He took a slow breath, steadying himself, his mind wrestling with a question that had been gnawing at him, refusing to let him walk away without an answer.
"Why did my grandfather have to die?"
Gui Zuwang's head tilted slightly, his usual indifference giving way to a faint smirk. His eyes gleamed with dark amusement as he regarded Shen Yuan, as though assessing whether he was ready for the answer he sought.
"If these people really want me dead," Shen Yuan continued, his voice cool and steady, though a flicker of pain echoed beneath, "why didn't they kill me while I was still mortal? Why this game, this endless manipulation?"
The silence that followed felt heavy, thickening the air between them. Gui Zuwang let the question linger, as if savoring its weight, his gaze drifting to the flickering flame of an oil lamp. Finally, he leaned back, folding his hands before him with a measured sigh, his expression unreadable.
"Oh, Shen Yuan," Gui Zuwang said softly, almost with pity, "you think the world is as simple as a choice between life and death, power and weakness. But power is so much more than that. Power is knowing how to draw your enemy in, closer and closer, until they're trapped, with no way out."
Shen Yuan's fists clenched at his sides. His pulse quickened, anger simmering just below the surface. "Enough with the riddles, Gui Zuwang. If you know the truth, just tell me."
A slow chuckle escaped Gui Zuwang as he regarded Shen Yuan with an amused glint. "You're sharp, Shen Yuan. Always pressing, always seeking. I suppose you've earned a glimpse of the truth."
Gui Zuwang's eyes darkened, his smile fading into something far more chilling. "Consider this: there are forces in this world who've woven themselves into its very fabric, those who rule not just from a throne but through bloodlines, whispers, secrets. These are the ones who decide who will rise, who will fall. Their reach extends into every realm, shaping fates like clay in their hands."
Shen Yuan's gaze hardened, his voice a quiet demand. "Who?"
Gui Zuwang leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. "Those who sit at the very heart of Fengyue Country. The Imperial family!
The words landed like a physical blow, and for a heartbeat, Shen Yuan could only stare. His thoughts churned, a storm of disbelief, anger, and cold realization crashing through him. The ones he was raised to see as protectors, symbols of stability… were the same people who had turned his life into a twisted game. His grandfather's death, the endless trials, the ceaseless suffering… all orchestrated by the family sworn to protect their people.
Shen Yuan's chest tightened, a memory flashing across his mind. His grandfather's face—calm, wise, loving—now tainted by the knowledge that his death had been a calculated step, part of a ruthless scheme.
His voice dropped to a whisper, barely containing his rage. "They… they took him from me."
Gui Zuwang nodded, the faintest flicker of sympathy in his gaze. "Yes. Your grandfather was just the first piece. They've drawn you in, tightened the noose, hoping each step would either break you or turn you into a tool for their purposes. If they can't have you, no one can!"
A quiet, seething anger filled Shen Yuan, burning hotter with every word. His hands clenched until his nails bit into his palms, and he took a slow, shuddering breath, forcing down the bitterness that rose within him. He had been a pawn, manipulated from the shadows, each hardship orchestrated for someone else's gain. His life, his suffering, his grandfather's death, it had all been twisted into part of their cruel design.
Shen Yuan closed his eyes, the grief transforming into something else, something colder. When he opened them again, his gaze held a fierceness, a resolve that was unbreakable.
"They've gone too far," he murmured, his voice low but deadly. "They've toyed with me, destroyed what little family I had left… and they think they'll go unpunished?"
Gui Zuwang watched him, his gaze appraising, as if he saw the fire sparking within Shen Yuan's heart. "You see now, don't you?" he murmured. "They set your path, but the end of it… that's yours to decide."
Shen Yuan's expression hardened, his voice dropping to a growl. "I swear… they will pay. Every one of them."
The conviction in his words felt like an oath, each syllable carrying the weight of a promise forged in the fires of his anger. The imperial family had taken everything, ripped his world apart for their own gain, and now, he would be the one to rip theirs apart in return. He didn't care if that would make him just like them or far worse, all he cared for is to settle this with the imperial family's blood!
In the silence that followed, Gui Zuwang leaned back, a flicker of something dark and knowing in his gaze. "Oh, Shen Yuan… may the heavens have mercy on them. Because you certainly won't." Gui Zuwang thought inside.
"I have one last question..", Shen Yuan narrowed his eyes.
Gui Zuwang smiled as if, he knew what Shen Yuan might ask.
"Why do they think I am a threat to them?" Shen Yuan asked.
Gui Zuwang smiled and said in simple words, "For that, you need to wait, child, become strong enough to have the right to know that."
Shen Yuan frowned but didn't say anything and left the dwelling.
"Let's see, how far you can really go for your revenge!" Gui Zuwang swirled his cup and laughed, as Shen Yuan left.