Gu Yue Mo Chen was practicing his calligraphy late one night, back to the door, when he heard footsteps enter his room. "Mo Yan, you're finally back?"
A girl's voice, about seventeen, answered. "No fair! How did you know it was me?" She had intended to surprise him.
"Who else would dare walk into my room without introducing themselves or knocking first?" he asked, back still turned to her. "How is the situation with the wolves' den?"
Mo Yan was a Rank 2 Gu Master and had been sent out to investigate the current wolves' den situation, namely, regarding their numbers.
Life in Gu Yue village was not easy, as a matter of fact, life on the mountain itself was not easy. The greatest adversary that they had to face was the wolf tide. Every few years, the wolves would increase in numbers to an extent that would threaten all three villages.
Mo Yan's face darkened. "Not good! Their numbers are increasing rapidly! There are Three Thunder Crown Wolves among them. We're definitely going to see a major beast tide next year."
Mo Chen nodded. That was within expectations- the tide came every 3 years or so, with some miniature beast tides in-between. Thunder Crown Wolves were pack heads, and would take a Rank 4 Gu Master to take care of. With there being three clans, each of them should've been able to deal with one.
Neither of them knew it, but in Fang Yuan's past life, this wolf tide had been extremely destructive with countless casualties. Soon after, all three clans had been completely wiped out.
Before the destruction of the village happened, in that other life, Fang Yuan had essentially been expelled from Gu Yue village. In that time, he had been nothing more than a C-grade talent (he still was, it was just that the others didn't know about this) and had been thoroughly suppressed by everyone once it was found out that Fang Zheng was A-grade.
This had been a blessing in disguise, however, as it meant that Fang Yuan had survived the destruction of all three villages upon the mountain. Everyone upon the mountains had perished, while Fang Yuan, who had been considered to have little future due to him being C-grade, had continued to live for 500 years beyond that point and even become the strongest Gu Master in all of the clan's history reaching Rank 6. Fate could be quite mischievous sometimes.
"But leave that aside," Mo Yan said. She had not seen a full beast tide yet and didn't fully understand the gravity of the situation. "What's going on with younger brother? I came to see him after all this time, only to see that he had a sign outside the door of his room saying, 'I'm in closed door cultivation, I have all the food and water that I want, come in and disturb me only if you don't fear for your life!'"
Mo Chen stiffened. "Did you barge in anyway?" Knowing Mo Yan, it was entirely possible that she might do that.
"No, I wanted to, but didn't," Mo Yan said. Interrupting a Gu Master during cultivation could have a widespread number of repercussions. "What's going on with this?"
Mo Chen sighed and then relaxed, chuckling. "He's working hard then, good, good!"
"I've never seen him so focused."
"That's because he has a rival now," Mo Chen said. "There is a classmate of his, Gu Yue Fang Yuan, who has already made it to Rank 1 Middle Stage."
Mo Yan frowned. "Wait.... already?" She had only made it to that level after five months. "Is he the A-grade talent everyone is yapping about?"
"You're thinking of his twin brother, Fang Zheng, who is A-grade," Mo Chen said. "Fang Yuan is also a B-grade just like your brother, but he managed to find a Liquor Worm."
"Liquor Worm? How?"
"Ah, you are behind the times if you haven't heard the story. But it can't be helped given where you were the last fortnight. You know the Flower Wine Monk?"
Once Mo Chen was done, Mo Yan was speechless. "Ah, poor brother! No wonder he feels like he needs to work so hard. Not only is he fighting Chi Chen, but an A-grade talent and a B-grade talent with a Liquor Worm as well. Grandpa, why didn't you buy the Liquor Worm from him?"
Mo Chen snorted. "Buy it? As if someone would sell it. And why buy it? Do you think the other families would watch on the sidelines if I were to attempt such a thing?"
The Mo and Chi families were the biggest political factions in Gu Yue village, and were also political rivals. That was why there was so much pressure on Mo Bei and Chi Chen to succeed, them succeeding would be what would influence the political discourse in the village for potentially years if not decades to come.
"I see..." Mo Yan said, feeling quite a bit of sympathy for her younger brother. But there was little she could do.
"Why so glum? This is a wonderful thing," Mo Chen said. "It is only when faced with adversity that humans can bring out their full strength. With not one, but three major rivals, see how hard Mo Bei is working? Would he do this if he had an easy time? Of course not!" He then paused. It was not that he didn't love Mo Bei, if anything, in truth he valued Mo Bei more than Mo Yan as he was the family's future heir but would never say so out loud. But love did not mean that he was going to give Mo Bei an easy time or coddle- the world was a harsh and cruel place and the sooner that Mo Bei understood it, the better. Iron could not be forged without the hottest of flames, and true experts could not be born without experiencing hardship. "But there is another matter, good thing that you brought up Fang Yuan by yourself. What do you think if I were to get you married off to him?"
Mo Yan sputtered. The conversation had taken such a turn that she couldn't comprehend it. "Grandfather, what are you saying?"
Mo Chen stopped writing and turned to face her at this point. He waved his hand. "It is only a suggestion, do not take it as a final decision. But I have long since been looking for a suitable suitor for you. Fang Yuan has already accomplished much, he is very likely to reach Rank 3 soon. Given his accomplishments, he is a fitting candidate."
Mo Chen was definitely annoyed by Fang Yuan's progress, despite whatever he said. But there was a saying, 'if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!'
So what if Fang Yuan was progressing rapidly and had quickly achieved many great things, even bolstering his own reputation? Couldn't all of this belong to them if they played their cards right? Why be bitter over Fang Yuan's success when they could instead rope him in and make him one of theirs?
Then, his achievements, his reputation, it would bolster them instead!
Mo Yan fell silent as she contemplated what her grandfather was saying.