Fang Yuan's previous life, five hundred years ago.
The Sea God Sacrifice.
Naive?
Facing the Cold Tide Patriarch's lengthy speech, Fang Yuan fell silent.
But his silence was brief. He let out a soft chuckle and sent back via voice transmission: "You think I don't know all of this? You think I'm some sheltered youth who hasn't seen the world? No — I know every one of these tricks. I understand all of these facts, and I accept them."
Fang Yuan had been forced out of Qing Mao Mountain, wandered through the Southern Border, ventured into the Western Desert, and traveled to the East Sea once more. He had teetered on the edge of death. He had agonized over a mere Yuan Stone or two. He had bent his back and groveled before the powerful and before the harshness of life. He had also sat in the seat of authority, leisurely sipping tea while his subordinates reported to him.
He had been base. He had been glorious. He had been towering. He had been ordinary.
Counting his life on Earth and the adventures that followed his rebirth, his vision was inherently above everyone else's, and his experiences were rich and vivid enough to fill a book.
How could such a person fail to understand the ways of the world?
The Cold Tide Patriarch was practically tearing his hair out. He hurriedly responded: "Since you acknowledge these are facts, then you should realize you're taking a tremendous risk! This is a political struggle among the Jiao people. You're a human Gu Master, and not even a powerful one at that — what are you getting involved for? Do you have feelings for Xie Hanmo? I guarantee that once this is done, I'll give you even more beautiful Jiao women! Don't doubt my sincerity — I'll swear an oath to the Sea God!"
"A Jiao person swearing an oath to the Sea God — naturally, such sincerity cannot be doubted. However..." Fang Yuan's tone shifted leisurely. "Accepting these realities doesn't mean I like them. You think I like Xie Hanmo? No, no — I simply want to help her. Why am I risking so much to help her? Because I have a principle: debts of kindness must be repaid, and debts of hatred must be avenged."
"I've used a Longevity Gu. I've lived far longer than you can imagine. I once desired immortality, but I've grown increasingly weary of that wish. Life becomes more and more dull. Sometimes, the destination of the road doesn't matter. What matters is the journey — and the mindset you carry along the way."
Hearing these words, the Cold Tide Patriarch's eyes went wide. He couldn't comprehend Fang Yuan's way of life at all: "You mean the Holy Maiden's position doesn't matter — what matters is the process of helping her?"
"Precisely. But there's more. The dark politics you mentioned, the beautiful Jiao women you offered — none of it matters. I know about it all, but I never take it to heart. Perhaps this way you can understand: I've lived long enough to be tired of wearing masks. Death holds no terror for me whatsoever. Right now... I simply want to live as my truest self, to achieve my goals in the way I most desire. Only by living this way can I feel the passion of life and the desire to exist!"
The Cold Tide Patriarch was struck dumb. He finally began to grasp what was happening and shouted: "So you're a madman! All this talk, and it boils down to the fact that you've lived too long, don't want to live anymore, and are seeking death! If you were a Gu Immortal, maybe — but you, a mere Third Transformation Gu Master, think you can live according to your own will? You're a fool chasing dreams!"
Fang Yuan smiled. "You think becoming a Gu Immortal means you can live by your own will? Without wearing a mask? Wherever there are people, there is struggle. Surviving and living are two entirely different things. How you want to live has nothing to do with your strength or cultivation — it depends entirely on your own heart."
He paused, then continued: "Actually, being weak has its own pleasures. When you truly live as your authentic self, being weak means you'll face more real-world hardships and challenges. Overcome those hardships, face those challenges — life is full of wonders at every turn."
The Cold Tide Patriarch stood frozen, mouth agape, unable to utter another word!
His gaze cut through the dense crowd to find Fang Yuan, catching the faint smile at the corner of his lips. A sudden chill crept into his heart: this person's bizarre, obsessive thinking was wildly at odds with common sense, tinged with self-destructive tendencies — he must have fallen to the Demonic Path!
Not playing by the rules was one thing. What was truly terrifying was that he didn't think by the rules either. His way of reasoning was completely different from ordinary people's — he was far too heretical!
This was a true demon!
"A true demon!" the Cold Tide Patriarch thought with a shudder. He felt this was Fang Yuan's essence — even if he hadn't slaughtered lives at will, even though Fang Yuan was currently performing a righteous deed of repaying kindness!
At the same time, the Cold Tide Patriarch felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
If Fang Yuan were some naive young man unversed in the world, he could have concealed his true intentions, pretended to be a wise elder, and guided him — taught him about society's complexities and certain dark truths.
But Fang Yuan knew everything. He was fully aware of nearly all of it. And the most exasperating thing was that Fang Yuan's thinking was entirely different from everyone else's!
"He's far too opinionated. He's far too stubborn. He's only at the Third Transformation — how dare he? Utterly unreasonable, utterly unreasonable! He's a madman, a lunatic! He's far too arrogant — he even scorns life and death! ... That's right... if he doesn't even fear death, what would he not dare do? All the wealth, beauty, power, and status in the world probably can't compare to even the slightest satisfaction of his own will! What could I possibly offer that would tempt him?"
The Cold Tide Patriarch was on the verge of losing his mind.
The more he thought about it, the clearer it became — and the clearer it became, the more he realized that Fang Yuan was absolutely fearless and utterly impervious to temptation. Perhaps one day he could be tempted, but only if he himself wanted to be tempted. It would have to stem from a genuine desire deep within his heart.
Living in this world is no easy thing!
The Jiao people are no different.
Don't let the Cold Tide Patriarch's high status fool you — his life is even harder.
Above him, the Elder Council of the Jiao Holy City bears down on him. Below him, there are countless subordinates — some scheming against each other, others coveting his position. He has a brood of children crying for food, a multitude of wives and concubines generating endless conflict. Everything — absolutely everything — requires his oversight, his handling, his arrangements.
He's corrupt. Is that wrong?
No!
What is corruption?
Corruption is merely acquiring more benefits — benefits that make other stakeholders feel the arrangement is unfair.
A cake. The original distribution went like this: you get a piece, I get a piece. Then I secretly grab a second piece. You glare with envy and say I've violated our agreement — what gives me the right to take so much?
That's corruption.
Do you think the Great Elder's faction supporting the Holy Maiden doesn't engage in corruption?
Of course they do, to varying degrees! Even if the Great Elder herself doesn't corrupt, what about her many subordinates? Her children? It's just that their corruption isn't as severe as the Cold Tide Patriarch's.
Or let's say the Great Elder's entire faction is corruption-free from top to bottom. They're still the elites — still the ones eating the cake, still exploiting others.
In this fundamental sense, everyone is an exploiter. What's the difference?
They're all cut from the same cloth!
So the Cold Tide Patriarch never considered his corruption to be wrong. He simply wanted to acquire more wealth, more beauty, more power.
His corruption grew and grew, gradually exceeding the agreed-upon share. But he didn't want to stop, and the greed within him wouldn't let him.
"No — don't call it greed. Call it an ideal!" The Cold Tide Patriarch had shouted this to himself more times than he could count.
Here's a joke that isn't really a joke —
A father asks his son: "What's your ambition when you grow up?"
The son answers: "Money and beautiful women."
The father slaps the son!
The son answers again: "Career and love."
The father smiles and nods approvingly!
So career and love are ideals. Money and beautiful women (or men) are also ideals.
So the Cold Tide Patriarch was perfectly justified — what was wrong with pursuing wealth, beauty, power, and fame?
You find it vulgar?
These are all ideals!
Whose life isn't filled with such ideals?!
The Cold Tide Patriarch cherished these ideals from the depths of his heart, because they could drive him forward while also tempting others — making them give and sacrifice for their own ideals, and in doing so, fulfilling the Cold Tide Patriarch's goals!
He's corrupt — what's wrong with that? These are ideals!
Ideals need to be realized. They demand effort.
From his very first act of corruption, the Cold Tide Patriarch knew this moment would come — facing opposition, enduring backlash.
But so what?
This was natural. This was inevitable. These were the difficulties and pains that must be endured on the path to realizing one's ideals!
As long as he overcame those difficulties and conquered that pain, the Cold Tide Patriarch could achieve his ideals.
Right before him, as long as he employed a series of political maneuvers — covert manipulation, indirect pressure, military intimidation — he could realize his ideals.
In this arena, the Cold Tide Patriarch, long entrenched in his high position, was thoroughly confident. He had every reason to be. In truth, if Fang Yuan hadn't burst onto the scene, he would already have marginalized Xie Hanmo and pushed his own candidate onto the throne of Holy Maiden.