After the slap, Shen Boyu pulled over a clean towel to wipe his hands and looked at Shen Xinglan to ask, "Those two slaps... are you willing to accept them?"
"I am willing," Shen Xinglan knelt on the ground, his spine still perfectly straight.
He could have used Yin Yang Qi to defend against the injury or used his cultivation technique to erase the marks, but he did not do that.
He understood that Second Grandpa’s slaps were not to punish him but to awaken him.
If it were really about punishment, there was no need for Second Grandpa to take action—just like with Shen Qingping, sending someone directly to Ghost Mountain...
That would be a true punishment!
"Do you know what you are doing?" Shen Boyu pulled up a chair to sit in front of Shen Xinglan and asked aloud.
"I know," Shen Xinglan lifted his head to meet Shen Boyu’s gaze, his face earnest.
"Why would you do that?" Shen Boyu continued, "You’re not an indecisive person, able to take action at the critical moment... That’s also why the family values you; someone who is tender-hearted, soft-handed, and thin-skinned cannot lead the household. What is it? Have you really developed a brotherly bond with him?"
Shen Xinglan did not respond.
"Do you know that Fen Kuai was a person concealed within your Great Grandpa’s sleeve?"
"I know," Shen Xinglan nodded in acknowledgment.
Great Grandpa, as the Imperial Military Minister, had countless people hidden under his command.
That was also why the Shen Family strove to stay low-key but was still endorsed as the Empire’s foremost noble family.
There was no other reason; Shen Wuxiang held the military power of the Empire.
As long as Shen Wuxiang did not step down from the position of Imperial Military Minister, no one would dare to disrespect or underestimate the Shen Family.
The Royal Family was no exception.
Even the typically benign and kind-faced Shen Boyu showed a hint of anger as he exclaimed, "He’s been hiding that for so many years, never revealing it easily. Even for the most important tasks, he was reluctant to let him handle them... all to sever the connection between the Shen Family and him."
"This time for your sake, he utilized Fen Kuai. If the mission had been successful, that would be it. That boy died, and you returned safely. Even if someone suspected him, there wouldn’t be any evidence. Who could force the Shen Family to admit guilt?"
"Yet here you are, helping an outsider kill him. That was a Grandmaster... Do you know how difficult it is to train a Grandmaster? And you just butchered him like that?"
"An arrow on the bow must be released," Shen Xinglan spoke.
Shen Boyu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked Shen Xinglan, "What do you mean?"
"When I left, Second Grandpa told me to keep in contact with our family at all times. As soon as I stepped out of Burial Land and saw Fen Kuai, I knew he was sent by Great Grandpa... Only the Royal Family and Shen Family could afford to dispatch a Grandmaster to ambush in the Old Land..."
"You knew he was one of ours, why then did you help that boy kill him? You could have just gone easy, and that boy would have died, wouldn’t he?"
"Because he saved my life," Shen Xinglan said. "In Burial Land, he saved me. So even if I had to kill him, it had to be after I repaid his kindness."
"Sooner or later he had to die, what debt of gratitude is there to repay? An unnecessary move."
"That’s different," Shen Xinglan said firmly and seriously. "I owe him, and if I let him get killed in front of me, I would feel regret and something missing in my heart."
"In cultivation, the most crucial aspect is one’s intent. A restless heart leads to an obstructed intent. It could hinder my progress and lead me into delusions..."
"That’s why I had to help him, and Fen Kuai could not be spared."
"You..." Shen Boyu was about to scold him but stopped, thinking it through and realizing that Shen Xinglan’s words were not without reason.
He was too proud, proud to the point of not allowing himself to be indebted to anyone.
He disdained the actions of those who backstab others sneakily...
If he did that, it would become a burden on his shoulders, a shackle on his heart.
It could indeed spoil his cultivation.
With a deep sigh, Shen Boyu said, "Originally, we had already discussed this, to take this opportunity to get rid of that boy... Missing this chance, it might be difficult to deal with him later."
Shen Xinglan looked up at Shen Boyu and said, "When the time is right, I will act."
Shen Boyu shook his head and said, "That boy is as slippery as an eel, where will your chance come from? And from my understanding, even if you could kill him, he would likely leave you destroyed..."
"Since he arrived at New Star, has he ever been taken advantage of in any matter? Even those from the palace have been thoroughly dealt with by him..."
"Perhaps in the way of Martial Arts, he is not your equal. But when it comes to cunning, tactical acumen, and survivability, Xing Lan, you’re far behind him."
"If you allow him to continue growing without restraint, it will become increasingly difficult to get rid of him."
"I can kill him if I resolve to," Shen Xinglan said confidently. "I will succeed if I try."
Shen Boyu stared at Shen Xinglan’s expression for a moment, then nodded and said, "Well then, what’s done is done, and there’s no use in talking further. You should take this time to recuperate. For now, you need not visit White Crane Academy."
"Is Second Grandpa concerned about something?" Shen Xinglan asked.
"Others may not understand this matter, but how could Xuanyuan Mingjing not see through it? At his level of attainment, he’s akin to a deity... What could possibly escape his notice?"