"Ning Zhuo’s public refusal of Ban Jie’s mediation shows how youthful and arrogant he is. He is now rising to fame, like fiery fire cooking oil; any slight misstep, and he could set himself ablaze."
"He’s a foreigner, how could he oppose the Ban Family?"
"They are both formidable forces; we need not get involved, Father."
Before the Blind Fool could speak, his daughter immediately interjected, leaning slightly forward: "Elder brother speaks absolutely true! Father, rules are the foundation of our being. We host the Xingyun Trial; if we make exceptions for one person, how will outsiders view our family in the future?"
The Blind Fool was silent for a moment: "Anything else?"
The son gritted his teeth, his tone lowered: "Father, you always educate us to take into account the descendants, for the Moving Mountain!"
"Our family has generational blood feuds, the road ahead is filled with thorns. What we need is not to make enemies everywhere, but rather to form good relations and accumulate every possible potential power! The Ban Family, even if they cannot be allies, must never become enemies!"
Blind Fool: "How do you know that Ning Zhuo and the forces behind him are weaker than the Ban Family? If I reject his request, am I not also making an enemy?"
The daughter’s expression became severe: "Father, the Ban Family is right within our country, no matter whether Ning Zhuo is backed by a family or a sect, his reach is too far. Moreover..."
As she said this, the daughter changed to Divine Sense Transmission: "Father, you are to spread our God’s name, there is no need to involve the whole family."
"The Foolish Thunder God has indeed helped our family greatly; it is a tremendous aid to the ’Moving Mountain’ plan. But..."
"He has only recently become a God, his humanity is still strong, and has some minor blood ties to our family, remembering old bonds."
The daughter paused, gathering courage, continued: "Godhood is eternal, humanity is fleeting! Over the years, what about after decades?"
"As humanity fades away, only cold godhood remains. Will the Foolish Thunder God still help our family against the Mountain God?"
The son also interjected, using Divine Sense Transmission, with generous spirit: "Father, in my view, the true ’Moving Mountain,’ to complete the unfinished aspirations of the ancestors, ultimately relies not on the gifts of the gods or momentary impulses, but on the continuation of the Yu Family bloodline! It relies on a generation after generation’s resilience, planning, and the unwavering struggle!"
"Bringing in Ning Zhuo for the purpose of spreading the god’s name, can it aid our family’s great plan?"
"Making exceptions for Ning Zhuo and offending the Ban Family, to put it lightly, is diminishing the family’s development space. To put it severely, it is destroying the family’s foundation!"
Back turned to his children, the Blind Fool, a green vein emerged on his forehead.
He was silent for a long time, long enough that a long section of ash had accumulated on the incense in the censer.
In this heavy atmosphere, his children dared not speak again.
The quiet chamber was filled only with the sound of heavy breathing.
"Ha." The Blind Fool suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter dry and desolate, like dry branches scraping together in the cold wind.
He still did not turn around, only using Divine Sense Transmission: "You two grew up under my watch, how could you have such realizations?"
"Speak, what benefits did the Ban Family offer you?"
Son and daughter’s bodies simultaneously shook.
The daughter swallowed her saliva, speaking with difficulty: "Father..."
The son, however, directly bowed heavily, his voice choking, pleading in tears: "Father! We, we received benefits. Dare not hide it from you!"
"But, we are genuinely thinking of the family."
"How many years have we, Yu Family, been migrating into the Wanxiang Sect? Living under others’ shelter, the family has never developed much."
"The Ban Family is formidable; their envoy came, the tone... Not very friendly."
"Father! You are the sky for our family! If you are here, the Ban Family would still have some reservations. But, but once you ascend... Our Yu Family would be like a dilapidated house without a supporting pillar, swaying in the wind and rain! The Ban Family only needs a gentle push... What will we use to resist?"
Hearing this, the Blind Fool’s expression froze.
The daughter followed with cries: "Father! We beg you, for the sake of our ancestors, for the sake of the ’Moving Mountain’ great undertaking, give us these incompetent descendants... Leave us a path of survival! We... We cannot oppose the Ban Family at this time!"
The Blind Fool’s straightened back was crushed by an inch at this moment.
His hollow eyes "looked" towards the incense altar, also revealing blankness and bitterness at this moment.
The statue of the Foolish Thunder God coldly overlooked him. The blue smoke from the censer swirled in front of him, like his scattered yet cold moods at this time.
He remained silent for a long period, ultimately letting out a sigh.
This sigh, long and heavy, seemed to exhaust all his spirit.
The sound of the sigh echoed within the quiet chamber, making the already dimly lit room even more obscure.
"With children like this, how does one speak of family prosperity?" The Blind Fool’s words made his son and daughter blush with shame.
"Forget it, I truly do not have much time left. The family’s future must be in your grasp, follow your judgment on this matter."
The daughter’s sobs softened significantly.
The son’s throat quivered, he spoke with great difficulty: "Father..."
Several hours later.
Bluestone Cave Mansion.
Chen San stood with his hands pressed tightly against his trouser seams, his upper body slightly bowed, his head lowered respectfully towards Ning Zhuo.
His report had just concluded.
He had brought a piece of good news and a piece of bad news to Ning Zhuo.
Ning Zhuo pondered: "The Blind Fool rejected my invitation, so it seems that in his Xingyun Trial, Ban Ji will surely take first place."
"In this case, he has accumulated three first places, able to exchange for a Stone Token."
Chen San hurriedly said: "Even so, Ban Ji is considered late, no longer the unanimously recognized first wave, and cannot compare to you, Young Master."
Ning Zhuo shook his head: "Ban Ji’s strength and talent are certainly top-notch; there is no doubt of that."
Chen San immediately picked up: "Still, it is Young Master, your excellent tactics, kicking him out of Qinghuangzi’s Xingyun trial. I did my utmost, yet did not even see the face of the Blind Fool, failing your commission, poorly executing tasks, truly ashamed. I humbly ask for your punishment!"
Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but chuckle softly: "Chen San, you are of Loose Cultivator origin, why are you so ’cautious’?"
Chen San did not miss any opportunity to flatter: "If it were ordinary people, I indeed have some informal airs. But before you, Young Master, I somehow obediently submit, unwilling to show the slightest laziness or carelessness."
Ning Zhuo raised his hand: "Enough. Am I someone who does not know the severity? The matter with Yu Gong is not your fault; surely the Ban Family acted preemptively to block."
"Just as I preemptively prepared against Situ Xing."
Chen San looked up "bravely" to face Ning Zhuo so Ning Zhuo could see his face full of admiration: "Young Master, you plan so far ahead, winning from thousands of miles away. I followed your instructions, which angered Zhu Fenxiang and caused him to pester Situ Xing. You truly are high, so very high!"
Ning Zhuo shook his head slightly, his eyes intensely fixed on Chen San: "I merely gave you orders, the specifics relied on your on-the-spot performance."
"You did well this time, able to incite the inn’s attendant to recite poetry at just the right moment, pushing gently and accomplishing with little trace. So, what reward do you seek?"
Chen San immediately knelt halfway on the ground: "Young Master, I dare not take credit. The idea of using Situ Xing’s poetry emerged entirely because, at the time of giving orders, you pointed out many areas to leverage. This poetry was precisely one of them!"
"I merely ran errands, adhered to your orders, and easily succeeded."
"How dare I seek any reward. To continue to serve under you is the greatest reward!"
Chen San’s flattering words came smoothly without a hitch.
Changing his tone, he showed a hesitant look: "But the inn’s attendant, due to reciting poetry, was struck unconscious by Zhu Fenxiang publicly. The inn suffered losses and dismissed him. Now he is severely injured and bedridden, a prime moment for action..."
Ning Zhuo immediately displayed a stern look, his voice turning cold: "That cannot be."
"I am of a reputable Righteous Sect; how could I engage in such malicious acts?"
"Arrange for this attendant to leave the Wanxiang Sect’s Main Mountain Gate, it’s best to send him abroad. I will bear the expenses; have no concerns in this regard!"