Chapter 314 - 311: Rupture
"Greetings, Clan Leader."
As Shen Changchuan calmly cupped his fist and bowed to Shen Fuxing in the head seat, the latter’s heart sank.
’Clan Leader?’
Without a doubt,
this was the worst-case scenario!
’This is trouble.’
Shen Fuxing felt a sense of dread.
However, his expression hardly changed, still wearing that jovial smile.
"So, you are Changchuan? There’s no need to be so distant. It’s true that I’ve neglected you all these years..."
Shen Fuxing wanted to play the emotional card, trying his best to salvage their relationship.
But Shen Changchuan couldn’t be bothered with pleasantries.
He cut him off directly:
"Clan Leader, I am a bit busy. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
Shen Changchuan felt not an ounce of affection for this biological father standing before him.
He acknowledged Han Yue’er as his mother
because, in the period after he had transmigrated, she had cared for him with meticulous, unwavering attention.
That maternal love had remained constant right up until he left for Dawan Village.
And since he had merged with the original owner’s memories, the original’s past had become one of his own ’pasts’.
In that ’past’,
his mother’s care and affection had filled nearly half his life.
That was why Shen Changchuan accepted Han Yue’er as his mother.
But who was Shen Fuxing?
In the original owner’s past ten-plus years, he had only ever seen the man from afar at the New Year’s Eve banquet and other similar events. They had never even exchanged a word or two.
Perhaps during his youth, the original owner had admired his father, hoping he would appear and be his rock when he was bullied.
Perhaps if it were the original owner, receiving recognition now from this distant father he could only look up to would have filled his heart with excitement.
But alas, those were the thoughts of the original’s past,
not the Shen Changchuan of today!
The current Shen Changchuan, despite having merged with the remnant soul of the original, was still dominated by his own identity as a Transmigrator.
Before he transmigrated,
his—Shen Changchuan’s—parents were still alive.
How could he possibly, from the bottom of his heart, accept other people as his parents right after transmigrating?
He accepted Han Yue’er
because, for the two and a half years that followed, she had continued to care for and protect him just as she always had.
In the memories of the original’s ’past’, he too acknowledged Han Yue’er’s status as his mother.
But what did Shen Fuxing, who had been absent from the original’s life, count for?
As a soul dominated by the Transmigrator,
there had never been any father-son affection for Shen Fuxing to begin with.
And it was even more impossible for any such emotions to develop later on.
Although Shen Changchuan didn’t say it outright,
his attitude had undoubtedly made everything clear.
Sensing his resolve,
the smile on Shen Fuxing’s face faltered slightly.
Even with his shrewdness, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of annoyance at this moment.
Of course,
a man of his profound cunning did not let it show on the surface.
The jovial smile on his face merely receded a little, without any drastic change.
"Ah, is that so... Well, I did seek you out for an important matter."
Understanding Shen Changchuan’s position and sensing the firmness of his attitude,
Shen Fuxing gave up on trying to salvage things.
There was certainly annoyance and regret in his heart.
But he wasn’t the type to wear his heart on his sleeve, nor was he one to be ruled by his emotions.
Besides,
’even enemies have their uses.’
A glint flashed in Shen Fuxing’s eyes.
"Zhou Lingyun, from the Immortal Cultivation Family in the Central State, is here to engage in an ’exchange battle’ with the Cultivators of his generation in our Shen Family... His goal is simply to take this opportunity to put our Shen Family down a peg and back up his aunt."
"If he succeeds, I fear Zhou Yi will come to control most of the power within the Shen Family. Unless the Old Ancestor personally intervenes, few will be able to keep her in check."
"At that point, her actions will likely become even more arrogant and unrestrained."
"As a member of the Shen Family’s younger generation, I believe you have a certain responsibility to help the Shen Family save face."
"Moreover, dealing with Zhou Lingyun and suppressing the prestige of the First Madam, Zhou Yi, would also be beneficial for your mother’s situation within the Shen Family."
"Otherwise, you’re already a marked man in that woman’s eyes, a thorn in her side. I’m afraid your mother’s days will become very difficult..."
Shen Fuxing’s smile faded slightly as he spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, as if calmly stating a fact.
And indeed, this was a fact that would come to pass.
It was just that Shen Fuxing, in this moment,
was merely planning to use one force against another.
Whether friend or foe, all could be used as tools. Going with the flow to push the situation forward—
this was his usual tactic.
"Today is the day Zhou Lingyun challenges the younger generation of our Shen Clan."
"By now, the matches have probably already started at the arena in the clan’s public square."
"If you’re interested, you should go take a look. I imagine you know the way."
Shen Fuxing said indifferently.
His scheme was actually quite simple.
First, let Zhou Lingyun crush the so-called geniuses from the branch families with his absolute strength, striking a blow to their morale and spirit.
Then, he would let Shen Changchuan take the stage
to reclaim some of the Shen Family’s reputation.
He naturally didn’t believe Zhou Lingyun would actually lose to Shen Changchuan,
but for Shen Changchuan to have earned such a great reputation,
he must have some degree of strength, enough to exchange a few rounds with Zhou Lingyun.
Enough to pick up some of the prestige that Zhou Lingyun had trampled underfoot.
Furthermore, no matter how one looked at it,
he and Shen Changchuan were, after all, father and son by blood.
A portion of the resulting fame,
would also fall upon him!
And after that, an outstanding performance from Shen Changchuan might draw that woman’s attention again, making him a thorn in her side and a spike in her flesh.
This would divert her attention away from himself,
and allow her to live a peaceful life for a time.
He recalled the figure of the woman who had borne him a son with an Innate Spiritual Body.
A tremor ran through Shen Fuxing’s heart,
and his thoughts turned incredibly tender.
’Of all the women by my side,
only she, the one of common birth, is my true love!’
’From the first moment I laid eyes on her, I was captivated.’
’I swore an oath long ago
that I would let her live the happiest life in the world,
and that our son would stand openly in the sun and become the next Patriarch of the Shen Family!’
’Everything I, Shen Fuxing, have done for so many years has been in pursuit of this goal!’
’As for this ’genius’ son of a concubine possibly breaking ties with me over this?
It doesn’t matter.’
He reined in the thoughts swirling in his mind.
Shen Fuxing looked at Shen Changchuan again, his gaze once more growing profound.
’This is a plan to kill three birds with one stone!’
’No matter what,
the final winner will be me!’
"Is that so?"
"I’m sorry, but I have no intention of participating."
However,
after a moment of silent contemplation,
to Shen Fuxing’s complete surprise,
Shen Changchuan gave him a refusal.