"Choosing a husband is a lifelong decision, how can it be a playful matter? I have already made arrangements for Fenxiang, the candidate I have selected for her is bound to be someone from the same social circle and has been proven by the test of time, a talented young man from a reputable family!"
"And what about Ning Zhuo? An outsider! His foundation is unclear, background unknown, and in this country, he has no power to rely on! Can he really be worthy of Fenxiang? What is his character like? Is he sincere or does he have ulterior motives? All of these need to be thoroughly examined by me personally!"
He Yong was rendered speechless by his wife’s barrage of reproaches, unable to argue any further.
Zhu Guizhi looked at his meek and submissive demeanor and was even more infuriated, letting out a cold snort: "I have my own plans for this matter, you just need to allocate resources according to regulations. I absolutely cannot let my daughter repeat my mistakes, falling into a seemingly beautiful but actually perilous pit!"
Ban Family.
Deep within the Clan Ancestral Hall.
The intricate Spiritual Core Slider was operating on its complex track, making a subtle and rhythmic "click" sound. Spirit Light rippled between the chain’s nodes.
And on the Secret Patterned Copper Bell hanging above, invisible ripples spread out, trying to probe the trajectory of fate as much as possible.
Numerous Supreme Family Elders held their breath, observing the Clan Fate Mechanism Chain and observing the scene of Ning Zhuo’s Qi Fortune rising again.
It was still that arm of alternating reality and illusion.
Yet compared to the last time, the sense of crisis in the scene was even more intense.
The crimson thorn vine wrapped around the arm had become even thicker and more menacing. Its thorns pierced deeply into the arm, nearly deforming the ring finger.
The pages floating above the arm splashed ink spots that were no longer droplets of rain, but almost formed dense ink lines, constantly corroding the arm.
Most of the "skin and flesh" on the arm had been eroded into pages, showing a dangerous trend of separating from the arm bone.
"The crisis is deepening, yet Ning Zhuo is completely unaware!"
"It seems like we don’t need to intervene; just watching, we can witness him fall into predicament and move towards ruin?"
"No, near the venomous snake, there must be the antidote grass. Ning Zhuo’s seemingly random actions are precisely the solution to these two crises."
In a brief discussion, the Supreme Family Elders carefully observed and noted that the Qi Fortune arm was still constantly grasping Ice Frost Qi and integrating it into itself.
At this moment, on the surface of the arm, a thin and translucent ice armor had quietly formed. This ice armor seemed fragile, but when the ink droplets fell, it displayed some protective power, effectively reducing the ink’s penetration.
Simultaneously, the coldness of the ice armor was also working, dampening the piercing power of the thorny vine.
"The pages and ink drops, their Qi Fortune forms are highly aligned with Zhao Hansheng and Gu Qing. Zhao Hansheng has already obtained the position of Mountain Master, which is bewildering. Gu Qing is not a mere fish in the pond, yet why are they so unfavorable to Ning Zhuo?"
"But what about the thorny vine? Where does it originally come from?"
"And what exactly is Ning Zhuo doing that happens to be the correct response to the crisis? Should we intervene and disrupt it?"
Ban Ji, revolving around Ning Zhuo, had naturally done exhaustive intelligence work.
They detected that Ning Zhuo had been staying in seclusion recently, seemingly in retreat. Yet the specific actions are difficult to investigate.
After more discussions, they ultimately rejected the suggestion to intervene disruptively.
In the words of the Supreme Family Elder: "Our Ban Family’s fortunes are closely tied to Ban Ji’s King’s Order. If we directly intervene against Ning Zhuo, it’s like personally rebelling against the King’s Order."
"Previously, we fully activated the Clan Fate Mechanism Chain, attracting the King’s Order to assist, which has already triggered Ning Zhuo’s Qi Fortune."
"This young man is currently at the peak of his Qi Fortune. Forceful intervention may backfire, not only failing to stop him, but potentially accelerating his breakthrough out of the predicament! Such cases of unintended consequences are numerous in clan history, we must not repeat them!"
This statement garnered widespread agreement.
Another elder supplemented: "Moreover, breaking the Human Tribulation with the King’s Order is best done personally by the one with the King’s Order, thus maximizing the potential of the King’s Order, honing its edge. Acting for others, ultimately falls short, is unhelpful to Ban Ji’s growth."
Breaking the Human Tribulation and activating the King’s Order have never been two separate matters but are one!
The group reached consensus, their gaze returned to the scene of Qi Fortune.
The arm was still grasping Ice Frost Qi, the ice armor was slowly thickening, yet the thorny vine’s entanglement and erosion of ink droplets were clearly outpacing the ice armor’s speed of forming and defensive capability.
"Ning Zhuo’s Qi Fortune is so flourishing, yet he is still tightly entangled by these two major crises, showing how fierce their coming is, how deep their foundation is."
"That is only natural. The forces behind Ning Zhuo have Township Fortune Treasure, doesn’t Gu Qing have one? He is renowned throughout Huazhang Country. If placed in the Xingyun Trial of the Myriad Images Sect this time, he would be among the first batch of distinguished individuals, even top tier!"
"Whether top tier or not, it’s yet to be seen. Only by truly standing firm and holding ground in the Xingyun Trial of the Martial Arts Hall can they be regarded as ’top tier.’ Currently, even Ban Ji lacks validation, and has no recognition!"
All the Supreme Family Elders ceased the infusion of Mana.
The truth revealed by the Clan Fate Mechanism Chain swiftly dissipated.
Mountain-side Pavilion.
A gentle breeze rustled, bamboo shadows swayed.
Cloud leaned against the railing, the bamboo sticks of the Poetry Tube at his waist softly clinked against the mountain wind, producing a delicate and pleasant sound.
Across from him sat Gu Qing, calm in manner, his fingers lightly tapping on a spread-out scroll of poems on the stone table: "I have read Brother Bai’s poem scroll, deeply moved. I couldn’t help but recall a line of verse, ’When reaching the end of water, sit and watch the clouds rise.’ The heart in pursuit of Dao merges naturally with the interest in nature. A dead-end is not a conclusion, but rather a new opportunity. Brother Jiyun’s travels and works, does it convey this meaning?"
Bai Jiyun’s eyes flashed with brilliance. He often viewed scenery but rarely had such moments where someone expressed what lay in his heart at once.
Bai Jiyun clapped and sighed: "Brother Gu’s words truly resonate with us! A wonderful verse! Compared to those finely carved but lacking genuine interest works, such naturally formed verses with long-lasting meaning, are Top Grade in poetry, capturing the interest of leisure clouds and wild cranes, yet subtly aligning with the cycle of Heavenly Dao... Admirable, admirable!"
Gu Qing understands me!
Bai Jiyun’s heart rippled with the excitement of finding resonance.
In the Calligraphy Silent Room, only the scent of ink filled the air.
Liu Fushu’s thin and tall bamboo-like figure was straight as he focused on Gu Qing’s suspended wrist penmanship.
Gu Qing’s strokes were not solely aimed at structural perfection but valued more "sense" and "momentum." The pen flowed like a solitary peak’s perilousness at times, and like a river torrent at others.
Gu Qing put down the pen: "Brother Fushu’s characters have formed bones and sinew, yet the ’Qi’ is somewhat stagnant. For instance, this ’stroke’ is not simply sent out with force, it needs the ’Zhe’ intent, as if chopped by an axe, inwardly restrained but irresistible."
Eyes transfixed, Liu Fushu watched the entire process and immediately offered heartfelt praise: "Brother Gu’s insights! Listening to you is better than reading ten years of books! All previous practices seemed as if I had not truly entered the door..."
Scattered listeners surrounded the Qingtan Platform.
The ten-year-old Kong Ran wore an apricot-yellow short jacket, his little face tense, striving to maintain poise beyond his years, sitting opposite Gu Qing.
The two discussed content from the "Li" Classics for already half an hour.
At this moment, the result was reached.
Kong Ran stood up and solemnly saluted Gu Qing: "Mr. Gu’s theories enlighten and dispel confusion, making me realize the truth."
Gu Qing instantly humbly remarked, aside from the stability and weight in the "Li" Classics, there is also the aspect of "enlightenment" and "change," not rigid doctrines, but filled with Spirit Movement and the wisdom of life’s ways and cultivation methods.
Moreover, it was merely his shallow view.
Kong Ran sighed: "I should truly introduce Mr. Gu to discuss the ’Li’ Classics with my father!"
Meanwhile.
In the study room, Gu Qing was reciting the classics.
He slightly smiled, creating a dozen avatars simultaneously engaging, using his Confucianism foundation to effortlessly subdue others!
Bluestone Cave Mansion.
Gongsun Yan was thoroughly focused, immersed in the world of Artifact Refining, his Heart Fire slightly flickered.
"Let’s take a break." Ning Zhuo noticed this, promptly stopping.
"Ah?" Gongsun Yan initially felt reluctant, but after following the order and stopping, he immediately sensed his poor status.
He looked at Ning Zhuo, surprise and admiration rippling in his heart: "Young Master Ning Zhuo actually understands my actual condition better than I do?!"
The upgraded Snow Core Control·Xie had mostly succeeded.