The moment Gu Fangchen steadied Ning Caiyong, Gu Lianqian exploded.
"Don't you dare touch Mother!"
The young girl took two steps forward, snatching Ning Caiyong away. She puffed up angrily, baring two faintly visible little canine teeth, like a small guard dog fiercely defending its master.
Gu Fangchen released his hand, frowned at her movement, and said softly yet sharply, "Be gentle! Do you think Mother's skin is as thick as yours?"
Gu Lianqian froze. She had never heard Gu Fangchen speak to her in that tone before.
In the past, because she had targeted him again and again, almost cutting off his line of descent, Gu Fangchen had been somewhat afraid of her.
Every time they met, their clashes were like needle against needle, sparks flying with every word.
But since he had no cultivation, afraid of getting beaten, he could only spit a few harsh lines and run off with his tail between his legs to complain to Ning Caiyong, utterly pathetic.
That only made Gu Lianqian despise him more and more.
What she hated most in the world were shameless people. Gu Fangchen, who bullied the weak, feared the strong, and never took responsibility, was the very embodiment of that.
Yet now, Gu Fangchen's stern tone sounded so natural, it was exactly the way an elder would scold a younger one.
For an instant, it even made Gu Lianqian think of Gu Yuye.
She subconsciously lightened her strength, then realized what she was doing and immediately flushed with shame and anger.
She had actually obeyed Gu Fangchen's command!
Unforgivable!
Gu Lianqian bit down hard on her silver teeth, speaking through gritted jaw, "Who are you calling thick-skinned?!"
Gu Fangchen dug a finger in his ear and said indifferently, "A sixth-rank martial cultivator can't even hear properly? Obviously, I'm talking about you."
At that, the strange, unsettling feeling in Gu Lianqian's heart vanished completely.
Yes, that was the same slick-tongued rascal as always!
Gu Fangchen continued, "Mother's just an ordinary woman. If you use that much force, what if you hurt her?"
"Hypocrite!"
"Hypocrite?"
Gu Fangchen looked at her and, after a pause, shook his head with a cold smile.
"I really don't know who's the hypocrite here. You've lived in the Northern Garrison Prince's Residence all these years, yet you can't even gauge how much strength to use when helping Mother. Clearly, you've never shown her real care."
"And now, of all times, you're suddenly eager to perform filial piety in front of everyone. People keep calling me the petty one, but looking around this residence, hypocrisy seems to thrive everywhere, one more of me hardly makes a difference."
"Someone judges without knowing the truth, someone else pretends to be loyal and filial, and another turns black to white. What a fine stage play this is."
Among everyone in the residence, Gu Lianqian was the easiest to handle.
She was young, simple-minded, and straightforward, her sense of good and evil was absolute.
But precisely because of her youth, her moral compass was pure black and white. Coddled all her life, she had no understanding of the complexity of human nature.
In short, aside from not doing evil, her temperament was just as spoiled and unreasonable as the body's original owner's.
It only took a little prick to pop her self-righteous bubble.
"You-!"
Gu Lianqian's small face flushed bright red. Her fists clenched, but she could not find words to refute him, because everything Gu Fangchen said was true.
Lies don't wound people; truth is the sharpest blade.
Gu Fangchen's face hardened as he adopted the serious air of an elder brother.
"What 'you'? Have you no manners? Earlier, you all doubted my identity. I didn't hold it against you. Now, tell me, what should you call me?"
Gu Lianqian was so furious that steam nearly rose from her head.
If Gu Fangchen was truly of Gu Yuye's blood, then even if not born of the Princess Consort, he was still her older brother, the rightful heir of the Northern Garrison Prince's line.
By etiquette, she ought to call him brother.
But how could she say that? She had always called him by name!
She kept telling herself it was impossible, Father could never have done such a thing. There was no reason for him to expose himself as having an illegitimate son. It had to be a setup!
That guy was the real schemer, turning the truth upside down!
Gu Lianqian gave a sharp snort and lifted her delicate chin. Even if she was in the wrong, bowing to Gu Fangchen was absolutely impossible.
If he wanted to mock her, let him.
Gu Fangchen saw her keeping silent, sighed deliberately, and said in mock gravity,
"Well then, as the sages say, 'To recognize one's fault and amend it is the greatest good.' If you know you were wrong, then just be careful and hold Mother properly."
"Don't steal my task and end up dropping her instead."
Gu Lianqian blinked in surprise.
What was going on? If this had been before, Gu Fangchen would've leapt on the chance to taunt her mercilessly.
Why was he letting her off so easily today?
The girl grew a little suspicious. Still, Gu Fangchen did have the closest bond with Ning Caiyong.
Though he had grown more reckless these past years, it wasn't strange for him to feel concern for their mother.
Uneasy, she muttered an "oh" and carefully adjusted her strength so that Ning Caiyong rested comfortably against her.
As she focused on positioning her mother safely, Gu Fangchen suddenly reached out and pinched her soft, round cheek.
"Such a little schemer. Why wouldn't you let me touch Mother just now?"
"You shameless scoundrel!"
Gu Lianqian froze, trembling with anger. She couldn't even hit him because both her hands were occupied.
Only now did she understand why Gu Fangchen had seemed so well-behaved just moments ago.
He hadn't just pushed his luck, he'd taken the whole ocean!
Making her support Ning Caiyong had been his way of tying her hands.
But his question left her tongue-tied. The reason she'd stopped him earlier was that, for a fleeting moment, she had remembered Gu Yuye's furious words to Ning Caiyong. It had been pure impulse.
How could she explain that to Gu Fangchen?
She turned her head aside. "I just didn't want you touching her, that's all!"
The girl quickened her pace toward Ning Caiyong's courtyard, desperate to get as far from him as possible.
Gu Fangchen watched her seething yet refusing to give a reason. His eyes flashed, and he instantly understood.
Gu Lianqian was a straightforward sort, if she'd been provoked like this and still wouldn't speak, the reason had to be something unspeakable.
Even she knew it couldn't be said aloud, which meant there was something dirty behind it.
Gu Fangchen, ever the expert at piecing together the truth, realized it immediately.
It had to be that Gu Yuye, when confronting Princess Banruo, had said something shameful to Ning Caiyong.
After all, he was a man, losing his temper and saying something indecent wasn't hard to imagine.
No wonder Ning Caiyong had fainted in anger.
First, her husband accused her; next, she discovered he might have an affair.
From this perspective, Gu Yuye's "suspicions" looked more like guilt.
So Gu Yuye had accidentally helped him.
If Gu Fangchen wanted to undermine Gu Yuye's power, the key lay in Ning Caiyong and the Sword Pavilion she represented. Yet since she still held genuine affection for Gu Yuye and was a traditionally dutiful wife, driving a wedge between them was no easy task.
But now, Gu Yuye himself had handed him the perfect opportunity.
Gu Fangchen thought for a moment, then suddenly felt dizzy.
Ding Xingfeng caught him by the collar, stopping him from collapsing.
"Boy, your mother only fainted from agitation, but you, you're about to die."
His face darkened. "If you keel over from poison, don't blame me for breaking my promise."
Gu Fangchen's chest churned violently. He steadied himself, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and grinned at the cloaked Xiyin Attendant.
"It's fine. I can still operate for a while."
The three rarest poisons under heaven had gathered in one man, and his lifespan was nearly spent. By all rights, he should be dead already.
But fortunately, his dantian had been destroyed.
Such a body could no longer be used for cultivation, but it was perfectly suited for refining into a puppet.
Yes, from the very beginning, Gu Fangchen had never planned to cultivate again. He meant to refine himself.
...
After taking Gu Yuandao and Gu Youren away, Gu Yuye told them to wait outside, then returned to his room, closing his eyes to meditate and retrace everything that had happened in the last two days and nights.
After a while, his eyes opened, a flash of cold light passing through them.
Gu Fangchen's sudden connection with so many top cultivators was absurd, yet still traceable, there were others who vouched for him.
But one thing among it all was truly created out of nothing,
The altered barrier in the Xiefang Courtyard!