Raising children is like planting trees: if a tree grows crooked, you can prune it and straighten it out with an axe.
But if a son is raised crooked, then he’s truly crooked, and there’s really no way to fix it.
As Shen Xiuyan pondered the situation, he began to empathize with Shen Shouxing, the powerful elder, "Do you want... to have another divination performed?"
Shen Shouxing nodded, "I would appreciate it, Brother Xiuyan."
"Then if..." Shen Xiuyan cautiously suggested, "the divination remains unchanged?"
Shen Shouxing furrowed his brows, "Then I would ask Brother Xiuyan to help inquire if there’s a way to ’reverse fate and change the life chart’..."
"Reverse fate, change the life chart..." Shen Xiuyan muttered once, suddenly a bit lost in thought, then nodded, "Alright, I’ll ask for you..."
"Thank you!" Shen Shouxing cupped his hands.
After their conversation finished, they had nothing else to say.
Shen Shouxing finished his tea, then intended to get up and leave, but after taking a few steps, he found that Shen Xiuyan was still sitting in the chair, motionless.
Shen Shouxing found it strange, furrowed his brows, and said, "Brother Xiuyan?"
Shen Xiuyan sat there dazed, his expression somewhat confused, as if he hadn’t heard anything, completely oblivious to his surroundings.
"You..."
Shen Shouxing furrowed his brows even more tightly.
At that moment, a low voice echoed, "No need for another divination."
"What?" Shen Shouxing paused.
Shen Xiuyan slowly raised his head, his eyes dim, tinged with gray, "I have divined for you... in this life, you will only have this one son."
When Shen Shouxing met Shen Xiuyan’s gaze, he, too, momentarily lost focus, his eyes became obscure, and he murmured softly:
"In this life, I will only have this one son."
Shen Xiuyan spoke in a low and unusual tone: "If this son dies, you will have no descendants."
"If this son dies, I will have no descendants," Shen Shouxing repeated exactly the same.
Those words, like seeds, took root and sprouted in his heart...
"In this life, I will only have this one son."
"If this son dies, I will have no descendants..."
"No descendants..."
Shen Shouxing’s eyes dimmed for a moment, then gradually brightened again, regaining their luster. He turned to look at Shen Xiuyan.
Shen Xiuyan was also somewhat shocked, then stood up and said, cupping his hands, "It’s getting late, I must return to the sect."
"Then I won’t keep you any longer, Brother Xiuyan," Shen Shouxing replied.
"Farewell."
"Take care."
Their conversation over, they parted ways as if nothing had happened.
Shen Xiuyan boarded the carriage, the sound of hooves clattering and wheels rolling, as he left Solitary Mountain City, heading to the Little Spirit Sect.
The mountain scenery on both sides swept past one after another.
Seated within the carriage, Shen Xiuyan was lost in thought for a moment, then suddenly furrowed his brows.
"Did I just... say something to Shen Shouxing?"
"Seems like... I didn’t say much? Just had a simple cup of tea?"
"That’s right, I didn’t have much to say to him."
"I can’t quite remember..."
Shen Xiuyan shook his head, "Perhaps I’m too tired, or maybe I’ve been dreaming too much, feeling mentally weary..."
He still occasionally dreamt during this period.
Dreaming of that dark, rundown temple outside of Li State City.
But this time it wasn’t a nightmare, he no longer used a knife on his own throat.
It was just an ordinary dream, and everything in the dream wasn’t so terrifying, dark, or bloody.
The figure of Little Mo Hua roasting sweet potatoes in the dream was becoming more vivid and clear.
Shen Xiuyan gently exhaled.
He sat calmly on the carriage, heading towards the Little Spirit Sect.
But at this moment, he still hadn’t realized, in his dreams, Mo Hua’s figure was becoming clearer, while the silhouette of the Taoist in the shadows was also becoming more distinct...