Chapter Twenty-Six: Creating Something Out of Nothing

The moment Gu Fangchen reached out to support Ning Caiyong, Gu Lianxian bristled instantly.

"Don't you dare touch Mother!"

The young girl stepped forward, taking Ning Caiyong into her arms. She assumed a fierce, pouting expression, her two small canine teeth peeking out. She looked exactly like a highly aggressive puppy defending its master.

Gu Fangchen withdrew his hand, frowned at her actions, and chided softly, "Be gentle! Do you think Mother is as thick-skinned and tough as you are?"

Gu Lianxian froze; she had never heard Gu Fangchen speak to her in such a tone. In the past, because she had targeted him so many times—nearly leaving him heirless once—he had been somewhat afraid of her. Whenever they met, it was like needles meeting wheat tips, filled with heated mockery. But since Gu Fangchen lacked any cultivation, he was afraid of being beaten, so he would always resort to hurling empty threats before slinking away to complain to Ning Caiyong—a total coward.

Because of this, her disgust for him had grown day by day. She hated nothing more than shameless villains, and Gu Fangchen, with his tendency to act recklessly yet refuse to take responsibility, was the very embodiment of such a person.

Yet, at this moment, his stern tone was so natural—it was entirely the demeanor of an elder disciplining a junior. For a fleeting second, it even reminded her of Gu Yuye.

When she subconsciously softened her movements, she realized what she had done and immediately flushed with shame and anger. She had actually obeyed Gu Fangchen’s order!

"How detestable!"

Gu Lianxian gritted her teeth, her voice forced through the gaps. "Who are you calling thick-skinned!"

Gu Fangchen picked at his ear, unimpressed. "A sixth-rank martial artist who can't even hear clearly? I am obviously talking about you."

As soon as he spoke, the subtle sense of dissonance in Gu Lianxian’s heart vanished. He was still the same shameless rogue who only knew how to run his mouth!

Gu Fangchen continued, "Mother is just an ordinary person. If you use so much force, what will you do if you hurt her?"

"Hypocrite!"

"Hypocrite?" Gu Fangchen looked at her, shook his head after a moment, and sneered, "I truly don't know who is being the hypocrite here. After all these years in the Prince’s Mansion, you can’t even control the strength needed to support Mother, which shows you have no filial piety toward her at all."

"And now, at a time like this, you’re suddenly eager to put on a show. People always call me a villain, but I think this mansion is full of villains—I’m hardly the only one."

"First, there are those who judge without distinguishing right from wrong; then, there are those who pretend to be the pinnacle of loyalty and filial piety; and finally, there are those who invert black and white. It really is quite a performance."

Among the people in the mansion, Gu Lianxian was the easiest to handle. She was young, her mind was simple and straightforward, and her sense of right and wrong was binary. But precisely because she was young, her judgment was entirely black and white, and having been pampered in the mansion, she did not understand the complexities of the world. Simply put, aside from not doing evil, her personality was identical to the original body’s—unreasonable and willful. Once you pricked the thin, illusory bubble of her self-righteousness, it would shatter instantly.

"You—"

Upon hearing this, Gu Lianxian’s small face turned bright red, and she clenched her fists, unable to speak. Because what Gu Fangchen said was the truth. Lies don't hurt, but the truth is a sharp blade.

Gu Fangchen sank his face, assuming a solemn, older-brother air. "What 'you'? Have you no manners? I didn't hold it against you when you doubted my identity earlier, but what should you call me now?"

Gu Lianxian was so angry she felt as if smoke were coming out of her ears. If Gu Fangchen were still Gu Yuye’s blood kin, even if he weren't born to the Princess, he would still be her brother, the heir to the Prince of Zhenbei. According to the rules, she should, of course, call him brother.

But how could she ever say that word? She had always addressed him by his full name! Gu Lianxian kept telling herself it was impossible. How could Father do such a thing? There was no reason for him to expose himself as having an illegitimate child. It had to be a frame-up! This guy was the villain, trying to shift the blame!

Gu Lianxian snorted, stubbornly lifting her delicate chin. Even if she were in the wrong, bowing her head to Gu Fangchen was absolutely out of the question. If he wanted to mock her, let him.

Seeing her tight-lipped and silent, Gu Fangchen sighed with exaggerated gravity. "Sigh, forget it. The sages said, 'To know one's error and correct it is the greatest virtue.' If you know you’re wrong, just be careful and support Mother properly."

"Don't try to steal my job only to end up dropping her."

Gu Lianxian was stunned. What was going on? If it were the old Gu Fangchen, he would have seized any mistake she made to ride roughshod over her. Why was he being so lenient today? The girl was suspicious, but Gu Fangchen’s relationship with Ning Caiyong was indeed the closest. Although he had become increasingly degenerate in recent years, it was plausible that a spark of conscience had been ignited, causing him to worry about his mother.

She gave a reluctant "oh" and used both hands to carefully control her strength, letting Ning Caiyong lean against her. Just as she was concentrating on adjusting her posture with caution, Gu Fangchen suddenly reached out and pinched the girl’s chubby cheek. "Little brat, why didn't you let me touch Mother just now?"

"Shameless scoundrel!"

Gu Lianxian froze, shaking with anger, but because she couldn't free her hands, she couldn't even beat him up. She finally understood why Gu Fangchen hadn't pressed his advantage earlier. He hadn't just taken an inch; he had taken a mile! By making her support Ning Caiyong, he had ensured she couldn't fight back.

But his question stumped her. She had only acted in a moment of panic because she remembered Gu Yuye’s accusations against Ning Caiyong. How could she tell that to Gu Fangchen?

Gu Lianxian turned her head away. "I just didn't want you to touch her, that's all!"

The girl quickened her pace, heading toward Ning Caiyong’s courtyard, wishing she could be as far away from Gu Fangchen as possible. Watching her fury, yet seeing her refusal to provide a reason, Gu Fangchen’s eyes flashed with realization.

Gu Lianxian was a straightforward person; if she were provoked this much and still wouldn't say why, it meant the reason was hard to voice. Or perhaps, it was something that could not be brought into the light. Even Gu Lianxian knew it couldn't be said in front of others—it was clear there were dirty intentions involved.

Having cleared every ending in the game, Gu Fangchen was a master of catching details, and in a flash, he understood. It must have been Gu Yuye. During his confrontation with Princess Boro, he must have said something unspeakable to Ning Caiyong. Gu Yuye was, after all, a man; it was normal for him to lose his composure and speak without thinking. No wonder Ning Caiyong had been angered to the point of fainting... Suspected by her husband on one hand, and discovering he might have an affair on the other—Gu Yuye’s suspicion now seemed like a manifestation of his own guilty conscience.

So, Gu Yuye had provided an assist; he couldn't be blamed for pushing things further. To dismantle Gu Yuye’s power, the most important piece was the Sword Pavilion forces represented by Ning Caiyong. However, Ning Caiyong was not without feelings for Gu Yuye, and she was a traditional woman who lived to serve her husband and raise her children; making this couple break was no easy task. But now, Gu Yuye had handed him the opportunity himself!

Gu Fangchen pondered for a moment, then suddenly felt dizzy. Ding Xingfeng grabbed him by the collar, preventing him from collapsing straight to the ground.

"Kid, your mother is only suffering from a flare-up of anger and blood, but you—you’re actually close to death." His face turned ugly. "If you die from the poison, don't blame me for failing to fulfill my promise."

Gu Fangchen felt a surge in his chest. He steadied himself, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and looked at the cloaked attendant of Xiyin with a grin. "It's fine. A little adjustment, and I'll live."

With three of the world’s most exotic poisons gathered in one body, and his lifespan nearly exhausted, he should theoretically be beyond saving. But the beauty of it was that his dantian was also destroyed. A body like this couldn't be used for cultivation, but it was perfect for being refined into a puppet!

That’s right—Gu Fangchen had never intended to cultivate from the very beginning; he had intended to refine himself!

...

After Gu Yuye took Gu Yuandao and Gu Youren away, he told them to wait outside, then returned to his room, closed his eyes, and sat in meditation, replaying everything that had happened over the last two days and one night.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a cold light flashing through them. Gu Fangchen had suddenly made contact with numerous top-tier cultivators—absurd, yet there were traces to follow, and others to vouch for him. But there was one thing that had come out of nowhere: the suddenly altered restrictions in the Xiefang Courtyard!