Chapter Eighty-Two: Hatred Lies Hidden!

In the deep and secluded reaches of the Southern Sea, emerald cliffs rise in jagged splendor, touching the domain of the waters.

Amid the ocean stands a suspended isle called Loka Mountain.

In the time of the Blue Star, Loka Mountain had once been a sacred Buddhist site. After large numbers of humans migrated to the New Star, they sought a broad stretch of sea in a place of exquisite scenery, erected bodhisattva statues, built grand temples, chanted from the sutras, and once again kindled the incense of worship.

The more advanced technology became, the more impoverished the human spirit grew, and the more the guidance of gods was needed.

At any time, faith never truly disappears.

No one knew whether it was out of nostalgia for the old world or simply because the people handling the matter were too lazy to change it, but this scenic holy land still retained the name Loka.

Human beings had always sought novelty and change, and yet, after all their changes, they eventually found themselves back where they began.

Loka Mountain lay in the southern sea not far from Phoenix City. In order to provide worshippers with a way to offer prayers and incense, a long steel bridge had been built across the water between the mountain and the mainland. In addition, a sea tram ran freely back and forth.

The long train moved over the sea, like a white dragon roaming the waves, magnificent and breathtaking.

Many young students and lovers came specifically to ride the sea tram, take photos, and post them on social media.

The Shen family’s residence was on Loka Mountain, hidden among the bamboo sea.

It was said that the former head of the Shen family, Shen Xiuzhu, loved both the sea and bamboo, and so he sold the vast mansion the family had once owned in the center of Phoenix City and moved the whole household to the somewhat remote Loka Mountain.

There, he could gaze at the sea and cultivate bamboo each day, living in rare ease and delight.

After Shen Qingping was expelled from school, the Shen family received the news at once and immediately sent a flying car to bring him back.

Shen Qingping knelt at the entrance to the bamboo sea and had yet to be allowed inside the Shen family gates.

No one had come to look at him, and not even a cup of water had been given to him.

And yet Shen Qingping did not dare relax for even a moment.

His face was pale, his expression resolute. Though his strength was already exhausted, he still forced himself to keep his body upright and straight.

Within the bamboo sea stood a cluster of antique-style Hui architecture.

In one old, secluded little courtyard, the current head of the family, Shen Boyu, was smoking a water pipe.

It was a rather ancient object. It was said to have disappeared from Blue Star for many years, but unexpectedly it had regained favor among certain nobles of the New Star.

Fashion was a circle, just as young people on the New Star especially loved hoodies and jeans from before the great disaster on Blue Star.

Bubble, bubble.

Shen Boyu puffed on the water pipe with a bubbling sound and looked at the middle-aged man before him. “Anyuan, you should head back. You have so many businesses under you to manage. Can you really keep this up? You must not delay the important matters.”

Shen Anyuan wore a gray Zhongshan suit and stood respectfully before Shen Boyu, smiling ingratiatingly. “Second Uncle, the boy has been kneeling at the entrance for hours. How about letting him come back and apologize to you?”

“Let him explain himself too, and tell us exactly why he did something so foolish. After he finishes speaking, whether you beat him or scold him, I won’t stop you.”

“Come back? Come back where?” Shen Boyu pulled the water pipe from his mouth and asked, looking at Shen Anyuan.

Thud.

Shen Anyuan dropped to his knees at once and pleaded, “Second Uncle, I know Qingping made a mistake and brought shame upon our Shen family. But no matter what, he is still flesh and blood of our house. The blood in him is the Shen family’s blood. I beg you, for the sake of all the hard work I have done for the family, give Qingping one more chance.”

“Get up.” Shen Boyu glanced at Shen Anyuan and said in a deep voice, “If I give him a chance, who will give our Shen family a chance?”

“Second Uncle, I swear this will be the last time. I’ll make him take an oath. If he makes another mistake, he will be cast out of the Shen family at once.”

“It seems you still do not know why I am angry.” Shen Boyu sighed softly. “It is not a big deal for young people to make mistakes. Who did not make mistakes when they were young? I did, and so did you. What angers me is that he is too stupid. Our Shen family does not need such a fool.”

“He was used by others.”

“Doesn’t that prove he is unbearably foolish? With the power and standing of our Shen family, if he did not want to do something, who could force him? Wasn’t it simply that someone fanned the flames and he rushed forward? What use is such a fool? I am embarrassed on behalf of the Shen ancestors.”

“Second Uncle already knows why this happened?”

“Something like this is easy enough to guess. Is there any need to ask him in person?” Shen Boyu said irritably. “Who else could have lured him? He spends all day trailing after our Second Prince. Aside from him, who else could it be?”

“But why would the Second Prince do this?”

“It is not that the Second Prince wanted to do it. It is that he knew our Shen family wanted to do it, so he tempted Shen Qingping into doing it.”

“What good does that do him? It won’t do him any favors either.”

“But it does even less for our Shen family. That is why he was willing to do it. Once this matter is exposed, how will Prince Xue view our Shen family? And what will she think of Xinglan?”

“Besides, the princess has just suffered such a terrible calamity in the old world, and Zhong Daolong is already brandishing his butcher’s knife, searching the world for the killer. Yet Shen Qingping voluntarily jumped out and offered his own head. If he wants to die, fine, but how can he drag everyone in the Shen family down to die with him?”

“…”

After hearing this explanation, Shen Anyuan also felt that the matter was far more complicated, and far more serious, than he had imagined.

Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he said in alarm, “Will the ruler suspect that our Shen family is connected to the old-world case because of this?”

“If you were the ruler, what would you think?”

“Whether there is a connection or not, if there is even a link, then they’ll probably lay down a beating first and ask questions later.”

“Look at that. You can think of it yourself, and yet you raised such a stupid son.”

Shen Anyuan lay prostrate on the ground and cried out miserably, “I beg Second Uncle to give us father and son one more chance. I am willing to go apologize to Her Highness the Princess. No matter what you ask us to do, our father and son are willing.”

“Apologize? No need to go. The princess is an intelligent woman. I believe she will come looking for us very soon.” Shen Boyu waved a hand. “If you rush over now to apologize, how is the princess supposed to vent her anger?”

“Second Uncle, then what should we do?”

“Cut ties with your foolish son.” Shen Boyu said.

“…”

Clack.

Shen Boyu tossed a token onto the ground. “I know you can’t bear it. I also don’t want people outside saying that Shen Boyu is cold-blooded and heartless.”

“Have him take this token to the Undying Army and find Wang Hai. He should volunteer to guard Ghost Mountain. As long as he can hold Ghost Mountain for three years, and still be alive after three years, then when he comes back, he will still be one of our Shen family’s own.”

“Ghost Mountain…”

“What? You don’t want to?” Shen Boyu fixed Shen Anyuan with a dark stare. “Without rules, there can be no order. If he is unwilling, then he should never again set foot in this Shen family estate.”

“I do. I do.” Shen Anyuan knocked his head repeatedly to the ground. “Thank you, Second Uncle. Thank you for giving Qingping this chance…”

Shen Boyu waved him off. “Go.”

“Thank you, Second Uncle.”

Shen Anyuan kowtowed once more, picked up the wooden token from the ground, and hurried outside.

After Shen Anyuan had gone far away, an elderly man with a goat beard and a Tang-style jacket emerged.

“Second Master, is that all there is to it?” the goat-bearded old man asked as he personally poured tea into Shen Boyu’s cup.

“Shen Anyuan was not wrong about one thing. After all, the blood in him is Shen blood.” Shen Boyu set the water pipe on the table, picked up the teacup, and took a sip to moisten his throat. “Still, as for Ghost Mountain, anyone who can crawl back out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood is a true hero. My Shen family is willing to accept descendants like that.”

Those who can climb out are all heroes.

Those who cannot, become nothing more than a pile of dry bones.

That is why it is called Ghost Mountain.

“Yes, Ghost Mountain is no easy place to deal with,” the goat-bearded old man said. “I hope that child Qingping can have that blessing.”

Shen Boyu looked at him. “Old Chang, you are one of the elders of our Shen family. Why are you being so careful?”

“I am only worried that Anyuan would lose face. His own child has caused such a dreadful affair, and here he is kneeling and kowtowing while I stand nearby. He may not say anything, but he will certainly feel uneasy.”

“At my age, there is nothing much left to worry about. We should leave the children a way out. After all, they will still have to make their living in the Shen family in the future.”

“He would dare?” Shen Boyu snorted. “Whoever dares show disrespect to Old Chang, or mistreat the children of the Chang family, I will be the first to cripple them.”

“Second Master, everyone gets old eventually.” The goat-bearded elder laughed.

He knew this was the family head’s way of taking a stance, telling him to speak boldly and work without fear.

But even the head of the Shen family would one day step down, and one day grow old.

Shen Boyu no longer lingered on that subject. Instead, he asked, “Old Chang, what do you think Shang Xiulin means? If a child of the Shen family has made a mistake, then it is only right to punish him. We all accept that. But to trample the Shen family’s face into the ground—that goes a little too far, does it not?”

“Shang Xiulin…” The goat-bearded old man looked up at the clear blue sky and sighed. “There is hatred hidden in his heart.”

“Hatred for our Shen family?” Shen Boyu’s lips curved into a cold smile. “After all these years, he has hidden it quite well. What, now he no longer wants to pretend?”

“Perhaps he can no longer hide it. Or perhaps he feels he has the backing to stand firm now.” The goat-bearded old man said, “It is also possible that something has stirred him. In any case, it is not good news for the Shen family.”

“Yes. A levee of a thousand miles can collapse because of an ant hole. What’s more, Shang Xiulin is no ant—he is a strong elephant.” Shen Boyu said, “If he dares to charge forward and strike the first blow, then others will jump out to strike the second and third. Even if our Shen family is built of copper walls and iron ramparts, it cannot withstand that kind of battering.”

“Does Second Master mean…”

“We have to strike back.” Shen Boyu’s eyes turned fierce, and he once again lifted the water pipe and drew from it with bubbling breaths. “Hit back with even greater force.”

“I understand.” The goat-bearded old man nodded. “Rest assured, Second Master. I will handle it properly.”

“Mm. When Old Chang does things, I can rest easy.” Shen Boyu said with a smile.

Sorry, I was delayed today because something came up.

End of chapter.