Betrayal and Loyalty to oneself

Tormented by fear Gu, Ren Zu declines self Gu’s offer to eat it. He fears it would remain with him for good. Cognition Gu tells him he needs courage to conquer fear, and that to gain it he must hide fear deep in his heart and keep moving. Love Gu comes to him instead, needing the hope and fear it smells on him; Ren Zu keeps his hope, so love Gu stays by him, promising to draw courage Gu near. Courage Gu arrives on that same scent and joins its old friend fear Gu in Ren Zu’s heart, easing his fear enough to move on. ^{ch. 1175}

A beastman he met on the road comes to thank him for his freedom. He offers a choice between loyalty Gu and betrayal Gu, and hands over both when Ren Zu asks to look. The instant Ren Zu takes them, loyalty Gu becomes betrayal Gu and betrayal Gu becomes loyalty Gu; loyalty to others, the beastman explains, is betrayal to oneself, and betraying others is loyalty to oneself. Self Gu urges betrayal, since his own road means betraying others and even himself; Ren Zu chooses it, leaving loyalty Gu behind. The beastman warns that betrayal now bars him from a place called Care, where it would harm him, unless he withholds his own care. ^{ch. 1175}