Chi Shang had drunk a bit too much, his face flushed red, and he was talking more than usual. After his apparent victory over Fang Yuan, his confidence had soared, and he was now certain he could win the fair maiden's hand.
Gu Immortals certainly had all manner of means to sober themselves up. But doing so would greatly diminish the pleasure of drinking, and would also be disrespectful to one's drinking companions.
Fang Yuan quickly raised his cup and drained the wine in his hand. He laughed: "If that really is the case, then I have no choice but to accept my bad luck. Who told me to run into a rival like you, Chi Shang? Alas!"
His sigh — the sentiment of *why must Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang be born in the same age* — was immediately written all over his face.
Chi Shang burst into hearty laughter and actually reached out to pat Fang Yuan's shoulder in consolation.
Fang Yuan chuckled inwardly.
Chi Shang really was simple.
This matter had long since been settled.
As long as Fang Yuan gave the word, Qiao Si Liu would throw herself into his arms — this was practically a foregone conclusion.
It was only that Qiao Si Liu had not yet shown a clear inclination. After all, this celestial maiden had her own schemes and pride. She was playing hard to get, keeping her options open and waiting for the best offer.
In truth, Fang Yuan had seen through all of this with perfect clarity.
Take Qiao Si Liu's letter, for example. It was, in fact, a declaration of her stance.
"When Qiao Si Liu saw me and Chi Shang competing against each other, she was naturally delighted. Before this, she had been content to sit on the sidelines and watch, because that was exactly what suited her interests."
"Only after my eventual defeat did she step forward, proactively telling me about the situation between her and Chi Shang. The purpose was to console me — to tell me that between her and Chi Shang, there were no genuine feelings. At most, it was one-sided infatuation from that Formation Maniac."
"But this clever woman never states her stance directly. Instead, she recounts a past fact to demonstrate her innocence, while simultaneously proving her immense value as a pursuit target."
A man pursuing a woman was human nature and instinct. Whether a woman had men pursuing her, how many men pursued her, and what kind of men pursued her — all of these aspects could reflect, to some degree, her value.
"Qiao Si Liu wanted to join hands with me in matrimony. This was not her personal wish, but rather the Qiao Family's political ambition."
"Simply because of this, I already surpass all her other suitors."
"No matter how many times I fail, no matter how unfaithful I am, no matter how disgraceful I become, no matter how recklessly I behave at occasions like the Moon Festival — so what?"
"I have already won."
"Even if I were to transfer my affections elsewhere and cease pursuing Qiao Si Liu entirely, she would still come chasing after me."
"Of course, this isn't love. It's politics."
Fang Yuan sneered inwardly. He had long since seen through all of this.
But he absolutely could not accept Qiao Si Liu's brand of "love."
The moment he accepted, he would be utterly swallowed by the turbulent and treacherous maelstrom of politics. He would no longer be the simple Wu Yi Hai, but rather the most critical chess piece planted by the Qiao Family within the Wu Family, fighting for the entire clan's interests.
And Wu Yong would never continue to provide Fang Yuan with such a relaxed environment. Instead, he would keep Fang Yuan under strict surveillance, constantly suppress him, and remain perpetually vigilant.
If that were the case, could Fang Yuan still peacefully absorb the essence of the dream realm?
Obviously not. He might even have his true identity exposed.
That would be even more troublesome.
Once Fang Yuan's identity was revealed, the first blow would come from the Qiao Family. As a Righteous Path faction, they would certainly be the first to sever all ties with Fang Yuan. The Qiao and Wu Families, to prove themselves and protect their reputations, would launch a crusade against Fang Yuan with a fervor unmatched by any other faction.
"However, although I cannot accept and will not accept her love, I can still make use of it."
Leveraging Qiao Si Liu's affection, Fang Yuan had successfully made Wu Yong grow wary, and indirectly prompted Wu Yong to arrange for his return to the Supreme Gu Formation — achieving his own objective.
Yet nothing in this world was without its flaws. Such a method, while clever, came with its aftereffects.
Wu Yong's wariness, Luo Mu Zi, Lun Fei, Chi Shang, and all of Qiao Si Liu's other suitors — these were all the aftereffects.
Pure love was not nonexistent, but it was exceedingly rare.
A person living in this world had to consider many things.
Qiao Si Liu's beauty, her family background, her cultivation — all of these were attractions and temptations.
Perhaps among her suitors, Chi Shang was the most sincere. But even his feelings were intertwined with the Formation Path. As for the others, there was no need to even mention them.
As for Fang Yuan, he was the most unique of them all.
Chi Shang's arrival was not outside Fang Yuan's expectations.
In truth, he had been mentally prepared for this.
Even without Chi Shang, someone else would have come to cause trouble. If not now, then in the future.
Because Fang Yuan had touched the enticing cake that was "Qiao Si Liu," provoking many people. These people included her suitors, as well as the interest groups standing behind them.
As the old saying went: *a great beauty is a source of calamity.*
Pursuing a beauty was not so simple.
Only the naive believed that love and devotion alone could conquer a beautiful woman.
In truth, it was far more than that.
A woman's beauty was a natural dowry.
This dowry was extraordinarily rich — an immense fortune.
Who wouldn't want to obtain such a fortune?
But not everyone had the ability to safeguard it.
If a beauty was willing to entrust this fortune to another man out of pure, genuine love, then that lucky soul should treat her well.
But in reality, such a thing happened far too rarely.
If you had it, cherish it. If you didn't, don't yearn for it.
Don't call it "mundane."