Journey to the End of the Night Chapter 1545 - 955: United in Heart and Fate (Part 3)

It truly seemed as though he had arrived solely to present gifts, with no intention of lingering even for a single additional day.

A wave of astonishment washed over everyone present, leaving them increasingly baffled by the Demon Alliance's inscrutable motives.

Following Qingxin's departure, Huo Fangru, without hesitation, incinerated the evidence with her Spiritual Fire right before Di Lianggong's eyes.

Di Lianggong was implicated for harboring a fugitive, and Fang Chi personally dismantled his cultivation, shattered his limbs, and summarily cast him into the confines of a prison cell.

The council elder faced immediate dismissal, a fate sealed without even the City Lord's prior sanction.

Fang Chi's execution of these measures was notably swift and resolute, leaving the onlookers in a state of profound dread and effectively quashing any burgeoning ulterior motives.

After dispersing the assembled crowd, Fang Chi turned toward someone with a hint of reproach in his gaze: "Such a significant crisis has unfolded, and yet you consistently insist on shouldering it all alone! If your brother hadn't secretly dispatched a letter to me, I would truly remain in the dark about how much those avaricious elders have been preying upon you."

Fang Geyu settled back into his chair, his sword resting across his knees. He lowered his head, seemingly captivated by the ornate designs etched into the scabbard, entirely unfazed by the day's tumultuous events.

"It was merely a test, a means to gauge the fealty of these antiquated relics and ascertain if they could genuinely shoulder the burden of Shifang City's current predicament. In subsequent actions, I shall certainly afford them some measure of consideration. However, at this juncture, if their sole focus is the preservation of their own interests, what utility do they possess?"

His seemingly casual words carried an undercurrent of chilling, unfeeling lethal intent.

Fang Chi regarded Fang Geyu with evident concern: "Ever since you took possession of the Ten Directions Sword, you have increasingly begun to resemble your mother."

Fang Geyu offered a smile, yet it failed to reach his eyes. "Is Uncle suggesting this heart that remains untouched by joy, anger, sorrow, or hatred?"

Fang Chi remained silent, seemingly lost for words.

Fang Geyu's gaze was placid: "For me, this is hardly a detrimental state."

A flicker of sadness crossed Fang Chi's features: "Even the mechanical puppets within Shifang City are capable of experiencing emotions. Little Yu, you are a human being, a living individual. You possess the capacity to break free from this predetermined path, to embrace an ordinary life alongside the man you love, and to pursue the existence you truly desire, rather than forcing yourself into becoming..."

Fang Geyu tilted his head up to meet Fang Chi's gaze, a smile gracing his lips. "Becoming what? A monster? Did not Huo Fangru's recent fate clearly demonstrate that for those forbidden from experiencing the spectrum of human emotions, any attempt at forceful suppression only results in the bitter harvest of their own suffering? I am acutely aware of my destiny, the level upon which I am meant to stand, and the responsibilities I must bear. Unlike those pathetic, incompetent wretches, I will not shirk that which is rightfully mine to undertake."

Fang Chi expressed his displeasure with a touch of irritation: "Though your mother is no longer with us, you are not an orphan. You have a father, the rightful City Lord of Shifang City. This Ten Directions Sword should never have fallen into your possession; how can it be you who actively avoids responsibility?"

"Father?" Fang Geyu responded, a hint of surprise in his voice. "He has always treated me with remarkable kindness."

Fang Chi countered with indignation: "The debt he owes your mother cannot possibly be repaid with mere acts of kindness!"

Fang Geyu replied thoughtfully: "Does Uncle truly believe that my father's prolonged seclusion signifies his complete detachment from worldly affairs? He rarely withdraws from public life; it is evident he is fully cognizant of the long-standing defiance and dissenting views held by the seven elders toward me, as the Deputy City Lord. With my concerted efforts to mobilize their resources and Spirit Stones on a significant scale, it is only natural that they would resist compliance, leading to numerous disagreements. Yet, he has remained utterly silent, implying, in his own way, that my father and those seven elders harbor remarkably similar perspectives. He too has no desire for the complete eradication of the Mechanical Puppet Technique from the Mortal World, and even with the increasing instability of the mechanical puppets, he remains unwilling to relinquish them. My father's characteristic indecisiveness is hardly a new development; this very quandary was bequeathed to me, and consequently, I shall refrain from causing unnecessary disturbances, as I may have done in the past, engaging in pointless arguments with him."

Fang Chi conveyed his apprehension: "I harbor a premonition that on the day of the Golden Immortal Auction, a momentous upheaval is all but certain to transpire."

Fang Geyu perceived the source of his concern: "Why then worry, Uncle? While the Ten Directions Sword may bind me, it also serves as my ultimate shield. With the Ten Directions Sword firmly in my grasp, my heart, body, and fate are intrinsically linked to it. Even if the Emperor himself were to appear, he would be powerless to end my life."