He seemed to have forgotten that someone once promised him a life of luxury and indulgence!
Ethan Gu lounged with his hands behind his head, one leg crossed and swinging idly. Watching Maxwell Jing’s indignant expression, a playful glint appeared in his eyes—part amusement, part mischief. Suddenly, he realized that teasing Maxwell Jing was, in fact, rather entertaining!
This discovery doomed Maxwell Jing to a future filled with endless disasters!
Maxwell Jing gradually grew serious, flipping through the pages faster and faster, completely unaware of when his stomach had stopped hurting.
Ethan Gu wasn’t surprised by Maxwell Jing’s speed at reading. Previously, Kieran Kong had shown obvious appreciation for Maxwell Jing—anyone who caught Kieran’s eye was certainly no ordinary person!
Seeing Maxwell Jing begin to focus, Ethan naturally couldn’t just sit idle. He picked up a thick medical tome and began reading. Fortunately, he genuinely enjoyed studying medicine, so fulfilling Galen Gu’s requirements didn’t feel too painful after all.
The two sat side by side, quietly absorbed in their books, with only the sound of turning pages breaking the silence.
"Sanctuary Heir..."
A voice broke the quiet, and both Ethan Gu and Maxwell Jing looked up at the same time.
Luna Gu spoke respectfully, "The Sanctuary Master wishes to see Maxwell Jing!" Although Luna was more serious than Grace Gu, she still had a certain fondness for Maxwell Jing, so her manner wasn’t entirely distant.
At Luna Gu’s words, Ethan Gu couldn’t help but frown. Maxwell Jing stood up, brushing bits of grass from his clothes, ready to leave with Luna.
Ethan Gu reached out and grabbed his hand, rising to his feet as well. "I’ll go with you!" he said, his brow still furrowed, clearly worried.
Maxwell Jing glanced at him, about to refuse. He’d promised to stay and keep him company, but he didn’t want to become a burden!
But Ethan Gu didn’t give him the chance to speak. In a low voice, he declared, "I am the Sanctuary Heir!" His status was clear—his word was law.
Maxwell Jing didn’t argue further, though a hint of resolve flashed in his lowered eyes. Since he’d chosen to stay, he would survive here by his own abilities.
He’d managed before, and he could do it again!
Luna Gu seemed about to say something, but remembering how much Galen Gu doted on Ethan Gu, she held her tongue. With the Sanctuary Heir by his side, even if Maxwell Jing made a mistake, the Sanctuary Master wouldn’t punish him too harshly, would he?
She wondered if Galen Gu was upset that Maxwell Jing hadn’t joined the training.
In fact, Galen Gu was indeed dissatisfied about this.
Ethan Gu was his pride and his hope. So while he was strict with him, he tried to fulfill his wishes whenever possible. But this time, Ethan Gu’s suggestion was clearly inappropriate!
These children had been secretly sought out with great effort and resources. According to Kieran Kong, Maxwell Jing was the standout among them. If, because of Ethan Gu’s whim, training was delayed and such talent wasted, it would be a terrible shame!
He had always moved with caution, planning every step to gradually push Ethan Gu toward that position—the one he himself could never reach. He wouldn’t allow even the slightest mistake, for it could mean ultimate failure.
Seeing Ethan Gu and Maxwell Jing arrive together, Galen Gu felt reassured. It seemed Ethan truly liked this child!
Ethan Gu greeted Galen Gu formally, but his face showed no joy a son might show a father, nor any warmth between parent and child. He seemed distant, but Galen Gu was satisfied, finding nothing amiss.
Galen Gu didn’t beat around the bush. "Ethan, you have good judgment, but acting this way will only make him unworthy to stand at your side!" he said bluntly.
That power, though it protected him, couldn’t be assumed to be friend rather than foe. If it truly belonged to an enemy, it would be difficult to deal with—after all, there were few things the Ghost Guild couldn’t uncover!
And to go to such lengths to protect him, there must be something they wanted in return!
Ye Shuyang snorted coldly, his tone sharp. "If the Ghost King has business with me, why involve my daughter?" Damien Gray had found his weakness—Ye Yun’er was his greatest concern. His previous resentment toward the Ghost Guild stemmed mostly from Ethan Gu’s indifference to Ye Yun’er. Now that Damien Gray had had Ye Yun’er brought in as well, his displeasure only grew, along with his worry.
Ye Yun’er quickly grabbed his arm, afraid his agitation would anger the Ghost King and bring trouble. He was her only family—she couldn’t bear to see him get hurt. In truth, even if Damien Gray hadn’t forced her to come, she would have wanted to visit the Ghost Guild herself: partly out of concern for Ye Shuyang, and partly because she couldn’t help wanting to see Ethan Gu.
Damien Gray gently stroked Morgan Shangguan’s hand, completely ignoring Ye Shuyang’s displeasure—Ye Shuyang’s feelings were of no concern to him. Morgan squeezed his hand, signaling him to speak quickly; she still wanted to go back and be with their child.
Ye Yun’er watched their small gestures, feeling a bit envious. The Ghost King and his consort were still so deeply in love; whenever they stood together, they seemed to create an atmosphere of warmth and intimacy. It made her blush and her heart race, yet she couldn’t help but smile, warmed by their affection.
Sadly, the one she loved did not love her back. Every time she thought of Ethan Gu, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow—if only she’d met him sooner!
Damien Gray glanced at Morgan Shangguan and asked, "What is the relationship between Master Ye and Lady Wan?"
His question was blunt. Ye Shuyang’s face darkened, alert and guarded. "I don’t know what the Ghost King means!" he replied.
Ye Yun’er frowned. She knew Lady Wan was the Ghost King’s mother, and that the Ghost King was Damien Gray himself. She’d always suspected a connection between her father and the Ghost King—could it be because of Lady Wan?
Damien Gray had no intention of revealing his identity, nor was he angered by Ye Shuyang’s lack of cooperation. He simply smiled and said, "If Master Ye wishes for more sons-in-law, then by all means, refuse to cooperate."
Morgan Shangguan couldn’t help but laugh. "Ghost King, isn’t that a bit cruel to a young lady? Besides, for a beauty like Miss Ye, it would be a real pity if she were wronged!"