"I told him, there are thousands of reasons for a person to live. Why do you live? I can't answer that; only you can find the answer. Seek it yourself," Gu Yue Bo replied.
"Then what is your answer, clan leader?" Fang Zheng blinked in confusion and asked.
Gu Yue Bo chuckled. In his eyes, the images of Fang Zheng and Qing Shu seemed to overlap. Once, Gu Yue Qing Shu had asked a similar question.
The clan leader pondered for a moment, recollected, then repeated his answer from years ago: "There are always sacrifices in an organization. From the moment a person is born, it means death. Between life and death, a person is fragile, but there is something that can warm the heart and illuminate the soul. That is love—this is my answer."
Gu Yue Qing Shu was Gu Yue Bo's adopted son, raised for many years. Now that he had died a sacrifice, it was natural for his adoptive father to feel grief.
But as clan leader, he had seen too many sacrifices.
When one has the awareness of life and death, grief and pain become bearable.
Fang Zheng lowered his head again, silent, seemingly pondering.
The clan leader smiled, took a letter from the desk drawer, and handed it to Fang Zheng.
"This is Gu Yue Qing Shu's letter. It records the answer he had been considering for years. Now I give it to you; you can read it. This is his answer."
Undoubtedly, this letter held irresistible allure in Fang Zheng's heart.
He immediately opened it, and upon seeing the first line, tears flowed uncontrollably.
It was Gu Yue Qing Shu's familiar handwriting. Between the lines was his unique gentleness.
The beginning of the letter recorded his confusion and pain.
Then came the years of his constant contemplation, events that moved him.
As Fang Zheng read the letter, it was as if he experienced Gu Yue Qing Shu's life. He followed his life's steps until the end of the letter.
At the end, the following was recorded.
"The family is like a forest, each of us members is like a tree in that forest. The old tree extends its branches to shelter the new saplings from wind and rain. When the new tree grows into a tall towering tree, the old tree falls and turns into nutrients in the soil, nourishing the land, nurturing new trees. People always die; heaven and earth will not remember us. But the new trees will be the testament of the old tree's existence. In this constant witnessing, the family's forest will grow vaster, heading toward prosperity and thriving."
"People always die. As a Gu Master, it's hard to escape the end of death. Even Gu Masters of the seventh, eighth, or even ninth rank simply live a little longer. Faced with death, I feel fear. But I deeply understand that one day, I, Gu Yue Qing Shu, will also die. Perhaps from old age, sickness, or on the battlefield. I hope that when that time comes, I can face death calmly and without regret."
At the end of the letter.
"Adoptive father. The question I once asked you, I think I have found the answer."
After reading the letter, Fang Zheng wept uncontrollably.
His mind was filled with memories of Qing Shu. When he made mistakes, he didn't blame but instead comforted. When he suffered setbacks, he encouraged with his gaze. When he was dejected, he used his warm hand to rub his head.
Gu Yue Bo put away the letter: "In the future, when you think of the answer, you can also write a letter and tell me. Go now, get some rest. The wolf tide crisis is not over yet; we need your contribution."
"No." Fang Zheng slowly raised his head, clenching his fists.
"What?" Gu Yue Bo asked.
"I have already found my answer." There was indescribable determination in Fang Zheng's voice. "I want strength! To protect the loved ones around me, to protect them from harm no more. I want to protect the clan, strengthen the clan! I want to see that the wolf tide can no longer torment us, I want to see the comfort, joy, and happiness of my companions! I don't want such grief to be reenacted or to continue. I will use these hands, this body, this soul to protect those around me!"
Gu Yue Bo showed surprise. At this moment, he seemed to see Gu Yue Qing Shu.
"Qing Shu, you did not die in vain..." Looking at Fang Zheng's shining eyes, the clan leader sighed inwardly.
An old tree falls, and in the soil where it gradually rots, a new sprout has already begun to grow rapidly.
...
The human ancestor could not bear loneliness, so he gouged out his eyes and turned them into a son and daughter. This slightly relieved his isolation.
But good times didn't last long. The children gradually became infatuated with the scenery of the world, forgot about their father, often played and forgot the time, and even forgot to take care of the human ancestor.
The human ancestor could not see anything; his eyes were darkness.
But sometimes, he could see a little light.
Puzzled, he consulted Attitude Gu.
Attitude Gu told him: "Oh, this is the immortal light emitted by Belief Gu."
"Belief?" Bai Ning Bing sneered at this point, casually threw away the book of ancient legends in his hand.
The door happened to open, and the entrant nearly got hit in the face by the book.
"Ning Bing, what are you doing?" The one who entered was the clan leader of the Bai family.
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