Chapter 26 The Real Reason for Being Unable to Cultivate!

After escorting Liu Qingqing back to the other courtyard, Gu Changge was just about to turn and head to his own Back Mountain residence.

But he discovered an old man with white hair standing behind him, his right eye socket marred by a frightful scar, who was silently watching him.

"How have you come back..." Realizing who it was, he too bowed with his hands clasped in a salute.

This elder was none other than his grandfather after crossing over to this world, Gu Kuang, yet he had hardly met the man, totaling no more than five encounters over eighteen years, including that accidental meeting a few years back.

Towards this kin of his, he actually felt little warmth, even less familiar than the Family Head Gu Zhan.

Gu Kuang did not speak but looked with some distaste towards the direction of the Heavenly Cold Sect's other courtyard before directly leaving.

"Eh..." Gu Changge stood there somewhat awkwardly.

After walking a distance, Gu Kuang noticed that Gu Changge was not following him and turned his head back with a frown, gesturing for him to follow.

Only then did Gu Changge come to his senses and quietly followed behind him.

Soon, the two of them arrived at the Inner Mansion courtyard where Gu Changge had lived as a child, which originally belonged to his parents.

Everything in the courtyard was just as he remembered from back then.

Although he had transmigrated to this world, his memories prior to the age of two were practically nonexistent, seemingly because his Divine Sense was not fully developed at the time.

As for the courtyard, in truth, he only had memories from the age of three.

Gu Kuang stepped into the courtyard, stopping under a peach tree, seemingly lost in thought.

Looking at the elder's silhouette, Gu Changge inexplicably felt a wave of melancholy.

His own kin, the Family Head, was just like Gu Zhan—a Great Power at the Eighth Grade Heavenly Gate Realm and even younger than Family Head Gu Zhan by a few years. Yet looking at Family Head Gu Zhan now, he seemed like a man in his middle years, without a single white hair to be found.

He had heard from a third uncle... that after his parents had passed away, Gu Kuang had left the Gu Family, seeking vengeance for his son, but when he returned half a year later, his hair had already turned white.

"Take a seat."

After a while, Gu Kuang sighed and moved to sit in the pavilion in the courtyard, then beckoned Gu Changge to join him.

Grandfather and grandson, for the first time in eighteen years, sat together.

Gu Changge was at a loss for words and could only start the conversation by asking, "These past years... have you been well while outside?"

"..."

Gu Kuang did not respond, his eyes growing dimmer.

Without avenging his son, he couldn't find peace.

"Have you blamed me for anything over the years?"

Looking into Gu Changge's eyes, he asked with a hint of helplessness in his voice.

"Of course not..."

"These past years, the Gu Family has treated me fairly. They've never skimped on my expenses, and the elders in the family have taken good care of me."

"As for moving to live in the Back Mountain, it was a request from Changge himself. The Family Head also said that this courtyard will always be mine."

Gu Changge shook his head; he had no complaints about his past years. Previously, he couldn't cultivate, but he was never treated poorly or targeted within the Gu Family—that was already more than enough for him.

Even just over half a month ago, when he believed Liu Qingqing had come to call off their engagement, the entire Gu Family was indignant on his behalf, prepared to fall out with both the Heavenly Cold Sect and the Liu Family.

"I've heard that the Prince from the Northern Domain Royal Family wishes you dead."

Gu Kuang nodded slightly and with a simple gesture, set up an Array to block sound and prying, then asked with a somewhat chilling tone.

"It's highly likely, but there's no substantial evidence," Gu Changge replied with a nod.

"I understand."

"He's destined not to return to the Heavenly Cold Sect."

Gu Kuang gave a cold snort as he spoke.

This caught Gu Changge somewhat off guard.

But before he could actively pose a question.

Gu Kuang then began to explain, "The Northern Domain Royal Family has long been looking to annex Qingzhou, and this presents an opportunity."

"The Prince... is nothing more than a worthless scapegoat."

"Even if the Gu Family does not intervene, he would still die in Qingzhou, and all of it would become an excuse to target the Gu Family."

Hearing this explanation, Gu Changge furrowed his brows.

He had never contemplated such deep issues himself.

When he first met Wang Yu, he had merely noticed Wang Yu's interest in Liu Qingqing, and assumed that Wang Yu's intention to act against him was mostly for this reason.

But he had not considered the deeper layers—that all these actions were sanctioned by the Northern Domain Imperial Family, with Wang Yu being nothing more than a worthless scapegoat!

Compared to annexing Qingzhou and subduing the Gu Family, what was one Prince worth?

As his thoughts became clear, he knew that what Gu Kuang had said was likely the truth!

Even that Wang Yu himself might not see through to this layer; those involved are often confused while the observers see clearly, and he, as well as himself, were both among those involved.

Without someone to point it out, he would never have thought of these things.

"So what you are saying is, not only should Wang Yu not be touched, but our Gu Family should also ensure his safe departure from Qingzhou and his return to the Heavenly Cold Sect?"

Gu Changge asked after pondering for a long while, his brow still furrowed in thought.

"You coward..." Gu Kuang, upon hearing this, immediately slammed the table and was about to scold him, but then forcibly held back his words, owing far too much to his grandson already.

"The Imperial Family wields great power, but the Gu Family is no pushover."

"Find an opportunity to reveal a flaw and lure Wang Yu out of the range detectable by those two from the Heavenly Cold Sect in the Heavenly Gate Realm."

"I will personally make him disappear without a trace. If the Northern Domain Royal Family really wants to make an issue of it, the Gu Family will be able to cope."

As Gu Kuang spoke, his eyelids twitched slightly, and the scar on his right eye appeared even more terrifying!

"Understood."

"Changge will find an opportunity to let him leave the Gu Family."

Gu Changge bowed in agreement, formally accepting the task as if it were a family mission.

But this only made Gu Kuang feel more melancholic.

The distance between grandfather and grandson, most of it was his own doing, after all, he had deliberately avoided meeting with his grandson over the years.

"Additionally..."

"There is something I need to tell you."

"That man from the Liu Family was severely injured back then, and the child in his womb was beyond saving."

"Ultimately, it was your father who decided to use the Bloodline Origin of you, who had yet to be born, to revive the child and bring it to life."

"So..."

"The cultivation Talent of that girl from the Liu Family should rightfully have been yours."

"This is something the girl from the Liu Family may not know herself, and should the day come when she betrays you, you can reveal this matter."

"The debt she owes you from the Liu Family is truly irredeemable."

Gu Kuang hesitated for a long time but ultimately decided to reveal the past secret to him.

What had happened in those years, he had vehemently opposed, even intending to forcibly keep his son within the Gu Family, but Gu Zhan had delayed him, allowing the couple to leave, which resulted in Gu Changge being left with a completely ruined Root Bone.

This was a great pain in his heart.

Since then, he could never see eye to eye with Gu Zhan, the Family Head, and no longer wished to stay in the Gu Family, but he also understood that his son must have proactively sought the Family Head's help in stopping him, and he could not place the blame on Gu Zhan.

"..."

Gu Changge opened his mouth, shocked by the news.

He had always thought it was due to his own issues, but he had never imagined that the truth would be so astonishing.

His own parents had sacrificed their child's Root Bone for the unborn child of a sworn sibling...