Reverend Insanity

Chapter Three: Go Play Elsewhere

Bang, bang-bang, bang, bang-bang.

The patrolling night watchman beat his wooden clappers rhythmically.

The sound penetrated the high stilt house, and Fang Yuan opened his dry eyes, thinking to himself, "It's the fifth watch."

Last night, he had lain in bed, pondering for a long time and making numerous plans. In total, he had slept for just over an hour.

This body had not yet begun cultivation, and its energy was not abundant. Thus, waves of fatigue still engulfed his mind and body.

However, over five hundred years of experience had forged Fang Yuan's steely determination. This little drowsiness was nothing.

Immediately, he threw off the thin silk quilt and got up swiftly.

Opening the window, he found the spring rain had stopped.

The fresh, moist air, mingling with the scent of soil, trees, and wildflowers, greeted him, instantly clearing his head and dispelling the remnants of sleep.

The sun had yet to rise, and the sky was a deep blue, both dark and bright.

Looking out, the stilt houses made of green bamboo and wood stood against the backdrop of the mountains, casting a serene and verdant scene.

The stilt houses were at least two stories high, a unique structure for mountain dwellers. Due to the uneven terrain, the ground floor consisted of large wooden posts, while the living quarters were on the second floor.

Fang Yuan and his younger brother Fang Zheng lived on the second floor.

"Young Master Fang Yuan, you're awake. I'll come up and assist you with your morning routine." At that moment, a girl's voice came from below.

Fang Yuan looked down and saw his maidservant, Shen Cui.

Her appearance was average, but she dressed well, wearing a green blouse and long pants, with embroidered shoes on her feet and a pearl hairpin in her black hair. She exuded youthful vitality.

She glanced at Fang Yuan with delight, carrying a basin of water as she quickly ascended the stairs.

The water was warm, prepared for washing his face. For rinsing, she used willow twigs dipped in snow salt, which could clean his teeth and whiten them.

Shen Cui served him gently, with a smile on her face and a look of affection in her eyes. She helped Fang Yuan dress, occasionally brushing his arm or back with her ample bosom.

Fang Yuan's face remained expressionless, his heart as calm as still water.

This maidservant was not only his aunt and uncle's spy but also vain and callous. In his previous life, he had been deceived by her. After the Awakening Ceremony, when his status plummeted, she turned against him, often giving him disdainful looks.

When Fang Zheng arrived, he saw Shen Cui smoothing the folds on Fang Yuan's chest, a flash of envy and jealousy in his eyes.

Having lived with his brother for years and under Fang Yuan's care, he also had a servant, but it was not a young maid like Shen Cui, but an old, fat woman.

"If only one day Shen Cui could serve me like this, what would it feel like?" Fang Zheng thought, with a mix of longing and fear.

His aunt and uncle favored Fang Yuan, a well-known fact in the household.

He originally had no servant and it was Fang Yuan who had requested one for him.

Though there was a master-servant hierarchy, Fang Zheng dared not look down on Shen Cui. Her mother, Shen Mama, was the housekeeper trusted by his aunt, wielding considerable power.

"Enough, you need not tidy anymore." Fang Yuan impatiently pushed away Shen Cui's soft hands. His clothes were already neat, and Shen Cui was more interested in seducing him.

For her, Fang Yuan's future seemed bright, with a high chance of having A-grade talent. Becoming his concubine could elevate her from servant to mistress, a step to heaven.

In his previous life, Fang Yuan had been deceived and even fell for this maid. Reborn, he saw through everything with a heart as cold as frost.

"You may leave." Fang Yuan said without looking at Shen Cui, adjusting his sleeve.

Shen Cui pouted slightly, feeling both puzzled and wronged by Fang Yuan's indifference. She wanted to say something coquettish but was deterred by Fang Yuan's subtle aura. After a few attempts, she finally said, "Yes," and obediently retreated.

"Are you ready?" Fang Yuan looked at Fang Zheng.

His brother stood at the door, staring at his toes, and murmured softly.

In fact, he had woken up at the fourth watch, too nervous to sleep, secretly getting up early to prepare. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

Fang Yuan nodded. He hadn't known his brother's thoughts in his previous life, but now he understood them completely.

But revealing it now was pointless. He instructed calmly, "Let's go."

The brothers left their residence and encountered many peers along the way, all heading in the same direction.

"Look, it's the Fang brothers," someone whispered.

"The one walking in front is Fang Yuan, the poet," another emphasized.

"So, that's him. With that indifferent look, he certainly lives up to his reputation," someone remarked sourly, with a mix of jealousy and envy.

"Hmph, if you could be like him, you'd be just as proud!" someone retorted, hiding their dissatisfaction.

Fang Zheng listened with a blank expression, long accustomed to such discussions.

He walked with his head down, silently following his brother.

The dawn was breaking, casting Fang Yuan's shadow on his face.

As the sun rose, Fang Zheng suddenly felt he was walking into darkness.

This darkness emanated from his brother. Perhaps, for his entire life, he would never escape his brother's overwhelming shadow.

He felt a heavy pressure in his chest, even struggling to breathe, and the sensation made him think of the word "suffocation."

"Hmph, such discussions are indeed the consequence of standing out," Fang Yuan thought coldly.

No wonder, after his C-grade talent was revealed, he faced hostility from all sides, enduring scorn and neglect for a long time.

He heard Fang Zheng's increasingly labored breathing behind him.

In his previous life, he hadn't noticed. Now, with five hundred years of experience, he perceived everything.

He suddenly thought of his aunt and uncle. They were quite scheming, assigning Shen Cui to monitor him closely and an old servant to his brother. There were also other subtle differences in their treatment.

All intentional, to stir discontent in his brother's heart and disrupt their sibling bond.

People do not fear scarcity, but inequality.

In his previous life, he was too inexperienced, and his brother too naive, falling into their trap.

Since his rebirth, with the Awakening Ceremony approaching, the situation seemed entrenched, but with Fang Yuan's methods and wisdom, it was not beyond redemption.

His brother could be subdued, Shen Cui easily brought into the harem, and his aunt and uncle, the clan leader, and the elders had hundreds of strategies to deal with them.

"But I have no desire to do so..." Fang Yuan sighed inwardly.

Even if he was his own brother, without familial affection, he was merely an outsider, dispensable.

Even if Shen Cui was beautiful, without love and loyalty, she was just a shell. Taking her into the harem? She wasn't worthy.

Even if his aunt and uncle, the clan leader, and the elders were all passersby in his life, why waste effort and energy on them?

As long as they didn't hinder his path, they could play their own games. He wouldn't even deign to step on them.