At the banquet, it was utter silence.
Everyone was stunned, staring at Fang Yuan blankly.
They had not expected him to reply like this, directly admitting it so honestly.
"He's too young after all, actually saying such words."
"Hmph, once he said that, it means his entire political career is ruined."
"From now on, this Fang Yuan is no threat anymore…"
The clan elders furiously assessed.
At this point into the wolf tide, the outcome had already been decided. In the next few months, there will only be small wolf packs moving about. As the lightning lycan continues to call them back, as well the the Gu Masters killing them, the lightning wolves would basically vanish completely by the end of the year.
But conflicts never end.
At places with people, there are interests. And where there are interests involved, there are conflicts.
During the wolf tide, it is the struggle between man and wolf. But now that the toughest part of the wolf tide is over, the clan's internal struggles surface above the water, turning into internal strifes.The wolf tide assaulting the village caused many Gu Masters to die. Some factions were destroyed, and the interests they once held, naturally has to be distributed.
Among the Gu Yue clan higher-ups, there were originally many clan elders to divide the interest cake of the entire village. But now that only Fang Yuan and the other elders amounting to less than ten remained, that cake was still whole and intact.
To split this large cake among themselves, they would have to compete against one another. Political battles, although not as flashy or bloody as the wolf tide, was full of schemes, plotting and setting traps; it was difficult and harsh.
At first, Fang Yuan as the only newly advanced elder, had a strong momentum and attracted great attention. But now that he admitted his mistake, it completely ruined his political career; it was tantamount to giving up the chance to compete for this interest cake with the other clan elders.
At once, Fang Yuan's threat level towards the other clan elders became much lower.
Their gaze towards Fang Yuan showed that the pressure they felt towards him had reduced.
At this time, clan leader Gu Yue Bo sighed, "Since Fang Yuan himself admitted to it, as clan leader, I have to punish you for the act of running away from battle. According to the clan ancestor's rules, runaways will be stripped of their clan elder status, but the final result shall be decided by me and the other clan elders. We'll decide on your punishment after a discussion.
But regardless of the result, I hope you can accept it."
The others showed a weird expression.
Fang Yuan nodded, not speaking, as if he had submitted to fate.
Gu Yue Yao Ji broke her own arm to save her life, this was decisive and ruthless. Fang Yuan was the same, except he lost even more, giving up his clan elder status.
His greatest problem now, is the sudden appearance of the Tie family father and daughter. If he got involved in the political turmoil now, facing suppression from other elders, his situation would get even more dangerous.
"Letting go, willingness to let go, among taking and letting go, that is life. The identity of clan elder was to cultivate better, that is its only purpose to me. To pursue eternal life I walked on the demonic path, I am willing to discard my own life. What else can I not discard? Clan elder status, hmph…"
Fang Yuan did not feel a shred of regret or annoyance.
This was the wisest decision.Moreover, although there's a punishment, it would definitely be minimized.
After all, there were little clan elders left, and as a Rank three Gu Master, his strength was greatly valued. The clan leader has to punish him on one end, but also needs to borrow his strength to stabilize the entire village's circumstance, thus he also needed to give in to Fang Yuan.
As for the other clan elders, Fang Yuan had stepped out of this political contest and no longer held any threat. They would not offend Fang Yuan anymore. After all, if they force Fang Yuan to retaliate, isn't it finding trouble for themselves?
"Although there is the clan system, but what is a system? Hehe, a system is just a tool to maintain the interests of those in power. On one hand it governs and divides the interest of the lower levels, but it is also the rules that contain the higher-ups as they compete against each other." Fang Yuan laughed coldly. These matters, he was clear as day, the truth was transparent to him.
"The most crucial point now, is the Tie family father and daughter. Fuck, they came much earlier than I had anticipated, even before the wolf tide is completely gone. Hmph! But such a behavior perfectly fits Tie Xue Leng's hatred towards evil, and his selflessness in fighting crime."
Thinking of this, Fang Yuan felt a strong pressure.
Even though Tie Xue Leng is injured now, his battle strength was not something Fang Yuan could compete against. A starving dying camel is larger than a horse, it is this logic.
"I need to leave the village, but I also need to avoid the pursuit of the Tie father and daughter pair, how can I get out of this predicament?"
Fang Yuan was vexed.
This Tie family father and daughter was not as easy to confuse as Jia Fu. Moreover, Fang Yuan's cultivation was too low. Even if he had a thousand and one plans, what could he do without actual strength?
Rank three and five, it was a world of difference.
"Everyone, I have something to say." At this point, the silent Gu Yue Mo Chen suddenly said.His expression was pale as he had dragged his injured body to the banquet, and he did not drink wine, only sipping tea.
But what he said next, shocked people to death, "There's something I have to be honest about. Elder Fang Yuan did not manage to enter the battlefield, and that was due to me."
"What?"
At once, the other clan elders were shocked.
"Oh, what do you mean?" Gu Yue Bo asked.
Fang Yuan sent a glance over, hiding his shock.
Why would this Gu Yue Mo Chen stand up for himself?
During this wolf tide, the Mo faction inheritor Gu Yue Mo Bei had already died unfortunately.
Even though the Mo faction had to the greatest of their ability, protected Mo Bei. On the battlefield, surprises were aplenty. Moreover, during the wolf tide, everyone was in danger, sometimes they can't even take care of themselves, what more towards others?
Gu Yue Mo Chen sighed, "To speak the truth, my granddaughter Gu Yue Mo Yan had fallen deep in love with elder Fang Yuan. Before this, she had come to beg me, kneeling on the ground and crying, not willing to see Fang Yuan die on the battlefield. I only have one granddaughter, thus out of selfishness, I kept Fang Yuan in my estate and knocked him out.
It was only until we chased the lightning crown wolf that I let him out. Thus, everything was due to me, it is my fault. It has nothing to do with Fang Yuan."
"What?"
"Oh, is that really it?"
The clan elders were suspicious.
Gu Yue Mo Chen's words were quite a stretch; it was rather unbelievable.
"Love and relationship among youngsters is common," Gu Yue Bo nodded, staring at Fang Yuan with deep meaning, wanting to find out some clues from his expression.
But Fang Yuan looked down with a calm expression. There was nothing to see.
Clan leader was disappointed.The other clan elders exchanged glances, not understanding why Gu Yue Mo Chen was so defensive of Fang Yuan.
Him saying this in order to aid Fang Yuan, it meant that he had sacrificed his own reputation and ruined his own political prospect!!
Gu Yue Mo Chen continued, "In order to protect my reputation, elder fang Yuan willingly let himself suffer the injustice. But I have already erred once, how can I make a mistake once more? This is the truth. As for the punishment, I implore lord clan leader to consider. I admit my mistake and as with the rules, if my clan elder status is to be stripped, I have no objections."
Clan leader quickly waved his hand, saying, "Elder Mo Chen has worked hard all these years. What you did was understandable, humans are not grass or wood, how can we not have feelings? Now that our clan is greatly weakened, we need loyal and strong elders like you. But this is still your own selfishness, thus the punishment still needs to be decided.
We have an important guest today, let's not talk about this now. Come, brother Tie, I and the clan elders shall offer you a toast!"
Saying so, Gu Yue Bo stood up.
The other clan elders stood up as well, raising their cups.
"Everyone is too kind. I still have to trouble you all later, I hope I can seek your understanding." Tie Xue Leng did not put on airs, standing up and drinking his wine.
…
In the courtyard of the Mo faction, flora and fauna were abundant. The artificial mountain had a spring flowing with crystal clear water.
In the night sky, the moon hung high in the sky like a plate.
The banquet had long ended.
Fang Yuan sat in the cooling pavilion as he listened to the sound of the flowing water, and he placed down his tea cup with a plain expression.
Sitting opposite him was Gu Yue Mo Chen. After the banquet was over, he had invited Fang Yuan over for a discussion.
"Come, have another cup of tea, this bamboo leaf clear water tea is good in eliminating hangovers." Gu Yue Mo Chen laughed, pouring personally into Fang Yuan's cup.
Fang Yuan's expression was calm, and on seeing the cup being filled again, he said, "Indeed a good cure for hangovers."
Saying so, he looked outside the pavilion, only to see that the pale white moon had radiated the grounds with its moonlight. Under the moon, the pavilion was quiet and graceful, but in the wind there were lurking shadows, showing how the Mo faction courtyard was turning from a prosperous state, to a declining one.
During the banquet, Fang Yuan had already understood Gu Yue Mo Chen's intention. Seeing this scene, he was even more sure of himself.
The Mo faction had no inheritor left!
Once Gu Yue Mo Bei died, the entire Mo faction would lose its inheritor.
Although Mo Bei still had his sister Mo Yan, the clan rules was that, since ancient times, it favored males over females, and the assets can only be inherited by a male and not female.
Even if Gu Yue Mo Yan gets to Rank three next time and advances to clan elder, her assets do not represent the Mo faction, but only her own. If she married anyone, this asset will be transferred to under her husband's name.
If they lost their inheritor, a clan's political influence would have no prospects, and no one would join them.
The Mo faction had already fallen into difficult circumstances, on the verge of breaking down.
But heaven always left a way, and the Mo faction was not truly at its wits end; there was still a sliver of hope.
This hope lies in Gu Yue Mo Yan's hands.
Although she is a female, she can marry someone.
If the son-in-law marries into the Mo faction, he would have an acceptable status, and can inherit the Mo faction!
Seeing that Fang Yuan had no inclination to mention it, Gu Yue Mo Chen scolded this crafty lad internally, but had to speak, "I wonder what elder Fang Yuan thinks of my Mo faction?"
He had an unspeakable grief.
Ever since his injury, his cultivation had fallen to Rank two, without any chance of ever regaining Rank three.
He could only rely on his Gu worm to conceal his true aura. But paper cannot cover fire; he would be exposed one day.
His only inheritor had died, while he himself was Rank two and would lose his clan elder identity. Gu Yue Mo Chen needed someone who could hold the fort to sustain their faction.
Back then, he had both authority and status, thus the Mo faction controlled a large amount of the interest cake. But now that the clan's factions were reorganising themselves, he did not want any more interests. As long as he can defend what he already has, that would be the biggest victory.
He pondered left and right, and the most suitable person was Fang Yuan without doubt!