The Way of Restraint

Chapter 96: Doomed Beyond Redemption, Blinded by Greed

Whether it was the earlier posturing of Xu Zide, Xu Ziqiang, and Xu Ziming, or the overbearing arrogance of Xu Jiahao and Xu Jiaren, all of them now looked ashen, as though awaiting a final verdict.

Sure enough, the first person Master Luo pointed to was Xu Jiahao.

“This boy has the eyes of a snake and an untrustworthy mouth—lecherous and greedy. His ears stick out, a sign of constant trouble. I can clearly see his fate: in the future, because of women and powerful enemies, he’ll bring disaster upon your Xu family.”

At these words, Xu Jiahao went pale and nearly collapsed on the spot.

Master Luo didn’t pause for a moment. He pointed at Xu Jiahong next.

“This one is narrow-minded, ignorant, a hypocrite through and through. His face resembles a hawk or vulture—currently lying low and accumulating power. Once he rises, those closest to him will suffer. Worse, he bears the mark of betrayal—he will one day let the wolf into your house for his own gain. Be warned.”

Xu Jiahong’s expression changed drastically. Indeed, he had been maneuvering behind the scenes recently, and Master Luo had laid it bare with a single glance.

“And this one,” Master Luo turned to Xu Jiaren. “He’s cunning, a face like a deceitful ape or ghostly fox. He likes to read, but only scheming texts. A natural plotter. People like him in history were treacherous ministers—self-serving, nation-damaging men like Cai Jing or Qin Hui. Yet his talent doesn’t even come close to theirs. He’ll bring nothing but ruin to your house.”

“I…” Xu Jiaren was about to speak when Xu Qiaomu suddenly roared, “Enough! Master Luo, continue!”

Master Luo paid him no mind and turned to Xu Mingde. Xu Zide felt a chill rising in his gut just as Master Luo’s merciless words followed: “This one has a hot temper and tunnel vision. Beady-eyed, selfish. A single selfish act from him is enough to poison the entire pot. He is a ruinous presence.”

Without pause, Master Luo pointed at Xu Ziqiang and Xu Ziming: “One has the face of a shameless weasel; the other looks like a crow feeding on corpses. I can foresee this—when you’re on your deathbed, Xu Qiaomu, these two will wage war over your legacy, ensuring you die without peace. That’s all I’ll say. The rest of the family is passable—none can revive the house, but at least they won’t destroy it. I’ve pointed out your talent and your debt-collecting devils. My task is done.”

“Grandfather! You mustn’t believe this street charlatan!” Xu Jiaren suddenly burst out in tears.

“If Emperor Wu of Han hadn’t believed such people, there would’ve been no witchcraft disaster; if the First Emperor hadn’t trusted mystics, there would’ve been no Second Emperor’s downfall! This fraud must’ve been sent by enemies of the Xu family. We’ve done so much for the family. We’re managing key parts of the business. If you expel us all, the company will grind to a halt!”

Xu Qiaomu’s eyes flickered with hesitation.

Truthfully, the six Master Luo had singled out were indeed core pillars of the family business. Removing them all at once would leave a massive void—and if they rebelled, things could spiral out of control fast. If he were ten years younger, still in his prime, he could suppress the chaos. But now? He knew he was past that.

“Success or failure hinges on a single thought,” Master Luo said, standing. “Under Heaven’s will, all five skandhas are deluded. Few dare to overturn the cauldron. Xu Qiaomu, I’ve said all I came to say. Young man, shall we go?”

He was talking to Su Jie.

“Sure,” Su Jie replied, not keen to stick around the Xu family anyway. He glanced toward Xu Ying.

“Dad, I still have things to handle back home. I’ll visit again later,” Xu Ying said with a calm sharpness. She had instantly grasped what was going on. Originally, she and Su Jie had planned to spend the New Year here. Now she knew even one more day could be dangerous.

Without waiting for Xu Qiaomu’s approval, she and Su Jie hastily left the ancestral estate—Master Luo following close behind.

Their departure was like a pressure valve released. Many present let out a breath.

“Father, that damn Luo deliberately drove a wedge between us! After all the money we gave him!” Xu Ziqiang tried to comfort Xu Qiaomu—and to probe his thinking.

“Enough. You all leave.” Xu Qiaomu’s tone was cold. “Jiazhi, you stay.”

Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.

“What? You’re not listening? Planning a mutiny?” Xu Qiaomu’s voice turned icy.

Xu Ziming knew the old man was truly furious now and dared not cross him. He promptly left.

Meanwhile, in the village, Master Luo, Xu Ying, and Su Jie climbed into Luo’s private vehicle. Spacious inside, it came with a driver and was tailed by a convoy of identical vehicles filled with bodyguards and aides. Master Luo’s entourage far outclassed that of Master Ma.

“You’re a woman, yet you act decisively. Had you been tied down by family ties, staying in the Xu family would’ve dragged your son down with you,” Master Luo said to Xu Ying, nodding in approval.

“My father is completely past his prime,” Xu Ying replied. “His hesitation just now said everything. I once thought he brought me into the company to help cleanse the rot with his backing. But he doesn’t even dare make a move himself—how could I? I’m done with the Xu family. We’re through.”

In that moment, Su Jie truly saw his mother’s potential as a powerful woman.

Xu Ying had sharp instincts. In this brief clash, she had already diagnosed Xu Qiaomu’s loss of decisive leadership. The Xu family’s pillar had collapsed. What remained were scoundrels gnawing at its foundations. Without her father’s support, she knew she couldn’t reverse the tide.

“I merely pointed out the cancers,” Master Luo said. “But that also hastened the Xu family’s internal collapse. If Xu Qiaomu had the guts to cut off the rotten limbs immediately, there’d still be hope. But if he keeps hesitating, those six will grow desperate. The whole house could fall—and Xu Qiaomu might die early.”

Xu Ying frowned, deeply disturbed.

She understood—today, when Master Luo named Xu Zide, Xu Ziqiang, Xu Ziming, and their sons Xu Jiahao, Xu Jiaren, and Xu Jiahong as debt-collecting devils, he had shattered something unspoken within the Xu family. There was no going back.

“Master Luo, do you think Jiazhi, whom my father favors, can help turn things around?” Xu Ying asked.

“He has potential,” Luo replied. “Calm and steady by nature. But his foundations are still shallow. He can’t hold the family up—though a miracle is always possible.”

“Let’s go. Your son Su Jie is a dragon among men. There’s no reason for him to be trapped in the Xu family’s swamp. The world is wide—let him soar.”

Su Jie was slightly embarrassed by the praise.

In truth, he didn’t think much of himself. Sure, he was always top of the class and decent at martial arts, but he hadn’t solved much at home, and his sister was still stuck in a pit of wolves.

“Su Jie, follow Master Luo and Master Ma’s guidance. I’m heading back,” Xu Ying said. She knew Luo and Ma were extraordinary figures. If they were willing to teach Su Jie, it was an immense stroke of fortune.

Several hours later, they arrived in G City. Xu Ying boarded a flight to S City, while Master Luo flew with Su Jie to B City.

B City—northern powerhouse, true national hub—stood shoulder to shoulder with S City in global influence.

All the country’s top universities were concentrated in B City.

After landing, they were picked up and driven to an old courtyard residence. Su Jie stepped inside and felt an immediate calm. The design was simple, the atmosphere serene. He didn’t understand feng shui, but could sense the deep harmony—the place resonated with heaven, earth, and humanity.

This was architectural art.

“The ‘I Ching’ teaches us to observe all under heaven—to use mountains and rivers to cultivate our temperament, and reach unity with the cosmos,” Master Luo explained. “Look at mountains: learn nobility. Look at the vast earth: gain a heart that bears all. When your spirit merges with the world, there’s no distinction. That mental state even surpasses what some call the ‘living dead.’”

“But Master Ma says that surpassing the living dead’s mindset means attaining the Diamond Sutra’s teaching—no self, no others, no sentient beings, no lifespan,” Su Jie mused in the courtyard. “It’s the insight into impermanence and the undying essence. But Confucianism teaches unity with heaven and man. I don’t know which is higher.”

“That’s for the wise to debate,” Master Luo said. “Unity with heaven and man is the root of our civilization—it sees man and universe as one. Zen Buddhism teaches that all is empty—even heaven and earth. It’s an eternal philosophical puzzle. You’ll have to explore it yourself. Ma Fengnian and I often discuss this question.”

Su Jie fell into thought.

Philosophy, truly, was deep—far deeper than any science. It was the key to how we think.

“Su Jie, you’re not even eighteen, yet already this accomplished. That’s one reason I chose you—but not the main one,” Master Luo said. “What matters most is your integrity: your actions match your beliefs, your spirit is righteous. You’re still green, yes, but as long as you stay true, you’ll achieve greatness. In today’s terms—your worldview, values, and outlook are all on point. I’ve seen many talented youths, but they were arrogant, extreme, or emotionally cold. You, though—you’re just right.”