The sky was overcast with layers of clouds, and the spring rain fell gently.

The fine drizzle, as thin as ox hair, descended, enveloping Green Reed Mountain in a light mist.

The first-floor dining hall of the inn was still quite empty, with only four tables of guests.

Fang Yuan sat by the window, a breeze carrying a poetic scent and the fragrance of flowers.

"A light rain on the heavenly street moistens like fine silk, the grass appears green from afar but not up close," Fang Yuan murmured softly as he gazed out the window, then withdrew his gaze.

On the table before him were exquisite dishes and fine wine, with a perfect blend of color, aroma, and taste. Especially the Green Bamboo Wine, which had a rich fragrance with a hint of freshness. The emerald-green wine sat quietly in a bamboo cup, exuding a warm amber glow from this angle.

At the table closest to him sat an old man and his grandson, both dressed in simple clothes, clearly mortals.

The old man sipped his rice wine, casting envious glances at Fang Yuan's table, clearly tempted by the aroma of the Green Bamboo Wine but unable to afford it.

The grandson was munching on braised fragrant beans, the crunch echoing in his mouth. He tugged at his grandfather's arm, "Grandpa, grandpa, tell me the story of the Ancestor of Humanity. If you don't, I'll tell grandma you sneaked out to drink!"

"Sigh, can't even drink in peace," the old man sighed, but his face showed a loving expression. He patted his grandson's head with his withered hand, "Alright, I'll tell you. The story goes that the Ancestor of Humanity entrusted his heart to the Hope Gu, escaping the Predicament's pursuit..."

The story of the Ancestor of Humanity is the most widely spread and ancient legend in this world.

The story the old man told went something like this.

It is said that the Ancestor of Humanity escaped the Predicament because of hope. But he eventually grew old and frail, lacking strength and wisdom, unable to hunt anymore, and even lost all his teeth, unable to chew many wild fruits and vegetables.

The Ancestor of Humanity felt death approaching.

At this moment, the Hope Gu told him, "Human, you cannot die. If you die, your heart will be gone, and I will lose my place to reside."

The Ancestor of Humanity was helpless, "Who wants to die? But heaven and earth demand my death, and I have no choice."

The Hope Gu said, "There is always hope. As long as you capture the Longevity Gu, you can extend your life."

The Ancestor of Humanity had long heard of the Longevity Gu's existence, but he spread his hands helplessly, "The Longevity Gu is undetectable when still, and faster than light when flying. How could I possibly capture it? It's too difficult!"

The Hope Gu revealed a secret to the Ancestor of Humanity, "Human, never give up hope. I tell you, in the northwest corner of the earth, there is a great mountain. At its peak, there is a cave where two Gu insects, one round and one square, reside. If you can subdue these two Gu insects, no Gu insect in the world, not even the Longevity Gu, will be beyond capture!"

The Ancestor of Humanity was at his wit's end, and this was his only hope.

He endured countless hardships to find the mountain and braved great dangers to reach the summit. At the cave entrance, he had only a little strength left, staggering inside.

The cave was pitch black, with not a finger visible. The Ancestor of Humanity walked in the darkness, sometimes bumping into things, injuring himself, and sometimes feeling the vastness of the darkness, like another world, with nothing around but himself.

He spent a lot of time but couldn't escape the boundless darkness, let alone subdue the two Gu insects.

As he fell into confusion, two voices came from the darkness.

One said, "Human, do you wish to capture us too? Go back, even if you have the Strength Gu, it's impossible."

The other voice said, "Human, retreat, we won't take your life. Even with the Wisdom Gu's help, you might not find us."

The Ancestor of Humanity lay on the ground, exhausted, "The Strength Gu and Wisdom Gu have long left me, and I have little life left, with no way out. But as long as I have a sliver of hope in my heart, I won't give up!"

Hearing the Ancestor of Humanity's words, the two voices fell silent.

After a while, they said, "I understand, human, you have entrusted your heart to the Hope Gu. You won't give up no matter what."

The other voice continued, "In that case, we'll give you a chance. If you can name us, we will serve you."

The Ancestor of Humanity was stunned. Naming them from the sea of words was like finding a needle in a haystack.

Moreover, he didn't even know how many words were in their names.

He quickly asked the Hope Gu, but the Hope Gu didn't know either.

With no other options, the Ancestor of Humanity had to guess names. He said many names, spending a long time, but there was no response from the darkness, indicating they were all wrong.

Gradually, his breath weakened, and in the cave, he aged from old to elderly, like the setting sun, half sunk below the horizon.

The food he brought was running out, his mind slowed, and he had little strength to speak.

The voice in the darkness advised, "Human, you are dying. We will let you go. Use your last time to climb out of the cave and see the world one last time. But since you offended us, leave the Hope Gu here as our companion."

The Ancestor of Humanity clutched his heart, refusing firmly, "Even if I die, I won't abandon hope!"

The Hope Gu was moved, responding with all its might, emitting a pure white light. From the Ancestor of Humanity's heart, a faint white glow emerged.

But the light was too weak to illuminate the darkness, not even covering the Ancestor of Humanity's entire body, only lighting up his chest.

Yet he felt a new, intangible strength flowing from the Hope Gu into his body.

He continued to speak, guessing names. He was so old and confused, repeating many names he'd said before, wasting much effort.

Life was slipping away with time, and the Ancestor of Humanity had little life left.

Finally, with only one day of life remaining, he uttered the word "Ju."

A sigh came from the darkness, and a voice said, "Human, I, Ju, admire your persistence. You have named me, and from today, I will follow your orders. But I can only capture all the Gu insects in the world with my brother. Alone, I cannot. So give up, you are near death, better to use your last time to see the world."

The Ancestor of Humanity shook his head firmly, seizing every moment to continue speaking, guessing the other Gu insect's name.

Time ticked away, and he had only one hour left.

But then, he inadvertently said the word "Gui."

Instantly, the darkness vanished.

Two Gu appeared before him. As the Hope Gu had said, one was square, called "Ju," and the other was round, called "Gui." Together, they were "Rule and Law."

The two Gu spoke in unison, "Whoever knows our names will command us. Human, since you know our names, we are yours to use. But remember, do not let other beings know our names. The more who know, the more we must serve. Now, you are the first to subdue us, state your request."

The Ancestor of Humanity rejoiced, "Then I command you to capture a Longevity Gu for me."

The Rule and Law Gu combined their power and captured an eighty-year Longevity Gu.

The Ancestor of Humanity, already a hundred years old, consumed the Longevity Gu, and all his wrinkles vanished, his withered limbs filled with healthy muscle, and the aura of youth returned.

He leaped up like a carp.

He looked at his body with joy, knowing he was once again a twenty-year-old youth!

...

"That's all for today, let's go home, dear grandson," the old man finished the story and his wine.

"Grandpa, tell me more, what happened to the Ancestor of Humanity?" the grandson pleaded, shaking the old man's arm.

To read the uncut version, go to [pawread.com].

"Let's go, I'll tell you another time." The old man donned a straw hat and raincoat, draping a smaller one over his grandson.

The grandfather and grandson left the inn, stepping into the rain, gradually disappearing into the distance.

"Rule and Law..." Fang Yuan's gaze was deep as he twirled his wine cup, staring at the Green Bamboo Wine, feeling deeply moved.

The legend of the Ancestor of Humanity was widely known in this world, almost everyone had heard of it. Fang Yuan, of course, had heard it long ago.

But whether it's a legend or a story, it's all subjective. The grandfather and grandson merely saw it as a story, but Fang Yuan could taste the profound meaning within.

Just like the Ancestor of Humanity.

When he didn't know the Rule and Law, he groped in the darkness, sometimes stumbling and bumping, getting battered and bruised. Other times, he felt vast and lost, with no direction or goal.

This darkness wasn't just black or dark; strength, wisdom, and hope couldn't overcome it.

Only when the Ancestor of Humanity knew "Rule and Law," naming them, did the darkness vanish, and he welcomed the light.

The darkness was the darkness of Rule and Law, and the light was the light of Rule and Law.

Fang Yuan shifted his gaze from the wine cup to the window.

Outside, the distant sky was dark and gloomy, the green mountains stretched endlessly, and the fine rain fell like mist. Nearby, high-stilt bamboo houses extended one after another. On the road, a few pedestrians, their feet muddy with rain, wore gray-green raincoats or carried yellow oilcloth umbrellas.

Fang Yuan pondered, "This world is like a great chessboard, all living things are pieces, moving according to their rules. The seasons have rules, cycling through spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Water flows by rules, moving to lower places. Heat rises by rules, ascending higher. Humans naturally have rules too."

"Everyone has their own stance, ** and principles. Take Gu Yue Village, for example, where slaves are cheap, and masters are noble, that's the rule. So Chen Cui tries to cling to the powerful, scheming to escape slavery. Gao Wan does everything to please his master, relying on their power."

"For Uncle-in-law and Aunt-in-law, it's greed, wanting to seize my parents' inheritance. The Academy Elder focuses on nurturing Gu Masters, maintaining his position in the academy."

"Everyone has their rules, every industry has its rules, every social group has its rules. Understanding these rules allows one to see clearly, dispelling darkness for light, navigating with ease."

Fang Yuan reflected on his situation, already strategizing, "For Gu Yue Mo Chen, the Mo Clan's leader, it's about maintaining his lineage's prosperity and interests. Mo Yan causing trouble for me breaks the rules, and to uphold the family's honor, he won't act against me. He might even compensate me."

"In truth, the Mo Clan is powerful, and if they wanted to punish me for damaging their reputation, I couldn't resist. But Gu Yue Mo Chen fears not breaking the rules himself, but others following suit. If elders intervene in juniors' disputes, it escalates, threatening the stronghold if it reaches the top. Gu Yue Mo Chen fears that if others target his grandson, Gu Yue Mo Bei, in future conflicts, what then? This fear, he might not even realize, is his subconscious desire to uphold the rules."

Fang Yuan's eyes were clear, understanding the situation from start to finish.

Gao Wan, not bearing the Gu Yue surname, was an outsider, a servant.

A master executing a servant was inconsequential. In this world, it's quite normal.

Fang Yuan killed Gao Wan. Gao Wan's death wasn't the issue; it was about his master, the Mo Clan behind him.

"However, sending a box of shattered remains, Gu Yue Mo Chen might interpret it as both a compromise and a threat. That's precisely how I want him to see it. If all goes well, the Mo Clan won't pursue Gao Wan's death. Of course, if my aptitude were higher, say a B-grade, the Mo Clan might feel threatened and suppress me as a future threat." Fang Yuan sneered inwardly.

Strength can be relied upon, and weakness can be exploited.

Though Fang Yuan was a piece on the board, he understood the rules, already possessing a player's mindset.

Ordinary people, like Gu Yue Mo Chen or the Academy Elder, only knew their rules, blind to others. But Fang Yuan, seeing the bigger picture, mastering the rules, how rare!

To know the rules, one must, like the Ancestor of Humanity, crawl and stumble in the darkness, wandering in confusion.

At such times, strength, wisdom, and hope are of little use. Only through time, personal experience, can one gain insight.

The Ancestor of Humanity named the Rule and Law Gu through countless trials, under the shadow of death.

Fang Yuan mastered the rules through five hundred years of accumulated experience in his past life.

Since his rebirth, he was confident of creating a glorious future. Not because of the Spring-Autumn Cicada's return, not because he knew many secret treasures, nor because he grasped the general future.

But because of five hundred years of life experience in dealing with people.

Just as the Ancestor of Humanity, mastering the Rule and Law Gu, could easily capture all Gu insects!

And Fang Yuan, mastering the rules, could look down from above, seeing through the complexities of the world. Whether unraveling threads or piercing to the heart, he stood proudly, coldly observing the world as pieces, each following their rules, proceeding step by step.

Darkness is the darkness of rules, light is the light of rules.

And the reborn demon walks in the light.

...