C4 The Wind and Clouds Changed

Lady Wu bowed deeply to Wu Duan, and all the bitterness in his heart dissipated in an instant.

"Lady, what are you doing?" Wu Duan chided as he lifted her to her feet. "If you still consider us husband and wife, then let's face this together!"

"I..."

Lady Wu was at a loss for words. She had never truly regarded the man before her, whom she deemed ineffectual, as her husband. Yet, in the face of calamity, when she thought of the last person she could entrust her future to, he steadfastly treated her as his wife.

"Since our fate seems sealed, I will stay by your side," Wu Duan stated calmly, his voice resonating with resolve.

"My husband! Why do this? Is it truly worth it?" Lady Wu couldn't contain her tears any longer. For over a decade, she had rarely shown emotion, but his words deeply moved her.

"Didn't you say we should stand by each other? Choosing you has been my greatest blessing. I have never had a single regret, not even now," Wu Duan declared with unwavering certainty, shattering Lady Wu's heart.

"But what about Shanbao..."

"I don't want to leave Shanbao either! But if I flee with him, won't they come after us? Where could we possibly hide in the Nine Heavens?"

"..."

"It's only by presenting ourselves that we can deceive them and save Shanbao's life!"

"Are you suggesting..."

"Yes! We'll trade our lives for a chance at Shanbao's survival!"

"I owe you more than I can ever repay in this life. In the next, I'll serve you to make amends..."

"I don't want you to serve me. I only wish for us to be husband and wife again in our next life. Having you by my side is all the fulfillment I need," Wu Duan professed, gazing at Lady Wu with deep affection.

"As long as you don't scorn me, I promise to be a true wife to you in our next life," Lady Wu responded with equal passion.

Could the man she had always longed for treat her as Wu Duan did? Lady Wu didn't know. All she felt now was remorse for not taking the time to understand the man before her over the past twelve years, for barely giving him a second glance. Yet, in their darkest hour, he offered her the utmost solace. His protection might have been fragile, but it was the entirety of his being.

Our connection was once profound, yet it became too fleeting, leading to years squandered in vain.

"We should make some preparations," Wu Duan proposed. He was experiencing such profound emotions for the first time in his life. While he relished the moment, he knew that preparation was paramount.

"...I've depleted too much of my mana and can't seal it again. How can we conceal this from their eyes..." Madam Wu struggled to find a way to help Shanbao avoid this calamity, her previously relaxed brows knitting together once more.

"I know of a place."

"Which place?"

"The Wu Manor!"

"That won't do. Even though the most dangerous place can be the safest, it's far too risky. Moreover, given their typical methods, they would surely raze the Wu Manor to the ground, sparing no one!"

"Have you ever noticed the marvels of the Wu residence?"

"Marvels?"

"Our ancestor was a master of the Yin and Yang. The Wu residence holds a secret. Why not take a closer look?"

Intrigued, Madam Wu stepped out of the room and leaped onto the roof.

Surveying the Wu residence from above, she silently shook her head in disappointment. However, as she scanned the horizon, her expression shifted to one of shock.

The residence's layout defied the traditional belief that 'the mountain dragon should have direction, and the giant gate should face water.' Contrary to this, the Wu residence concealed its water behind the northern mountain. Furthermore, the residence's Kan and Xun doors, along with the alignment of its windows and doors, harmoniously followed the generative principles of the I Ching. The Wu residence could justly be considered a premier estate.

Madam Wu's gaze then fell upon the forty Taoist temples encircling the Wu residence. Their arrangement was meticulous: one underfoot, three to the left, seven to the right, with the second and fourth as shoulders, and the sixth and eighth as feet.

Madam Wu finally realized why Wu Duan annually donated to these seemingly insignificant Taoist temples.

These forty temples formed a more intricate Mystical Heaven pattern. The Mystical Qi generated by this pattern flowed endlessly into the Wu residence. With this Mystical Qi, the residence's original design was naturally transformed.

To capture the Mystical Qi for the Palace and to create a Living Pattern for the Origin was the ultimate aspiration of many estates, a state rarely seen even in the Sixth Heaven. Yet, the Wu residence achieved this with impeccable precision. With the influx of Mystical Qi, the Wu residence became an embodiment of the inverted Yin and Yang.

"What an impressive undertaking! I never realized that such a profound secret was hidden here, despite my long stay." Madam Wu remarked, filled with wonder.

"What have you discovered, Madam?"

"My husband, were you aware of this as well? I blame myself for not seeing it sooner..."

"Madam, you give me too much credit. This 'Inverted Mystical Gate' is a legacy of our ancestors, handed down through the generations and meticulously maintained. I may know its name, but its intricacies elude me."

"Husband, with this formation, Shanbao should be able to avoid this disaster. However..."

"However, what?"

"I still suggest that you and Shanbao should leave together..."

"That would be unwise. Even if we could hide temporarily, we can't hide forever. In doing so, we might even endanger Shanbao! Moreover, I have resolved to share your fate, whether in life or death. Let us confront this together, and it's also high time I met your family." Having resolved to face death with courage, Wu Duan felt the weight lift from his shoulders as he playfully spoke of Shanbao's potential refuge.

"So be it! Let them come!" Madam Wu chuckled. "I'll activate the formation now, and tonight I'll move Shanbao into it. Oh, the poor boy has endured so much!"

Madam Wu's heart ached as she thought of ten-year-old Shanbao soon having to face the world on his own.

She tampered with the formation to make the hidden waters vanish and constructed a space at the lake's bottom. When the time was right, she would place Shanbao in this underwater sanctuary, where he would remain unconscious for seven days. Once the magic dissipated, Shanbao would emerge naturally.

Wu Duan was not idle either. He distributed gold and silver to his relatives, claiming they were setting off on a long journey and advising them to take the money and forge new paths for themselves.

A few expressed their gratitude and bid Wu Duan farewell that very night. The majority, however, chose to remain in the estate.

Wu Duan felt helpless; the safety of Shanbao was at stake, and he couldn't divulge even the slightest hint of their plans. He could envision the fate of those who stayed behind and lamented inwardly, "I never imagined that my lifelong benevolence would ultimately bring harm to these people! Between my family and the greater good, I chose my family, driven by my own selfish desires..."

Wu Duan set aside his worries and went to check if Madam Wu had finished her tasks. With his decision made, he felt that nothing else mattered anymore—not cultivation, not power. The most important thing was to cherish the remaining time with his family.

Upon reaching Madam Wu's room, he found she had just completed her work and stepped inside.

"How's it going?" Wu Duan inquired.

"Just one last step!"

"Do you need my help with anything?"

"There's no need! I fear that if our plan is discovered, I intend to leave the treasured fan by the lake. So..."

"Madam, that's a stroke of genius! If they stumble upon our plan, they'll assume we're concealing the treasured fan, ensuring Shanbao's safety. And if they don't, the fan will naturally end up with Shanbao. Simply brilliant!" Wu Duan exclaimed, then suddenly, a concern crossed his mind, and he asked with a furrowed brow, "But won't the treasured fan raise suspicions if Shanbao has it?"

"I've considered that, but by the time they come across Shanbao, several years will have passed. They're more likely to believe it's something Shanbao found by chance. My hope is that the treasured fan will keep Shanbao safe for his entire life..."