Since three days ago, the Northern Garrison Prince's Manor had been decorated with lanterns and bright silk, arranged meticulously to welcome the Princess Consort and the Heir Apparent returning from the Sword Pavilion.
The servants were all abuzz, praising the Prince's deep affection for the Princess Consort and his great regard for the Heir Apparent.
As for who this "Heir Apparent" truly referred to, Gu Fangchen, or Gu Yuandao,
Though everyone had their own guess, for most, it was certain that Gu Fangchen did not deserve the title.
Even if the position of Heir Apparent had never been officially decided, Gu Yuandao, the prodigy famed for his peerless talent, was the one who truly seemed like the Prince's son.
Gu Fangchen, a good-for-nothing wastrel, had long been suspected by many of not being the Prince's biological child at all.
Now, if he truly was not, then it would only be expected, perfectly reasonable.
When someone came to report their approach, the entire Prince's Manor burst into commotion.
After the Princess Consort's departure, the Prince had gone once to the Purple Extremity Hall and returned with a perpetually cold face, his expression dark and oppressive. The entire manor had since been shrouded in an atmosphere of suffocating tension, dull and dismal.
Normally, as the Prince often resided in the northern garrison and was absent from the manor, all affairs were handled by the Princess Consort.
The Princess Consort was gentle and kind, skilled in governance, and under her management, the manor's atmosphere was always far more relaxed and harmonious compared to the residences of other nobles.
Such an oppressive air that made one feel almost unable to breathe was unprecedented, leaving everyone walking on eggshells and suffering in silence.
Now that the Princess Consort was returning, the entire manor felt as though it had finally seen rain after a long drought. Everyone had been longing for this moment, hearts filled with relief and joy.
In the study, Gu Yuye opened his eyes after his meditation and exhaled deeply.
Outside, a soldier respectfully reported,
"My lord! The Princess Consort and the Heir Apparent's carriage is already a hundred li outside Huangtian City and will soon enter the city!"
"Creak-"
Gu Yuye stood up, pushed open the door, and looked up toward the sky.
The Demon Sect must have made their move not long ago... and now, the carriage was already nearing Huangtian City.
That meant the Demon Sect hadn't encountered much resistance.
That Nine Nether Ghost, originally prepared as a countermeasure against Ding Xingfeng, should not have been deployed now, after all, if used once, Ding Xingfeng would surely be on guard against the same trick again.
For the Demon Sect, that would be a wasteful loss...
Yet even Wang Liang, the one of the Dao of Extinction, had acted personally. The "Shadow-Slay" was a karmic technique of such level that even a Third-Rank cultivator, if caught off guard, would have no path but death.
Only those of the Second Rank could sever their own karmic ties and thus gain immunity to such causal arts.
For example, the war puppets Gu Yuye himself had crafted could substitute for his body in bearing karmic backlash.
Below the Third Rank, there was simply no means of direct resistance!
With such a meticulous and targeted arrangement, if Gu Fangchen still survived, then things would soon reach the outcome Gu Yuye least wished to see.
Now within Huangtian City, having recently been summoned by Emperor Yong'an to reflect upon his conduct, Gu Yuye had not dispatched many to investigate the situation.
If anything suspicious were discovered and connected to both him and the Demon Sect, with Emperor Yong'an's notorious suspicion, new troubles would surely arise.
In recent days, Gu Yuye had indeed reflected upon himself.
He had to admit that after successfully acknowledging Gu Yuandao as his son, he had grown overconfident and arrogant, believing everything was already within his grasp, that clarity and victory were inevitable. That pride had led to repeated setbacks and increasing desperation.
After this series of unexpected failures, he had once again restrained himself, no longer acting rashly.
But he believed firmly that the son he had raised with his own hands would deliver a result worthy of him,
, and prove once and for all that Gu Fangchen was nothing but an accident.
And could only ever be an accident!
Gu Yuye walked out of the study with his hands clasped behind his back, intending to personally welcome Gu Yuandao's return.
The soldier half-kneeled and added,
"My lord, a verbal decree has arrived from the Purple Extremity Hall. His Majesty requests that the Prince bring the Princess Consort and the Heir Apparent to a banquet at the Purple Extremity Hall."
"Understood."
Gu Yuye's eyes flickered. In the next instant, his figure turned into a streak of flowing light, landing atop the city wall.
He had previously promised to hold a celebration for Gu Yuandao's achievements. After hearing word from the Sword Pavilion, he had not canceled it, instead, magnanimously declaring that no matter who became Heir Apparent, they were still his son.
It made no difference whom the banquet was for.
Thus, he ordered preparations to continue, ready to welcome the Heir's return.
A few days ago, Emperor Yong'an, upon hearing of this, had decided to join the festivity, saying that the pacification of the "Seven Sect Rebellion" was a grand merit. How could such a victory be celebrated privately?
He thus decreed that the Purple Extremity Hall would host a grand imperial banquet, with an edict publicly proclaimed, so that the entire Huangtian City would know!
Though most invited guests had no idea who exactly the banquet was meant to honor, that did not stop the city's nobles and officials from eagerly accepting the invitation, whether to flatter the Emperor or to sate their curiosity.
Meanwhile, Gu Fangchen's name had been spreading wildly these days.
Rumors of all sorts, true or false, had flooded every tavern and hall, leaving many to wonder.
It all sounded too absurd:
That good-for-nothing Gu Fangchen, suddenly rising to Sixth Rank, wielding a Supreme-Grade Sword, subduing the Seven Sects, how could anyone believe such nonsense?
And yet... what if it were true?
If all that had truly happened, then what had Gu Fangchen been doing for the past nineteen years, pretending to be useless?
Could there be a deeper reason behind it?
Gu Yuye merely sneered.
This banquet was, and always had been, for his true-born son, Gu Yuandao!
After today, the name "Gu Fangchen" would cease to exist.
The position of Heir to the Northern Garrison Prince had belonged to Gu Yuandao since the day he was born nineteen years ago.
Gu Fangchen was nothing but a carefully chosen puppet, a decoy,
A shield to bear the misfortunes, disasters, and suspicions meant for Gu Yuandao.
A tool to set Emperor Yong'an's mind at ease.
Nineteen years of wealth and privilege, borrowed power and false glory, he had enjoyed them long enough!
For a mere substitute, a tool, to even dream of replacing the rightful heir, who had given him the courage?!
If Gu Yuye had not chosen him all those years ago, he would still be the son of a lowly stablehand, eating husks of grain and sleeping in a barn.
Instead of gratitude, he dared to bite the hand that fed him, unforgivable arrogance!
Gu Yuye narrowed his eyes, catching sight of the dust clouds stirred by the distant procession.
But the murmurs of the townsfolk waiting to enter the city froze the sneer on his face. A faint sense of foreboding crept into his chest.
"Did you see that? The person being carried in front of the procession, that looked like the top scholar!"
"I saw it! Really! When the top scholar rode in triumph before, I saw him once, though his face is now covered in blood and barely recognizable, I'm certain it's him!"
"What happened? Didn't the Northern Garrison Prince's Manor say he was the Heir Apparent, returning today?"
"Ah, don't even mention it," one low-ranked cultivator interjected. "I heard that the Princess Consort's carriage was attacked by the Demon Sect on the road. Everyone else was fine, but that top scholar, he was struck by demonic poison!"
"Demonic poison?"
"Yes, and not only that, he even drew his sword against the Princess Consort!"
"There was even a martial saint traveling with the carriage! The Demon Sect couldn't possibly have succeeded, yet it was nearly ruined by him instead!"
The surrounding cultivators were immediately shocked.
"What? Isn't the top scholar supposed to be a Holy Master's true heir, a Divine Path cultivator?"
"They say Yaoshan Academy's disciples are renowned for their steadfast hearts and clarity of mind. How could one so easily lose reason to demonic poison?"
The implication was clear, Gu Yuandao was not as formidable as his reputation claimed.
If he had faced a true expert of the Demon Sect, that would be understandable.
But everyone else in the same carriage, mostly martial cultivators, had been untouched. Only Gu Yuandao was affected.
It made him look utterly weak.
He who had been exalted as the paragon of the young generation, praised as a saintly gentleman with pure ancient virtue, his image now shattered.
All of it had been part of Gu Yuye's long-laid plans, to win the people's hearts for Gu Yuandao.
And now, the Holy Master's true heir, blessed with the Righteous Qi of the Vast Heavens, had been so easily bewitched by mere demonic poison?
Was that not a little too ridiculous...
Soon, a murmuring voice among the crowd said quietly,
"Saintly gentleman? More like a sham gentleman."
Gu Yuye stood atop the wall, silent and motionless.
Behind him, his fists clenched tightly, face dark and stiff, his expression growing uglier by the second. In his gaze toward the distant carriage, killing intent condensed into something almost tangible.
He did not look away. He did not move.
Down below, the cultivator who had just spoken suddenly froze mid-laugh. His face flushed red, his veins bulged, skin swelling like a balloon, features twisting in terror,
"Pop!"
His head burst like an overfilled bladder.
The crowd screamed and backed away, leaving an empty circle around the corpse.
Moments later, guards arrived, hastily claiming he was a wanted criminal and hauling the body off to a pauper's grave.
Gu Yuye's expression remained blank.
The use of demonic poison by Gu Yuandao meant only one thing, he had failed.
But that was not why Gu Yuye had lost control.
What truly enraged him was that Gu Fangchen had publicly displayed the poisoned Gu Yuandao before everyone, exposing his failure, his weakness, for all to see and mock!
Gu Fangchen could have killed him. He could have crippled him and avenged his own ruined dantian.
But he had not.
Instead, he had chosen to parade the unconscious Holy Master's heir before all, letting the whole world witness his shame.
Before Gu Yuye's eyes, Gu Fangchen's face seemed to flash,
That face he had once never even deigned to look at directly, now smirking with that familiar, mocking smile.
And from the swiftly approaching carriage, Gu Fangchen, as if sensing something, lifted the curtain.
He stepped out lightly, standing on the carriage roof. With a flick, his fan unfolded.
On it were written the crooked words: "Each Has His Duty."
Amid the flying dust and familiar air,
The young man smiled brightly at the imposing Northern Garrison Prince standing atop the wall, raised his hand in greeting, and mouthed:
"Surprised? Delighted?"
...
The towering walls of Huangtian City loomed ahead.
Gu Fangchen jumped down from the carriage, leisurely fanning himself as he strolled forward.
The atmosphere at the gate was strange. Many whispered, yet none dared speak loudly, glancing around nervously as if fearing something unseen.
Qingjian stepped forward and said softly,
"Someone died here just now."
Gu Fangchen nodded, immediately understanding.
Heh. Gu Yuye had lost control again.
Gu Yuye and Gu Yuandao truly were cut from the same cloth, both self-absorbed, both arrogant to the core.
Especially Gu Yuye, who reveled in his mastery over others' hearts. That illusion of control was his greatest addiction.
And once that control slipped, he would always break down perfectly.
But this was only the beginning.
There would be plenty more chances ahead.
Let me show you what true "surprise" means...
He turned to look at Gu Lianqian.
The girl was still shaken, her mind consumed by their wager, her heart repeating only one thought: *It's over.* She stood pale, holding up the unconscious Gu Yuandao.
Indeed, though they had traveled by carriage, she had been holding her beloved second brother all the way.
And since Gu Yuandao's condition had not been hidden, any cultivator of decent rank could immediately discern what had happened.
That was why everyone knew so much.
Sensing Gu Fangchen's approach, Gu Lianqian trembled instinctively and stammered,
"Wh-what do you want now..."
She bit her lip. Was she truly to fulfill that bet, to kneel before him and bark like a dog?
Gu Fangchen narrowed his eyes and said softly,
"Nothing much. It's just, you've been acting like a mouse that's seen a cat ever since you saw me. Are you hiding something from me?"
His tone was calm, almost kindly.
"Well, you've been my sister for nineteen years, after all. If something's troubling you, you can tell me. I won't mind listening."
But Gu Lianqian only trembled more violently.
"Qianqian, come here."
Gu Yuye suddenly appeared in front of Gu Fangchen, calling to Gu Lianqian.
Yet, to his surprise, instead of running to him, the girl hesitated, then bowed her head and said quietly,
"Father."
Gu Yuye frowned but didn't dwell on it. His gaze shifted to Gu Fangchen.
The distance between them was no more than three feet.
Exactly one sword's reach.
Gu Yuye stood tall and imposing, towering over Gu Fangchen.
Gu Fangchen lifted his eyes and smiled lazily.
"Gu Yuye, good dogs don't block the road. Move aside."