragrance lingering at his nostrils.

"Gu Zhan eagerly gazed at the Red Sleeve Maiden not far away, feeling her delicate fragrance still lingering around his nose,"

The red-sleeved maiden is skilled at the guzheng; I wonder if she has music fit for battle.

"Red Sleeve Maiden is skilled at the zither; I wonder if she has a piece suitable for combat?"

The red-sleeved maiden gives a slight nod.

"The Red Sleeve Maiden nodded lightly,"

Of course there is.

"Naturally, there is."

Please, red-sleeved maiden, play a guzheng piece to accompany our duel.

"Please, Red Sleeve Maiden, play a zither piece for me to accompany the duel."

The red-sleeved maiden's gentle touch on the guzheng produces a sound starkly different from the earlier merriment, exuding a solemn, lethal aura.

"The Red Sleeve Maiden's jade hands lightly stroked the zither; the sound it produced was starkly different from the earlier merriment, exuding a solemn, killing aura."

But Gu Zhan feels his cells loosen throughout his body, his fighting power surging to its peak.

"But Gu Zhan felt his cells throughout his body relax and stretch, his combat power surging to the limit!"

He wins this battle to the red-sleeved maiden's music.

"He won this battle amidst the Red Sleeve Maiden's music."

He will surely earn the elders' favor, and maybe even win the red-sleeved maiden's secret affection.

"He will surely gain the attention of the family elders, and perhaps even win the Red Sleeve Maiden's secret affection!"

Seeing Gu Zhan act as if he'd taken an aphrodisiac, Gu Qian Yue and the others couldn't help but smirk.

"Seeing Gu Zhan act as if he'd taken an aphrodisiac, Gu Qian Yue and the others couldn't help but curl their lips."

This guy, could he actually think he can beat Gu Chen?

"This fellow, could he really think he can beat Gu Chen?"

Gu Qian Yue is a main lineage member who grew up with other main lineage members, so they get along well.

"Gu Qian Yue himself is a main-branch member, and having grown up with some other main-branch members since childhood, they're on good terms."

Hearing the contempt in Gu Qian Yue's tone, several main lineage disciples exclaimed in surprise.

"Hearing the slight disdain in Gu Qian Yue's words, several main-branch youths exclaimed in surprise,"

Qian Yue, I heard you also enlisted in Mu Shan City—are the Gu Chen and Gu Han brothers really as strong as the rumors claim?

"Qian Yue, I heard you also enlisted in Mu Shan Cheng? Are the Gu Chen and Gu Han brothers truly as strong as the rumors say?"

Facing their questions, Gu Qian Yue merely gave a faint smile.

"Faced with everyone's questions, Gu Qian Yue merely gave a light laugh,"

If Gu Chen gets serious, Gu Zhan won't last a single move against him.

"If Gu Chen gets serious, Gu Zhan won't last a single move against him."

What?!

"What?!"

Several people stared at Gu Qian Yue in shock.

"Several people stared at Gu Qian Yue in shock."

They had thought Gu Qian Yue would at most say Gu Zhan isn't a match for Gu Chen.

"They had thought Gu Qian Yue would at most say Gu Zhan isn't a match for Gu Chen."

But they never expected Gu Qian Yue to say Gu Zhan can't even withstand a single move.

"But they never expected Gu Qian Yue to say Gu Zhan can't even withstand a single move!"

Qian Yue, I know you can become a commander of a hundred, and you're close with Gu Han, so his help is essential.

"Qian Yue, I know you could become a Captain of Hundred thanks to your close ties with Gu Han—his help is indispensable."

A Gu family main lineage youth glared at Gu Qian Yue and said coldly,

"A Gu Family main-branch youth glared at Gu Qian Yue angrily and said coldly,"

But we've been brothers for over twenty years—why boost others' morale and crush our own prestige?

"But we've been brothers for over twenty years; why must you boost others' morale and destroy our own prestige?"

You've got that wrong.

"Your statement is just wrong."

Gu Qian Yue gave a faint smile.

"Gu Qian Yue gave a faint smile,"

We're all Gu family members—where would outsiders come from?

"We're all Gu Family descendants; where does 'others' come from?"

Besides, I say this for your own good, so you don't underestimate the Gu Chen brothers and embarrass yourselves in public.

"And I say this purely for your own good, lest you underestimate the Gu Chen brothers and embarrass yourselves in public!"

Several people regarded Gu Qian Yue with skepticism.

"Several people looked at Gu Qian Yue half-believing, half-doubting."

What kind of bewitching soup did the Gu Chen brothers give Gu Qian Yue to make him trust them so much?

"What kind of bewitching soup have the Gu Chen brothers fed Gu Qian Yue to make him trust them so completely?"

As the duel in the banquet's central courtyard was about to start, they hurriedly turned their gazes to the open space.

"As the duel in the banquet hall's open space was about to begin, they hurriedly turned their gazes toward the center."

Whether it's a mule or a horse, you'll find out once you take it for a test run!

"Whether it's a mule or a horse, you'll know once you take it out for a test!"

Gu Chen, Gu Zhan, you are both of Gu family blood.

"Gu Chen, Gu Zhan, you two are both blood of my Gu Family."

The Gu family's sixth elder volunteered to referee their match, smiling as he watched them.

"The Gu Family's Sixth Elder volunteered to serve as referee for their match, chuckling as he watched them."

This bout should stop at the point of contact; do not injure each other.

"This exchange is to stop at the point of contact; do not injure each other."

Gu Zhan clenched his fist, and a bone-piercing long blade appeared in his hand.

"Gu Zhan clenched his fist, and a bone-piercing long blade appeared in his hand,"

Don't worry, elder—I'll strike with restraint.

"Don't worry, Elder; I'll pull my punches."

Seeing Gu Zhan's confident expression, Gu Chen casually picked a standard military long sword.

"Seeing Gu Zhan's confident expression, Gu Chen casually picked up a standard-issue long sword from the military camp."

At a glance, it's clear which weapon is superior.

"At a glance, their weapons made the superiority clear."

Gu Zhan's long blade is obviously far superior in appearance and grade to an ordinary standard long sword.

"Gu Zhan's long blade, whether in appearance or grade, is obviously far superior to an ordinary military-issue sword."

Seeing Gu Chen's utter disregard, Gu Zhan's face darkened.

"Seeing Gu Chen's utter disregard for him, Gu Zhan's face visibly darkened."

Gu Chen, what do you mean by this?

"Gu Chen, what do you mean by this?"

This is openly looking down on him in front of the elders and clansmen!

"This is openly looking down on him in front of numerous elders and clansmen!"

I'm just afraid I won't be able to hold back and might accidentally hurt you.

"I'm just afraid I won't hold back and might accidentally hurt you."

Gu Chen seemed unaware of the hostility in Gu Zhan's eyes.

"Gu Chen seemed unaware of the hostility in Gu Zhan's eyes,"

Using this standard long sword, it won't endanger your life.

"Using this standard sword, it won't even endanger your life."

Good, good, good!

"Fine, fine, fine!"

Upon hearing Gu Chen's words, Gu Zhan's complexion obviously turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Such an arrogant fool, he must definitely give the other party a good beating!

After the Six Elder's whistle sounded, Gu Zhan stomped his right foot hard and his body surged out violently.

The aura of a Martial Master mid-stage burst forth, and the bone-piercing long blade fiercely slashed at Gu Chen's waist.

"Gu Zhan has indeed reached Martial Master mid-stage, opening a small realm between us!"

Most of the Gu Family disciples who had previously communicated with Gu Qianyue are roughly the same age, and their cultivation levels are similarly close.

Except for the two top individuals who are Martial Master mid-stage, everyone else is Martial Master early-stage.

"No wonder Gu Zhan this fellow dares to be the first to step forward, without worrying about being used as a pawn!"

Several elders also nodded in approval.

Although Gu Zhan this fellow's strength is not as good as Gu Chen's, he is still not bad.

Achieving Martial Master at such a young age, he is truly promising!

However, Gu Chen merely gave a cold snort, and amidst the crowd's astonished shouts, he seemed to have no countermeasures at all.

Gu Zhan saw that he was about to be within arm's reach of Gu Chen, and immediately gave a fierce grin, his hand showing no intention of pulling back.

He actually intended to heavily wound Gu Chen!

Yet upon seeing this scene, the Gu Family elders remained calm and composed, not at all worried that Gu Chen would be injured.

They were merely curious why Gu Chen had not made a move all along.

Just as Gu Zhan approached Gu Chen and his blade was about to sweep Gu Chen's waist, Gu Chen finally moved.

All that was seen was him tapping his toe, his figure swiftly retreating more than three feet.

This distance is not considered far, yet it just happened to let Gu Zhan's slash land on empty air.

Gu Zhan had already swung his blade; if he wanted to continue the pursuit, he inevitably had to retract his blade and adjust.

But just as he had just retracted his blade, a chill ran up his neck,

"This time, considering that we are all Gu Family disciples, I will spare your life."

Gu Chen's face still bore a smile, but the words he spoke made Gu Zhan's heart tremble,

"If this were in the wild, you would already be dead without a whole corpse."

Having said that, Gu Chen immediately turned and left.

Gu Chen's voice was extremely soft, only Gu Zhan could hear it.

Watching Gu Chen's confidently departing back, Gu Zhan only felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

He did not feel any particularly strong aura from Gu Chen.

Could it be a fluke?

But even if given another chance, does he really have hope to defeat Gu Chen?

As for what Gu Chen said,

Gu Zhan, although unwilling to admit it, his instinct told him that Gu Chen might truly be able to follow through on his words!