Chapter 3054 The Dangers of Avoiding Young Love

The pawn was actually perfectly willing.

Before this, Classmate Liushuang's "please take care" could have been taken as proof of Professor Fu's immense popularity at the Academy.

However, combined with her prior suicidal stunt, the moment took on a completely different flavor.

A pawn meticulously positioned to seize control of the Ji clan was not only perfectly willing to do his bidding, but even constantly sympathized with how hard her leader worked?

No wonder he had achieved such spectacular success in so short a time. Professor Fu's methods of managing his subordinates were genuinely chilling.

"It is quite clear you have an excellent relationship with Professor Fu."

Even before the spectators had time to marvel, someone else was already expressing their thoughts.

It just went to show that a Tier 2 Peak was a Tier 2 Peak, even when trapped inside a mere reflection of fate.

Without waiting for Classmate Liushuang's mother to greet him, Ji Zhaoyi actually spotted Classmate Liushuang directly and called out to her.

"What a coincidence."

Their fates had unquestionably intersected in this moment. When Classmate Liushuang turned her head at the call, the interim family head even offered a smiling remark.

'Is this the physical embodiment of the phrase "mastering one's own fate"?' Fu Qian marveled.

It was exactly as His Excellency Corvos had mentioned earlier: inside this projection of fate, the higher one's Rank, the harder they were to influence.

Even without shattering the dimensional barrier to stand alongside the spectators, His Excellency Ji Zhaoyi's fate instinctively sought to seize control of the situation.

"What a coincidence..."

In stark contrast, despite possessing a Lucent Sword Heart, Classmate Liushuang's Rank was simply far too low.

Her eyes lacked Ji Zhaoyi's vivid awareness. Faced with the interim family head's sudden greeting, she merely echoed his sentiment.

Her complexion remained relatively stable, though; it seemed this intersection of fates had not yet cast too dark a shadow over her own destiny.

"It isn't a coincidence."

But the peaceful exchange didn't last. The very next moment, Professor Fu interrupted their pleasantries to offer a differing opinion.

"You are here because I am here."

...

Ever honest, and always happy to stir the pot. Professor Fu's declaration clearly delivered quite a shock.

The shock didn't just hit Ji Zhaoyi and Classmate Liushuang; it rippled through the actual spectators as well.

He was told to "do as he pleased," but did he really have to be this brazen? Was his opening move truly going to shatter the dimensional barrier?

As everyone knew, once people began to ponder existential questions like "where do I come from," they became incredibly difficult to manage—and difficult to control was exactly the point.

How could Professor Fu not know this? Now, the pressure was back on His Excellency Corvos.

Everyone was waiting to see if he truly meant for Fu Qian to "do as he pleased," or if he was merely using this situation to test whether Professor Fu would actually act "without hesitation."

It was the most normal thing in the world for figures in the jianghu to test each other's mettle upon their first meeting.

From the look of it, His Excellency Corvos clearly possessed profound depths.

Faced with Ji Zhaoyi's rather odd expression, he made no move whatsoever to open his mouth and restore order.

"So Professor Fu arranged this meeting? That makes sense."

The delicate silence had stretched on for a few seconds before the Head of the Ji Clan ultimately became the first to speak.

After a moment's thought, he seemed to have figured something out. He gave a calm nod, radiating the bearing of a true patriarch, and asked, "Might I ask what Professor Fu is planning?"

He cut straight to the chase, showing no intention of shrinking away in the face of fate.

...

Sure enough, His Excellency Corvos's confidence was well-founded.

'Just as I thought,' Fu Qian sighed inwardly, gaining a much sharper understanding of the Night Watchers heavyweight's methods.

The Head of the Ji Clan's absolute composure was genuinely impressive. Even as a mere projection of fate, he still sought to "shatter" the dimensional barrier and seize control of the situation.

With such a formidable patriarch at the helm, it seemed perfectly logical that the Ji clan had risen to its current heights.

Or so it merely seemed.

If Ji Zhaoyi had spared even a single glance toward His Excellency Corvos while thinking things through, that might have actually been the case.

This was a Tier 1 backed by his home turf. For all of Ji Zhaoyi's seemingly flawless responses, he fundamentally remained oblivious to his actual situation.

The greater the figure, the more readily they believed they could control fate.

Unfortunately, when one was truly caught in it, self-awareness was often the first thing to vanish. Ji Zhaoyi's current state was more akin to relying on a relatively rudimentary thought process to feed himself a half-understood answer.

This entanglement of fate was far more ironclad and controllable than it appeared. Even a Tier 2 Peak could only see the audience that His Excellency Corvos wanted him to see.

This was likely the very reason the latter remained so perfectly calm.

"I took that Axe from Classmate Liushuang."

Corvos had clearly taken the upper hand in their silent exchange. However, since it had merely been a casual probe, Professor Fu—who had gleaned his own insights—wasn't the least bit displeased. Instead, he met the Head of the Ji Clan's gaze and answered the question.

...

Naturally, Fu Qian was referring to that exquisitely crafted Bronze Hand-axe—the one specifically effective against the family head of the Ji clan.

If a family head reached adulthood at eighteen and still refused to obediently produce an heir, the weapon would conveniently inflict a wound on them by some stroke of coincidence, forcefully triggering a process of reproductive budding.

All things considered, it could be called an absolute masterpiece in the field of forced reproduction.

Brought up by Fu Qian at this particular moment, the sheer amount of information it carried was massive.

After all, as an interim spokesperson and a Tier 2 Peak, it was virtually impossible for the man standing before him to be unaware of the Birthing Axe's true effects.

Professor Fu's words laid bare certain past actions, dropping a bombshell into the pool of fate.

"The title of the Ji clan's family head... the burden it carries is far heavier than one might imagine."

The effect was spectacular. Ji Zhaoyi actually seemed dazed for a split second.

Naturally, he once again demonstrated his formidable capacity for self-correction. By the time he spoke again, his emotions were perfectly stable, and his complexion remained as healthy as ever.

"Regardless of one's innate talent, and regardless of personal desires, the ancestral decrees must be obeyed. One's destined responsibilities can never be shirked."

He made no attempt to absolve himself of responsibility. Instead, he implicitly admitted that he had indeed been turning a blind eye, allowing the Birthing Axe to fulfill its function.

Furthermore, he made it sound as though his actions were entirely devoid of selfish motives, framing it as strict adherence to ancestral decrees—a burden borne with the best of intentions.

"Understandable."

Fu Qian didn't even bother questioning him.

Some things simply weren't contradictory by nature. If entire nations could function as constitutional monarchies, what was wrong with keeping a family head around as a mere mascot?

There was never any compelling reason for Ji Zhaoyi to eliminate the family head in the first place.

The absolute ideal scenario was for hopeless romantics to give birth to more hopeless romantics. With every generation preoccupied with whirlwind romances and popping out babies, the actual burden of management could be seamlessly left to the professionals.

It was just a pity about Classmate Liushuang's mother. While she certainly appeared to possess those romantic traits, she had strictly sworn off any early romances. It got to the point where the Birthing Axe grew impatient, seizing an opportunity to take effect the moment she turned eighteen.

"Actually, what I'm truly curious about is the origin of that Hand Axe."

Meeting the gaze of Ji Zhaoyi, who was still flawlessly maintaining his composure, Fu Qian delivered another shocking statement.