Chapter 716 – Fate Pattern
After the family banquet ended, the guests all dispersed.
Though there were some twists and turns, overall, things remained relatively peaceful—enough to be called "a satisfactory gathering for host and guest alike."
Late that night, in the Gu family patriarch's study.
Shangguan Ce and Gu Shouyan sat across from each other, brewing tea by candlelight and speaking into the night.
The two had grown up together and cultivated side by side. Beyond their identities as family heads, they were also old friends.
Although the Shangguan family was stronger than the Gu family, the gap wasn't enormous.
Gu Shouyan was slightly older than Shangguan Ce.
Both had lived for centuries and weathered many storms—there were certainly mutual calculations of interest between them, but also a deep camaraderie.
Gu Shouyan, known for his upright temperament, spoke bluntly as always:
"You're taking back all the Shangguan family's businesses?"
These were cultivation-related enterprises near the borders of Qianxue Prefecture, originally managed by the Gu family.
Shangguan Ce nodded.
"The Shen family offered a high price. I'm transferring them. Compared to running them ourselves, we'll earn 20% more in profits."
Gu Shouyan snorted.
"And the Shen family's just that generous, huh?"
Shangguan Ce replied calmly:
"Generous or not, the profits are there."
"What profits?" Gu Shouyan asked coldly.
Shangguan Ce shook his head. "That, I can't say."
Gu Shouyan sneered:
"What could it be? Spirit stones, pills, connections… Oh? Or perhaps, one of the Four Major Sect quotas?"
Shangguan Ce said nothing.
Gu Shouyan continued brewing tea, casually stirring the tea leaves in the tin.
Shangguan Ce's eyes narrowed slightly, and after a long breath, he asked:
"I'm sure the Shen family approached you too. You turned them down, didn't you?"
Gu Shouyan gave a grunt in affirmation.
Shangguan Ce said:
"It was a show of goodwill, Brother Gu. Even if you weren't interested, you could've at least left some room for maneuver…"
Gu Shouyan's face remained cold.
"The Shen family are a bunch of petty schemers. Dealing with them brings no benefit."
Shangguan Ce shook his head:
"In the world of noble clans, only profit matters—not virtue. When dealing with matters of consequence, morality must be set aside, or you'll end up making emotional decisions and dragging your family down."
"You want to abandon virtue? Fine—that's your choice. But don't tell me how to run my clan." Gu Shouyan's tone was resolute.
Shangguan Ce probed:
"And the Shangguan businesses…"
Gu Shouyan waved dismissively:
"Take them all back. They were managed by your Shangguan daughter-in-law anyway. If you want them returned, just let her know."
"Most of my Gu family cultivators come from the Dao Court. We're not businessmen. Those enterprises were only used to patch household expenses—tasteless, troublesome, and barely worth it. No need to make Wan'er break her back over them."
Shangguan Ce finally let out a faint sigh of relief.
But Gu Shouyan clearly wasn't in the mood to continue. He simply brewed his tea, watching the steam swirl above his cup, entirely uninterested in material gains.
The room fell quiet and heavy.
After a long pause, Shangguan Ce's gaze darkened. He sighed:
"Your Gu family… may be in trouble."
Gu Shouyan raised an eyebrow in surprise.
He knew Shangguan Ce well—they'd grown up together. The man was calculating, self-serving to the bone.
But when something didn't affect him or his clan, he could still show a bit of sentimentality. And usually, he spoke quite frankly.
So while Gu Shouyan had always disdained Shangguan Ce's scheming nature, their relationship still ran deep after all these years.
At their cultivation level and status, there were very few people left who could speak freely with them.
Gu Shouyan asked,
"Who's giving my Gu family trouble? The Shen family?"
Shangguan Ce still shook his head.
"The things I can tell you, you already know. What you don't know… I can't tell."
Gu Shouyan was visibly unimpressed. He poured himself another cup of tea and sipped it slowly.
He didn't pour any for Shangguan Ce.
So Shangguan Ce had to pour his own.
The tea was bitter and slightly astringent—not good tea by any means.
But Gu Shouyan liked this flavor.
Shangguan Ce didn't, but he said nothing and quietly drank it down. Glancing at the streaks of white in Gu Shouyan's hair, he sighed:
"Brother Gu… a true man must know when to bend and when to stand tall."
"So many noble families have extended olive branches. If you'd shown even a little face in return, your Gu family might've advanced to Fifth Rank by now."
Gu Shouyan's eyes widened sharply:
"Show face? Is that what they want—face? No—they want power. They want the Dao Court's authority handed over as a favor!"
"Is that power the Gu family's to give?"
"Is Dao law the Gu family's private tool?"
"The authority of the Dao Court, the justice of Dao law—it comes from Heaven above and the people below. What right does my Gu family have to seize it for personal gain?"
Shangguan Ce winced.
"So what? Others can do it, but not the Gu family? Are you the only ones with a conscience?"
"Not conscience," Gu Shouyan sneered. "Just my choice."
Shangguan Ce was left speechless.
Gu Shouyan glanced at his old friend and realized that, at least in this moment, the man wasn't scheming—he truly was worried for him.
So Gu Shouyan sighed:
"You chase fame and fortune—you understand that world better than I do. But this matter… isn't as simple as you think."
"My Gu family has produced a Nascent Soul ancestor before. Our foundation has long been enough for Fifth Rank."
"Among the great clans, there are those who loathe us—but also those who stand by us. We may not be beloved, but we're far from isolated."
"More than once, we had one foot through the Fifth Rank's gate. Each time, it was political interference that stopped us."
His tone dropped to a low growl:
"A true Fifth-Rank family in the Dao Court… is not something to be taken lightly."
"We uphold Dao law—and too many people don't want us to take that next step."
Shangguan Ce's brow furrowed.
Gu Shouyan chuckled bitterly:
"And you think… if I accept their goodwill, go along with their filth… they'll welcome my Gu family?"
He shook his head and took another sip of tea before continuing:
"If I don't take their hand, the Gu family is a wild wolf."
"And even if they are tigers and leopards, they'll have to think twice before trying to devour us—because a cornered wolf bites back."
"But if I take their benefits—then my Gu family becomes a dog."
"They might act polite on the surface, but deep down, they'll only hold us in greater contempt."
"Every time something nasty happens, they'll throw us a bone, and expect us to clean up their mess."
His eyes gleamed like swords as he coldly snorted:
"Those parasites… They're not even worthy."
"If my Gu family has to risk our lives to bite a chunk of flesh out of them, we will—but we'll never wag our tails and beg for their scraps."
Shangguan Ce was silent for a long while, then finally sighed:
"Brother Gu… you're still too extreme. But… our Shangguan family will stand with you. Those families, they—"
Gu Shouyan's expression hardened:
"You, Shangguan Ce, can accept the Shen family's goodwill and become friends with them—because at heart, you're the same kind of people."
"But I'm not."
"I've never been the same kind of person as you all."
Shangguan Ce was momentarily stunned. His gaze turned faintly cold, but he didn't grow angry.
Gu Shouyan continued:
"As the clan head goes, so goes the clan itself."
"Your Shangguan and the Shen families both rose to power through profit. But my Gu family serves in the Dao Court—our foundation must rest upon 'integrity of character.'"
"If the Shangguan family were to suddenly start talking about 'virtue,' it would probably collapse overnight."
"Likewise, if my Gu family abandoned our core values, even if we flourished for a while, our downfall would only be a matter of time."
Shangguan Ce looked slightly dazed.
He'd always assumed that this elder brother of his was just hot-headed and rigid, incapable of adapting to change.
But now he realized—that wasn't stubbornness.
Gu Shouyan understood far more than he let on.
In fact, he seemed to understand more than Shangguan Ce himself.
Shangguan Ce sighed inwardly. So it's true what they say—don't judge a man by his appearance.
He poured a cup of tea for Gu Shouyan and said calmly:
"Brother Gu, do what you think is best."
He could only hope that one day, the Shangguan and Gu families wouldn't end up on opposite sides of an irreconcilable feud.
Gu Shouyan grunted and accepted the tea.
By now, everything that needed to be said had been said.
The two men sat silently, sipping their tea—not speaking, not scheming. The tension eased a little.
Suddenly, Gu Shouyan remembered something. He glanced at Shangguan Ce curiously but didn't speak.
Shangguan Ce seemed to sense something. He set down his teacup and slowly said:
"Brother Gu, if you have something to say, just say it."
Gu Shouyan nodded and didn't hold back:
"There's something I don't understand. You're a man who always talks about profit. So why do you hold such a deep grudge against the Wenren family? Why such a strong bias?"
"At tonight's banquet, that Shen clan elder was so rude to Wan'er—completely out of line—and you didn't say a single word?"
Shangguan Ce was silent for a moment. "She's just a fool…"
He took a sip of tea, stirred the leaves in the cup, and said indifferently:
"The Shen family married her over as a test—to gauge the Shangguan clan's attitude."
"They're offering goodwill, and we have to show an appropriate response."
"No matter how much trouble she causes, we have to be courteous. After all, we just took the Shen family's spirit stones—how can we not soften our stance after eating someone's food?"
"And truthfully, several branches within the Shangguan clan are also using her to put pressure on Yi'er…"
"Those other branches have long coveted the position of clan head. Since they couldn't take it from me, they're now aiming to take it from Yi'er."
"These kinds of things will only increase in the future, and I won't get involved."
"Yes, I'm the clan head—but I'm only the clan head. Real power lies with the Old Ancestor. There are many things even I cannot decide."
"If Yi'er has what it takes to win people over, then naturally he can become the next patriarch. But if he can't hold his ground, it's better for someone else to take his place sooner rather than later. At least that way, the foundation of the clan won't be ruined by his indecisiveness."
"As for Wan'er…" Shangguan Ce's gaze darkened. "She's only suffering because of Yi'er."
"Anyone with eyes can see—Yi'er is too emotional. His feelings for Wan'er run too deep. She's become his weak point."
"Husband and wife are one—if Wan'er makes a mistake, it becomes Yi'er's mistake."
He let out a long sigh.
"If Yi'er were just an ordinary noble's son—not my son, not a candidate for clan head—then naturally, no one would go out of their way to make Wan'er suffer."
"The two of them could've just lived a peaceful life."
"But unfortunately, their status isn't ordinary…"
Gu Shouyan nodded slowly.
"And as for the Wenren family…"
Shangguan Ce appeared to hesitate. His expression grew complex.
"Though the Shangguan and Wenren clans have had friction and avoid intermarriage, there's no real blood feud."
"Otherwise, this marriage between Yi'er and Wan'er would've never been approved. Even if Yi'er had begged with all his heart, it would've been impossible."
Shangguan Ce glanced at Gu Shouyan and admitted frankly:
"But I truly have never been optimistic about this marriage."
"The Wenren family is only one part of it. I don't harbor hatred for them, but there's honestly no real benefit to the Shangguan family from this alliance."
"Or rather—the benefits simply weren't great enough."
"Yi'er has excellent lineage, great talent, and exceptional looks. Though he may be a bit sentimental and indecisive, that actually makes him more appealing to women."
"Back when we were arranging his marriage, I had several top-tier proposals in hand. These young women had direct bloodlines, noble backgrounds, good looks—and powerful dowries that included spirit mines and backing from great factions."
"Any one of those marriages would have greatly benefitted the Shangguan family, my position as patriarch, and Yi'er's future succession."
"With that kind of backing, Yi'er's path would have been smooth and wide."
"But…"
Shangguan Ce sighed deeply.
"Yi'er let me down. He turned all of them down. Fixated on his so-called 'I'll marry no one but her,' he insisted on marrying Wan'er."
"Wan'er's not a bad girl. Like Yi'er, she's loyal and kindhearted. A little headstrong, perhaps, but she means well."
"But as the future matriarch of the Shangguan family—she's completely unqualified."
"What's more, this was the first time Yi'er openly defied me."
"His marriage had the potential to bring enormous benefit. It could have elevated the Shangguan clan one step closer to the Sixth Rank, once considered out of reach. But in the end, all those plans went up in smoke…"
Even with Shangguan Ce's deep restraint, his brows twitched in frustration, and anger flickered across his face.
Gu Shouyan finally understood.
Sitting in the seat of patriarch—things were far more complex than they appeared on the surface.
He could relate to how Shangguan Ce must feel.
But then he asked, frowning:
"But what about Yu'er? Forget Wan'er for now—Yu'er is your only direct grandson. You wouldn't go so far as to distance yourself from your own grandson just because of Wan'er, would you?"
Shangguan Ce's eyes grew dim, his expression shifting slightly—like there was something he couldn't say.
"If it's inconvenient, then forget it."
Gu Shouyan had only asked in passing—he hadn't truly expected Shangguan Ce to answer.
After all, this was the Shangguan clan's private affair.
He poured himself another cup of tea and slowly sipped it.
Shangguan Ce's expression was shadowed. After a long silence, he finally sighed and began to speak:
"When Yu'er was born… I invited an elder from the Astral Observatory to read his fate."
Gu Shouyan paused in surprise, his brows furrowing slightly.
Shangguan Ce continued:
"Yu'er…"
He stopped briefly, closed his eyes deeply, then reopened them—his voice turning cold:
"Yu'er's natal fate, from the moment he was born, was that of a dead man—a broken shell, not a living soul…"
Gu Shouyan's hand trembled, shock written across his face.
Then his expression darkened.
"Fate reading isn't always accurate…"
Shangguan Ce shook his head.
"You don't know the identity of that elder. His readings never err."
"And besides… I can see it too."
"Yu'er has always been different. Outwardly he seems fine, but he was born with weak divine sense—as if part of his soul is missing. He occasionally sees things no normal cultivator should, and dreams things no child should… nightmares that feel like he's already got one foot in the underworld…"
Shangguan Ce's gaze filled with pain.
"Every time I see him, it's like a thorn stabbing in my heart."
"He's my only grandson—the one I waited so long for… But he's fated to die young, already marked as 'dead' by destiny. I can't raise him into adulthood…"
Gu Shouyan sat in stunned silence for a long moment. Then he looked at Shangguan Ce—and without mercy, let out a cold snort.
"You were a bastard when you were young. Now you're sterile in old age. Serves you right."
Shangguan Ce's face darkened, but he had no words to refute it.
Seeing his expression, Gu Shouyan sighed and softened his tone:
"Is there no way to save him?"
Shangguan Ce responded bitterly:
"Fate isn't something that can be changed by man."
"Bullshit." Gu Shouyan's face turned grim. "If fate can't be changed, then why do we have the phrase 'defy the heavens and change fate'?"
Shangguan Ce sighed:
"That's exactly what the elder said back then—Yu'er's fate was forged at birth. The threads of fate are too deep, the karmic burden too great… No mortal force can alter it."
Gu Shouyan asked quietly:
"That elder—how powerful is he?"
Shangguan Ce simply pointed to the sky.
Gu Shouyan's heart sank. He said no more, but now understood the weight behind that prophecy.
—
After finishing his tea, Shangguan Ce left.
Gu Shouyan sat alone at the table, not drinking, just staring blankly into space.
Yu'er's sweet, well-behaved little face kept floating up in his mind.
Even a heart tempered by centuries of hardship couldn't help but ache.
He murmured quietly:
"Good kid… just no good fate…"
Mo Hua enjoyed a big meal and stayed at the Gu estate for one more night. The next morning, it was time to return to the Great Void Sect.
The "Profound Fortune and Deep Blessing" calligraphy written by Elder Xun—Mo Hua gave it to Wenren Wan.
Although Elder Xun hadn't explicitly said who the piece was for, Mo Hua faintly guessed it had been meant for Aunty Wan all along.
Wenren Wan was flattered and surprised to receive it.
In the Qian Prefecture, Void Tribulation Ancestors were the peak of prestige—ordinary disciples never even had the chance to see them, let alone be gifted a handwritten scroll.
She initially wanted to return the favor, but figured the elder likely wouldn't care for anything she had to offer.
So instead, she packed a huge bundle of food and drink, along with a few second-grade formation books and scrolls, and stuffed it all into Mo Hua's arms.
All things Mo Hua liked.
Mo Hua gave a token refusal or two, then happily and guiltlessly accepted everything.
Before leaving, Gu Changhuai came to speak with him.
They sat together on the front steps and had a brief chat.
"There's something I should tell you," Gu Changhuai said after some thought. "Recently, a group of mysterious demonic cultivators appeared near the border of the Qianxue Province."
"Demonic cultivators?" Mo Hua was surprised.
Gu Changhuai nodded.
"Their origin's still unclear—how many there are, how strong they are… no one knows."
"So far, they've only been active around some of the smaller second- or third-grade prefectures. Their goals are unknown, but they clearly mean no good."
"The Dao Court Division has already started taking action—but the situation is still very uncertain…"
He looked at Mo Hua and warned:
"You've been grounded and can't leave Qianxue Province, so you probably won't run into them—but just in case, stay alert."
"Mm-hmm." Mo Hua nodded obediently.
(End of Chapter)