Part 8: Reputation Gu

One time, Verdant Great Sun got very drunk. When he woke up, his head hurt, and he forgot all that happened when he was drunk. He did not know why he was trapped on a lone hill, one which was surrounded by a bottomless abyss. The abyss was filled with spiral winds, pale green in colour; this was the usual wind. The winds blew dust into the air; those were the dark yellow mortal dust. Verdant Great Sun's heart sank because he recognized that this was the Ordinary Abyss. No living being had ever managed to fly past it. He was trapped on this lone hill, unable to get out; he would die of starvation eventually. Thankfully, there was a forest on the lone hill. Verdant Great Sun was hungry and came into this forest to find fruits to eat. But this forest was very strange; the black soil was like a swamp, smelling extremely pungent. The trees had no leaves, and the branches looked like strange claws. But when the wind blew, there was the sound of leaves moving in the wind. Verdant Great Sun could not find food and fell into despair, knowing he was going to die soon. A few days later, he was so hungry he could not move, leaning on the tree trunk as he laid on the ground. He eventually fell unconscious. In his slumber, he could hear many voices talking. “Hey look, this person finally passed out.” “Mm, as I expected, he's finished.” “Actually, it is possible to leave the Ordinary Abyss; you just need the Reputation Gu.” Reputation Gu is at the center of the forest, hidden under a rock. “Too bad he doesn't know, hahaha.” “Sshhh, speak softer; it will be bad if he hears us.” “It's okay, it's okay, he has fainted already. Before long, the black soil will bury him and turn him into nutrients for us trees.” Hearing this, Verdant Great Sun jolted awake. It turns out this forest isWhisper Forest; what he had thought was leaves brushing in the wind turned out to be the whispers of the trees. After hearing the information, Verdant Great Sun walked to the center of the

forest, lifted the rock, and obtained the Reputation Gu. Reputation Gu was like a chrysanthemum; its petals were golden yellow, emitting a fragrance. Reputation Gu said to Verdant Great Sun: “Young man, thank you for lifting the rock and saving me. To repay you, I have decided to help you get across this Ordinary Abyss.” Reputation Gu told Verdant Great Sun the method to use it. Verdant Great Sun was overjoyed, arriving at the Ordinary Abyss, and placed the Reputation Gu in his mouth, shouting as loud as he could. The strange thing was, no matter how loud he shouted, there was no sound, but the vibrations in the air caused the Ordinary Abyss to shake. As the commotion got bigger, it was like an earthquake. The air was even filled with a brilliant fragrance. Verdant Great Sun did not feel anything weird, as he had known from the Reputation Gu: Reputation itself has no voice, but it can spread wide and create tremors. As he shouted, a golden bridge appeared in mid-air, but the bridge's length was limited, there was still a long distance to the other side. Verdant Great Sun was too hungry, too tired; after trying several times, the effect continued to diminish, and his chance for salvation seemed dim. Reputation Gu sighed: “Sigh, you have not eaten anything in a while, even though you have a breath left in your stomach, it is too little. From your diaphragm, it has to go through your stomach, chest, throat, and finally your mouth; the journey is too long. We have to reduce it. Here, place me between your two butt cheeks.” Verdant Great Sun did as instructed. Reputation Gu landed near his private part and turned into a chrysanthemum cave. “Okay, you can start shouting again,” Reputation Gu said. Verdant Great Sun forced that last breath of his, out of this hole, out of his body. — Prrrrrrrrt. In his daze, Verdant Great Sun heard a loud sound. The air was filled with an unimaginable stench, but that golden bridge became majestic and large, stretching over a thousand miles, reaching the other side. A shitty reputation compared to good reputation is always easier to obtain and maintain. Verdant Great Sun quickly crossed the bridge, leaving the Ordinary Abyss and reaching the other side, saving his own life.