24 Ch 22 - Convergence to Fate (2)
*Contains Spoilers upto Volume 5 end : Fate War Arc*
(AN : I have taken parts from some of the latest translated chapters and pasted them here. You can skip the translated chapter parts which are contained within [ ] if you have read them and don't want to read again or if you want to avoid those spoilers. They are just added to give a flair to this fan-fic similar to that of original story. Also, really long chapter -> 2600 plus words. Enjoy :D...)
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"Jia Jin Sheng? Isn't he the brother of Jia Fu?" Gu Yue Mo Chen asked.
"Yes... " Mo Bei realised that he had spoken his wild speculations aloud.
"Why do you think he is dead? Why does it seem to concern you more than the upcoming wolf tide?" Gu Yue Mo Chen had picked up on the most important point.
'Because it's an event I wanted to avoid but it mostly ended up happening anyway.', Mo Bei answered in his mind.
'The most likely reason behind this is Fate. But this wolf tide did not happen in Fang Yuan's first life nor after his rebirth. Why is this happening now?' Mo Bei continued thinking about the situation based on his knowledge of the novel.
"It's because I met him in person during the days caravan was here. I even got a liquor worm from one of the rock fossil I bought from his gambling store. I don't know if you are aware of this but I happened to hear a secret conversation between Jia Jin Sheng and someone from the caravan that Jia Clan is looking for a successor and it's assets will be distributed according to contribution of all the sons of Jia Family head. Jia Jin Sheng, Jia Fu and their other brothers are all taking part in this competition from what I managed to hear. Further thinking about it, the timing of arrival of Jia Fu and Jia Jin Sheng here and timing of Wolf tide really matches along with the fact that Jia Fu is injured and we don't know the condition of the caravan. From that, I feel that this wolf tide is not as simple as it might seem from first glance.", Mo Bei answered the question of Gu Yue Mo Chen including his insights using his knowledge from the novel.
Gu Yue Mo Chen gave Mo Bei a profound look before replying,
"Your considerations are good but you seem to be hellbent on the idea that Jia Fu's brothers are the suspect. You must know that wolf tides are sometimes unpredictable and you must always be prepared to face them. Also, it's best that you forget the matter regarding Jia Clan's assets distribution for now. It's a very sensitive matter and involves life and death situation. As for your question regarding whether Jia Jin Sheng is dead, we cannot be certain. Although we haven't received a word from Jai Fu, from his condition itself we can reasonably conclude that whole of caravan was probably wiped out. As for the truth, that will have to wait till that Jia Fu wakes up."
Mo Bei was shocked upon hearing this. Jia Fu was after all a Rank 4 gu master. If even a Rank 4 was able to barely survive, then it was impossible for a Rank 1 gu master like Jia Jin Sheng to survive. He was also feeling very concerned for the upcoming wolf tide. The current wolf tide had just started.
"Mo Bei, the situation is not looking very good right now. Since you are part of the academy, you don't have to participate in the fight. I would rather suggest you now to go to the hidden underground place of our Mo Family few blocks away from our manor. The way to enter there and the secret code required to enter that place is mentioned in here.", Saying so, Gu Yue Mo Chen handed Mo Bei a piece of paper.
"Mo Bei, remember this piece of advice, there's a chance that I won't come back within a few days. You have to start cultivating and don't come out until you are Rank 2 middle stage or until I or someone from our Mo Family comes there to take you back. There's a green copper relic gu and red steel relic gu there and also a Black Boar Gu which can help you in your cultivation. There's also enough food and water which would last a year so you won't have to worry about the food. However, remember that you should use the Relic Gu only if you are stuck in your advancement. Otherwise, it will only serve to hamper your future achievements." Gu Yue Mo Chen spoke to Mo Bei with a polite tone.
Mo Bei was stunned once again. He never expected his grandpa to speak in such a polite tone and providing him with so many resources at once. Even as per his memories of the novel, Gu Yue Mo Chen was a very strict person and would not make any such decisions emotionally. He could not make sense behind such words.
In Gu Yue Mo Chen's mind, on the one hand, he was genuinely unsure of his survival against this wolf tide. He was a cautious person and had taken every scenario into consideration including the worst scenario. He was really wary of the current wolf tide since it even left the Rank 4 Jia Fu in a bad state. He was afterall an elder of Gu Yue clan and had seen many such scenarios where a gu master died in the wolf tide leaving behind their relatives and descendants devastated due to not enough preparations ahead of time. Even his son and his wife were the victim of a Wolf tide which occured years ago. Seeing them die before him had left a scar on Gu Yue Mo Chen's heart and hence he truly put his hopes and aspirations on his grandson Mo Bei. He wanted Mo Bei to achieve those heights he personally couldn't. On the other hand, he realised the true potential of Mo Bei. If Mo Bei could be nurtured, Mo Bei could become a very valuable asset to the clan and even receive clan head's guidance and resources of the clan. He wanted Mo Bei to quickly advance to Rank 2 so that if anything happened to him, Mo Bei could survive by himself and could also take his family's inheritance without any problems.
"Yes Grandfather! I will do my best and work hard to advance in my cultivation while heeding your advice. I also hope that when you see me again, you will be proud of me.", Saying so Mo Bei left towards the place indicated in the paper.
When Gu Yue Mo Chen heard this, the last of his hesitation left him while he sighed in relief and headed towards the battlefield to push back the wolf tide. This matter concerned the survival of this village.
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Mo Bei was feeling very odd emotions at the moment. He did not have any attachment with any of the characters of the Gu world. He was clearer of his predicament than anyone else. He knew that most of the Gu Yue clan members would die soon at the hands of Fang Yuan and originally also did not mind it much. Afterall the Gu world had an unsaid rule 'Survival of the fittest'. For Gu Yue Mo Chen, he was his grandson while for Mo Bei, Gu Yue Mo Chen was just a character who was supposed to die. This was his Fate!
But now, Mo Bei had started feeling that his grandpa, his colleagues in the academy, the other characters in the Gu world were as real as he was. They would also experience love, pain, fear, joy, etc as he would. The caring nature of his Grandfather made him felt being loved the same way his parents on Earth loved him. The thought of losing him pained Mo Bei a bit but he knew this was unavoidable. But he knew that he was to lose everything once again. This was his Fate!
This world required sacrifices if you wanted to achieve something. Even characters like Fang Yuan had sacrificed. What was Mo Bei or a Rank 3 gu master in the grand mechanisms of Fate? Nothing. Fang Yuan had to sacrifice his 500 years of hardwork to finally come back to this point and even that turned out to be a scheme of Heaven's will. He lived under the direction of Heaven's will past 500 years facing continuous tests and not once getting enough rest. Fang Yuan's life was really pitiful. Even now he was trying to get stronger not knowing that he is someone else's pawn. This was also Fate!
However, this is also where Fang Yuan's character and attitude began to shine. His perseverance to move forward and never give up, his cautious attitude, his quick decisions, his fast actions, his single minded pursuit of his goals and his life without any regrets. This is where Fang Yuan stood out the most even from other Venerables and was the reason Mo Bei deeply respected him and revered him from the bottom of his heart.
He remembered the quote from the novel from the 5th book during Reverse flow River arc.
[ "How difficult is the perseverance of one person? All of the Gu Immortals here could answer that question. Because among them, some persevered because of responsibility, some persevered because of hatred, some persevered because of excitement, and some persevered because of love… And Fang Yuan's answer? He was still expressionless, he continued to move forward relentlessly. He had once screamed, gradually, he lost his voice. He had once cried, gradually, he lost his tears. He had once grieved, gradually, he became able to withstand everything. He had once rejoiced, gradually, he became unmoved by the world. And now! All he has left is an expressionless face, his gaze is as tough as a monolith, only perseverance remains in his heart. This is his own, an insignificant character, Fang Yuan's — Perseverance! A dazzling light erupted out. Perseverance Immortal Gu, at this moment, was refined successfully!" ]
Mo Bei had cried when he read this the first time. He could imagine the countless sufferings faced, the countless sacrifices made, countless tears shed and joys of life ripped off shred by shred from Fang Yuan in the 500 years of previous life. As he repeatedly read the whole novel 100 times, it had left a deep impression of Fang Yuan in his mind.
If he were in Fang Yuan's place, he would have long given up. He would not be able to live a life filled with such despair and cruelty. However cruel, this was also Fate! Every beings were under the control of Fate.
"Fate again, huh." Mo Bei chuckled to himself feeling a slight detest for the word. He vaguely began to understand how much hatred Red Lotus Demon Venerable must have felt for Fate Gu. The feeling of everything you have experienced, everything that is taken away from you while you can do nothing and finally dying with many dreams never to be fulfilled, knowing that all this is being controlled by Fate is never easy to accept.
He relished those moments countless times when Fang Yuan finally crushed the Fate Gu with his hands and gave every person in the gu world their own fate to choose with the help of Feng Jiu Ge's Destiny song.
He recalled those words clearly in the novel.
[ In the endless light, Fang Yuan's white robe, black hair, and bloody cape were fluttering wildly with the wind.
He charged!
He pushed forward!
He did not stop at all!
Bing Sai Chuan, Shen Cong Sheng, Reckless Savage's will, Duke Long, Feng Jiu Ge, Heavenly Court's immortals, or the three regions' immortals, they forced their eyes open and fixed their gazes on Fang Yuan.
"We still have… hope."
"Fang Yuan, you damned demon! Everything depends on you now!!"
"Charge, charge! The grandeur of men can be seen when they charge ahead, oh yeah!"
Heaven and earth was a scene of pure white, and in this whiteness, the path seemed to be exceptionally long and endless.
As if it spanned across history, from the past until now!
Fang Yuan took large strides and reached the center of the top floor. Fate Gu was right in front of him, it had always been there, as if it were constantly receiving offerings, offerings that it had been receiving for millions of years!
Fang Yuan grabbed fate Gu!
This was the moment of truth for the whole of humanity, no, for the whole world.
At this time, Fang Yuan held fate Gu in his hands, his gaze was flickering with complex emotions.
Why can't a human have eternal life?
Because fate does not allow it?
Because it does not allow, therefore I cannot do it?! I cannot even think about it?!
On what basis?
On what damned basis?
On what basis am I not allowed to think about it?!
On what basis is eternal life forbidden?!
If such thoughts turn me insane.
Then let me become a lunatic!
If such pursuit makes me demonic.
Then let me become a demon!!
Fang Yuan looked at fate Gu and sneered coldly.
He clenched his fist lightly.
Crack.
A soft sound echoed.
Fate Gu was directly crushed into pieces.
Rank nine fate Gu —
Destroyed! ]
Mo Bei looked forward to this event in this life too. He wanted Fate Gu to be destroyed and to be alive to see it. This had rekindled a fire, the hope for living, in his heart once again. He knew it was impractical for him to ever return to Earth and even if he managed to, everyone he knew might very well be dead. This thought only made him plunge deeper into despair and hence he avoided tackling it during the past 3 months. But now he felt his heart being a bit more firm like a hardened steel after being melted by fire. He now started to understand the importance of having a solid goal to survive in this world.
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Mo Bei reached the underground place. A door appeared after Mo Bei spoke out the password aloud.
It was the Rank 1 Hidden Sheet Gu. It was in the form of a thin sheet. It would generally be hidden and merge with the surrounding. Only when the specific word which was decided by the one who refined it was spoken near it, this hidden sheet would show itself and turn transparent. Mo Bei once more realised that he had not yet seen much of this world.
He found a chair and sat down and started thinking about today's event. It had left a deep impression of Fate on him.
He knew the importance of events that followed in Fang Yuan's life and his final successes which led to destroying of Rank 9 Fate Gu.
'Let's assume that Jia Fu's other brothers tried to kill Jia Jin Sheng in the novel too, but failed due to Fang Yuan killing him, then why did this not happen in the Fang Yuan's first life? There's a clear contradiction here. There is also the possibility that Jia Jin Sheng is still alive but it is very minute. Are things really going to converge as set by the Fate originally? Then what is my existence? Who exactly am I and what's my purpose here? I was not supposed to be here in the first place.'
Mo Bei had carefully taken into consideration some of the most important factors. However, Mo Bei could not come to a conclusion because he did not know that there was a single person involved which played a crucial part in everything connecting all these 3 lifetimes and being responsible for different outcome each time.
(AN : 3 lifetimes refer to Fang Yuan first life, Fang Yuan's life after rebirth and the time when this fan-fic takes place i.e. when Mo Bei transmigrated to gu world.)
