Chapter 155: Mending the bridges
Soon the emergency assembly in the grand Audience Hall dispersed, as the elders frantically rushed out to prepare their disciples for the retrieval mission.
Meanwhile, Gu Fan casually stood there stretching his shoulders, and was about to head back to his courtyard and then to meet up with Su Mei to prepare for his first father-son trip with Gu Chen.
But before he could even take three steps toward the exit, an authoritative voice called out to him.
"Gu Fan!" Patriarch Gu Yangtian ordered from his high seat, his face still incredibly pale from the lingering effects of the chaotic Qi, but his tone was stern, "Stay behind."
"What is it?" Gu Fan frowned.
"Come with me to my study. I have matters to discuss before you leave."
Gu Fan raised an eyebrow in mild amusement as it was the first time in his or should he say original Gu Fan’s life that he had ever been invited to have a ’chat’ with his father.
But Gu Fan didn’t argue and quietly followed Gu Yangtian through the corridors of his courtyard until they finally stepped into this grand study filled with ancient bookshelves and the thick scent of expensive sandalwood incense.
As soon as they walked inside, Gu Yangtian slumped into the large ironwood chair behind his desk, letting out a long, exhausted sigh as he gestured for Gu Fan to stand in the center of the room.
The Patriarch stared at the tall, muscular youth standing casually in front of him, his weary eyes carefully scanning Gu Fan’s confident posture. He was so... So different from how he usually was... In fact, he had long even forgotten about the illegitimate kid he had.
"You have surprised everyone in the clan, even me..." Gu Yangtian started slowly, forcing a tight, awkward smile onto his pale face, "To think my own flesh and blood hid his talents so deeply for all these years... How can I not know?"
"Tell me Gu Fan," Gu Yangtian adjusted his posture, "What exact stage of cultivation have you reached to be able to do what you did with those Bai Clan disciples so effortlessly?"
"I was just a bit lucky, Patriarch," Gu Fan lied effortlessly without even blinking as he looked directly at the old man’s face, "I recently broke through to the 3rd Stage of the Spirit Realm."
Gu Yangtian’s eyes widened in sheer shock because jumping from a crippled mortal to the 3rd Stage of the Spirit Realm in mere weeks was a completely heaven-defying feat that no one has ever heard of.
He leaned forward over his desk in confusion.
"How is that even possible?" Gu Yangtian demanded, his voice dripping with intense disbelief and greed, "You were born with severely blocked meridians, so how did you suddenly rise in cultivation at such a terrifying... Ummm... Aaa... Speed?!"
"I happened to have encountered a mysterious, wandering senior while I was gathering herbs in the outer rings of the Venom Forest," Gu Fan spun the most classic, overused Xianxia trope in existence with a perfectly straight face, knowing the desperate Patriarch would swallow anything thrown at him, "The senior saw my hidden physical potential, and forced a supreme pill... I don’t know what it was... But he forced it down my throat which completely repaired my blocked meridians,"
"And my master was kind enough to teach me a high-tier body-tempering art before vanishing into the clouds."
"Into the clouds?!" Gu Yangtian took a deep breath as astonishment hit him in the face. To vanish into the clouds? How powerful does the master have to be to be able to do it?
Gu Yangtian did not doubt his words, he had seen the change in Gu Fan himself to buy the lie without a single ounce of suspicion.
And his calculating mind instantly churned with thoughts of how he could somehow use this ’mysterious master’s’ backing to save his declining clan, and even take care of Li Hua who was breathing on his neck, but he quickly shook his head and shifted his focus to the most pressing issue at hand.
"That is incredibly fortunate for our family, and I am truly proud of you, son," Gu Yangtian somehow managed to squeeze through his teeth, trying to build an awkward bond, "By the way... how is your mother doing these days? I should probably send her some premium herbs for raising you so well."
And the moment he spoke those words, the study went suffocatingly silent as Gu Fan stared at the man with absolute, unadulterated coldness.
"My mother passed away from a terminal illness several weeks ago, Patriarch," Gu Fan flatly revealed, his voice devoid of any emotion, "I already buried her."
Gu Yangtian completely froze in his chair, his face turning an awkward shade of red to the fact that the woman who bore his son had died right under his nose.
"I... I see. That is a tragedy," Gu Yangtian stuttered, clearing his throat to desperately pivot the conversation away, "What has happened... We can’t turn back the time anyway. But what we can do is focus on the present."
"And right now we are about to face the wrath of the Emperor. So you know what you need to focus on, don’t you?"
"I know... I know..." Gu Fan replied lazily, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I know you do... You are a smart kid... You have always been," Gu Yangtian nodded as he spoke as if he had long known about Gu Fan’s exceptional character, "But there is something that we need to be cautious of."
"What are you talking about?" Gu Fan was getting impatient with his father. He was already thinking about how he will sneak back into his dear mother’s chambers and this idiot won’t even know.
"Gu Chen! You are going in this lion’s den with him. He might be strong, but there is always a chance, but we can’t take a chance."
"You need to make sure nothing happens to him."
"You must actively protect your brother at all costs."
"Protect him?" Gu Fan raised an eyebrow in mock surprise as if he had just heard a funny joke.
"Yes! Gu Chen is the absolute future of this clan and is our only hope for becoming the number one family in this town," Gu Yangtian emphasised firmly, "There is something odd going on, and I feel like someone is targeting him from the shadows. Who is it?! I don’t."
"But we can never be too careful."
"So no matter who ambushes you, what deadly traps you encounter, you must act as the shield between him and the danger."
"You have to save Gu Chen no matter what, for the ultimate good and survival of the Gu Clan!"
"Is that so... He is indeed a lucky guy," Gu Fan did not argue. He just nodded at his father’s words and slowly turned around, walking directly toward the exit of the study.
"I will make sure my dear brother gets exactly what he needs on this journey, Patriarch," Gu Fan chuckled coldly, pulling the doors close behind him as he stepped out into the hallway without waiting for a reply.
"And it will be fun!"
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