Preface
This is a cleaned up version of the automatic translation of the novel. It
starts more than an hundred chapters in, because the marvelous Rynn (and
now the also marvelous Suika) translated the beginning of the novel here.
That translation is infinitely better than any automatic translation could be,
even cleaned up, so go read the beginning there instead!
Similarly, the extras already fully translated are not in this version, but
there are links to the translations instead.
Please support the author by buying the original novel:
http://www.jjwxc.net/onebook.php?novelid=3192481. English guide on how
to buy on jjwc: here.
This cleaned up version is also reliant on many places on the previous
attempt to clean up the MTL made by no-signs-no-lights, which can be found
in this GoogleDoc folder.
I also owe many thanks to Haoppopotamus for answering my questions
about how to understand the original text. She clarified many parts and I
would have struggled way more without her help. She gave me blanket
permission to use her snippet translations from Tumblr.
The incredible Nida511 also needs to be credited for her attentive reading
and numerous suggestions.
I’ve not even attempted to put the relevant trigger warnings on each
chapter, but if you have read the first third of the book already, you have a
good idea of what this novel is like. Incomplete list of warnings for the rest:
gore, corpses doing disturbing things (including corpse orgy), rape (both
hinted and graphic), gang-rape, mentions of underage sex, torture (both
hinted and graphic, and some are… creative, let’s say), mutilation, substance
abuse, forced substance abuse, mind-control, gaslighting, corporal
punishments, mental and emotional abuse (it’s a recurring theme for many
characters), hunger and starvation, child abuse, death (including major
characters), cannibalism, murders, genocide. Also the angst level is still
steadily rising.
You can contact me on my main Tumblr or my 2HA side-blog Tumblr.
Merelhyn
The Husky and his White Cat
Shizun
The chapters 1-151 have been translated by the marvelous Rynn and Suika.
They can be found here:
website;
GoogleDoc folder.
There is a more-or-less cleaned-up MTL version of chapters 1-151, (and
all the extras 312-350) which can be found in my GoogleDoc folder, under
the title “old chapters”, in epub and pdf. Since human translations exist, I’m
not working on them any longer.
Book I, Different routes, is chapters 1-97.
Book II: Return together
Chapters 98-151 have already been translated by Rynn and Suika.
152. Shizun, look! Mei Hanxue!
The Lady Boss just released the door latch and yawned as she lazily
stretched, preparing to start a business. Her eyes were sleepy. Suddenly, she
saw the bright morning light.
A tall and handsome man was standing in front of her shop. He clearly had
an air of grandeur and a posture that was as straight as a pine tree. He should
have been accompanied by a sword and a knife.
However, this handsome man was smiling. The dimples on his cheeks were
light, and his eyelashes were thick and gentle.
In his arms was a bamboo basket. Inside the basket were neither spirit
stone materials nor magic scrolls, but a basket of fresh and tender fruits and
vegetables. The apple was red, the radish was white and fat, and the lettuce
was verdant and lush. The dew on them glistening. Against his handsome
face.
His handsome face.
The Lady Boss’s yawn was frozen in place. She stared blankly at the sight
of the iron-blooded and the gentle side in front of her. She blinked for a long
time, unable to recover from her shock.
“Lady Boss?”
“Ai ai ai, what do you want?”
“That’s it.” Mo Ran picked up a pair of light red crystal pendants and
asked, “How much?”
“Young Master has good eyesight, these pendants are made from top-grade
Dragon Blood Crystals, carved by the craftsmen of Kunlun Sword League.
Although the materials are not expensive, the pendant itself is very special,
Young Master definitely knows about Dragon Blood Crystals, it will turn red
with the temperature of the wearer…”
At this point, the Lady Boss laughed. “Since the cultivator has taken a
liking to a pair, he probably wants to be each of his companions, right? I
wonder which nun is so blessed to be able to climb up to you. If you buy the
pendant, you definitely won’t lose anything. When you go back, each of you
will put it on.”
Originally, Mo Ran wanted to buy a pendant, but he thought that the
Dragon Blood Crystal was the best way to nurture a cold body.
But hearing the Lady Boss’s words, his heart was moved. He thought of
Chu Wanning who had a captivating look on his face. The pendant was bright
red from his Shizun’s excessive body temperature, like a bead of blood on a
knife.
He coughed lightly and said, “Let’s wrap it up for me.”
In order to prevent Chu Wanning from feeling strange, Mo Ran bought
gifts for Xue Meng, Xue Zhengyong and Madam Wang. When he returned to
the inn, he put down all the random things on the table and took out the small
paper bag with the Dragon Blood Crystal wrapped in them. There, the water
droplet shaped pendant on his head had already turned crimson due to his
high temperature.
After doing all this, he straightened his clothes to ensure that the pendant
did not show up. Then, he picked up the remaining one and wrapped it again.
He touched his chest and felt that his heart was beating fast. He had
experienced all sorts of ridiculous things in his previous life, but now he was
flustered because of a little hidden secret under his clothes. He could not help
but feel surprised.
“For me?”
During the meal, Xue Meng took out the tasseled short sword (dagger) that
had been gifted from Mo Ran, revealing an expression as if he had seen a
ghost.
“Why did you give me this? It can’t be that you want to apologize to me for
yesterday’s matter, right?”
Speaking of last night’s incident, because he did not know Chu Wanning
was awake, Mo Ran was quite calm and did not show any signs of emotion.
Chu Wanning, on the other hand, could not take it anymore. He picked up
the teacup and drank a few mouthfuls of cold tea in an attempt to calm
himself down.
Mo Ran smiled at Xue Meng, “What are you thinking? You obviously
provoked me first. This is something that I thought was pretty, so I bought it
for you to wear and play with.”
He paused before continuing, “It’s rare to be able to come out together
with you. At least I have to buy some things. I bought them for Shizun and
Aunt too. They’re all small things and aren’t worth much.”
“We have one too?” Madam Wang appeared very surprised.
“Auntie’s is a saffron box, Uncle’s is a folding fan pendant.” As he spoke,
he handed over the Dragon Blood Crystal to Chu Wanning, “And this one is
for Shizun.”
“… What is it?”
“A pendant. The Dragon Blood Crystal can dispel the cold. Linyi produces
this kind of stone and I bought it for Shizun to warm his body.”
Chu Wanning took it. This stone was not expensive, but it was very easy to
use. He said, “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me, Shizun, why don’t you put it on for me to see?”
Chu Wanning glanced at Mo Ran, but he did not see the intimate look in
Mo Ran’s eyes. It was only natural that he wore it around his neck. The light
red crystal was shining. As Xue Meng looked at it, he could not help but say,
“It’s nice to look at. This one is good. It’s better than my sword. Where did
you buy it? I want to get one too.”
Mo Ran said, “No, there’s only one. I can’t buy it even if I wanted to.”
Xue Meng was greatly disappointed. He picked up his tasseled sword and
looked at it, then turned his head to look at the Dragon Blood Crystal around
Chu Wanning’s neck and mumbled, “… I don’t believe it, in any case, Linyi
has a lot of these things. When we arrive at the Rufeng Sect, I will go and ask
Nangong Si. He will definitely have a lot more of them, piled up like a
mountain…”
Mo Ran ignored him and looked at Chu Wanning. After Chu Wanning put
on the pendant, he did not hide it into but left it hanging on his lapel. After a
while, he could not hold it in and said, “Shizun, this pendant is not for the
outside.”
“Hmm?”
“It should be in you.” As he spoke, he leaned over to help Chu Wanning
put the pendant in. He got too close to him and his breath burned his ear. He
pushed Mo Ran away.
Chu Wanning lowered his eyes, his expression was solemn and cold, but
this time, Mo Ran looked more carefully. He saw a layer of red from the
haitang blossoms around Chu Wanning’s ears, both pitiful and adorable,
making people want to kiss it, sucking and licking those trembling petals.
Mo Ran was surprised. He was thinking, why would Chu Wanning blush?
He didn’t seem to be doing anything excessive. If it was helping him with
the pendant, then it was nothing…
He thought about it carefully and recalled what he had just said.
“It should be in you.”
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment and his face suddenly turned red. If it
wasn’t for the fact that his skin was darker than Chu Wanning’s, it would have
looked even more red than his skin.
He swore that when he said those words just now, he really didn’t want a
double entendre…
He suddenly felt astonished, thinking that he did not think wrongly. How
could a righteous person like Chu Wanning think wrongly?
Mo Ran pondered over this, but he was unable to come up with an answer
no matter how much he thought about it. Even when Chu Wanning stuffed
the pendant into his clothes without saying a word, his face was
expressionless and his ears were bare. He could not figure out what was going
on.
Last night, there was a three-finger-wide wooden board wall, causing
Taxian-Jun to miss out on too many wonderful scenes. He missed out on
spring sunshine, green impurities, and even missed out on Chu Wanning, who
had fallen into a quagmire of love and flesh. He did not know anything about
what had happened in the bed, so of course he did not understand. At this
moment, Chu Wanning was still immersed in yesterday’s quagmire, throbbing
with love, ashamed for love, sensitive for love.
Because of that dream, because of the wet and hot words in the dream,
because of that tiny thought that he did not want anyone to find out, he had
uncharacteristically misread that simple sentence.
Chu Wanning raised his head and looked at him, feeling the heat in his
heart. The evil fire from yesterday had yet to completely subside, he stretched
out his hand.
The beam of the teapot was caught by Mo Ran.
“Drink less. This tea is too cold, it hurts the stomach.”
“…” Chu Wanning was silent. He looked at him, his hand still
outstretched, indicating that he just wanted some cold tea.
“I’ll get you a hot one.”
“There’s no need…”
However, Mo Ran had already gone to find the shopkeeper. After a while,
he brought out a pot of boiling hot tea and poured a cup for Chu Wanning,
“Shizun, please drink this.”
“That’s right. Yuheng, drink some hot tea. It’s not cold at all. It’s really
helpful.”
Chu Wanning had no other choice but to accept the cup of tea. He blew on
it but didn’t drink it. Instead, he placed it by his side.
His heart was already burning.
If the heat continued, he was afraid that the last layer of ice in his eyes
would melt as well. When the endless spring water overflowed and he raised
his eyes to look, he would no longer be able to hide his shameful thoughts.
Then where else could he put the face of the Immortal Elder Yuheng?
When they were about to leave the store, a group of people came in.
The leader was wearing a light blue straw cloak that covered his face,
making him look very low key, so he was not noticed by the crowd. However,
when he entered the inn and saw Xue Zhengyong, he took the initiative to
walk over and bowed to him.
“Hello, Uncle Xue.”
“You are…”
That person took off his cape and hat. Xue Meng saw him and let out an
“ah.” He took a big step back. Xue Zhengyong laughed. “Aiya, isn’t that
Hanxue?”
Mei Hanxue raised his head. He was born with a fair skin and a high nose,
distinct eyebrows and profound eyes. He was quite handsome, clearly
different from the rest. This person’s skin was extremely good. Even though
the room was dark, he still emitted a faint glow. Perhaps it was because he
had grown up in the ice-cold snow of Mount Kunlun since childhood, but his
face was drenched in a frosty aura.
All in all, based on his temperament, no one would believe that he was that
renowned seed of romance, Mei Hanxue.
“There’s something going on at the palace. This humble one only came to
Linyi today. I didn’t expect to meet Uncle Xue here.” Mei Hanxue was too
cold. Although he politely smiled, his eyes were clear and cold. “This nephew
will pay his respects to aunt and uncle.”
“Very, very good, alas, if only Meng’er had been as polite as you.”
However, when Xue Meng heard this, he was not happy. He kept shooting
poison arrows at Mei Hanxue with his eyes, each one more vicious than the
last.
He thought to himself, This grandson, Mei Hanxue! One in front of the
other! He was clearly a cold rogue that didn’t care about eating both men and
women. Back then, at Peach Blossom Springs, he had reached out his hand to
touch his waist, but now, standing in front of his elders, he acted like a
prideful monk, this guy was really good at acting!
However, Mei Hanxue didn’t even look at his young playmate. He only
lowered his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes, even his lips didn’t move
slightly. He said in an extremely orderly manner, “Uncle must be joking.
Young Master Xue is the pride of the heavens.”
“That’s right, father. This fellow was defeated by me…”
“Meng’er…” Madam Wang was rather embarrassed as she reached out her
hand to pull Xue Meng. Only then did the irritable Phoenix finally mutter
nothing, but his nostrils still burned.
Mei Hanxue asked, “Uncle, are you leaving for the Rufeng Sect?”
“It’s about time. It doesn’t matter if we go earlier or later. Nangong Liu
doesn’t lack a room. Didn’t he say that every month before and after the
wedding, a whole city was vacated for the guests to settle in?” Xue
Zhengyong laughed, “Let’s go over and take a look first, so that the juniors
can interact more with each other.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Xue Meng, implying that he wanted to find a
wife for Xue Meng.
Xue Meng, “…”
“Won’t Hanxue go directly to the Rufeng Sect?”
“Shizun has asked me to buy a lot of Spirit Stones so I will stay in Dai City
for a few more days. I will go the day before the wedding.”
Xue Meng muttered in a low voice, “You clearly feared that it would be
over soon. Those righteous members of the famous sects and schools that you
failed to meet, chased you and beat you up into a dog.”
Mo Ran’s ears pricked up as he laughed, “Mengmeng, what did you say?
What dog?”
“…”
Xue Meng harrumphed and crossed his arms. “It’s nothing. I’m still
meditating.”
“Pfft, I’m afraid you’re reciting the plum blossom cultivation method.”
“Keep talking nonsense!”
When Mei Hanxue heard his words, he finally glanced at them. Xue
Meng’s eyes met his, and he suddenly froze —
He felt that something was wrong. This Mei Hanxue was very strange. The
last time he saw him at the Peach Blossom Springs, the grandson’s eyes were
filled with flowers. Those eyes seemed to be laughing when he was angry.
However, the eyes of the person in front of him, not to mention seeing,
there were no ripples at all. His entire being was cool, neat, restrained, and
even when he was smiling, his eyes seemed to be filled with anger.
Xue Meng blinked and paused for a moment. He thought of the battle in
the Heavenly Rift. Mei Hanxue and the Taxue Palace disciples had come to
help. In front of the crowd, everyone was acting all serious. He couldn’t help
but be furious. How could this guy act so well? Why was he acting like this?
This was truly the heart of a beast with a human’s face! A scoundrel with a
gentle face!
“Hey, Meng’er, where are you going?”
“The room is too stuffy! I’ll wait outside for you guys, and come out after
we’re done talking!” As Xue Meng said this, he strode to the door, lifted up
the curtain, and angrily walked out. The son of heaven really felt wronged.
He was puzzled. The room was filled with the smell of human scum. How
could no one else see it?
How infuriating!
153. Shizun’s most hated sect leader
Infuriating or not, he still had to hurry on his way.
After bidding farewell to Mei Hanxue, they ascended from Dai City and
walked for over an hour before finally arriving at the world’s greatest sect —
the Rufeng sect of Linyi.
It could be seen from the name that according to Linyi, the Rufeng Sect
had built 72 Ethereal Immortals’ Residence in the city. Because the mansion
was too big, from the front door to the back door, riding a horse would
require a whole meal’s worth of time, so these residences were simply called
“cities”. Even someone like Xue Meng, who hated the cultivation world to his
bones, couldn’t help but be shocked when he stood at the city gate.
Heaven decorated the Rufeng Sect gate.
These words were true.
They came to the main city, which was also the largest city in the entire
Rufeng Sect. The white wall, Deva, from the top to the bottom, from the four
corners of the tower, towering in the sky, from all four directions with stars
and stones in the north, south, west, and red painted on it. The main city gate
was extended by five feet of road, a long road without an end in sight, paved
with top-grade Qi Refining Stones.
Xue Zhengyong sighed, “It’s good to have money…”
Madam Wang laughed. “You want to lay down a path of refinement at the
Sisheng Peak even with money?”
“No, I will make a plaza of qi-refining stones in every village in the lower
cultivation world. This stone is full of spirit energy, and normal ghosts would
not dare to approach it. If we can make one in every village and if the
villagers encounter some demons, our disciples couldn’t get there in time to
clear them away, the villagers would at least have a place to hide out for a
while.” Xue Zhengyong mumbled to himself as he counted with his fingers.
He shook his head and said, “Unfortunately, I can’t afford it.”
Hearing this, Xue Meng sighed as well. “The Sisheng Peak, alas, is a bit
poor.”
“Yeah.” Xue Zhengyong nodded his head like he was pounding garlic, “We
all cultivate our path, I wonder where the Rufeng Sect got so much money
from.”
At this point, Chu Wanning, who had been silent all this time, spoke,
“Does Lord knows how much is an ordinary disciple of the Rufeng Sect
asking for to get rid of demons?”
“I’ve never asked around. How much?”
Chu Wanning extended four fingers.
“Four hundred silver?” Xue Zhengyong’s eyes widened. “That much?”
“Four thousand gold,” Chu Wanning replied.
“…”
“There are a lot of wealthy people in the Upper Cultivation World. It’s easy
for the Rufeng Sect to earn money, but with the Sect Leader’s 80 silver
method of earning money, how can we catch up to them? Moreover,
sometimes Sect Leader doesn’t even take a single cent.” Chu Wanning said,
but his eyes were gentle, “Let’s go into the city.”
Large sects tended to treat people with respect. Recently, the Si Li
Division of the Rufeng Sect had been waiting at the city gate. Although they
were all smiling at everyone, they were very clear on the importance of the
guests.
A small wandering cultivator would accompany them on a tour around the
area before bringing them to their residence. As for the smaller sects, they
would bring them to see the head Protector Elder, which would then receive
them.
As for the top of the top ten sects, the Rufeng Sect did not put on any airs
and directly invited them to the Warm Pavilion to rest. After the Rufeng
Sect’s leader, Nangong Liu, was done with his work, he would come to the
Warm Pavilion to meet the distinguished guests.
The pavilion burned with the fragrance of ambergris, and the soft
carpecould almost cover half of one’s feet. Inside the pavilion were alluring
camellias, eight of which were of the same color, the Eight Immortals
Crossing the Sea, and the White Petals Dotted with a rosy red. It was made of
red makeup, and the stem of the petals were stained with red silk.
Xue Meng also did not understand. Seeing that one of the tea leaves was so
lovely with a pair of black spots on it, he felt it to be fun and reached out his
hand to touch it.
Chu Wanning said, “Don’t move.”
“Why?”
Chu Wanning didn’t say anything and just shook his head. Madam Wang
sighed and said, “Such a precious item would sell for more than ten thousand
taels of gold.”
“…” With an ashen face, Xue Meng retracted his hand and then slumped
into the cushions of his teacher’s chair.
He thought back to the ranking list he had seen in the bookstall before.
Back then, he was still angry because he wasn’t among the top 100 young
elites of the cultivation world, but now, he felt that that book was sincerely
deceiving him.
On his forehead, there was actually a huge character that was covered in
black air.
Poor.
But then again, he didn’t know where the book had gone. He hadn’t even
finished flipping through it before he’d lost it…
After a while, the curtains made of red coral and freshwater pearls began
to creak, and two dainty ladies, dressed in snow-white gowns, arrived, lifted
the curtains, dropped their eyes and bent their knees, their voices like the
warbler’s.
“The Sect Leader Immortal has arrived.”
With that, a man in his forties walked in with a smile. His appearance was
ordinary and somewhat bookish, like someone who would drown if thrown
into a crowd of people. Other than his fair skin, there didn’t seem to be
anything else to say.
However, the moment he opened his mouth, Mo Ran that was sitting there
almost spat the tea out.
“Aiya, Sect Leader Xue, Sect Leader Xue, I was anticipating at the stars,
anticipating at the moon, hoping that you can come to Rufeng Sect soon.
Look, this time, you are extremely handsome and imposing, a hero of the
world, who can compare to you! Great, great, great! Great! Great! Alright!”
Xue Meng, “…”
Mo Ran: “…”
The dignified head of the number one sect in the world, against the last
ranked dead leader of the top ten sects, he was actually sparing no effort and
giving praises without restraint. Each of the three “good” words was more
generous than the last.
Xue Zhengyong, of course, enjoyed the praise he gave to him. He smiled
and said, “No, not at all. Sect Leader Nangong is being too polite.”
“There’s no need to be polite. Merely a sincere admiration for Sect Leader
Xue. He is a hero of his generation, majestic, awe-inspiring, capable of
making others submit to him.”
Nangong Liu’s words were filled with enthusiasm. Xue Zhengyong
originally wanted to hold it in, but the tail of the peacock couldn’t hold it in
and started to move on: “I don’t dare, I don’t deserve it. Haha, hahahaha, Sect
Leader Nangong is too modest.”
In his previous life, Mo Ran had never interacted with Nangong Liu
before. When he was slaughtering his way through the Wind Gate, this person
quickly ran away. Mo Ran could not be bothered with this random fish and
did not care if he died by his saber, spear, and stick, or escaped to hide his
identity for the rest of his life.
This was the first time in his life that he had such close contact with
Nangong Liu. However, when he saw his tone, Mo Ran disliked it. He
lowered his voice and said, “So the sect leader of the world’s strongest faction
has a mouth.”
Xue Meng heard him and unexpectedly agreed with him. He said in a low
voice, “That’s right, the moment he opened his mouth, he truly has a sharp
tongue. I can’t smell even the fragrance of flowers in the room. Tsk tsk,
what’s left is only the sweet taste of Nangong Liu’s mouth.”
After Nangong Liu finished praising the old, he came to praise the young.
“Aiyo, isn’t this the pride of the heavens, Young Master Xue?”
Poor Young Master Xue Meng was quite poor.
He cupped his hands in an indifferent manner: “Sect Leader Nangong.”
“Truly a young and handsome hero! Powerful! Look at this nose, these
eyes, tsk tsk, spirit! As expected of a tiger father doesn’t have a dog son!”
Xue Meng, “…”
Nangong Liu turned around and said to Xue Zhengyong, “Brother Xue, I
am truly envious of you. Look, across the entire world, which Young Master
has half an inch of air for a son? Speaking of me, in such a vast cultivation
world with so many outstanding youths, if your son is ranked second, then no
one can be considered as number one!”
Xue Meng was originally carrying the basket and loathed him, but
Nangong Liu acted as if he didn’t see the distance between the two of them.
He threw a basket full of warm praises at Xue Meng, causing the perfectly
fine Young Master Xue to faint.
When he once again whispered to Mo Ran, he said, “Cough, this Sect
Leader Nangong, although he is exaggerating a bit, he is speaking the truth.”
“What truth?” Mo Ran found this funny. He squinted his eyes and said,
“what if I say you’re number two, no one would dare claim to be number
one?”
“What’s wrong, I won the Spiritual Mountain Competition…”
“That was a competition, and many rogue cultivators did not participate.
Do you think that the heroes of the realm can truly compete in that small
competition?”
“…” Xue Meng’s face flushed red. After a while, he muttered indignantly,
“Forget it, I know you’re envious of me.”
If it was when he was young, Mo Ran would definitely mock him again.
But now that the words were about to come out of his mouth, he felt that with
Xue Meng’s competitive and narcissistic temperament, what was there to
argue about. Thus, he nodded and laughed, “Okay okay okay okay, I envy
you, you’re the strongest.”
However, when he looked at Nangong Liu again, the smile in Mo Ran’s
eyes disappeared.
In this world, there were many types of villains. Some people were
unscrupulous, and their sins could reach the heavens. The entire world wished
to kill them because they wanted to kill them as soon as possible.
However, there were some people who were extremely powerful. With
their sharp tongues, they were able to flatter others. They were clearly rotten
to the bone, yet they were not despised by the crowd.
In his previous life, Mo Ran was the first person to do this, but he hated
people who went against him the most, not the kind people in this world. He
did not hate Mei Hanxue, nor Xue Meng.
What he hated the most was people like Nangong Liu. As long as there was
anything he could use, they would kneel on the ground and lick other people’s
hemorrhoids.
Shit, sucking carbuncle licking hemorrhoids.
Ever since Nangong Liu came in, Chu Wanning had been standing by the
window, watching the magnificent scene outside.
The wind was blowing strongly from high up, causing the fragrant curtain
covering the window to become hazy. Chu Wanning stood in the mist,
Nangong Liu’s face was filled with warmth for a moment before he quickly
tidied himself up and walked towards the window.
“Chu-zongshi…”
Chu Wanning did not look at him. With an indifferent expression, he said,
“Sect Leader Nangong, you and I have long known each other.”
The muslin that was as soft as spring water blew against his face under the
influence of the east wind, causing Chu Wanning to become impatient. He
raised his hand to block that annoying thing and said, “No need for
pleasantries.”
Nangong Liu smiled and said, “I have no other intentions for being a mere
person. I’ve not seen Zongshi for so many years, that’s all. Zongshi, why do
you keep people at arm’s length?”
“I have come for Nangong Si.” Chu Wanning still did not turn around,
“Not for you.”
“No matter what, I will be very happy to see you. Although you didn’t take
him in as your disciple, you have shown him great kindness. After you left, he
would often tell me that he missed you.”
“…”
Seeing that Chu Wanning finally did not retort, Nangong Liu continued to
speak, “Zongshi, when Butterfly Town was in the Primordial Heavenly Rift,
you suddenly stepped forward, causing the world to sigh in admiration. Later
on, you were saved by master Huaizui and you returned to Yuan Yang.
Rufeng Sect has specially prepared twenty top-grade Soul Nurturing Pills for
you to help immortal scholars of the world to express their goodwill towards
Zongshi. I hope that Zongshi can accept them —”
“Nangong Liu.”
Chu Wanning finally looked back at him, but the way he addressed him
had changed. He withdrew his arm from the muslin and suddenly turned
around, his slender figure seeming to merge with the sunlight.
His eyes were like fiery lightning, his brows were furrowed in cold frost,
and his gaze was extremely sinister.
“Don’t put me on such a high pedestal that cannot be climbed down from.
How can a mere Rufeng Sect like that thank me on behalf of all the immortal
warriors in the world? Who gave you face?”
“…” The corner of Nangong Liu’s mouth twitched, but his charming smile
did not fall. After a long while, he said, “Why do you think that……”
When Chu Wanning was fifteen years old, Nangong Liu acknowledged him
as a guest. He ate well, drank well, and lived well as a god, but a few years
later, Chu Wanning suddenly fell out with Nangong Liu in front of everyone.
The two of them were talking about Jincheng Lake, Godly Martial Arts, the
requests of the monsters at the bottom of the lake, the morals and the long
illness of the Rufeng sect madam. The bystanders were all completely
confused by what they heard.
However, everyone knew that in the end, Chu Wanning was unable to
contain his rage and stood up in anger.
At that time, he was paid ten thousand gold coins and received over a
thousand spiritual stones and talismans every month. He stood in front of the
hall and took out the Qiankun bag at his waist, returning all the remaining
money. Then, with a dark face and no words, he took down the jade crown
that Nangong Liu had previously given to his guest, the top-grade Shizun Jade
Crown. His long hair was scattered about, and he returned the jade crown to
the Gift Officer of the Rufeng Sect.
This was a part of the story that many teachers of the lower cultivation
world loved to talk about.
So, he said to Chu-zongshi, ‘Since Immortal Elder Chu has worked in our
sect for so long, even if you have to leave now, we still have to settle the
score. The Rufeng Sect does not want to have any words that would take
advantage of usual.’
However, Chu-zongshi replied, “Back in the day, I only served the Hall to
repay Madam for a single meal. Now that Madam has passed away, I have no
intention of staying. There’s no need for money, I’m ashamed of my salary.”
With that, he closed his eyes and turned around, bidding his farewells to the
Rufeng Sect.
At first, Xue Zhengyong thought that the storyteller was exaggerating, so he
tried to ask Chu Wanning how the Feng Clan had offended him. However,
Chu Wanning didn’t like to talk about people behind his back, so he could
only shake his head and never go into detail.
But from the looks of it, Mr. Storyteller’s words might actually be true.
When Madam Wang saw the tense atmosphere, she couldn’t help but step
out to smooth things over. She said softly, “Elder Yuheng, don’t be angry.
What if you ruin your body?” Then, she turned around and bowed towards
Nangong Liu, “Nangong-xianjun, we appreciate your kindness but Sisheng
Peak does not lack spiritual stones and precious medicines. We cannot accept
your Soul Nurturing Pills…”
“… Haha, Madam is right. It’s just a mere miscalculation.” Nangong Liu
picked up the steps before speaking in a friendly manner, “Elder Yuheng,
please forgive us. Elder, please do not take it to heart.”
Mo Ran watched on from the side and thought to himself, “This person
was splashed with cold water by his shizun, yet he can still smile so calmly.
Truly amazing.”
As he thought of this, he lowered his head and took a sip of Sunshine Snow
Green Tea.
Who would’ve thought that just as he was drinking his tea, Nangong Liu
had already arrived before him with a smile on his face.
154. Shizun, I’m gonna look for Ye Wangxi
This was not good. When Nangong Liu entered the room, Madam Wang,
Xue Meng, and Xue Zhengyong immediately stood up and greeted him
courteously.
However, Chu Wanning was not in the mood for this, so he just stood by
the window.
As for Mo Ran, from his past life, he had flattened the Rufeng Sect. No
matter how bright and beautiful they were, he knew that they would be
reduced to a pile of loose sand in the future.
Nothing to fear. However, he did not intend to make things difficult for
Nangong Liu. Instead, he got used to it and never thought of standing up.
This scene was strange.
As the Shizun and elders, Nangong Liu stood there with a pleasant smile.
He was not angry, and his face was filled with the same warmth as before.
As a guest and a junior, Mo Ran’s lazy sitting posture was caught redhanded. He leaned against the armchair with his legs crossed and a cup of hot
tea in his hand.
Xue Zhengyong didn’t pay attention to Mo Ran’s actions earlier. Now that
he turned around, he couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.
This Mo Ran was too unruly!
“This is… In recent years, the famous Mo-zongshi should be doing well.”
He stopped drinking tea and covered the lid. He raised his eyes and said,
“Yes.”
“He really is a hero!”
Mo Ran interrupted him and said with a smile, “Immortal Nangong, you
have already used the phrase ‘Hero spawns’ on my younger cousin, so you
don’t need to use it on me anymore, right?”
His tone was gentle and his smile was gentle, as if he was very polite.
However, what he said was not polite at all. He did not even stand up. After
saying this, he picked up the teacup again, scraped the rim of the cup with the
blue and white porcelain lid, and blew away the rising mist.
He lowered his long and thick eyelashes, lowered his eyes, and took a sip
of tea at a leisurely pace.
He was young, handsome, tall and calm. His demeanor made it seem as if
he was the true owner of the Rufeng Sect. He stood at the peak of the
cultivation world.
“Haha, Mo-zongshi is right. I’m just an inexperienced genius who was
unable to think of a better way to put it, so…”
“Not at all.” Mo Ran set down his tea cup and raised his eyes to smile,
“Since Immortal Nangong has entered this room, he has already spoken a
bunch of good words. If the Immortal doesn’t know how to speak, who would
be able to speak?”
“Aiya, Mo-zongshi’s praise isn’t worthy of it.”
“Who said I was praising you?” Mo Ran looked at him with his pair of
black eyes, smiling, “Being able to speak too well is not always a good thing.”
Xue Zhengyong couldn’t resist anymore, he lowered his voice and said,
“Ran’er —!”
From his point of view, it was still reasonable for Chu Wanning and
Nangong Liu to have a falling out. At least, there was a reason behind it. Chu
Wanning also had the same identity, but Mo Ran…
Mo Ran ignored Xue Zhengyong and instead said to Nangong Liu, “Please
leave these words of praise for the other juniors. I’m a boor, I don’t
understand, and I don’t want to hear it.”
Xue Zhengyong: “…”
Of course, Mo Ran knew that if he did this, his uncle would be unhappy,
but he did not regret it.
There were too many disgusting things in this world, Chu Wanning had a
fiery temper and was willing to take the lead. Long ago when he was
exterminating evil in Luo Jian’s residence, Chu Wanning humiliated a weak
old man of the Chen family members, and disregarding his own reputation,
he beat the flesh out of the client’s body.
Chu Wanning did not do anything wrong, but he was always condemned
for being “cold-blooded”, “reckless” and “ungrateful”.
Mo Ran did not want anyone to say that his Shizun was ‘disrespectful.’
As a result, he would rather go out of line than Chu Wanning. He could
only use such a stupid method to protect him. Thus, in this house, the three
of them accepted Nangong Liu’s flattery and kind intentions out of courtesy.
However, Mo Ran did not do so.
This was not a moment of excitement, since he knew that it was Chu
Wanning who had carried him on his back, crawling from the mountains of
corpses and the seas of blood. Ever since he saw his soul in Mengpo Hall,
that bowl of wonton in his hands. Ever since he went to the depths of hell to
save Chu Wanning, he swore an oath —
As long as Chu Wanning was still willing, he would stand with him.
Nangong Liu had bumped into it twice in a row. If it was the other sect
leader, he would have flipped the table and chased him away in a fit of rage.
But Nangong Liu didn’t, he just pretended that nothing had happened. He
happily chatted with Xue Zhengyong for a while, making Xue Zhengyong
feel very awkward. He pulled Nangong Liu to the side and apologized, saying
that he didn’t discipline his nephew.
Nangong Liu laughed and said, “Aiya, young people, who doesn’t have
some guts? I think Mo-zongshi is a man of character and good.”
After meeting up with Nangong Liu, the disciples of the Rufeng Sect led
the group to the guest courtyard.
Mo Ran kept sneezing along the way. Xue Meng turned around and looked
at him, “Don’t tell me that you were cursed by Sect Leader Nangong for not
keeping your mouth shut just now…”
“Go away, you’re the one being cursed.” Mo Ran’s eyes filled with tears,
“I… Achoo, I can’t smell the heavy incense, that house just now — Achoo!
The spice was so… Jiu! That’s too…”
“It smells so bad.”
“Ah, Shizun — Ah choo — ah.”
Chu Wanning passed the handkerchief to him, frowned and said
disdainfully, “Wipe it, it’s nothing.”
With tears in his eyes, Mo Ran received the handkerchief embroidered
with flowering blossoms with a smile. “Shizun still loves me dearly. Thank
you, Shizun.”
Chu Wanning was embarrassed by his words, “Who cares about you?”
“Exactly!” Xue Meng was unconvinced. “Who cares about you? The one
Shizun cares about the most is obviously me!”
Mo Ran was slightly contemptuous, “How old are you to compare yourself
to someone else?” Then, he took the handkerchief in his hand and said
seriously, “Look, Shizun promised to stitch me an identical piece, what about
you?”
“…” Chu Wanning grabbed the handkerchief and said harshly, “Mo Weiyu
!”
Xue Meng was stunned at first when he heard this, but then he immediately
became angry. “Only a genius would sew a handkerchief for you. Even in
your dreams, you didn’t do that. How shameless.”
As they talked, they arrived at the courtyard Nangong Liu had arranged for
them. The courtyard had four entrances; with Xue Zhengyong and his wife,
the other three entered as well. The courtyard was serene, the shadows of
flowers dancing in the breeze could be heard, and the sound of water flowing
could be heard.
As Mo Ran hesitated, his eyes were unconsciously covered with a layer of
dust. When he followed everyone into the courtyard and saw the bricks and
tiles, as well as the plants, trees, and rocks, his mood became all the more
gloomy.
This was a place that had left a deep impression on him from his previous
life’s Rufeng Sect.
Now that he was back at his hometown, he couldn’t help but think that if it
wasn’t for the fact that Chu Wanning had given his life in exchange for his,
perhaps he would still have walked the same path and become Taxian-Jun.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but break out in cold sweat. For a time,
thousands of thoughts flooded his mind and chest.
Mo Ran closed his eyes. He was able to hold back his emotions. He was no
longer a youth who was sharp in both joy and anger. Therefore, no one could
see the haze hanging over his heart.
They all went back to their respective rooms to rest. Mo Ran stood in front
of the courtyard he had for himself. He stood with his hands behind his back
for a while, but he did not push open the door to enter.
The female attendant in the courtyard was a little uneasy as she cautiously
asked, “Is the Immortal not satisfied with this room?”
“Oh, no.” Mo Ran came back to his senses and smiled. “I feel that this
courtyard is very similar to the one I used to live in. It’s just that it’s so
romantic.”
“What a coincidence. This servant even thought it was because the
immortal lord didn’t like this place. If the cultivator has other requests, you
only need to tell me about them. I will do my best to help the cultivator.”
Mo Ran smiled and said, “I’m fine. You guys go back to your work.”
After he finished speaking, he raised his head and looked at the hundred
year old laurel tree in the courtyard. The shade of the tree was like the ghost
from his previous life brushing past his eyelashes.
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and his heart raced.
Suddenly, he turned around and called for the maid who was about to
leave. “Wait a moment!”
“Immortal, do you have any other orders?”
“… I want to ask you about someone.” Mo Ran paused, raising his eyes
like torches, “Do you know, there is one…”
“What?”
“Forget it, let’s not ask about this. Let’s ask about another one. Do you
know where Ye Wangxi is?”
The maid said, “Lord Ye is Elder Xu’s direct disciple. He lives in the same
yard as Elder Xu. If the immortal wants to see him, then we can just go
there.”
The last time he had met Ye Wangxi was in the restaurant. Ye Wangxi had
begged Nangong to go back with him, but at that time, Nangong had refused.
Ye Wangxi had said, “If it’s because of me, you don’t want to go back to the
Rufeng Sect, then I will go.”
In fact, he was missing Ye Wangxi. He felt that Ye Wangxi had suffered
enough in his previous life. He was actually very similar to Chu Wanning.
Both of them were gentlemen who would not regret their actions even if they
died.
Mo Ran regretted what he had done in the past, so he hoped that Ye
Wangxi could lead a better life. He could not help but rejoice. It was
fortunate that Nangong Si had not been so heartless as to really drive Ye
Wangxi away.
Elder Xu’s courtyard was called “Sansheng Yard”. It was said that it had
the meaning of “one drink of Mengpo’s Water, and then forget three lives”.
Elder Xu wanted to show how long life could last, so he should have forgotten
the things that he should have forgotten earlier. He shouldn’t leave them in his
heart to add to his worries; in any case, after he died, he wouldn’t remember
anymore once he reached the Bridge of Helplessness.
He sounded like a pessimistic person, no wonder Ye Wangxi was taught to
be so stingy.
“Interesting, this parrot is really clever. Come, carry it a bit more. A gutter,
a ladle of wine, in the alleyway…”
“Please report to the guards and inform them of your intentions.” Before
he could get around the wall, he could hear a man’s lazy laughter coming
from the courtyard.
Mo Ran took a few steps forward and saw a man in his early thirties
standing in the sunlight. That person was dressed in plain clothes, and there
were even a few patches at the corner of his robe. It was a cold day, and he
did not wear a pair of shoes; he stood barefoot on the cold stone tiles, holding
a handful of melon seeds and teasing a snow-white, blue-eyed parrot with
long feathers.
The parrot flapped its wings left and right as it moved back and forth on
the shelf. It seemed to be very proud of itself as it chanted loudly, “Ahhh ~ a
gourd of food ~ a ladle of wine ~ in the alleyway ~ ~”
“Mm, good, not bad. “You’re smarter than Xiao Yezi, Xiao Yezi wasn’t as
good as you when he was young, so he can’t even recite this part of it.” The
man fed a handful of nuts to the parrot, “Come, your father will reward you.”
“…”
This person called himself a father for a bird.
Does that mean he’s a birdman?
The man turned around and saw Mo Ran standing next to the wall. He first
knocked a melon seed on the ground, then spat it out and suddenly laughed.
His smile was bright, yet it also had a hint of malice to it.
“Mo Ran, Mo-zongshi, right?” He laughed. “Nice to meet you.”
Thus, Mo Ran smiled and said, “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
After he smiled, he carefully sized up this man’s face. He felt that this
man’s face was a bit good. In his previous life when he massacred the Rufeng
Sect, he seemed to have seen this man before. He was…
“Father, why are you running around without your shoes?”
Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. It was clearly such a light sentence, but
when it entered his ears, it was as if spring thunder had struck.
He was still tall and straight, with a warm expression and a pair of bright
yellow satin shoes in his hands. He walked up to the young man and bent
down to put them down.
Foster father?
[Ye Wangxi’s foster father…]
The blood in his heart ran like wild wolves, and he could almost hear the
cries of the next generation, the clashing of swords and drums.
“Foster father!”
A bloody face suddenly appeared in his memory.
It was Ye Wangxi. He was crying and screaming… Back then when he
massacred the Rufeng Sect, Nangong Liu secretly ran away while the 72
cities were in chaos. Later on, the number one protector of the Rufeng Sect,
Elder Xu, stepped forward and swept up the sand.
He clearly did not have the surname ‘Nangong’, but he did what the Sect
Leader Nangong was supposed to do. As an elder, he lived and died with the
72 cities of the Rufeng Sect.
He was clearly not Ye Wangxi’s biological father, yet when the sharp blade
filled with spiritual energy stabbed towards Ye Wangxi’s back, he stood in
front of Ye Wangxi, using his flesh and blood to protect the child he raised
with his own hands.
At that time, Mo Ran was standing on top of the city wall looking down at
the crowd. Seeing this scene, a twisted smile appeared on his face — only
God knew how jealous he was at that time.
A person without any blood ties would actually be willing to die for
another person in this world!
His narrow heart was in shock, in pain, he was mad with jealousy, his eyes
were red.
He was thinking, “Good, very good, Ye Wangxi is really lucky, but he Mo
Weiyu, if there was anyone in this vast world other than his mother who was
willing to die for him, then how could he have reached his current state?!
The heavens were good to anyone, but they were only so stingy and vicious
to him!
He wanted to destroy all the people he envied, making all those who were
hugging each other all fall into hell. Why was he the only one who didn’t have
a day’s worth of good days, didn’t have a moment’s warmth, and the only one
who was kind to him, was already long dead.
He only had that little bit of warmth left, why would he take it away?!
He hated it!
“…”
Thinking about it later, Mo Ran felt that he was such a fool back then.
There was clearly a person in the world of mortals who was willing to die for
him. He had missed out on that person. He had failed, and he did not know
that.
Mo Ran closed his eyes and calmed his surging heart. Only then did he
raise his eyes again.
He now knew who this man was. He was Ye Wangxi’s Shizun, and also his
foster father — Xu Shuanglin.
On the second day after he left the Rufeng Sect, he had died in the midst
of battle in order to save Ye Wangxi.
Mo Ran turned around with bitterness in his heart. He could not bear to
look at the smiling and handsome man in the sunlight any longer.
He went to greet Ye Wangxi.
“Lord Ye.”
Only then did Ye Wangxi realize that Mo Ran was standing far away. He
was stunned for a moment before he smiled and said, “Ah, Brother Mo is
here too. Long time no see.”
“Long time no see.”
In fact, Ye Wangxi had only met Mo Ran a few times in his life and was
not very familiar with him. Hence, he continued to smile and said, “Are you
here to find my foster father?”
“…” Mo Ran glanced at Xu Shuanglin, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Shaking his head, he said, “No, I came looking for you.”
“Xiao Yezi, how long has it been since anyone came to find you in this
courtyard? It’s not easy.” Xu Shuanglin smiled lazily and stuffed another
melon seed into his mouth. “Where did you meet Mo-zongshi?”
“I met him at Peach Blossom Springs.”
“That’s good, that’s good.” Xu Shuanglin smiled and threw the rest of the
melon seeds into the birdseed bowl, saying, “You youngsters can continue
chatting. I’ll go somewhere else for now.”
Ye Wangxi pulled him back, “Father, why aren’t you wearing shoes again?”
“Oh, I forgot.” Smiling, Xu Shuanglin put on his shoes and said, “That’s
good enough.”
From the corner of his eye, Mo Ran saw the man slowly cross to the
corner, then bend down to take off his shoes. He actually put his shoes into
his pocket and walked away leisurely.
“…”
Because of the mental cultivation method, Xu Shuanglin was very young,
and his face did not age even at the age of thirty. He looked just like Ye
Wangxi’s brother.
Judging by his temper, this person was a little stubborn. He didn’t seem
like a big brother at all. He looked like Ye Wangxi’s little brother.
Therefore, was the solemn “Sansheng Courtyard” plaque outside a tease?
Ye Wangxi and Mo Ran walked slowly along the boulevard, shoulder to
shoulder.
There were many flower trees and fruit trees planted in this yard, but it was
midwinter right now, so only a few dried up yellow leaves hung from the
treetops. The wind blew, rustling in the air.
“I’m sorry, I let you down last time in the restaurant.”
“It’s nothing. How have you been these days?”
He felt a little regretful when he said it, because someone like Ye Wangxi
would never say anything, no matter how bad his life was. As expected, Ye
Wangxi smiled and said, “Not bad, what about you?”
“I’m fine.”
The two of them were actually not that close. The reason why Mo Ran
came to find him was because he thought of the grievances from his previous
life. He wanted to see Ye Wangxi who was still alive, but he did not know
what to say when they got to being alone.
Mo Ran knew a lot of Ye Wangxi’s secrets, but he couldn’t tell him any of
them. The two of them walked for a while in silence before Ye Wangxi asked,
“How is Xia Sini?”
Mo Ran was stunned and then laughed, “You still remember this name? So
powerful.”
“His name is especially easy to remember.”
“Haha, that’s true. Xia Sini also came along this time. You’ll be able to see
him in the future.”
Ye Wangxi was surprised, “He is here too? However, the Sect Leader
shouldn’t have invited…”
“You still don’t know who Xia Sini is, right? Let me tell you, this is a long
story.”
Thus, he told him the whole story. Ye Wangxi sighed and said, “Young
Master Mo is so lucky to have this man as your Shizun.”
Mo Ran said, “How lucky is the Rufeng Sect to have Lord Ye as their
disciple.”
Ye Wangxi was a little embarrassed, he smiled and said, “Young Master
Mo, you’ve gone overboard.”
They arrived at a small floating bridge painted with red wood. Along the
way, it was filled with withered branches and withered leaves. Only the lush
greenery could be seen, and the trees planted here were lofty and the snow
were in the wind. The water of the Rufeng Sect was imbued with spirit
energy, so it would not freeze over. Thus, when standing at the end of the
bridge, one could hear the gurgling sound of the water beneath their feet.
Mo Ran turned around and saw Ye Wangxi staring at the crystal stream.
His black eyes were filled with light. He was still the same person, but
everyone could see the haggard look on his face.
Nangong Si’s wedding, to him, was just too cruel.
Suddenly, he couldn’t bear it anymore. It was as if he saw Chu Wanning,
who had paid a great price, looking back at him and asked, “Lord Ye, why
don’t you come to the Sisheng Peak?”
“What?”
“…” He felt that he had been too rash and also knew how Ye Wangxi
would reply. Mo Ran sighed, “I was just casually asking. Young Master, you
don’t have to take it to heart.”
Ye Wangxi smiled. His smile had originally been filled with vigor, heroic
spirit, and elegance. But now it was the same person, the same smile, but his
cheekbones were slightly sunken, his heroic spirit was still present, but his
three points of beauty had dried up, leaving only two pools of desolation.
He wanted to hide it, but the sadness was too deep. He used all his
strength, but he still could not hide it well.
He smiled and said, “So Brother Mo is here to steal someone for Sisheng
Peak?”
“Haha, yes, yes. But I don’t think Lord Ye will come. It was just a joke.”
“Mm. Since my foster father is still here, I won’t leave.”
“What does Young Master plan to do in the future?”
“…” Ye Wangxi seemed to be in pain. He actually couldn’t answer him
right away. What was he going to do in the future? He also did not know that
he felt like he was a moth and Nangong Si the flame. He always wanted to
follow the light, even if it would only cause him to break apart.
But Nangong Si did not want him.
“I will still be doing what I should in the Rufeng Sect.” Ye Wangxi smiled,
“Assisting the Sect Leader and foster father. In the future, I will support the
Young Lord.”
He paused, his hand forming a fist, his knuckles white as jade.
Mo Ran was surprised that Ye Wangxi could actually say the last half of
the sentence calmly. He could really say it…
“Adjunct, Young Madam.”
When he had finished, as if at last he could bear it no longer, he lowered
his eyes. But after a while, he raised his head and looked at Mo Ran with a
humble and elegant expression. His face was still smiling, and his entire body
stood there like a bamboo in the winter.
Suddenly, a westerly wind rose up, blowing the accumulated snow between
the bamboo forests, like reeds fluttering in the wind.
In that instant, Mo Ran thought, he can’t. Nangong Si can’t marry Song
Qiutong.
155. Shizun, are you shocked?
The the wedding day of the Young Master of the Rufeng Sect was getting
closer and closer. Suddenly, rumors began to spread among the guests of the
various sects.
“Master Zhang, I’ve heard a lot about myself recently, but I think it’s really
out of the question. I think it’s very likely to be true, do you want to hear
about it?”
“What a coincidence, I also have a secret about the Rufeng Sect. It’s also
very shocking, it can’t be that you want to talk about the same thing.”
The other party raised his eyebrows meaningfully and asked, “Is the secret
that master Zhang knows related to only two people?”
“Indeed.”
Both of them exchanged glances. One of them lowered his voice and said,
“Let’s talk about me first. I heard that Ye Wangxi from the Rufeng Sect
and…”
When the other person heard this, he could not hold it in any longer.
Young Master didn’t even want to be elegant anymore. Laughing loudly, he
slapped his thigh, his eyes flashing with the radiance of the gossip, excitedly
said: “Right, right! Ha ha-ha ha, that’s what I’m laughing about! The Ye
Wangxi from the Rufeng Sect is involved with Song Qiutong!”
“Truly, good things never go out of doors and bad things spread far and
wide. Who would have thought that even Young Master is aware of this
person who doesn’t like to listen to gossip.” But talk about it in a softer voice,
this is Linyi, wherever we go we will bump into people from the Rufeng Sect,
I’m afraid they will hear us.”
It was hard to say if they had ears or not, but it was true that the three of
them had become like tigers in water. Even if no one had seen it with their
own eyes, the content was becoming more and more plentiful and alluring…
In the end, even those villagers outside Linyi City who did not cultivate
were aware of this and the rumors were spreading.
“Brother Goudan, I’m going to tell you a secret, don’t tell anyone else.”
“What secret?”
“If you are so cautious, come and listen to me. It’s not like you don’t know
what I’m talking about and you definitely won’t reveal it.”
“Then you better listen up, there’s a huge scandal in the Rufeng Sect, you
know that Song Qiutong, who is about to marry the Young Master Nangong
Si, she is really a slut. Although Brother Goudan doesn’t know it, she has long
been carrying her fiancé behind his back and has fallen in love with Ye
Wangxi!”
“How is this possible?!”
“How is that impossible? Didn’t you know that back then, when Song
Qiutong was taken out for the auction, Ye Wangxi was the one who saw her
beauty and stirred up those dirty thoughts, buying her for a double
cultivation?”
Lee Goudan was extremely shocked. His mouth was wide open, and only
after a long while did he stutter, “Heavens, heavens… How could there be
such a thing…”
When he slept at night, he would hug his wife and chat with her. He sighed
with emotion, “Chunhua, you’re still the best.”
The townsman’s wife Zhao Chunhua blinked, “What’s wrong? Why are
you suddenly talking about this?”
“You see, although you are a bit ugly, a little bit fat and a little bit short,
you are diligent and fertile, unlike some women who would steal men behind
their husbands’ back and disobey the rules of women.”
Zhao Chunhua was a bit annoyed. “How am I ugly? Isn’t my face just a bit
yellow?” And then she became curious, “Which wife has a broken shoe? How
could I not know?”
“It’s not the villagers, it’s a group of nuns and Dao Lords that fly here and
there on their swords all day long.”
Zhao Chunhua was shocked. “Who is it?”
Lee Goudan said, “Whoever gets married recently will be the one.”
Zhao Chunhua subconsciously did not think towards Nangong Si. She was
stunned for a while before realizing what was going on and suddenly sat up
from the bed, “Oh my god, that’s amazing! There was actually such a thing?
Don’t spout nonsense.”
“Why would I speak nonsense?” Lee Goudan stuck out his chest, in order
to make his wife more trusting of him, he swore, “A friend of mine saw it
with his own eyes. Those two have already slept on their backs since long
ago!”
The romance between a man and a woman was often one of the fastest
things to fly in this world. The poor and the rich would not cultivate the real
thing, and would be happy to talk about it. In the blink of an eye, more or less
all the guests gathered at Rufeng Sect were aware of the scandal. When it
reached Chu Wanning’s ears, the details were already so extravagant that even
Ye Wangxi’s meeting with Song Qiutong on a certain day in a certain month
of the year was described in detail. It was also said that Song Qiutong had
married Nangong Si because she already had Ye Wangxi’s child, but Ye
Wangxi was unfaithful and did not want to meet his mother and son for the
sake of his own future.
“If you don’t believe me, just you wait and see. Look at that little kid’s
birth! Does he look like Nangong Si or Ye Wangxi!”
Chu Wanning understood Nangong Si, but he did not know about Ye
Wangxi and Song Qiutong. Thus, he was not sure if what he said was true or
false, and only felt very angry. However, for someone like him, although he
was good at dealing with evil that had a clear outline, he was helpless when it
came to matters that involved men and women.
That day, when Nangong Si came to visit him in his courtyard, Chu
Wanning faintly hit him on the head, but he could not hear any hidden
meaning behind his words. He was still happily telling Chu-zongshi the story
of how he raised the demonic wolf, Neptune and Platinum.
“A few days ago, I gave it some seed and it was quite smooth. That female
Demonic Wolf should be coming next month, I wonder how many little wolf
pups will be born in this nest. If there are any good ones, I will ask my father
to send one of them to Sisheng Peak.”
Chu Wanning heard this and thought it was a good opportunity, so he said,
“Yes, but I’m afraid that the wolf cub’s lineage is not pure.”
“How could it be impure? Naobaijin and the female Demonic Wolf were
both cultivated by the Snow Wolf tribe, and were extremely pure.”
“Are you certain that the female Demonic Wolf was not bred with any
other Demonic Wolves before?”
Nangong Si was stunned for a moment, “How could that be? That female
demon wolf was raised by the Bitan Manor, and there’s only one of it in the
entire manor. If she wants to match it, she doesn’t have the right to, she has to
rely on our family’s Naobaijin.”
Chu Wanning felt that he had pointed out the truth. He understood that he
was comparing people to wolves, implying that Nangong Si should pay
attention to those rumors. How could he not understand?
After thinking for a moment, he continued, “Although the Bitan Manor
only has one wolf, when you take it over to breed Naobaijin, you should at
least stay at the Rufeng Sect for a while, right? You raise so many demon
wolves, do you think…”
“No, no!” Nangong Si laughed heartily. “So the Zongshi was worried about
this? That female Demonic Wolf and Naobaijin are in the same cage, locked
in the same cage.
“…”
Forget it, you idiot!
He stood up and invited Chu Wanning, “Zongshi, when you left, the
Moonhowl Courtyard was not completed yet, but it has been expanded twice
already. I will bring you over to take a look, how about riding a mount with
some gold?”
“Nope,” Chu Wanning replied.
Nangong Si was clearly disappointed, “Why?”
“I don’t know how to ride anything but horses. You are going to be a
husband soon, so don’t be too playful. If you aren’t raising wolves all day
long, you should be busy on the school field. If you have the time, you should
go back and accompany Miss Song. People and animals are the same. If you
don’t accompany her, the relationship will be estranged.”
“No, Song treats me very well and is very obedient.”
“…”
“If the Zongshi thinks I’ve neglected her, I’ll call her along. I’ve often
mentioned you to her, and she should be happy to see you.”
Hearing him say so, Chu Wanning thought to himself, he doesn’t know
much about Song Qiutong, and he doesn’t know if the rumors were true or
false. To be able to know more about this young couple before Nangong was
married, it might be a good thing.
Thus, he nodded his head and stood up. “Sure, then you can go and find
her. I’ll wait for you at Howling Moon Academy.”
The two of them greeted each other in front of the wall and exchanged a
salute. Mo Ran made his way into the courtyard and saw Chu Wanning
standing under the osmanthus tree. There was a small red-clay stove in front
of him that was steaming with water and two half-drunk Eight Treasures Tea
were placed on the stone table.
“Shizun, Nangong Si was looking for you?”
“Yes, I’m going to Howling Moon Academy to take a look at the demonic
wolves he’s raising.” As Chu Wanning spoke, he turned around and prepared
to return to the house, “It’s inconvenient to ride in this outfit, I’ll change my
clothes.”
The demon wolf was ferocious. Although Mo Ran knew Chu Wanning was
capable, he was still worried about letting him go alone. Thus, he said, “I will
go with Shizun.”
Chu Wanning stopped and glanced at him, “Do you know how to ride a
wolf?”
Mo Ran smiled, and his black eyes were very bright. “Why not? I am good
at riding horses, not to mention riding wolves, I’m good at riding anything.”
Chu Wanning wanted to laugh at him, but he suddenly felt the choice of
words “I am good at riding” was a bit vague and wet. He couldn’t help but
think of the scene in his dreams, the posture of the two, the sweat converging
on their belly, and the powerlessness of his body while lying on the bed. It
was as if he had really become a plaything under Mo Ran.
Suddenly, Chu Wanning’s face turned red.
He cursed under his breath, “Shameless!”
It was unknown if he was cursing Mo Ran or cursing himself. He turned
around and slammed the door and entered the room, leaving only the halfrolled curtain outside the door slightly swaying in the wind, like the trembling
heart of the person who hid inside.
At present, the sky was freezing cold, the vegetation was bleak, and the
green and yellow intersecting fields were covered with a thin layer of frost.
Winter was neither salty nor light as it hung in the sky, but because of the
clouds covering it, it seemed a little cold, and the sunlight that sprinkled down
was perfunctory and lifeless.
Suddenly, Nangong Si saw two people walking over from the mist. It was
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran. He could not help but be slightly startled at first,
but then he smiled and said, “Master Mo, are you worried about handing your
Shizun over to me, so you came as well?”
“No.” Mo Ran also laughed, “I followed you because I’m afraid that if
Shizun meets with any troubles and is unable to vent his anger, it would be
unfair for him to get angry at Young Noble Nangong. So I came here just to
be a punching bag.”
“…” Chu Wanning glared at him and said coldly, “I think you’re here to
make a fire knife.” (to be a reason of troubles)
“Pfft.” When Song Qiutong, who was standing behind him, heard this, she
let out a soft laugh. She lifted up her feather-like eyelashes and walked out
from behind her fiancé.
She looked at Mo Ran and Chu Wanning and said gently, “I’ve long heard
that Chu-zongshi and Mo-zongshi have a deep relationship. It seems that it’s
true today.”
156. Shizun’s great riding skills
Chu Wanning looked her up and down. When he was at Xuanyuan
Pavilion, he had felt that this person had the disposition to topple nations, and
now that he saw her up close, she looked even more beautiful, like a lotus
blooming in the morning sun. Her ebony hair seemed to shine brightly, and
she was indeed a peerless beauty in the world.
As he thought of this, he could not help but stealthily glance at Mo Ran,
wanting to know how he would react.
Unexpectedly, his eyes met Mo Ran’s, who didn’t even look at Song
Qiutong. It was as if Nangong Si was standing next to thin air, but was staring
at him instead. Mo Ran smiled gently when their gazes met.
Chu Wanning was stunned by his gaze, but he still pretended to be calm.
He exchanged a glance with Mo Ran for a moment before turning his gaze
away.
“Howling Moon’s drill ground is filled with many demonic wolves. The
most valiant one is Naobaijin. I also like it the most.”
Nangong Si led the crowd to the center of the open grassland, took out the
jade flute at his waist, and blew three urgent whistles. After a moment of
silence, in the distance, a gust of wind blew from all directions, and a snowwhite figure leapt out of the forest like lightning, and in the blink of an eye, a
glittering and translucent demon wolf whose claws were covered in gold
leaped into the air, its body drawing a smooth arc, and it let out a howl, which
reflected the cold and desolate winter sky.
“Aooo!”
Nangong Si stepped forward and stroked its fluffy neck, turned his head
and smiled, “Zongshi, look, it has already grown so big. When you left, it was
still a little puppy.”
“When I left, he was already as tall as a grown man.” Chu Wanning said
expressionlessly.
“Ha ha-ha ha, is it? I always thought it was small and a baby.”
“…”
“Zongshi, come ride and see.”
As Nangong Si spoke, he blew his flute again, summoning the two snowwhite demonic wolves from the forest, “Mo-zongshi, are you here to play as
well?”
The three of them jumped onto the back of the demon wolf. “Hold onto
the rope chain or the hair on the neck tightly,” said Nangong. “You have to
hold on to your legs. It’s actually more or less the same as riding a horse.”
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and said to Song Qiutong,
“Qiutong, ride with me. I’ll take you with me.”
Initially, Chu Wanning thought he wouldn’t, but after walking a few steps
on the back of the demon wolf, he felt that it was not that difficult. In fact,
because the demon wolves were intelligent, they could understand the riders’
intentions and so were much easier to control than normal horses.
Nangong Si laughed, “How is it? Run a round?”
“Can I go anywhere?”
“Anywhere is fine. You can just run around the forest garden at the back of
the mountain or the Howling Moon Academy.”
Mo Ran smiled and said, “Is this a competition?”
“Give it a try.”
Chu Wanning took a look at the Young Master, who was riding on the
demonic wolf with Song Qiutong. He thought that this was an opportunity to
improve their relationship, so he readily agreed.
Nangong Si said, “In that case, let’s first go to the northern part of the
Forest Boa Lake and catch five of the Groper Fish. The first person to come
back here will win, and this chain will be the prize, what do you say?”
“Seven star spirit stone chain, Young Noble Nangong is too generous with
his money.”
“I’m happy that you can’t buy it with a thousand taels of gold.” Nangong Si
tightened his grip on the rope, then lowered his head and said to Song
Qiutong, “Sit tight, don’t fall down. If you run fast, tell me.”
Mo Ran glanced at Song Qiutong and smiled, “I’m afraid that Young
Master Nangong’s chain can be taken out in advance.”
“Ha, belittling me. I grew up on a wolf’s back. Not to mention bringing one
more person, even if I brought one more, it wouldn’t be much of a big deal.
Let’s go. I’ll count to three and two, then start.”
“Three, two — one!”
As the voice faded, three snow-white figures shot out like arrows piercing
through the forest. Stepping into the killing fields, they instantly disappeared
into the depths of the forest.
At first, Chu Wanning had slowed down his pace to follow behind Nangong
Si and Song Qiutong, but later on, Song Qiutong’s screams came rushing
towards them from time to time. After listening for a long time, he could not
help but feel the pain in his ears.
As the “Gongzi, slow down” cry of surprise rang out behind him, Chu
Wanning gradually felt the joy of riding a demonic wolf. This type of spirit
beast was extremely intelligent, he only needed to lift his finger a little and
Naobaijin would understand his intentions. It was no wonder that Nangong Si
would care so much about these animals.
Chu Wanning raised his head and looked at the mottled sunlight that fell in
front of him, it was a continuous, self-contained, and unending stream of
sunlight that flowed like a torrent, rolling far away in the distance. He couldn’t
help but laugh, feeling that this was a very good run, so he urged his onyx
gold to run, his wolf claws stepping on the thick coniferous forest, raising a
cloud of dust.
Behind him, Mo Ran, who was riding the black wolf, followed closely. In
that split-second, a sense of happiness and relief arose in Chu Wanning’s
heart.
He suddenly had an uncertain feeling that he finally had the power to move
forward on his own. It was as if no matter where he went, there would always
be the sound of footsteps behind him.
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran arrived at the same time at the spring lake,
which was filled with blue waves, clear as a calabash, rich in water and spirit
energy, nourished by the spirit flow on both sides of the lake, the trees and
flowers were not affected by the four seasons, the orange trees in the winter
were still lush with leaves, countless golden fruits were hidden behind the
dark green leaves, the wind was filled with a sweet citrus fragrance.
He landed firmly on the ground. Chu Wanning looked around and said,
“It’s quite a nice place.”
“If Shizun likes it, when we go back we can plant a lot of fruit trees at
Sisheng Peak, keep it nourished with spiritual energy all year round, and pick
it whenever you want to.”
Chu Wanning gave a “hmph” and walked to the lakeside, raising his hand
to call Tianwen.
Seeing that something was wrong, Mo Ran stopped him and asked, “What
are you doing?”
“Catching the fish.”
“… Shizun shouldn’t be thinking of using Wind and wringing all the fish
out of the lake, right?”
“What are you thinking about?” Chu Wanning glared at him and tossed the
golden vine onto the lake. He then said to the lake lightly, “Who’s the one that
is tired of living? The one who wishes to take the bait.”
After saying this three times, Chu Wanning retracted Tianwen. On its
golden leaves, there were actually some chubby fishes that looked up to the
sky with their white eyes.
Chu Wanning took a look and asked Mo Ran, “Did he say he wanted the
Groper?”
“Yes.”
“…” “Do you know what Groper looks like?” After Chu Wanning finished
speaking, he felt that asking this question would be a bit of a detour, so he
simply picked up Tianwen and showed it to Mo Ran, “Among these, are there
any?”
“… it’s better if I capture it for Shizun.”
After that, he caught ten fish and placed them in the Qiankun bag by the
two demon wolves’ necks. Chu Wanning then put the “tired of living” fish
back into the water and said, “Life is short, so I’ll have to trouble you all to
endure a little longer.”
Hearing this sentence, Mo Ran felt that this man was both funny and cute.
He put down the last stone speck and turned around to see Chu Wanning
walking over from the edge of the Frost Jade Pool. The lake water was
flowing behind him, gently soaking his white figure.
Suddenly, he had a strong desire to walk over and hug him. He wanted to
be close to him, touch him as gently as he could, but he also wanted to crush
him. He wanted to drag him into the orange grove, press him down on the
tree, and lift his legs to occupy him.
He watched as Chu Wanning got closer and closer to him. He was
surprised to find that his desire was so contradictory and strong. The softest
and toughest kind of karma could even be born from an Emperor.
Love, love.
Wasn’t it just like that?
Hard heat is when you cut open your fiery blade.
Soft, is wrapping up your spring water tenderness.
“That’s true.” Chu Wanning, however, did not notice the uncertainty in Mo
Ran’s eyes. He walked up to him and checked the Qiankun bag on his neck,
“He brought a girl with him, running so slowly.”
“Maybe he’s doing something else.”
Mo Ran felt his head burning. His wolf-like eyes were fixed on the white
neck Chu Wanning had exposed when he lowered his head. His stomach was
burning as he mumbled to himself without a second thought.
Chu Wanning was stunned, “What?”
“…” Mo Ran finally reacted and felt like he had misspoken. He coughed
dryly and turned his head away, “It’s nothing.”
Chu Wanning, on the other hand, had already thought about it. His eyes
widened as he narrowed them dangerously, and angrily said, “What are you
thinking about? Get on the horse and go back!”
Mo Ran moved his lips, wanting to say, “It’s not a horse, it’s a wolf.” But
looking at Chu Wanning’s sullen face and flushed ears, he swallowed his
words.
He watched with some regret as Chu Wanning mounted the platinum wolf,
riding with unparalleled grace and beauty. He could not help but crave for
more, he thought, if only Chu Wanning were his man, he would have been
too weak to get on the horse or the wolf’s back, so he could only get on his
lap.
Then he was shocked and guilty at the thought, and he shook his head.
This action was seen by Chu Wanning. He asked, “What’s wrong? Why did
you shake your head? Did I say anything wrong?”
“No, no. Shizun taught me the correct lesson. I was thinking too much.”
However, he was not thinking about the ridiculous things that had
happened between Nangong Si and Song Qiutong.
The person I am thinking of is you…
Then, he thought, “Sigh, if only I could break the legs of that platinum
wolf. That way, even if Chu Wanning had no wolf to ride, he might be
willing to ride that black claw of his.”
He really wanted to hug him again, like a person on the verge of death due
to thirst, and miss the sweet dew that he had once defiled… While Mo Ran
was still indulging in these lingering thoughts, he followed Chu Wanning back
to the Moonhowl Courtyard where he saw Song Qiutong and Nangong Si
already waiting.
Song Qiutong sat on the ground, her feet that were sparkling like jade
sticking out with traces of blood on them.
It turned out that they were only halfway through running and had
forgotten that Nangong Si had warned her to tighten her leg. Therefore, her
skin was cut by thorns. Even though it was only a small wound, Nangong Si
still wouldn’t let her go and brought her back to bandage it.
Mo Ran glanced at her legs. They could be considered beautiful, but
compared to Chu Wanning, they were nothing. It was a shame that he still
liked Song Qiutong’s feet in his previous life.
How blind.
Right now, he felt that everything about Chu Wanning was perfect,
whether it was looking at things horizontally or looking at things vertically.
Even his always cold and emotionless eyes that felt proud and reserved, that
was his temperament, Chu Wanning should be like that.
When he saw him glaring, scolding, or rolling his eyes at him, he felt
overjoyed.
“I admit defeat.” Nangong Si was straightforward. He casually passed the
gold chain to Chu Wanning, “Here, give it to Zongshi.”
Chu Wanning looked at the chain and said, “Seven star spirit stones are
good for raising spirit cores, I do need it, thank you very much.”
Hearing this, Mo Ran did not feel good. Somehow, he muttered, “Next
time, I’ll buy you something even better.”
“What?” Chu Wanning did not hear him clearly and turned to look at him.
Mo Ran saw his pair of phoenix eyes that were so close to him, and the
clear reflection of his face in his eyes. The distance between them made the
astringent feeling in his heart slightly fade.
Mo Ran smiled, “I said, the next time I see something more suitable for
Shizun, I will buy it for Shizun.”
“Alright.”
Chu Wanning agreed without hesitation, which made Mo Ran even more
happy.
He even went so far as to look at Nangong Si, who didn’t care about this at
all. He was still competing with him, proudly wanting to let him know, that
Shizun would politely thank you for taking your things, but not me for taking
mine. Look, he wasn’t even distancing himself from me.
“Just remember to ask the boss to give you the bill, and I’ll give you the
money.”
Mo Ran: “…”
Ten flecks of fresh water were taken out of the Qiankun bag and led to the
hunting cabin at the edge of the Moonhowl training field. Outside, there was a
dark gray furnace with pots and pans all around, but the cabin looked old and
mottled, which didn’t seem like it was built at the same time as the
magnificent grassland.
Chu Wanning’s fingertips brushed the fence, stopping in front of a bundle
of rope tied to the fence. The rope had experienced countless winds and rain,
so it no longer looked as gorgeous as it did before.
Nangong Si took the seasoning and came out of the wooden house. Seeing
Chu Wanning looking at the rope, he smiled and said, “That was the year the
Zongshi left, the ones I tied here, they are all almost all gone.”
Chu Wanning did not say anything. He just sighed and sat on the wooden
bench.
When he was serving the Rufeng Sect, Nangong Si was still just a child.
He often brought him to the Howling Moon Academy to walk around, leaving
behind this hunting room.
The fire soon started, and the Grouper was roasted on the branch of a tree.
Fat Fish dripped down from under the crispy skin, emitting a rich smell of
meat.
Nangong Si gave six pieces to the demon wolves squatting by the wooden
fences, while the other four were sprinkled with salt to serve the crowd.
Song Qiutong only ate a few bites before handing the grilled fish to
Nangong Si, who had already quickly finished gnawing on the whole fat fish.
She said, “I’m not eating anymore. Young Master, please share some with
me.”
Chu Wanning glanced in their direction, and seeing that Nangong had
accepted the roasted fish, he happily ate the second fish. He thought to herself
that this Song Qiutong seemed to be well-behaved and gentle, a very
considerate person.
While he was deep in thought, a lotus leaf was handed to him. The top part
of the fish was carefully divided into different parts, and the main fishbones
had been removed. The white and tender meat was exuding heat and burnt
fragrance.
Chu Wanning was taken aback. He turned his head and saw Mo Ran
putting away his silver dagger. He smiled and said, “Shizun, let’s eat this.”
“Where did you get the lotus leaves?”
“Just now, when I was catching fish by the lake, I picked them along the
way.” Mo Ran passed the fish meat to him, “Eat while it’s hot. It won’t taste
good if it’s cold.”
Chu Wanning took the lotus leaf, his heart rippled as he said, “Thank you.”
He really did not like fish bones, so the prepared spots melted immediately
in his mouth. Chu Wanning ate them piece by piece, but he did not feel
bored. After he finished eating all of them, the tea that was hung over the fire
had also boiled up. Song Qiutong got up and took down the pot, pouring a
cup for everyone and offered it to them with both hands.
“Chu-zongshi, please have a cup of tea.”
She held the small white porcelain cup in her slender hands. Her arm was
like the bright moon, and her wrist impressively held a bit of cinnabar.
Chu Wanning suddenly recalled that back at the “Xuanyuan Pavilion”
auction, the pavilion shizun said that she had a cinnabar mark lit up on her
wrist by the Cold Scale Sacred Hand. Presumably, it was this one.
Having thought so, Chu Wanning finally heaved a sigh of relief in his heart.
Nangong Si was a heartless person, like a wild horse on the prairie, like a lone
wolf on his own, with a simple and vigorous blade and axe. Chu Wanning did
not hate people like this, so he did not wish for Nangong Si to be unlucky.
Song Qiutong’s tea was served to Mo Ran, who accepted it but did not
drink it. He placed it to the side and smiled. “Miss Song, I have something to
give you.”
157. Shizun, on that wedding night, I
actually…
While speaking, he took out a thin chain, which was made from pearl
mother of the East China Sea and the Xihe crystal of Zhu Rong Mountain.
From a glance, one could tell that the chain was quite valuable.
“Earlier when you were cultivating, you wanted to ask for carp crystals, but
unfortunately, that stone has already been taken by my cousin to refine the
sword. I also did not prepare any other gifts. After buying this chain of fire
and water, it should be suitable for you to wear.”
“This… This is too precious, I’m afraid Qiutong cannot accept it…”
“What logic is this?” Mo Ran laughed, “Moreover, the fire and water
chains can also suppress the fire elemental spiritual energy, but they are only
suitable for women. If you wear it on your body, you will be able to
accompany Young Master Nangong in the future. It’s a practical thing.”
Song Qiutong turned to look at Nangong Si, accepting his nod. She then
received the chain with both hands and bowed respectfully, saying in a warm
voice, “Thank you, Mo-zongshi.”
The four of them drank tea and chatted for a while.
Chu Wanning was concerned about the grand matter of Nangong Si’s life
so he asked him to pay more attention to the details of the wedding ceremony
so that no mishap would happen.
He finished his tea in a few gulps and tossed the empty cup in his hand.
Then he smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Zongshi. I go to see her every
night. I’m different from when I was young. There are some things that I
should take seriously. As a result, yesterday, I noticed that there was a pearl
inlaid on the gown of Qiutong, so I immediately sent someone to go back to
work.”
When he spoke of the wedding, a hint of shyness actually appeared on his
face that had always been free and unrestrained.
He glanced at Song Qiutong and smiled, “Qiutong will definitely look good
then.”
These words fell into the ears of Song Qiutong’s husband in his previous
life. Mo Ran absentmindedly poured another cup of tea for himself. Of
course he knew Song Qiutong was a beauty with peerless grace, but so what?
Back then, Xunyang Peak offered sacrifices to the heavens and Taxian-Jun
married the first queen of the cultivation world. The night of his wedding was
shining with the light of a phoenix candle, but he had never stayed in his new
home.
That night, he drank too much, the red candle smoke, the drowsy, he raised
the bride’s flushed face, and stared at for a while. Before the great ceremony
of life, it is easy for people to give birth to the emotion of the passage of time
and the vicissitudes of life. Even Taxian-Jun was no exception.
He suddenly felt that it wasn’t real. His gaze seemed to pierce through the
charming and beautiful red light in front of him, and it landed on the
snowstorm that covered the sky many years ago.
When he was naked in the cold wind. When he was dying of hunger and
thirst, when he was being pitied and licking the rice soup that the man
brought him… When he first came to Sisheng Peak, feeling anxious and
fearful… When he stood on his tiptoes to pluck a haitang blossom… When
he knelt in front of Chu Wanning, with lashes his body…
He had never imagined that one day, he would trample over all the
Immortals to gain the respect of the world.
“Husband, what are you thinking about?” Her red lips parted and her eyes
focused on him. The air she exhaled was all sweet and extravagant, just like
his lofty status today.
He seemed to have everything. Beauty, status, power…
What was he not satisfied with now?
He couldn’t think of anything to be dissatisfied with, but he felt very
empty. He felt as if he was standing at the peak of a steep cliff, surrounded
by a face that was low and blurry.
He walked through the fawning faces, they praised him, they knelt to greet
him, they fawned over him, they had the same faces.
He heard someone calling to him in an extremely alluring manner. Her
voice was soft and tender like the petals of a peony. “Darling…”
He felt sick and disgusted, and he tried to get away from the tide of fans,
but the sweet voice held him like sugar.
He suddenly pushed Song Qiutong away, the charming bride was pushed
extremely violent as she crouched on the crimson dragon and phoenix bed.
Her head full of golden and silver jade was trembling, her steps trembling,
and within the precious jewel like illusions, Mo Ran felt that everything was
so distorted, so unreal, that the golden light was like a ghost’s fire, and the
bright red candle was like a bloody tear.
He felt so disgusted. Who was he disgusted by this, Song Qiutong? Or he
could become like this.
He rushed out the door.
In his previous life, very few people in the world knew that on the day of
the grand wedding of Taxian-Jun, Empress Song Qiutong was ignored, her
red dress burning as she pushed open the door of the Red Lotus Pavilion.
He walked in. After a while, the fire in the pavilion extinguished and Song
Qiutong’s new husband stayed there for the entire night.
It was only on the evening of the second day that Xue Meng rushed to the
Sisheng Peak to stir up trouble. Mo Ran lazily opened the door, tidied up his
messy clothes, and with a lustful expression on his face, strolled to the front
hall.
What happened in the Red Lotus Pavilion that night was something that no
one else knew about.
After bidding farewell to the two of them, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran
returned to the courtyard where they were staying.
Chu Wanning suddenly asked nonchalantly, “When Nangong Si said that
Song Qiutong was good-looking, why were you staring at her in a daze?”
“I was thinking of her in her wedding dress,” he said.
Chu Wanning was still jealous. He shook his sleeves and coldly said,
“Don’t think about molesting someone else’s fiancee. What do you have to
think about?”
Mo Ran laughed. “Who said I was thinking about her? I was thinking
about the way she looks in her wedding dress, that’s all. It was not even half
the beauty of Shizun (in the wedding dress;).”
“…”
He was just about to vent his anger, but he was caught off guard and was
licked in the palm by the little wolfdog’s tongue.
Chu Wanning’s face turned red and he couldn’t utter a proper sentence for
a long time. Finally, he waved his sleeves and said, “The Ghost Master
Illusion, you can’t bring up that ridiculous matter again.”
Mo Ran sighed in his heart. It’s not that I want to bring it up, it’s that you
asked me. It’s not like I want to lie to you.
However, I feel very pleasant when I get hurt by you.
When he thought about how he had lost him before, he felt like he would
be scolded for the rest of his life just like that. It felt like he was soaking in a
sugar bowl, Chu Wanning…
What to do, I can’t help but yearn for you.
The days passed quickly. There was still one more day before the day of
Nangong’s wedding.
The Rufeng Sect was already filled with guests from all over the world,
whether they were sect heads of major sects, wandering martial practitioners,
or wealthy merchants without spiritual energy, all of them arrived early on
this day in front of the main city. For a moment, the city was covered with
clouds, carriages and horses, and a stream of men and women dressed in
luxurious clothing flowed in.
Xue Meng was dragged along by his father to greet those female cultivators
who were about the same age as him.
“Wang Xianjun, long time no see, it’s nice to meet you! Aiya, isn’t this
little Xue Meng? You’ve already grown up this long. Truly beautiful. Come,
Xue Meng, come quickly and say hello to your Uncle Wang.”
Unwillingly, Xue Meng moved over and said, “Greetings, Uncle Wang.”
Xue Zhengyong slapped the back of his head and smiled, but he gritted his
teeth and said, “It’s Uncle Wang, not Uncle Wang.”1
“Hahaha, it’s the same. It’s all the same to me. The proud son of heaven is
truly handsome. He’s just like you! Old Xue, you’re so lucky.”
After a while, Xue Meng was pushed along with “Xiaoman Tuo” to stroll
in the garden. Xiaoman Tuo was sixteen this year, which was exactly twentyeight years old, but he looked a little cold. After walking together with Xue
Meng for a while, she said, “Young Master Xue, you should understand the
meaning behind our elder’s pushing us out together.”
“Yes.”
“But as I said, we can take a walk. I really don’t like the way Young Master
Xue is. So don’t think about the others.”
“Oh… Hmm?”
Xue Meng was shocked. He suddenly stopped his steps, his face ashen as
he waited for Xiaoman Tuo.
That little wild flower lifted her chin in a rather haughty manner, and with
rather a demonstration of her strength, looked at Xue Meng and coldly said,
“I have my own possessions, even if you fell in love with me…”
“Are you sick?! Me?” He pointed at himself in surprise, “To you?”
“Why else would you pull me down a deserted path? It can’t be that you
have something on your mind, right?”
“Why didn’t you say that you had a hole in your brain!”
Xue Meng’s temper flared up in an instant. He was furious and his eyes
shone with fire as he repeated: “I like you? I like you? I —”
“Why do you say you like me so many times? You lecher!” Xiaoman Tuo
was very tough. She stomped on the ground, raised her head and slapped Xue
Meng’s face.
Xue Meng was already so angry that his vision was spinning. To be slapped
by this tender and delicate hand for no reason, he felt like spitting out a few
more mouthfuls of blood. If not for the fact that Madam Wang had taught
him how to be courteous to girls, he would probably have smashed Xiaoman
Tuo into the ground and turned her into a blooming trumpet.
Right at this moment, a man with light eyes and a high nose bridge walked
over from afar. When Xiaoman Tuo saw it, she was stunned at first. Then, her
eyes filled with tears. Her charming voice sounded, “Young Master Mei!” She
ran straight towards the man.
The man who came was none other than Mei Hanxue. He did not think
that after walking down such a remote path, he would be able to meet other
people. He was obviously startled for a moment, but seeing that Xiaoman Tuo
was flying towards him, he raised his hand and threw down a barrier. The girl
was caught off guard. She was hit by the force of the lightning and fell to the
ground.
Mei Hanxue didn’t intend to help her. He looked down at her and frowned.
“Miss, you have recognized the wrong person.”
“How could it be wrong? How could it be wrong… That year, you
promised me a golden scented sachet, saying that it would be hard to forget
after meeting me. When I turn eighteen, you will marry me, you… Have you
forgotten?”
Mei Hanxue: “…”
“Young Master Mei…”
“You really recognized the wrong person.” Mei Hanxue didn’t say anything
else. He just shook his head, dropped the sentence, and walked past the
tearful girl.
When Xue Meng saw this scene, he felt both angry and relieved.
Angry because Mei Hanxue really was a seed of wind and truly did not
recognize people when he lifted his pants. It was no wonder that he only
dared to choose the small path in this kind of situation.
It was also because he did not expect that the one Xiaoman Tuo liked was
actually Mei Hanxue. Mei Hanxue was the same name as him, flowery and
ruthless. It was said that before and after hooking up with women, they were
two completely different faces, and Xiaoman Tuo’s love for him was really
bad luck for eight lifetimes.
Mei Hanxue walked up to him and narrowed his pale glass-like eyes. He
looked at him for a moment.
Xue Meng thought to himself, what are you looking at? How dare you look
at me like that? You are renowned throughout the world. My name is
renowned throughout the Nine Prefectures, and I cannot lose in terms of
momentum.
So he proudly raised his head and swept the tail of his eyes over Mei
Hanxue. He was prepared to give a rather disdainful and cold snort to the two
of them when they completely missed each other’s shoulders.
“Why is your face swollen?”
However, when Mei Hanxue was halfway there, he stopped and stood in
front of him, looking at him indifferently.
“The swelling is quite unique.”
Xue Meng could not get up in one breath, but he still could not stop the
car. He let out a proud “hmph”.
Mei Hanxue: “…”
“…” Xue Meng’s face quickly turned red and he abruptly turned his head.
His killing intent surged, “Why do you care about me? I accidentally fell!”
“Then watch your step in the future. It’s not easy to fall like this.”
With that, he left, leaving Xue Meng standing blankly on the spot for a
while. Then, he stomped his feet in anger and said, “Mei Hanxue! You son of
a bitch! You, you just wait for me! We are irreconcilable!”
After suffering from a belly full of grievances, Xue Meng ran out from the
garden with red eyes. He was in a hurry to run, but he suddenly bumped into
a person’s chest.
Xue Meng was furious and scolded, “What the hell is that thing! Do you
not know how to walk?”
Raising his head, he was a tall and elegant man clad in green, his clothes
embroidered with golden threads of pollia pattern, with Guyue’ye’s green jade
crown on his head, and two long and soft eyelashes that fell before his eyes.
When he lifted his eyes, he saw the hazy figure of Jiang Nan’s Misty Rain, a
face that captivated one’s soul.
He pushed Xue Meng aside and adjusted his clothes. He seemed to be in a
bad mood as his slender fingers smoothed the wrinkles on his front. Xue
Meng was stunned for a moment when he saw the silver ring with the Black
Tortoise shell on his index finger.
Guyue’ye’s head, the richest man in the world, Jiang Xi!
This person was about the same age as Xue Zhengyong, but his mental
cultivation method was different. Jiang Xi’s appearance was also around
twenty years old.
At the time, Xue Meng was still thinking about how this absent fellow
looked like. Now that he saw him today, he couldn’t help but be shocked. He
stared at the other party with his eyes wide open.
Jiang Xi’s face was sullen but he was not in a good mood. “You can call the
name of the sect Master? How laughable.”
Hearing these words, Xue Meng felt that the humiliation he felt was a
hundred times greater than the humiliation he received from Mei Hanxue. He
immediately said angrily, “What? Do I have to call you Sect Leader
Immortal? Even Nangong Liu does not have such arrogance!”
“How unruly! Whose disciple are you?”
“Why would you answer whenever I ask? What are you? When Guyue’ye’s
group of monkeys listen to your commands, do I still want to buy your
money? I won’t tell you! I think you’re just a —”
“Meng’er!”
Suddenly, a gentle voice sounded. Xue Meng abruptly stopped his mouth
and looked behind him, avoiding Jiang Xi.
Madam Wang had walked over at an unknown time. She had probably
heard Xue Meng’s unruly retort, so her face was pale and somewhat anxious.
She quickly stopped him. “Meng’er, quickly don’t say anymore. Come over
here and come to your mother’s side.”
Xue Meng glared fiercely at Jiang Xi and walked toward Madam Wang as
he respectfully lowered his head. “Mother.”
Jiang Xi stood in the same spot for a moment before slowly turning around
as well, narrowing his eyes. Those eyes of his, which were obviously beautiful
to behold, were actually flickering with a sinister light.
He looked at the mother and son beside Dewar on the pink wall and said
coldly, “Oh, so this is the son of Heaven, the good son of Xue Zhengyong.
Xue Meng?”
Madam Wang, “…”
Jiang Xi’s eyelashes trembled for a moment before he closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, his eyes were filled with ridicule. “As expected
of Xue Zhengyong’s seed. Truly good self-restraint.”
“You are not allowed to insult my father!”
“Meng’er!” Madam Wang immediately grabbed him and pulled him
behind her. Then, with a pale face, she bowed slightly to Jiang Xi and said,
“My son, Xue Meng, is too willful. Sect Leader Jiang, please forgive me.”
“Heh, Sect Leader Jiang…” Jiang Xi was like a venomous snake, soaking
the three words in his moist lips for a while before swallowing them down,
and then he said, “It’s alright. At least he has half your blood, shijie, if you
count him in seniority, I can recognize him as my nephew…”
“Who wants to be your nephew?! Why aren’t you looking at that ugly face
of yours? Scram!”
“Meng’er…”
Jiang Xi laughed coldly, staring at Xue Meng for a moment before shifting
his gaze to Madam Wang’s face. Madam Wang lowered her eyes and said,
“Sect Leader, please stop joking. I am no longer Guyue’ye’s disciple. How
can I continue to talk about seniority with Sect Leader?”
“… Alright.” Jiang Xi nodded and replied coldly, “Great, great. Seeing an
old friend and son of an old friend today has really broadened my horizons. I
wonder how the Sisheng Peak is raised, and how the fine White Yulan can be
covered with mud.”
“Jiang Xi! Say that again! I’ll tear your mouth apart!”
When Xue Meng heard this person insult his mother in front of him, blood
immediately rushed to his head and desperately rushed forward. Seeing that
the situation had gone out of control, he suddenly heard a loud sound in the
sky. A bright firework exploded with a loud sound, and the sound of the drum
rumbled.
“The welcoming banquet for the hundred families will be held at the Poem
Hall at the same time. Distinguished guests, please enjoy the limelight…”
Jiang Xi coldly glanced at Xue Meng, flicked his sleeves and left.
158. Shizun drinking wedding wine
The wedding ceremony was held three days in a row. The first day was a
welcoming banquet, held on the night before the wedding ceremony. As the
name implies, it was meant to be a welcoming reception for the guests.
However, the most lively part of the evening was not the tables, but the
hunting grounds. According to the rules…
That evening, before sundown, a venerable elder would put three spirit deer
in red silk into the garden, and the groom’s father would select twenty-two
unmarried men and women and send them out to the garden to chase the
deer.
Three spirit deer, if the guests were able to hunt one, they would receive
ten million gold coins. In the end, it was just a gimmick for the rich and oilfilled sects like the Rufeng Sect and Guyue’ye sect.
The Shi Le Hall was a large hall, and looking down from the hall, one
could see a hunting forest not far away shrouded in the afterglow of the
setting sun.
The guests came in succession to greet Nangong Liu. Nangong Liu,
regardless of whether they were high or low, politely returned their greetings
and invited them to take their seats. They busied themselves for half an hour
before all the guests took their seats.
The night banquet officially began.
“I wonder which guests Sect Leader Nangong will send to the forest garden
to chase after the deer.”
“Didn’t you say to draw lots?”
“If you ask me, those who were chosen were all extremely lucky. Think
about it, for the Spirit Deer, a bounty of ten million, other people who didn’t
have a Spirit Deer could also obtain other spirit beasts or immortal fruits. Is
there anything better in the world?”
As the discussion was going on, the door of the hall suddenly opened and
both Nangong Si and Song Qiutong walked up the balcony at the same time.
Both of them came before the Sect Leader, the handsome man and the
golden-red woman.
Nangong Liu stood up and smiled as he nodded, saying in a clear voice,
“Esteemed guests, you come from all over the world. It is truly a great fortune
you were able to visit the Rufeng Sect and attend my son’s wedding.”
The guests below all cupped their hands and said, “Sect Leader is really
courteous.”
“Young gongzi and young madam are a perfect match. Truly a rare pair.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
These flattering words were almost exactly the same as what his fans told
him when he was married in his previous life. Mo Ran was annoyed by what
he heard. His gaze subconsciously scanned the crowd and soon found Ye
Wangxi, who was sitting beside Elder Shuanglin.
Ye Wangxi had his eyes downcast and was still dressed in simple attire. He
was busy eating the food in the bowl and had not raised his head to look at
Nangong Si at all.
His expression, his manner, everything was the same as usual, even calmer
than usual, perhaps because he had been having a hard time all this time, and
such a man already knew that he was powerless to fight for his life. Mo Ran
looked at him and suddenly thought back to when he was young, he really
liked lantern on sale at the night market.
The lantern was made in an exquisite manner. Every roof tile had been
outlined, but the prices for the old artiste were not low. Thus, although the
lantern was good, he could never buy it. Mo Ran naturally couldn’t afford it,
but almost every night, he would wait until the night market opened before
running to the side of the stall to take a look.
However, one day, a young man and a young woman came to the scene.
They were dressed in silk, and the young girl took a fancy to the lantern. She
then gave the lantern to the man beside her with a coquettish expression.
The lantern was taken away. Mo Ran raised his head and watched as the
old artist took it off the wooden shelf that had been hung for a long time. He
handed it over to the girl, and the flickering light illuminated the face of Mo
Ran.
At that time, Mo Ran felt very uncomfortable, but he was also very
obedient and calm.
He was the same as the current Ye Wangxi. In fact, the moment he saw the
lantern, he knew that such a luxurious item was destined not to belong to him.
Every night when he were illuminated by the pagoda, the scene of him losing
this ray of light had already been practiced countless times.
It wasn’t something he could let go of, it was something he could be at ease
with.
It was because from the beginning, he was very clear about what the
outcome would be, so he had never dared to pick it up.
“Come, come, come, draw, draw —” The old servant of the Rufeng Sect
held onto a bronze twined branch and walked to the seat of honor with a face
full of smiles. He held it above his head and presented it to Nangong Liu,
“Sect Leader, the time has come, please draw your lot, Sect Leader!”
“Good! Come! Sect Leader Nangong has come to capture one!”
Nangong Liu smiled and said, “Then we will do as you say. We will draw
twenty-two lots and the young heroes that have been selected will have to
show their respect and participate in the night deer hunting. If anyone is
unwilling to go, I’ll have to trouble you to inform me in advance. Thank you!”
After a while, there were a few girls from some small sects who had low
cultivation bases and were too timid, so they asked their parents to go up and
tell them their names, and had Sect Leader Nangong take their names away in
advance.
Xu Shuanglin glanced at Ye Wangxi and lazily smiled, “Xiao Yezi, do you
want to go play? If you want to go, I’ll do it for you. Open a secret door.”
“I’m not going.” Ye Wangxi said, “Foster father, may I trouble you to
inform the Sect Leader to remove my name?”
“How can we do that? What if we get lucky and get ten million gold?”
Ye Wangxi: “…”
Xu Shuanglin’s personality was far more untamed than his adopted son. He
thought for a while, his lips curling into a wry smile. “Then if you don’t want
to go, I’ll go.”
“Foster father… You are already in your forties this year…”
“Why, I look young. When I get all three deer back, I’ll have thirty million
gold. If we do not take the windfall, we shall destroy the heavens and the
earth.”
Xu Shuanglin was stubborn, not noticing his foster son’s depression at all.
He put on his shoes and went to find Nangong Liu with a smile. He whispered
a few words beside Nangong Liu. The others would have thought that he was
going to take away Ye Wangxi’s lot. Who knew that he loved money so much
that he wanted to go in and play with them himself?
Nangong Liu quickly picked out the guests for Zhulu.
“Shen Feng, Lin Sheng, Qu Yanran…”
Elder Shuanglin stood at the side and took the lot from the Sect Leader. He
reported them one by one in a slow and unhurried manner, “Oh? This is a bit
amazing, the proud son of heaven, Xue Meng.”
Soon, all twenty-one people had been selected, leaving only one remaining.
Elder Shuanglin was extremely thick-skinned and smiled as he raised his
hand. “One more person is me. I’m old bones now. Please advise me.”
Nangong Liu knew his elder’s personality and did not stop him. He only gave
a helpless smile and gave everyone a fuse.
“Deerchaser, the fuse as evidence. After three messages, it means that all
three Deer have been captured. The hunt will be over.” Nangong Liu said,
“At that time, we will personally welcome all of you back from the
Moonhowl Courtyard. The winner will receive a reward of ten million gold.”
Everyone applauded when they heard the commotion, cheering for their
acquaintances.
Nangong Liu smiled and said, “In addition, under the instruction of my
son, I will add another one. The person who gets first place will be rewarded
with ten Demonic Wolves. Make a blood contract and bring it home!”
Demonic Wolf!
Even on the black market, such a precious spirit beast was hard to find,
imagine ten of them!
The main hall was in an uproar, someone couldn’t help but stand up and
shout at his fellow sect members: “Senior Brother, it’s up to you! If you take
first place, I’ll brush your boots for you for a year!”
The crowd burst into laughter.
A female cultivator was not convinced and shouted, “Senior brother, let’s
beat them all. If you win, I will agree to dual cultivate with you!”
“Waa— That’s good. That’s good. Hahaha, which girl is so spicy?”
For a moment, the entire Poetry Hall burst into cheers and laughter. Those
who were initially uninterested had looks of anticipation in their eyes as they
watched the grand show with glasses in hand.
Mo Ran left amidst laughter and said, “Shizun, I’ll accompany Xue Meng
to the hunting grounds. You sit and eat well, wait for me to come back.”
Chu Wanning said, “Go on, pay attention to Xue Meng, he is too reckless.”
“Alright.”
Mo Ran walked down the brightly lit grand hall with the other 20 people.
Chu Wanning watched the tall and straight stature of the young men and
women disappear into the night, gulping down the red wine in his cup.
He felt that once he reached Sisheng Peak, he would have the money to
build a spiritual energy stone path for himself in the cultivation world. He was
confident in his disciple’s abilities.
Thirty million gold was easily obtainable.
After entering the forest, before he could even send Xue Meng back, the
first bright red firework exploded in the sky. Nangong Liu clicked his tongue
in wonder and sighed, “Amazing, someone is hunting the first deer before I
even finish my cup of tea. Who knows which disciple is it? Such courage is
truly admirable!”
Li Wuxin from Bitan Manor sat beside Nangong Liu, and upon hearing
that, he twirled his beard and laughed, “If everyone here is interested, why
don’t we make a bet? These twenty-two young talents, just who will die and
who will win the prize money?
As everyone seconded him, twenty-two wooden sticks with names written
on them were placed on the long table. Red silk was placed on the bottom,
and those who wanted to bet quickly wrote down their chips and signed their
names.
Xue Zhengyong turned around and whispered to Chu Wanning, “Why is
the Bitan Manor giving out 50,000 credits? With so little money, is that Old
Man Li very poor?”
“It’s a small gamble, a big gamble that hurts the body,” Chu Wanning
replied.
Xue Zhengyong chuckled and asked Chu Wanning, “Then why don’t we
have some fun?”
Chu Wanning just stared at him, not saying a word. Xue Zhengyong felt
goosebumps all over his body. He pulled back his neck and said, “Good,
good, good. I know you don’t like it, so—”
“What are you doing?” Elder Yuheng took off his money pouch and
slammed it on the table, then said expressionlessly, “If you want to do it, then
go on and harm your body.”
“…”
Xue Zhengyong stared at him for a while as if he had seen a ghost. Then
he asked, “How much do we bet?”
“Three hundred thousand.”
“… So many? What happens if I lose?”
“We can’t.” Chu Wanning said, “Don’t you want to cultivate spirit stones?
If I gather more money, I can build a few more villages with especially heavy
poverty-stricken people.”
Xue Zhengyong: “You’re really going? What if Xue Meng loses?”
“He won’t lose, he is your son. You should know this better than I do.”
“…”
Seeing that Xue Zhengyong was still worried, Chu Wanning said
straightforwardly, “If you lose, so be it. If you win, so be it.”
The names were all written on the paper, and the small sects who didn’t
want to bet felt their hearts itch. They couldn’t help but spend a little bit of
money to try their luck.
He stood up and was about to take a gamble when Song Qiutong called out
to him. “Husband, why are you going as well?”
“I’ll buy you some jewelry if I can earn some money.”
Song Qiutong stopped talking. She lowered her head with her glossy face
and a strand of black hair falling down her forehead. She looked especially
shy and pitiful. Chu Wanning glanced in that direction and felt awkward
seeing the newlywed couple’s sweet expressions. He quickly turned his head
back, so he didn’t notice the faint trace of unease on Song Qiutong’s face.
Suddenly, he heard a sharp sound behind him. In a split-second, his
reaction was as quick as a lightning bolt, and he suddenly turned his body to
the side, dodging the attack. A snow-white light flashed past his face, and
then, “Bang!” With a loud sound, it struck the main pillar of the palace.
The powder scattered in all directions and entered into the three points of
the tree!
“Who is it!”
“Assassins!”
“Watch out! They are blowing the martial law’s entry!”
A sharp whistle sounded throughout all seventy-two manors, and just then,
the singing hall that was filled with music suddenly became chaotic, and
swords were pulled out in all directions.
Nangong Si’s eyes were gloomy, a ruthless light could be seen flowing out
of them. He suddenly wiped off the blood on his face and walked towards the
pillar, lifting his head to take a look.
It was just an ordinary arrow, yet it was able to pierce deep into the hard
Nan Mu.
Suddenly, his face greatly changed. His fingers clenched into a fist and he
looked at the letter in disbelief. As he read the letter again, his entire body
was trembling, and his fingertips had even punctured the letter.
“Qui, what’s wrong?”
Nangong Si raised his head, his nose was wrinkled, and his face was
ferocious, as if he had transformed into a leopard.
“This is simply a rumor!”
As he spoke, he prepared to destroy the letter.
But Nangong Liu was faster than him by a step. He raised his hand and
used his spirit energy to trap his son, “Give me the letter.”
“Father, you don’t need to read it. It’s just a piece of nonsense!”
However, Nangong Liu did not listen. Waving his hand, he got the letter
from the paralyzed Nangong elder. He took the letter and scanned it, the
color of his face turning extremely ugly in an instant. Before anyone could
react, he had brought the letter into the fire and instantly burnt it into a
greyish black, then laughed dryly, “My son’s words are correct, it’s really too
absurd. I don’t know who did this, but they made such a cheap joke, it’s
really…”
“What is it?”
Suddenly, a low and hoarse voice came from the corner of the eaves.
Everyone’s expressions changed. Ye Wangxi drew his sword and stood in
front of Nangong Si. Chu Wanning stood up and stared at where the voice
came from.
One had to know that the Rufeng Sect hosted such a grand meeting. The
disciples in charge of martial law were all senior disciples of their sect, yet
this person had stealthily arrived at the top of the hall without anyone
noticing. Moreover, no one noticed him when he spoke.
“Sect Leader Nangong, I kindly remind you not to let your son marry a
woman with a lustful nature for no reason. Not only did you not listen, you
even said that I am a fool. You truly opened my eyes.”
Before he finished speaking, a shadow flashed past, and before the others
could see clearly, he was already standing with his hands behind his back in
the middle of the hall, in the middle of the crowd.
“AHHHHH!”
“Run, run!”
The people who were nearby instantly turned pale with fright. They fell
down like the tide, scattering out a circle with no one around. The senior
martial siblings protected the junior brothers and sisters, the Sect Leader
protected the disciples, and the robust youths protected the younger ones.
The black clothed man wore a ferocious bronze mask and an ink-black
cloak, and said indifferently: “Run away from what? If I wanted to hurt
someone, this hall would have long been filled with blood. Just stand there.”
159. Shizun, I’m most afraid of Tianwen
Nangong Liu appeared calm, but beads of sweat had already appeared on
his forehead. He estimated this person’s strength and felt that what he said
was not false. He could not help but feel more flustered.
“Who exactly are you? What do you intend to do by barging into the wind
sect at night?”
“Like I said, I just wanted to remind you not to let your son marry
someone he shouldn’t.”
As soon as he said this, the guests couldn’t help but glance at each other.
The news of the affair between Ye Wangxi and Song Qiutong had already
spread to every corner of the streets. Everyone was aware of it, and the only
ones who did not know of it were Nangong Si and Nangong Liu.
However, the marriage contract had already been sent out, and the
marriage contract had already been passed down. At this moment, he was
regretting it. What face does he have now? Nangong Liu’s lips trembled for a
moment before letting out a cold snort. He said, “It’s fine as long as my son
likes her. There’s no need for outsiders to worry about it.”
The man in black smiled, “The Sect Leader has such a big heart. He
doesn’t even care about Song Qiutong’s heart. Is she from your Nangong Clan
or the Ye Clan?”
Song Qiutong was alarmed and furious, her face pale as her beautiful eyes
widened as she shouted, “You’re slandering me!”
“Why am I slandering you? You and Ye Wangxi, don’t you know what
you’ve done?”
Ye Wangxi did not expect to be mentioned. He was stunned for a long time
before he knew what the man in black was talking about. However, his first
reaction was not anger, but laughter. “What are you talking about?”
“I did not say any nonsense. What I said was true. I saw it with my own
eyes.” The man in black spoke clearly, “Everyone knows that you have spent a
lot of money to save Song Qiutong in Xuanyuan Pavilion. Master Ye, what
are your intentions?”
“Looking at her in such a pitiful state, I couldn’t bear to watch.”
“You saved her, so you can just let her go. What do you want to do? Go in
and out and bring her along with you.”
“Miss Song is from the Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feast Sect, and everyone
knows about that. If I let her go, I’m afraid that she would immediately be
targeted by some unscrupulous people. That is why she was brought back to
the Door of Justice and given a place to rest.”
“What a good place to stay. Lord Ye is so kind. He stays with such a
beautiful lady all day long. He actually dares to be rude.”
The man in black mocked him, but Ye Wangxi did not seem ashamed at all
as he said, “I have a clear conscience.”
Ordinary people would be willing to judge everyone’s mind with their own
knowledge and experience. Most of these people were from the Upper
Cultivation World, so if they were able to obtain the Butterfly-Boned Beauty
sect, they would have to protect the spiders in their arms even if their heads
were bleeding, or they would even stew them to eat. Who would believe that
Ye Wangxi was innocent?
As a result, the group of people exchanged glances with each other. Their
expressions couldn’t help but carry a look of contempt. In the originally
uneasy atmosphere, there was also a distinct sense of pleasure in peeping into
one’s privacy.
Nangong Si said in a gloomy voice: “I think you are just looking for
trouble, take this opportunity to discredit my Door of the Rufeng Sect. What
does it have to do with you who I marry? There’s no need to say it anymore.
Where did you come from and where are you going?”
“Young noble Nangong, you truly do not recognize good intentions.” The
man in black was pacing around the hall. He suddenly stopped not far from
Song Qiutong, smiled at her, and said, “Miss Song, your husband blindly
trusts you, no wonder you are able to stand here with your face unflustered
and act like the young mistress of the Rufeng Sect.”
Song Qiutong, on the other hand, was far less composed than the other two
as she said nervously, “Don’t you dare insult my innocence!”
“How can you and Lord Ye be innocent?” The man in black spoke
confidently, “Not long after you were saved by him, you volunteered to serve
him. When the two of you met in private, you thought that no one had seen
you, but you didn’t know that I had been watching you in the dark all this
time. If you want people not to know, then don’t do it…”
Song Qiutong suddenly shouted, interrupting him. “You’re lying!”
“If I’m talking nonsense, why are you trembling?”
“I-I am being humiliated…I…” She panicked and looked towards
Nangong Si, “Young Master…”
Nangong Si went back to her side and protected her from the rear. He
stared at the black clothed man with a pair of wolf-like eyes. “Stop slandering
me.”
“Whether I’m slandering you or not, I have something to tell you.” The
black-clothed man laughed, “Young noble Nangong, this beauty Song’s left
thigh has a drop of red mole, is it not so?”
Hearing this, Nangong Si was stunned, “You…”
“It is about the size of a grain of rice. It is bright-colored, not dark red, but
blood-red. If I didn’t see her having fun with Lord Ye, how could I know such
details about her?”
“This…”
“Young Master!” Song Qiutong panicked and pulled at Nangong’s sleeve,
saying with tears in his eyes, “No, no, he wronged me… He must have taken
advantage of the time when I was bathing…”
“What’s so good about watching you bathe?” The black clothed man was
somewhat unhappy and interrupted her, “Why don’t you go to Sisheng Peak
and watch Elder Yuheng bathe and change his clothes.”
The fact that Elder Yuheng was spied on by the female disciples was also
one of the rumors in the cultivation world. Now that the topic was brought up,
everyone felt that it was a little funny. The braver ones glanced over at Chu
Wanning, but were shocked by the astonishing killing intent on his face and
lowered their heads in succession.
As the black clothed man walked around Nangong Si and Song Qiutong,
he suddenly seemed to have thought of something. He clapped his hands and
smiled, “Right, I suddenly remembered something. Back then, when Lord Ye
smacked Miss Song, Miss Song had a Shrine Sand personally placed on her
wrist by the Cold Scale Sacred Hand. If Miss Song is truly pure and clean,
and I was the one who cursed and slandered her, then her wrist must still have
some cinnabar sand left on it.”
He paused for a moment, and then smiled at the pale-faced Song Qiutong,
who was trembling like a sieve. “Miss Song, if you really want to return your
innocence, why don’t you show us that gatekeeper sand?”
He turned around and comforted Song Qiutong, “It’s alright. Take a look at
everyone, you…”
However, when he saw that Song Qiutong’s lips had lost their color and her
face was as white as paper, shivering with fear, he could not help but be
stunned. After a while, he asked with some doubt, “Why are you… What’s
wrong?”
Song Qiutong loosened her grip on Yuanyu’s hand and took a step back,
clutching her sleeve as she shook her head tearfully.
“No… No…”
Nangong Si’s eyes suddenly widened, as if he knew something had
happened that made him unable to speak.
The black clothed man laughed coldly and said, “What happened? You
don’t dare?”
“No, that’s not it. I don’t know either…” Song Qiutong slumped to the
ground, her tears falling like rain as she said sorrowfully, “I don’t know, I
don’t know either…Please… Let me go…”
She tightly held onto her sleeve, not letting anyone see it. However, this
sort of concealing sensation was no different from telling everyone that the
gatekeeping sand on her wrist had indeed disappeared just as the blackclothed person had said.
She was a virgin, but she was not married yet, and the red marks on her
hands were gone.
Even if she jumped into the Yellow River now, she wouldn’t be able to
wash herself clean.
The black clothed man was just about to say more when he heard a cold
and harsh voice not far away. In the light, Chu Wanning stood tall and said,
“The sand on Miss Song’s wrist was still there a few days ago.”
For some reason, the man in black had a look of speechlessness in his eyes.
That aggressive look disappeared as he turned around to face Chu Wanning,
“…”
After a long while, the man in black sighed.
Some of the people present felt that they had misheard. This man, who had
just started spouting nonsense to force them onto a dead end, seemed to have
spoken with a tone of indulgence.
“Chu-zongshi is right, but I didn’t say that Song Qiutong and Ye Wangxi
had an affair at that time, I only said that the two of them had an affair. If we
were to talk about the time of an affair, it would only be a few days ago.”
Ye Wangxi murmured, “… This is ridiculous…”
Chu Wanning’s face was cold and dignified, “Words are no proof. Is what
you said true? Allow me to interrogate.”
“You…”
As he spoke, a gold light flashed on Chu Wanning’s fingertip. The pupils of
the man in black suddenly contracted. He turned his body to the side and
barely dodged the holy weapon Tianwen that came piercing through the air.
“Chu-zongshi, what are you doing?” The black clothed man was both
helpless and funny. He was extremely agile, Chu Wanning’s whip could not
wrap around him for a while, and he did not retaliate. He was chased by the
vines all over the place, and the originally tense and weird atmosphere
suddenly turned comical, revealing a hint of a spoiled child, “Don’t hit me, I
haven’t finished my sentence.”
“If you want to complain, why don’t you take off your mask and talk about
it?” However, Chu Wanning’s sharp voice was filled with contempt.
“If you want me to, I’ll take it off for you. Just not now.”
“Why not!”
“I’m not good-looking. Under these lights I can intimidate people.”
After running for a long time, the man in black noticed that Chu
Wanning’s skills were getting fiercer and fiercer. He couldn’t help but think
that something was wrong as he moved to the back of the pillar, dodging the
attacks of the golden light and shouted, “Ye Wangxi, aren’t you a gentleman?
Today, I will let the world know your true face! You bought a pair of female
cultivators and forced Song Qiutong to serve you, you disregarded others and
bullied the lord’s wife! You – you are dressed like a beast, with a human’s
face and a beast’s heart!”
Ye Wangxi flew into a rage, “What nonsense are you talking about?!”
“Am I wrong? Don’t you know how Song Qiutong’s gatekeeping sand
disappeared? She knelt in front of you the other day and said that she was
Nangong’s unmarried wife. Please let her go and don’t get entangled with her
again. Yet, you insisted on not listening to her, and you still said —”
Ye Wangxi’s face turned green as he gritted his teeth and said, “What did I
say? You’re making it up!”
“You have already forgotten what you have said, so you still need me to
remind you. You said at that time,” The man in black cleared his throat,
changed his tone, and imitated Ye Wangxi’s tone, “Miss Song, I spent so
much money and made clothes for others. Now that you have the favour of
Young Master Nangong, you will not leave here unscathed.”
In the end, he even laughed out loud three times. His tone of voice was that
of a rogue.
Ye Wangxi, “…”
160. Shizun, do you still remember the
voice changing technique in the inn back
then?
When the surrounding guests heard this, quite a few of them revealed a
look of disdain. Their gazes swiveled between Ye Wangxi, Nangong Si and
Song Qiutong.
Someone said softly, “What a scum…”
“Young noble Nangong is still not angry?”
“So Miss Song was forced into a corner because of helplessness, that’s
why… Sigh, she could not be blamed… As a daughter, what can she do in
front of the two famous Young Masters?”
Luckily, he was able to avoid it quickly. His wounds were not heavy and he
was not entangled, but his cloak was still torn. Blood splattered everywhere.
He let out a muffled groan, no longer daring to be negligent.
The willow vine was hiding more frequently than before, but it still did not
let Ye Wangxi go.
“Master Ye, Miss Song did not dare to admit to what happened two days
ago. She was probably worried that she would hurt your relationship with
Master Nangong. However, the blue sky has eyes and it is clear that it is not
open to the public. Do you not have the slightest bit of shame, and do not
intend to lower your head and apologize in front of everyone?!”
Ye Wangxi was extremely angry, but he also found it laughable. He said,
“What crime have I committed?”
“You are not guilty, is it still Miss Song’s fault? Even though she didn’t
resist, I think she was only being coerced by you. Are you trying to say that
she took the initiative to recruit you? You didn’t force her?”
At this moment, the quiet Nangong Si suddenly turned around. He lowered
his head to look at Song Qiutong and reached out a hand to help her up.
Song Qiutong thought that he had extended his hand in an attempt to
confirm the cinnabar mark on her wrist. When she woke up this morning, she
found that the cinnabar on her wrist had disappeared, causing her to panic
even more. However, this situation was getting darker, and she was unable to
explain it clearly for the moment, she thought that she would soon have a
wedding night with Nangong. When that time came, the cinnabar would also
disappear, so it would be better to not say anything for the next two days, in
order to avoid any further misunderstandings.
Who would have thought that someone would splash dirty water on her like
that…
Recalling that she was indeed saved by Ye Wangxi, and that she had once
served him, and that the red mole on her leg had been clearly pointed out, she
felt her mind buzzing and did not know what to do.
Amidst the chaos, she raised her moist eyes and looked at the crowd. She
saw those people looking at her with disdain and pity, whispering to each
other and gossiping among themselves.
That black-clothed man was still being chased around by Chu-zongshi’s
willow vines, as he shouted, “Ye Wangxi! You and I have accumulated
resentment for a long time, today I will expose you, you are a hypocrite! You
secretly made contact with the Young Master’s wife, forcing a young lady
from a good family, how vicious is that!”
Song Qiutong was stunned for a moment, then realized what she should do.
It seemed that the man in black had a deep grudge against Ye Wangxi, and
was trying his best to destroy Ye Wangxi’s noble reputation as a gentleman.
She could not afford to commit the crime of fornication, but if she were to
follow the words of the black clothed man and say that she was forced to do
so by Ye Wangxi, then at least…
She almost hysterically shouted, “He’s the one who dirtied me!”
Nangong Si’s hand suddenly froze. He stood on the spot and looked at her
in shock. It was as if he couldn’t believe that his fiancee had been tainted by
his father’s right hand. He was completely shocked.
Song Qiutong covered her face and sobbed. She choked and said, “Yes, it
was Lord Ye who humiliated me. He… He forced me to. I never
promised…”
Nangong Si stared at her, the candle light suddenly flickered, his eyes
darkened, and after a while, he lowered his hand that was about to pull Song
Qiutong away. His voice was hoarse and sparks flew everywhere. “Do you
know what you are talking about?”
Seeing that he was angered, Song Qiutong felt even more uneasy as she
cried, “Young Master, I’m sorry… I was afraid that my Young Master
wouldn’t allow me to, so… Always. I never dared to say it… I’m more afraid.
I was afraid that if I said it out loud, I would make Lord Ye and Master
Nangong be enemies. He is so highly valued by the sect leader.” As she
spoke, she leaned forward, her long sleeves falling to the ground. Her slender
shoulders couldn’t help but tremble, and she looked miserable and lamentable
at the same time.
“Qiutong really doesn’t know what to do…” He didn’t dare to ask for the
Sect Leader to make the decision. The humiliation he had suffered could only
be concealed by himself “… Young Master, you and Qiutong have our faults,
but… But to you, it is something that I am sincere towards…”
But Nangong Si’s face was pale white. He retreated backwards and shook
his head, repeating: “You knew… Do you know what you’re talking about?”
Song Qiutong’s silky black hair covered her shoulders as the dim light in
the lantern’s shadow glimmered like silk, further making her seem delicate
and pitiful. She sobbed sorrowfully, “It’s Qiutong’s fault. Young Master
should not have hidden it from you. But I’m lonely, I…”
Nangong Si suddenly shouted out and interrupted her, “Do you know what
you just said!?”
“I…” Song Qiutong’s entire body shook violently from his voice as she
raised her head. Her beautiful hair was wet from the rain, and her beautiful
face was full of tears. Her lips could not help but tremble. “I…”
“You can actually do such a thing? How dare you… You can actually do
such a thing!”
When the crowd heard Nangong Si’s words, they could not help but frown
and exchange glances with each other. Some of them could not help but softly
say, “I have long heard that the Rufeng Sect respected men and women are
lowly and despicable, but I did not expect that such a thing would happen.
The one Nangong Si blamed was not Ye Wangxi, but the plain and innocent
Miss Song.”
“Yeah, he’s really shameless.”
Chu Wanning had retracted his willow vines when he heard that Song
Qiutong had admitted to it. Seeing Nangong’s reaction, he was also at a loss.
In his memory, although Nangong Si was occasionally arrogant and willful,
he was still a righteous man. He was definitely not a person who did not
understand anything. If this matter was true and he pursued his crimes, then
he should at least investigate Ye Wangxi and not Song Qiutong.
But from the looks of it, all of Nangong’s anger was directed at Song
Qiutong… How could this be?
Among all the guests, only Mei Hanxue was safely seated. He drank his
wine as he watched the scene unfold. If Xue Meng was here, he would have
noticed that Mei Hanxue and what he saw just now were completely different.
At this moment, he was like a romantic seed from the Peach Blossom
Springs.
Song Qiutong was still weeping and complaining, pushing all sorts of ugly
things onto Ye Wangxi. Ye Wangxi was probably shocked by her identity, and
could not even utter a single word. He could only stare with wide eyes at the
girl whom he had shot down from Xuanyuan Pavilion.
“Qiutong was weak. She didn’t have the courage to prove herself before
Lord Ye showed up. The Young Master had bestowed everything that he had
gained upon the body of the duckweed, and everything that he had gained
was due to him. But now… Now that he knew he was in the wrong… I… I’ve
heard everything from my Young Master…”
When he had finished listening to her cries, he suddenly raised his head
and closed his eyes.
The light that was originally lively and warm was now shining on his face,
causing a dark shadow to billow about. His eyelashes trembled as if he was
doing his best to restrain something.
His palms were like fists, devoid of any flesh. His Adam’s apple was rolling
in his throat, and his heart was in turmoil. He endured, his cheekbones cold,
his veins bulging, his bones trembling, blood burning in his heart.
He held it in and finally could not hold it in anymore. With an explosive
curse, he pulled out his sword and slashed the table before Song Qiutong into
two! The cup was a mess!
“Song Qiutong, do you know… In my life, the thing that I hate the most,
hate the most, and cannot tolerate the most is lying!” As soon as he finished
his sentence, he shouted, “Ye Wangxi!”
“… Young Master.”
“Ye Wangxi, get over here!”
“…”
He suddenly turned around, his eyes red with tears. “Come here!”
Ye Wangxi walked over, and the spectators thought that in the next
moment, Nangong San’s sword would stab straight into Ye Wangxi’s chest,
directly cutting open the stomach of the courteous beast, pulling out the heart
and throwing it onto the ground. They held their breath, staring nervously at
the scene before them.
Nangong Si gasped for breath and stared at Ye Wangxi for a while before
saying hoarsely, “… You, remove the Voice Transmission Technique.”
“Sound Changing Technique?” Everyone was stunned as they looked at
each other: “What does this have to do with the sound changing technique?”
“That’s right. Ai, but it’s so strange. What is this Ye Wangxi trying to do
with the Sound Changing Technique? Was his original voice really that scary
that it would frighten others? Or was there something shameful about his
original voice?”
However, Ye Wangxi lowered his eyes and said, “Young Lord, I can’t.”
Nangong was startled, he stared at him and asked: “What did you say?”
“Since I was thirteen, I have been using the Sound Changing Technique. I
have been using this voice for over ten years, and the Sound Changing
Technique has already penetrated deep into my spirit core.” Ye Wangxi
paused for a moment before saying calmly, “I will never be able to regain my
original voice.”
“…” Nangong Si took a step back in shock. After a long while, he raised
his head to look at the man sitting on the chair with an obscure expression
and muttered, “Father?”
Nangong Liu finally spoke out, “Si Er, this matter is indeed a pity, but…
The change of tone was indeed a voluntary act on Ye Wangxi’s part. He
hadn’t expected it at all. You don’t have to think too much about it.”
“But…”
Nangong Liu walked down the stage and stood behind the many guards. He
stood with his hands behind his back and said, “Father knows that you are
very friendly with Ye Wangxi and is very grateful to him for his dedication.
But this matter, he… To have an affair with Song Qiutong and not care about
anyone else is a capital offense.”
Never would he have thought that Nangong Liu would say such a thing. He
was stunned and said, “Father!”
Nangong Liu waved his hand and a blue light flashed and Nangong Si was
immediately enveloped by a binding enchantment. He was stunned for a
moment, but then he angrily roared and smashed into it, but that enchantment
was passed down by the Rufeng Sect for generations, and because the Rufeng
Sect had once killed his father for the throne, the Sect Leader’s son was able
to sign a blood contract with his father when he was young. This enchantment
was specially used by his father to detain his son, but it lasted for less than an
hour.
The words that he had shouted inside the barrier had been completely
sealed and couldn’t be transmitted to the outside world at all…
At this point, it was better to admit that Ye Wangxi had a secret
relationship with Song Qiutong than to reveal the other secrets of the Rufeng
Sect. Nangong Liu walked over to the black-clothed man and cupped his
hands in greeting. “Although I do not know what grudges Mister has with Ye
Wangxi, it is fortunate that Mister has brought up this matter today.
Otherwise, we would have truly met with misfortune.”
The black clothed man said lightly: “Sect Leader Nangong is courteous.”
“Men, capture Ye Wangxi immediately! To —”
“Wait.”
The sudden action of the black clothed man caused Nangong Liu to feel
uneasy. However, his face remained impassive as he smiled, “Mister, do you
have any other advice for me?”
“I am thinking that your son has only said a few words about the art. Why
is the Sect Leader so anxious to imprison Lord Ye?”
“Cough, this is a private matter of our Rufeng Sect, so it would be
inconvenient for us to talk about it in detail…”
The black clothed man laughed, “Sect Leader Immortal, for the sake of the
reputation of the Rufeng Sect, you really know what it means to abandon
your home. The pitiful Miss Ye has risked his life for your sect for more than
ten years, and now, you actually caused him to suffer innocently in order to
preserve your dignity.”
After he said those words, before the others could react, Nangong Liu’s
expression abruptly changed.
Mei Hanxue smiled, poured another bottle of wine, took a sip, and put it
down.
Nangong Liu’s face turned sallow under the candlelight. After a long while,
he asked with a forced smile, “What about him? Sir, you…”
The man in black’s eyes were bright as his voice echoed clearly in the hall.
Each word was spoken with shock.
“Ye Wangxi isn’t a man at all.”
161. Shizun, I will fly with you
“Ye Wangxi isn’t a man at all.”
“…”
After a few moments of silence, the crowd burst into an uproar!
All the guests in the hall turned pale with fright. All of their gazes were
focused on Ye Wangxi. She lowered her head, closed her eyes and did not say
a word.
Not a man?!
This handsome and upright young man was actually… Was it a girl?
This sentence was like a drop of water entering a wok, instantly causing a
wave of heat to rise. Some people sucked in a breath of cold air, and
immediately after, the buzzing sound exploded like a wok exploding with a
crackling sound.
“Ye Wangxi is a girl?”
“Oh my god… How could this be…”
“No wonder Nangong Si didn’t blame her. He clearly knew about this!
Then Song Qiutong just…”
“She is framing someone for her own safety!”
“This is too dangerous! If you didn’t do it, then you didn’t. Why do you
need to frame others just to clear your name?”
“But I still don’t believe it. How could Ye Wangxi be a girl? I can’t tell at
all…”
Nangong Liu’s eyes became cold. He stared at the black clothed man’s
black eyes and said, “Sir, please don’t speak nonsense. Where did you get this
evidence from?”
Nangong Si gasped for breath and stared at Ye Wangxi for a while before
saying hoarsely, “… You, remove the Voice Transmission Technique.”
“If you do not feel guilty, then release Nangong Si. Fortunately, although
your son has a wild temper, he is still a righteous man. He is not as coldhearted and ruthless as you.”
“…”
Seeing that Nangong Liu’s face was covered in perspiration, the black
clothed man clenched his fists and did not say a word. He coldly said, “What?
Go ahead and release him.”
Nangong Liu said, “A mere unfilial son cannot allow an outsider like mister
to poke fun at a person and put on airs!”
Although he didn’t admit that what the man in black said was true,
everyone knew clearly that those who didn’t believe his words couldn’t help
but waver. They once again looked at Ye Wangxi’s handsome face, wanting to
find some clues about her womanhood.
At this time, someone from the crowd shouted: “Sect Leader Nangong, you
are in the wrong.”
Everyone turned their heads and saw Mei Hanxue, dressed in a fox fur
coat, looking dignified and graceful. He stood in the light of a candle and
said, “Although Miss Ye is a valiant and imposing woman, she is still a
woman. The Sect Leader, as a man, should have mercy on the fairer sex. How
can you bully a girl like this just so that you don’t lose face for the Rufeng
Sect?”
He walked to the front of the hall slowly and smiled: “I am not ashamed, I
have met Miss Ye before at Peach Blossom Springs, and felt that she was
valiant, different from the weaklings of the Wind Raiser, and loved her in my
heart. But I was stupid, so I offended Miss Ye with my words, causing her to
feel disgusted, and had an argument with me. After receiving the high praise
from Lady Ye, I could not help but exclaim at the number of outstanding
people in the Rufeng Sect. The female cultivator was also extraordinary, and
even secretly applauded the sect leader. However, seeing that the Sect Leader
was acting today… Heh, but I feel that the brilliant and learned Rufeng sect
does not deserve such a proud beauty.”
“… Immortal Mei, you and Ye Wangxi have only met once, it’s only
natural that you would be mistaken.” Nangong Liu’s expression was dark, but
he was still biting his lips with a smile. He said, “Considering the fact that you
are from the Taxue Palace, I will not bother you. You better not make any
mistakes.”
The way he spoke was no longer as calm and composed as it was at the
beginning.
The man in black smiled and said, “The name of Young Master Mei is
well-known everywhere. If he can’t tell whether a person is a man or a
woman, perhaps no other person in the world can.”
When Nangong Liu heard him say so, he could not help but burn with
anger. He said stiffly, “Sir had just accused Ye Wangxi of bullying Song
Qiutong, and now you are saying that Ye Wangxi is a woman. You are trying
to disrupt the reputation of our Rufeng Sect by turning things around like
this!”
The black clothed man said: “If I don’t come up with this plan, how can I
let Young Noble Nangong clearly see Miss Song’s true personality? If he
marries the wrong person, that would be enough to make him sick for the rest
of his life.”
“But you clearly said it was reasonable! Furthermore, if Ye Wangxi was a
woman, how did the cinnabar on Song Qiutong’s wrist disappear?”
“Why aren’t you asking her? Why are you asking me?” The black clothed
man laughed coldly, “What’s more, your Rufeng Sect has thousands of male
disciples. If the Sect Leader is free, he can interrogate them one by one. He
will definitely find a satisfactory answer.”
No one spoke a word, but the contempt and curiosity in their eyes could
not be hidden. Nangong Liu only felt a prickle in his back as he stood still for
a while. Suddenly, he turned his head and shouted towards Ye Wangxi,
“Come here!”
“…”
“Tell me yourself, did Miss Song wrongly accuse you?” Nangong Liu
stared at Ye Wangxi’s face. He was betting on himself and he still had an
important bargaining chip in his hand. He knew that Ye Wangxi loved his son
deeply, so he did not want the reputation of the Rufeng Sect to be ruined.
“Tell everyone, who exactly are you?”
Ye Wangxi had always been very obedient. Since she was young, she had
always been the most obedient chess piece on his board.
He clearly remembered when Ye Wangxi was thirteen years old, she was
ordered to come to the magnificent hall of the Rufeng Sect.
The doors of the palace were tightly shut, leaving only the two of them
behind.
He sat on the cold pedestal and looked down. The thirteen-year-old girl
was still in her hair, and she wore a green coat. Her hair was tied up in a satin
ponytail and she had a small silver bracelet on her hand.
He smiled at her and said, “Ye Wangxi, for you to come here today means
that you already know the meaning.”
Ye Wangxi knelt down and kowtowed, “Yes, Sect Leader.”
“Your foster father was heavily injured many times before, and his muscles
and bones were damaged. He is no longer fit to be the leader of the Dark
Guard. You are his adopted daughter, and also Si’er childhood sweetheart. As
for the others, I don’t trust them, I only trust you.”
Ye Wangxi didn’t get up. She was still sitting quietly on the ground. Under
her bun, her slender neck was exposed, just like a lamb that was about to be
slaughtered.
Nangong Liu said, “Your talent is extraordinary and your future is
immeasurable. I have the intention of making you the leader of the hidden
guards of the Rufeng Sect and then ruling one of the cities within the 72
cities. In this way, you will be able to share both your foster father’s worries
and become the right-hand man of my son. From now on, he is in the light,
while you are in the dark. We will share the glory of the Rufeng Sect of Wind
for a hundred years.”
He paused.
“However, if you don’t want to, then so be it. Your foster father can still
hold out for a while, so I’ll look for a more suitable candidate. This matter is
too much of a sacrifice for you, and I know it, so there is no need for you to
force it.”
After Nangong Liu said this, she changed her sitting posture and waited
patiently. This girl had no mother or father, no one to rely on, and he was
absolutely certain that he could rely on her. He waited for her to nod.
At last Ye Wangxi straightened her back and looked at him silently.
For a moment, Nangong Liu trembled with fear, as if this girl had seen
through his schemes and his fake smile. But the next moment, Ye Wangxi
said, “My life was given to me by my foster father. In return for my father’s
kindness, there is nothing that I am unwilling to do.”
Nangong Liu was quiet for a moment before he sighed, “In the end, I have
wronged you.”
Ye Wangxi calmly said, “I should be thanking the Sect Leader, my eyes are
clear.”
Nangong Liu changed the topic, “But, the Rufeng Sect is always inferior to
men and women. When it comes to women, they are always weak. In this
world, only as a man would one be able to convince the masses, and only then
would one be fit to lead a city. Ye Wangxi, since you’re so smart, you should
know what to do.”
Ye Wangxi was silent for a moment. In front of Nangong Liu, she coldly
took off the silver bracelet and tied it with a ribbon. Then, she took off her
jacket, leaving only her pure white robe. After doing all this, she let go of her
hair and changed it into a ponytail, tied up high. The sunlight shone in,
shining onto her body. Her back was straight and her expression was resolute.
Although she was still young, her temperament was already like that of a
cypress.
“That’s right.” Nangong Liu reminded her without leaking, “You should
dress up like this in the future. But don’t forget, there’s still sound.”
Ye Wangxi lowered her eyelashes. She had already noticed when she
entered that there was a pair of golden scissors in front of her seat.
She picked up the pair of scissors and wiped it down her throat.
Blood dripped.
“The old melody vanished, never to be changed.”
She slowly spat out the spell, then closed her eyes and tossed the scissors to
the floor.
The scissors were stained with blood. Nangong Liu stared at it for a while
before replying, “Good, good.” From now on, you will be the successor to the
leader of Dark City, the Master Ye of the Rufeng Sect. Even if there is a
debt, I will still call you…”
Ye Wangxi opened his mouth, but it was already a different kind of youth’s
voice.
“May I trouble Sect Leader? From now on, do not let my foster father be
troubled alone. I am willing to share the worries.”
Thus, Nangong Liu knew Ye Wangxi very well.
Ten years had passed, and she had learned to be a man without leaking a
drop of water. She had taken a secret medicine every day while she was still
enduring the pain from the medicine. Only then had she grown into a man.
In his eyes, she was a dog raised by the Rufeng Sect. In order to return the
favor of raising her, she would never betray.
Ten years ago she cut her throat and bled, forever changing her voice.
Today, she wouldn’t disappoint him either.
He was betting that Ye Wangxi would help him.
As long as Ye Wangxi could say “I am not a woman,” what could they do
even if the others didn’t believe her?
The black-clothed man obviously thought the same. He took two steps
forward and stood in front of Ye Wangxi, raising his hand to block her way,
“Nangong Liu, Miss Ye has already spent all her efforts and years for your
Rufeng Sect. Now that you can’t argue, do you want to use the rest of her life
as a sacrifice?”
Nangong Liu was just about to open his mouth to argue, when suddenly, in
the distance, an orange light rose into the sky and exploded – there was
another person that caught a Spirit Deer.
No one cared who got the second place, as everyone’s gaze was still locked
tightly on the center of the hall. The tables and chairs were all lying on the
floor, and the table was almost split in half, the mysterious black clothed
expert stood between Nangong Liu and Ye Wangxi. Tonight, the groom was
trapped in the barrier by his father, while the bride was kneeling on the
ground, her face full of tears and crying.
This was really too unexpected. From accusing people of having an affair
to having a wife and daughter, and now the Sect Leader was adamant that he
wouldn’t admit it. This liveliness would probably cause the teahouses and
restaurants to discuss it in three to five years.
Who would care about those three poor deer?
As a result, no one noticed a dark red crack in the sky of the dense forest
until the sounds of fireworks suddenly echoed in the sky.
It was only then that the people from the Shi Music Hall felt that
something was amiss and rushed to the fence to take a look.
“What’s going on?”
“Why did everyone’s fireworks explode at the same time?”
“Look! In the sky! What is that?”
“… Heavenly Rift!”
“It’s the Heavenly Rift!”
Instantly, the hall was dead silent, followed by cries of surprise and
screams: “Ghost World Heavenly Rift! How could the Upper Cultivation
World have the Ghost World Heavenly Rift!?”
“Above the hunting grounds!”
“Senior! My senior brother is still there!”
“Sister!”
The crowd was like a fish swimming in a pond, tightly packed together in
one area. Panic and shock were bait thrown into the pond, causing a wave of
activity. In order to save face, Nangong Liu shouted with a sound amplifying
technique, “My lords, do not be surprised. It is only a crack in the sky, a
ghost realm. Everyone is in the Rufeng Sect, Nangong Liu will not cause any
harm to our guests!”
As he spoke, he waved his hand summoning his sword. Stepping on the hilt
of his resplendent blue sword, he brandished it and stood in the middle of the
night wind.
“Guards of the five branches of the Rufeng Sect, immediately follow me to
the dense forest to investigate. The rest of the elders and disciples, guard the
poetry stage and ensure that the guests are well organized!”
After he finished speaking, he unexpectedly, in order to escape the
interrogation of the black clothed person, led his five close guards and hastily
rushed towards the Howling Moon Academy to ride his sword.
“Everything is fine, why did it suddenly turn out like this?”
“Yeah, the Upper Cultivation World has never had a crack in the sky of the
ghost realm. What… what is going on here?”
On the jade beaded pavilion, people were anxious. These cultivators of the
Upper Cultivation World were used to living a comfortable life. Facing the
sudden invasion of the Ghost World, they were actually more afraid than
responsible. It would be fine if they had to kill a lone Greater Demon, but
Heavenly Rift was different. If it was a crack in the upper levels of hell, then
it was an ordinary ghost that came out, that would be fine, but if it was like
the change in Butterfly Town five years ago, then the crack would be an
unending hell…
They shuddered at the thought of a Grandmaster like Chu Wanning dying
in that brutal battle. They could not help but feel threatened as they squeezed
to the edge of the scarlet appendix and gazed at the scarlet crack in the sky.
Chu Wanning stood up and said to Xue Zhengyong, “Sect Leader, the
color of this rift is wrong. After it breaks, it is most likely in the later levels of
hell. I’m worried about Xue Meng and the others. I’ll go take a look.”
With that, he jumped up into the air and walked straight to his appendix.
Under the astonished gaze of the crowd, he jumped onto a roof and quickly
disappeared into the distance.
“Yuheng!” Xue Zhengyong was about to call for him, but Chu Wanning
had already disappeared into the dark night.
He wanted to jump down as well, but his shoulder was caught. Turning
around to face a bronze mask that was baring his teeth, the man in black
patted him on the back and said in a low voice, “Uncle, you stay here and
guard aunt. Rest assured with me by Shizun’s side.”
Xue Zhengyong was shocked. “Mo —”
The man in black lifted his hand and placed it on his lips, shaking his head.
“…” Xue Zhengyong never thought that the man in black would actually be
Mo Ran. Mo Ran didn’t wait for him to ask any further questions, he
supported himself with one hand and jumped into the darkness like a falcon.
His cloak rolled around like ink, and in a short while, he disappeared behind
the same vaulted roof as Chu Wanning.
“Shizun!”
Mo Ran’s used qinggong to run along the eaves of the house. It seemed
slow, so he summoned a sword that was bound to him. The sword quickly
caught up to Chu Wanning.
He lifted his hand and lifted his mask. He pushed the ferocious bronze
mask to his forehead, revealing a handsome face. “Wait for me.”
Chu Wanning’s eyes widened, “It was you?”
“Come up, I’ll bring Shizun over on the sword. I’ll tell Shizun in detail on
the way.”
Chu Wanning held onto the hand he extended towards him, lifting him up
and landing steadily on the blade. He wanted to let go of Mo Ran, but his
thick and rough hand tightened his hold, and Mo Ran was standing behind
him. As he spoke, the unique hot breath of a young man brushed against the
back of his ears, making the night air feel hotter and hotter.
Mo Ran said, “This sword’s momentum is too strong. It flies too fast.
Shizun, hold tight.”
Both of them rode the wind on their swords, Chu Wanning asked,
“Everything that happened in the hall just now, were you the one who
planned it all out?”
“Yes. I’ve been travelling in the martial arts world all these years, and I’ve
heard quite a lot about Song Qiutong. Although she doesn’t have the guts to
kill people for the evil deeds she did, she is still a person who added insult to
injury. If she were to marry Nangong, and become the Young Master’s wife
of the Rufeng Sect, then this sect will probably be even worse off than it is
right now.”
However, Chu Wanning replied, “The Rufeng Sect will not be any worse
off than it is now.”
After he finished this sentence, he frowned and looked at the inky black
cloak again. He felt suspicious, “… Come to think of it, how did you know
that Ye Wangxi was a girl?”
162. Shizun, I’ll fight with you
“I won’t hide it from Shizun; I’ve already known about it since I was at
Peach Blossom Springs.”
He already knew about it in his previous life, but he couldn’t tell Chu
Wanning the truth about it. Mo Ran then laughed, “I heard Mei Hanxue and
the people from Taxue Palace talking about her while we were on the road.
At that time, I believed that Mei Hanxue was right.
“I am even more sure that Miss Ye is not a man.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t Shizun notice that she always wears clothes with her collar pulled
up very high? “They are all the type that covers the neck. The style is very
strange. It’s one or two for an ordinary person, and that’s one or two for her.”
“… I didn’t notice.”
Mo Ran took his empty hand and gestured to Chu Wanning, “Everyone get
to this position, it’s about this size.”
As he spoke, he inadvertently touched Chu Wanning’s Adam’s apple with
his fingers. The slightly raised area felt very fragile, he couldn’t help but linger
there for a while. He thought, his master was so ruthless, so wild and
untamed, but he would expose such a weak spot to his fingers and let him
hold it. This feeling was too inciting.
He was in a daze and forgot to look at the road. The sword was swift and
fierce, but it was too late when he heard Chu Wanning’s “Careful!”. The
heavy sword collided squarely with a towering tree.
“Bam!” A loud sound rang out.
The only thing he could remember was to hold onto Chu Wanning’s hand
tightly. In his anxiety, he called out “Wanning”, but everything happened too
fast. The sound of trees breaking in his ears was so noisy that Chu Wanning
didn’t hear it clearly.
Chu Wanning nearly fainted with anger. What kind of sword was this?!
Can’t you just run on the roof? He had to be arrogant!
The two of them fell to the ground. Mo Ran was the first to hit the ground,
and his back crashed into the rocky forest floor. Although it was unlikely he
would be injured, the pain was certain. However, as he lay on his back and
watched the stars twinkle through the branches, he suddenly felt very
happy…
Haha, luckily the one who fell was him, not Chu Wanning.
He couldn’t help but laugh. Even though Chu Wanning had hit his chest
and caused him pain in his ribs, he still couldn’t help but want to laugh. He
narrowed his eyes and grinned, his dimples were deep and full of infatuation.
Chu Wanning looked up and saw him smiling like that. He was furious,
“What are you laughing at?! Had you turned stupid?”
Mo Ran took the opportunity to hold him in his arms and press him against
his chest. Although this was not the right time to do so, he still wanted to lift
his hand to stroke Chu Wanning’s hair.
He thought so, and so he did.
Chu Wanning was right, he must have turned into a fool.
“Shizun…”
He ruffled Chu Wanning’s hair. The dark night seemed to give him a key,
and the box that contained his private love was opened. The intimacy in his
words could no longer be controlled, turning into a disaster.
His voice was deep, so hoarse it made Chu Wanning stiff at first, panic
arising in his heart, and he hurriedly gathered his fierce dignity, “What? You
can even throw your sword, you sure are capable.”
Mo Ran sighed softly, and then caressed his hair. He cleared his throat and
said with a bitter smile, “Shizun, it was my fault. Please get up from my body
quickly.”
Even though he was thinking to himself, he wanted Shizun to lie in his
arms for a while longer.
However, such words obviously couldn’t be said out loud.
With a darkened face, Chu Wanning got up quickly and helped Mo Ran
up.
“How is it?” He asked stiffly, “Where is the injury?”
“I’m fine. I have rough skin and thick flesh, so I can withstand a fall.”
Chu Wanning was about to say something when he realized that a withered
flower was hanging on Mo Ran’s head. It must have fallen off and landed on
the top of his head. He narrowed his eyes and said, “Your head…”
“Am I hurt?”
Mo Ran raised his hand and touched it, but it was all right.
“No, it’s blooming.”
Chu Wanning picked the flowers off his head and passed them to him
expressionlessly. Mo Ran was a bit embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his
head in a rather reserved manner, and his smile was even more brilliant.
“…” Chu Wanning turned around and coughed lightly, “Since there’s
nothing wrong, then let’s move on.”
Mo Ran said, “Yu—”
“I won’t.” Chu Wanning looked back angrily, “qinggong!”
“… qinggong is qinggong.” Mo Ran waved his hand, reluctantly putting the
heavy sword back into his Qiankun bag.
However, the deeper they went into the forest, the denser the trees became.
The speed at which they controlled the sword was not as fast as qinggong, and
Chu Wanning’s kung fu was good as well.
A cool breeze blew across his face, calming his heart, which had been
unable to endure the agitation in his heart.
Chu Wanning’s voice suddenly came from the front, his tone was calm as
he asked carelessly, “There’s a mole on Song Qiutong’s leg, how would you
know?”
Mo Ran was taken aback. He was caught off guard. With a “peng” sound,
Mo-zongshi crashed into a pine tree once again.
Chu Wanning: “… Are you blind at night?”
“Oh, no. Sorry, I was a little distracted today.”
Chu Wanning slightly frowned, then he seemed to have thought of
something and flew into a rage, “Isn’t the mole on Song Qiutong’s leg making
you lose your mind? The most important thing for cultivators is that they have
a pure heart and lack desire. When you peek at beauties, your heart will
waver, so what else do you need?”
Mo Ran was speechless for a while and felt that what Chu Wanning said
made sense. It was just that Chu Wanning had made a mistake. The beauty
that he coveted was not Song Qiutong, but the man with a fierce temper who
was roaring like a snow leopard.
He sighed and looked at Chu Wanning gently, “Shizun, I don’t like Miss
Song’s looks. You think too much. There is a mole on her leg, and that’s what
I heard from the people from the Xuanyuan Pavilion Auction House. What I
said is not what I saw with my own eyes, Shizun, don’t be angry.”
“What’s there to be angry about? Fine, let me ask you, since Ye Wangxi is
a woman, why doesn’t Song Qiutong have any cinnabar in her hands? This
should not be a coincidence.”
“It’s indeed not a coincidence. Shizun, do you still remember the bracelet
that I gave to Song Qiutong?”
“Yes.”
“There’s a spell on that chain that I created. It took four days. It’s not very
good, but in a short period of time, as long as Song Qiutong wore that chain,
it would be able to cover the cinnabar that was dropped by the Cold Scale
Sacred Hand.”
“…” Chu Wanning did not say anything, but his expression was rather
unsightly.
He felt that Mo Ran was hiding something from him.
After all these years, Mo Ran had changed a lot. He had learnt seventy
percent of his disposition to meddle in other people’s business, but the socalled meddling in other people’s business was like seeing injustice and
helping out with all one’s might. Having to go through so much trouble, even
creating a small spell to expose one’s true colors and prevent her from
marrying into the Rufeng Sect of Wind was a bit too much.
Unless there was a huge conflict between Song Qiutong and Mo Ran, or Ye
Wangxi had a huge relationship with Mo Ran, this fella would not do such a
thing.
In the silence, Mo Ran could also feel Chu Wanning’s emotions.
He flew a few feet behind Chu Wanning and said, “Shizun.”
“What?” Chu Wanning replied indifferently.
What happened in his previous life was naturally unspeakable, but Mo Ran
did not want to make Chu Wanning uncomfortable. He thought for a
moment, then decided to tell him half of his true feelings, “Shizun, Ye
Wangxi is a very good person. She spent a lot of money at the Xuanyuan
Pavilion to save a woman she did not know, you should know.”
“Yes.”
“But, Shizun, I can really tell that Ye Wangxi likes Nangong Si.”
“… Not bad, I can see that tonight.”
“It’s good that Shizun saw it. Since I already knew of Miss Ye’s true
identity, I have always understood her feelings. Besides, he had no idea that
Ye Wangxi was a girl before Song Qiutong, so he was only respectful and had
no evil intentions towards her. However, if she marries Nangong Si, then the
Rufeng Sect will not keep this a secret from her anymore. With Song
Qiutong’s personality, she will definitely view the woman who loves Nangong
Si as a thorn in her side.”
Mo Ran paused for a moment. He thought of his previous life. Song
Qiutong could feel the private love between him and Chu Wanning. With
jealousy and hatred in her heart, she tore apart Chu Wanning’s nails while he
was not in the palace.
What would happen if a woman like this ever fell into her hands? The
answer was obvious.
The evil that Song Qiutong had done was like pulling out a fingernail. It
was not too outrageous. It was enough for her to hide behind other people’s
evil deeds. It was enough for her to stay alive behind other people’s evil
deeds.
In this world, doing good and doing evil were the same. One would fall
from the heavens to the ground. The first smashed to death would be the most
kind-hearted, such as Chu Xun, who would be pushed out by pairs of
weakling hands to be a sacrifice. Kill the most vicious people first, such as
Taxian-Jun, and the whole world would fight and kill tens of thousands.
However, if it weren’t for the accumulation of evil and evil one after
another, if it wasn’t for those not-so-evil people slicing and scarring Mo Ran’s
body.
Then, in this world, will it really create the likes of Taxian-Jun Mo Weiyu?
“It’s none of your business, aren’t you afraid of asking for trouble?”
Mo Ran also knew that he had revealed too much power this time.
In this lifetime, even if the rise and fall of the Rufeng Sect had nothing to
do with him, he still owed Ye Wangxi a life. Therefore, even if it would
arouse suspicion, he would not hesitate to do so.
Not only did he want to make life better for the people he had mistreated
in his previous life, he was still hoping that he would be able to atone for his
sins.
“I’m afraid. But now that I know the truth, I want peace of mind.”
Although Chu Wanning still felt that Mo Ran’s actions were too rash, after
hearing his words, he did not think too much about it. Just then, a strong
sweet smell came from the wind, along with a strong aura of spirituality.
Before Chu Wanning could react, Mo Ran’s color changed. He whispered,
“Not good. It’s a Zhenlong chess game!”
“In that direction.”
The thick night sky was filled with a fishy smell. There were already ghosts
crawling out from the crack in the sky. Five pillars of light shot up from the
ground, one of them metal, wood, water, fire, earth, five of them were exactly
the same as when Butterfly Town was shocked.
Chu Wanning’s eyes turned cold as he said, “It’s him.”
Mo Ran naturally knew who he was talking about. Jincheng Lake, Peach
Blossom Springs, Butterfly Town…… He had stopped for five years, and now
he had returned. It was the person who had been hiding behind the scenes all
along, the one who had faked it!
However, there was a vague feeling in Mo Ran’s heart. This chess game
was completely different from the previous ones. It was done without any
concealment or camouflage… That person seemed to feel that victory was
within his grasp and that he was determined to win.
The birds in the forest were startled, flapping their wings and fleeing in all
directions. Mo Ran sprinted forward, one in front and one behind.
When he got closer, he saw evil spirits rolling out from the cracks. Mo Ran
muttered: “The Infinite Hells… The barrier to the Infinite Hells…”
This time, it was the same as five years ago in Butterfly Town, it was still
the Infinite Hells!
Mo Ran turned his head around in panic and grabbed onto Chu Wanning’s
wrist, “Shizun, don’t go over there!”
“… Don’t be silly.”
Mo Ran knew this was nonsense, but in his two lifetimes, he had seen the
Heavenly Rift twice. The consequences of those two breakthroughs had been
a nightmare. How could he not be worried now that he had seen it for the
third time?
But what was the use of saying “you don’t want to go”?
A person’s nature was hard to change. Even if a person like Chu Wanning
was given thousands or even tens of thousands of choices, he would never run
away from disaster. Mo Ran stared at Chu Wanning, not knowing what to
say.
Chu Wanning looked at him and said, “Don’t worry, I will be cautious.”
After he finished speaking, he raised his hand to call out Tianwen. Golden
light gleamed around his slender frame, fireworks splashing everywhere.
Mo Ran stared at Chu Wanning’s gaze for a long time, and finally sighed.
A dazzling light shot out from his hand and grabbed onto the tip of his finger.
The fiery red light and the golden light of Tianwen collided, and the two
weapons met each other after a long time.
“… Alright, I understand. I won’t advise you. Whatever Shizun wants to
do, I will accompany you.”
The resplendent light shone in their eyes. The bright red was burning the
liquid gold, and the liquid gold was dyed a deep red.
“I’ll go with Shizun.”
Chu Wanning felt warm and helpless at the sight of Mo Ran’s dazed
appearance when he was about to fight alongside him. There were too many
emotions in Mo Ran’s eyes. It was as if he was no longer Shizun and disciple,
but he was not sure what they were.
Thus, he raised his hand and poked Mo Ran’s forehead, saying, “There’s no
reward.”
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment, then he pulled down Chu Wanning’s
hand. When he held it in his palm, he tried his best not to kiss it. He smiled
and said, “En, no, let’s go.”
Like a celestial shadow in the night, the holy weapon’s light met with the
golden red light and instantly reached the heart of the jungle.
Ganquan Lake.
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran hid in the orange grove and looked in that
direction. The flow of spiritual energy that was supporting the lake was cut
off. A thick layer of ice formed on the surface of the lake during the freezing
night. Four formations were drawn around the lake, each with a weapon
embedded within.
Chu Wanning said in a low voice, “Four holy weapons with different
attributes?”
Mo Ran was stunned at first, but then he said, “The theft of his holy
weapon during these five years is indeed related to him…”
“But back in Rainbow Butterfly Town, he was clearly using the heart of a
living person, how come he suddenly changed the array?”
Mo Ran wanted to say something, but was stopped by Chu Wanning,
“Silence, look over there.”
Following his gaze, Mo Ran saw a group of close guards of the Rufeng
Sect walking slowly on the surface of the lake in the distance, including the
young cultivators who had come to hunt in the dense forest earlier. Their
chests were pumping out a steady stream of spirit energy, converging towards
different types of martial arts, and this strong and pure spirit energy caused
the godly lights of the martial arts to continuously increase, shining through
the heavens, and then tearing open a huge crack in the night sky, crazily
biting open the opening of the Infernal Hell.
“What are they doing?”
“Looks like these guards have lost their minds. It seems like they were
controlled by Zhenlong Chess.” Chu Wanning frowned with a depressed look
on his face. His gaze swept across the crowd and stopped abruptly. His face
suddenly turned pale. Unusually, he tightly gripped Mo Ran’s shoulder, his
fingers trembling.
“…”
“What’s wrong?” Mo Ran turned his head and a moment later, he saw a
familiar figure walking amongst the crowd. He said in fear, “Xue Meng?!”
163. Shizun and Bu’gui
As one of the more than twenty youths chasing a deer in the forest, a
Zhenlong chess piece was buried inside Xue Meng’s body.
They were like puppets that were unafraid of pain or death, slashing at the
ghost monsters with their swords, not allowing them to destroy the array, but
they did not care about the ghost monsters that escaped into the darkness.
The purpose of these chess pieces was very clear. They were protecting
this Five Elements formation.
Seeing his disciple being restrained, Chu Wanning could not bear it any
longer. Just as he was about to get up and rush out, Mo Ran restrained him.
Chu Wanning gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, “Let go.”
“Don’t go out, wait a bit —”
“How can we wait? That’s Xue Meng!”
Chu Wanning was too strong, Mo Ran couldn’t grab him with one hand, so
he could only hold him tightly in his arms. He covered his mouth with his
other hand and refused to let go even when he was struggling in his embrace.
Mo Ran whispered in his ear, hot breath on his back.
“It’s too rash to go out at a time like this. Don’t be so impulsive, and listen
to me for once. Hmm?”
The only response he got was a backhand kick, and Mo Ran was hurt in
the face. Chu Wanning pulled his hand away and took a deep breath, his eyes
were filled with anger as he said in a low voice, “Under the control of
Zhenlong’s chess game, his spiritual force is being depleted rapidly. This
place is full of evil spirits. If anything goes wrong, he will lose his life!”
“I won’t let that happen.”
“…”
“I know the game of chess. Believe me.”
Seeing his stern expression, Chu Wanning was slightly taken aback, but his
breathing slowed down. At this time, a strange howl came from afar. They
suddenly turned their heads and saw an evil ghost flying out of the sky and
pouncing towards Xue Meng —
“Swish!”
The scimitar Longcheng reflected the cold moonlight. Xue Meng’s body
was as light as a swallow, and the blade instantly pierced through the ghost!
“A living person who has been hit by a Zhenlong chess piece will gradually
lose their spirit energy, and in the end, will no longer be as strong as before.
However, the time that he has to stay under control is short, so he will be fine
for now.”
Chu Wanning turned to look at him, a mark appearing on his forehead.
“Why are you so clear about this?”
“… From my travels.”
The evil ghost fell and was quickly crushed into ashes. Xue Meng held the
Longcheng scimitar in his hand. Black droplets of blood dripped down from
the blade of the scimitar, dragging out strange and crooked marks on the
snow.
The moonlight fell on his face, his expression was cold, and his eyes were
devoid of light.
Mo Ran’s heart clenched.
Xue Meng had never suffered being a pawn in his previous life before, just
who…?
Suddenly, a commotion could be heard in the distance.
Mo Ran came back to his senses and whispered, “It looks like someone is
coming.”
Sure enough, two people walked into the forest. They walked along the
frozen lake towards the eye of the formation. There was a jade-green
brilliance at the eye area and one of them held a holy weapon. However,
because of the angle, Mo Ran did not see clearly what that holy weapon was.
The man struck the ice layer and threw the holy weapon into the center of
the formation. In an instant, the center of the formation lit up with a brilliant
light, and the dark clouds dispersed. The moon appeared from behind the
thick clouds, shining a cold light on the ice, illuminating the figures of the two
people guarding the formation.
One was elegantly dressed in golden silk, but his face could not be seen
clearly due to the thick and large demon robe he wore on his bamboo hat.
The other was barefooted in this cold world, so he didn’t mind the cold.
The man raised his head, staring at the Seamless Gate.
Mo Ran suddenly widened his eyes.
“How is this possible!”
Xu Shuanglin?
Extremely shocked, extremely shocked. Xu Shuanglin… Elder Shuanglin?
He was Ye Wangxi’s foster father. In his previous life, he had used his flesh
and blood to protect Ye Wangxi. He was the one who had died under the
random knife. How could it be him?!
Chu Wanning did not know the shock on Mo Ran’s face. He patted his
shoulder and said in a low voice, “Go.”
“Why hasn’t he appeared yet?” The man wearing the bamboo hat beside
Xu Shuanglin spoke. When Mo Ran heard this, he realized it was Nangong
Liu’s voice.
Nangong Liu’s tone was clearly anxious and depressed. He could not help
but curse, “Damn it, are you mistaken?”
Xu Shuanglin said, “Let’s wait and see.”
“Faster! Tear this crack a little bigger. I do not know when the guests will
send someone to follow, or else it will be too late!”
“I know you are anxious, but don’t you know that Heavenly Rift can only
be bigger? Last time at the Butterfly Town, because they were in a hurry, the
situation had gotten out of hand, leading to the arrival of the ten great sects.
If you want to lose your patience, you will still fall short.”
“… Sigh!”
Xu Shuanglin closed his eyes and said, “Sect Leader, it wasn’t easy to find
five Martial Spirits of different attributes that can absorb the accumulated
spiritual energy of cultivators. You’ve endured for so many years, so why
would you still need this short night?”
“You’re right.” Nangong Liu took a deep breath and nodded, “I’ve waited
for five years already… No, it’s not just five years. From the day I became the
head of the Rufeng Sect, I have been waiting for it…” He rubbed the thumb
ring in his sleeve, his eyes blazing with the dark knight.
Nangong Liu muttered, “I’ve been waiting……”
“You don’t have to wait.”
All of a sudden, a stern male voice resounded in the empty lake. It was like
a bolt of lightning breaking the clouds, shocking the two people on the lake as
they looked up at each other.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, and tens of thousands of mountains
and rivers flowed freely. A slender man stood on top of a tree, his narrow and
long phoenix eyes were shining, his white robes billowing.
“Nangong Liu, let’s stop here.”
Nangong Liu was shocked and then he clenched his teeth and said, “Chu
Wanning…!”
The sky was bursting with golden light, which made Chu Wanning look
even more dangerous than before.
“It’s Elder Yuheng of the Night Sky, Beidou Immortal, why didn’t you die
after the calamity at Butterfly Town? And now you are messing with me, you
evil creature!”
Chu Wanning was stunned, he lowered his eyebrows and said harshly, “So
you were the one who caused the disaster five years ago?”
When Nangong Liu saw that the matter was exposed, he did not try to hide
it and coldly laughed, “So what if I am?”
Chu Wanning lifted up Tianwen, his fingers brushed against the willow
vine, and the cane was shining on his fingertips inch by inch. The light was so
bright that it was almost platinum. His eyes were like a hawk’s. “At that time,
when you were asking for a sword from Jincheng Lake and the spirit in the
pool, you ordered your wife’s heart to be cut open and thrown into the lake.
At that time, I was so disgusted that I wanted to kill you, yet you told me that
Nangong was still young and couldn’t afford to lose a father… You said that
you were in a trance and are full of remorse. You also said that from that day
onwards, you would become a righteous man in the Rufeng Sect and would
no longer be evil, you…”
As the willow branch brushed past the last branch, a golden light shone.
Chu Wanning gritted his teeth, “Nangong Liu, you are so vicious!”
“Blaming me?” Nangong Liu suddenly laughed deeply, “How can Chuzongshi not blame yourself for being young and immature? At that time, you
were only 15 or 16 years old, right? It was truly naive. After I said a few
words, I shed a few tears, and used my responsibility as a cover, you showed
mercy and let me go. Heh, Grandmaster, why don’t you think about it, what I
have today, is it something due to you?”
Before the sound of his voice faded, Chu Wanning’s Wind struck.
Tianwen broke through the dark night and headed straight for where
Nangong Liu was standing. In an instant, dragon lights danced, flames broke
through the heavens, and the frozen lake was split into two, completely
shattering the ice!
Nangong Liu angrily shouted, “Everyone rise!”
The puppets that were walking around the lake suddenly had a glint in their
eyes. They turned their heads and rushed towards Chu Wanning. Xue Meng
had the most combat power, and he was leading the charge.
Clang!
Longcheng and Tianwen clashed fiercely. Afraid of injuring Xue Meng,
Chu Wanning retreated in time and retreated a few feet back. With a ruthless
expression, he said, “Nangong Liu, what kind of ability do you have to use
him as a betrothal gift?”
“Ha, I won’t let you kill me. This is my ability.” Nangong Liu laughed out
loud, “Hah, ah, ah. They are all living people who have just been taken over
by me. Chu Wanning, is this Young Master Xue your disciple? Do you have
to? You are helpless, you just have to sit back and wait for death. You are just
like how you were more than ten years ago, there is nothing you can do, you
can only let me go, you…”
He suddenly stopped. The smile on his face was like a bucket of cold water
being poured down.
Chu Wanning was too calm.
He stared at Chu Wanning. The calmness on that person’s face made him
uneasy. He shivered and Nangong Liu’s lips moved. He seemed to be afraid
of him and said, “What do you want to do…”
Chu Wanning did not waste time talking with Nangong Liu. His eyes were
cold. He raised his hand to wave Tianwen and shouted, “Tianwen, ten
thousand coffins!”
Dozens of golden vines rose from the ground, trapping those puppets one
by one. Like a dragon rising from the frozen lake, a thick and powerful vine
flew out from the waves, scattering ice crystals everywhere. Chu Wanning sat
on top of the ancient vines with his clothes fluttering in the wind as he raised
his long and powerful hand, pausing after each word.
“Jiuge, be summoned.”
Strands of golden light poured out from his palms and gathered at his
knees to form a completely jet-black zither. The zither’s tail twisted and
turned like a tree that still had life, its branches having luxuriant foliage,
haitang blossoms, and strings that were completely clear and ice-white.
Jiuge the holy weapon.
Tianwen’s most commonly used ace attack was ‘Wind’, which was a killing
move. Jiuge’s most commonly used ace attack was ‘Ode’, which was a
technique used to clear the heart and heal the body. Chu Wanning only lightly
strummed the zither a few times and played the Ode. The people who were
struck by the Zhenlong chess game had confused expressions on their faces.
They were originally struggling with Tianwen vines, but now they looked left
and right, as if they were confused.
Nangong Liu was furious. He chanted an incantation silently with veins
popping out on his forehead as he fought against Chu Wanning. Seeing that
he couldn’t hold on any longer, he angrily turned his head back and said,
“Shuanglin, interrupt his zither music!”
“… Me? Sigh, fine, fine.”
Xu Shuanglin sighed, helplessly wanting to fly over to the top of the tree
where Chu Wanning was. But a black shadow suddenly appeared in front of
him, and he raised his whip, blocking his path.
“Elder Shuanglin, please advise.”
Xu Shuanglin blinked his eyes, and suddenly laughed. “Stop me? Both of
you are truly master and disciple, truly touching.”
Meanwhile, Chu Wanning said to Mo Ran, “A barrier.”
“It’s all set up.”
As it turned out, Mo Ran did not appear just now because he had been
ordered to place a barrier around the lake. Although the Heavenly Rend was
not as exaggerated as the time at Butterfly Town, the Unbroken Hell only held
three or five Demonic Ghosts that were twisted in nature and lost in thought.
If they escaped too much, then there would be a rain of blood in the mortal
world and they wouldn’t be able to stop for a long time.
Mo Ran and Shuanglin clashed, and in the blink of an eye, the two of them
had exchanged more than ten moves. Mo Ran said, “Elder Shuanglin, don’t
try to run over to my Shizun’s side. The person you should be dealing with is
me.”
“What for?” Shuanglin suddenly laughed, “Do we have to force our target
to fight now? It’s not that I’m talking about it, young man, you’re too fierce.
Uncle is too old, I’m afraid he won’t be able to stand up to your rudeness.”
Mo Ran: “…”
“If I come with you, I will break.” He grinned and said, “Little brother,
have mercy and let me have some water. Let me play with your Shizun,
okay?”
In his previous life he had seen Xu Shuanglin’s death and knew that he was
probably not a bad person. Unexpectedly, the person behind the scenes, aside
from Nangong Liu, also had his share. For a moment, he was somewhat
helpless, so he remained silent and only focused on exchanging moves with
him.
As long as he successfully entangled Xu Shuanglin, it would not be difficult
to find out what he was truly thinking. However, Xu Shuanglin’s movements
were light, and his speed was much better than Nangong Liu’s. He floated
gracefully above the shattered frozen lake like a kite dancing, and the red
light could only hit him, but not completely lock him down.
Besides, he was Ye Wangxi’s foster father, so before the matter was made
clear, Mo Ran could not help but have some feelings for him…
Xu Shuanglin suddenly laughed sinisterly again. “That’s about it, Mozongshi. Let me apologize first.”
Mo Ran did not know why he said this, but he was startled. “What?”
“Because I’m going to bully your Shizun.”
Xu Shuanglin raised his hand and a light flashed on his fingertip. A white
streak of light flew towards the direction where Chu Wanning was playing his
zither.
Mo Ran was the most concerned with Chu Wanning, so he was
momentarily distracted. Xu Shuanglin’s eyes darkened as he used his other
hand to restrain the folding fan at his waist. He then moved it towards Mo
Ran’s throat.
“Swish!”
Instantly, blood blossomed and splattered. Although Mo Ran dodged
quickly, his neck was still scratched by the sharp barb of the fan. Xu
Shuanglin retracted the handle which was stained with Mo Ran’s blood and
pointed downwards, only to see a drop of blood fall into the lake.
Lowering his head to take a look, he discovered that Nangong Liu and Xu
Shuanglin were actually protecting the core formation of the wood element.
That holy weapon was actually submerged in the frozen lake and was
absorbing the surrounding plant essence.
At this time, because of Mo Ran’s drop of blood that contained extremely
rich spirit energy, the holy weapon suddenly erupted with a dazzling jadegreen brilliance. The earth trembled, and after a few moments of deathly
silence, an old sharp and ferocious black blade broke out of the water.
Xu Shuanglin shouted at Nangong Liu, “The forbidden spell has been cast!
He was about to come out — hurry up and go down to meet him! Fight!”
Fight?
Did they call someone from the Infernal Realm just to fight?
However, this thought only flashed through Mo Ran’s mind. When he saw
the holy weapon floating in the air, he did not think of it anymore. His entire
body seemed to have been whipped, standing there stiffly without uttering a
word.
The reason for that was because the weapon before him that contained the
wood element was…
Taxian-Jun’s vicious blade that has experienced a hundred battles – the
holy weapon Bu’gui!
He felt a dull pain in his chest, and his vision went black. There seemed to
be some kind of inaudible mumbling in his ears that kept repeating itself. He
couldn’t breathe. He felt the blood of his previous life rushing towards him
from the darkness, soaking his entire body. He felt disgusted, dizzy, and his
heartbeat quickened…
Seeing what Xu Shuanglin was going to do after taking it, Mo Ran didn’t
have time to think. He raised his hand, wanting to recall his holy weapon.
However, as soon as his spirit energy was released, he heard the sound of Chu
Wanning’s zither stop. He suddenly felt that something was wrong and turned
around, enduring the indescribable stifling feeling.
The pupils of his eyes suddenly contracted.
“Shizun!”
How could he have forgotten!? Chu Wanning’s core was fragile. Back in
Xuanyuan Pavilion, a doctor had said that Bu’gui seemed to have some sort
of repelling force towards Chu Wanning. It would devour his already weak
core, making it even more unbearable.
How could he forget!
Mo Ran suddenly cut off the connection between him and Bu’gui, flew
onto the huge vine, and jumped right before the spirit vine stopped moving.
He hugged the pale-faced Chu Wanning, and together they landed in the
orange grove.
At the same time, the ten thousand man coffin that Chu Wanning had
summoned also disintegrated. Fortunately, the people who were bewitched
were confused. Although they were not completely awake, they no longer
listened to Nangong Liu’s orders.
“Shizun!” He knelt in the snow and held the frowning Chu Wanning in his
arms, stroking his face, “How are you?”
When he saw the blood seeping out of the corner of Chu Wanning’s
mouth, his heart ached even more. Wiping it, he suddenly thought of his
previous life when Chu Wanning was lying in his arms on the peak of Mount
Kunlun, bleeding to death from all seven orifices. Just like now, he wiped
away the mottled blood in a flurry, but he could not wipe it clean no matter
how hard he tried.
It was like stabbing into the heart.
His eyes were red. “Does it hurt?”
Chu Wanning was greatly affected by the aura of death. He felt as if the
aura of death had instantly rushed towards his chest, as if it wanted to tear it
open.
What was even more frightening was that there seemed to be many broken
illusions in front of his eyes that were twisting and flickering.
He shook his head and tried his best to shake off the blurry illusions. He
struggled to look towards Nangong Liu. With just a glance, the last bit of
blood on his face faded away.
Unknowingly, he managed to gather his strength and grabbed Mo Ran’s
arm. He said hoarsely, “Over there, be careful!”
Mo Ran saw that his face was like golden paper, and his eyes flickered with
extreme astonishment, reflecting the fiery light…
Flames?
He turned around and saw that what was gushing out of the Heavenly Rift
wasn’t a little ghost, but surging lava from hell. Earth Fire was rolling down
from the sky. Those ghosts that managed to escape at the same time were
burnt to ashes by the raging evil fire. They didn’t even have the time to wail
before they turned into blue smoke.
What kind of strange situation was this?
The infernal lava hung in the sky like a magnificent red-gold waterfall,
slowly and leisurely flowing, dangerously and magnificently licking the lava.
As the lava flowed to the lakewater, the crushed ice and the lake water were
ignited and set ablaze like firewood. Nangong Liu and Xu Shuanglin, who
were standing at the very front, activated the most powerful water-type
incantation in order to prevent themselves from being engulfed by the flames.
Even though the flames were slow, it would soon reach those who were
standing stiffly and fell victim to the Zhenlong chess match.
Mo Ran cursed silently and formed a seal with his hand. However, he was
not familiar with water-type formations, so he was halfway done. Chu
Wanning, who was in his embrace, suddenly held his hand and said with a
pale face, “You are doing it wrong. Allow me.”
Mo Ran embraced him and allowed him to sit up, but stopped his hand.
“Don’t move anymore. Teach me.”
Even though Chu Wanning was hesitant, he knew that his spiritual energy
was damaged and he could not cast any spells. Therefore, he held Mo Ran’s
hand and placed his ten fingers one by one in place. Then, he said hoarsely,
“Cast the spell.”
Spirit energy flowed from the tips of his fingers and quickly formed a
barrier in the air, forming blue water waves that wrapped around those
puppets that were lost in thought.
Chu Wanning let out a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to say
something, he raised his eyelashes and saw that under the light of hell, there
were traces of tears on his handsome face.
He… Why are you crying?
Who was it?
Chu Wanning was at a loss.
If Shi Mei wasn’t here, Xue Meng wasn’t injured, so Mo Ran didn’t know
who the others were. So, would he dare to cover up the greed in heaven and
earth for the sake of himself?
“… Don’t cry.”
Mo Ran regained his senses and wiped his face in a panic.
“Such a big person, what does he look like?”
Mo Ran only looked at him with moist eyes and asked, “Does it hurt?”
Hearing his words, Chu Wanning froze for a moment. Then, a wave of
warmth that was like a hot spring stream spread across his still aching chest.
Grief and tenderness were intertwined, bitterness and pain, sweetness and
astringency. For the first time in his life, before the catastrophe, he was filled
with private emotions. That would be inappropriate, but it would be
impossible to stop.
“It’s only a small wound. It was probably from summoning two holy
weapons at the same time. The consumption of my spiritual power was too
great, so my old illness flared up.” Chu Wanning raised his hand and touched
his hair, “Don’t worry, it won’t hurt me.”
Then, he turned around to look at that vast soup of hellfire, that Blazing
Flame Red Lotus.
His gaze gradually darkened, the pain in his eyes subsided, and his gaze
became more and more vicious.
“You search what Nangong Liu was planning to do and find the right time.”
He paused, and when he spoke again there was no hesitation. “Kill him.”
Chu Wanning’s gaze was filled with hatred and regret.
Nangong Liu was right. At Jincheng Lake, it was his fifteen-year-old self
who hadn’t known the world well. He let go of Nangong Liu, who had already
exposed his demonic face at that time. In order to ensure the stability of the
cultivation world, in order to not let the young A-Si know, he did not reveal
the matter of Nangong Liu giving up his own wife in order to obtain the holy
weapon. He did not let the world know about this, nor did he reveal the
matter of Nangong Liu giving up his own wife for the sake of obtaining the
holy weapon.
It was due to his ignorance when he was young and his excessive kindness
that resulted in the current situation. It was due to him releasing the tiger back
into the forest that the flames of the red lotus burned…
What did Nangong Liu want to do?
164. Shizun kills his disciple
As if responding to him, a huge skeleton foot stepped out of the surging
lava. Just its fingernail was as wide as the wheel of a car, and as soon as the
foot fell into the spring lake, half of the lake was filled up. The other foot fell
down, breaking countless pieces of orange wood on the shore.
A gigantic skeleton roared out of the fissure. It turned its stiff skull, howled
into the sky, and let out a deafening roar. Then, with a sharp axe with its
shackles jingling in the air, it slammed it down onto the shore.
The giant axe sank into the ground, stirring up waves of heat waves. Mud
and rocks rolled about, and vegetation broke in an instant.
Seeing that the place where Xue Meng was standing was about to collapse,
a blue light suddenly appeared. Nangong Liu was wielding both swords and
he was using the spiritual energy in his body to contend against him. With a
loud bang, the two forces collided, causing the soil and wood to shatter. At his
side, Xu Shuanglin supported the water barrier and shouted, “Hit him
between the ribs! Did you see that!”
“I saw it.” Nangong Liu gnashed his teeth as he swept away his usual meek
and submissive appearance and attacked the chest area of the giant skeleton.
Upon closer inspection, he saw a flame burning on the chest area of the skull.
Inside the flame, there was a faint shadow of a human figure that was hanging
and bound. He wanted to get a better look, but he couldn’t see clearly because
of the flickering flame between the giant skeleton and Nangong Liu.
It was reasonable to say that Nangong Liu had spent a lot of effort
summoning this fiend from hell. No matter what, it should have been ordered
by him to bring disaster to the human world. That was understandable. But
looking at Nangong Liu’s current stance, it was as if he was risking his life’s
cultivation to fight this thing.
This was really strange…
However, Mo Ran did not have the time to think about it. Xue Meng and
the rest were still standing at their original positions. If they continued
fighting like this, they might be affected. Mo Ran recalling Chu Wanning’s
technique shouted: “Damn it, Ten Thousand Coffins!” Dozens of red vines
swarmed over from all directions like a soaring snake, wrapping up all the
chess pieces on the shore and then retreating towards the outside.
“Not bad, you used it well.”
Chu Wanning’s words must have warmed Mo Weiyu’s chest. At this
moment, the people he loved were right around him, and the people he
needed to protect were protected by the god-like holy weapon. Seeing their
fight this time, Mo Ran felt much more at ease.
He discovered that even though Nangong Liu’s offensive techniques were
not too impressive, his evasion and defense were first-rate. He did not know
that this person had taken a liking to this type of spell since he was young. No
wonder when he slaughtered the Rufeng Sect in his previous life, the head of
the city escaped faster than a rabbit.
The giant skeleton’s attack was ruthless, but because of its huge body and
its slow movements, it did not harm Nangong Liu at all. Nangong Liu walked
higher and higher along its bones, his Chinese robe fluttered, and the red
tassel of his bamboo hat flew up — He stood on the giant skeleton’s ribs,
through the white bones, he could clearly see the person who was hanging on
the skeleton’s heart.
Nangong Liu first loudly shouted, as if he was a person who was released
from an extreme torment. His voice twisted sinisterly as he laughed loudly
while facing the sky, “Hahaha… Hahahahaha! I found it! Finally… I’ve
finally found you!”
His gleaming eyes were bloodshot from the depths of his bamboo hat. He
yelled in fury, ecstasy, and roared: “I’ve found it!”
Wrapped in that flame was a man with his eyes tightly closed. He looked
frail. He did not have a very striking appearance, a face that could easily be
forgotten.
Nangong Liu muttered nonstop and nearly went insane, “I found it, I found
it… Haha, hahaha… I found you. I found you…”
He suddenly raised the flowing blue light sword in his hand and fiercely
stabbed towards the giant skeleton’s inner core, towards the sleeping man!
But at that moment, the silent man suddenly raised his head and opened his
eyes. Xu Shuanglin anxiously and angrily shouted from below, “Don’t look at
his eyes! I told you not to fucking look at his eyes!” However, Nangong Liu
was too close to the man. He was caught off guard and met the man’s eyes.
Nangong Liu only had enough time to see the red bloodshot eyes of the dog.
Immediately after, he felt a tearing pain all over his body.
He let out a loud “Ah!” and actually fell straight down, falling to the
ground. If it weren’t for Xu Shuanglin supporting him with a barrier, his
bones might have been broken.
Xu Shuanglin walked over quickly, his bare feet stamping the ground.
“What are you doing? Look at him? Didn’t I tell you that when you look at
him, you will feel the pain your spirit soul suffers? You…”
He stopped midway through his sentence. Nangong Liu stood up shakily.
His bamboo hat had fallen off, revealing a messy bun and a pair of panicked
eyes under his messy hair.
“Ah… Ahhh!”
The moonlight shone on his face without any concealment. His fingers
spasmed in pain as he tried to cover his face, but it was to no avail. All the
skin exposed to the moonlight rapidly began to crack and burst, revealing
fresh red flesh.
“AHHHH!!”
Nangong Liu screamed and attempted to use his sleeves to cover his face.
However, his hands and forearms were exposed in panic. His skin and flesh
began to tear and become mottled.
Mo Ran and Chu Wanning watched from afar in disbelief — what was
going on with Nangong Liu?
He actually… What is happening to him under the moonlight?
Xu Shuanglin took off his outer robe and threw it all over Nangong Liu’s
face, covering him tightly while he stood there in the winter night, wearing
only a white undergarment. He did not feel cold at all. His clothes were
slightly open and his chest was moving up and down below him. Seeing that
Nangong Liu was limply sitting on the ground, he got angry and used his bare
feet to kick the head of the Sect Leader without any respect, “Why are you
sitting there, why aren’t you standing!? If you still can’t kill it after using up
all your gathered spirit energy, don’t even think about it for the rest of your
life!”
Who would have thought that Nangong Liu, that trash who acted tough but
was actually weak at heart, would actually sit on the ground with tears and
mucus flowing down his nose, and cry, “I’m in so much pain… It is better to
die than live like this… this life is living hell… My face is covered with
blood. My hands also… I can’t stand it. Shuanglin I can’t take it anymore.
You’ll do it for me…”
“I’ll do it for you, I’ll do it for you, I’ll do everything else for you!” Xu
Shuanglin flew into a rage, kicking him in the face. “Why don’t you just give
me the position of Sect Leader, and let me take it for you!”
“Do you think I don’t want to!?” Nangong Liu was kicked to the ground
and he howled, “Do you think I don’t want to!? I’m sick of it! The curse that
Luo Fenghua left behind will affect me for the rest of my life! He wants me
to remain in this seat for the rest of my life! Come on! I wish someone would
do it for me! I just can’t take off this ring!”
“Luo Fenghua?” Mo Ran asked in a low voice, “This name is very familiar,
I seem to have heard of it somewhere before.”
“… That is Nangong Liu’s preceding head of the Rufeng Sect.” As Chu
Wanning listened to their conversation, his eyebrows tightened, “It only took
him two years, and he has already passed away from illness.”
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment, “The descendants of the Rufeng Sect
will be inherited by the Nangong Family, so why would there be a Sect
Leader with the surname Luo? Shouldn’t he be surnamed Nangong?”
“Normally, his surname would be Nangong. However, Luo Fenghua had
usurped his position and became the head of the Rufeng Sect.”
Listening to Chu Wanning’s words, Mo Ran suddenly recalled that he had
read about this person in a book that recorded the history of the Rufeng Sect.
However, due to the chaos of the family history, there were too many
disputes and grudges in the book, so Mo Ran had no interest in reading this
book.
He opened his eyes wide, “The power of the Rufeng Sect has been
usurped?”
“Yes. Because this matter is disgraceful and involves the current Sect
Leader, very few people would bring it up today. Nangong Liu’s position as a
Sect Leader was not easy to obtain. When he was young, his father went
berserk and died. Before he died, he chose Nangong Liu as his successor, but
Nangong Liu had a younger brother who was proud and had unparalleled
magic. He refused to accept this decision, so on the night his father died, he
took over the Sect Leader’s ring, replacing Nangong Liu and became the
leader of the sect.”
“The person who usurped the position should also be his younger brother.
His surname should also be Nangong. Why would he have the surname Luo?”
“Let me finish.” Chu Wanning looked at Nangong Liu who was trembling
as he climbed up from the ground and wrapped himself tightly in the clothes
Elder Shuanglin gave him. He then ran towards the flame on the giant
skeleton’s chest and continued, “That little brother of Nangong Liu was
bloody and brutal. Later on, he was even more vicious. He captured everyone
who denounced him, dragged them to the plaza of the Rufeng Gate, and
began to dig out their eyes one by one. I have never seen the catastrophe
myself, but there are records in the books that the eyes dug were carried away
in three carriages.”
Mo Ran’s heart trembled, but he remained silent.
It was only natural for him to curse, but what right did he have to curse?
The current Chu Wanning did not know what Mo Ran had done in his
previous life. He had killed almost everyone in the 72 cities of the Rufeng
Sect because of his personal injustice and even tortured one of them with a
Lingchi Fruit for a whole year before letting that person die.
Actually, when he came to the Rufeng Sect this time, Mo Ran had always
tried his best to avoid encountering that city lord. His enmity with that person
was too deep.
He was afraid that if he saw him, he would do something crazy.
Even now, it was still vicious.
What right did he have to curse others’ ruthlessness and bloodlust?
Nangong Liu was approaching the core of the giant skeleton step by step,
once again heading towards the burning flame with his sword. He drew closer
and closer, the sword in his hand glinting with a cold light.
Chu Wanning said, “Luo Fenghua, as that person’s shizun, could not
tolerate his atrocities. Thus, he joined in the mutiny with Nangong Liu. The
two of them started their army one night and successfully drove that person
from the position of Sect Leader of the Rufeng Sect. However, driven by
power, Luo Fenghua was unable to hand over the sect head’s thumb ring to
Nangong Liu…”
Mo Ran was shocked. “He wore it himself?”
“That’s right. All the sect heads’ tokens are supplemented with powerful
spiritual power. These tokens are owned by the shizun, and so is the ring of
the Rufeng Sect. Whoever wears it will have it. Unless the sect changes
hands, death is the only option.”
“… That Luo Fenghua has only been in power for two years and he already
died, could it be that Nangong Liu killed him in order to regain his position
as sect head?”
Chu Wanning shook his head, “According to the history of the Rufeng
Sect, Luo Fenghua died of illness. After he died of sickness, Nangong Liu
reclaimed the Sect Leader’s ring, but no one can say for sure. Nangong Liu
had spent so much effort to lure this monster out to fight, and he had even
cursed at him… I’m afraid that what happened back then was not that
simple.”
Mo Ran also felt that things would not be so simple, but he had another
question in his mind, “Where is the little brother? What happened to
Nangong Liu’s little brother after he was kicked off the stage?”
“Dead.” Chu Wanning said, “On the night of the mutiny, Luo Fenghua was
able to clean up the mess and personally took his disciple’s life. It was said
that he was hacked and chopped into mincemeat.”
Mo Ran: “…”
He could not help but feel weak. If he did what he did in his previous life
and let the current Chu Wanning know, would his shizun also clean up and
chop him into mincemeat before turning him into a thousand pieces?
As he was lost in his thoughts, suddenly, there was a loud bang. Nangong
Liu’s sword stabbed into the man wrapped in the giant skeleton, causing the
skeleton to grit its teeth and let out an extremely painful howl. The huge, bony
palm created craters in the ground one after another, and it angrily waved its
hand.
Amidst the strange scent of blood and fruit, the giant skeleton suddenly
stopped moving. It knelt down on the ground, causing lava to fly everywhere
and its bones to shatter into fine powder, turning into ashes in the blink of an
eye…
Nangong Liu pulled out his sword and caught the man that fell from the
giant skeleton. He said ecstatically, “I did it! I’m free! The curse has been
broken — The curse has been broken — Hahahaha!”
He descended from the wind and landed on the ground. At this moment, a
group of cultivators who had rushed over from the Poetry Hall saw that
something was amiss and rushed over to the lakeside.
As soon as the Sect Leader of Guyue’ye, Jiang Xi, saw the bubbling lava,
his handsome and lofty face revealed a look of surprise, “Unparalleled Earth
Fire?” He immediately raised his hand and sprinkled a layer of water type
spiritual powder on the people behind him. Every sect had different defensive
techniques and usually used a barrier, but when Guyue’ye used spiritual
powder, he was also able to resist the scorching sun’s flames.
After Jiang Xi finished all of this, he turned around in anger and asked
with a stern voice, “Nangong Liu, what is going on?!”
Nangong Liu did not reply. He tightly held onto the man pulled out from
the giant skeleton. The fire surrounding the man’s body had disappeared, and
he had lost his strength and consciousness. He did not open his eyes again.
When Xue Zhengyong saw Mo Ran and Chu Wanning, he immediately
rushed over and shouted anxiously, “Ran’er, Yuheng, are you guys alright?
Meng… Where’s Meng’er?!”
Mo Ran hurriedly comforted him, “Xue Meng is fine, he is there—”
Xue Zhengyong looked towards where he was pointing and saw Xue Meng
wrapped up in a huge vine, revealing only his pale face. Xue Zhengyong’s
face couldn’t help but change, and he staggered as he rushed towards Xue
Meng. Mo Ran pulled him back and said, “Uncle, it’s only temporary. He’ll
be fine soon. He’ll be safer in the rattan tree. Don’t go over there. Stay with
us.”
Xue Zhengyong said anxiously: “What happened?! From a distance, we
can see the arrival of evil spirits, Sect Leader Nangong…” As he spoke, he
turned around and saw Nangong Liu standing in the lava, as well as the
lifeless corpse in his arms.
He suddenly felt that something was wrong. That corpse, why did it seem
so familiar?
It seemed a long, long time ago, a long, long time ago… He seemed to
have seen this man’s face before.
This person’s facial features were too ordinary. It was easy for him to be
submerged in the past. Xue Zhengyong was unable to recall it at the moment.
But he felt that something was wrong. All of this was wrong. At this moment,
he saw Nangong Liu suddenly raise his head. His face was covered with
blood, but his mouth was wide open.
Nangong Liu was laughing out loud as his eyes flashed with a strange glow.
It was completely different from his usual fawning appearance.
Among those who rushed over were Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si.
Nangong Si murmured, “Father…”
Ye Wangxi, on the other hand, saw Xu Shuanglin, who was standing at the
side, and exclaimed in shock, “Foster father?!”
Xu Shuanglin glanced at Ye Wangxi and shook his head, indicating that he
should not come over. His loose white robe fluttered in the wind. There was a
trace of a lazy smile on his face as he slightly raised his chin and looked at the
bustling scene in front of him, Red Lotus Hell.
When his bare feet touched the ground, his rounded toes moved, causing
sparks to fly. Then he lowered his head, as if he was waiting for something,
and the light reflected in his eyes, like a golden-red carp swimming through a
dark pool.
“AHH!!”
Suddenly, a female cultivator cried out in alarm from the crowd.
Xu Shuanglin did not raise his head, but only smiled. Of course he knew
what had happened. He had heard the sound of chewing flesh.
Behind him, Nangong Liu grabbed the man’s shoulders. Under the
moonlight, he tore open the man’s neck and greedily drank the blood.
After that scream, no one made a sound, no one denounced him. For a
moment, no one understood what was going on, and they were all shocked…
The number one sect in the world, the Rufeng Sect Leader Nangong Liu,
was actually chewing on a corpse in such a sorry state?
This… Why… Perhaps…
“Father!”
Nangong Si was the first to collapse. He frantically ran toward Nangong
Liu. Since Ye Wangxi was unable to stop him, they ran together to Nangong
Liu.
“Father, what are you doing? What are you doing!”
“Sect Leader —”
The clothes he had used to cover his face had long since fallen off, and the
flesh of his skin was constantly being rolled up in the moonlight, causing him
to suffer even more. The more he suffered, the more he madly chewed on the
flesh of the corpse, as if it were a spring, a medicine for suffering, a release he
could not ask for.
Some of the cultivators couldn’t take it anymore, and the sound of vomiting
came from the crowd. Some people weakly muttered, “How could this
happen…”
“Madman… Madman…”
“So disgusting…”
The moonlight slowly moved and shone onto Nangong Liu’s body.
Nangong Liu first lowered his head and spasmed, blood continuously flowing
out from his mouth. Then, he suddenly raised his head and opened his sticky
mouth that was filled with blood.
The flesh on his face didn’t heal just because he ate the man’s corpse.
Instead, it was still torn into pieces in the moonlight.
His face was already covered in blood, but his eyes were still white. He
threw the corpse to the ground and stepped on it. Why wasn’t it of any use…
“It’s useless!”
His meridians bulged, his hands trembled, his eyes were bloodshot, and
large tears rolled down from the intense pain.
“Pain…” It hurts so much… He really wished he could die… “I wish I
could die!” He let out a low growl, almost in despair. Suddenly, he thought of
something, and let go of Xu Shuanglin, lowering his head to dig out that
man’s heart. “Spirit Core!” He definitely didn’t have enough strength “… I
want to eat his spirit core! Spirit core… A Spiritual Core…”
He reached into the wound on the man’s chest and kept rubbing it. His
hands were covered in blood and he was almost crazy.
However at this time, a sharp claw pierced his back and penetrated his
chest!
Blood spurted out!
Nangong Liu was momentarily stunned and did not seem to be able to
react in time. He did not feel any pain and just blankly turned his head back.
He opened his bloodshot eyes and saw Xu Shuanglin looking up, a smile on
his clean and fresh face.
“What do you want to eat? For people like you, eating anything is a waste.”
165. Shizun, it’s him!
The claws that had been infused with spiritual energy were abruptly
retracted, bringing with them a large amount of bright red blood.
Nangong Liu’s lips opened and closed repeatedly, unable to utter a single
word for a long time. It was as if he had never expected that Xu Shuanglin
would stab him from behind. After a long while, he spat out a large mouthful
of blood and knelt on the ground.
“Father! Ahhhhhhhhh!” Nangong Si screamed in pain.
“Leader!”
“…!” Everyone was shocked.
Xu Shuanglin calmly squatted down and nonchalantly took out a fruit from
his Qiankun bag. He stuffed it into Nangong Liu’s mouth, forcing him to
swallow it.
The tip of Mo Ran’s eye immediately changed color: “lingchi guo?!”
The fruit that Xu Shuanglin had fed to Nangong Liu was the same lingchi
guo that had been hanging onto the feathers of the people at the Peach
Blossom Springs, making people want to beg for death! Nangong Liu
instantly wished he was dead. He curled up on his knees like a shrimp.
A violent shudder ran through his body. Xu Shuanglin looked at him, the
light in his eyes very warm.
“Sect Leader, I pity you for the greater half of your life, but in the end, you
are still a good-for-nothing that is being manipulated by others.”
Ye Wangxi was frightened, “Foster father?!”
“Father… Let go of my father! Let him go!” In the end, blood was thicker
than water. Even though Nangong Liu was in dire straits, Nangong Si could
not bear to see him in such a miserable state.
He attacked Xu Shuanglin, but Xu Shuanglin was able to block him with a
single hand.
Xu Shuanglin rolled his eyes, coldly glancing at him.
“Since the elders have spoken, this junior shall not interrupt them. Kneel
before them!”
With that, he pointed his finger into the air and felt as if a thousand pounds
had fallen from his back. Surprisingly, he could not even stand properly.
Gritting his teeth and enduring for a moment, he still knelt heavily on the
ground.
“Ah Si.” Ye Wangxi immediately stood in front of Nangong Si to protect
him. She could not raise her sword to face Xu Shuanglin, nor could she just
stand by and watch without doing anything. For a moment, her expression
was filled with pain and confusion, “Foster father, don’t hurt him…”
“Who cares who wants to hurt him?” Xu Shuanglin turned back and
looked at Nangong Liu. He raised his foot and kicked Nangong Liu’s bloody
cheek, “It’s been so many years. Now that we’re in front of the world’s heroes,
I can’t help but want to reminisce with this person.”
Nangong Liu coughed out a large mouthful of blood, “Reclaiming from the
past? What was there to talk about? Didn’t you tell me that as long as I recall
Luo Fenghua’s soul from the Infernal Realm, the curse he placed on me will
be broken? I will recover from my illness, and I will no longer be afraid. No
fear of the night. You lied to me… You actually… You actually lied to me…”
Hearing this, the young cultivators did not react yet, but the faces of Xue
Zhengyong and his generation changed. Xue Zhengyong then looked towards
the young man’s corpse.
“Luo Fenghua?”
“It’s Luo Fenghua!”
The one who was lying on the ground was the Shizun of Brother Nangong
many years ago, the short-lived Sect Leader who had usurped the position of
Sect Leader. He was the only disciple of the Rufeng Sect with another
surname – Sect Leader Luo Fenghua!
“Your imagination is too beautiful.” Xu Shuanglin laughed, “A curse can
be broken? You killed him with your own hands, and now you drink his
blood and eat his flesh. You’re so naive.”
“Shouldn’t I drink his blood and eat his flesh?! Although I have stolen his
position of power and sent him to his death, before he died, he left a curse on
the ring of the Sect Leader, allowing me to wear it. Not a day passed…
Cough cough, no… Not a day passed… He could lead a normal life at night!
I… Could it be… I shouldn’t have…”
“Of course.” Xu Shuanglin expressionlessly agreed. “Too appropriate.” He
twisted and laughed. He then squatted down, raised Nangong Liu’s face and
said, “You have done very well. No one can do better, more outstanding and
more obedient than you… Sect Leader, no one is more stupid than you.”
He smiled evilly and concluded, “Trash.”
After Xu Shuanglin finished speaking, he slowly stood up, his face carrying
a solemn and gentle smile. Spreading out his arms, he said cordially to
everyone, “Esteemed guests, the banquet has finished. I also have a snack, and
would like to invite everyone to have a taste.”
Someone shouted angrily, “Xu Shuanglin! What exactly are you trying to
do?!”
“Actually, it’s nothing much. I just want to invite everyone to share some
interesting things. The Rufeng Sect of Wind looked down on the cultivation
world for a hundred years, and has countless foul smelling scandals. And
among them, there is one thing that I have waited more than ten years for,
and will make it public today in front of the entire world.”
As he spoke, his voice turned from high-pitched to gentle.
He then said lightly, “This is probably the last part of the secret history of
the Rufeng Sect.”
Hearing him say that, Nangong Liu felt a strong fear in his heart. He
shuddered violently and his lips quivered so badly that he could not even
speak. All he could do was stare at the person standing on top of the river of
flames with his eyes fixed, “You… What the hell are you? Who is it?!”
Xu Shuanglin turned to the side and smiled, but did not answer.
Suddenly, a bright light shone from his hand as a dagger appeared in his
palm. He gripped the dagger tightly and cut through the flesh, causing blood
to flow out from the center of his palm. He dipped it in blood and drew an
array formation on his arm.
Then, he turned around and smiled: “Sect Leader, if you want to know who
I am, after you’ve seen all these things, you will understand very clearly.”
Mo Ran tried to stop him, but he was stopped by Chu Wanning.
“Shizun?”
“It’s not a curse, it’s the Dream Reflection Formation. It’s extremely similar
to the magic of the Peach Blossom Springs’ Yu Min. It’s magic that allows
everyone to see his memories. Wait a minute, let’s see what he has to say.”
Xu Shuanglin blew the light of the formation into the wind, soaring higher
and higher, constantly expanding, instantly enveloping the entire lake below
the formation. Fragments of memories fell from the sky like dust, and the
lake surface was soon covered by Xu Shuanglin’s memories…
Like heavy snow, the ground was replaced with new clothes. As the power
of the formation continued to spill out, the scene changed.
Although everyone was still standing around the lake, the wood and lava in
front of them were gradually fading away, finally turning into the appearance
of the Rufeng Sect’s Yao Tai.
In this illusion, the flying jade platform was empty. There were only two
people there, one standing, one sitting.
The person standing barefooted and dressed casually. His hair was not
properly combed, and his hair was even slightly crooked. It was Xu
Shuanglin. The person who was sitting there was wearing a dark red robe and
a white complexion. It was Nangong Liu.
Nangong Liu caressed the Sect Leader’s finger that was embedded with the
jade green jade. His face was filled with excitement and anxiety.
“Have the five holy weapons been prepared?”
Xu Shuanglin lazily said, “You’ve already asked it for the ninth time. If you
ask me for the tenth time today, I’ll give up.”
Because Nangong Liu’s mood was bad, he could not help but shake his
legs, “Alright, alright, then we will wait for the guests to arrive and wait for
the day of the wedding. Show me the sacrificial list again. I want to see for
myself how many people are still missing from this list.”
Xu Shuanglin threw him a book, and Nangong Liu immediately flipped
through it. His eyes were burning with passion, like someone who had gone
crazy from thirst, as he flipped through the book. He counted them again,
unconvinced, then counted them a second time, his fingers poking at the
pages as if he were about to poke a hole in the page.
“Everyone is here.” Xu Shuanglin saw how crazy he was mumbling to
himself, and said, “More than twenty pure people of the five elements, in
addition to the five elemental spiritual energy guards that you’ve organized
over the years, with their combined spiritual core power and godly powers,
although their power may not be as great as using an elite spiritual body, it’s
still more than enough. I guarantee that I will be able to open the doors to the
Infinite Hells.”
Nangong Liu gripped the book tightly and nodded his head, “Alright.”
“However, this is our last chance. If we screw it up again, it will be even
more difficult for you to break the curse.”
“We can’t smash it!”
Xu Shuanglin said lazily, “You should say it, it definitely won’t be
smashed.”
“Good, good, good. I won’t smash it, I won’t smash it.” Nangong Liu
paused for a moment before saying, “Shuanglin, I’m still worried. Shall we go
over the plan again?”
“… Brother, you have already matched it more than ten times.”
Nangong Liu did not care. “Repeat it a few more times. It’s always better to
be cautious.”
Xu Shuanglin seemed rather helpless. “Sure, it’s up to you.”
Nangong Liu calculated, “On the eve of my son’s wedding, all of the guests
will come to the music platform. I will arrange for lots to be drawn, and the
twenty-one lots that have been pre-marked will be drawn.” He raised his head
to look at Xu Shuanglin. “Now it’s your turn.”
“… Yes, I’ll ask to go with you.” Xu Shuanglin had no choice but to follow
him, “After entering the dense forest, I will lead the offerings to the spring
lake and plant them with Zhenlong chess pieces, making them obediently
obey me, giving their spiritual energy to the holy weapons. When this matter
is successfully completed, I will control everyone to launch the fuses and
fireworks into the air, and at the same time tear open the Infernal rift.”
“Good, good!” In contrast to Xu Shuanglin’s laziness, Nangong Liu was
very excited, he began to talk on paper, “After seeing the fireworks, I will
lead five squads of guards, and in the name of calming the chaos of heaven, I
will first rush to the hunting forest to meet you. Afterwards, we will also turn
the five squads of guards into Zhenlong chess, offering them as sacrifices!”
Xu Shuanglin nodded and concluded, “It shouldn’t be a mistake.”
“There must be no mistake.” Nangong Liu clenched his thumb tightly and
his face turned blue. “I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough…” He mumbled to
himself for a while, then suddenly lifted his head to ask Xu Shuanglin,
“Shuanglin, is there really no problem in not using an essence spirit body? If
the power of the holy weapon is not pure enough…”
“Don’t worry. These five holy weapons are the highest quality martial skills.
They are at the peak of their ability to move mountains and fill the seas. Once
they absorb the spiritual energy from the offerings, they will definitely
succeed.”
“What if? I said, just in case, just in case the Gates of Hell couldn’t be
opened, just like in Rainbow Butterfly Town, someone had to come out to
obstruct us… Look at that Chu Wanning!” Nangong Liu said, “What do you
mean by meddling in other people’s business? The last time in the Butterfly
Town, accidentally killing him was originally a great thing, who knew that the
old bald donkey who was carrying the crime had the ability to bring him back
to life, it was truly hateful!”
When Mo Ran saw this, he was extremely furious. Back then, Butterfly
Town was shocked, and the Rufeng Sect even sent a large number of
cultivators to pacify the chaos. Over a hundred disciples of the Rufeng Sect
also died in that battle, so the two of them knew this very well…
Then who was the fake Gouchen?
Was it Nangong Liu or Xu Shuanglin?!
“Chu Wanning deserves not to die.” In the illusion, Xu Shuanglin said, “He
is a capable man. To die so easily is always a pity.”
“So what if you have the ability? I can’t stand his arrogant face!”
“Oh, so you’re saying, I remember now. Head Immortal, you saw Chu
Wanning a few days ago, right? How was it? Resurrected from the dead, did
he suffer any damage to his spiritual energy?”
“I do not know about Spiritual Energy, but his temper has not diminished
at all.” Nangong Liu hatefully said, “High and mighty, looking down on
everyone else. I’m like a dog that rolled around in the mud in front of him!”
Xu Shuanglin laughed, “Sect Master’s analogy is quite interesting.”
“It’s fine if you don’t mention it, but if you do, I’ll be filled with anger! I am
a mighty Sect Leader of the world’s number one sect. It’s one thing for me to
bow to Chu Wanning, but I still have to see the expression on his disciple’s
face. That disciple of his is incredible. Mo-zongshi, he has no sense of
etiquette. His character is even worse than his Shizun’s.”
He let out a breath, his eyes flashing with malice.
“What a great wood essence spirit body, I only wish I could abandon the
holy weapon and use him. It’s still the same as the initial plan, using his flesh
and blood as a pillar of power to sacrifice to the heavens! Go and tear open
the gate to the Infinite Hell!”
“Jincheng Lake, Peach Blossom Springs, failed twice.” Xu Shuanglin said,
“Afterwards, he walked alone for five years. In these five years, it was difficult
for us to find his whereabouts, and we only tricked him once, successfully
tricked him into getting severely injured by the Yellow River Pisces.
However, that kid was lucky and was saved by Jiang Xi who passed by. Now
that Mo Ran has grown wings, he’s no longer that sixteen or seventeen year
old youth. None of us can touch him. The path of a Spiritual Body won’t
work.”
“Just you wait!” Nangong Liu said angrily, “Once I break the curse, my
power will increase greatly. When that time comes, both Chu-zongshi and
Mo-zongshi will have to kneel in front of me and listen to my commands!”
Hearing this, Xu Shuanglin only laughed, but did not reply.
He let out a sigh of relief as he stared at the ring on his finger. Suddenly, he
said, “Shuanglin, five years ago, you gave up on searching for the essences of
the spirit body. And it’s not only because of Mo Ran’s traveling down the
mountains, and you don’t know his whereabouts, right?”
“…”
Slowly moving his gaze away from the ring, Nangong Liu said, “It’s
because you found out that the earth type soul is Ye Wangxi, right? You don’t
want to give up your adopted daughter, she’s the only family you have in this
world…”
“I have no family in this world.” Xu Shuanglin interrupted him with a
deadpan expression, “Furthermore, Sect Leader, you are well aware that the
fire attribute is your son. Even if I can bear to let Ye Wangxi go, can you bear
to let him go?”
“Forget it.” Nangong Liu waved his hand with a dispirited expression,
“Since holy weapons can be used as a substitute, then what else is there to
say? Let’s not talk about it anymore, let’s do it this way.”
“Then what if the holy weapon cannot be replaced?”
Nangong Liu was shocked, “What do you mean?! Didn’t you say that
nothing could go wrong?”
“Sect Leader, there is no need to be nervous. I am just curious, if in this
world only the five living spirits were to sacrifice themselves to their families,
then we would be able to smoothly open the gate. Do you want to continue
enduring the pain of the curse, or…” There was a trace of ridicule on the
corner of his mouth. He did not continue speaking.
Nangong Liu did not reply. After a long time, it was so long that everyone
thought that this part of their memories would come to an end. Nangong Liu
said in a soft and slow voice, “Look out for yourself, or heaven and earth will
destroy you.”
“AHHH!”
Hearing him say that, everyone’s faces started to ripple, especially someone
like Xue Zhengyong who loved his son as much as his life. They were
completely unable to understand Nangong Liu’s choice, and angrily said,
“Preposterous… The tiger was venomous, but he didn’t want to eat it. He
didn’t hesitate to sacrifice his own son for the sake of living? This is
ridiculous!”
Nangong Si stood stiffly on the spot with a blank look on his face. Other
than that, he didn’t have any other expression on his face. His eyes were
empty…
The scene turned dark, and the sparkling memory fragments once again
fluttered, emitting the delicate sound of the wind chimes colliding with each
other.
When the illusion lit up again, the sky was clear and the towering snow
mountain reflected the blinding white light. Someone exclaimed: “It’s
Jincheng Lake?!
166. Shizun’s respect for Madam Rong
Near the edge of Jincheng Lake, a sign with strong red lettering read
“proceed with caution, the road is difficult”.
The scene was still filled with Nangong Liu and Xu Shuanglin. The only
reason why they were still alive was because there were countless corpses
lying on the ground.
Or it could be said that they were some of the dead merpeople.
“Hurry up, if we block the path and prevent other cultivators from going up
the mountain, it might arouse suspicion.”
“It’s almost done.” Xu Shuanglin stuffed a black seed into the mouth of
one of the merfolk, then silently chanted a spell. The merfolk shakily stood
up from the ground and bowed towards the two.
With a “putong” sound, he leaped back into the Jincheng Lake that was
filled with floating crushed ice. Xu Shuanglin said, “I’m still not proficient
with this forbidden technique. Once I’m somewhat proficient in it, I won’t
need to feed them pawns one by one. I can volley the pieces from afar and
they will still follow all my orders.”
“That powerful?”
“Why else would it be called a forbidden technique? And even if you can
cultivate to that degree, it’s just superficial knowledge. I’ve seen people…” Xu
Shuanglin suddenly stopped talking and laughed, “I mean, I saw that there
was someone in the books that could preserve the consciousness of a living
being, and at the same time make them willingly listen to his orders. That’s
amazing. At my level, I can only control the body. I can’t control the mind,
I’m still far from it.”
Nangong Liu nodded his head, “You don’t need to cultivate too well. It is
not a good thing to attract attention.”
“Sect Leader is right.”
“But fortunately, you thought of this method— Undoing the curse requires
one to open the Gates of Hell, and opening the Gates of Hell requires one to
possess the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, earth, and spirit energy.
The spirit bodies in this world are hard to find, we can’t just go through them
one by one, but with the ability to change the heaven and earth from Jincheng
Lake. It’ll tell you what kind of spirit core those cultivators who came looking
for swords have. It’s really a good thing to sit back to enjoy.”
As he spoke, he took out an orange from the horse’s backpack and peeled
off its skin. As he ate, he sighed in admiration, “Shuanglin, Jincheng Lake’s
monsters can’t beat you. You’re quite capable.”
Xu Shuanglin smiled, “Even though Jincheng Lake is an ancient ruin, it has
been hundreds of millions of years. The Heavenly Strength of Gouchen the
Exalted has long been reduced to almost nothing, otherwise, with my
abilities, how could I possibly enter it through the thin air? The Sect Leader is
too kind.”
Nangong Liu laughed loudly, “Speak, how do you want me to reward you?”
“I have nothing to ask of you.”
“Sigh, no way. You have to say it.”
“Then, Sect Leader, please give me half of the orange.”
Nangong Liu was stunned, then he smiled and said, “What is this?” Still,
he peeled the orange and handed it to Xu Shuanglin. “I’ll give it all to you.”
“Half is fine.” Xu Shuanglin smiled faintly. “I don’t want much either.”
“You are truly a strange person. Half then.”
As Nangong Liu spoke, he handed the orange meat over. Xu Shuanglin’s
fingertips had traces of blood on them, which was inconvenient to catch. He
directly picked it up from Nangong Liu’s fingertip and said: “Sweet and juicy,
not bad.”
In that instant, under the sunlight, Xu Shuanglin’s smile seemed to be
somewhat terrifying. The droplets of orange juice dripped down to the
corners of his mouth, but he stuck out his tongue and licked it away, like a
poisonous snake flicking its tongue.
Nangong Liu was suddenly somewhat afraid and immediately retracted his
hand. However, his face immediately revealed a look of vexation and
confusion. He did not seem to understand what he was afraid of.
Xu Shuanglin suddenly said, “Look at that.”
“What?” Nangong Liu looked over when he heard that. After a moment,
his eyes suddenly widened and an extremely complicated expression appeared
on his slightly fat face, “Yes…It…”
“The man-eating fish.” Xu Shuanglin picked up the dead pomfret and
threw it onto the sandy beach. The lion-faced fish monster bared its fangs,
revealing its mottled, bloody canine teeth. Its grayish-black eyes bulged out,
and there was no light coming from its eyes.
Xu Shuanglin dipped a little in his blood, smelled it, and subconsciously
rubbed his bare feet. With a frown, he said, “Ugh, how stinky.”
He stood up and kicked the pomfret, “This should be one of the few evil
beasts left in the golden city. Although the ones that Gouchen left to guard
the holy weapons were auspicious beasts, the passage of time is enough to
change a lot of things. The evil ghost can escape, the deity can fall, not to
mention a mere Divine Beast.”
Nangong Liu muttered, “Back then, it was this… You want me to offer up
Rong Yan’s heart…”
Everyone outside the illusion was shocked, other than Chu Wanning, who
already knew the truth, everyone else was even more shocked than before,
“What?!”
“Rong Yan… That was… That is…”
Some of them were muttering, while others had already turned their heads
to look at Nangong Si, feeling both shocked and pity him, “That is his…”
At first, Nangong Si was stunned, then his entire body began to tremble.
He staggered back, and his entire body fell to his knees. His face was paler
than a dead person’s, and even more terrifying than a ghost’s.
“Mother? Impossible… That’s impossible!”
Ye Wangxi tried her best to hold back her tears as she said, “A-Si…
Ahhhhhh!”
“Impossible.” He was so mad, his handsome face contorted with fear and
anger, grief and horror. His facial features were almost dislocated, he could
not hear anyone’s words, could not even hear a single sound, “Impossible! My
mother died while killing the demon beasts! Father told me that she died
through the heart when she killed the demon beast!”
Then he suddenly shook and muttered to himself, “No heart…It pierced
the heart, then died…”
He did not cry, his eyes were wide open, his eyes were bloodshot, he kept
repeating in a hoarse voice, from mumbling to growling, from growling to
growling madly, “Piercing through the heart! Piercing through the heart!”
Memories flashed back.
That year, when he was still very young, his parents and a group of people
had set out together to ask for swords from the Jincheng Lake. He
remembered very clearly that the night before, because he was a little too
fond of fun, he had gone mad with Naobaijin in the forest garden at the back
of the mountain. Only when it was late at night did he sneak back into the
house and tried to look like he was revising his lessons all day. But he did not
know that his mother had come to find him after dinner to give him a new
embroidered cloth quiver. In the end, after looking around and not seeing
anyone at the mansion, she knew that he had sneaked out to play again.
Rong Yan was an extremely cold woman, she would never be like an
ordinary mother who doted on Nangong. When she came back to his bed, he
was pretending to read a volume of “Free Travels” while shaking his head. So
she told him to stop and asked him, “After dinner, what did you do?”
Nangong Si did not know that Rong Yan had already discovered that he
was fishing. He put down the book, scratched his head and smiled brightly,
“Mother, I am reciting.”
“You were always here reciting?”
The child was afraid of being punished, so he stammered for a while and
still nodded, “Hmm… Yes, yes!”
Rong Yan slightly raised her elegant neck, raised her chin, looked down,
and coldly said: “Liar.”
Nangong Si was shocked and his face flushed red, “I did not.”
Rong Yan did not say much, took her bamboo scroll, and asked: “All the
world does not have to be silent, what is the first sentence?”
“Moreover… And the whole world… And…”
“You are renowned throughout the world and yet you refuse to advise me!”
Rong Yan frowned, she slapped the bamboo scroll on the table and said
sternly, “Nangong elder, how does mother usually teach you? It’s fine if you
just went mad and played outside so late, but how did you learn to deceive
people?!”
“Mother…”
“Don’t call me!”
When he saw that she was annoyed, he panicked. Compared to his amiable
father, he was actually more scared of his mother, who always came in and
out of the military uniform.
“You’re too outrageous.”
The little child’s eyes turned red. He was afraid that she would scold him
again, so he argued, “I-I didn’t come back too late. I just finished my meal
and played outside for a while.”
Rong Yan stared at him, his mother who was originally not so angry,
became more and more disappointed after her son tried so hard to think of an
excuse, and she became more and more angry.
“I returned as soon as the sky turned dark.”
“Pah!”
A resounding slap on the face interrupted Nangong Si’s words.
Rong Yan’s chest moved up and down, she maintained her raised hand, and
angrily shouted: “Nangong Si! Greed, hatred, lies, murder, rape, robbery and
pillage are seven things a gentleman of Rufeng can’t do. Have you not learned
these words? Are you still going to continue lying to your mother?!”
It took him a while to regain his senses. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he
felt wronged. “If you weren’t so fierce, why would I have lied to you? You
always hit me and scold me… You, you didn’t treat me well at all! I don’t like
you! I like Daddy!” As he spoke, he prepared to run out to find Nangong Liu.
“Stop right there!”
She pointed at the tip of her son’s nose with a finger that was wielding a
red cardamom, the flames of fury in her eyes surging.
“Why are you looking for your father? Your father was always submissive,
always flattering, and he was just a piece of trash. Are you going to learn
from him?! Sit down!”
“I don’t want it! I don’t want it!”
But the moment she let go of him, he wanted to run away again, so in the
end, she had no choice but to raise her hand and suddenly place down a
restriction, binding him completely. Nangong Si fell to his knees, both
humiliated and angry. He was like a trapped beast in a cage, constantly
gasping for breath.
“Let me go! I don’t want a mother like you! You. You’ve never spoken to
me properly, you’ve never cared about me, you’ve only scolded me… You
only know how to scold me!”
Rong Yan’s face was red and white, her lips were trembling slightly as she
said halfheartedly, “Stay in your room and recite the entire “Carefree
Wanderings”2, I will inspect it tomorrow. If you continue to be so
mischievous, I’ll…”
As she finished her sentence, she was at a loss as well. So what? Actually,
what she didn’t know was that she had always been a hard-blooded person
with a strong personality. Even when facing her weak husband, she would not
hesitate to reprimand him in public and teach him a lesson.
But, to Nangong Si… What could she do?
She stood in place for a while, feeling sad and resentful, sad and helpless.
Under the rage that attacked her, she started to cough violently, she was an
old patient, coughing and coughing up a mouthful of blood, but she did not
care, before Nangong Si could even see it, she had used a handkerchief to
wipe it off, and then spoke in a hoarse and heavy voice.
“Si’er, you are still young, and the world is full of right and wrong. It’s not
always possible to see through them with just your eyes. Sometimes, the
people who treat you with tolerance may not want you to be good, or those
who treat you seriously may not want you to be bad. Your father is weak and
incompetent, what’s more…” She paused for a moment and did not continue.
After thinking for a while, she gave up and said, “Mother does not wish for
you to become a cultivator like him in the future, a Sect Leader like him.”
Nangong Si bit his lips in silence.
“You are mischievous, your work is not diligent, these are not important,
but how can you learn to lie and deceive people? Our Rufeng Sect, the School
of Wind, has a hundred years of history. We have always stuck to the
character of a gentleman in order to have the face to stand at the peak of all
immortals. Your father never taught you these truths, but I’m your mother. He
wouldn’t tell you, so I told you again and again. Even if you don’t listen, even
if you think I’m strict, even if you hate me.”
“… Daddy didn’t tell me, it’s because he treats me as his boy. He makes
me happy, so he’s happy. What about you?! What mother? You think I’m the
Young Master of the Rufeng Sect, that I’m the future head of our sect?! I’m
with you, and I haven’t had a good day! I won’t listen to you!”
She covered her face with her handkerchief and coughed for a while. After
that, she panted for a long time before saying sternly:
“Alright. If you do not listen, I will continue to talk to you until you
understand.”
“…” The child was stubborn, so he covered his ears with his hands.
She thought back to the injuries she had suffered when she was
exterminating the Demons. Despite holding onto the medicine every day, it
had turned into a grave disease which was getting worse and worse. When she
looked up and saw the young child disobeying the orders under the lantern
light, she could not help but close her eyes.
After a long while, she slowly said, “I will pay you back. Your mother will
not be able to accompany you forever. One day, I will no longer be able to
keep my eyes on you, and will no longer be able to warn you. I only hope that
you can understand it for yourself in the future…”
She suddenly stopped talking.
Because she saw Nangong Si sitting on the ground, his small body curled
up in a ball, crying under the forbidden spell she had cast, and her child, the
one who had always been happy and smiling, sobbed and cried under her
insults.
Rong Yan was stunned for a long time before she slowly stood up and
walked over to the forbidden enchantment. She raised her hand, wanting to
remove it, wanting to lean over to pick it up, caress his red and swollen
cheeks, and kiss his forehead.
However, she endured it. In the end, she was still able to ruthlessly stand
up.
She slowly finished the second part of the sentence. “Greed, hatred, lies,
murder, rape, robbery and pillage are seven things a gentleman of Rufeng
can’t do.”
“I don’t understand, I don’t want to understand, I…I…” Nangong Si raised
his tearful eyes and cried out to his mother, who was outside the forbidden
spell, “I hate you! I don’t have a mother like you!”
“…”
In that instant, outside the Forbidden Spell Formation, Rong Yan’s face was
so pale.
That face had appeared in Nangong Si’s dreams many times over the past
twenty years. When he woke up, the pillow was already wet. At that time, he
was like a venomous scorpion, waving his pincers and stabbing the vicious
juice into his mother’s heart.
It was painful, really painful.
After a lifetime will never slow down, never be able to reconcile with
themselves.
On the third day, Rong Yan did not come to see him at the mansion. She
only asked the maid to bring him a quiver embroidered with camellias and a
letter.
In the letter, his mother wrote solemnly, saying only that she had been
practicing martial arts and loved bows, so she had embroidered a backpack
for him to use. She also said that she was going to Jincheng Lake’s place with
his father, and when she returned, he would properly read “Carefree
Wanderings” once again, hoping that he wouldn’t be so willful.
What about him?
How did he do it?
He was still angry and resentful, and he cut the quiver of arrows his mother
had made into pieces with his knife. He threw his mother’s letters into the fire
and burned them to ashes.
He took revenge on her.
He hated her.
He wanted to let her know that he would never listen to the teachings of
such a terrible mother.
He bared his teeth in the utmost malice, and he plotted his way up the wall.
He waited for his mother to bow her head to him, to apologize, or maybe.
At that time, he was only using his pitiful malice to exchange for a soft word
from his mother and a hug.
But she did not come.
It didn’t matter if he made a mistake, hugged, regretted, or was gentle.
He was looking forward to his victory, waiting to declare war on that
woman once more, and then —
He waited for her bones.
“The Sect Leader of the Rufeng Sect was ambushed last night. His wife
protected him with her body and died from a heart wound.”
When the coffin was brought back, Nangong Si stood in a daze beside the
towering tower of the Julou Wind Gate. White silk and paper money were
scattered all over the place, and as the sole legitimate son, he stood at the
front of the group, waiting. According to custom, when an elder fell a basin,
the Madame’s coffin could be carried across the fire and back to the sect. At
this time, the first son was going to kneel down and cry. He was going to use
his head to snatch the ground to welcome his mother’s spiritual return.
However, Nangong Si could not cry.
He felt so ridiculous, so false, so unreal. The sun was shining down on the
ground with a blinding white light, and he felt dizzy and nauseous.
Not real.
… It’s not true!
If that was true, what should he do? How could he accept that… In this
life, Yin and Yang were separated. The last warning she said to him was,
“Greed, hatred, lies, murder, rape, robbery and pillage are seven things a
gentleman of Rufeng can’t do.”
And what did he answer to her?
He didn’t want to remember, but that hatred was so deep, and that yell was
so deep-rooted. His mother’s face was so painful and sorrowful outside the
barrier.
Pain…
It was really painful.
He said that the last words he had said to his mother in his life… What he
said was…
I hate you.
I don’t have a mother like you.
The coffin was supported by the elder, who had broken the porcelain bowl
on the side. A thousand people were kneeling on the ground and crying
bitterly. His father was already weeping silently beside the coffin, while
Nangong Si was just standing there, clutching the tea plant quiver that he had
cut into pieces.
The bright red petals, the goose yellow stamens, were covered in snow. It
was as if her warm fingertips had just touched the silk and touched the
luxuriant purple flowers. It was unknown if it was because she had a
premonition before she died, or perhaps it was a coincidence, but she was
embroidering very carefully. It was as if she was embroidering all of the love
she did not say, all of the advice and instructions for the rest of her life into
that thread, locking them in that small cloth quiver.
Nangong Si gripped it tightly.
That was the last thing his mother, his mother, had left him in this life.
167. Shizun, I don’t want you to be cursed
again
The illusion did not disappear because of Nangong’s pain. Instead, it
continued to ruthlessly spread the bloody truth in front of everyone.
Beside Jincheng Lake, Nangong Liu used his foot to crush the man-eating
fish’s face. He looked around and said, “Beast.”
“Bastard wants Madam’s spirit core, the Sect Leader can’t give it to you.”
Xu Shuanglin said, “But for the sake of the holy weapons, the Sect Leader
sold off Madam.”
“What are you talking about? Don’t make it sound so bad. Senior Sister
Rong was already in poor health, so she had invited the best doctor on Rinling
Island to see her. They all said that her time was running out. If she was
healthy, how would I be willing to give her up to this beast?”
Xu Shuanglin slightly raised his brow, but said nothing.
Nangong Liu stared at the man-eating fish for a moment and suddenly
became somewhat angry. He angrily grumbled, “Destiny is unfair.”
Xu Shuanglin seemed to have not expected someone like him, who had
both fame and fortune, to criticize fate. Surprised, Xu Shuanglin couldn’t help
but laugh. “What?”
“I say, fate is unfair.”
“…”
“Why is it that when people ask for a holy weapon, all of the tasks
entrusted to them by the auspicious beasts are all broken branches, or songs.
Coming to my place, I just have to summon a vicious beast and take my
wife’s life… What can I do? How can I choose?”
Nangong Liu was clearly very angry.
“Back then, when I was asking for a holy weapon at Jincheng Lake… As
you can see, the attendants are silent, and the Grandmasters criticize them.
That Chu Wanning… Damn it, a fifteen or sixteen year old brat dares to
offend me like that. It was so painful to stand and talk! I don’t believe that if
he was given the choice, he would choose the former from among a wife who
is on the verge of death and a powerful holy weapon!”
Xu Shuanglin laughed. “I really can’t say for sure. Don’t look at me like
that, I’m serious. You’ll never be able to guess what they’re thinking.”
“What else can I think? It was nothing more than making a name for
himself in the sea of history. How could I not know them?”
The more Nangong Liu thought about it, the more he felt aggrieved. He
cursed and kicked the pomfret.
“Ever since I became the Sect Leader, I have truly suffered grievances. Not
only do I have the curse, I even have to smile and welcome others all day
long… I was lucky enough to swallow my anger and endure the humiliation.
Otherwise, I would have died at the hands of Chu Wanning the year I sought
for the sword.”
“You’re right.” Xu Shuanglin was actually still smiling, “I also think that
Chu Wanning really wanted to kill you back then. But I didn’t expect you to
persuade him. Not only did you escape death from his Tianwen, you even
sealed his mouth to prevent him from making public what you did at Jincheng
Lake. Speaking of survival skills, I quite admire the Sect Leader.”
“He also knows that the Rufeng Sect cannot fall into chaos. No matter how
angry they are, what can they do?” Nangong Liu said, “Moreover, I still have
Nangong Si. For him to think that his mother died from serious injuries while
exterminating the demon is much less of a shock to him than the truth.”
Xu Shuanglin sighed, nodding his head in a very just manner. “No wonder
he wants to leave. If I were him, I would be completely disgusted by you.”
“Do you think I want to? Do I have a choice? I’ve already said —”
Nangong Liu said, “Destiny is unfair.”
Upon seeing this, someone stealthily looked over to Chu Wanning and
muttered, “So Chu-zongshi actually knew about Madam Rong’s matter?”
“He even helped Nangong Liu hide it. Yet, he actually did not tell the
world about it.”
“He’s probably afraid of something. He was only fifteen at the time. If he
really offended the Rufeng Sect, then he wouldn’t be able to take the
consequences.”
Someone spoke up for Chu Wanning in a soft voice, “I don’t think so. He
was merely making a big loss. Didn’t Nangong Liu say that Chu-zongshi
would not tell the truth? He was afraid that Nangong Si would feel sad if he
found out.”
“But he seems to be of a different level. Is he a child, or is it the head of
the sect, that is more important?”
“Ai, if he had said it earlier, the Rufeng Sect would not have reached its
current state.”
“You can’t say it like that. If he really said it back then, the Upper
Cultivation World would probably fall into chaos… In short, everyone has
their own choices. If it were you, you might not necessarily be willing to
stand out.”
“Heh, that might not be the case. If it were me, I would definitely reveal
myself to Nangong Liu. For a matter like this, if you do nothing and watch
from the sidelines, it would be equivalent to being an accomplice.”
Although their voices were soft, Mo Ran’s hearing was good. A few
sentences floated into his ears, and he was immediately enraged. He wanted
to go and argue, but someone grabbed his sleeve.
“Shizun!”
Chu Wanning shook his head, “No need to say more.”
“But it’s not like that at all! Didn’t they understand? How can you make
this public? Who couldn’t distinguish between priorities? Clearly —”
Chu Wanning said flatly, “Are you angry?”
Mo Ran nodded.
“Do you have to do something?” Chu Wanning asked.
Mo Ran nodded again.
“Okay, then help me cover my ears.”
“…”
“I have no intention of arguing with it, but I do not want to hear it either.
You help me cover it up, and when they stop talking, you can let go.”
Mo Ran walked behind Chu Wanning, raised his hand and covered his ears
one by one. He lowered his eyes and looked at the person in front of him. He
felt both angry and pained. He could not understand why Chu Wanning did
everything so well, how could anyone be dissatisfied with what he did? This
person seemed to have lived two lifetimes for others, never taking his own life
for granted. Why would he be poked in the spine by so many people if there
was a dispute over just one thing, as long as there was not a clear distinction
between the black and the white?
It was as if things were always like this, and people were used to weeping
for a good deed of the wicked, and biting at a little mistake of the good.
In the previous life, Taxian-Jun killed countless people. One day, he
bestowed 10,000 taels of gold to each of the masters of the Wubei Temple.
As a result, people praised him and said that he had become a Buddha by
setting down a butcher’s knife.
As for Chu Wanning? Chu Wanning was an undisputed Grandmaster and
the world’s most benevolent cultivator. If there was even the slightest mistake,
people would start to speculate on him maliciously.
How many times.
When Chu Wanning did something ruthless, people would scold him for
being cold-blooded.
When Chu Wanning became soft-hearted, there were people who
questioned his cowardice.
Mo Ran had even heard people talking about what happened outside of
Butterfly Town during his five years of travels. There was someone who
pointed out that Chu Wanning was whipping his employer and injuring
mortals because he wanted to attract attention from the public.
“He’s just a wooden person without a conscience. How else can a normal
person not have three to five good friends?”
“Look at this Chu Wanning, he betrayed his Shizun at the age of 15 and
has been alone ever since. Who would be willing to be his friend in this big
world?”
“That’s right, that year outside of the Butterfly Town, no matter how wrong
he was, he was still an employer.”
Psychological distortion?
In the end, who was the one who was being twisted?
Wasn’t this person paying enough?
If he really had to squeeze out all of his blood, chew his flesh to pieces, and
even sacrifice his bones, wouldn’t that be the right decision? As expected of a
true Chu-zongshi?
Mo Ran covered his ears. Chu Wanning was tall and slender, but in front
of the current Mo Ran, his head was still as tall as his chin. Chu Wanning was
not a weak person, but when Mo Ran looked at him with his lowered
eyelashes, he suddenly felt very pitiful. He could not help but feel a boundless
amount of love and tenderness towards him.
He wanted to hug this person more than ever before.
He just wanted to hug him, to warm him in this hard world with his flesh
and blood. That was it.
Towards these questions that came from the mouth of his brain and the
words “If it was me, I would do it to you, how would you do it to me?”, Chu
Wanning was more used to doing it than he was to use Mo Ran.
At this point, Jincheng Lake’s memories also came to an end, the
fragments of his memories started to collapse and reform themselves. Chu
Wanning shifted his gaze to Nangong Si.
Nangong had his back to him and was still kneeling, never getting up again.
Chu Wanning sighed softly.
Although he and Nangong Si did not have the title of Shizun and disciple,
they had the ability to be Shizun and disciples. If possible, he wished that
Nangong Si would spend his entire life thinking that she died tragically while
killing the demon beasts. However, things didn’t go as he wished.
In Chu Wanning’s eyes, the kneeling Nangong Si, and the child kneeling in
the mourning hall, suddenly overlapped.
The child was clumsily swimming around on his back, but his back was
rough and he could not get it coherent. As he wiped away his tears, he slowly
recited it to his mother.
“There is a fish in Darknorth. Its name is Kun. The size of the Kun is
unknown, but if it were to transform into a bird, then its name would be
Peng…” He stumbled. Every time he stopped, his young and tender face
would be filled with pain that he shouldn’t have felt at this age. “The entire
world… He would not advise it, but the entire world… The difference was…
And if he didn’t add it… Ju, it must be… It must be differentiated from the
outside and the inside, and it can be argued that…”
The child’s soft voice suddenly stopped. He did not turn around, but his
small body lightly trembled like a willow in the wind. In the end, he covered
his face, and could no longer hold back his tears.
“Mother… I was wrong, I was wrong… Wake up, will you, Mother… I
don’t want to play anymore. Just wake up and teach me again, okay?”
Later on, the free and unrestrained tour became a silent transcript of every
morning lesson by Nangong Si. Accompanying him, he went from a dying
child to a high-spirited, scholarly Young Master.
Madam Rong had left and could no longer teach him.
Not long after, Chu Wanning also left, never turning back.
He relied on the old arrow quiver that had been sewn up to make up for his
mistakes and the words, “Greed, hatred, lies, murder, rape, robbery and
pillage are seven things a gentleman of Rufeng can’t do.” Finally, in this
world’s number one sect, which was separated from the hearts of many
people, he became a righteous hero that was completely different from his
father.
At this time, nearly fifteen years have passed since Madam Rong’s death.
The illusion gathered once again. This time, it was Nangong Liu’s sleeping
hall that appeared before the crowd. It was a full moon night and Nangong
Liu was curled up on his bed.
Chu Wanning patted Mo Ran’s hand, “Let go, I want to keep watching.”
Mo Ran said, “You can also choose not to watch. I’ll tell you.” He still
didn’t want to let go of the hand that was covering Chu Wanning’s ears, but
after being patted by Chu Wanning twice, he knew that he couldn’t refuse, so
he lowered his hand and gloomily scanned the surroundings. He thought that
if anyone said anything more about Chu Wanning’s wrongdoings, he would
secretly record it down in his head and then find these people to settle the
score alone.
In the illusion, Xu Shuanglin walked in from the doorway and gave a
crooked bow, very lacking in manners. However, Nangong Liu seemed to be
used to it and did not care. His eyes were bloodshot and he trembled as he
asked, “Shuanglin, where’s the medicine? Where’s the medicine?”
“Yes, I failed.”
Nangong Liu cried out ‘ah’. He was so scared that his tears flowed down his
nose. “How could it be… How could this be… You said you could. I can’t
take it anymore, all the bones in my body are stabbing themselves like spikes!
You, hurry up and shut the windows tightly for me, don’t let even a speck of
light in, don’t let even a speck…”
“It’s already closed. Today is the full moon, so even if you don’t go out, you
will still feel pain. “Xu Shuanglin said, “It’s useless. You won’t be able to
escape.”
“No-no! Where’s the medicine?” Nangong Liu was a little crazy, “What
about the medicine?! You said it’s worth it! I believe you! Where’s the
medicine?!”
“I reread the book. It’s not worth it. The evil curse on you is too vicious.
You need something to get rid of it.”
“What?!I can give you anything you want! Just give me the medicine! Give
me the medicine!”
Xu Shuanglin said, “I want the spirit core of the person who cast the
curse.”
Nangong Liu’s face instantly turned pale.
“Spirit core… You want. You want his Spiritual Core?”
“Is there?”
“Why would there be more!” Nangong Liu roared, his hair was in disarray
and he was drooling, “You know who cursed me! My good Shizun, that piece
of trash… Pus… A gentleman! Luo Fenghua! He took my place, and I cut
him to pieces when I cast him out of the throne! I even placed his ashes in the
extremely dangerous blood pond. I sent his spirit soul into the Unbroken Hell
and he will never be able to be reincarnated! Now, even his corpse is gone!
You want me to find his spirit core? How can I find it? How am I supposed to
find him!?”
Xu Shuanglin was quiet for a while. After Nangong Liu finished his roar,
he gradually began to despair, and his throat began to choke. Only then did he
slowly say, “I have another method, but it’s very difficult. Do you want to hear
it?”
“Speak… Speak, speak quickly!”
“Even though Luo Fenghua is dead, you should know that the ‘Record of
the Dead’ has recorded that ghosts that fall into the Infernal Realm of the
Unmatched may never be able to reincarnate, but they are able to combine
the three souls and seven souls to give birth to a demon that looks just like it
did before death. The more miserably it dies, the stronger it becomes, and
some will even grow out a giant skeleton to protect the soul.”
“So what? I can’t possibly go to the Infernal Realm to retrieve his
corpse…”
“You can’t go, but he can come.” The expression in the candle flame was
very serene, as if they were discussing which friend’s dwelling place they
would go to for tea tonight. “The Ghost World and the Yang World are
separated by a barrier, and as long as the five spiritual energies are gathered
into pure spiritual energy, they can tear open the gaps of the Unbroken Hell.”
“Rip…that is part of the Infernal Realm of the Seamless?”
Xu Shuanglin laughed, “That’s right, tear open that gap and bring out Luo
Fenghua’s Ghost Embryo. That Ghost Embryo is exactly the same as the one
before death, and it also has a spirit core. You can eat his flesh and then take
out his spirit core without worrying about not being able to curse it.”
He paused for a moment and continued, “However, the five great spiritual
energies are a little difficult to gather. The best would be if one needs a
superior essence spirit body… Don’t be impatient, just allow me to think of a
way.”
Nangong Liu opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but the
only thing he could cry out was a terrifying wail. His tears and snot flowed as
he lay on the bed, trembling violently.
“Is it really that painful?” Xu Shuanglin sighed, “That master of yours must
also hate you for murdering your master, to actually place such a ruthless
curse on the ring. Truly, the heavens have pity on you.”
“Woo…”
“Alright, just bear with it. It won’t hurt anymore when the sun rises.” As
Xu Shuanglin said this, he sat down on the edge of the bed, his legs crossed,
one hand on his cheek, the other on his foot. “I’ll accompany you. I’ll talk to
you and distract you, so you won’t hurt so much.”
Nangong Liu was buried deep within the blanket, gasping for breath.
Xu Shuanglin said, “Ai, what should we talk about? Why don’t we talk
about Si-er? He is also not an easy child. The Heaven’s Spirit Core is
tyrannical and easily causes one’s cultivation to go berserk. This seems to be a
chronic disease of the Nangong Family. I heard that his great-grandfather
also has this disease?”
Nangong Liu hid under the blanket and swallowed his saliva: “En.”
“What are you going to do?”
“What should we do?” Nangong Liu’s voice was filled with a fighting tone,
“His illness is better than mine, so it’s much easier to deal with. In the future,
when he married his wife… All of them could suppress the flow of spirit
through dual cultivation. It’s better to be more concerned about my curse…”
“Haven’t I always cared about your curse? But the more you think about it,
the more it hurts.” Because of this, Xu Shuanglin changed the topic again,
picking at his toes and giggling, “However, isn’t this dual cultivation a bit too
good for a Dao-companion’s body? I heard that Nangong Si’s greatgrandmother went there at a very young age.”
“Trash, nonsense.”
“Aiya, I was just casually asking, but I didn’t expect that she really died
long ago due to dual cultivation.” Xu Shuanglin sighed, “The Rufeng Sect is
truly deep, the Sect Leader actually wants to use the Madame’s life to help
him through this tribulation.”
“Women’s lives… It was already… Useless.”
Xu Shuanglin laughed, “Why are you looking down on women so much?”
“It’s not like you don’t understand the Grand Sect Master’s teachings.”
“I don’t understand. What did the Grand Sect Master say?”
“The Rufeng Sect should be led by a gentleman.”
“That’s right.”
“What is a gentleman? It’s a man, do you understand?”
“… Pfft, that’s rude. Sect Leader, your misinterpretation might cause the
Grand Sect Leader to come back to life from the Hero Tomb in anger.”
Nangong Liu trembled and said, “You have never married before. You
don’t understand. Women… It’s no use, it’s just a family heirloom, it’s… It
was their responsibility. Grandmother was willing to sacrifice her life for
grandfather…”
“Willing?” Xu Shuanglin smiled. “Then do you also have to find a willing
dual cultivation partner for the Young Master to sacrifice her life for him?”
“… I have already found it…”
Xu Shuanglin was stunned. “What? Who is it? Who?” He seemed very
gossipy as he crawled deeper into the bed. He almost wanted to pull Nangong
Liu out of the quilt, “Sure, you actually have a candidate in mind for the
Young Master’s wife of the Rufeng Sect. Quickly tell me about it.”
Nangong Liu wrapped himself in the blanket and dragged himself deeper
into the bed. After enduring the pain for a while, he said hoarsely, “Your
adopted daughter, Ye Wangxi.”
168. Shizun, someone faked their own
death
In the middle of the screen, Xu Shuanglin’s eyes suddenly widened, and at
the same time, most of the people outside the screen stared blankly.
When Mo Ran saw this, he vaguely felt that something was wrong.
He was someone who had lived for two lifetimes. This conversation,
combined with the events from his past life, allowed him to come up with
some intriguing details.
He knew that Ye Wangxi’s friendship with Nangong Si was more than that
because of Ye Wangxi’s request to be buried together with Nangong Si before
her death. It was because in his previous life, Ye Wangxi’s female identity had
long been known to the world.
Let her marry Nangong Si…
From the looks of it, it seemed like his
cultivation partner for his son. However,
agreement was set, Nangong suddenly died,
survive… Mo Ran could not help but think
year…
Was it really just a coincidence?
He didn’t think so.
father was looking for a dual
not long after the marriage
while Ye Wangxi managed to
about Nangong Si’s death that
On the screen, Xu Shuanglin’s fingers were clenched into a fist. Although
he was still smiling, his tone was somewhat cold.
“You want Ye Wangxi to marry A-Si?”
“Yes, she’s the most suitable.”
“What’s ‘suitable’?” Xu Shuanglin couldn’t help but laugh. “You wanted to
raise her up to be a leader of the Dark Guard, so you turned her into a virgin.
Now that you’re saying you’re going to give her to your son, you aren’t afraid
that he’ll despise her.”
“He was really unhappy, when I first saw how he often chatted and laughed
with Ye Wangxi, and treated her well, I thought he would more or less accept
it. However, when I told him about the marriage, he got angry and said that
he didn’t like Ye Wangxi at all. The reason he took care of her was because
she was a girl and didn’t have an easy time in the Dark City. He won’t accept
this marriage.”
Xu Shuanglin: “…”
“How could I compromise? He had a huge quarrel with me. He said that I
disrespected his decision and casually dealt with his life. He even avoided Ye
Wangxi’s decision and kept a cold and distant relationship with her. The more
I tell him about it, the worse his attitude will get. In the end, he even thought
that I was biased towards Ye Wangxi and didn’t know what’s good for him.”
Nangong Liu scolded, “Didn’t he just despise her because she isn’t goodlooking?”
Xu Shuanglin was rather impartial. “If the previous Sect Leader suddenly
asked you to marry a woman you didn’t like, would you be willing? I don’t
think that’s a good question. You really don’t respect him.”
“He is shallow! To be able to take a wife, one has to marry someone useful
and virtuous. If he likes pretty girls, won’t he be unable to take concubines
when his body stabilizes?” Nangong Liu sighed, “Ai, I was also to blame for
that. Cough cough, did not… See the feelings Ye Wangxi has for Si-er in
time. If she still looked the same as before, Si-er would like her.”
“You’re ridiculous.” Xu Shuanglin said, “Si-er will not accept it.”
“Unless he doesn’t care for his life. It was extremely painful to dual
cultivate with a tyrannical person like him. If he were to marry an ordinary
woman… I’m afraid… I’m afraid I can’t take it at all…” Nangong Liu panted,
“Ye Wangxi loves him. If she is willing, she can bear it.”
“How could she be willing?!”
“I asked her.”
“… What?!”
“I’ve asked her. I’ve already told her about this.” Nangong Liu said, “She
was more afraid of him being hurt than of her own death.”
“…” Xu Shuanglin said no more, lowering his head. It was unknown what
he was thinking, but after a long while, he finally said, “She really is a fool.”
Seeing this, Mo Ran was almost certain— in his previous life, when did
Nangong Si suddenly die from an illness? There was a very high chance that
Xu Shuanglin had personally killed him.
If Nangong Si died, Ye Wangxi would be able to live.
The reason why Nangong was still alive in this life was probably because of
the incident with Song Qiutong. With her marrying Nangong Si, the father
would naturally have nothing to say. He even felt that a pie had fallen from
the sky and would not force Ye Wangxi to marry Nangong Si.
Since the marriage engagement between Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si had
been annulled, and Xu Shuanglin would not harm Nangong Si for the rest of
his life, it was completely reasonable. Xu Shuanglin looked like a crazy devil
right now, but why did such a devil see Ye Wangxi as so important? She was
obviously just an adopted daughter… What was he thinking about, that
creepy, unreadable man?
What was he looking for?
This short period of time soon came to an end. When the illusion appeared
again, it was much earlier than before.
Nangong Liu seemed to be younger and not fat yet. He was holding a small
jade colored item in his hand, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be
the finger ring of the Sect Leader of the Rufeng Sect.
This ring could not be taken off once it was put on. Until the day it was
taken off duty and Nangong Liu did not wear it on the screen, it proved that
he had yet to become the true master of the Rufeng Sect.
One of the attendants came in and knelt down to pay his respects. The
attendants’ robes were still stained with blood; it seemed like a battle had just
broken out. This period of recollection should’ve happened the night when
Master Nangong Liu Shi Shi seized back the Sect Leader’s ring.
“Sect Leader, what should we do with Luo Fenghua’s corpse?”
Nangong Liu turned the ring around and thought for a while before saying,
“Buried in the Hero Tomb. We are master and disciple after all. The least I
can give him a decent home.”
“Yes sir!”
The attendant left.
He felt that it was a bit strange. According to the memories he had seen,
the Nangong brothers’ Shizun, Luo Fenghua, had clearly been torn to shreds
by Nangong Liu. He had sunk into a pool of blood and turned into an evil
spirit.
But why did it say that Nangong Liu buried his Shizun safely in the Hero
Tomb?
In the illusion, Nangong Liu rubbed the jade ring on his Sect Leader’s
finger. His eyes flashed with a complex and strange luster, as if he was afraid,
but also full of desire.
His Adam’s apple moved, and he slowly raised his hand to the candle
flame. He solemnly put the ring on his thumb.
He stared at his hand and looked back and forth. The corner of his mouth
slowly curled up, as if he was about to burst into a bright and happy smile.
Nangong Liu gave a loud shout and suddenly fell down from the Sect
Leader’s throne. His entire body was trembling from spasms.
“Leader!”
“Sect Leader, what happened to you?”
He hurriedly went to help him up, but Nangong Liu raised his head. His
face was covered in blood, and his face, which was still fine a moment ago,
suddenly had countless small wounds, which immediately healed after the
wounds were torn. Once they were healed, they immediately began to bleed
profusely from those mysterious wounds.
“What’s going on!” Nangong Liu panicked, “Pain… So painful… Why…
How could this be? What’s going on?!”
Footsteps outside the door.
Facing the moonlight, a man with a pair of smooth bare feet stepped onto
the ice-cold bricks. He arrived in front of Nangong Liu and lifted up his robe
before half-kneeling.
This person was Xu Shuanglin, who was even younger than he was right
now. He bent over and pinched Nangong Liu’s face to carefully examine him.
Nangong Liu was constantly struggling, his tears, snot and blood mixing
together. Xu Shuanglin seemed to be somewhat disgusted, creasing his brow.
He then asked, “How did it suddenly turn out like this?”
“I don’t know. Dao… I don’t know. Mr. Shuang… Sir, please save me…”
At this time, Xu Shuanglin was only an advisor to Nangong Liu, so
Nangong Liu called him Mister Shuang, not an elder.
After some investigation, Xu Shuanglin grabbed Nangong Liu’s right hand
and looked at the brilliant ring. Suddenly, his expression changed. “There’s a
Ten Thousand Tribulations Curse attached to this?”
Only Nangong Liu was still in a daze, not knowing what the curse of life
and death was. He only raised his head in a daze as tears streamed down his
face and his nose dripped with blood onto the brick floor.
“Ah, what is that?”
“Death Curse.”
Xu Shuanglin’s expression was very ugly.
“This ring has been cursed with a death curse by Luo Fenghua. If the
person wearing the ring can see even the slightest bit of moonlight, their skin
would be chapped, and they would rather die than live… It’s the same every
night.”
“What?!”
“More than that. In the fifteenth moon, even if you don’t leave your home,
with the four walls sealed and not even a hint of darkness penetrating, you
will still feel the pain of a thousand cuts and no escape…”
He opened his eyes and looked at Nangong Liu, who was curled up on the
ground with a miserable expression.
“Until you die.”
Under the thick stench of blood, Nangong Liu’s pupils suddenly
contracted. His appearance was that of a panic-stricken rat, or a venomous
snake that had sought its head in a black cave.
He gave a comical twitch and muttered, “Until death?”
“Yes.”
“Can, can’t break it?”
“It can’t be broken.” Xu Shuanglin said, “At least right now, I can’t think of
any other way… It can only be in the future…”
Before he could say anything, Nangong Liu had already broken free of his
grasp. Laughing hysterically, he climbed down the steps, dragging a crooked
bloody mark on the cold, shiny floor. He was crying out in pain while
laughing, his voice hoarse and distorted to the extreme.
“Hahahaha — curse me? You cursed me?”
“Luo Fenghua! You stole my Nangong Family’s seat, I threw you off the
stage, leaving you with an intact corpse, it was already… It was a matter of
course! You actually cursed me? How can you bear it — how can you have
any face!”
“I read you… The favor of teaching… Buried you in. Buried in the Hero
Tomb. Ha! Hero Tomb! Yet you want me to suffer through night after night,
until my skin and flesh are lacerated… until I die!” He roared and moved inch
by inch to the door of the hall, hiding in the dark shadow cast by the red
copper heavy door of the hall. His fingers twitched ferociously as he smacked
the ground, unable to stop himself from hitting the ground.
“Relax until you die! How can you be cruel! How can you be cruel —
Bastard! Beast! You destroyed my life!”
“Sect Leader…” He could not bear it any longer and wanted to bring him
back, but Nangong Liu roared and shouted like a madman.
This bloody face had always been weaker than any other color, but this
time it was different. There was a deep-seated hatred on his face, dancing in
his pupils like wildfire, burning his reason to the point that he couldn’t grow a
single blade of grass.
Nangong Liu screamed hysterically, “Pass it to me…… The first path…
The Sect Leader’s order…”
The attendants all knelt down to obey the order.
“The previous sect leader, Luo Fenghua, committed a heinous crime…
Extreme Evil… Unforgivable! Order people to take his remains… A
thousand cuts… Shatter, death, ten thousand pieces —!”
Xu Shuanglin stood quietly at the side, his eyes lowered, not a hint of
emotion on his face. “……”
At this time, a new round of tearing came about and Nangong Liu could
not endure it anymore. He collapsed and started crying again, but as he was
crying, he continued to give the first order for him to ascend to the throne of
the Rufeng Sect. Each word was squeezed out of the back of his mouth,
“Grave… The blood pool…”
You curse me to death.
I sink you into the Infernal Realm of the Seamless Purgatory, unable to
reincarnate for all eternity.
At the end of the illusion, Nangong Liu opened his empty eyes and his
voice was hoarse like a broken clay xun. He muttered, “Luo Fenghua, you
beast… You beast…”
The memory shards started to collapse and reconstruct like snowflakes
once again, the unveiling of the secret information of the Rufeng Sect caused
everyone to be lost in thought. Some people, like Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si,
were watching because of the matter that had happened, while many others
were excited by the fact that they were lurking around others.
Jealousy was one of the ugliest feelings in the world, how many of the
people invited to this marriage were sincere in their worship of the Rufeng
Sect? How many of them had passed through the grand and magnificent
Three Exclusions Gate, passed through the spirit stone of every inch of land,
and even looked upon the seventy-two cities of the Emperor, with only
admiration and not a hint of jealousy in their hearts?
The higher one’s tower reached into the clouds, the more collapsed it would
collapse, which would attract more attention. The melon seeds were knocked
all over the ground, and saliva was splattered everywhere.
The pain of others was always the best topic of conversation.
Mo Ran was not willing to watch any longer. However, this matter was a
little doubtful and was of great importance. Although Xu Shuanglin’s
recollection seemed to have no problem at all, able to explain the changes in
the Jincheng Lake and the Peach Blossom Springs, he still faintly felt that
something was not right.
He had always felt that there was something wrong about this memory.
…… What is it?
He frowned, thinking sullenly.
However, from the corner of his eyes, he saw a strange light flashing in the
distance. However, as the illusions were unfolding one after another, no one
dared to look out of the woods, so they did not notice it.
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. Then, his face suddenly changed as he
shouted, “Tribulation Fire!”
Everyone turned their heads when they heard that. “Where is the
tribulation fire?”
“Over there — over there!”
“That’s not right! This way too!”
No one would have thought that when they looked at Xu Shuanglin’s
memories, the surrounding area of the Rufeng Sect, as well as the seventytwo cities, would all be set ablaze with a scarlet flame. That light was still far
away, and the dense forest they were in was too deep for them to see it clearly
if they didn’t pay attention.
The fire tribulation was one of the fierce fires. Unless it was raining heavily
and the dew was used to extinguish it, it would never stop unless the
surrounding grass was burned to ashes.
Thick smoke rose up into the air, and the flames were like water poured on
a piece of silk. They quickly spread out and covered the surroundings, and
from afar, one could see bright meteors flying in all directions from the 72
cities. It was clear that they were the disciples of the Dojo of Limits who had
escaped from the sea of fire and flown into the sky on their swords.
When the people in the forest saw this, quite a few of them paled and
shouted loudly, “What happened?”
Some people immediately turned around and ran towards the Shi Le Hall,
calling out the names of their companions. Xue Zhengyong’s face changed as
well. With Madam Wang still there, she didn’t know how to control the
sword…
“Mo Ran! Yuheng! I’ll leave Meng’er to you. I’ll go take a look at
Madame…”
Mo Ran was also very anxious. He nodded and said, “Uncle, quickly go.
Bring Aunt away first. With us here, I definitely won’t let anything happen to
Xue Meng.”
Xue Zhengyong patted him on the shoulder and flew towards the music
hall, which was now ablaze with flames.
Seeing this chaos that had suddenly erupted, Xu Shuanglin quietly stood
where he was, suddenly revealing an extremely bright smiling face. He smiled
and said, “What a scene of a tree falling and monkeys scattering.”
Mo Ran suddenly turned around and saw Xu Shuanglin snap his fingers,
causing the colorful memory fragments to gather in his palm like millions of
snowflakes.
Once again, the sea of flames returned to normal. In the sky, the Seamless
Hell’s Heavenly Rift still did not close. It still continued to emit a golden-red
flow, slowly spreading out into the forest.
Mo Ran stared at Xu Shuanglin and suddenly felt a chill run down his
spine.
There was something wrong with the look in this person’s eyes. This look
was too familiar…
In his previous life, he was at Sisheng Peak, he was at the empty Wushan
Palace. After Chu Wanning died, he would look at himself in the mirror and
see a pair of terrifying eyes.
The eyes that were suffused with madness and bloodlust, giving up on
themselves, wanting everyone to die for their own sake.
“You want to destroy the Rufeng Sect?”
Hearing Mo Ran ask this, Xu Shuanglin’s reaction was only to rub his two
toes against each other.
Then he smiled.
“So what if I am? I destroyed my own home, so how can you be in charge
of it?”
“Your own home…”
Xu Shuanglin walked over to Nangong Liu and grabbed him by his collar.
He pulled him up from the ground and said with raised eyelids, “That’s right,
my own house.”
He forced Nangong Liu to face him. Then, he raised his other hand and
slowly, inch by inch, from under his neck, he began to slowly tear, bit by
bit…
Sssii.
In the end, with a light sound, an exquisite human skin made from the skin
of a hundred-year-old serpent demon was ripped off, revealing the back of its
face.
Nangong Liu’s body first trembled before he began shaking violently. His
breathing was erratic, but he managed to drag out bits and pieces of his voice
with great difficulty.
“You… It’s you…?! You. No… Die? You actually… You actually…”
“I’m not dead. You’re still alive. How could I possibly die before you?” Xu
Shuanglin said with a smile, “I’m just too much stronger than you in every
aspect, including my lifespan. You’re rotten to the ground, so I’ll live a good
life. What? It has been a long time since we last met. Are you so happy that
you can’t say anything else?”
He produced a flame and casually burned that human skin and mask. The
flame spread all the way until it reached his fingertips, but he did not care nor
feel any pain. He shook his hand and pressed his burnt black fingertip to
Nangong Liu’s lips, then crooked his head and said with a smile.
“Sect Leader Immortal, long time no see… Or I should call you.
‘Brother?’”
169. Shizun, the first forbidden technique
“Nangong Xu!”
Amongst the crowd that had yet to leave, there were some older people
who suddenly reacted and exclaimed, “It’s him?”
“It’s Nangong Xu…”
“Didn’t he die a long time ago?”
“Luo Fenghua personally killed him that year… How could he… How can
he still be alive?”
Ye Wangxi was even more shocked. Her pretty face was pale and her lips
were moving. After a while, she shook her head with tears in her eyes and
stepped back, “Foster father…”
Xu Shuanglin stared at Ye Wangxi, then smiled at her. “Little Ye, come to
father’s side. Father won’t hurt you.”
“Don’t you dare touch her again!” Suddenly, someone shouted, and Ye
Wangxi’s wrist was grabbed. He turned around, and his eyes were filled with
endless pain, dripping blood. “Ye Wangxi, get behind me.”
Xu Shuanglin smiled. “My good nephew, why is it that your temper is not
like your father’s at all, only like your mother’s?”
“Shut up! You are not worthy of mentioning my mother!”
“Why am I not worthy?” Xu Shuanglin said slowly, “Did you know that the
person your mother liked the most was not your father, but me?”
“AHHHH!”
Seeing the twisted fury and disgust on the young man’s face, and the
crazed and painful look in his eyes, Xu Shuanglin actually enjoyed it. It was
as if he was being nourished by such deep-seated hatred, and couldn’t help
but laugh out loud.
“Your father destroyed my reputation and stole everything from me, but so
what? The Door of the Noble Wind… The Rufeng Sect was still in his hands
as they walked towards the end of the evening. Hate me, pay me back, hate
me — Big Brother! Hahahaha — do you think that the pitiful Nangong Xu
died that year? Do you think that I will obediently lie in the grave and watch
you two roam freely and contentedly in this Yang World?”
His smile suddenly tightened as he spat.
“In your dreams!”
As he spoke, he walked around the dying Nangong Liu, who was still
unbreakable, and grabbed the lapels of his big brother’s clothes, just like he
was lifting a puddle of mud.
“What use would it be for such a waste to bring down the brilliant scholar
of the Wind Sect? Sect Leader… Heh, what a joke! As the Sect Leader, I
have been toying with him for so many years. If I say I want it, then I’ll just
pout my butt like a dog and he’ll obediently find it for me.” He smilingly
patted Nangong Liu’s bloody cheek. His smile was very intimate, but his eyes
were shining with a sinister light. “Big Brother, you really are a lustful
coward. A good-for-nothing snack.”
At the side, the Sect Leader, Jiang Xi, said, “Your Excellency’s goal is only
to destroy the one hundred years old foundation of the Rufeng Sect?”
Xu Shuanglin turned around and blinked. “Hundred years of foundation?
What did that matter? With their foundation destroyed, they could start over.
Once the 72 cities were burnt down, they could start over again. Only when a
person’s heart is dead will they be reduced to dust, and once the wind blows,
they will scatter. That would be great.” He paused for a moment, smiled
brightly, and said:
“I’m going to destroy all of your hearts.”
These words were said in an insidious manner. Coupled with his radiant
face, it made people shudder in fear. The others had yet to react, but Nangong
Si could no longer restrain himself.
His eyes burned with endless karmic flames, filled with despair and smoke.
Those eyes contained only hatred and madness, not the slightest bit of lust.
The sound of a jade flute, a three-meter-tall demon wolf cutting the wind and
breaking the waves came out from the forest, leaping towards Nangong Si.
Nangong Si jumped up onto his back, but before he could even sit still, his
figure had already flashed by.
“Man Tuo, summon him!” With his shout, a shining holy weapon Bow
appeared in his palm. Nangong Si held the demon wolf tightly, mounted on
the back of the wolf, his body straightened, and he brandished the Jade Bow
Mantua, his face filled with crazy hatred. In an instant, he shot three arrows
consecutively, aiming at Xu Shuanglin’s vitals.
Xu Shuanglin laughed, “My liege, you are very naughty.”
He dodged two arrows and saw that the third arrow was unable to pass.
However, he was not in a hurry. He grabbed his brother’s limp body and
blocked the first arrow.
After all, he was his own father. No matter how heartless the other party
was, it was still a habit that was carved into his bones for him. He could not
help but tighten his body as his temples throbbed.
“Do you still want to play with uncle?” Xu Shuanglin, however, was very
friendly. Smiling, he said, “Uncle will accompany you.”
“Nangong Xu! I’ll kill you!”
“Kids, what’s the point of shouting for a fight?” His words were light, but
Xu Shuanglin’s movements were not slow at all as he began to call out to his
nephew.
In merely a few moves, his speed caused all of the surrounding cultivators
to be dumbstruck. Some people could not help but think — no wonder when
Nangong Liu took over the position of sect head, his attitude toward being a
younger brother had to distort — the spirit energy of these two brothers was
like heaven and earth. The difference was like the difference between clouds
and mud.
“So powerful.”
“Didn’t Nangong Xu secretly learn his brother’s spell back then? How
could he have such ability?”
“He is on par with the number one Grandmaster…”
There were a few people who wanted to help Nangong Si and attack him,
but at this moment, all of them withdrew their attacks. There were also some
who were more astute, thinking that the calamity that had befallen the Rufeng
Sect could no longer be solved, they took advantage of the chaos to run away.
This kind of mentality could be felt very quickly. In a short moment, all of
the cultivators that had left immediately ran away. They all disappeared
without a care for the fellow disciples who had been turned into pawns and
had yet to regain their senses.
In the blink of an eye, there were only a few people left in the hunting
grounds. Mo Ran turned his head and saw that he, Chu Wanning and Ye
Wangxi had not left.
No, there was also Jiang Xi.
This was something he did not expect. Jiang Xi was the richest man in the
world, the leader of the Linling Flower Island, the world’s most proficient
merchant, and also the leader of the largest sect in the cultivation world,
excluding the Rufeng Sect.
He didn’t expect him to be willing to care about such a thankless stall.
“Sect Leader Jiang…”
A slightly trembling voice startled Mo Ran even more. He turned his head
to look and did not notice that there was a person hiding behind the orange
tree. Although his face was pale and his lips were trembling, he forced
himself not to leave.
Li Wuxin?!
As the leader of one of the lowest ranked sects in the Upper Cultivation
World, Li Wuxin swallowed his saliva. His yellow face was covered in sweat
as he looked at the remaining people with uncertainty, “Are we going up
together?”
Jiang Xi did not answer immediately. His gaze quickly swept across the
remaining people before he spoke decisively, “Palace Master Li, come with
me. I’ll go save those sleeping chess pieces. You’ll be responsible for bringing
them all to the complete location on the sword.”
“Good, good, good.”
“As for Chu-zongshi and Mo-zongshi…”
Chu Wanning said, “Mo Ran, go help Nangong Si. Once I fix the Heavenly
Rift, I’ll immediately come help you.”
This Heavenly Rift was different from the ones in Butterfly Town, there
were no hundreds of evil spirits surging around, only a golden red hell flowing
around, so it was not dangerous, but the tear was huge, and it was more
suitable for Chu Wanning to repair it.
The twenty-odd young cultivators that were used as chess pieces collapsed
limply to the ground. With a flick of Jiang Xi’s green sleeve, thousands of
powder was scattered on the ground to stabilize their weak states. Then, he
turned his head to Li Wuxin and said, “I’ll have to trouble you.”
Li Wuxin nodded his head, summoning a heavy sword shining with a dark
green light. He chanted an incantation, and the heavy sword that could only
carry two or three people suddenly expanded by dozens of feet, hanging in
the air. Jiang Xi carried the people to his sword hilt one by one. It was Xue
Meng’s turn at the end, but Li Wuxin’s weapon could not support him.
Li Wuxin said, “I can’t carry it anymore. There are too many of us, let’s
talk after I return from this trip.”
Jiang Xi glanced at the battle that was not far away. Fire was flying
everywhere, and the spirit energy flow was becoming increasingly terrifying.
The surrounding orange trees were being destroyed one after another, and it
was obvious that the battle would soon spread to this area.
There was nothing he could do. Lowering his head, he looked at Xue Meng
in disgust and said, “Forget it. You go. I’ll take the rest of the trash.”
Once finished, he called out in a low voice: “Xuehuang, summon here.”
A silver sword covered in blue light suddenly appeared under his feet.
“Xuehuang” was extremely luxurious and exquisite, the sword hilt was thin,
and the decorations were exquisite beyond compare, but it was obviously not
good at carrying weights. Jiang Xi held the unconscious Xue Meng in his
arms. Thinking of how this person had talked back to him before, and how he
was the son of Madam Wang and Xue Zhengyong, he couldn’t hide his
disgust, and his disdain was written all over his face.
Li Wuxin: “…”
Seeing Sect Leader Jiang like this, shouldn’t the sword be halfway through,
pick the highest point and throw the Young Master of Sisheng Peak down
into mash?
“What are you looking at? Hurry up and leave. We need to send them out
early and come back to help.” Jiang Xi said with a gloomy face, “We can’t
just let the Rufeng Sect be wiped out like that.”
The two holy weapons soared into the air, carrying the youths of the
Spiritual Flow. Then, they flew into the distance.
At the same time, Chu Wanning had sealed the Hell Heavenly Rift
Sundering to the last phase, and the fight between Mo Ran and Xu Shuanglin
was reaching its climax. Mo Ran’s power was strong, and Nangong Si’s killing
intent was even more resolute. Although Xu Shuanglin’s Tao technique was
powerful, he was still unable to defend himself when surrounded by the two
of them.
As he was struggling to make ends meet, Xu Shuanglin shouted at Ye
Wangxi, “Ye, what are you trying to do? Do you really want to see your foster
father die at the hands of others? Hurry up and help me!”
Ye Wangxi clenched her fingers into a fist, her expression pained. Her
entire body was trembling, but she did not move forward. Instead, she
retreated step by step.
“Are you really going to stand by idly and watch? Do you forget who
brought you back from the orange grove when you were a child, raised you,
and gave you a name?”
“…No.”
She was on the verge of collapsing, but because she had been strong since
she was young, both the Sect Leader and the Elders treated her like a man
and raised her. Now that she had met with such an unexpected situation, she
still persisted.
However, it was as if her flesh and blood had already shattered. At this
moment, it was as if when someone lightly touched her, and all the muscles in
her body would peel off from her bones and crush into mud.
Seeing her like this, Xu Shuanglin silently cursed, but did not force her.
Instead, he turned his head and began to fight even more ferociously with the
other two.
“Clang!”
The saber in his hand suddenly emitted an ear-piercing metallic sound. The
top-grade weapon from the Taxue Palace on Mount Kunlun could no longer
hold on. It shattered into pieces under the force of the vine and fell to the
ground.
Mo Ran said coldly, “What else can you use to fight?”
He suddenly raised his head and saw that Chu Wanning had completely
filled up the crack in the sky. The night sky above the Hunting Forest
returned to its normal state, and the hellish lava that had lost its spiritual flow
of the underworld turned into a golden red, drifting about like fireflies in the
forest.
The stars were all over the sky. Chu Wanning floated down from the night
sky, his dark ceremonial robe fluttered in the wind, his face was as white as a
porcelain plate, his face was handsome and unparalleled.
However, no matter how handsome he was, it could not conceal the killing
intent emanating from him.
“Damn.” Xu Shuanglin gritted his teeth.
Just Mo-zongshi was more than enough for him. With another, such as
Chu-zongshi, who in the entire cultivation world would be able to fight against
them one on one?
Xu Shuanglin took a step back, then suddenly used the knife to cut open
his palm, squeezing out some blood. He rubbed the curse mark on his
forehead and softly said, “Still not coming to save me? How long will it drag
on for?!”
Then, he grabbed at the air, his fingernail suddenly increasing by a few
inches. With a “pu” sound, he tore apart Luo Fenghua’s body that was lying
on the lake surface, pulling out his spirit core with blood dripping from his
body, putting it into his bosom. Then, he quickly jumped back, grabbed his
elder brother who was still half alive, removed the barrier around his feet, and
jumped into the spring lake.
Mo Ran immediately came back to his senses — the godly martial blade,
“Bu’gui”, which he used to open the Heavenly Rift, was stuck at the bottom
of the lake!
Even though he was dragging a living corpse, he immediately grabbed the
pitch-black blade floating in the lake. The moment he appeared, another rift
suddenly appeared in the sky.
Chu Wanning frowned, “Heavenly Rift?”
What he said was not certain. The crack was very small and was only as tall
as a person. It was different from the normal Heavenly Rift of the Infinite
Hells, and there was no Yin Qi coming out of it.
Xu Shuanglin threw a splash and leapt into the air. He carried his brother
in one hand, and with the holy weapon Blade in the other, he slashed down
with a stream of sword Qi, forcing the three people who were chasing after
him to a halt. He took this opportunity to push himself upwards, and from the
narrow crevice, an extremely beautiful hand suddenly extended and tightly
gripped Xu Shuanglin’s arm.
“…The Time and Space Gate of Life and Death!”
His mind flashed like a flash of lightning, and Chu Wanning’s eyes
widened. He had always been calm and collected, so even if he had seen a
beautiful chess match, he would not be this shocked. However, the color of
his face faded in an instant, and his sleeves curled into a fist.
As for Mo Ran, he felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over
him. He turned his head and asked, “What?!”
How was this possible?!
This was the strongest of the three forbidden techniques. Rumor has it that
it can tear apart time and space, causing people who are not in the air to
become unlucky and appear at the same time. This was a forbidden technique
that had long been lost in the cultivation world.
The Time and Space Gates of Life and Death!
170. Shizun, don’t look, it’s dirty
In the blink of an eye, Xu Shuanglin was already dragged into another
dimension by the hand that came out of the Gate of Life and Death. Although
Nangong Si wanted to give chase, it was impossible to do so.
The gate was shut.
There was nothing left in the night sky but a small piece of Xu Shuanglin’s
clothes that he had not brought in before the Gate of Life and Death had
closed. At this moment, they were floating in the dead silence, falling into the
lake.
Slowly sinking into the lake…
“How is this possible? How can there be anyone in this world who can
truly control the Gate of Life and Death in Time and Space?”
As Taxian-Jun in his previous life, he was very clear that there were three
forbidden techniques in this world: Zhenlong Chess, Secret Technique of
Rebirth, and the Gate of Life and Death.
Although the first two forbidden techniques were difficult to learn, they
weren’t unheard-of in the cultivation world. For example, in his past life,
there was always someone who could use these two techniques like master
Huaizui.
There were very few records about the Gate Life and Death. The most
recent one was thousands of years ago, when a Grandmaster died because he
loved his daughter.
Thus, he opened this forbidden door, wanting to bring his daughter, who
was living in another time and space, back to her own world.
However, his actions were caught by him in the air and time. As her father,
how could the ‘he’ of that world allow his beloved daughter to be snatched
away? In this desperate battle between the two, the spatial crack that had
opened was twisted and deformed. Ultimately, the daughter was drawn into
the rift and turned to dregs.
After the Grandmaster came back, he collapsed. From then on, he sealed
the scroll in the Flame Emperor Divine Wood, and he became the last person
in the endless river of time to completely master the ‘Gate of Life and Death’.
During these past few years, more and more cultivators believed that there
was no such thing as a space-time distortion spell. Instead, it was Mo Ran
from his previous world. Because of the boundless Tao technique, he had
actually used the remnant scroll in his hand to tear a similar crack open with
his own strength…
Mo Ran had once tried to throw a rabbit inside, trying to move it to a
location thousands of miles away. The rabbit had passed on the message, but
because of the instability of the crack, the rabbit had turned upside down
when it came out, its innards had turned upside down, its fur had turned
inside out and became a bloody mess, and its heart was still thumping…
After that, he tried many more times, and there were at least five or six
times that something went wrong. The moment something went wrong, it
would be extremely disgusting; some parts of the body would split, some
parts would be shattered, and some parts of the head would soon appear, but
the body would be an hour late.
Almost everyone felt that Mo Ran had recovered and become proficient in
the “Gate of Life and Death”, but he himself was not sure: he had not seen
the first forbidden technique from thousands of years ago, but based on the
historical records, he felt that the technique he had copied was far from the
real Gate of Life and Death.
Chu Wanning rushed to the surface of the lake and picked up the piece of
cloth Xu Shuanglin had left behind. He opened his eyes and carefully
examined it, before letting out a sigh of relief. Soon after, he became even
more depressed.
He shook his head and said, “It’s not a complete Gate. That person should
have only grasped half of the remnant scroll. According to the spiritual
energy that was left behind on this cloth, it should only be a Gate of Space
and not a Gate of Time.”
“What do you mean?”
“In other words, this spell is very different from a real forbidden spell. I can
only sense the remnant Spiritual Energy of Space. In other words, Nangong
Xu was instantly dragged to another place by someone through this rift in
space.”
Isn’t this similar to the Gate of Life and Death that he had restored in his
previous life? If that was all, it wasn’t impossible.
However, a shadow still lingered in his heart. He asked, “What if it is the
true Forbidden Technique? What will happen when it is used?”
Chu Wanning’s expression became more subtle for some reason. He
paused for a moment and then said, “If it is the real Gate of Life and Death,
then it can do more than just tear apart space. It can even take Nangong Xu
to another world.”
However, upon hearing these words, Mo Ran’s expression changed slightly.
He then pursed his lips and did not say another word.
In his previous life, he didn’t have much knowledge, and the documents he
had gathered were quite believable. As for the rumor that the great
Grandmaster had torn open the Heavenly Rift and brought back the daughter
of another world, he didn’t really think that it was reliable.
Now that the words had come out of Chu Wanning’s mouth, Mo Ran was
finally convinced. However, this sort of certainty brought a chill down his
spine.
In the five years that Chu Wanning was gone, Mo Ran had read many
classics. In fact, he was feeling weird about the mystery of his rebirth.
He had never seen true rebirth in his previous life. He had thought that the
so-called “rebirth” would be similar to his own rebirth, going back to a
certain month before death.
However, in his entire life, he had witnessed Master Huaizui casting this
forbidden spell. There was a place in Mo Ran that he could not figure out:
Shizun’s rebirth technique was to bring back Chu Wanning’s soul from the
Underworld, back to that body that did not rot nor suffer any serious injuries,
and then continue to live in this world.
This rebirth was different from what he had experienced.
In his previous life, if someone was to use the same method of rebirth as
master Huaizui to save him, then he should have been reborn in the Wushan
Palace. These people should still be dead, and no one would be by his side.
Because of this, he guessed that there was more than one method of rebirth
in this world, which resulted in him being reborn in a different way from Chu
Wanning. However, at this moment, after Chu Wanning confirmed that the
most unknown of the three forbidden techniques, the ‘Gate of Life and
Death’, he had a very scary thought.
Could it be that not only had he been reborn, but he had also been affected
by the Gate of Life and Death, tearing apart the space and time of his evil
soul that should have been suffering in another time and space. That year
when nothing had happened and he could still turn back in time?
If that was the case, then wouldn’t all his actions be in the eyes of the
person behind the scenes? Everything, including his rebirth, had been
planned by that person and watched silently from behind the scenes.
Mo Ran felt a chill run down his spine.
However, before he could think about it, he suddenly heard an earthshaking explosion from the distant land of tribulation and fire.
“Let’s go take a look,” Chu Wanning said.
Before he finished speaking, the burning 72 cities of the Rufeng Sect
seemed to have been set on fire by Xu Shuanglin. Suddenly, the fire
intensified as it soared dozens of feet into the sky, its light reaching into the
heavens!
At this very moment, even if Mo Ran and the others did not rush over,
even if they were several hundred miles away from the door, they would still
be able to see the raging inferno that would burn through the dark night.
Xue Zhengyong had already brought Madam Wang out of the sea of fire,
but when he looked back, he saw the fire had coiled into two intertwined
bodies, a man and a woman slowly taking shape. Xue Zhengyong was
stunned, “This is… What’s going on?”
As a member of a distinguished family, Madam Wang had seen many
precious artifacts. Her expression immediately changed as she said, “They are
a kind of scroll that can be used to record memories. This kind of scroll does
not need any magic to support it, it was laid down by the caster beforehand.
As long as it is ignited by the Heaven Calamity Flame, the memories sealed
inside will appear in the fire.”
“Continue to echo?” Xue Zhengyong couldn’t take it anymore. Looking at
the door of the Rufeng Sect that was engulfed by the tribulation fire, a trace
of pity was revealed in his eyes.
When others revealed the truth, they would find a few witnesses and pull
them together to tell them a few words. Then, they would throw away a few
pieces of evidence. This matter was about to come to an end.
As for Xu Shuanglin? He was a lunatic, making scrolls of all the memories
he had been searching for and setting fire to the sky so that the whole world
could see how dirty and filthy his home was. Using the grand sea of fire as a
canvas, he magically expanded the shameful whispers of his temples into a
thunderous roar, so loud that even deaf people would be able to hear it.
“Just what is this Xu Shuanglin up to?” Xue Zhengyong sat on the
extended iron fan with Madam Wang in the middle of the air. His face was lit
up by the blazing flames, and sometimes darkened by the flames. He
mumbled, “Could it be that he hasn’t found out enough about the Rufeng
Sect?”
Madam Wang, “…”
“Enough, this is really enough. The Rufeng Sect has already been torn
apart by him to such an extent that they became the laughingstock of the
cultivation world. Why is he still not letting this opportunity go…”
However, as the voice of a woman rumbled from the sea of fire, the
cultivators who escaped from the Red Lotus Purgatory and watched the show
in the air were all stunned.
Xue Zhengyong was also stunned.
“Brother Liu, we are already so old, why… why are you still not so
serious…”
“Hmm…”
Along with this soft groan, the two blurry figures in the sea of fire
gradually became clearer. The tribulation fire of the 72 cities of the Rufeng
Sect spread out the two naked bodies, and just the five bats on the woman’s
white arm were enlarged to the size of a building. The hair of the bats on
them could be clearly seen.
Everyone was dumbfounded as they turned their heads to look at one of the
ten great sects of the cultivation world, the Jiangdong Hall.
The disciples of the Jiangdong Hall were even more frightened. Their eyes
were all as big as bells. They stared blankly at their Sect Leader, Qi Liangji.
This newly appointed Sect Leader’s face was ashen. She stood on her
sword like she was made out of wood, standing in the night wind.
On her arm, clearly, was the ornament of the pentathlon.
She had never thought that her private affair with Nangong Liu would be
seen by others. Furthermore, they had even made a memory scroll for her.
She was now naked, completely naked.
It was made public.
She was instantly stunned.
The same was true for Mo Ran. The moment he appeared in the air, he
blinded Chu Wanning.
“Don’t look.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
This was almost a subconscious action. He was full of possessiveness
towards Chu Wanning. He wanted to seize this person’s body, their breathing,
their moans, and the broken sound of their lips. Now, he wanted to possess a
pure heart like Chu Wanning.
“Don’t look, it’s very dirty.”
Wasn’t it very dirty? Chu Wanning thought. So what if he covered his
eyes? The ambiguous voices of a man and a woman’s lovemaking still echoed
clearly in his ears.
Chu Wanning kept silent, letting Mo Ran place both of his hands in front
of him. He tried to maintain his composure, but his face unconsciously turned
a little hot.
“Ah… Quick, quick… Ah, ah. Mmm…”
Mo Ran: “…”
Chu Wanning: “…”
Perhaps it was because his eyes were covered, but the other senses were all
the clearer. Sect Leader Qi’s voice was like a tiny fluffy claw, climbing up a
person’s spine, causing a tingling sensation wherever it passed. It was
unknown if it was on purpose, but her voice was filled with passion. To her, a
man’s invasion was like the thick roots of a huge tree, deeply buried into the
fertile soil. The gurgling spring water beneath the soil was drilled out, and the
air was tainted with the fishy smell of a heavy rain.
This sound made Mo Ran very anxious and did not know what to do.
He wanted to continue covering Chu Wanning’s eyes, but he also wanted to
cover his ears.
He wanted to cover his ears with his hands, but he didn’t want to take them
away from him.
What was even worse was that in this suddenly alluring atmosphere, Mo
Ran suddenly felt that the thing he longed for the most was neither to cover
his ears nor to cover his eyes. There was a violent tiger wolf in his chest,
growling and urging him on.
Although the timing was not right, he suddenly realized that what he
wanted the most was to grab him from behind, hug him tightly, intimately rub
his back, eagerly suck on his ears, and then pull his face over and fiercely hug
and kiss him.
His eyes were dark as he stared at the nearby Chu Wanning. His breathing
gradually became more uncomfortable.
Although Chu Wanning was strong and fierce, his physique was no longer
his opponent. If he had any ulterior motives, then Chu Wanning would not
have a chance to fight back. This stubborn man’s accumulated strength could
only be used to suppress the moan in his mouth.
He endured to the limit, but he could not escape the fate of being crushed
into nothing.
The person in front of him did not know what was going through his mind.
To ease the awkwardness, Chu Wanning cursed under his breath, “How
outrageous.”
“Yes.” Mo Ran’s throat was dry, but his eyes were very moist. He echoed
in a low voice, “Indeed, very outrageous.”
“That Qi Liangji was clearly a married woman. Her husband had just
passed away and she had become the head of the Jiangdong Hall. Who
would’ve thought that she would actually act in such a manner when she
turned around?” Chu Wanning was extremely disdainful, as he simply said,
“Ridiculous.”
“Yes.” Even though he knew it was not the right time to do so, he couldn’t
help but to crave for it. Mo Ran didn’t even notice that his lips had gotten
closer, almost at the back of Chu Wanning’s neck. “It’s ridiculous.”
He indifferently swept the sky with his gaze. Nangong Liu and Qi Liangji’s
Spring Palace was still violently churning.
He vaguely recalled that Qi Liangji seemed to be even older than Nangong
Liu. Her husband was Nangong Liu’s sworn brother. According to seniority,
Nangong Liu should be calling her sister-in-law.
He didn’t know how these two seemingly innocent people managed to get
together.
Just as he was thinking this, Nangong Liu’s hoarse voice came from within
the tribulation fire. He raised his eyes and saw that these two shameless
people had changed into different positions to make love. Nangong Liu
purposely seduced her and said, “If you still want, then call me big brother.”
“?” Mo Ran was truly shocked.
Can you… Is that so?
But she was clearly so much older than him. How… how could she call
him elder brother?
This cultivator had probably underestimated Nangong Liu’s capabilities and
also looked down on Qi Liangji’s face. This woman must have gone crazy
from all the work she had done, to the point she did not hesitate at all. She
panted and moaned, “Big brother… Brother… Don’t you dare torture me
again… Ah…”
“…” Even Mo Ran, who was as thick as a city wall, couldn’t help but
blush.
At this moment, Chu Wanning’s soft, long eyelashes slightly trembled on
his palm, as if he knew the warmth and itch in his heart and wanted to use it
to scratch the numbness in his bones.
However, those two eyelashes were too soft and light. They moved a little,
but the itch did not dissipate. Instead, they became a little too light for him to
stop. Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. He looked at the back of the man’s
neck, and his pale skin actually seemed to exude a faint pink glow in the
darkness.
He blinked, and his heart pounded like a drum.
He did not dare to look again. Mo Ran lowered his eyelashes and his eyes
were pitch black under them. They were like burnt ashes with a blazing
temperature.
Under the darkness, there were layers of starfire, waiting for Chu Wanning
to give him a gust of wind filled with love and desire. The starfire would burn
out of the embers and the orange glow would set the prairie ablaze.
Mo Ran suddenly felt regret —
Why didn’t he find out about Nangong Liu’s perverted intentions in his
previous life?
If he had seen this earlier, he would have forced Chu Wanning into a
corner and let this man lie on top of him, gasping for breath and calling him
‘Gege’.
Then, he recalled that in his entire life, Chu Wanning had actually called
him brother before. Not only did he call him brother, he even called him
“Shixiong”.
However, at that time, he didn’t know the real body of Xia Sini, and still
thought that the youngest junior brother was the youngest junior brother.
Now that he looked back, his heart was burning with passion.
He was bold and ambitious, and even though he knew it was impossible, he
couldn’t help but think about it.
Chu Wanning was lying on the bed with his forehead glowing with a few
wisps of sweat on his hair, his phoenix eyes were opened slightly, leaving only
a ray of gaze to look at him, there were grievances and stubbornness in his
eyes, and then passion burned up, burned out the grievances and reservations,
turned into a thin wet red at the corner of his eyes.
Chu Wanning’s lips were half-lipped, he tried his best to bite him, but in
the end, he opened his mouth again and called out to him, “Gege…”
Mo Ran: “…”
He didn’t know when he let go of the other person, but he probably knew
that if he continued to cover his eyes like this, he really wouldn’t be able to
hold back from doing something outrageous.
Love was originally an extremely difficult emotion to suppress, not to
mention that Mo Ran had once tasted it before, he knew how it tasted like
when one’s soul was corroded.
Chu Wanning turned around to look at him, his cheeks were red, but his
chin was slightly raised, his eyes were bright and clear, showing a little
arrogance.
“What’s the matter with you?”
Mo Ran glanced at his lips, then coughed lightly. He turned his head and
said, “Nothing.”
“Have you talked about that matter with the elders under your tutelage
before?”
Nangong Liu lazily asked as he caressed Qi Liangji’s hair.
Qi Liangji opened her soft eyes and asked, “What is it?”
“Look at you, even though you know what I’m doing, you still want to beat
around the bush.” Nangong Liu said, “What else could it be? Didn’t you tell
me that after you became the Sect Leader, you would start to incorporate
Jiangdong Hall into the Rufeng Sect?”
“This one.” Qi Liangji smiled and said, “Don’t worry. I just succeeded the
position not too long ago. The Sect Leader’s ring hasn’t even warmed up yet.”
“You have to hurry. When our two sects become one, I will let you be the
number one protector of the Rufeng Sect. When that happens, under one
person, above tens of thousands of people…”
As Nangong Liu said this, he couldn’t help but touch her waist.
However, Qi Liangji was unhappy. Although her face was flushed red, she
raised her hand to stop him, “It was not easy to climb to the position of sect
leader. You also didn’t let me stay for long. You’re not going to marry me
properly and bring me home, so that I can become the wife of Rufeng Sect.”
Nangong Liu said in embarrassment, “You also know my temper. If I want
to continue, I definitely won’t agree. Furthermore, with our current statuses,
marriage is not a personal matter. If someone were to speak of it, who knows
what kind of nasty words they would say.”
“Awful?!” Qi Liangji’s eyes were filled with anger as she raised her head
and glared at him, “Are you afraid that I won’t be scared of you? Don’t you
remember how my husband died? Do you think I’m only here to take over as
the head of this Jiangdong Hall? Nangong Liu, you should know how I’ve
treated you since you were young!”
“Alright, alright, alright. Calm down, calm down.”
“How can I not be angry at you? Back then, in order to make your damned
father consider you a son of a bitch, you married that little bitch Rong Yan!
I… I have no hope and married my senior brother. Now that I have finally
killed both of them, do you really only want me to be your protector after the
two sects merge?”
“Liangji…”
“I refuse! Whoever wants to be the protector, you have to marry me! That
son of yours, Nangong Si is unruly and untamed, he is the same as that slut
Rong Yan, do you really plan to let him succeed the position of sect leader?”
Qi Liangji said arbitrarily, “I’m not afraid of the long term. So what if we’re a
widow and a widower? What if we get married? To whom? Not only will I
marry you, I will also give birth to eight more Young Masters. Nangong Liu,
do you want me to marry and have our children or be with that slut’s child?”
171. Shizun, the Rufeng sect is annihilated
Nangong Liu was backed into the corner by her, so he could only coax her:
“Alright, of course I love you. However, this matter needs to be considered
carefully. We should do as we agreed earlier. You should first use the Sect
Leader’s order.
“Let the Jiangdong Hall be shaded by the Rufeng Sect, and after the two
sects merge, we’ll…”
“No way!” Qi Liangji said with reddened eyes, “Back then, I… I believed
you, so what? You turned around and married Rong Yan… Not this time!
You have to give me an answer. Are you going to marry me or not?”
“…”
Seeing that he was hesitating, she became even more furious and shouted,
“Nangong Liu, how long are you going to wait? I can kill my husband for you
and me — and you? You don’t even dare to nod your head?!”
Everyone was shocked when they saw this.
Xue Zhengyong was also extremely shocked. He asked Madam Wang in a
low voice, “The former Sect Leader of the Jiangdong Hall was actually killed
by her?”
This time, the Jiangdong Hall was in deep trouble. Although the former
sect head had died, there were still many of his old subordinates in the sect.
Not to mention his two brothers.
“You were the one who killed him?”
“You, how can you bear it! He may be ten years older than you, but he
treats you very well, you — you serpent woman! Return my big brother’s
life!”
and there’s a fight going on here,
However, the fire didn’t stop there. A pair of frightening fragmented scrolls
spread out. Under the boundless light, those smelly and unsightly memories
appeared one after another in front of the people. These things were not only
related to the Rufeng Sect. It was also related to almost all the sects in the
Upper Cultivation World, as well as the countless famous cultivators that had
come to visit the Rufeng Sect.
After the Jiangdong Hall, there was the Wubei Temple, the Huohuang
Pavilion, the Bitan Manor… Even the usually elegant and elegant Taxue
Palace of Kunlun was lit up with the shameful deeds of high level disciples
and elders. Apart from Nangong Xu’s own memories, all the memories he
had gathered over the years were now displayed naked in front of everyone.
There were even records of the collusion between Nangong Liu and the
former head of the Wubei Temple, Tian Chan, in the past.
“Shizun, tomorrow is the Spiritual Mountain Competition, winning or
losing is extremely important for me. Father originally thought I was stupid,
so if I lost to brother’s sword during the event, then I’m afraid… it is no
longer fated with the position of Sect Leader.”
“Benefactor Nangong, there is no need to panic. You have memorized all
the scrolls that this old monk has given to you?”
“I remember.”
“Then tomorrow, you don’t have to worry about winning or losing. As long
as you put all your strength into using the techniques on the scroll, your little
brother will naturally not be a match for you.”
Nangong Liu said in a puzzled manner, “Junior is slow-witted. Shizun,
please enlighten me.”
“That spell scroll is an original secret technique created by your younger
brother, Nangong Xu, who has been practicing diligently and is determined to
make a mark in the Spiritual Mountain Competition.”
“Ah!” Nangong Liu was extremely shocked, “Since it was created by
Brother Xu, then I…… Then how can I use his magic to defeat him?”
Master Tian Chan gave a slight smile. “Nangong Xu is a proud and aloof
person. After learning this spell, he was never willing to interact with others.
He would hide in the cave and improve himself day and night. He said that
this spell was created by him, who would believe him?”
“…”
“You are different, Benefactor Nangong. With me and the Fourth Palace
Master of the Taxue Palace as guarantors, as long as we have seen you
execute this technique before, he will be killed in one bite. This technique is
something you have studied with all your heart, and even if your brother has a
brilliant tongue, he will still not be able to escape from the crime of ‘stealing
brother’s unique immortal technique’.”
Grandmaster Tian Chan calmly said.
“Once his reputation is dirty, it will be pointed out by thousands of people,
and he will never be able to rise again. What’s the use of winning the
competition?”
“So that’s how it is…” Nangong Liu suddenly opened his eyes wide and
cupped his fists in thanks, “Thank you for your wise advice! After this junior
succeeds in his position, he will not disappoint his Shizun’s covenant. After
this matter is completed, the Rufeng Sect will form a good relationship with
the Wubei Temple — a hundred years old!”
That scroll that covered the entire night tore apart every single person Xu
Shuanglin hated, every single person who had offended him, and brought
them to the eyes of the crowd. Whether it was the cultivators or the
commoners near Rufeng Sect, they were all attracted by this flickering flame
and saw all the ugly, stinky lice buried under the robes.
When they were were tearing the barrier of Ghost Realm, Xu Shuanglin
said with a bright smile:
“I’m going to destroy all of your hearts.”
It was only at this moment that all the people finally understood what his
sentence really meant.
With the name of Elder Shuanglin, Nangong Xu had hibernated the
Rufeng Sect for so many years. His goal was not only to destroy the seventytwo cities, or even the hundred years of history.
What he wanted to destroy was all the people he hated.
All those who had betrayed him, all those who had slandered him, all those
who, for public or private benefits, had forced him into a corner.
As for his elder brother, Nangong Liu, to have his head bitten off in this
revenge scheme. Then one by one the Sect Leaders and Elders —
As long as they had done something that angered Xu Shuanglin, no matter
who it was, no one would be able to escape this platform of fire.
In this night that was illuminated by the fire, Chu Wanning suddenly
remembered a scene from Luo Xianxian’s memory where a young man
covered in blood laughed and said something.
From Linyi came a man, and at twenty years old his heart was already
dead.
A talented youth with outstanding magic skills was never treated fairly. He
was schemed against, murdered, and pushed aside by his own family. The
spell that he had painstakingly created had been devoured, and those who had
devoured his spell would end up pointing at him as a thief.
How ridiculous was this…
Heart dead at twenty…
On Jincheng Lake, in the midst of the peach blossoms, Xu Shuanglin’s
white piece had once laughed and said that it was a ghost that had crawled out
of hell to take its life from a living person.
Looking around, all the sects and clans of the Upper Cultivation World
were in a state of panic and chaos. The so-called ‘tree falls and monkeys
scatter’ was not limited to the Rufeng Sect.
Xu Shuanglin had used the latter half of his life as dried wood to ignite this
fire of vengeance.
He did it.
“Boom!”
Suddenly, there was an explosive sound. From the direction of the seventh
city of the Rufeng Sect — Dark City, a beam of violet light pierced through
the sky, causing everyone to be unable to open their eyes.
Ye Wangxi immediately frowned, “Not good!”
As she spoke and was about to ride her sword in the direction of the Dark
City, Nangong Si grabbed her. That wild and untamed face of his had already
looked extremely haggard and was on the verge of collapse in just a short
night. However, he still gripped Ye Wangxi’s shoulder tightly and said
hoarsely, “Don’t go over there.”
“But the evil spirits suppressed under the Golden Drum Tower are about to
come out. The Rufeng Sect has imprisoned thousands of evil beings for
hundreds of years. If they could break the seal and come to this world…” Ye
Wangxi did not finish her sentence as she felt a chill run down her spine.
“What’s the use of you going?”
“I…”
“Ye Wangxi, you have done enough for the Rufeng Sect.” He raised his
hand, and for a moment, it seemed as if he wanted to wipe off the dirt on Ye
Wangxi’s face, but in the end, he only moved, not doing anything.
“Stop wasting your energy.” He said, “Golden Drum Tower requires the
Sect Leader and the ten Elders to be able to stabilize themselves. If you go,
you will only be sending yourself to your death.”
“I know that I am courting death, but even if I am courting death,” Ye
Wangxi paused for a moment, her expression clearly showing that she was in
great pain, “Even if I were courting death, I would also… I don’t want to
stand by and watch without doing anything. If the Golden Drum Tower was
broken, the group of demons would descend, and the Rufeng Sect would… It
had to be the target of thousands of attacks… You…”
“Do you think that if the Golden Drum Tower is not broken, the Rufeng
Sect will not be targeted by so many people?” The corner of his mouth was
stained with dried blood, and his smile became increasingly bleak.
“Don’t be silly, the Rufeng Sect is already at the end of their road. Because
I really…” Nangong Si closed his eyes, his eyelashes trembling and his throat
choking, “I really don’t want anyone else to die for this sect… It’s not worth
it…”
Before he could finish his sentence, he heard another rumbling from the
direction of the Dark City. When he turned around, he saw thousands of
bright white streams of light flying in all directions from the Golden Drum
Tower and disappearing into the night.
Ye Wangxi lost all color in her eyes, “The Golden Drum Tower… It’s
going to fall…”
“Bang!”
The earth trembled and the ground beneath his feet began to crack. Along
with the great demon that had been suppressed for over a hundred years in
the pagoda and returned to the world, it turned into a powerful blood-red
light, and that red light looked like a giant fish of amazing size, and its tail
was like a blooming red lotus. The giant fish let out a earth-shattering roar,
and the sound waves shook all of the leaves thousands of miles away, causing
it to tremble, and it suddenly shot towards the East Sea, breaking the pagoda
into thousands of broken bricks and rubble. Those with imperial swords that
were too close to the pagoda were fiercely overturned by the Great Demon’s
transformed wave and slapped into the burning fire, not even having time to
scream before they were burnt into charred ash.
“What’s that?”
“Gǔn”
The person next to him was upset, he held his sword tightly so as not to be
thrown down by the sudden demon wind, and cursed: “Why do you run? Why
do you want me to scram?”
“What the hell? I said it was a ‘Gǔn’! One of the ancient vicious beasts! It
was said that the first Sect Leader of the Rufeng Sect, Nangong Changying,
had once subdued a beast in the East China Sea and imprisoned it in the
Golden Drum Tower. I can’t believe… I can’t believe it’s actually true!”
After the fierce beast appeared, even though its spiritual energy had not
recovered, and it had been suppressed under the pagoda for a long time, it
still had some lingering fear for the cultivators, so it did not stay for long
before it fled towards the East Sea. However, the waves it created were not to
be underestimated and burned. The calamity fire that was burning the Rufeng
Sect was almost a few feet high by the wave of air, and the originally safe
places were instantly scorched by the flames.
Xue Zhengyong had been in the battlefield for a long time, so he shouted
immediately after seeing the situation: “Run! All of you, run!”
After he shouted, the steel fan flew off with Madam Wang in tow, and the
rest of the cultivators started fleeing as well. However, there were also
cultivators who were fighting with their lives on the line, such as Qi Liangji
and a few of the elders in their sect. They did not manage to escape, nor did
they attempt to escape, and the moment they were engulfed by the tribulation
fire, a deep hatred flashed in their eyes…
And so, it was completely annihilated.
Nangong Si leaped onto Naobaijin and extended his hand to Ye Wangxi,
“Come up quickly!” He then turned around to look at Chu Wanning,
“Grandmaster — you too —”
“If you can’t carry it, you can go first.”
“But…”
Mo Ran made a prompt decision, and said to Nangong Si: “Quickly go! I
will bring Shizun out with me on the sword!”
Seeing that the fire was getting closer and closer to them, Nangong Si
cursed under his breath and hugged Ye Wangxi from behind before
disappearing into the darkness together with her on his demon wolf.
Trees were falling, the orange forest was burning with a crackling sound,
and the wind was filled with the strange sounds of citrus. Without delay, Mo
Ran began to draw his sword, and together with Chu Wanning, they headed
towards the place where the fire had not yet reached.
Behind him, the Rufeng sect’s heavenly palace, glorious for a hundred
years, just like that the ten thousand hectares of terraces and corridors and
the majestic pastures, all in this billowing fire, vanished overnight.
172. Shizun does not eat children
Because the storm raised by the Gǔn contributed to the fire, this
catastrophe burned almost half of Linyi. Originally, the cultivators who were
just there to attend the gathering had been fleeing in all directions on their
flying swords, but the flames were still pressing down on them from behind.
It chased them relentlessly, and countless cultivators who could not endure
the spiritual energy lost their lives in the battle against the raging flames.
Along the way, they flew past the Upper Cultivation World’s villages and
towns close to the Rufeng Sect. Those people didn’t know what had
happened, so when they saw the flames approaching from the direction of the
Gate of Wind, they started to stumble and run away.
But how could their flesh and legs escape the tribulation fire?
“Father!”
“Abba — Abba!”
Everywhere they passed, there were wails and cries. Xue Zhengyong and
his men had expanded their weapons to their maximum extent. The weapons
were filled with the civilians of the Upper Cultivation World.
Madam Wang kept comforting them. “Don’t cry, don’t cry. Sit inside a bit.
Be careful, hold onto each other and don’t fall down again…”
However, no matter how big the iron fan was, it would only be this big.
There were so many people in the town that could not be saved. Xue
Zhengyong knelt in front of the fan and tried to pull another crying child, but
he failed.
The iron fan could not bear it and began to shake violently. He had no
choice but to let go. He watched helplessly as the teary face full of hope was
thrown far away.
Even though he was a tough guy, he couldn’t help but bawl out, “Why?
Why? Does a man who has been wronged need so many innocent people to
be buried for him?” Xue Zhengyong was choked with sobs, his tears rolling
down, “Is this not chaotic enough? So many dead… Isn’t that enough…”
Madam Wang’s eyes were also red. She held the two rescued children
tightly in her arms on either side of her, but after those two children’s parents
lifted them up into the iron fan, they were unable to make it up in time. In the
end, they were engulfed by the tribulation fire.
Many of them had already been caught up by the flames, and others had
already escaped in other directions from the very beginning. Chu Wanning
and Mo Ran were not here, and her eyes were filled with tears as she silently
prayed for the two of them to be safe.
Not far away, the still unconscious Xue Meng was being carried by Jiang
Xi. The light of the fire illuminated his face with all his senses. Jiang Xi’s
gorgeous sword was not heavy, it buzzed beneath his feet.
Jiang Xi glared at Xue Meng in disgust. He had already had the thought of
throwing this brat down for a burn several times, but when he saw Madam
Wang’s pleading eyes on the iron fan, his face still darkened. He pursed his
lips and didn’t let go.
Xue Zhengyong cried as he tried to pull a child who was younger than him
and might be able to carry him. However, despite his efforts, he was unable to
do anything about it.
When he let go of another hand that was already in his grasp, Xue
Zhengyong was on the verge of collapse. He knelt there, curled up his body,
and cursed his body for his own weakness… However, at this moment, a
silver red light flashed. Jiang Xi waved his hand and a bright light flashed
from his sleeve, bringing the child Xue Zhengyong could not carry any more,
to his sword.
That beautiful and resplendent longsword, Xuehuang’s buzzing sound
became even louder.
Jiang Xi did not have a good temper. He kicked it and said sternly, “What
are you yelling for? If you have the guts, stand still and wait for the fire to
come and burn you.”
As expected, Xuehuang stopped ringing. It silently flew forward, carrying
Jiang Xi and the other two people. However, the slender sword hilt seemed to
be very strenuous, as if it could break at any time.
Jiang Xi flew to the side of Xue Zhengyong, gave him a look of disgust and
scolded, “What is there to cry about as a man? If it can be saved, then it’s
saved. If it can’t be saved, then so be it.”
“Senior Brother…” Madam Wang stammered.
“What? Did I say something wrong?” Jiang Xi sneered, although he was
extremely handsome, the smile on his face was extremely vicious, making
him seem especially unreasonable, “If you had not followed him back then,
and stayed with Guyue’ye, you would not have lost all your strength now, to
the point where you can’t even use your own sword. If your place is vacated,
your husband, the man who is so full of life, will be able to save one more
person.”
Madam Wang seemed to be stung. She abruptly lowered her face and
slowly closed the curtain of her eyelashes, not saying another word.
In the opposite direction, far away from them, Mo Ran’s sword had also
expanded to its maximum size. Apart from Chu Wanning, the sword was also
filled with ordinary citizens from the Upper Cultivation World.
Those people were trembling and crying as they stared blankly at their
homes that had been swallowed up by the sea of fire, turning into flat land.
The flames reflected the sparkling tears in their eyes. Closing their eyes, they
began to wail.
Under such a solemn atmosphere, Mo Ran was silent and did not say a
word. Unlike Xue Zhengyong, he didn’t struggle any further. Knowing that it
was impossible to burden more people, he stopped looking at the village and
town below his feet.
“Up ahead is the sea. Shizun, where should we go?”
“Can you make it to the Flying Flower Island?”
Mo Ran nodded and said, “I can handle it, but I’m not familiar with the
East Sea, so it will take a bit of effort to find it. Shizun, look after them, they
are more clear-headed, their swords are too crowded, if they fall asleep, I’m
afraid they will fall down.”
Chu Wanning agreed, “Sure.”
Mo Ran’s imperial sword moved for more than two hours. When the sea
level rose and the sun rose in the east, they broke through the clouds and saw
a relatively small ring-shaped island on the clear blue sea surface.
He had finally arrived at the Flying Flower Island.
Although this island was under the command of the Rufeng Sect, it was in
a desolate place with very few people. Most of them were fishermen who
depended on the sea for a living, and there was only one large family. Across
the raging sea, they all saw the great fire at the Rufeng Gate in the horizon.
They all felt anxious, not knowing what had happened, so many residents
looked around the courtyard, afraid that the sky might change and they
wouldn’t dare to fall asleep.
When dawn broke, the calamity did not affect them, but a long sword
carried a group of people and they all landed on the wet beach. The person in
the lead was a tall and handsome man. He looked like he had experienced a
fierce battle with blood mottled on his face and stains on his clothes.
There were no cultivators on Flying Flower Island, only ordinary people.
Thus, when they saw him, they were all somewhat afraid. They did not know
whether he was good or evil, and why he had come.
“Aiya, why are their faces so dark…”
Someone whispered, sizing up the men, women, and children behind Mo
Ran.
“It seems that he escaped from that great fire… Did you come from
Linyi?”
A sturdy fisherman bravely approached and asked, “You guys… Are you
people from the Rufeng Sect?”
“The Sisheng Peak.” Mo Ran handed the child in his arms over to Chu
Wanning. The child was too young, so he couldn’t put him down. In order to
prevent him from getting pushed down, Mo Ran had hugged him all the way
when using Imperial Sword Technique. “Something happened to the Rufeng
Sect, these… They are all residents of Linyi. It’s on fire, and the weight of our
swords was limited. We really couldn’t save too many lives. I…”
He continued speaking without caring about his own business. When he
raised his head and saw the fisherman’s blank look, he realized that he had
spoken too quickly.
How could these people from the Flying Flower Island know about
tribulation fire or Imperial Sword Technique?
Therefore, he pursed his lips and said gently, “I’m sorry. I’ll explain in
detail to you later.” He turned around and looked at the listless and battered
crowd behind him. “Can you get them something to eat and some water
first?”
One of the children who had lost his parents was panic-stricken. He slowly
rubbed his hand against the side of Mo Ran’s leg and helplessly grabbed the
corner of his robe with his small hand.
Mo Ran lowered his head and lowered his eyes, stroking his hair, and said
to the fisherman, “I’m really sorry, sorry to bother you.”
Most of the residents of Flying Flower Island were honest. Soon, someone
brought them tea and snacks to eat. Mo Ran briefly explained the situation to
the islanders, who could not shut their mouths for a long time, staring blankly
at the endless fire on the horizon.
“Rufeng Sect… It’s all burnt up?” Some people could not believe it.
“Sect Leader Nangong passed away?”
Mo Ran replied, “It’s not an immortal’s death. It’s a result of consuming
the Lingzhi Fruit. He was taken to another place.”
“What is the Lingzhi fruit?”
“That’s right…”
Chu Wanning stood to the side, watching as Mo Ran explained to the
fishermen slowly, but he did not step forward.
He looked somewhat uncomfortable, and his face was naturally tainted
with the cold of frost. If he were to negotiate with the villagers, the result
would not be any better than Mo Ran.
In his arms, the sleeping child woke up. Seeing that the one hugging him
was a cold stranger, he couldn’t help but be stunned for a moment before
immediately crying out loud. He wasn’t as obedient as when he was in Mo
Ran’s arms.
Chu Wanning took a glance at Mo Ran, seeing that he was still surrounded
by the villagers and couldn’t get out, he was helpless and said to the child with
a stiff face, “Don’t cry.”
The child shrieked and cried even louder than before, shouting, “Father,
Mother… I want father, I want mother.”
“Don’t cry.” Chu Wanning coaxed, “You, don’t cry.”
“Wah — Mother……Mother…”
Chu Wanning had no choice but to hug him with one hand and touch his
hair with the other. Unexpectedly, the child didn’t want him to touch him, as
he leaned his head back, his red face was covered in tears and snot, “I want
my mother, I want my father, I want to go home…”
He didn’t know what to say, so he couldn’t help but think about what he
should say to comfort this little guy. However, the moment he fell into deep
thought, his eyebrows unconsciously wrinkled, making him look cold and
cryptic.
The child was crying uncontrollably. When he saw Chu Wanning’s
expression, he choked and was so scared that he stopped talking. He bit his
lips as tears rolled down his face like beads of string.
Chu Wanning suddenly thought of something. He untied the Qiankun bag
with one hand, took out a piece of glutinous rice candy, peeled off the paper,
and passed it to him.
“…” The child sobbed with tears in his eyes as he looked at Chu Wanning
and then at the candy in his hand.
His mother had told him a bunch of stories since he was young about
coaxing small children into obedience. Among them was no lack of vicious
and terrifying cultivators who wanted to make the disobedient children lose
consciousness and capture them to refine immortal pills.
The child silently held back his tears. Staring at him, he suddenly became
extremely terrified.
Chu Wanning didn’t know what he meant by that. He stared at the child
blankly, the glutinous rice candy still in his hand.
Although his eyes were pretty, when he wasn’t smiling, he had a proud
attitude. Even if he was smiling, his eyes would give him a bit of wild aura,
like the thorns of a rose, filled with provocation and pride.
However, not everyone could endure such arrogance. Thus, although Chu
Wanning had a handsome face, he was naturally unpopular with other people.
Not to the children’s liking.
“Eat.” On the sword, he had seen Mo Ran use candy to comfort the little
fellows. He did as he was told, but he did not understand why it was
impossible.
The child pursed his lips, hesitated, trembled, and then slowly shook his
head.
…… He didn’t want to be made into immortal pills…
“You…”
He hadn’t even finished speaking when that child endured to the limit. He
began to wail in fear, crying to the point that his heart was torn and his lungs
were shaking. Everyone in the surrounding area raised their eyebrows.
Chu Wanning did not react, he was still holding the piece of glutinous rice
candy and said softly, “… It’s pretty sweet.”
What he wanted to say was that sugar was sweet, but when a child
connected half of the “you” he said before, it became “you’re pretty sweet.”
After pondering for a while, he felt that this cultivator was definitely going to
use him to concoct pills.
Chu Wanning froze, “…”
173. Shizun, someone wants to kick us out
He felt like he was hugging a hot potato. He didn’t know what to do.
Seeing more and more people looking at him, his ears couldn’t help but turn
red from embarrassment. At that moment, a pair of hands reached out and
took the child from him.
Chu Wanning breathed a sigh of relief and turned around, “Mo Ran?”
“Yes.” Mo Ran placed the child in the crook of one arm while holding him
in the other. His other hand was empty as he ruffled Chu Wanning’s hair. His
expression was calm and collected.
When he saw the miserable scene of Linyi burning, he felt depressed. But
when he looked at Chu Wanning, he wanted to smirk to prevent his
expression from looking too ugly.
His appearance when he wanted to laugh or not was not as handsome as
other times, but somehow it made people feel very warm.
“You’ve already spoken with the people on the island?”
“Yes, it’s settled.”
“I’m afraid that it won’t be four or five days before the fire dies down.
Before that, we all have to stay on Flying Flower Island. There aren’t many
houses on this island, and we’ve brought so many people with us…”
“After asking the Village Chief, he said that we can still squeeze in.”
There was nothing wrong for Mo Ran to negotiate this sort of question. He
was more clear on how he should communicate with others, how he looked
like and so on… Thinking back to the time when he helped to harvest the
rice, the girls in the village looked at him, and they knew that he was a lot
more pleasing than him.
Chu Wanning pondered in silence for a while, not knowing what to feel.
He nodded and said, “Thank you for your hard work.”
“Just don’t work hard with me.” Mo Ran looked at the candy in his hand
and understood. He turned his head and smiled as he coaxed the child in his
arms. “And you? Why are you crying?”
“I want Mother… I want father…”
Seeing that he was still so young and his steps were still unsteady, Mo Ran
felt sad that his parents had lost their lives and could never return. He rubbed
his forehead against his face and comforted him in a low voice, “Father,
Mother… There are some things that I have to wait a few days before I can
come and accompany you. You have to be good, only when they see you will
they be happy…”
After he hugged and coaxed him for a while, the child actually managed to
calm down a lot. Although he was still sobbing, it was unlikely for him to cry
out loud and wail again.
Mo Ran lowered his head to look at the child with tears in his eyes, while
Chu Wanning stood quietly by the side, watching him with candy in his hand.
The man’s profile was very good-looking, his features were straight. If Mo
Ran was placed in a case, his face would be like a willow leaf, his calligraphy
strong, his calligraphy tall and straight, easily revealing his peerlessly
handsome face.
His edges were very sharp, but his eyelashes and eyes were soft, like the
spread of spring leaves.
Chu Wanning was lost in thought.
Thus, when Mo Ran stuck his head over and bit the candy on his finger,
Chu Wanning abruptly retracted his hand. His eyes widened in shock as he
asked, “What are you doing?”
With such a small amount of glutinous rice candy in his mouth, the man
leaned his head over and quickly took it away. Naturally, his lips would touch
the tips of his fingers, and his warm, moist tip of his tongue would
accidentally lick his fingers, causing Chu Wanning to feel numb. That quick,
tiny, intimate contact was enough to make his spine itch, just like a new bud
breaking a seed.
Mo Ran smiled at him with candy in his mouth, then turned and winked at
the boy.
He raised his head and rolled the candy into his mouth, his Adam’s apple
rolling. Then he said to the child, “Look, it’s not some scary pill. It’s sugar.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
He had been in a trance and hadn’t been paying much attention to what the
child and Mo Ran were saying.
Only then did his gaze fall back on the child. The child was timid, but still
stared at Mo Ran for a while before whispering in surprise, “Ah, it’s really
sugar…”
“Yeah.” Mo Ran said with a smile, “This big brother Chu Wanning is so
good, why would he take you to refine pills?”
Chu Wanning was speechless again.
Due to the events of the previous night being too much and too terrifying,
Mo Ran did not feel sleepy. After settling down, the men, women, and
children that he had rescued all arrived at dawn. He walked to the edge of the
beach on the Flying Flower Island alone, and the coastline in the morning
would retreat to a faraway place, revealing a beach that could not be seen
when the tide was rising.
When he was alone, many things would come to mind. They would
become a layer of lingering haze in his eyes.
He took off his shoes and walked slowly along the wet coastline, his
footprints leaving two twisted tracks on the wet sand behind him.
In fact, there were many things about Xu Shuanglin that he did not
understand, such as why it was a cold day, but that guy did not like to wear
shoes, and was always willing to walk around barefoot.
Mo Ran was a person who hid a lot of the past and was always treated
badly by others.
Perhaps because of this, he could clearly understand that Xu Shuanglin did
not care about anything, wanting to destroy the Rufeng Sect, the Jiangdong
Hall, or even the entire state of mind of the Upper Cultivation World.
Being suppressed and excluded was not the most painful thing.
The thing that hurt the most was being betrayed by someone close to him,
the thing that hurt the most was that he had clearly done nothing wrong, that
he had clearly been hot-blooded and wanted to help him become a
Grandmaster, yet at the most important “Spiritual Mountain Competition” in
the world of cultivation, he was pointed out by thousands of people, saying
that the unique spell he had created with all his effort was stolen from his
elder brother…
He would never be able to recover from the ridicule.
Mo Ran knew that after this calamity passed, the cultivation world would
definitely face a reshuffle. For those sects that had suffered from severe
injuries, be it in terms of face or body, they would all think: Xu Shuanglin is
truly a madman.
Perhaps only Mo Weiyu, who had once grind his teeth and killed people as
easily as grinding blood, would be unable to stop himself from thinking about
it while quietly walking along this long and quiet coastline.
Just what sort of person was Xu Shuanglin?
Had this madman, in his youth, practiced his swordsmanship arduously in
the orange grove until nightfall, returned tired and satisfied, with a fresh,
sweet orange in his sleeve, to feed his brother, who had always been lazy?
At that time, he didn’t know that even though his brother had achieved
nothing, he was able to rely on only his tongue to make it so that he would no
longer have a place to stand in in the cultivation world.
Did this madman once bury his head in a magic scroll and meditate? Did
he seriously dip the brush into the ink, write down a passage of slightly green
thoughts, then become dissatisfied, bite the brush shaft, and once again sink
into deep thought?
At that time, he also didn’t know that no matter how hard he tried, the end
result would be his reputation being sullied and he would never have any
hope.
Mo Ran closed his eyes. The sea breeze blew against his face, and the
sunlight fell on his eyelashes, coating them with a layer of gold.
He thought of the Three Lives Courtyard, drinking Mengpo’s Water and
forgetting about the Three Lives. Was Xu Shuanglin giving him this name
just for whims?
Also, in his previous life, when Xu Shuanglin was hiding in the Rufeng
Sect, he should have had the same goal as he did in his current life. However,
that time, he died fighting for Ye Wangxi…
Ye Wangxi.
This name had also been given to her by Xu Shuanglin.
Forgot what?
Had he ever tried to forget the injustices and iniquity of the past, the hatred
and glory of the past, the ugly faces?
There was also Xu Shuanglin’s painstaking efforts to drag out the corpse
from the Unbroken Hell, Luo Fenghua’s corpse.
What did he want this corpse for?
In the illusion, Xu Shuanglin told Nangong Liu that only by obtaining the
spirit core of the person who cast the curse would he be able to completely
remove the curse from the ring. However, from the end of the story, Xu
Shuanglin’s true purpose was not to help Nangong Liu break the curse.
Spatial rift, Zhenlong chess, rebirth techniques…
And then there was the hand that had come out of the crack.
Mo Ran vaguely felt that something was very wrong. He furrowed his
brows, deep in thought.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
He thought of one thing —
That year, at the edge of Jincheng Lake, when dragon Wangyue had died,
he had once said, “That mysterious person practiced two secret arts with the
Willow’s power at Jincheng Lake. One was the rebirth technique, and the
other was the Zhenlong chess game.”
At that time, it did not mention the ‘Gate of Life and Death’.
In other words, to Xu Shuanglin, he only cared about the two magic spells,
rebirth and Zhenlong. There was no need to mention Zhenlong, he only cared
about manipulating the chess pieces for the sake of convenience.
What about rebirth?
Who did he want to be reborn?
Mo Ran thought about it and felt that there were two answers, one was
Rong Yan and the other was Luo Fenghua.
Hearing the meaning of Xu Shuanglin’s words, the person that Rong Yan
had once loved was actually him. Because of some unknown reason, she
finally broke off with Xu Shuanglin and married his brother instead.
However, after some careful analysis, he felt that it wasn’t her after all.
If Xu Shuanglin really did love Rong Yan, to the point of thinking of a way
to revive her, how could he have killed her only son in his previous life?
Most importantly, this fellow had long been hiding by Nangong Liu’s side
as ‘Elder Shuanglin’. If he wanted to use the Rebirth Technique to revive
Rong Yan, then why didn’t he stop her from offering up a sacrifice at the
Jincheng Lake?
It was not Rong Yan.
Mo Ran turned his head and looked at the sea dyed red by the rising sun.
The fine, billowing waves continued to expand, and as the sun rose in the east,
the tide was rising at a speed visible to the naked eye.
It was Luo Fenghua.
The person that Nangong Xu wanted to revive was Luo Fenghua.
The matter of the Rufeng Gate was not as simple as it seemed to be. It was
just like the ebb and flow of the sea. The broken shells and the colorful and
dangerous starfish were all covered by the surging waves at daybreak.
The sea water was rising quickly, and the small pieces of sand and rocks
were being washed away by the waves, spreading to the beach where he was
walking.
Suddenly, his feet felt a chill. Mo Ran lowered his head, the waves had
already surged up and were slapping his feet.
“Whooosh.”
He moved his toes and felt cold. He turned around and wanted to walk
back to the beach to put on his shoes, but when he turned around, he saw Chu
Wanning walking towards him out of the red clouds. He was holding onto his
socks and shoes, which he had casually thrown in the sand.
“Why are you barefooted? It’s such a cold day.”
Mo Ran followed him to the top of the sandy slope. He sat down on the
rocky shore, shook off the mud on his feet, and put on his shoes again. He
suddenly felt a sense of relief. Even though he was destined to never get the
love he wanted in his life with Chu Wanning, he was still the best Shizun in
the world. He would care for him and take care of him.
When he sees him walking around barefoot, he worries that he will catch a
cold.
“What do you think about the matter of the Rufeng Sect?”
“It’s not that simple.”
“I suppose so.” Chu Wanning’s eyebrows hadn’t relaxed since last night.
Even with the short period of peace and serenity, there was still a tinge of
melancholy between his brows. He watched Mo Ran put on his shoes and
socks before turning his gaze back to the vast ocean.
The rising sun blazed with a resplendent golden-red, interweaving with the
unextinguished flames in the distance. It was hard to distinguish them.
“Where Xu Shuanglin was pulled away by that Heavenly Rift is truly too
hard to find. If he didn’t want others to find out and disappear, then perhaps
no one would be able to catch him within eight to ten years.”
Mo Ran shook his head and said, “He can’t hold it in for eight to ten years.
After he recovers his energy, he should be able to make some moves.”
“What do you mean?”
Mo Ran told Chu Wanning about his guess and said, “Luo Fenghua’s
corpse is not his real body, but a prosthetic limb rebuilt in the Unbroken
Purgatory. Once it leaves the ghost realm, it will be decayed very soon due to
the lack of yin energy. So I guess at most a year, even if he doesn’t have all of
his preparations, there will still be new movements.”
Chu Wanning did not make a sound.
He was always careful when he did things or thought about them. For
something as uncertain as this, he would not make such a bold hypothesis as
Mo Ran. However, there was no harm in listening to Mo Ran’s hypothesis.
“What about that hand?” Chu Wanning asked, “In the end, what were your
guesses about the hand that took Nangong Xu away?”
“…” Mo Ran shook his head, “I know too little about the first forbidden
technique. I can’t say, I don’t know.”
This was not true. Although Mo Ran did not want to lie to Chu Wanning
anymore, there were some things that he could not say openly to him.
He didn’t dare say.
Truly, ever since he could remember, the number of peaceful days he had
had were pitifully few. If he were to add up his two lifetimes, it was likely
that he wouldn’t have lived for more than a year.
A person who had been wandering for decades suddenly made him sit
down and gave him a pot of hot tea and a bonfire. How could he bear to get
up and leave again? How could he bear to shatter this wonderful dream with
his own hands.
Thus, he could only say that he didn’t know.
However, his heart was restless and uneasy. He was almost certain that the
owner of that hand was not that simple. Otherwise, why would Xu Shuanglin
be able to gather the five spirits so quickly and slaughter them? If it weren’t
for the fact that he had been coaxed and bewitched by those who had come
back to life, and according to the normal course of events, Xu Shuanglin
probably wouldn’t have thought of how to revive Luo Fenghua at this time…
What’s more, back in the Jincheng Lake days, Xu Shuanglin’s White Chess
piece had told Chu Wanning, “If you think I’m the only one who knows these
three forbidden techniques, then you won’t be able to live much longer.”
Mo Ran felt that Xu Shuanglin must have known that some people who
should not have lived in this world had come to this world. But at the same
time, he also felt that although Xu Shuanglin knew about Rebirthers, he didn’t
know that he had also been reborn.
Otherwise, why didn’t he expose himself when the Rufeng Sect was
fighting? That memory scroll of his, as long as he obtained some of Mo Ran’s
memories, then no matter how much better Chu Wanning treated him, he
would not take his disciple. Then it would all be over. He would never have
the chance to recover from this.
Why didn’t Xu Shuanglin do this?
Two possibilities:
First, for some reason, he could not do so.
Secondly, he still didn’t know his trump card.
However, no matter what the situation was, Mo Ran was at a disadvantage
at the moment. He did not have many clues, and if the other party was careful
and did not reveal any more clues, then he would probably have to stand in
the light and wait for the blade to pierce his back.
Mo Ran pursed his lips, his thick eyelashes lightly trembling.
He couldn’t care so much anymore. In his previous life, he had lived in
hatred and had acted in self-interest. He had done all sorts of crazy things. In
his entire life, regardless of the outcome, he wanted to do his best to live
every day, to do his best to make up for those who owed him, and to do his
best to protect his Shizun, Shi Mei, and Xue Meng, and protect the Sisheng
Peak.
He tried his best to retain the warmth that he had once desired.
Just as he was lost in thought, a fisherman hurriedly ran over and shouted at
Mo Ran and the rest, “This is bad! Two immortal lords, something has
happened!”
Mo Ran was shocked. He propped himself up from the ground and
immediately leaped up as he asked, “What’s wrong?”
“The head of the island went out to sea a few days ago, and she just came
back this morning. She, she heard what happened from the village head, and
was very dissatisfied with what he had done. She’s chased everyone out by
now. The people you brought, they’re all standing outside.”
The fishermen were kind-hearted. As they spoke, tears began to form in
their eyes.
“What a pity. In such a cold weather, you aren’t even willing to give me a
piece of cloth or a blanket… The head of the household even said…”
Chu Wanning also stood up, his face was gloomy, “What else did she say?”
“She also said… Just now, these people from Linyi ate the rations of the
Flying Flower Island and drank the water of the Flying Flower Island. They
wanted to… If they didn’t pay up, she would… Just capture them and make
them slaves. Stay on the island and command…”
Before he could finish his words, Chu Wanning had already become
furious. His white robe fluttered as he quickly flew towards the heart of the
island village.
174. Shizun’s Sachet
Although Flying Flower Island was poor, the head of the household was
obviously rich and well off.
She was dressed in a bat-patterned gold satin gown, which looked like the
finest chiffon from the Taxue Palace on Mount Kunlun. Her long black and
white hair was tied very tightly together, and her hair was trimmed with
emerald flowers.
Red on the lips. She wore a warm pearl chain around her neck, and two
golden earrings, inlaid with rubies the size of pigeons’ eggs, which were
tugging at her earlobes.
She was over a hundred years old and youthfulness had long since left. She
had a slightly bloated body and wrinkles all over her face. She would have
been better off if she had purposely dressed up, but she clearly thought that
the more extravagant her clothes were, the more extravagant her clothes
would be.
The more beautiful you look, the more you sink into this glittering pile of
emeralds, like an old turtle covered in red and green.
Old Turtle sat around half of the entire Flying Flower Island. When she
spoke, not even the Village Chief dared to make a sound.
At this very moment, the sun rose and the old turtle, with red flowers and
green leaves, came to the square. She sat in the red acid Bat Deer Master-
Mentor chair that had been prepared for her for a long time, and looked
around at the refugees that had come from Linyi.
“Why did you accept them?” She raised her heavy and greasy eyelids and
gave the Village Head a shady look, “I didn’t even pay the silver taels, so
what’s the point of giving them a room to stay in? Where’s the food? How
much did you eat?”
“They didn’t eat much… They are all leftovers from the village and cannot
be eaten.” muttered the village chief.
Old Turtle delicately snorted and said, “You still have to pay for that. This
rice wheat, isn’t it all grown from my, Third Madam Sun’s, land? The harvest
this year was not good, and I also opened up a warehouse to help out every
household on the island with ten pounds of wheat flour and a pot of oil. It
doesn’t matter if I give it to you guys to eat since we’re all on the same side,
but it wouldn’t be too good for you to take out Third madam’s food to help
the refugees in Linyi, right?”
“Third Young Madam is right.” The Village Head smiled apologetically,
“But look at these little girls, these old men are so pitiful on such a cold day.
You have a Buddha’s heart, why don’t we just forget about it?”
Old Turtle glared at him. “How can you let it go? Money, it’s all money.”
Village Head: “…”
“How much did each family give them to eat?” Old Turtle asked, “Did you
guys manage to keep an account just now?”
The village head had no other choice but to say, “I’ve remembered it. I’ve
figured it out.” As he spoke, he handed over a small booklet to Third Madam
Sun. Third Madam Sun raised her right hand, and on her wrist, she wore nine
bright and colorful bracelets, one of which was gold and the other was silver.
“Yes.” She lazily finished reading, took out a box of account books,
counted with her fingers, and said, “You people are pigs, you really can eat. In
such a short time, you actually ate twenty-six steamed buns on the island.
You’ve also drank half a vat of fresh water, which I brought back from Linyi.
Linyi sold me three gold for one vat, and I’ll sell it back to you four gold for
one vat, two gold and ninety silver in total. Oh yeah, Sis Zhang.”
The woman who was called out trembled and quickly raised her head. “Ah,
Third Madam.”
Third Madam Sun smiled and said, “Your family’s steamed buns are the
most delicious. When it’s time for the noodles, even if there’s pork lard
inside, you still have to settle the score.”
“This… Ten steamed buns are only the size of a pea, how can you count
them in?”
“How is it not good? Ten steamed buns and a pea-sized lard of pork, after
calculating, I’ll take one copper coin and it won’t be too much.”
“…”
“That would be two gold coins, ninety silver coins and one copper coin.”
Third Madam Sun said, “Also, you all sleep in my room. Although the room
isn’t mine, the floor is mine. You all slept for a total of one hour, so the fee
for one hour is 70 coppers per person.”
“How many of them are there?”
“Answering Third Madame, a total of 49 people.”
“That’s not right. Didn’t we say fifty-one? What about the other two?”
Before she could finish his sentence, she suddenly heard a gloomy voice
say:
“Here.”
Although Chu Wanning was not wearing a white robe, but a rather deep
white robe, he still exuded the aura of frost and snow. His eyes were clear but
cold and arrogant, like a sharp unsheathed knife.
Third Madam Sun was a normal person, but she wasn’t afraid of
cultivators.
She had been working for most of her life, and although she was always
critical, she did not do anything.
Therefore, she unhurriedly said, “So he is an cultivator. No wonder we
don’t need to sleep. You saved all these people, didn’t you? It’s good that
you’re here. Come quickly, give me the money.”
The village chief whispered, “Third Madam, these two are not from the
Rufeng Sect, they are cultivators at Sisheng Peak, you don’t have to…”
“I don’t care which sect it is, I don’t know which money it is.”
Chu Wanning glanced at the refugees who were huddled up, shivering with
cold. He raised his hand and a golden-red barrier was cast down to dispel the
chill in their hearts. He then turned his head and asked, “How much do you
want?”
“Two gold, ninety-three silver, and four hundred and thirty copper.”
Although Third Madam Sun was disgusting, they had nowhere else to go.
Chu Wanning knew that if he offended her, it would implicate the group of
people he brought along. Even though his complexion was pale, he still took
out his purse and threw it at her.
“There’s about eighty gold inside.” He had spent most of his money on Xue
Zhengyong, and currently, he did not have much left over. “We are going to
live here for about seven days. You can count and see if you have enough.”
“Not enough.”
Third Madam Sun would never personally hand the money pouch to her
subordinates and let them count on the side.
“Eighty gold would only be enough for you to stay for three days at most.
Moreover, you don’t even have enough to calculate the cost of food.”
“You-!”
“If the Immortal isn’t convinced, I can settle this debt with you. A
businessman knows how to calculate money, and I can tell you the reason for
every single one.”
At this time, Mo Ran also rushed over. He did not have much money with
him, so together with Chu Wanning, it was barely enough for fifty-two people
to eat and sleep for four days.
Third Madam Sun retracted her gaze and smiled with her bright red lips,
“I’ll keep you two here for four days. If you don’t have any money, I won’t
care if the Tribulation Fire has died down or not. All of you have to leave
immediately.”
In order to save money, Chu Wanning did not eat that night. He threw the
flower into the river and tried to get in touch with Xue Zhengyong. Then, he
returned to his room.
This room was even more simple and crude than the rooms in the village.
Since there were not many empty rooms on the island, everyone needed to
squeeze in. Chu Wanning was not used to living in the same room with
strangers, so he could only sleep with Mo Ran.
At this moment, the lights in the room were on, but Mo Ran wasn’t there.
No one knew where he had gone to.
Chu Wanning took off his outer robe. Although it was a luxurious robe, the
material it was made from was not any better than the white shirt he usually
wore. There were ashes from the tribulation fire and blood stains on it. He
poured a bucket of hot water and was about to start cleaning when the door
opened.
Chu Wanning glanced at him, “Where did you go? To come back so late.”
He brought back a bamboo lunch box. It was windy and cold outside, so he
put the lunch box in his arms, lifted his eyes, and said with a red nose, “I
went to Third Madam’s house to ask for food.”
Chu Wanning was stunned, “You went to beg for food?”
“Just kidding. I brought something to eat.”
“What food?”
“Steamed buns.” Mo Ran felt a little embarrassed, “There’s also a bowl of
fish soup and a bowl of Red Braised Meat, but unfortunately there’s no
dessert. That Third Madam Sun has been keeping an eye on me for too long.
Everyone in the village is afraid of her, and no one dares to give me any more
things, so I went to her house to find her and trade for it with the silver dagger
I brought with me.”
Chu Wanning frowned, “She’s too black-hearted. I know that silver dagger
of yours. It’s even embedded with spirit stones, how could she exchange it for
such a small thing?”
“Not just that. I haggled with her and changed the price to fifty-two
servings. Everyone had them, and they watched as they were sent out by the
kitchen.” Mo Ran smiled and said, “Therefore, Shizun, you don’t have to
worry about others. Just obediently eat them all.”
Chu Wanning was really hungry. He sat at the table and drank several
mouthfuls of the hot fish soup. Then, he picked up a steamed bun and started
to eat the Red Braised Meat. Third Madam Sun was a stingy person. She did
not give him much meat and most of it was very fatty. Chu Wanning did not
like eating, but the taste of the steamed buns was not bad. He ate one and
went to eat the second one.
Mo Ran glanced at the steaming bucket and asked, “Is Shizun going to
wash the clothes?”
“Yes.”
“It’s just a robe, I’ll help you wash it, Shizun.”
“No need, I’ll do it by myself.”
Mo Ran said, “It’s fine. I was just about to go wash myself, that’s all.”
As he spoke, he went to the bed and picked up the few pieces of clothing
that he had previously thrown away. He then carried the wooden bucket and
walked out.
The moonlight was bright in the courtyard. Mo Ran raised his head and
looked around, wondering how Xue Meng, his uncle, and the others were.
Where did Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si go now. Looking at the tribulation fire
on the sea side again, it still roiled like a tide of blood, burning day and night
until smoke shot into the sky.
Song Qiutong, and… That man.
The person whom he hated to the bones in his previous life, the person for
whom he slaughtered the entire Rufeng Sect.
He was probably already buried in the sea of fire.
Mo Ran sighed and stopped thinking about it. He put down the bucket,
added some cold water to the water tank, rolled up his sleeves and began to
wash his clothes.
Chu Wanning was a very methodical and meticulous fellow. Be it making
mechs or writing scrolls, he was always a mess when it came to washing
clothes or cooking.
For example, before completely immersing himself in the water, Mo Ran
would habitually check the Qiankun bag and the secret bag to prevent
anything important from entering the water. However, Chu Wanning did not
remember to do this.
“…”
Facing the pile of junk that he took out from Chu Wanning’s robe, Mo
Ran fell into silence.
What was all this?
Haitang handkerchief.
Fortunately, it was normal.
All kinds of pills.
There was nothing wrong with it.
A handful of sugar.
Mo Ran was speechless. He looked carefully, and it seemed to be the cow’s
milk that he had bought for him in the village.
Haven’t you finished yet?
Turning it again, Mo Ran was shocked.
…… Explosive Talisman?
Mo Ran’s face turned green. He held up the wet symbol parchment that
was half soaked in water, almost frightened.
How generous was Chu Wanning? Could it be placed on one’s body
without any restriction? Although the possibility of igniting the selfdetonation was very low, it was still too dangerous. Was this a joke?
With a frown on his face, Mo Ran went through his clothes once again. He
then found that the little dragon’s Ascending Dragon Talisman had also been
carelessly dropped by Chu Wanning. He had taken out the detonation
Talisman, the freezing Talisman, and the Soul Suppressing Talisman.
If he did not even take a look, most of the paper talismans would be
useless, and a large portion of it would be useless.
Mo Ran helplessly shook his head, thinking to himself, from now on, I
must not let my Shizun wash clothes by himself.
While he was thinking, a small, white lotus root suddenly fell out of the
secret pocket. Mo Ran didn’t care. He thought it was some sort of magical
talisman. He casually picked it up and glanced at it.
With just that one glance, he was stunned.
It was an old brocade sack embroidered with acacia flowers. The petals had
lost their color, and were no longer as bright as when they first appeared.
He had some doubts, but also some confusion. He vaguely felt that this
thing was very familiar. He must have seen it somewhere before, but it had
been so long that he couldn’t recall where.
Mo Ran stroked the small silk bag, his pitch-black eyebrows were tightly
locked, and his eyes flickered with an uncertain light. One by one, the past
flew past him, and he tried to find the source of the blossoming flower in the
rapids of time.
A light, cool cloth, the color of fading years.
He held it in his hand and examined it, turning it over and over, but he
could not recall it. He was afraid it might contain something dangerous like a
detonator, so he opened it a crack and took a look.
“…”
It was a strand of hair.
No, if he looked more carefully, there were only two.
Tied together, wrapped around each other, and sewed together tightly. In
the rushed past, they had always been entwined and accompanying each
other. At first glance, they thought it was a bundle, but in reality, these two
strands of ink had long been inseparable.
“Hair?”
Mo Ran was startled. A bright light flashed before his eyes.
He muttered, “The brocade sack… Joyous Union Sachet…”
Suddenly, he remembered something. The next thing that happened was
like a flame exploding in his chest. His eyes instantly widened in shock.
Ghost Illusion.
He remembered.
The golden boy, the pretty girl, Butterfly Town, made a vow to form an
alliance — he remembered.
From this day onwards, two lone souls accompanying one another, never
separated whether in life or death, heaven or hell.
He… He remembered.
He remembered!
When he and Chu Wanning were getting married, the golden couple cut off
two strands of their hair and placed them in the Joyous Union Pouch, placing
them in Chu Wanning’s hands.
This was the brocade sack.
“How could that be?”
Mo Ran’s mind was buzzing as blood flowed. He was stunned in an instant.
“How is this possible…”
His hands trembled slightly as he clutched the bag, and his eyes flashed
with surprise, horror, disbelief, bewilderment, ecstasy, and even sorrow.
Shizun… Chu Wanning…
He… Why did he… Why do you keep this?
175. Shizun, do you like me?
As Chu Wanning was eating his last bun, the door opened and Mo Ran
walked in with a pile of food on the bed.
“Shizun, some of the charm papers in your outer robe that you haven’t
taken out are scattered. I’ve put them all here for you.”
He went out again with his head down.
He was too embarrassed to take the silk sachet and ask Chu Wanning. He
felt that no matter what the reply was, the atmosphere would be awkward.
Moreover, Chu Wanning’s skin was thin and Mo Ran’s mouth was stupid. If
he said anything wrong, it would make him unhappy.
Then what should he do.
Mo Ran pursed his lips, his black eyes shining. He looked distracted and
confused.
He suddenly had an unimaginable thought.
Did he actually like him?
Mo Ran was shocked by his own audacious thoughts. He shook his head
and murmured, “Impossible…”
They couldn’t see the forest for the trees.3 That was more or less what they
said.
If this brocade sack belonged to someone who didn’t care about Mo Ran,
such as a female cultivator, once Mo Ran saw it, he would immediately know
and be able to confirm the thoughts of the other party.
— If you don’t like it, who would hold a brocade bag with another person’
hair for so many years?
The matter had originally been so simple.
However, the moment he met Chu Wanning, Mo Ran flared up. People
were always like this, the more concerned they were, the easier it was for
them to think and become stupid, not even knowing where to put their hands
and feet. The other side could look at them for a long time with a look, and
the other side could silently dig out three feet from the silence and carefully
dig out the hidden meaning behind the pause.
This way, no matter how simple the matter was, he would ponder over it
and slowly swallow, savoring the taste of many twists and turns.
Was he mistaken?
Had he misunderstood?
Had Chu Wanning forgotten to throw it away?
This was a question that could be denied even by using his toes, yet he was
still able to think about it worriedly for a long time. He was absent-mindedly
washing the clothes in the bucket as he was lost in thought. The water was
getting colder and colder, but he was getting hotter and hotter.
Mo Ran could not help raising his head and looking towards the house. In
the old wooden window, which was wrapped in paper, there was a golden
candle light. The candle light flickered, dim and bright, and even the tender
sprout in the chest of Mo Ran trembled gently and fluttered.
If Chu Wanning really liked him…
He used to be that rough and thick skinned Immortal Taxian-Jun, but he
had only thought half of this sentence before his face turned red.
Mo Ran felt a little hot and a little thirsty.
It was an insoluble thirst. Only the person in the room could quell the heat.
Only the sweetness of that person’s mouth could give him such great comfort
and a moment of peace. Only that person, that man he had sworn to cherish,
protect, and respect.
When he thought of “respect”, he felt as if a cup of water had been poured
over his chest. In the past, whenever he couldn’t control himself and had a
strong desire for Chu Wanning, he would always reprimand himself like this.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, that embroidered bag seemed as if it was giving him a burning
feeling in his heart, adding a handful of dried wood soaked in pine oil to fuel
his ambition.
Respect.
He kept saying to himself, “A cup of water is like a cup of water; it would
always be extinguished in the past.” But now, the thought of burning it was so
overpowering that the cold water was instantly vaporized, leaving his eyes in a
daze.
Mo Ran was shocked to find that the spell, “Respect”, had finally,
thoroughly, completely…
It failed.
Inside the room, Chu Wanning put down the last steamed bun. He wanted
to wipe his fingers, so he walked over to the bed and took out a haitang
handkerchief from the pile of junk.
He sighed, thinking that his memory was really bad. Before he washed the
clothes, he did not know that he had not taken everything out.
“Hmm?”
Before he could finish his thought, he suddenly saw a slender red rope
under the cover of a pile of talisman paper.
Chu Wanning’s heart skipped a beat. He wanted to pull out the red rope to
check it out, but his finger remained in the air. He did not dare to move
forward. After a moment of hesitation, he withdrew his hand and reached
into his shirt.
His expression suddenly changed.
He really didn’t have his Happy Flower Sachet with him!
Chu Wanning’s face turned extremely unsightly. He froze for a moment,
then recalled something — he had always kept the bag from the Ghost
mistress of ceremonies in it, but the gift robe from Xue Zhengyong had an
hidden pocket which was slightly tilted and the robe was soft like silk. He was
afraid that he would lose it if he wasn’t careful, so he put it away in the pocket
of his coat.
If he were to carefully examine that pile of junk, he would feel as if he had
been struck by lightning and would not be able to move an inch.
Tiny things like candies were placed at the very top, and below them were
paper charms. Only the red string was trying to hide at the very bottom, while
the person who hid it seemed to blush and waved his hand, saying, “I didn’t
see it, I didn’t see anything.”
“…”
After a while, Chu Wanning held his breath, hoping that the thread would
pull it out of the messy paper talisman.
… Indeed.
The red thread of the brocade sack had been moved, and it was completely
different from the way he was used to it.
No matter how calm he was, his fair cheeks were quickly flushed, and his
ears were so red that it seemed as if blood was about to drip out. He opened
the pouch tied with the red thread. Inside were two strands of inky black hair
that had been entangled with him for many years, just like how he had
secretly wrapped his mind around it for many years. Just like that, his naked
body fell into the warm yellow candlelight, twisting his fingers.
Mo Ran looked at his brocade sack!
After he finished reading, he buried the brocade sack at the bottom of the
pile of miscellaneous items!
This knowledge caused a loud bang in Chu Wanning’s head. Blood surged
in his head, and his heart was unable to calm down. His entire face was
burning hot like a burning fire.
What should he do?
Had Mo Ran realized the things that he had hidden in his heart?
…It’s over.
The person that the Mo Ran likes is Shi Mingjing. If he knew that he had
feelings for him, he would definitely frighten him. Would the soft and gentle
relationship between the two of them collapse just like that?
He hoped Mo Ran didn’t know.
Betting on his reputation as a man of few desires over the years, he hoped
that Mo Ran would find out nothing — that a long crush would one day be
known by his loved ones, that it would be the best thing to do, that it would
be a release. However, this might not be the case for Chu Wanning.
He was thirty-two years old, and he was used to being alone.
When he was in the prime of his life, Chu Wanning had come alone. He
had never thought that he would have the chance to spend time with his
beloved at the age of 30. Putting on an act of love was undoubtedly the
beginning of a relationship, but it was also possible that it would end in
failure.
Chu Wanning put the bag away and paced back and forth in the room.
Finally, he stopped in front of the bronze mirror.
He lifted his eyelids and looked inside. The mirror had not been used for a
long time and was covered with a thick layer of dust. It could only give a
rough picture. He raised his hand and wiped the surface of the mirror,
revealing an imperfect face in the dust.
There was a scratch on the bronze mirror, unbiased, which fell right into
the corner of his eye. Chu Wanning blinked and looked at himself.
“So ugly.”
He turned to the person in the mirror and was suddenly very angry and
frustrated.
“How can I… You look like this?”
He knew that Mo Ran liked young men who were gentle, good-looking,
and slim.
As for him, he couldn’t accomplish any of them.
Although he did not have wrinkles, he could not hide the heaviness that
came from the passage of time on a person. Chu Wanning was an old and
mature person, and now that he did not have a bit of warmth, how could he
have the face to talk about love with a young person. Not to mention this
person was his own disciple
If this news were to spread out, not to mention him, even Sisheng Peak
would be shamed, let alone Mo Ran.
Not to mention that after five years of sleep, Shi Mingjing looked even
more beautiful and elegant than ever. When he wasn’t smiling, his eyes looked
like they were full of peaches falling from the sky. He looked again at the
person in the mirror…
In his eyes, there was only hostility and arrogance that didn’t please him.
When the two competed, it was clear who was the superior one. Only a
fool would choose himself.
Chu Wanning looked at the yellow bronze mirror. He thought that if he
could turn back ten years and make this ugly guy in the mirror fall in love
with someone when he was just over twenty, perhaps he would just use his
hot-bloodedness to boldly confess, even if he got beaten until his head bled, it
wouldn’t matter.
But he was not a young man.
He was no longer young, and all that was left was his sorry state, his
vigilance, his harsh attitude, and that savage face that even a child would cry
from if they saw it.
Mo Ran was at the peak of his splendor, and Shi Mei was a beauty capable
of toppling empires.
And he was just an ugly guy who was no longer young. He didn’t dare take
anything and just wanted to hide.
He only wanted to be safe and steady like this. He didn’t even dare to think
about it. He wanted to allow him to fall in love with someone, to allow him to
be righteous to that person in the name of his Shizun.
He felt that it was enough.
Quite satisfied.
At that moment, a creaking sound was heard from behind him. Chu
Wanning did not turn around to look at the bronze mirror, he only saw Mo
Ran carrying a wooden bucket into the house.
None of them spoke, the bronze mirror was still blurry. Chu Wanning
could only see a tall figure standing at the door, but he could not see the
expression on that figure’s face, nor could he see the color flowing in his eyes.
Despite repeating this to himself a hundred times, Chu Wanning’s heart
was beating fast. He didn’t want Mo Ran to see his embarrassment, so he
took off his high ponytail, bit the ribbon between his lips and lowered his
head, pretending to retie his hair in front of the mirror.
He felt that he was truly intelligent. Biting down on his hairband, he now
had a reason not to greet the other party. Then —
Suddenly, a hand touched the back of his ear. Chu Wanning’s body
trembled. He suppressed it, but he could not help but tremble.
He was not used to physical contact, not to mention the fact that the person
who touched his ear was Mo Ran. His rough and broad hands rubbed against
the tender skin of his ear, and in a split-second, his waist and back were
completely numb.
Chu Wanning’s eyes were still downcast. He suspected that even if he
raised his head now, even if the light was dim, even if the bronze mirror was
dim, the person behind him could tell that his face was abnormally red.
He bit down on his hairband and tried to remain calm. “Are you done with
your washing?”
“Yes.”
The man’s voice was low and hoarse.
Chu Wanning felt that he was so close. His body had the coolness of the
cold night, but it could not cover up the man’s vigorous and blazing aura. This
aura made him dizzy, and his thoughts became blurry and slow, unable to
turn back.
As Mo Ran brushed off the hair that had fallen, he said, “Shizun, just now,
I…”
“…”
What did he want to say?
Chu Wanning bit his hair ribbon, lowered his eyes, and his heart stopped
beating.
The question seemed to be too difficult to answer. Mo Ran paused, and
finally changed the subject, “Forget it, it’s nothing. It’s so late, and you’re still
tying up your hair?”
Chu Wanning didn’t answer, he only felt that the body behind him was too
close.
So hot.
“Are you going out?”
“No, I’m just going out to wash the dishes,” Chu Wanning replied.
“I’ll help you.”
“I have hands and feet.”
Mo Ran, who was behind him, laughed awkwardly as if he was trying to
find something to say. “It’s not bad to have hands and feet, but Shizun is also
clumsy. I’m afraid he will break.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
Seeing that he didn’t say anything, Mo Ran thought that he was unhappy.
He wiped away his smile and said seriously, “It’s cool outside. Remember to
add some heat and take it out.”
Chu Wanning replied with a sound that was a bit like “En” and a bit like
“Humph”. The sound was indistinct, but it was very pleasant to the ears and
caused the tender bud on his chest to clench and brandish its claws even
more. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, and his dark eyes fell on the
pale neck that peeked out from under his clothes when Chu Wanning lowered
his head.
He felt even more frustrated. He swallowed subconsciously, yet he tried his
best to keep his voice as low as possible, so as not to let Chu Wanning hear
him.
Mo Ran took a deep breath and said with a forced smile, “This mirror is
really sticky.”
“It’s been too long since someone last used it.”
“Shizun, you can’t see clearly, right? Bring me a comb, I’ll comb your hair
for you.”
Chu Wanning bit down on the snow-green ribbon, but before he could
refuse, Mo Ran had already grasped the headband in his mouth. Since this
was the case, he could only unclench his teeth and allow Mo Ran to tie his
ponytail while he pretended to snort, “Do you know how to do it? I can do it
myself.”
“Shizun, you forgot? In Peach Blossom Springs, it’s all because of me.”
Chu Wanning was suddenly speechless. Xia Sini was his disgraced past and
he didn’t want to bring it up again, so he closed his eyes and frowned,
allowing Mo Ran to comb and tie it up.
However, his hot palm always brushed against his ear. He felt very
uncomfortable. His scalp went numb, and his throat became slightly thirsty.
Thus, his brows furrowed even more tightly.
“Why isn’t it done yet?”
Mo Ran gave a low laugh, “You are always in such a hurry. Don’t worry,
it’ll be soon.”
His voice seemed to be closer than before, sticking to the back of his ear.
Chu Wanning’s hands, which were hanging between his sleeves, were tightly
clenched.
He didn’t know if it was just an illusion, but he always felt as if the
breathing of Mo Ran was a bit heavy, the heavy feeling of a beast ready to
pounce on him made him feel a kind of piercing pain. He even felt like there
was a tiger and wolf coming from behind him, pressing him down in front of
the bronze mirror, greedily crushing his throat, sucking the blood that was
gurgling in his veins.
Sometimes, people’s senses were accurate and surprising. It was just that
Chu Wanning could feel it, but could not believe it because of his inferiority
complex.
How could he have known that if he were to raise his head at this moment,
he would only see a pair of eyes in the mirror that burned with darkness.
Mo Ran held the silky hair ribbon in his hand, his bright and clear body
was helping Chu Wanning to tie his hair, while the other half of his spirit soul
was fretting about something.
What was he doing?
A headband?
But this headband was clearly tied in the wrong place!
He felt that he should press Chu Wanning roughly against the old make-up
counter, use his hair band to cover his eyes, use his other hand to grab his
chin, and kiss him hungrily. The pressure was so thick that it sucked the
sweetness from his mouth and sucked the soft tip of his tongue. He clearly
should have been rubbing against Chu Wanning’s ear and licking the mole
behind his ear. He should have been panting heavily, sticking close to his ear
and asking in a low voice…
“Chu Wanning, my good Shizun. Why did you hide that brocade sack?”
“Wanning… Wanning… Do you. Like me?”
His yearning heart felt like it was about to tear open. His blood was
burning, and his eyes were hot and red.
176. Shizun, buy me
Chu Wanning tied his ponytail and went out to wash the dishes. It was only
three bowls but he didn’t return for a long time.
Mo Ran sat on the bed. He was somewhat restless, his fingers
subconsciously digging into the seams of the bed. From time to time, he
would glance out of the window.
What to do he thought.
How should I sleep tonight?
This seemed simple, but it was actually a life-threatening question.
Mo Ran was not sure of Chu Wanning’s intentions, but he was at war with
the gods, fighting with his desires and intellect.
At this time, the warm curtain was lifted, and Chu Wanning returned to the
house with a bowl in his hands, feeling the chill outside. He glanced at Mo
Ran on the bed. The candle flame was crackling. His gaze seemed to be
somewhat subtle, but at the next moment, his vision shifted.
Mo Ran no longer had the time to clearly see that he was sitting at the table
with his back to him.
“Shizun, you’re still not sleeping?”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he felt like he had misspoken. No
matter how he listened to it, he felt like a man who couldn’t be more thirsty
and was eagerly inviting his lover to bed.
Chu Wanning didn’t look back and just said lightly, “I still have some
things to do. Sleep first if you’re tired.”
“I’m not sleepy either. Shizun, what are you planning to do? I’ll help you.”
“You won’t be able to help, I want to make a few more Sound Condensing
flowering blossoms tonight.” As Chu Wanning spoke, he raised his hand and
brought his fingertips together, forming a golden, tender haitang and placed it
on the table.
This kind of flower was formed from Chu Wanning’s spirit energy. It could
store short words and use them to transmit messages. This was his special
technique and no one else could do the same.
He pulled out a chair and sat down on the opposite side. His strong arm
rested on the back of the chair, and his chin rested on his arm.
“Why is Shizun doing this?”
“I’ll sell it.”
“Hmm?”
Hearing the slight surprise in Mo Ran’s voice, Chu Wanning opened his
eyes and lightly glanced at him, “We don’t have enough money to stay on
Flying Flower Island for seven days. Didn’t that Third Madam Sun want to do
business? Then I’ll do it with her, the sound condensing haitang flower will
never disappear, the golden light is resplendent, look at her body covered in
gold and silver jewelry, which one of them isn’t glowing, I think she just likes
shiny things. It’s done. I’ll sell it on the street tomorrow. I’ll see if she wants
it.”
Mo Ran could not help but burst out laughing. “Shizun is… Selling
flowers?”
Chu Wanning’s facial expression changed slightly. He didn’t want to put
himself together with those brandy-selling girls in the alley, so he said stiffly,
“Flowers made by magic, they can’t be counted as flowers.”
“Then I’ll go with you to sell it tomorrow.”
Chu Wanning did not utter a word. He lowered his head and quickly took
another four or five flowers before saying in a low voice, “Up to you, as long
as you don’t feel ashamed.”
“How would you embarrass me?” There was no fragrance, and the flowing
light of the flower was very graceful and elegant. The golden light illuminated
his handsome face, and with his pitch-black eyelashes, he smiled and said,
“I’m afraid that Third Madam Sun is going to beg Shizun to sell them to her.
How much money does Shizun intend to sell them for?”
“Even a hundred of them would not consume too much spiritual energy.
How about selling them for three copper coins for one?”
Mo Ran: “…”
Chu Wanning looked at him again, frowned and asked hesitantly, “Too
expensive?”
Mo Ran sighed, not saying too much or too little. He only said, “Shizun,
don’t ask for an offer tomorrow. I’ll sell them.”
“Why? I make the flowers and I set the price myself.”
“Three coppers. Shizun, you are the Beidou Immortal, this is your Evening
Haitang, something even the cultivation world can’t ask for. You are selling it
for three bronze coins?”
“No one asked me for it either. Other than looking good and being able to
communicate, this thing has no other uses. I think this price is enough.”
Mo Ran was about to burst into laughter. “Then, can you sell all of them to
me? I’ll give you the money right now.”
Chu Wanning stopped, a half condensed haitang lost its spirit energy
support, a golden flower petal fell, he actually stretched out his palm, lightly
said, “Deal.”
“…”
Mo Ran was speechless. He felt around for his purse and realized that both
he and Chu Wanning had already used up all their money. He felt a little
embarrassed.
When he looked up, he saw Chu Wanning staring at him with a smile that
was not a smile. He felt even more embarrassed and muttered, “Shizun
already knew I had no money, and…”
Chu Wanning found him to be funny, and said, “You boasted about it
yourself, saying you wanted to buy it from me.”
“I…”
Halfway through his sentence, he silently swallowed his words.
He suddenly felt that Chu Wanning’s words were ambiguous.
Chu Wanning should have said, “Buy my flowers,” but he was too lazy to
finish his sentence. He sounded like Mo Ran wanted to spend some silver to
buy the man in front of him.
He did not look at Chu Wanning in the eyes, afraid that he would see
through his wicked thoughts. However, after looking down at his hands for a
while, he realized that the bowl that Chu Wanning had just washed himself in
was now icy cold water, and his fingers were red from the cold.
Mo Ran did not have the time to think about it. Instead, he instinctively
grabbed the five fingers that were stretched out on the table.
Chu Wanning was shocked. He was pretending to be calm and reached out
his hand to ask for the money, but before the money could reach him, it fell
into a pair of warm and thick palms. The palms were warm and just right.
“What are you doing?!”
“…”
Mo Ran did not have such dirty thoughts in his mind. He only wanted to
warm Chu Wanning up and feel the pain in his heart.
However, he had never expected to encounter such a huge reaction. He was
stunned for a moment.
The two of them looked at each other under the dim light of the candle
flame. Suddenly, tears began to flow from his eyes as he let out an explosive
sound, breaking the deathly silence.
Chu Wanning knew he was being overly sensitive, so he kept quiet. He
pursed his lips, feeling a little awkward.
Seeing his silence, the tender seed in Mo Ran’s heart began to move
outwards. It tried its best to stretch his small body, scratching his chest,
making it itch even more.
“Shizun…”
Chu Wanning: “…”
“Are you…” He stopped mid-sentence. He did not know what was waiting
for him in front of him. Logic finally forced him to stop. He did not continue
to speak.
However, even though he did not finish his question, Chu Wanning still
insisted, “No.”
Mo Ran was taken aback. “What do you mean by ‘no’?”
“Whatever you say, the answer is no.” Chu Wanning frowned and raised
his sharp thorns, like a cat baring its teeth in defense of its territory, “Move
your hands away.”
Mo Ran removed his hand and placed it on the back of the chair, looking
very honest.
Chu Wanning continued to condense the flower, and finished condensing
the flower petal that had fallen onto the flower. He was a little angry, and
within his rage was more helplessness, and after a while, he said, “Shizun,
actually, what I wanted to ask was, are you cold? I want to give you…
Warmth in your hands.”
“I’m not cold.”
Liar, the hand I touched just now was clearly icy cold.
Feeling that it was really awkward for the two of them to be sitting like
this, Chu Wanning said, “If there’s nothing else, just go to sleep. Tomorrow,
I’ll take you to sell flowers.”
“…”
In the past, he would often say “I’ll take you to practice” or “I’ll take you to
meditate” or “I’ll take you to read books.”
Take you to sell flowers or something.
Mo Ran wanted to restrain himself, but he did not do so. His black eyes
held a smile, which reflected the person in the candle flame. He gave a faint
“En” in his nose, but he could not bear to move.
“Go to sleep.”
Mo Ran glanced at the bed.
He decided that no matter what, he couldn’t sleep before Chu Wanning.
Since he wasn’t sure if he should sleep on the bed or on the floor, it all
depended on Chu Wanning’s intentions. If he slept near the back and made
room for him, he would sleep on the bed.
If Chu Wanning was lying in the middle, then… Ai, then he’d just be
honest.
Mo Ran’s face turned red as he thought of something bad to do. “I won’t
sleep for now.”
“What are you doing sitting there?” Chu Wanning frowned.
With a wave of his hand, Mo Ran brought his slender fingers together and
formed a fiery red butterfly out of spirit energy in the air.
“…” Chu Wanning was at a loss for words.
“Selling money.” With a flick of his finger, that fiery red butterfly flew up
into the air and landed on the flowering tree that Chu Wanning had placed on
the side. It entered, flapping its fluorescent wings like pollination, and flew in
and out of the heart of the flower, “This one is more expensive, I have a black
heart, ten gold each.”
Chu Wanning watched as that eyesore butterfly flew back and forth before
landing on his flowering blossom, licking its tender pink stamen.
Chu Wanning’s face turned black.
“Mo Weiyu!”
“… What’s wrong?”
He was so angry that he didn’t know what to do or say.
In the end, he suppressed it and said hoarsely without embarrassment,
“Three copper coins for one, no more.”
Mo Ran laughed.
After laughing for a while, he took out another fiery red butterfly and
handed it over to him. That butterfly gently landed on the flowering flower on
Chu Wanning’s fingertip.
“If I sell it to someone else, it would be ten gold. I think this price is very
suitable.”
“Then sell it to me!” Chu Wanning held his breath and said fiercely, “I’ll
sell it for more, in short, it can’t be more expensive than my haitang.”
After thinking for a moment, he added, “But I don’t have any money on
me. I’ll give it to you after I return to Sisheng Peak.”
Mo Ran smiled and took out the third butterfly. He blew lightly and the
butterfly danced around Chu Wanning. Mo Ran laid on his wheat colored arm
and said gently, “What are you talking about?”
“… Are you going to say that you don’t have credit?”
“No,” he said.
“No,” Chu Wanning raised his chin, his face still wet with anger and his
expression haughty. He had already made up his mind. If Mo Ran really
dared to refuse credit, then he would teach this arrogant man a lesson.
The man who didn’t know the height of the heavens and earth laughed even
more brightly. His voice was deep and shallow as he said, “No, I want to
say…”
What do you want to say?
Chu Wanning was waiting for him, and his power was dignified.
“Buy me.”
It was unknown if it was intentional or unintentional for the man to leave
out the words ‘spiritual butterfly’, thus his speech became so vague and
ambiguous. He rested his head on his arm and seriously looked at Chu
Wanning, gently smiling, “I’ll sell it to you for no money.”
He hadn’t expected such an answer.
Chu Wanning was stunned, then his face turned red.
It was already very late in the night, so the Spirit Butterfly and Haitang
already packed the room full of them. It was long enough for them to sell it.
None of them got up to go to bed first.
There was no need to say anything more about Mo Ran’s thoughts. He
decided to wait and see how Chu Wanning slept before acting. Although Chu
Wanning did not know what he was planning on doing, he was not stupid. He
was not sure and wanted to know what would happen tonight.
He would sleep on the floor. Bed?
Although he felt that this man was getting more and more dangerous, if
Mo Ran really did go and lay on the bed, he wouldn’t be able to chase him
away.
He could even sense the hidden hope in his heart, the hope of seeing Mo
Ran rise wearily, say, “I’m sleepy,” and lie down on the bed.
— Why isn’t he asleep yet!
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran thought anxiously as they played with the
flowers and butterflies.
Sleep, first lie down on the bed, then I’ll…
“Shizun.”
“Hmm?”
“Are you tired? It’s too late. Why don’t you rest first?”
“No need, I’m used to it.”
Another two hours passed.
“Mo Ran.”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you still sitting?”
“I’ll make more butterflies. If Shizun is tired, then go to sleep.”
Chu Wanning did his best to suppress his desire to yawn. He gritted his
teeth and said stubbornly, “I’m not sleepy yet.”
Mo Ran: “…”
After an unknown amount of time, the butterflies and haitang in the room
were almost piled into an ocean. They intertwined with each other in a
dazzling golden red.
Chu Wanning was too tired and fell asleep on the table.
At the tip of his finger was still a half unformed haitang flower. The petals
trembled with his breathing as Mo Ran walked over and gently plucked the
remaining half flower, placed it on the table, and then picked him up.
177. Shizun pretends to sleep
Chu Wanning had not slept for two days. He slept soundly and the
movements of Mo Ran were gentle. Thus, when he was carried to bed in the
warm embrace of Mo Ran, he was still undisturbed.
Mo Ran placed him in the middle of the bed, resting his hand on the pillow
and covering him with the blanket.
After doing all of this, he did not leave. Instead, he stared at that face with
infatuation, from his pitch-black eyebrows to his thin lips, inch by inch.
Good.
How could his Shizun, his master, be so good-looking?
He was so beautiful that he could look at him twice. His heart went soft
and his lower body turned stiff.
His scalp went numb, and his mind was strangling his neck. He knew it
was wrong, but with Chu Wanning’s face so close to his, the faint aura of a
flame tore his clothes like countless soft claws, seduced him to get naked, and
go to the warm bed with him.
Perhaps it was because the burning blood flowing in Mo Ran’s vessels was
like a surging tide, or perhaps it was because his heart was like a war drum
that could not be stopped, or perhaps it was because his eyes were too hot,
burning the people who slept soundly.
In short, Chu Wanning opened his eyes and woke up.
“…”
For a moment, no one made a sound, Mo Ran was just standing there
stiffly. Chu Wanning’s dazed state turned into shock, his phoenix-like eyes
opened wide to meet the burning eyes of Mo Ran.
Chu Wanning was suddenly alerted, “What are you doing?”
The expression on the handsome young man’s face was hard to see clearly.
He slowly lowered his body, and was so shocked that Chu Wanning didn’t
dare to move.
“You…”
The closer they got.
His heart was thumping loudly.
“Sha!”
A light sound came from the bedside. Suddenly, the surrounding light
dimmed, sinking into an even more ambiguous and hazy atmosphere.
Mo Ran bent over and pulled the curtain over the bed. He straightened his
body and sat on the edge of the bed.
He lowered his head to look at the sleeping Chu Wanning and said in a low
voice, “I saw that Shizun was asleep so I wanted to help you put down the
curtains, but I didn’t think that I would wake you up.”
Chu Wanning did not say anything. He leaned against the pillow and
turned his head to look at him.
The dark yellow curtain that had just been unhooked from the headboard
fluttered behind Mo Ran. The candle flames outside became so dense and
blurred, like a mist that had been condensed on the windows in winter. It was
too dark for the young man’s handsome face to be seen. Only his eyes were
bright in the darkness, like falling stars.
Mo Ran suddenly called out to him, “Shizun.”
“Hmm?”
“There’s something I want to ask you.”
“…”
Taking advantage of the darkness, his courage to be a disciple seemed to
grow.
Chu Wanning’s heart tightened as he thought to himself, “Is he going to ask
about that silk sachet?”
His face was unperturbed, but his chest was surging.
Was there still time to pretend to be asleep?
Mo Ran asked, “Where should I sleep?”
“…” Chu Wanning was speechless.
He struggled and tangled most of the night and Mo Ran finally fell on the
floor.
“The bed is too small.” In fact, he regretted it right after he asked. With his
healthy body and strong blood energy, it would be better if he didn’t collapse
and sleep with Chu Wanning. It wasn’t like he didn’t know how terrible a
man’s desires could be.
“I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“… Is there any extra bedding?”
“There’s a bed.”
“Will it be cold?”
“No, I’ll just lay down more straw.”
After saying that, Mo Ran went outside to get the straw, carried a pile
back, and neatly laid them on the ground. Having been tormented by him just
now, Chu Wanning was temporarily out of sleep. He leaned his body to
support his head, and lifted the curtains with one hand. He silently watched as
the man busied himself and quickly made a single bed for himself.
“…”
“Yes, Shizun. Good night.”
The man put on his clothes and pulled up the blanket for himself. His dark
eyes looked gently and steadily at Chu Wanning on the bed.
Chu Wanning acknowledged, “Yes.”
Seeing Mo Ran’s “I’m very honest” look, Chu Wanning was relieved. He
put on a “I’m very cold” look and laid down the bed curtains casually.
Then Mo Ran sat up again.
“What for?”
“Turn off the lights.”
The man got up and blew out the candle.
The room fell into silence. Lying under the bed was Shizun and disciple,
each with their own thoughts, looking at the flowers and butterflies that faintly
glowed in the endless night.
“Shizun.”
“What now? Are you still not sleeping?”
“I’ll sleep.” The voice of Mo Ran was very gentle, especially soft in the
night. “It’s just that I suddenly want to tell you something.”
Chu Wanning pursed his lips. Although his heart wasn’t beating as hard as
it did when he first made wild guesses, he still couldn’t help but feel his throat
go dry.
“I want to say… There’s no need to be so reserved when Shizun sleeps.
You always sleep in a corner.”
There was a smile in his voice, low but pleasant.
Chu Wanning: “… I’m used to it.”
“Why?”
“The room is always too messy. I fell over before and was cut by a file on
the floor.”
Mo Ran listened silently for a long time.
Chu Wanning waited. When there was no response, he asked, “What’s
wrong?”
“Nothing.” Chu Wanning turned his head to the side, and under the dim
and gentle curtain, he could see that he had pulled the floor closer to him by
the light of the butterflies and the haitang blossoms.
Mo Ran lay back down and said smilingly, “When I’m around, Shizun
doesn’t have to worry. If you fall, you won’t get stabbed.”
He paused for a moment and then casually said, “I am here.”
“…”
After a while, Mo Ran heard the man on the bed give a little snort and said
faintly, “The flesh on your arm is so hard that it’s not much better than a file.”
Mo Ran smiled. “There is something even harder that Shizun has yet to
see.”
He was about to say something about the muscles in his chest, but before
he could finish, he was suddenly aware of the thick stench of blood that
permeated his words. He was stunned and said quickly:
“I didn’t mean that.”
After hearing the second sentence, the atmosphere between the two of
them became even more hopeless and sunk into the depths of the abyss.
Of course, he knew that Mo Ran had an even harder and hotter blade, one
that made people shudder even more than the cold hilt of his mechanical
armour. Putting aside the cultivation experience book that he had seen before,
he himself had unconsciously felt it through his clothes. It was a terrifying
passion that made people shiver and feel numb all over.
Chu Wanning replied impatiently, “I’m asleep.”
“… Right.”
But how could he sleep?
The lava of love gnawed at the two of them, licking their chapped chests. It
was so quiet in the room that he could hear the faint sounds of the other
person’s breathing and the tossing and turning.
Mo Ran put his hands behind his head and opened his eyes, looking at the
room full of fluttering fiery-red butterflies. A spirit butterfly fluttered down
and stopped on the bed curtain, causing the curtain to be filled with a gentle
light red color.
In the midst of this silence, Mo Ran suddenly thought of something.
Back then in Jincheng Lake, the person who had saved him from the
Awakening Heart Pavilion’s nightmare had faintly whispered a sentence into
his ear.
At that moment, his spiritual sense was fuzzy, so he was not sure if he was
hallucinating. But now that he thought about it, he suddenly felt that perhaps
he hadn’t misheard.
Maybe it’s true.
He heard Chu Wanning say, “I like you too.”
Mo Ran’s heartbeat grew faster and faster. Some of the details he had
never noticed before were all sprouting at this moment, turning into fresh and
tender petals, which were then nourished by his wolf ambitions, forming lush,
large trees that reached the sky.
His head was buzzing, and his vision was blurry. The more he thought
about it, the more he felt that something was amiss…
“I like you too.”
I like you, too.
If he had misheard his words, then why was it that when he woke up, he
was unwilling to admit that he was the one who had saved him?
Unless he hadn’t misheard!
Unless Chu Wanning did say that…
Mo Ran sat up abruptly. He was so excited that he could barely contain
himself as he said hoarsely, “Shizun!”
“…”
Even though the person behind the curtain had not made any sound, Mo
Ran still asked, “Today, when I was washing clothes, I picked up something.
It was…”
The curtain was quiet.
“Do you know what it is?” The moment the words left his mouth, he
suddenly turned timid. He actually foolishly asked Chu Wanning this
question.
The other party didn’t reply for a long time.
Mo Ran hesitated, his eyes moist and pitch black. “Shizun, are you still
awake?”
“Did you hear me…”
On the bed, which was covered by a light curtain, Chu Wanning was
completely still as if he had fallen asleep. Mo Ran waited for a long time,
unwilling to give up. He stretched out his hand several times to open the
curtain, but stopped.
“Shizun.”
He mumbled and lay down again.
His voice was very soft.
“You pay attention to me.”
Of course, Chu Wanning would not bother with him.
His entire being was a mess, and the clear mind that he had always been
proud of was already filled with smoke and miasma. He lay on the bed,
staring at the dark curtain, thinking slowly and stiffly: What the hell is Mo
Ran trying to do?
He thought of many things and made all sorts of inconceivable guesses.
Only he didn’t dare to guess the most obvious answer, nor did he dare to
guess that Mo Ran also liked him.
It was like a hungry person who had eaten a crispy meat pie and, because it
was not easy to come by, was especially treasured. He ate all the crust on the
cake but was reluctant to eat the last bit.
Chu Wanning listened to the gentle yet anxious murmur of the person
outside the curtain.
He quietly pulled the blanket up over his chin and nose, exposing only a
pair of bright eyes.
Then he covered his eyes as well and hid himself in the quilt.
Of course he heard it, but he didn’t know how to answer.
His heart was pounding and his palms were covered with sweat.
He felt like he had been forced into a dead end, so he wanted to sit up and
angrily shout, “Yes! I was just hiding that brocade bag! I like you! Scram!
Stop asking and sleep!”
He was tormented and apprehensive, and his heart was itching badly.
“Shizun?”
“…”
“Have you really fallen asleep…”
After a while, Chu Wanning heard Mo Ran sigh softly.
He covered his head with the cloth. In the darkness, he was filled with
regret, fear, nervousness, and sweetness. He had mixed feelings, both sour
and bitter, and he tried to calm himself down, but in the end, his cheeks were
burning and he could not help but secretly kick the blanket.
178. Shizun Selling Flowers
The next morning, Chu Wanning got out of bed with dark circles under his
eyes. He hadn’t slept well at all last night, which was why he looked so
gloomy. His originally cold face was covered with a thin layer of ice and there
was no heat.
He pushed the door open and saw Mo Ran washing clothes.
…Why do you do laundry so early in the morning?
Didn’t you wash it last night?
Seeing him come out of the house, Mo Ran felt a bit embarrassed. His face
was covered in foam and he turned to greet Chu Wanning, “Shizun.”
“Yes.”
“Third Madam Sun kept her promise and accepted the money. She brought
food from house to house in the morning. I have placed it on the small stone
table in the courtyard. Shizun, quickly go and eat it.”
“What about you?”
“I’ve eaten. When Shizun finishes breakfast, we can go and sell butterflies
and flowers together.”
Third Madam Sun’s food was very monotonous, but the quantity was not
small. There were actually three steamed buns.
He sat in the small courtyard, slowly nibbling on his buns. The sun was
rising and shining through the dead vines that were crawling around the grape
arbor above his head, cutting the table into mottled shadows.
He turned around and glanced at Mo Ran’s tall figure. An indistinct feeling
of warmth surged in his heart.
He took another big bite of the steamed bun.
The appearance of the golden haitang and the red butterfly caused a huge
ruckus in the lazy market all year round on Flying Flower Island. All the
fishermen on the island came over to watch, even those who didn’t intend to
go to the market today.
“Flowers!”
“What’s so strange about flowers? Have you never seen flowers before?”
“Golden Haitang! It was made with spiritual energy! It’s been open all
year! You can even send a sound transmission!”
“Wah! Where is it?”
A large wave of people rushed over.
“Butterflies!”
“What’s so interesting about butterflies? They’re like a bunch of butterflies
caught in the spring.”
“Red! Spiritual force, can drive away small evil! And it’s very pretty, very
obedient, and won’t run around, will keep flying around you!”
“AHHHH! Really? Where is it?”
Another wave of people rushed over.
Third Madam Sun, who was reclining high in her mansion, had also
received the news in her leisure time. She could not help but bring a few of
her subordinates to the market. Before she could even reach the door, she saw
the dense stream of golden-red lights from the crowd in the distance, causing
people to continuously click their tongues in admiration.
Her heart felt like it was being clawed by ants. She ignored the surrounding
villagers and walked over to take a look.
She saw one of the two immortal lords from yesterday smiling brilliantly as
he led a group of celebrities to perform a magic trick to attract a lot of
customers. The other person remained expressionless as he stood under the
tree with his arms crossed coldly. He did not say a word.
“Selling butterflies, selling butterflies —” The handsome man turned
around and smiled at another man with a pale face. “Shizun, why aren’t you
shouting?”
Yelling?
Chu Wanning harrumphed coldly in his heart.
He did not know how to write the word “yelling”. Could it be that he had
to shamelessly act like the vulgar Mo Weiyu, shouting, “Sell the flowers, sell
the haitang blossoms” in front of everyone’s eyes?
Don’t even think about it.
“How much are the butterflies?” Everyone felt that this immortal item must
be very expensive, so they hesitated for a long time. Finally, someone bold
enough to ask for a price came up.
Mo Ran said, “Ten gold for one.”
Chu Wanning coughed from behind him.
Mo Ran said, “… Three copper coins for one.”
“So cheap?” The surrounding people were all shocked and came to buy one
after another. Mo Ran passed a butterfly to the left and a flower to the right.
As he was busy, he suddenly caught a glimpse of a ragged little girl with her
fingers in the distance, looking at the bustling scene with a longing
expression.
Mo Ran smiled and did not say anything else. He suddenly closed his
fingers and formed an extremely beautiful phoenix tail butterfly. With a gentle
blow, the butterfly floated to her side across the sea of people and landed on
her braid.
The girl was stunned. She hesitated for a few steps before she stopped and
shook her head.
She had no money.
Not to mention three copper coins, there wasn’t even one.
He waved at her, mouthed, “For you,” then winked, smiled, and turned his
head away again, continuing his work.
Third Madam Sun watched as the beautiful golden items were bought. A
beautiful lady directly put the haitang flower into her black hair bun.
Instantly, her head was covered in sparkling black hair. It was surprisingly
radiant and gave off an indescribably noble aura. She couldn’t help it.
“I want all of these butterflies and flowers.”
Mo Ran raised his eyes, his smile still lingering on his face. “I was
wondering who could be so generous. So it’s Third Madam.”
“How many are left? Count them all, I will take them all back to the
manor.”
“That won’t do.” Mo Ran laughed, “There has to be a first come first serve.
The others came first. They haven’t finished buying yet, so I can’t just give
them to you first.”
Third Madam Sun looked at the crowd of villagers and immediately
became anxious. She was afraid that if she sold it all, she said, “Then I’ll raise
the price.”
“I can’t make a decision. I’m just an assistant. As for the price, you have to
ask my Shizun.”
Third Madam Sun went under the tree and found the aloof and cold flower
selling Taoist Chu Wanning.
“Immortal, why don’t you sell all those flowers and butterflies to me? We’re
all businessmen, the price is negotiable.”
Chu Wanning coldly said, “Ten gold for one.”
Mo Ran, who was at the side, could not help but laugh out loud. He turned
his head to look at Chu Wanning’s pair of black phoenix eyes. It was funny
and soft, but he scratched his head in amusement.
Third Madam Sun was extremely rich. To her, this amount of money was
not much. Very soon, she commanded her servants to bring away the Night
Haitang and the Phoenix-Tail Butterfly.
Back at the mansion, she happily combed her hair into a bun and inserted
over fifty bright golden flowers, making those butterflies dance around her.
When the servants saw her head full of golden light, looking like a melted and
burning candle from afar, they couldn’t help but find it funny.
Third Madam Sun was not happy for long as someone came to report that
the two immortal lords had started to sell other things in the market. She was
shocked when she heard this. She rushed to the market with a cloud bun that
was flickering with a bright light, escorted by a flurry of bees and butterflies.
“Selling butterflies – selling butterflies –”
Third Madam Sun squeezed her way over, placed her hands on her hips,
and angrily said, “Wasn’t it all bought by me just now? Why is it happening
again?”
Mo Ran blinked his eyes. “It’s new.”
“Since you can make them new, why did you sell them to me for ten gold
each just now?!”
Mo Ran laughed, “Think about it, when you wake up in the morning, go to
a fried bun house that has a lot of customers lining up and you want to buy
some fried food before them. So you pay more. Right?”
Third Madam Sun said angrily, “You, you evil merchant, you…”
Just as she was thinking about how to refute this person’s lecherous
reasoning, she suddenly saw the silent cultivator walk over. A light flashed on
the tip of Chu Wanning’s finger, and a twin haitang actually appeared.
Although Third Madam Sun was angry, she was also attracted to it and
asked, “What is this? Why is it different from before?”
“This kind of flower also uses the Art of Rejuvenation, placing it on the
bed before sleeping can maintain the radiance of the next day, and its effect
will last for around 15 days.” Chu Wanning carelessly handed the flowers to
Mo Ran and said, “Go sell them, one hundred gold coins for one flower.”
“Wait a minute,” Third Madam Sun was afraid that these two would say
something else later. Although she was furious, she still said, “Don’t take it,
I’ll take this one. How many more can you make? I want them all!”
Chu Wanning said, “I don’t want to repeat the same spell too many times, I
only want to make three.”
“Then three hundred gold, I’ll give it to you.”
“Mo Ran, collect the money.” As Chu Wanning spoke, he lowered his head
to condense the other two flowers and handed them to Third Madam Sun.
Then, he began to condense the fourth flower.
Third Madam Sun was unhappy, “Didn’t you say that you can only make
three flowers?”
“This one adds the Art of Wonder’s Note.” Chu Wanning said faintly,
“When combined with your body, it can make a woman’s voice more pleasing
to the ear.”
“…” Even though Third Madam Sun was greedy for money, she was even
more greedy for time. She could only look on helplessly as the Sisheng Peak
cultivator formed one wondrous haitang flower after another. She hated him
so much that her teeth itched, but she could only say, “Okay, okay, okay, I’ll
buy, I’ll buy.”
When they went back to close the door at night, the Shizun and disciple sat
at the table and counted the money. When they found out that it was enough
to feed and drink the entire group before the fire on the other side went out,
Chu Wanning pushed half of his silver taels to Mo Ran and put it away before
he said, “When we leave, return the rest to Third Madam Sun.”
Mo Ran was stunned. “Why?”
“Flying Flower Island is a long way from Linyi and its supplies are poor, so
it is very inconvenient to eat and wear. However, look at the fishermen on the
island, they should be able to get enough food, don’t you think that’s a little
strange?”
“… Right.” As he said this, he carefully thought about it and indeed felt
that it was the case.
Chu Wanning said, “Go and ask around. Today, when you were tidying up
the stalls, I went to look for the Village Head and asked him some questions.
Actually, this Third Madam Sun was originally a member of Linyi Rufeng
Sect. Because her talent was not high, master did not control her much. Even
after five years since she joined the sect, she still only knows how to display
her sword arts.”
Mo Ran was surprised, “She is a member of the Rufeng Sect? Then has
Shizun ever seen…”
“Nope. The Village Head said that when she was seventeen, she came to
the Flying Flower Island with a cultivator from the Rufeng Sect to recruit a
new disciple. Those famous cultivators relied on the fact that they were far
away and that the island was filled with mortals. Even if they were bullied,
they wouldn’t be able to travel thousands of miles to Rufeng Sect to denounce
them for their crimes, so in that period of time, they did evil deeds to the
island’s citizens, freeloading, robbing money, and even…”
“Even?”
“Even sexually assaulting young men and women.”
“…”
“Third Madam Sun was furious and began to argue with her senior
brothers and sisters. Her body was light and her personality was fierce. She
offended her fellow sect members and in the end, was stabbed by one of them
and pushed off the cliff.”
Mo Ran muttered, “So that’s how it is? No wonder when he heard what the
Village Head advised her to say, she wasn’t a person from the Rufeng Sect, he
didn’t expect… Sigh…”
“Yes. She was lucky. Her sword had missed her vital points. After falling
into the sea, she had been spotted by the fishermen fishing for her. The
fisherman originally had two daughters, but they both left early. After saving
her, he accepted her as his adopted daughter, teaching her how to fish and
hunt, teaching her how to do business. After her foster father passed away,
she took over his mantle and gradually became the largest family on the
Flying Flower Island.”
Chu Wanning paused for a moment before speaking.
“You heard, she said that the harvest on Flying Flower Island was not good
this year and that she was the one in charge of every household. Although
Third Madam Sun’s business is good, she would only strip money off
cultivators. She would never take too much from the islanders and would even
subsidize poverty.”
Mo Ran did not say anything, but he thought of that little girl in the market
who yearned for the haitang blossoms.
She was dressed shabbily and had a dirty face. It was obvious that she had
lost her parents.
However, she was not skinny. Her cheeks were bulging and her eyes shone
with a clear and cold light. If it wasn’t for someone helping her, wouldn’t such
a young child have lost her looks and skin if she were to beg for food for a
living?
“Third Madam Sun goes out to sea more than 20 times a year. Every time
she goes back and forth, it takes her seven to eight days to go back and forth.
Look at her mansion, it’s extremely luxurious, why must she come and go in
the wind and waves when she’s over a hundred years old? Every year, she
would painstakingly take the things on the island to Linyi to sell, then go to
Linyi to gather the materials and bring them back to Flying Flower Island?
She clearly doesn’t lack money.”
“… I understand.” When Mo Ran heard this, his heart was in pain. He
immediately picked up the half of the money and prepared to leave. Chu
Wanning called out to him.
“Where to?”
“I’ll return what I earned back to her.”
“Sit down.”
Chu Wanning replied flatly.
“Why are you so stupid?”
“Hmm?”
“Look at a person like Third Madam Sun. She has an unyielding
personality and she wants to be strong. What she hated the most were
cultivators… Say, if you go over and give her the money like this, won’t she
beat you up and send you out of the mansion?”
“…”
Mo Ran thought about it and suddenly felt pain in his spine. He could not
help but sigh and ask, “Then what should we do?”
“I told the Village Head that before we leave, I will give him the rest of the
money so that he can find an opportunity to pass it to Third Madam Sun. At
that time, when we are all gone, money will eventually make the Flying
Flower Island a little better off. She won’t refuse it.”
Mo Ran lowered his eyes to ponder for a moment before nodding his head.
“Shizun is right, we should do as Shizun says.”
Chu Wanning sighed and said, “There are many things in this world that
cannot be decided just by looking at the surface. Sometimes, even the layer
below the surface may not be the truth. I often tell myself that I need to calm
down, judge people, things, and be very careful, but sometimes I can’t help
it.”
Mo Ran that he had said was extremely unpleasant.
He made decisions just from looking at the surface, judged people’s right
and wrong, judged the right and wrong, wasn’t this what he had done to Chu
Wanning before?
Apart from him, it was extremely difficult for most people in the mortal
world to maintain a pair of clear eyes and a calm heart in the face of intense
emotions. They had to think and see the truth hidden beneath the dust and
sand.
What he did to to Chu Wanning, and what Nangong Si did to his own
mother — fooled by their emotions, blinded by appearances, they finally
made mistakes causing hurt and pain which couldn’t be undone.
Perhaps only someone like Chu Wanning, who seemed cold and detached,
but was determined to give everyone a chance to change their minds and try
their best not to speculate everything with the greatest malice. Thus, the more
Mo Ran tried to understand him, the more he would discover that this
irritable Immortal Elder Beidou actually possessed a heart that was not
tainted by hostility.
What this person hid behind his cold and arrogant face was actually a kind
and forgiving spirit soul.
Because of such a spirit soul, he felt even more pity for Chu Wanning, and
a strong desire to protect grew in his heart. Perhaps it was because he had
been drenched in blood from the mountains of corpses and the seas of blood
that he was able to understand that in this world, there was nothing more
precious than the heart of a naked child.
It was a flute in the smoke, a flower in the trenches.
Thus, standing in front of such a spirit, the Immortal Taxian-Jun who once
caused trouble for the entire world silently thought —
If there was a day that Shizun needed it, then even if he was covered in
wounds and dried blood and tears, even if he died without a complete corpse,
even if he was burnt to ashes, even if he had to sacrifice his head and broken
soul.
He wanted to protect this clean and pure Beidou Immortal.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Oh, nothing.” Mo Ran smiled. “I’m just thinking about some small
matters.”
“A small matter?”
Mo Ran pursed his lips. He suddenly remembered that when he went to the
market in the morning, Chu Wanning told him that he wanted to learn the
Imperial Sword Technique. He said, “Shizun, come with me.”
179. Wanning
The two of them arrived at the edge of a cliff on Flying Flower Island.
Below them was a rough sea, the waves crashed into the rocks and turned into
thousands of snowflakes. There was nothing around them except the
boundless sea, the sky and the crescent moon.
Mo Ran called for his sword, then turned to ask Chu Wanning, “Why don’t
you know how to use the Imperial Sword Technique?”
“It’s not that I don’t know how to.” Chu Wanning said, “I’m not very good
at it.”
“Why aren’t you adept at it?”
Chu Wanning waved his sleeves, his expression was haughty but his ears
were red, “I can only fly not far from the ground.”
Mo Ran was surprised, things like the Imperial Sword Technique required
the same amount of spiritual energy to fly an inch or a hundred meters away
from the ground.
There was no reason not to soar into the sky, so he said, “Shizun, give it a
try. Let me see.”
“…” Chu Wanning did not summon his sword. Instead, he calmly said, “I
don’t want to use my sword, but I feel that it is inappropriate to use it when it
needs to be respected and stepped on.”
“?”
He did not know why he suddenly started explaining, but Mo Ran still
nodded his head.
“Shizun is right. But… We can’t lie down on our swords or hang ourselves
on our swords, right?”
Chu Wanning was at a loss for words. When he looked up, he saw the man
looking at him with a smile, and he could not help but feel annoyed.
“Normally, if there’s an emergency, I fly with the Ascending Dragon’s
Barrier.”
Mo Ran was a little taken aback. “That dragon?”
“It can grow.” Chu Wanning said. He seemed to have recovered some of
his face, but soon felt a bit embarrassed. “But after the great fire at the
Rufeng Sect, it was completely useless. He fears fire.”
Mo Ran suddenly understood. “So Shizun wants to learn the Imperial
Sword Technique in order to —”
“In case of an emergency.”
Mo Ran fell silent. The thick smoke that billowed out from Linyi’s city was
like a sea of flames, engulfing countless lives. At that time, Chu Wanning
stood on his own sword, watching as the mortals were swallowed up by the
fire and burnt into ashes, leaving not even a single bone behind. The exalted
deity, on the other hand, was unable to do anything and could not ride a
sword to carry anyone, what mood did the current Chu Wanning have?
No wonder this person, who would rather ride a horse carriage than ride a
sword, would suddenly ask his disciple for such a request.
“I understand. Shizun, don’t worry, I’ll definitely teach you well.”
Hearing him say so, Chu Wanning did not say anything. He lowered his
eyes, thinking about something. In the end, he sighed and raised his hand,
“Huaisha, summon him.”
A ray of golden light suddenly condensed into existence as Mo Ran once
again saw the holy weapon that had only appeared during his life-and-death
duel in his previous life within this serene sea and sky moonlight.
Chu Wanning’s Blade of Killing.
Huaisha.
It was a longsword that Mo Ran obviously knew. There was probably no
other person in this world who was more suitable to be its Sword master than
Chu Wanning. Its decorations were light, and its entire body was flowing gold.
Because the golden light was too glaring, it even had a hint of paleness to it.
The radiance flowed down from the sword in an unhurried manner. It was like
burning fireworks in the night sky, yet also like falling white sand.
“This is Huaisha.” Chu Wanning looked at it and said, “You have never
seen it, it is very vicious, so I don’t use it often.”
After a long while, he nodded and said in a low voice, “It is a good sword.”
The night wind blew gently, and Mo Ran stepped onto his sword. With a
slight movement of his toes, the sword obediently rose up a few inches off the
ground.
“Let Shizun give it a try too.” Mo Ran turned around and said to Chu
Wanning.
Chu Wanning also stood on the sword. Huaisha steadily rose a few inches
higher, bringing Chu Wanning around in a circle.
“Isn’t this great? Try getting up a little more.” As he spoke, he controlled
his sword and flew to a height of about five feet. He smiled at Chu Wanning
and said, “Come up here.”
“…”
Chu Wanning pursed his lips, silently raising Huaisha to the same level as
him.
Mo Ran replied, “No problem. Shizun, don’t you know how to do it? Then
we’ll…”
He suddenly stopped talking. He noticed that Chu Wanning’s face was pale
and his face was tense. His eyelashes were fluttering like grass in the wind, as
if he was trying his best to hold back something.
Mo Ran looked down and saw that he was not even five feet away from the
ground.
Then he raised his head and looked at Chu Wanning in disbelief.
He suddenly had a ridiculous thought.
Shizun could not control the sword, could it be because… he was afraid of
heights?
Mo Ran: “…”
This was extremely awkward, and he also felt that it was inconceivable.
Chu Wanning was a man of great lightness skills. He could go up and down as
he wished, and he could just touch the ground for several meters with his
toes. How could such a person fear heights? However, when he observed the
person standing on the sword, his expression was truly unsightly. His gaze
wandered, and even though he tried his best to restrain himself, a thin layer of
fear still appeared between his brows.
Mo Ran probed, “Shizun?”
Chu Wanning’s reaction was a bit intense. He suddenly raised his head, and
the night wind ruffled his hair, but he did not raise his hand to sweep it away.
His pair of phoenix eyes flashed with anger, and behind his messy forehead
burst into flames, “Hmm?”
“Cough…Pfft.”
“What are you laughing for!”
“My throat is dry. Cough.”
Mo Ran did his best to hold back his laughter. He thought to himself, he’s
not running anymore, so he’s really afraid of heights. No wonder he explained
so much just now, he just wanted to save some face.
Since Shizun wanted to save face, as a disciple, he had to follow along with
Shizun and step down the steps.
Mo Ran said, “The higher the level of the sword, the more difficult it is to
practice. From the very beginning, I also could not go up more than five feet.
You need to practice more.”
“You couldn’t go up there before?”
“Yes.”
The first time he rode the sword, Mo Weiyu, who was at the height of a
thousand zhang, gently nodded.
“Maybe I don’t even have five feet, so I don’t dare to look at the ground.
Three feet? In short, Xue Meng can easily kick me down.”
Chu Wanning felt slightly relieved.
He had never had the nerve to tell anyone about the fear of height, but now
it seemed that there was nothing to lose face.
“Shizun, try your best not to look down.”
“Hmm?”
“Just look at me.” Mo Ran was suspended above him. He thought for a
moment before lowering his body again, “Forget about how much you rose,
just think of flying to the same position as me.”
Chu Wanning gritted his teeth and climbed even higher. The thin and
smooth blade was stepped on. The originally warm night wind, to him, had
also become as cold and wet as a snake, and it slithered into his clothes,
crawling and hissing.
“Don’t look down, don’t look down. Come here and take my hand.”
Chu Wanning took his lessons seriously and focused, saying, “No need, I
can do it myself.”
Mo Ran did not force him anymore. He knew Chu Wanning’s
temperament. If this person wanted him to come, it would be better to let
him be when it wasn’t a big deal.
A person who is used to being a towering tree is not accustomed to rely on
other people.
Being by his side allowed him to be at ease and feel comfortable.
Although he really wants to turn Chu Wanning into soft spring water to
wrap his fingers and rub it into his rough torso so that he can shatter in his
arms and melt in his own blood. Like most men in the world, he always had
an unrealistic and terrible possessive desire for someone he loved deeply.
This was natural instinct.
The male aggression made him long to lock Chu Wanning up, and spend
endless days and nights entangled with him, swallowing all of his passion.
He longed for him to spend the rest of his life on a warm bed while
embracing him, not to be seen by anyone but himself.
He longed to own him, for him to be under him for his entire life, forever
wrapped around him.
The beast that thirsted for his body couldn’t help but want to leave dark
and purple marks all over that wouldn’t fade. It wanted to make fierce love
every night until his desires were sated.
However, love made Mo Ran’s heart soft and compassionate.
Love made him want to respect Chu Wanning. He wanted to see him in
high spirits, with light hooves and fast horses. He wanted to see him wielding
his sword out in the world, snow falling on his sleeves.
He wanted to indulge him to grow arrogantly in the jungle to reach the
heavens, to cast shade mercifully, connive his branches to flourish, but also so
to allow him to break and get hurt in the wind and rain.
And so love shackled his instincts, tied the bridle around his beasts,
lowered his eyes, held his breath, and became a man of good manners.
In this life, he would rather keep his true nature locked in and pull out the
fangs.
He was born to possess because of love, he became selfish, and now he is
reborn to be forgiving because of love, he became selfless.
As a result, he would not be like his previous life, trying to imprison Chu
Wanning, trying to change him.
This belated and pure love made the former Emperor Taxian-Jun willing to
submit, willing to spend his entire life as Chu Wanning’s companion.
His sword climbed higher and higher until it reached a certain height. Even
though Chu Wanning didn’t look at the ground, his fingertips still trembled
under his wide sleeves.
His scalp went numb.
Mo Ran could see his nervousness, so he said, “Don’t be afraid, this is the
same as the qinggong.”
“It’s not the same. Qinggong is dependent on himself, while the Imperial
Sword Technique is…”
“Even swordplay relies on one’s own ability.”
“Sword kinesis relies on the sword!” Chu Wanning retorted angrily.
Mo Ran: “…”
He finally understood why his Shizun was so skilled, but was also afraid
when he was riding the sword. Chu Wanning never relied on anything, he
always relied on himself, so only when he relied on himself could he feel at
ease.
This knowledge made Mo Ran’s heart ache. He felt very pained.
He said, “It’s okay, Shizun. You have to believe in Huaisha.”
However, even with his casual calmness, the anxiousness and panic in Chu
Wanning’s eyes could not be hidden. Seeing the beads of sweat on his
forehead and the instability in his feet, Mo Weiyu knew he could not continue
like this. If Chu Wanning fell off his sword at this moment, the shadow would
be even deeper.
He immediately said: “Let’s go down.”
The two landed on the ground, he rested for a moment and then asked,
“How high did we fly?”
Mo Ran had the intention of reporting more and said, “Over fifty feet.”
Chu Wanning was taken aback. His eyes widened, “That high?”
“Yeah. Shizun is so powerful. The next time we fly, five hundred feet will
be a piece of cake.”
“…”
Upon hearing the word ‘five hundred’, Chu Wanning’s already pale face
turned even uglier. He waved his hand but didn’t say anything, staring at
Huaisha in a daze.
Mo Ran thought about it and said, “How about this, Shizun, I’ll fly you for
a while before getting used to it.”
“You don’t need to bring me, it’s not like you haven’t brought me before.”
“But before, Shizun didn’t really look at the ground when he was on the
way.”
That made him right. Every time he rode someone else’s sword, he would
try to look at that person’s back, or at some other point, and try to think that
he was still firmly on the ground.
Mo Ran summoned his sword again, deliberately making it wider. He
stepped on it first, then turned to Chu Wanning and said gently, “Come, come
up.”
Chu Wanning gritted his teeth and leaped up, landing lightly on the hilt of
his sword.
Mo Ran said, “Stand firm.” With that, he tapped the tip of his foot, took
the order, and instantly soared into the sky. Chu Wanning closed his eyes out
of habit at first, but when he heard the laughter, he was jolted awake and
looked down.
It was good that he wasn’t looking. When he did, Chu Wanning’s hairs
stood on end.
The Flying Flower Island had been left far behind by a huge beast,
becoming more and more distant. The howling of the wind was next to his
ears, and his clothes were soaked in the cold night air, he had no one to rely
on other than this sword, so they flew towards the sea. At night, the blueblack seawater was like an ancient beast’s huge black mouth, swallowing up
all the living creatures.
His ice-cold eyelashes trembled. Chu Wanning subconsciously closed his
eyes again, but he heard Mo Ran saying from behind, “Don’t be afraid, it will
be fine.”
“I… I’m not afraid.” Chu Wanning’s face was as white as paper.
Mo Ran smiled. “Alright, then you won’t be afraid. If you feel cold or
bored, tell me and I’ll take you back to the island.”
Chu Wanning did not utter a word. He knew Mo Ran was giving him face.
After all, a cultivator who was freezing cold on his sword was much more
imposing than a cultivator who was trembling on his sword.
Seeing that he was somewhat unable to bear it and stubbornly unwilling to
speak, Mo Ran could not bear to do so. He said, “I will make the sword a bit
larger.”
He raised his hand and extended his sword by five or six times, which was
enough for him to stand shoulder to shoulder with Chu Wanning.
“Shizun, in a few more days, Linyi’s tribulation fire will be extinguished.
We will return to Sisheng Peak, but what should we do with the people that
we brought?” As he spoke, he tried to loosen the tension on the bowstring.
Chu Wanning was a man of his word, he could think, “Bring them to Shu.”
“Hmm?”
“Let’s go to Shu first. After Linyi Calamity Fire, there will be scorched
earth. No one can live there.”
Mo Ran said, “Alright.”
He looked at Chu Wanning’s pale face, and after a while, his heart ached.
He asked, “Should we go back?”
“Wait a little longer.”
Mo Ran then expanded the circle of the sword a few times. He made Chu
Wanning sit down, it would be much better to sit and watch than to stand. He
opened the barrier, and Chu Wanning turned to ask, “What are you doing?”
“It’s just a cold barrier.” Mo Ran’s gaze was very gentle. “If it’s too high,
it’ll be cold.”
Chu Wanning let this go.
The Spirit Formation was the same as his, and it was extremely similar. In
fact, even the film formed from light was a haitang flower. However, his was
gold, and Mo Ran’s was red.
With this translucent barrier, even though he knew it was useless to expel
the cold, he suddenly felt that there was an additional layer of protection
around him. Perhaps the sea he saw through the barrier was no longer
frighteningly dark.
Mo Ran sat beside him and said, “Shizun, look over there.”
“What?”
“Did you see that?”
“…” Chu Wanning looked in the direction he was pointing at and frowned,
“Other than the moon, there’s nothing else.”
“The moon.”
Chu Wanning was stunned, “What’s so good about it? It’s the same when
you look at the ground.”
Mo Ran smiled. “This is the first time I’m sitting with Shizun to admire the
moon.”
Chu Wanning did not reply. After a while, when Mo Ran thought that Chu
Wanning would not say anything more, he suddenly said softly, “It’s not like
we did not watch it together.”
“… What?”
Mo Ran was surprised and turned to look at him.
The moonlight shone down on Chu Wanning’s handsome face. His skin
was like the white petals of a cold night, and under the two thick eyelashes,
his eyes seemed to be reminiscing about something deeper than the sea.
“It’s been too long, you should have forgotten. Nothing,” Chu Wanning
replied.
Mo Ran didn’t know what to say. He had lived longer than Chu Wanning,
and much of his past was no longer clear. Even when Chu Wanning
remembered his past, he didn’t think that he was still hiding it in his heart.
He looked at the side of Chu Wanning’s face and felt guilty, but he could
not help but feel a hint of sweetness. He couldn’t help but think of that
brocade sack and the questions he was going to ask yesterday. Chu Wanning
had kept their hair tied, as well as many memories. Why…
Butterfly Town, Jincheng Lake……
During the Heavenly Rift, he had risked his life to save himself.
Why?
Previously, he didn’t dare to speculate any further and thought that he was
extremely bold and shameless.
However, in the past two days, every single discovery he made had been to
fan the flames within his wolf ambitions.
— Why.
“Shizun.”
“Hmm?”
The blood in his chest surged and surged. He was very thirsty, and his eyes
were very bright as he stared at Chu Wanning. He suddenly had the urge to
go over and kiss him on the cheek. He mustered the courage to ask him, Are
you… Do you like me?
On the Imperial Sword, between heaven and earth, Mo Ran felt like he was
immersed in an illusion.
It was as if the two of them no longer had any ties in this world, and no
past love or hatred had occurred. Everything was as peaceful and pure as the
moonlight that passed through a light cloud.
He felt as if the tender seedling in his chest had finally turned into a tree,
its thick veins peeling away the dead soil, revealing the deep, fishy smell of
the earth.
Chu Wanning saw that he was silent for a long time, he turned his head and
asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mo Ran did not answer. His mind was clouded, and he longed to possess
him, embrace him, and kiss him.
He involuntarily leaned over.
Then, he suddenly realized that even though Chu Wanning had recovered a
bit after he had activated the enchantment, his face was still pale and his lips
were pursed. He crossed his arms, his slender fingers subconsciously
clutching the cold cloth.
When Chu Wanning was scared, what he grabbed was not others but
himself.
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment.
Following that, the aggressive light in his eyes was extinguished and turned
into a fine and fragmented light. The sparkling light was like that of a fish fire.
Very gentle.
He originally wanted to kiss his lips, but then he slightly pursed his lips and
revealed a soft and bitter smile.
The hand that had been about to embrace him suddenly stopped, and a
moment later touched the cold back of his hand.
“You…” Chu Wanning was taken aback. His pale face blushed, but he
remained alert and whispered, “What are you doing?”
He tried to pull his hand away, but Mo Ran caught it and refused to let it
go. Chu Wanning only felt his fingers, which had been frozen into ice, land on
a big, warm hand. From his palm to his fingertip, they were all tightly
wrapped and pressed together.
“Don’t rely on yourself. If I’m here, you can rely on me.”
If Chu Wanning had been calm and collected just now, he would have
been able to sense the emotions behind his words, no matter how slow or
hesitant he was.
Besides, there were those dark, death-looking eyes, gazing at him with
solemn, gentle, and loving eyes. Chu Wanning’s heartbeat was like a torrential
downpour as it pounded against his spirit soul bit by bit.
He no longer dared to look at Mo Ran’s eyes. He abruptly turned his face
away and lowered his head.
Too hot.
How could a hundred feet in the air feel so hot?
He was usually aloof and calm, but now it was as if he had suddenly
stepped into a territory that he did not know about. The armor on his body
had been stripped off, and his sharp claws and fingers had been cut off. In the
face of Mo Ran’s sudden blunt blow, Chu Wanning’s usual counterattack
seemed to be ineffective.
The man pried open his clam with a fervent effort and looked straight into
the white, quivering flesh. Both the shiny pearl and the sweet mussel meat
were completely exposed to the man’s eyes.
This proud and easygoing man threw down his armor and suddenly felt
anxious and helpless.
What to do…
What should he say?
He…
He realized that his hand was still being held by Mo Ran, closely fitting.
He did not know what to do. He was anxious and nervous. His eyes were a
little red. Subconsciously, he wanted to pull his fingers away.
However, the moment he moved, Mo Ran immediately grabbed him.
The man’s palms were wet with sweat.
“Don’t take it away.”
“…”
His strength was so great, yet he was so stubborn. For some reason, Chu
Wanning suddenly felt that his words seemed to be filled with sadness.
After staring at him for a long time, he said in a low, hoarse voice, “Chu
Wanning…”
“… What did you call me?”
“… I was wrong.”
Chu Wanning’s body was now even more tense than before. His heartbeat
was faster than when he first used the Imperial Sword Technique. He was not
used to it, he was not used to it.
He tried his best to clear his path and make one last desperate struggle
before he fell into the abyss again.
He lowered his eyes and said, “Well, if it’s not impossible for you to know
that you’ve said then you’re not so help…”
Mo Ran’s heart was very hot. Finally, without any hesitation, he blurted
out, “Wanning.”
…less.
Chu Wanning had yet to utter the last word.
When he heard this soft voice with a sigh, his mind went blank.
He couldn’t say the last word again.
Helpless.
After hesitating outside the quagmire of love for so long, they finally
couldn’t help but step into it. They were trapped within the inescapable net
and could feel the pain seeping into their bones.
Mo Ran’s voice was low and hoarse. He stared at him and said, “Wanning,
actually, these past few days I’ve been wanting to ask you a question.”
“…”
Feeling his heart burning, Mo Ran held onto Chu Wanning’s hand tightly,
his fingers trembling, “No, I won’t ask you.”
Chu Wanning had just let out a breath of relief when he heard Mo Ran’s
next words.
“I’m not asking you anything. I just want to tell you.”
Mo Ran was resolute and decisive, never to turn back.
In one breath, he had expended all his courage.
“I love you.”
His heart was trembling violently.
“I love you, not the way a disciple loves his Shizun, but… I’m being bold,
I… I love you.”
Chu Wanning closed his eyes. His fingers trembled under the man’s warm
and humid skin, and gradually, it stopped moving.
How could that be?
How could this be…
He must have heard wrong, he was so ugly, so fierce, so incapable of
speech, so uninteresting, he was nothing but a fool. Who would like him?
“I love you.”
He was actually feeling bitter and frightened. His mind was almost
completely blank, and he wanted to act like how he used to. He wanted to say
“ridiculous”, but after thinking about it for a long time, he couldn’t find the
words to express it.
After a long pause, Chu Wanning finally said hoarsely, “… I have a bad
temper.”
“You’re very nice to me.”
“I, I’m old.”
“You look younger than me.”
Chu Wanning was almost anxious, he said helplessly, “I’m so ugly…”
This time, it was Mo Ran’s turn to be stunned. His eyes widened as he
stared at the extremely handsome man in front of him. He did not understand
why such a good-looking person would feel ashamed of his own appearance.
Seeing that he did not make a sound, his heart became even more flustered.
He lowered his head and said, “I’m not good-looking.”
“…”
“Not as beautiful as you.”
As he was mumbling this, his cheek was suddenly touched by a warm
hand. He heard Mo Ran sigh, which was even gentler than the moonlight
tonight. “Would you like to see my eyes?”
“Your eyes…?”
Mo Ran’s gaze was gentle, reflecting the figure of a man in white. He said,
“Did you see that? He’s the most beautiful person in the world.”
Chu Wanning glared at him. Although his heart was in turmoil, there was
not much of an expression on his ice-cold face.
Mo Ran gripped his palm, sweating profusely.
He said softly, “I love you.”
Chu Wanning felt as if he was pricked, fingers trembling. After a while, he
lowered his head. “I love you” was like a sharp knife stabbing into his heart.
His blood was boiling, and he was unable to control it. Chu Wanning’s eyes
turned red. He had been waiting for too long and he did not know what his
reaction would be. He was so anxious that he almost cried. He said, “It’s not
good for me. I didn’t… I’ve never been liked.”
I’ve never been liked.
No one has ever felt happy, proud, and lucky for having me.
Thirty-two years.
No one liked me.
Hearing these words, Mo Ran looked at the man in front of him who had
his head lowered, unwilling to even lift his face. Suddenly, he felt so much
pain, so much pain that his heart cracked and his bones were crushed.
He was his treasure, but it had been covered in dust for nearly half his life.
He was in so much pain that he didn’t know what to say.
In the end, he just awkwardly held onto Chu Wanning’s hand and kept
saying, “Yes, yes.”
Some people like you. I like you.
You are what someone wants, someone wants you very much, stop being so
self conscious, stop feeling inferior, stop being so stupid, and treat your best
self as worthless. Idiot.
Stupid Chu Wanning.
I love you.
After a long while, Mo Ran asked, “What about you?”
“… What?”
Mo Ran lowered his eyes, his eyelashes rustling. “I… I’m so stupid, so
ignorant, so unreliable, I… And I’ve made a lot of unforgivable mistakes.”
He paused and whispered, “Will you like me?”
Chu Wanning had initially lifted his face up, but upon hearing his words,
he suddenly met those gentle black eyes and became flustered. With strength
that came from nowhere, he abruptly pulled his hand away and turned his
face away.
He did not nod or shake his head.
There was no affirmation, nor was there any rejection.
However, he could clearly see that Chu Wanning’s ears had turned red, so
much so that his neck was like a blooming flower.
“That pouch…”
“Don’t say it.” Chu Wanning suddenly said in a low voice, this time his
whole face was red, “Don’t say it.”
Seeing Chu Wanning’s embarrassed and unwilling look, Mo Ran’s eyes
glimmered with sadness and confusion as the moonlight lingered in them.
He sat down and once again reached out his hand to grab the tip of Chu
Wanning’s finger.
Chu Wanning was trembling. Even his fingers were trembling. He held
onto his slender fingers and held them tightly, holding them in a way that he
had never done before.
His ten fingers were intertwined tightly as his palms pressed together.
Chu Wanning’s face was flushed red as he looked away.
This time, he didn’t break away from him.
Thus, Mo Ran held Chu Wanning’s hand, and it was only after some time
that he realized the truth, and nervously confirmed it.
Chu Wanning… Likes him, too.
He finally understood.
180. Shizun, why did I let you down?
For Chu Wanning, this was the first time that his palm and Mo Ran’s
fingers were interlocked.
He felt that it was enough, not too much. Fortunately, Mo Ran didn’t make
any more movements. Otherwise, he would have been able to jump down a
hundred feet into the air and escape.
This was good.
For Mo Ran, this wasn’t the first time he had pressed his palms together
with Chu Wanning and locked his fingers together.
He felt that it was not enough, that it was too little, but fortunately, he did
not do anything more. Otherwise, he would have wanted to hold hands and
kiss him and then ask for more, want to know the taste of him.
This is bad.
Even so, Mo Ran could sense that Chu Wanning was on the run.
That day when they landed on the ground, Chu Wanning turned around
and ran without a second word. After running two steps, he felt his steps had
become more hurried and he immediately slowed down.
He had only walked two steps slowly when he heard that Mo Ran was
following behind him. Feeling embarrassed and anxious, he quickly started to
walk again.
“…”
Mo Ran watched him stride forward, his heart itching and aching, hot and
soft.
Seeing Chu Wanning walking towards a big tree, Mo Ran immediately
warned, “Be careful!”
“Bam!”
He still hit the tree.
He hurried over and asked, “Does it hurt? Let me see.”
Chu Wanning covered his forehead and did not say a word. After a while,
he walked forward again.
Mo Ran wanted to follow, but he heard him say, “Don’t follow me.”
“I… I need to go back and rest.”
“First stand there and let the wind blow. After you’ve cooled down, come
in.”
To cool down?
Mo Ran smiled. How could he cool down?
I held your hand, Wanning, my heart is warm.
However, he still obeyed and did not continue to follow. He stood under
the cold moonlight and watched Chu Wanning walk away until he
disappeared behind the wall. Then, he walked up to the tree Chu Wanning
had accidentally hit. After a while, he rested his forehead against the tree
trunk.
He closed his eyes.
Chu Wanning…
Likes him.
Flying flowers and flowing water, an island like spring.
The bright moon hung high in the sky as clear clouds covered the sun.
The tide was surging and the sky was brightening.
No matter how good the world was around him, it could not compare to
the fact that Chu Wanning liked him.
Even though he was lacking in words and talent, at this moment, his heart
was filled with a surge of emotions and thoughts. Love could turn a simple
and straightforward piece of wood like Mo Ran into a poet. Chu Wanning
likes him. Chu Wanning liked him!
He pressed his forehead against the bark, wanting to remain calm, wanting
to endure, wanting to “cool down”, wanting to…
No, I can’t.
His closed eyes trembled slightly, his eyelashes were filled with tenderness
and ecstasy. The corners of his mouth curled up, and the dimple on his cheek
became deeper and deeper as the honey in his mouth overflowed.
Chu Wanning liked him.
Like him.
It was… It was the person he was infatuated with, the best person in the
world, the person he wanted to hold in his arms for the rest of his life, Chu
Wanning… It was Chu Wanning…
The exalted Taxian-Jun, a Mo-zongshi of the cultivation world, was
standing in the middle of a desolate, white desert with leaves rustling in the
wind. His eyes were closed and his head was lowered. His shoulders trembled
as he laughed.
Because Chu Wanning liked him, the wind was sweet and the waves were
sweet.
Chu Wanning liked him.
He lowered his eyes and laughed, but as he laughed, he began to cry.
He grinned like a madman, tears streaming down his face. It was sweet, but
his heart ached.
Chu Wanning…
Liked him.
Ever since they left Butterfly Town, he had been secretly hiding their
bagged hair.
Liked him.
He suddenly wanted to know, ever since then, Chu Wanning had been
standing behind him, silently accompanying and waiting. Waiting for him to
turn around, waiting for him to reach out his hand, waiting for him to turn
around and see.
Chu Wanning, how long had he waited?
This life, the previous life.
Stacked together, twenty years?
Longer than twenty years.
He was Mo Weiyu that could see through dust and smoke. He knew that
the most priceless object in the world was time.
With his power and influence, he had been nearly all powerful. Precious
treasures, beauties, and flatteries had poured in endlessly. Only time, passing
like rivers, could never be chased down and returned.
For a person to be willing to exchange 10,000 gold for you, that was lust.
A person who is willing to trade a promising future for you is love.
And a person is willing to use twenty years of age, the best years to
exchange for you, to wait for you.
He did not ask for anything in return, nor did he ask for results.
That’s stupid.
Really, really stupid.
Mo Ran’s throat was astringent, bitterness overflowed his tongue, surging
up into a tide, he thought —
Chu Wanning, you really… Too stupid.
Why is that so? How could this be?
How could I, Mo Ran… To make you do this.
You’re the best man in the world, and what about me?
His hands were covered in blood, and his death was not to be regretted.
Ten thousand people scolded him and he would never be reborn.
I bullied you, hated you, let you down, I killed you.
You have no idea what I’ve done.
You don’t even know!
Mo Ran hugged the tree, his sobs falling into the howling sea breeze. What
did he do.
Under Chu Wanning’s gaze, he chased after another person.
Under Chu Wanning’s dazed gaze, he waited for someone else to turn
around.
In the dream space of Jincheng Lake, he said to Chu Wanning, “Shi Mei, I
like you.”
He used a knife to cut off Chu Wanning’s heart!
But what about Chu Wanning?
He was as silent as a rock. The river did not move. The knife stabbed into
his heart. He acted like nothing happened, taking care of him, forgiving him,
accompanying him.
Until death.
…… Until death.
He laughed, he cried, he was the only one in the world, no one could see
him, he was mad.
In his two lifetimes, he had never let Mo Ran know what he was thinking
even to the point of death. The humblest thing this proud and resolute person
had ever done in his entire life was to fall in love with another person.
He had done everything he could for that person, but he had already waited
for a long time and clearly understood that there would never be a place for
him in the eyes of the other party. Knowing that the other party would not
like him, he chose not to disturb him, chose not to alarm him, and did not
give any trouble to others.
He chose to leave behind his dignity.
In his previous life, to the point of death, he could only say one thing.
In his entire life, he had confessed to him. Chu Wanning was such a good
person and such a proud person, yet he said, “I’m not good. I’ve never had
anyone like me.”
Taxian-Jun… Mo Weiyu … What… What have you done.
What have you done!
Were you blind or was your mind muddled?
How can you not see through it? How can you let your Qing down?
Chu Wanning was lying on the bed, the curtain had already been drawn.
He looked at the lights outside through the haze.
His face was very hot, and his heart was beating very fast. However, he was
lost in his thoughts, and it flowed very slowly.
Compared to the person outside who was unable to experience the pure
sweetness because of his evil past, Chu Wanning seemed so simple and clean.
He spread his fingers out in front of his eyes, and when he came to, he
found that he had one hand on the back of his other hand, and that his palm
and the back of his hand were folded, just as Mo Ran had been holding him.
“…”
Realizing what he was doing, Chu Wanning was stunned. He then became
angry from embarrassment. He hated himself for being so preoccupied with
that fellow’s strength just now.
He had no future!
He released his hands and slapped his right hand with his left.
“Creak.”
The door was suddenly pushed open, and Mo Ran was drawn in by the
wind.
Chu Wanning turned around and pretended to be asleep. He heard the man
enter the room and go to the bed. His tall figure covered the faint glow of the
candle, and even through the curtain he could feel the light darken, and the
shadow of Mo Ran cast itself over the bed, oppressing him and making him
breathless.
“Shizun, you’ve fallen asleep?”
The voice of Mo Ran was very gentle. For some reason, it carried a hint of
hoarseness, as if it was soaked in the bitter salt of the sea.
Chu Wanning did not answer.
Mo Ran stood in place for a while, then he began to rustle as if he was
afraid of waking Chu Wanning up. He then obediently laid out the floor in the
same place as yesterday and blew out the candle flame.
In an instant, the room was enveloped in darkness, even so much so that
without the Spirit Butterflies and Haitang, the darkness was even deeper than
last night. It made people’s senses tingle, they were oppressed, they were
afraid of what would happen in the night, and also looked forward to what
could happen in the night.
However, Mo Ran didn’t do anything. This person who had made a name
for himself by going to a brothel had suddenly become so wooden, cautious,
compassionate, and respectful.
He lay down, fully clothed.
Chu Wanning let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit depressed at the same
time. However, before he could feel ashamed for his melancholy, he heard
Mo Ran rise from the ground again. Then, with a slight movement of the
curtain, he lifted the curtain of his bed.
Chu Wanning’s heart leaped to his throat. He did not move at all. He was
still curled up in sleep, trying his best to control his breathing, hoping that no
one would notice anything amiss.
He did not know what Mo Ran wanted to do by suddenly getting up.
He had never had a cultivation partner, nor had he broken the Pure Ring.
The only knowledge he had regarding sex came from those absurd dreams.
He was like a man who had never gone into the water before. He was more
afraid of the surging waves than he wanted to be. He would rather find a small
pool of water that reached his waist first. If he was suddenly asked to face the
surging current head on, he was afraid that he would drown in the whirlpool.
As such, he was actually very afraid of more actions from Mo Ran.
However, he didn’t know if it was because Mo Ran felt his slight tremble,
or because he heard his disappointing heartbeat. Mo Ran stood there quietly
for a while, then bent over…
He lowered his body a little, and Chu Wanning could almost feel his hot
and vigorous aura. It was as if his hot chest was about to be pressed down.
However, after looking at him in this manner for a moment, he stroked a
strand of hair on his temple behind his ear, and after a rustle of the bedding,
he covered him with a warm blanket.
Chu Wanning felt a bit more at ease. He felt satisfied, but at the same time,
dissatisfied. But from the looks of it, Mo Ran was still honest…
The word “man” was still in his mind, but the honest Mo Ran lowered his
head again. Chu Wanning only had time to feel the warmth on his cheek
before his head exploded with a roar, splashing thousands of snowflakes onto
the rocks on the shore.
The smell of Mo Ran lingered around him, scorching him, tormenting him.
He kissed him on the cheek.
How many people can watch the sleeping face of their loved ones, just
watch with arms folded, just cover them with a quilt, and say good night.
Mo Weiyu had exhausted all of his self-control and endurance. The chain
was deeply embedded into the flesh of his desire, strangling everything else,
but he had ultimately indulged in this gentle kiss.
His blood rumbled. Poor Yuheng of the Night Sky was a wise and
powerful man. He was calm and collected throughout his whole life, valiant
and graceful. However, under the hot and low breathing of Mo Weiyu, his
face was burning and his palms were sweating.
His heart was beating so fast that it no longer seemed to belong to him.
The world seemed boundless, as if nothing would remain, but also as if a hot
fire had suddenly ignited in his stomach, and bright lights interweaved in front
of his eyes. In the midst of his dizziness, he could only barely realize one
thing:
Mo Ran was kissing him.
Although it was just a profile.
As for the other things, such as how long Mo Ran had been kissing, he
didn’t have the energy to think about them anymore. His fingers were tightly
clenched under the bed, and sweat dripped down his body. His eyelids kept
trembling and trembling…
Fortunately, the night was very dark, and he could not help but feel that his
eyelashes had not been noticed by Mo Ran.
Fortunately, Chu Wanning’s face was too hot, and he was in a daze, so he
did not feel a warm tear rolling down his cheek from Mo Ran from his cheek
to his neck.
181. Shizun’s Memories
On the morning of the second day of confession, Chu Wanning woke up
very early.
But he did not get up, for he peeped out through the curtain and saw that
Mo Ran was still asleep, a simple bunk bed next to the edge of the bed.
He couldn’t see it clearly through the curtain, so he held back for a
moment. He reached out his hand to pull open the curtain, but before he
could touch the curtain, he switched it to a finger, using his fingertip and only
lifting a tiny bit.
It seems that as long as it is so little, it doesn’t seem like peeking.
The clear light spilled in from the window paper. A bright red light with a
hint of gold was cut into long and narrow silhouettes, shining on Mo Ran’s
handsome face.
It had been a long time since Chu Wanning had seen his sleeping visage.
He quietly observed, attentively gazing at it for a very long time.
Long to the point that he couldn’t help but think of the year when Mo Ran
was brought back to Sisheng Peak by Xue Zhengyong. Some shy youth, when
happy, can burst out a fire of brilliant passion, having nothing but love to stick
to him, saying whatever he wanted, and also wanting to take him as his
Shizun.
He couldn’t chase him away.
Seeing him in front of Heaven-Piercing Tower, Chu Wanning insisted on
not accepting a disciple because he thought that the phrase “he looks the most
gentle, I like him the most” was ridiculous and unbelievable.
For this, he had avoided Mo Ran for fourteen days.
According to others, in order to find a way to become his disciple, Mo Ran
had asked Xue Zhengyong’s wife, Shi Mei, and even Xue Meng.
In the end, no one knew who gave him the bad idea to do as the snow in
front of Cheng’s door4, stand outside the Red Lotus Pavilion, and wait for
him. In the morning when Chu Wanning went out, he greeted him and
begged for him to be his Shizun. In the evening when Chu Wanning went
back, he continued to pay his respects and beg for him to be his Shizun. Even
a dripping drop of water could can manage to penetrate the stone.
Chu Wanning’s reaction to this was, “Heh.”
He ignored them and left.
He didn’t like people chasing him so fiercely. As a person with few
feelings, he was only willing to deal with emotions that were just as mild.
He didn’t know if it was because of the environment he had been in since
he was a child, but he could tell that Chu Wanning was acting cold. He would
only pestered him for two days and never ask him to take him as his Shizun
again.
However, as usual, he still came to the Red Lotus Pavilion and cleaned up
the dead leaves in front of the courtyard door. When he saw Chu Wanning
come out, he held onto a broom, scratched his head and smiled, “Elder
Yuheng.”
They did not wake up early in the morning, nor did they greet each other in
the twilight.
Just that simple sentence, “Elder Yuheng”, and a smile.
Chu Wanning didn’t even look at him as he walked away. He didn’t even
bother to look at the fallen leaves.
Ten days passed peacefully like this. One morning, about a dozen lotuses
bloomed in the pavilion. The fragrant scent put Chu Wanning in a very good
mood.
He pushed open the door and walked out onto the winding and clear
mountain path. The teenager Mo Ran was currently walking with his head
down, concentrating on climbing up the stairs and sweeping the leaves. A
single leaf was stuck in the crevice of the rock, making it especially difficult
to clean, so he bent over to pick it up and prepared to throw it into the grass
and trees.
The moment he raised his head, he saw Chu Wanning standing in front of
the mountain gate. He was stunned for a moment, but then he grinned and
exposed his half-sleeved arms. He held up the dried up leaves that he hadn’t
thrown away and waved to him.
“Elder Yuheng.”
The voice was clear and sweet with fresh fruits. It was clearly not loud, but
it seemed to echo in the mountain ranges for a long time. A white cloud
flowed, and sunlight poured down from the clouds, penetrating through the
forest.
Chu Wanning stood in place for a while, his pupils were suddenly bathed in
the dazzling morning light to turn amber. He slightly squinted his eyes, and
suddenly felt that the dried up leaf in the boy’s hand was no longer as lifeless,
becoming as dazzling as the smiling man.
He walked quietly down the stone steps.
Mo Ran was already used to his coldness so he didn’t mind. As usual, he
stood aside and waited for Chu Wanning to pass.
That day, Chu Wanning walked past him as usual.
Then, he suddenly turned his face slightly to the side and glanced at the
youth. His voice was as clear as spring water and as calm as a lake.
“Thank you,” he said.
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment before his eyes lit up. He hurriedly
waved his hand and said, “No need, no need. This is what I should do.”
Chu Wanning said, “… I don’t intend to take you in as my disciple.”
However, his tone and manner of speech were no longer as resolute as
before.
After he finished speaking, he turned around and continued walking. At the
end of the sentence, he seemed to find it unbearable. He turned around and
glanced at Mo Ran.
However, when he saw that youth, he did not feel a bit stifled. Instead, he
took a few steps with the help of a broom. His young face was filled with
vigor and exuded endless light and heat.
…So this fellow didn’t care about the latter half of the sentence. All he
heard was ‘thank you’ and he became so happy?
A few more days passed, and one day it began to rain.
The rain was not too heavy. Chu Wanning was a person who was too lazy
to take out an umbrella or to open a barrier. It would probably only take him
an incense’s time to get to the Platform of Sin and Virtue, so it would not
matter if he got wet.
He pushed the door open.
Mo Ran was still there.
But today, he was not sweeping the floor, the broom was placed to the side
by him, he was holding an oil-paper umbrella, squatting on the ground with
his back facing Chu Wanning, engrossed in something, his shoulders slightly
raised, he was short, squatting even smaller, the umbrella was big and dark
brown, and it looked very funny, like a mushroom emerging from a spring
rain.
Chu Wanning walked up behind him with a smile, coughed lightly and
asked, “What are you doing?”
“Ah!” The youth was shocked and turned around to look at him.
The first sentence was “Elder Yuheng.”
Before Chu Wanning could reply, he opened his eyes wide and said the
second sentence, “How come you didn’t use an umbrella?”
Without waiting for a reply, he stood up and tiptoed, trying his best to raise
the oil-paper umbrella in his hands and said the third sentence, “This is for
you.”
However, he was still too short, standing a step lower than Chu Wanning. It
took some effort for the umbrella to cover the top of Chu Wanning’s head,
but the force was not as strong as Chu Wanning’s. The wind blew, causing the
umbrella to tilt and water droplets to flow into Chu Wanning’s neck.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Mo Ran hurriedly said before Chu Wanning could
respond.
Chu Wanning: “…”
When Mo Ran said the first sentence, he could answer “Yes.”
When Mo Ran said the second sentence, he could answer, “No need.”
When Mo Ran said the third sentence, he could answer, “Keep it for
yourself.”
However, after Mo Ran said the fourth sentence and apologized again and
again, Chu Wanning was a bit speechless. He lowered his eyes, unable to tell
if his expression was dull or gloomy.
He raised his eyes and looked at Mo Ran. After thinking for a moment, he
went back to the original sentence.
“What are you doing?”
“Saving the earthworms.”
Chu Wanning thought he misheard, he frowned and asked, “What?”
Mo Ran smiled. His dimples were deep and very cute. He scratched his
head in embarrassment and stuttered, “Saving, saving the earthworms.”
Chu Wanning lowered his eyes and his sight fell on the hand with Mo Ran
hanging on it. He held a tree branch in his hand, which was dripping water.
He must have picked it up from the ground. Looking further up, there was
indeed a stupid earthworm lying in the pool, slowly wiggling about.
“When the rain stops, these earthworms that have escaped from the soil
will become dry. That’s why I wanted to take them all back into the grass.”
Chu Wanning asked flatly, “Using branches?”
“… Right.”
Seeing the other’s cold face, Mo Ran was afraid of being looked down on
by Elder Yuheng so he anxiously said, “It’s not that I’m afraid of using my
hands, but when I was young, I was told that earthworms cannot be caught
with their hands and will rot away…”
Chu Wanning shook his head, “I’m not talking about that.”
He lifted his finger and pointed it in the air. A thin golden branch emerged
from the cracks of the green stone. It wrapped around the earthworm lying in
the pool and carried it back to the nearby pile of grass. Mo Ran widened his
eyes in shock. “What is this?”
“Tianwen.”
“What is Tianwen?”5
Chu Wanning glared at him and said, “It’s my weapon.”
Mo Ran became even more surprised, “The elder’s weapon… This… This
way…”
“So small?” Chu Wanning spoke up for him.
Mo Ran: “Heh heh.”
Chu Wanning brushed his sleeves, his expression indifferent, “Of course
there are times when it can be fierce.”
“Can I see it?”
“Better to never see it.”
Mo Ran didn’t understand the meaning behind Chu Wanning’s words. He
turned around to look at the vines, who were probing into the cracks in the
stone steps. All the earthworms in the rain soaked mud were all rolled up. He
then carried the muddled earthworms back to the moist soil, a look of envy
gradually appearing on his face.
Chu Wanning suddenly asked, “Do you want to learn?”
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. Then, he suddenly opened his eyes
wide. He was so surprised that he didn’t know what to say. In the end, he
could only nod his head. His handsome face was flushed red.
“Tomorrow morning, after you finish your cultivation, go to the bamboo
forest behind the Platform of Sin and Virtue. I will wait there for you.”
After he finished speaking, his white silk shoes stepped on the wet stone
steps, holding onto his oil-paper umbrella as he walked down the mountain.
After he finished speaking, his white silk shoes stepped on the wet stone
steps, holding onto his oil-paper umbrella as he walked down the mountain.
He no longer cared about the wet ground and immediately knelt and
kowtowed. His still young voice was filled with enthusiasm and joy.
“Yes, Shizun!”
“…” This time, Chu Wanning did not acknowledge nor stop him. He only
stood where he was for a moment, then continued walking. Rain began to fall,
drop by drop, onto the umbrella.
It was only when his back disappeared that Mo Ran stood up from the
ground, and it was also only at this moment that he realized that a golden,
translucent barrier had unknowingly opened above his head.
Chu Wanning remembered that Xue Zhengyong was relieved and surprised
when he heard about his decision. He asked, “Yuheng, why are you so willing
to take him in now?”
At that time, he was sitting on a high seat on the Platform of Sin and
Virtue, holding onto the oil-paper umbrella given to him by Mo Ran. His
slender knuckles rubbed against the umbrella handle, and he finally said
lightly: “He rescues earthworms.”
“Ah!” Xue Zhengyong exclaimed. The leopard’s eyes were wide open like
a cat’s.
“Rescues what?”
Chu Wanning did not say anything else. He just looked down at the green
bamboo umbrella framework, and a hint of a smile gradually appeared in his
eyes.
In the blink of an eye, so much time had passed.
The young man that he took in as his disciple was originally a pure and
honest man, but went astray for a while. In the end, fortunately, the young
man still became a proper immortal that didn’t disappoint him.
A white fingertip poked out of the curtain, and Chu Wanning peeped
through the tiny crack in the curtain, staring intently at Mo Ran’s sleeping
face.
That youth was now a handsome and tall man. His facial features were
even more distinct than before, and between his brows and eyes, there was a
steady, mature aura.
However, just like before, when Mo Ran fell asleep, his forehead would
always slightly furrow. This was how he acted when he was small. Two rows
of eyelashes hung down very low, as if they were about to be pressed by
heavy matters and could no longer be lifted.
Chu Wanning found it funny. This person was so young, where did all
these worries come from?
Just as he was thinking of this, he suddenly saw Mo Ran’s long eyelashes
slightly twitch as he slowly opened his eyes.
“…”
Chu Wanning’s fingers stiffened. He wanted to withdraw his hand and
pretend to be asleep.
But Mo Ran was a very strange person. He did not have a young,
bedridden attitude, and instead had some of the manners of an older person.
In other words, he was clear-headed very quickly.
For some baffling reason, he seemed to have a keen intuition towards the
subtle changes occurring around his sleeping environment — it was as if he
was always in danger of being assassinated, moving step by step, as if he was
treading on thin ice.
Before Chu Wanning could pull his finger back from the crack, Mo Ran’s
sight fell on the tip of his finger.
Chu Wanning: “…”
This concerned the reputation and dignity of Elder Yuheng. At this crucial
moment, Chu Wanning had an idea. He turned his body over and stretched
out his hand to the side of the bed.
From the looks of it, he wasn’t trying to steal the curtain at all. Instead, the
sleeping person had turned over and stretched out his arms and had
inadvertently poked his hand out of the curtain tent.
How could Mo Ran have known that Chu Wanning would come up with
such an idea. He didn’t want to wake Chu Wanning up, so he stood up slowly.
However, he did not leave immediately. Instead, he grabbed Chu
Wanning’s exposed wrist and carefully put it back between the blankets. After
doing all this, it was only after a while that Chu Wanning heard the door
creak open.
Mo Ran left.
Chu Wanning opened his eyes slightly and looked at the hazy sky. He was
lost in thought for a long time.
Perhaps it was because he had never wished for himself to be together with
Mo Ran, nor had he even imagined it specifically, so even after a night had
passed, he still felt that all of this was like a dream.
In his impression of them, Mo Ran was obviously secretly admiring Shi
Mei. All these years, he had been standing alone behind them and had seen
everything clearly.
Looking at Mo Ran laughing to Shi Mei, watching Mo Ran cooking the
noodles for Shi Mei, watching Mo Ran secretly helping Shi Mei complete the
assignment, smiling, thinking that no one knew.
Actually, Chu Wanning was clear on all of this.
For this reason, he had been envious, jealous, uncomfortable, and
unwilling.
He also thought that he had been relieved.
In fact, how could he be so relaxed? Even though he knew it was
impossible, he still held on to his neck and refused to look back. He braced
himself and refused to leave.
All these years, Chu Wanning had asked himself whether this kind of futile
wait was worth it, and whether this kind of stubborn, unrepentant vigil was
cheap. However, after asking himself countless times, his answer had always
come to nothing.
He was also a ruthless person who watched men and women with cold
eyes. He could not understand why it hurt so much, why he forcefully hid a
part of his feelings in his chest, and was full of wounds, unwilling to abandon
them. He did not understand. Only with the burn of his heart was he able to
understand —
This was probably the case for all the friendship and affection in the world.
They could be put down, but they would never be abandoned.
It was for this reason that Chu Wanning, who did not understand Mo Ran’s
true intentions towards Shi Mei, was somewhat confused and hesitant. He did
not understand what caused Mo Ran to be willing to shift his gaze away from
Shi Mingjing and focus it on his slightly embarrassed face.
Hmm… Because of gratitude?
Because of guilt?
You want to follow the ghost girl’s example and repay his kindness with a
demon, so you promised your body?
…… fuck, could it be that he was rejected by Shi Mei…
Chu Wanning was stunned, his mind was in a mess. All of a sudden, Chu
Wanning got even angrier. He got up, and before anyone could see, he
ruthlessly kicked the floorboard made by Mo Ran last night.
182. Shizun’s little candle dragon
No matter how much he guessed, Chu Wanning didn’t want to think too
much into it in case he got himself into trouble.
However, he had some reservations regarding this sudden feeling. Thus,
when the Heaven Smiting Flame was finally extinguished and the group of
people prepared to leave on their flying swords, Chu Wanning did not plan to
ride on Mo Ran’s Sword anymore.
Of course, Elder Yuheng, who was barely able to fly twenty feet in the air,
didn’t intend to cross the vast ocean by stepping on Huaisha. Therefore, when
everyone was standing on the rocky beach, one by one, Mo Ran pulled on
their long swords.
Chu Wanning took out his Ascending Dragon Talisman.
Blood dripped from the tip of his finger onto the dragon’s scale. The noisy
little paper dragon suddenly came to life again. It soared into the air,
somersaulted a few times, and then circled around its owner as it shouted
loudly.
“Aiya, Chu Wanning, I haven’t seen you in so many years, I really missed
you. What did you ask me to do this time?”
“Take me to the other side.”
“Tai! I am the first True Sovereign of Creation, the Dragon of Candles.
How can I do the work of a mule or a donkey? I will not carry you, I will not
carry you!”
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, this palm sized little paper dragon
wagged its head, wagging its tail, creaking its tail. Although its body was
weak, its voice was loud and clear. Some of the kids couldn’t help but laugh
when they heard its words.
Chu Wanning’s face darkened. He raised his palm and a golden flame
appeared. He said in a low voice, “Burn if you don’t.”
“…” The little dragon was so angry that he fell straight onto the beach,
baring his fangs and brandishing his claws, blowing his beard and glaring at
them, “How can you be like this, fierce, unreasonable, and shameless. No
wonder you’re alone every time I’ve seen you for so many years!”
Mo Ran turned his head as if he wanted to say something, but after
thinking about it, since there were so many people around and Chu Wanning
wanted to save face, he decided not to say it. He just smiled and shook his
head.
Chu Wanning was angered, “You talk too much!”
As he said that, he swung the fire in his palm towards the small dragon on
the ground, but Chu Wanning did not really want to burn it. The fireball was
loud and powerful, but it grazed past the dragon’s whiskers and landed on the
reef.
“Where is This Venerable one’s tail?! What about my whiskers! This
Venerable One… This Venerable One’s head! Are you still there? Is it still
there?”
“If you keep nagging, then it’s over.” Chu Wanning gritted his teeth, his
palms were once again covered with a golden glow, “Grow bigger.”
“… Awoooooo…” The dragon was wailing for a long time. As it waved its
claw in the air, tears that did not exist flew out. Suddenly, its green eyes
caught a glimpse of Chu Wanning’s sharp eyes. It shivered, and then it let out
a comical “burp!” The end.
It slowly got up from the ground. This time, it really looked like a dragon
made of paper. Its body was boneless, and its whiskers were hanging down. It
burped again and said with grievance, “Just this once, there won’t be a next
time.”
“As you wish.”
Anyway, that’s what it said the last time it was mounted.
The paper dragon stretched out its four feet, as if stretching its limbs.
Afterwards, it emitted a sharp cry from its throat, and a golden light suddenly
spilled out from its young and thin body, spreading out to its surroundings.
The golden light became stronger and stronger, and finally engulfed the paper
dragon completely.
“Hou —!”
All of a sudden, the sharp and tiny sound of the paper dragon’s throat
turned into a powerful and terrifying roar of anger. In an instant, the ball of
golden light flashed with purple lightning and thunder.
Chu Wanning narrowed his eyes. His long ponytail and loose robes flapped
in the wind. When the golden light was extinguished, everyone looked around
and found that the little dragon had already disappeared. The beach was quiet,
with nothing on it.
“Eh? It’s gone?”
Some bold kids were surprised, but before they could finish their words,
they heard a loud roar from above their heads. The roar shook the heavens,
causing the sea of anger to churn and the clouds to surge.
Suddenly, a mighty dragon rushed out from behind the thick clouds. Its
eyes were wide open, its claws were strong, and just its dragon whiskers alone
were as thick as a hundred-year-old tree. It rolled and circled in the clouds,
like a tiger or a fierce wind, and suddenly it tilted its head upwards, and then
it suddenly dove down from the ground —!
Astral winds rose in all directions!
“Ahhhhhhhhh!”
“Father!”
The child who had lost his parents was frightened, but still cried out for his
father out of habit. Mo Ran hurriedly picked him up and comforted him
softly.
Chu Wanning did not expect to scare a child like this. He was stunned for a
moment before seeing the huge dragon rushing towards him. He immediately
said, “Slow down.”
“Argh?”
The colossal dragon actually let out a dull groan when it heard this. It then
landed on the rocky beach with a bang and slowly lowered its body.
The dragon was huge, so sitting on its body was not much different from
sitting on land. It was no wonder that Chu Wanning was willing to ride a
dragon while flying high in the sky instead of riding on a flying sword.
Mo Ran wanted to let Chu Wanning relax a little bit, so he held the child in
his arms and said, “Do you want to sit with that brother here, on this Dragon
of Candles Venerable One?”
However, the child was unwilling. He buried his face in Mo Ran’s shoulder
and whispered, “I’ll tell you in hushed tones, I don’t like him…”
Mo Ran also said to him, “I’ll tell you in secret, I love him.”
“Huh?” The child froze for a moment, but then, innocent after all,
whispered, “Really?”
“Shh, don’t tell anyone.”
The child immediately laughed, covered his mouth and nodded.
“What are you talking about? You’re still not leaving?” Chu Wanning did
not plan to ride with the rest. He looked at them briefly, then he soared up on
his dragon and disappeared into the clouds.
Due to the fact that they could not fly too fast with their swords, they finally
arrived at the Wuchang Town in the evening. Chu Wanning landed before
them and greeted the few rich families in the town.
The victims brought back from Linyi were all taken care of by the head of
household. As for the child in Mo Ran’s arms, he reluctantly turned around
and waved to him.
“Benefactor gege, see you in the future.”
“Yes, I’ll see you in the future.” Standing in the afterglow of the setting
sun, he watched them go.
Chu Wanning was tired of this feeling of separation. He stood still for a
while, then turned around and left. Mo Ran quickly followed him back to the
sect.
The two of them silently walked to the front of the stone steps of the
mountain gate. Step by step, they climbed up. The shadows of the trees
swayed, and the twilight shone brilliantly. Mo Ran recalled the time when
Chu Wanning crawled back to the top of the mountain with the heavily
injured and unconscious him on his back when his spiritual power was
running out. He could still see him standing beside him, so he couldn’t help
but have mixed feelings.
Amidst the bitterness and sweetness, he reached out his hand and gently
held the tip of Chu Wanning’s finger.
“…”
Even though he had already held his hand once, Chu Wanning still looked
stiff, clumsy and uncomfortable. He tried to keep his face calm, to make
himself look calm and at ease.
Unfortunately, the person he was facing was Mo Ran.
He was aware of his foundation, aware of his insides, aware of how
sensitive the mole by his ear is, down to how cold his feet get.
None of them spoke first, but seeing that he did not take his finger away,
Mo Ran wrapped his hand around his.
It was a long way, and he longed for it to be longer so that he could hold
his hand for longer, longer time.
He wanted the path to be shorter. If it was shorter, then the suffering Chu
Wanning had gone through when he carried him home would be less, just a
little less.
Just like this, they arrived at the peak of the mountain, and the majestic
mountain gates could already be clearly seen.
Suddenly, a tall figure wearing a white Silver Fox cloak appeared from the
shadow of the tree. Before the two of them could see him clearly, they heard
him call out.
“Shizun?!”
Chu Wanning was slightly surprised. He immediately pulled his hand out
of Mo Ran’s palm and hung it on his sleeve. Then, he stood still and raised
his head.
When Shi Mei walked down the stairs, his face was as clear as a lotus
under the setting sun. His face was bright and beautiful, and the brilliant rays
of sunlight even overshadowed the red clouds in the sky.
He was really very handsome.
Shi Mei probably did not see the two of them holding hands just now. He
was pleasantly surprised and laughed: “That’s great! You’re finally back!”
Mo Ran did not expect to meet him so suddenly. Feeling awkward, he
asked, “Is Shi Mei going out?”
“Mm. I was about to go down the mountain and buy some things for the
Sect Leader, but I didn’t expect to see Shizun and A-Ran first. A few days
ago, the Sect Leader received a message from his Shizun’s haitang, but since
he hasn’t seen anyone, he can’t be at ease…”
“I am fine with Mo Ran,” Chu said. “What about the others?”
“Nothing. Although the Young Lord was manipulated as the black chess
piece, fortunately, he was not controlled for long and did not damage his
heart. Elder Tanlang has been carefully treating him these past few days, and
he was already able to get off the bed and walk around this morning.”
Chu Wanning sighed, “That’s good.”
Shi Mei smiled, glancing at Mo Ran, then gently lowered his eyes, bowing
as he said, “Although I really want to chat for a little longer, if I don’t pick up
the medicinal ingredients that Guyue’ye sent over now, I would let the person
who delivers them wait for a long time. I need to go first. Shizun, I’ll see you
tonight.”
“Mm, go ahead. We’ll talk about it later.”
Shi Mei walked down the road, his figure gradually faded. Chu Wanning
turned his head, although he could feel that Mo Ran had not let go just now,
and that he had pulled away first, he did not know why, but for some reason,
he felt angry. His blade-like eyes fiercely gouged out Mo Ran, flicked his
sleeves, and left.
Mo Ran: “…”
The two of them walked out of the Loyalty Hall and pushed the door open.
However, they were stunned by the scene in front of them and were
speechless.
Inside the main hall of the summit of the mountain of the dead, it was
densely packed with gold and silver silk, precious corals, and magic tools and
spirit stones. From the highest Venerable One at the end to the entrance, Chu
Wanning could only push open half of the door and the other half was
blocked by a pile of shiny refining crystals, unable to move at all. Other than
these things, it was fine, but for some strange reason, there were actually
more than thirty unsettled peerless beauties standing in the hall.
As for Xue Zhengyong, he was at a loss of whether to laugh or cry as he
tried to reason with a disciple from the Huohuang Pavilion who was wearing
light red clothes.
“No, this is really no good. We can accept the rest, but these singers should
still be brought back to return to the Pavilion Master.” We really don’t listen
to dances here, nor do we like to watch them dance.
Mo Ran followed Chu Wanning into the room. The thirty girls who were
standing by the door immediately assaulted him with a strong fragrance. He
was already sensitive to the scent and could not hold it in. Immediately, he
sneezed four or five times.
Xue Zhengyong turned his head and was immediately overjoyed when he
saw the two of them.
“A-Ran, Yuheng! You’re finally back! Hurry, hurry up and help me
dissuade this… Uh… This envoy.”
Chu Wanning raised his eyebrows, “What kind of envoy?”
Without waiting for Xue Zhengyong’s reply, the disciple’s face was full of
smiles. He turned his head and said eagerly: “I am the head disciple of the
Huohuang Pavilion, under the orders of the pavilion master, and have
specially come to ally with Sisheng Peak.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
The three of them worked together to persuade that man for a long time
before they finally sent him away. Looking at the envoy’s departing back, Xue
Zhengyong sighed heavily and wiped the sweat off his forehead, “Do you
know that a lot of people from the large and small sects have come these days
to create alliances with Sisheng Peak? I haven’t interacted much with them in
these past few years. In the past, only three or five people from the Taxue
Palace on Mount Kunlun have been willing to pay attention to us. But now,
they all crowded over to present us with gifts and suddenly become so
enthusiastic that I don’t even know how to respond.”
Chu Wanning frowned and asked, “What’s the situation in the cultivation
world these days?”
Xue Zhengyong sighed, “The river flows east for thirty years, and west for
thirty years.”
“What do you mean?”
“What a mess.” Xue Zhengyong said, “That crazy Xu Shuanglin has so
many grudges and grudges in his memory scroll. Even if he knows that it’s all
because of his heart of revenge, what can it change? It goes without saying
that the Rufeng Sect was destroyed in just a short amount of time. Guyue’ye
and the Taxue Palace have completely become enemies. Now that enemies
have met, there is also the Wubei Temple…”
At this point, he suddenly remembered that master Huaizui was Chu
Wanning’s Shizun, and he could not help but shut his mouth.
However, Chu Wanning only said lightly, “The Wubei Temple is an empty
space, and the previous host was involved in the struggle for the position of
the next leader of the Rufeng Sect. With his sinister intentions, his reputation
has naturally been ruined.”
“Hmm…”
Hearing him talk about his own sect without any mercy, both Xue
Zhengyong and Mo Ran looked at Chu Wanning in confusion.
Chu Wanning pursed his lips and did not say anything more. After a while,
he asked again, “Where is Nangong Si?”
“I don’t know, I haven’t heard about him and Lord Ye… Miss Ye… since
the Tribulation Fire went out.”
Hearing this, Mo Ran could not help but mutter an “Ah” with a worried
expression.
Could it be that even after two lifetimes, these two gentlemen were still
unable to achieve a good end?
Seeing that his expression was strange and his gaze was obscure, Xue
Zhengyong turned to look at him: “What’s wrong with A-Ran?”
Mo Ran could not speak the truth, so he said, “I was just thinking that Xu
Shuanglin’s whereabouts have not been determined, and the two of them have
a deep connection with him, so I’m worried that they might be implicated.”
“Don’t worry too much. All the sects have already sent people to
thoroughly investigate the source of all the strange spells in the cultivation
world.” Xue Zhengyong said, “Unless Nangong Xu does not make any big
movements, he will definitely be caught. Young Master Nangong and Miss Ye
might be trapped in the forest for the time being, so it would be inconvenient
for them to contact each other from the outside.”
Mo Ran said, “Yes, I hope so.”
They continued to ask about the variables that had occurred in the past few
days. Although Xue Zhengyong received a message from Haitang and knew
that they were spending their days on Flying Flower Island, but he was unsure
of what to do next. Thus, he asked them about the current situation. Chu
Wanning had a few answers, two answers, two answers. When it came to
matters related to Mo Ran, he would pause for a moment and purposefully
turn his back on them.
As for Xue Zhengyong, even if he was beaten to death, he would never be
able to imagine what could happen between Chu Wanning and Mo Ran.
This was because the two of them looked like they didn’t match each other
at all.
Age, identity, personality.
Even the color of the skin, the taste of eating, the sleeping posture, all of
these were the opposite.
Throughout all these years, Elder Yuheng had always been lofty and
unsullied, while the Beidou Immortal had always represented coldness. Chuzongshi did not have much love and desires, and what he treasured the most
was his own face. Why would he be together with his disciple?
Nobody would dare to write these most outrageous words. If there was a
storyteller who could talk like that, he would probably be spat on the skin of a
melon and thrown under the beechwood table.
However, love grew just like that.
In the dim light, in the corner where no one cared to look, a hidden
delicate flower bloomed. Although it was not in full bloom, its fragrance was
already very charming.
Since he had returned to Sisheng Peak, that night, Chu Wanning went to
Mengpo Hall to eat.
Pushing open the door of the Red Lotus Pavilion, he suddenly saw a
person standing quietly on the long bluestone steps in the desolate mountain
path.
Hearing the commotion, the man turned his head around. The light directly
behind him was unrestrainedly painting a golden line on his handsome face.
Mo Ran smiled and said, “Shizun.”
Chu Wanning’s silky white shoes paused as his present suddenly
overlapped with his memories. It was as if he was once again back at the
Sisheng Peak of the first year of Mo Ran’s arrival. Every day, he would stand
by his door and watch his leave, waiting for his return.
However, the youth was no longer there. The Elder Yuheng back then had
already become the Shizun that he called out thousands of times.
In the respect, there were a few traces of extremely restrained eagerness, as
well as a gentleness that was not so restrained.
“What are you doing here?”
“Waiting to eat with you.”
Chu Wanning’s gaze fell on a box in his hand and he said, “I want to go to
Mengpo Hall today. I haven’t been there for a long time, so I don’t want to
stay in the pavilion for food.”
He then smiled, “Shizun is mistaken. This food box is empty. I just went to
deliver some food to Xue Meng. His appetite is not good. I borrowed a small
stove and cooked him a bowl of noodles.”
He did not expect that Mo Ran would actually serve food to Xue Meng. In
his memory, the two of them had always been at odds. Even though they were
cousins, it didn’t even take an incense stick of time for them to fight each
other to the death.
It was unknown when it happened, either because they had been asleep for
five years and had missed out on too many things, or because Mo Ran and
Xue Meng were gradually growing old. In short, when their Shizun had not
realized it, the relationship between the two of them had already begun to
melt away, gradually becoming more and more peaceful.
Even though it was far from the respect of brothers and sisters, at the very
least, Xue Meng would remember to pinch the clay figurine. He would also
remember to pinch an ugly Mo Ran, which would personally cook a bowl of
noodles and bring it to Xue Meng’s bedside when he was sick.
Chu Wanning sighed, “How is he? He was still asleep when I went to see
him.”
“He’s already awake. He ate the noodles and wanted to go out for a walk. I
finally persuaded him to go back and lie down. Chess is not like other games.
Those who fall into the black spot, even if their control isn’t deep, should at
least rest for a while.”
“Yes.”
Although Chu Wanning agreed, he still had some doubts.
…… This understatement was unintentional. However, he suddenly felt
uncomfortable. It was as if Mo Ran was too clear on the pros and cons of
Zhenlong chess pieces and was too indifferent.
“Shizun?”
Chu Wanning came back to his senses and asked with a smile, “What are
you thinking about?”
“… Nothing.” After all, Mo Ran was a Grandmaster now. It wasn’t strange
for him to have some knowledge of forbidden techniques.
He changed the subject and said, “Where are we going to eat? I don’t want
to be out there.”
“I don’t want to eat outside either.” Mo Ran rubbed his nose and laughed
softly. His voice was gentle as he said, “I just want to go with you. We can go
anywhere.”
Chu Wanning would never admit that he was moved, but he couldn’t help
but look into those warm, dark eyes for a moment.
Those eyes were warm and bright, reflecting the morning light and his own
reflection.
Simple and clean.
He couldn’t think of any reason to refuse such a pair of eyes, so he ended
up in the bustling cafeteria with Mo Ran.
Perhaps the thin layer of paper in the window had finally been broken. In
the past, Mo Ran would not hesitate to serve him food, and when he saw the
soup stains on the corner of Chu Wanning’s mouth, he would wipe it off with
a smile. But now, the two of them had become solemn. Under the gazes of
everyone present, they were even bashful to the point that their gazes
intertwined with each other.
As they finished their meal, Chu Wanning was about to put away the tray
when Mo Ran called to him, “Shizun, please wait.”
“What’s wrong?”
Mo Ran stretched out his hand and was about to touch Chu Wanning’s
face, but he stopped in his tracks.
He pulled back his hand and pointed to the corner of his mouth. He smiled
and said, “You have a grain of rice here.”
“…”
Chu Wanning froze for a moment, then put down the tray, seemingly very
calm as he wiped the rice with a handkerchief. He pursed his lips and asked
in a low voice, “Anything else?”
Mo Ran smiled and said, “No, it’s very clean.”
Only then did Chu Wanning pick up his plate and walk away. He was both
embarrassed and flustered, but he also felt a sense of loss that he was
reluctant to admit.
Mo Ran used to lift his hand directly before, but this man’s sudden
obedience made him feel uncomfortable.
It was the same for the following days.
He used to be so free and easy to deal with, but now he was like a boy who
had just started a relationship. He was treating Chu Wanning well with all his
effort, but he didn’t do anything overly radical. It was as if Mo Ran was afraid
of scaring him, so he was very careful with every step he took. Sometimes,
Chu Wanning could clearly see the scorching heat in his eyes, but that man’s
eyelashes would quietly fall down, and then, his broad palm would wrap
around Chu Wanning’s ten fingers.
When he raised his eyes again, the desire in them had already been
completely concealed by gentleness.
But that gentleness was too gentle, sometimes Chu Wanning had an illusion
of indeterminacy.
It was as if Mo Ran was treating a clay figurine that had been torn to
shreds and then stuck back together bit by bit. It was as if it was afraid that if
he made a huge move, he would crush it into powder.
Chu Wanning felt that this was a good idea. The cooking oil was boiling in
the pot in his dream, but this kind of thing was fine in his dreams. If it
happened, he would not be able to take it anymore.
However, no matter how much you restrain yourself, no matter how much
you follow the steps of love, there will still be an end to it.
On this day, he finished his dinner and prepared to leave with a peach. The
peach had barely taken two bites when his hand was caught. Chu Wanning
was shocked. He raised his head and saw that it was Mo Ran. He shouted in a
low voice:
“What are you do-?”
183. Shizun, I’ve quit spice
When there was no one around them, Mo Ran pulled him and took him to
the lane behind Mengpo Hall, which was very narrow. He went in and stood
close to Mo Ran again, leaving no more room.
Chu Wanning held the peach and stared at him.
It was almost a continuous restraint, which eventually made the man of
high blood a little agitated. His chest fluctuated slightly, and his black eyes
stared brightly at Chu Wanning. Suddenly, he reached out and held him in his
arms.
“My peach —!”
It was too late. The fruit was knocked off and rolled into the corner.
“Shizun.” The man’s hot breath lingered in his ears, so tormented, so hot,
but his tone was still clear, hot, floating with a sense of tolerance, his voice
burned with desire, but he still did not do more.
He just hugged him, hugged him in his arms, silently.
“I feel terrible.”
Chu Wanning suddenly opened his eyes: “Why? What’s wrong?”
Mo Ran was stunned at first, then laughed. He grabbed Chu Wanning’s
hand to probe the temperature of his forehead, huddled it on his lips and
kissed it down.
Chu Wanning frowned anxiously and said, “If you are sick, you should go
to see Elder Tanlang.”
“That winter pickle is useless.” Mo Ran said helplessly, “Only the small
cabbage can.”
Chu Wanning responded, and his face turned tense in an instant. He
became embarrassed and angry. “Who are you saying is a cabbage?”
Mo Ran laughed: “I was wrong.”
After a pause, he gazed at Chu Wanning with his wet dark eyes.
“But Shizun, I missed you.”
Chu Wanning was embraced by him and watched with such eyes. His anger
of being called “cabbage” had nowhere to vent, so it turned into a pink tint on
his ears. After a while, he said, “… We just ate at the same table.”
“None of that counts.”
“…”
“Shizun, I just want to stay with you for a little longer. Every time you
finish your meal, you walk away by yourself and walk into the crowd. I can’t
touch you…”
There was a weak grievance in the man’s voice.
“Stay with me longer, don’t go back.”
Chu Wanning’s cheeks became more and more hot and flustered by his
words. Besides, his breath was so fierce, so magnificent and so hot as he was
held tightly by him. In the end, he could not say a word.
“Shizun, let me hold you for a little longer…” murmured Mo Ran.
It’s not easy for them to be alone at Sisheng Peak. Especially in this period,
the number of visits by various factions has increased significantly. Xue
Zhengyong often dragged Chu Wanning to make suggestions, so the time for
them to be together was less.
It was hard to sit close to each other while eating, they always had to worry
about the crowds around them. If they weren’t careful, they’d let their
disciples see what’s different. So since they confessed, they’ve hardly had a
chance to hold hands.
It was no wonder that Mo Ran couldn’t bear it any longer. He has been
restrained for so long.
The twilight gradually arrived, and more and more people came out from
Mengpo Hall. A group of female practitioners who were joking and giggling
walked past the alley, and accidentally touched the fire-breed rat, which was
raised by the Xuanji Elder. The mice screamed, causing everyone to laugh,
and Chu Wanning was upset in such a hustle and bustle, so he pushed Mo
Ran slightly.
“Go out.”
“Just a little longer…”
“It’s time to come out or someone will come.”
In the end, Chu Wanning was a person who was used to being pure. He
didn’t give him a real color to look at. He was not confused, he would not be
fascinated. Mo Ran sighed. As he wished, he released him from the embrace.
Chu Wanning immediately walked out of the dark and narrow alley, then
looked back at him.
“What are you still doing there?”
Mo Ran coughed, looking awkward. He said: “Shizun should go first, I will
stay here for a while.”
Chu Wanning was rather puzzled, and was about to question him, but then
he noticed that Mo Ran’s tanned handsome face seemed to be a little red. His
black eyes were also a little twinkling, like the stars in the clear night sky.
Suddenly he realized what was happening. His eyes moved downwards
unconsciously. When he saw a part of it, his ears were buzzing. It was as if he
had been stung by a scorpion. His face was red and his ears were too: “You…
You’re just…” Without finishing his words, he suddenly flipped his sleeves
and left angrily, as if the smoke was still shining on his head.
For ten days or so, even if the tamed wolf was gentle, the blood in his
bones was also accumulating and increasing. Every morning and evening, he
stared at the elder Yuheng on the high platform. The desire in his eyes could
not be suppressed, and it became more and more obvious day by day.
When you are infatuated with someone, you can’t hide love even if you try
your best to hide it.
Sometimes Xue Meng would be frightened when he saw Mo Ran’s eyes.
He looked at him, and then at Chu Wanning. The son of the Phoenix had a
one-track mind, he did not think on the wrong road. So the more he looked,
the more confused he was, the more he did not know what emotion was
flashing in Mo Ran’s eyes.
Xue Meng felt uncomfortable subconsciously, but he could not tell where
he was uncomfortable.
One morning, Xue Meng took advantage of the absence of people around
him, so he lowered his voice and said “Hello, I want to ask you something.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Is Shizun ill?”
Mo Ran looked at him in surprise: “Why do you ask that? What’s wrong
with Shizun? Why wouldn’t I know?”
“You don’t know?” Xue Meng touched his chin. “It’s strange how you’ve
been looking at him lately, in a thoughtful way.”
“…” Listening to Xue Meng’s words, Mo Ran was able to understand. He
coughed softly and looked down. “What do you want, to curse Shizun?”
“I didn’t curse him.” After a pause, he muttered, “What do you keep
looking at him for?”
“You’re wrong.”
“I’m not blind.”
“You’re blind.”
“I’m blind? Then you are a dog!”
Two older men in their twenties were arguing naively. Chu Wanning heard
something strange on the high platform and looked at them coldly. They
suddenly shut up and recited their herbal dossiers with their heads down, but
their elbows were still against each other in a dark struggle. Mo Ran
pretended to struggle for a while, then suddenly relaxed, and without warning
pulled his arm away.
Xue Meng exerted himself too hard and suddenly lost the hindrance of Mo
Ran. He fell down on top of Mo Ran’s body with a bang.
Mo Ran clapped his legs and laughed, “Ha-ha-ha.”
Xue Meng was very angry, and did not care about the quiet atmosphere
around him. He said in a loud voice, “You don’t have a face! You shamed
me!”
“Mo Weiyu, Xue Ziming.” Seeing his disciples, Chu Wanning was a little
angry. He raised his phoenix eyes, frowned with his sword eyebrows and said
in a low voice, “Go out and quarrel. Don’t disturb people who clean up here.”
“Yes, Shizun.” Mo Ran steadied himself at once.
Xue Meng also reluctantly shut up. But he was still a little angry. He felt
that he had fallen a little bit. After thinking about it, he cut a small piece of
paper and wrote some large words on it. He got up and threw them on Mo
Ran’s table.
“Clap.”
Unexpectedly, the paper ball was thrown over, and a delicate white hand
picked it up from the open pages. Shi Mei unfolded the crumpled paper in
confusion and looked at the words written on it.
——
“You’re staring! Do you have any plans? Do you want to pass on your
peculiar thoughts to Shizun?”
Next, he drew a dog and made a black cross on it.
Shi Mei: “………”
After the early morning students dispersed, Xue Zhengyong found Chu
Wanning. He said that after several explorations in Linyi, he had determined
that no one could live there for five years because of the fire calamity.
Therefore, the refugees brought from the upper repair circle now need to be
placed in the leading villages and towns at Sisheng Peak.
“The ones I brought back have already begun to be helped to settle down in
Changchang Town, Fenghe Town and Baishui Village. And the ones that you
and A-Ran brought back.” Xue Zhengyong said, “If there are so many people
in Wuchang Town, it’s better to take half of them to Yuliang Village, where
there is also a shortage of young people.”
Chu Wanning agreed: “It is indeed more appropriate to settle them in
Yuliang Village.”
Xue Zhengyong nodded: “Yuliang is not far away. You go early, there are a
lot of people to be settled. These firewood, rice, oil and salt cannot be figured
out by Meng’er. I’ll also ask Shi Mei to go with you. He can help.”
Chu Wanning said: “… Okay.”
With the villagers of Yuliang Village, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran were old
acquaintances. The village chief got the news of Xue Zhengyong two days
ago, so he waited at the village gate early, waiting for the arrival of the
immortals at Sisheng Peak. The Ling’er girl was also there. She hadn’t seen
them for a long time. She had become more beautiful. When she saw Mo Ran
she came excitedly to greet him.
Mo Ran was a little surprised, but still laughed: “The girl did not go to the
Upper Cultivation World?”
“No, fortunately not. If I had gone to Linyi, I’m afraid I would have lost my
life.” Ling’er clapped her full chest with a lingering fear. “I’d better stay in the
Lower Cultivation world first. The days in the village are getting better and
better. Once upon a time, we were looking forward to going to the Upper
Cultivation world. This is the first time that we saw people from the Upper
Cultivation world coming to us. No, No.”
“Yes.” Someone heard her words and echoed, “Everything is a mountain
without turning around. Lord Xue is here. Maybe in ten or twenty years,
people in the upper circle will run to us with their eyes on it.”
Shi Mei said gently “The Lower Cultivation world has been suffering for a
hundred years, but the so-called river has the other side, the other side of the
sea, it is not only our side that has been suffering, and now it is time to live a
good life.”
As he spoke, he shared the herbal ointment Madam Wang had ordered him
to bring to the crowd. Mo Ran also took a can of it and looked closely. He
was surprised to find that there was a serpent-shaped emblem on the
Guyue’ye. “Cold Scale Sacred Hand-made drugs?”
“Well, a few days ago, Sect Leader Jiang sent someone here.”
Chu Wanning listened and said, “Jiang Xi will send better things than the
Huohuang Pavilion will send things. There are many ghosts and evil spirits in
Shu, and the most lacking is the panacea. When you send these, the Lord will
accept it with laughter.”
“That’s not true.” Mo Ran muttered, “The dān medicine by Hua Binan, the
Sacred Hand. They exaggerate a little. It doesn’t really bring back the dead,
alas…”
“Alas” and the second half of the sentence did not come out - alas, Jiang
Xi is really rich ah.
In Xuanyuan Pavilion, Chu Wanning bought a few bottles of Tapir
Fragrance Dew, asking for 2.5 million yuan. As a result, with a wave of Jiang
Xi’s hand, a whole carriage was delivered.
Mo Ran silently put the medicine pot back in his pocket, sighed to himself,
and thought that Rufeng Sect was indeed finished, but the next outburst was
obviously the Guyue’ye, which could not reach the Sisheng Peak. It would
take a hundred years for the Lower Cultivation world to rise.
After a busy half day, in the evening, the old people in Linyi had their food
and clothing allowances arranged, their houses were cleaned up, and the
three, Master and apprentices, were ready to leave. However, the village chief
insisted on leaving them to eat together. It was with great affection, they
couldn’t be impolite and leave. So they followed the village chief to the
ancestral hall of Yuliang Village.
The ancestral temple in the village always holds some important red and
white events such as New Year’s Eve dinner and Lantern Festival opera. They
are also in the ancestral temple or in the courtyard outside the ancestral
temple. On this day, because many old people from the upper spiritual circles
came to live in Yuliang Village from now on, the villagers prepared more
than 30 tables, cooked sheep, slaughtered cattle, steamed rice and boiled
noodles to entertain everyone.
The head of the village remembered that Chu Wanning would rather not
eat spicy food. He specially arranged a light dish to invite elder Yuheng and
some people in Linyi who were not used to spicy food to take their seats.
Those people were rescued by Mo Ran and Chu Wanning. When Feihua
Island was in the process of recognizing the cold immortal, but when it came
to recognizing that, sitting with him for dinner, everyone at a table was very
nervous. Because of etiquette, they couldn’t get up and change their positions.
Because of the embarrassment of the meal, the other tables were talking,
laughing and drinking. The tables had silent chopsticks, and nobody spoke.
Mo Ran was a good workmanship. He helped in the kitchen. When the last
dish came up, he came out of the back of the kitchen. His face was covered
with fine sweat, his eyes were bright, his nose was straight, and his face was
sharp and handsome.
“Soup stuffed buns are coming —!” The old lady held a large tray with
small steamers piled on it and her voice roaring loudly. “Every table has
twelve, six fresh meat of shepherd’s purse and six fresh meat of mushrooms.
You should eat them while they are hot!”
Mo Ran laughed and helped the aunt pass the soup dumplings in the small
cage next to the table.
“Thank you, Mo Weiyu!”
“Thank you, Mo Weiyu!”
More familiar with Mo Ran, the children cried out: “Thank you, brother
Weiyu!”
Ling’er’s eyes were not able to move around him. Although she knew that
he did not like her and would not like her in the future, she still couldn’t help
wanting to look at him.——
Well, it didn’t matter if she looked at him anyway.
“Thank you, Mo Weiyu.” Send her to this table, her lips were pink, she
said thank you softly.
Mo Ran smiled at her, which was not hiding, nor with any ambiguous
brilliant smile. Instead, Ling’er, who had just wanted to steal his eyes, was
somewhat embarrassed and bowed her head unexpectedly.
The last two tables had yet to be served. One was Chu Wanning and the
other was Shi Mei. They had different tastes, so they did not sit together. Mo
Ran was sent to Chu Wanning first. Chu Wanning frowned and said, “Don’t
work any more, the food will get cold.”
When Shi Mei sent the table to him again, Shi Mei laughed and said, “ARan is a skillful hand in the end. Thank you very much.”
“Ha-ha, it’s good to help my aunt a little bit.” Mo Ran said, turning around
and turning back, Shi Mei thought he was going to get the bowl, so he
vacated some empty seats on the bench and said, “Sit here, I just need one
more bowl for this table. You don’t need to take it.”
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment, then scratched his head and laughed,
“I will sit at Shizun’s table.”
“… When did you stop eating spicy food? There’s no spicy food there.”
“I quit.” Mo Ran said.
Shi Mei was silent for a long time, his eyes were dark, but he suddenly
laughed: “I’ve heard of quitting drinking water, quitting tobacco leaves, but I
haven’t heard of anyone quitting pepper.”
“In fact, it’s not quitting. If you don’t eat it for too long, you don’t wish to
eat it anymore.” Mo Ran waved to Shi Mei, and ran to the kitchen with a
smile saying, “Take the bowl, you sit and eat, and don’t eat the soup anymore.
It’s already cold.”
184. Shizun, I’ve made you wait a long
time…
He returned very quickly. In addition to a full bowl of rice, he also carried
a box with him and sat down next to Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning was a little surprised and hesitated, “You… Aren’t you going
to Shi Mei’s table?”
Mo Ran was stunned. “Why would I want to go to that table?”
Hearing his words, Chu Wanning’s heart was filled with joy. He lowered
his eyes and coughed, “I thought the dishes over there were just for your
taste.”
Looking at his slightly red ears, Mo Ran suddenly realized that Chu
Wanning was… jealous, wasn’t he? His heart throbbed as he smiled. He
whispered in his ear, “Wherever you are, it suits my taste.”
This time, Chu Wanning’s ears were completely red.
He had been leaning his knee against Mo Ran’s knee, but now he felt even
more sensitive and wanted to move it away. However, Mo Ran was unwilling
to do so. He used the cover from the table to touch Chu Wanning’s legs.
“You-!”
The voice drew the attention of the onlookers. “What’s wrong, cultivator?”
Chu Wanning was aware of his slip of the tongue, so he pretended to be
calm and said, “It’s nothing.”
Mo Ran could not hold back his laughter. He felt that Chu Wanning was
really interesting.
In reality, he did not want to do anything lecherous. After all, he didn’t
want to lose five hundred to kill a thousand. He just did not want Chu
Wanning to be that far away from him.
Therefore, he grabbed Chu Wanning’s leg and childishly pulled him back,
telling him to lean on himself.
Chu Wanning moved away again and he pulled back.
In the end, Chu Wanning couldn’t take it anymore. He kicked him under
the table, but finally stopped pushing away.
Mo Ran laughed.
“You must be sick,” Chu Wanning said.
The two of them ate afterwards.
Mo Ran first glanced at Chu Wanning’s bowl, sure enough, there were only
a few simple vegetables and a piece of tofu, and that soup dumpling had long
been snatched up by the other ignorant children at the table.
Mo Ran handed him the small bamboo food box.
“What is it?”
Mo Ran said softly, “Steamed dumpling, six crab yolks and six shrimps, I
made them for you… Hush, hush, eat quickly, I knew you were at the table
and you could never beat anyone in grabbing food.”
“…”
The fact that he was the only one eating in the kitchen was too obvious.
Chu Wanning felt embarrassed and did not want to move. However, when he
saw Mo Ran black eyes looking at him earnestly and sincerely, and that there
was even some flour powder on his cheeks, he was unable to say anything
further.
What’s more, that phrase, made especially for you, sounded very touching.
Chu Wanning did not say anything. After a while, he quietly opened the
box and put up the bamboo lid. He started to eat the crab meat that was very
fragrant and hot.
“Is it delicious?” The man looked at him wistfully, hoping for approval.
Chu Wanning bit his chopsticks and said, “Not bad, you try one too.”
“I’m not eating anymore. It’s all for you.” Mo Ran smiled, his black eyes
were bright and warm, “It’s good that you like it, let’s have a look at it after
you’ve eaten some shrimp.”
The man’s heart was unperturbed. The flour on his cheeks matched his
bright black eyes, making him look pitiful and adorable.
Although Chu Wanning was still at a loss as to why he would abandon Shi
Mei and turn to him, at this moment, his gaze was too pure and firm. He
could not look at anyone else, and it was enough to reassure anyone who was
stared at like that.
After dinner, the village chief invited everyone to go outside the ancestral
hall to watch the show. The stage was set by the river, and with a clang of
copper cymbals, Hu Qin began to play, and the students on the stage, the
denizens of the stage, the denizens of the temple, the raw horns, the flowery
faces, and the ugly horns all appeared one by one, and the stage was brought
to a lively place.
Chu Wanning didn’t want to watch this kind of play. Firstly, it was because
the mortal world’s tricks were too clumsy and he could see through it with a
single glance. Secondly, the people who were watching the play were busy
and crowded around him.
He was not interested, nor did Shi Mei. The two of them were planning to
leave, but Mo Ran did not say anything. He walked beside them and finally
turned around to take a last look at the stage.
Shi Mei said gently, “Let’s go. It’s too late to go back. The Sect Leader
should be worried.”
“Yes.”
Mo Ran did not say much as he followed with his head lowered. However,
just as he walked a few steps, he heard Chu Wanning ask, “You want to see?”
“He’s playing the part of Wang Kai and Shi Chong fighting for wealth.
Interesting.”
He did not say that he wanted to see it, nor did he say that he did not want
to see it. However, Chu Wanning quietly listened to his words and said, “Then
let’s go back and watch it first.”
Shi Mei was slightly startled: “Shizun, staying for dinner is already delaying
the delivery of the mission. If you stay and watch the show…”
Chu Wanning said, “We’ll just have to wait and see. Once we’re done, we’ll
leave.”
Shi Mei was very gentle as he smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll listen to
Shizun.”
The three of them returned to the stage and squeezed into the bustling
crowd. Many of the people who had left Linyi had not come to Chuanshu
before, had not seen the play before. They were shocked by the flying sleeves
and the dazzling transformation of their faces, but they were also shocked to
the point of sighing. The short and short children could not see the stage.
“Wang Ci, that coral tree, my precious treasure —”
On the stage, ‘Wang Kai’ and ‘Shi Chong’ desperately clung on to the
splendor of wealth and wealth, their faces and necks red, wanting to press
their opponent down.
“Who can take the fifty li of road back with the purple silk cloth?”
“Good!” “Hahaha, let’s do it again!”
The eyes of the audience were all brimming with light. The children’s
mouths were stuffed with pastries as they slapped their hands together with all
their might along with the adults.
This was not a dignified scene, no one would stupidly sit and watch the
show, coldly sipping a mouthful of jasmine tea, the servant pinching his back,
the servant girl clapping his hands, and the cold air below the stage causing all
the actors on the stage to lose interest.
These people were all simple and crude. They were in full swing, and they
were all standing and applauding. They shouted loudly as they stood, and
were extremely boorish and lively. Chu Wanning didn’t know how to respond
even though he was standing in the middle of a wave with his chest pressed
against his back. A boring person like him would probably rather sit in the
Upper Cultivation World and listen to Wang Ba’s crickets than watch Wang
Kai’s Shi Chong from the crowd.
There was another person who did not like the intensity of his emotions
any more than he did.
Shi Mei stood there for a while, as if shaken by the sound of the suona
cymbals, but he still stood there good-naturedly, until one of the men beside
him, his blood boiling with excitement, jumped up and slapped his face, and
accidentally bumped into another man who was holding a cup of tea. The hot
tea spilled all over him.
“Aiya! Sorry! I’m sorry!”
“Immortal, I’m truly sorry. Look at my clumsy hands and feet.”
Shi Mei hurriedly said: “It’s okay, it’s fine.”
However, his clothes were dirty and wet. He sighed and said helplessly to
Chu Wanning, “Shizun, why don’t I go back and change my clothes. I’ll
explain the results of the mission to the Sect Leader.”
“Alright, be careful on your way.”
Shi Mei smiled and said goodbye to Mo Ran before leaving. Chu Wanning
felt that his escaping technique was not bad, should he find someone to run
into? This way, he wouldn’t have to be overwhelmed by the crowd. Just as he
was thinking this, he suddenly heard a burst of cheers and cheers from all
around him. He looked up at the stage, and saw that the corner where he had
played Wang Kai was filled with anger.
“Boom —”
The river rippled and rippled until it was orange.
“Wah! Alright!”
“Spit again! Again!”
“…” Chu Wanning could not understand what was so interesting about it…
If he asked Xue Meng to come over, he could burn it a hundred times even
without a fire packet.
While he was lost in interest, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Mo Ran’s
smile. That tall man didn’t even need to raise his feet off the ground. He just
stood there calmly, and no one could block his line of sight. His handsome
face was lit up by the fire, his dimples were deep, and his eyes were soft but
deep.
Sensing Chu Wanning’s gaze, he turned around and smiled even more
brightly. His black eyes looked moist, but it seemed like there was nothing
there. It was just an illusion.
“When I was young, I used to go to the theater to listen to this. Every time
I couldn’t wait until the show was over, I would be chased away by the
manager.” Mo Ran’s tone was casual and calm, “This is the first time I’ve
heard it all… Does Shizun like it?”
“…”
Chu Wanning looked at him in the eyes and said in the end.
“Mm, not bad.”
A smile bloomed on his face as the night seemed to brighten up. A faint
chant suddenly came from the stage, one curtain fell, the other rose again. His
beautiful eyebrows were like smoke, his indigo feathers were quivering, his
majesty was filled with vigor, he was nothing but a lowly concubine.
“Oh, goodbye tyrant.” Mo Ran turned his head to look and smiled, “Let’s
go. Wealth is finished. We are satisfied. Let’s go back.”
“Let’s wait a bit longer.”
“Hmm?”
“It can’t be considered as boring. It’s fine to just watch a few more times.”
Mo Ran slightly raised his eyebrows, seemingly pleasantly surprised. He
then smiled, “Alright.”
Bie Ji, Jin Shan Temple, judgment of double nail, sitting in a building to
kill.
One after the other, no one left. As the hours went by, the people became
even more elated and spirited.
A few grandpas followed old woman Yan and chanted, “A good word is
always warm, but a bad word hurts the cold of June —”
The applause even overshadowed the singing of the actors on the stage.
Chu Wanning was being pushed and shoved by the village villagers who were
drunk, but there was nowhere for his to retreat to. It was precisely when he
was in a difficult situation that a pair of warm hands rested on his shoulders.
He turned his head and Mo Ran’s gaze. At some point, this man had
appeared behind him. Smiling, he brought him over and told him to lean on
himself so that he would not be disturbed by the people around him.
Suddenly, the sounds of laughter, the gongs and drums became distant.
Chu Wanning’s ears started to burn. He looked at Mo Ran for a while and
finally turned his face away, unwilling to look at him again.
It was just that the temperature behind him was so hot and the smell was
so scorching. His chest was pressed against his back, and his big, gnarled
hands were clasped around his shoulders. As the skin drums became tighter,
the flames started to erupt again. Everyone’s eyes were attracted to the drums.
They began to whimper and drink, slapping their hands together.
Chu Wanning wanted to follow along and clap his hands, pretending to be
calm.
However, before he could even raise his hand, he was enveloped by Mo
Ran from behind. Perhaps it was because no one noticed, or perhaps it was
because they were being pushed closer and closer, or perhaps it was because
in such a grand atmosphere, they especially wanted to be closer, hated to be
separated so much that he wanted to embrace the person and merge with his
flesh and bones.
Anyways, Mo Ran lowered his eyes and hugged him from behind, hugging
the person in his embrace with his strong arms. Then, he turned his face to
the side and kissed on the ear at the moment the fire lit up the night.
Suddenly, a flame flared up, illuminating the playful face and burning into
the heart of the spectator.
“Thank you for accompanying me.” He said, “I know you don’t like it.”
“… you’re thinking too much. I like it.”
Mo Ran laughed softly and stopped talking. He hugged him tighter and
pressed his chin against his neck.
The fire flickered. Chu Wanning suddenly wanted to ask something, so he
said, “Mo Ran, why are you…”
“Hahaha, good!”
His voice was weak and was instantly swallowed up by the clamor.
“What?”
“… Nothing.” Chu Wanning’s face was slightly red, and his anger was
slowly spreading. He didn’t want to ask him that question a second time, it
used up all of his energy, and now he felt embarrassed and annoyed and
didn’t want to speak again.
Mo Ran was quiet for a while. In truth, he did not hear clearly the question,
but he suddenly said, “The person I love has always been you.”
“…”
His heart began to race.
“It has always been you. I was too stupid. I couldn’t differentiate my own
thoughts before.”
Thump, thump, thump, his heart was beating like a drum, the sound of the
cymbals on the stage was almost drowned out by the sound coming from his
chest.
“I’m sorry.”
“…”
“I made you wait a long time.”
Everything in front of his eyes was filled with fireworks, and his ears were
buzzing. He could not hear anything clearly, and his head was spinning; he
did not know if his feet were on the ground or in the clouds, but only the
person behind him was real. The wind used to be colorless and had no trace,
but now it had become a burning breath of Mo Ran’s lingering at the tip of
his nose.
Chu Wanning didn’t want to hear too many explanations. What he wanted
was just a simple affirmation from the person he loved. With his dizziness, he
felt that everything was colorful. He was unable to think or move, so he was
immersed in the fierce and surging oil colors until he finally lost his five
senses.
185. Shizun’s interrupted rendezvous
When his consciousness returned, he was just barely able to figure out what
he was doing. Chu Wanning had a vague feeling that they had somehow
gotten out of the crowd and into the nearest forest that they could find.
They were kissing passionately, each breathing hot and fast.
So thirsty.
They were both people who yearned for each other for a very long time.
The way they kissed was radical and impatient, and they were even a little
crazy. Their Adam’s apples rolled in their throats as they swallowed, their lips
and teeth clattered so fast that they even bled a little, but no one could feel it,
no one could stop it.
Mo Ran pressed him against a tree. The rough wooden patterns stuck to his
trembling back. There seemed to be strings playing in the distance, but that
was not important. All sounds, regardless of distance or strength, were broken
apart.
The only thing intact was each other’s breathing.
Her lips and tongue were moist and rough as they grind against each other
without any shame.
Shameless…
Chu Wanning was not willing to admit defeat, but he had never been a
person of abstinence, and the other party’s desire to suddenly take out the box
was so fresh and terrifying that it was almost like a wild beast, wanting to tear
his throat and eat his flesh.
He did not know why he became like this. After arriving at this step, he
did not know whether he was right or wrong, and what would happen next.
It was as if the man who had been courteous, restrained, forbidding, and
lonely, each step a hundred paces behind him, had been torn apart and
destroyed at this moment.
He refused to show weakness. Even though his back was already numb and
his spirit seemed to have run out of energy, he was still willing to take the
initiative to not be a soft and fragile object in the palm of his hand.
Unfortunately, although he was full of ambition, his skills were extremely
poor.
He bit the tip of his tongue so hard that it was covered in sweet and fishy
blood. He was so close to the point where the more he breathed, the redder
his face became and the more difficult it was to breathe.
In the end, even Mo Ran started laughing. He felt that the hardworking
Chu Wanning who had no standards really attracted a lot of tender affection
from others.
His heart that was once cold and hard had melted into sparkling spring
water. A thousand li of lake water rippled with golden waves as they twirled
around his fingers.
When they broke apart, there was fluid linking between their lips and
tongue, lustful and sloppy. Their lips were wet and red, and their eyes were
filled with lust and tenderness. Mo Ran’s voice was hoarse, and the moisture
on their skin was dense. He lowered his head to look into Chu Wanning’s
eyes, his rough fingers brushing against his cheeks.
Chu Wanning also knew that his level was outrageous, but he refused to
admit it. He squinted his eyes and asked in a threatening tone, “What are you
laughing at?”
Mo Ran didn’t answer, but the smile deepened in his eyes, seeing this it
made him more annoyed.
“Don’t I… Is that right?”
He hugged him again, this time face to face. The same tall and straight
man’s body was held together, not as close as a man and woman, but it was
filled with even more heat, even heavier, sparks.
“How can you do wrong? Absolutely right.” Mo Ran intimately rubbed
against the top of his hair, and then rubbed his ears and temples. “Shizun is
the best…”
“Then why are you still laughing!”
Mo Ran let out a low laugh. His chest was burning hot and hard, but his
heart was getting softer and softer.
“My reaction wasn’t just to laugh.”
Chu Wanning had yet to understand the deep meaning behind his words.
As the distance between Mo Ran’s body and his upper body became deeper,
he suddenly felt Mo Ran’s intense and vigorous zeal, followed by the slight
movement of his breath. The feeling was so stimulating, so intense, so vivid,
that it made his scalp tingle, caused his heart to stop beating, caused him to
shiver, and even though he was cold, his throat felt tight and dry.
This made Chu Wanning realize how aggressive, ferocious, and violent this
seemingly gentle man was. He was so strong that even a drop of his blood
could rip apart a person’s internal organs.
His hair stood on end, and he was about to push him away, but before he
could raise his hand, the full, Mo Ran’s lips, moist and hot, kissed him again,
clamped on his lips and licked them. The man was breathing heavily, and his
ferocious body was sticking closely to the fabric of Chu Wanning’s clothes.
Chu Wanning was dazed by this terrifying eagerness. His tongue that was
burning hot and thick had already invaded his mouth, greedily kissing him,
rubbing against him. In the end, his mind went blank, his legs were soft and
numb.
He was trembling slightly from the excitement, from the unfamiliar feeling
of powerlessness, from the hard heat, from the burning passion.
Everything he did seemed stiff without any spiritual sense. The only thing
he remembered was that when they parted ways in front of the Red Lotus
Pavilion, they were panting and hugging each other in the dark. They had
kissed each other for a long time, wishing that they could swallow their
lovers, their desire and passion. How could it be not enough…Not enough.
Vaguely, he remembered Mo Ran whispering to him, asking for his
permission to sleep in the Red Lotus Pavilion tonight. Chu Wanning probably
used his last bit of clarity before gasping for air, forcing himself to regain
some rationality and not agreeing.
He did not know why he did not agree. It could be because of his
inexplicable self-esteem, or because he had been alone for too long and could
not adapt, or it could be because he felt that it was all ridiculous, even if it
was infinitely tempting, but he was caught off guard and too fast.
After struggling to break free from Mo Ran, Chu Wanning pushed open
the door and entered the pavilion. For the first time in his life, he understood
what it meant to not even dare to look back.
He knew that his strings had been stretched to the limit. If he were to turn
around now, he was afraid he would fall short. His desires would have been
broken, and he would no longer be able to push away the man in front of him.
They’ll be burned to ashes, not even dregs.
When he went back to bathe and change his clothes, Chu Wanning
discovered that his underwear was moist, the sweet and coquettish smell
made his face flush red, and he was at a loss of what to do.
He stayed where he was for a long time, and he couldn’t help but think,
how could this be? How could it be like this?
He had never lost his composure like this in his life. He had never been so
passive before.
Damn it, what should he do?
In the past, whenever Chu Wanning encountered a problem that was
difficult to solve, his subconscious reaction would be to search for a solution
in the books. As a result, ever since he was young, he had read a lot and his
brain was filled with countless books.
This was the first time that he couldn’t get an answer out of the sweaty,
bull-filled file.
Therefore, he had been caught blind, and was completely at a loss as to
what to do.
Luckily, Mo Ran seemed to understand him well. After being rejected
once, he understood the confusion and anxiety in Chu Wanning’s heart and
stopped advancing.
But the intimacy between them no longer stopped at holding hands. They
would passionately kiss in the alley behind Mengpo Hall, and after nightfall,
they would go to some deserted forest. Mo Ran was a person who did not talk
much, and sometimes he would even answer Chu Wanning’s questions, but
his eyes would speak, and there would be sweet words, sweet feelings, and
thousands of sweet words in his eyes, but it was just that he was very stupid,
not able to express, and not good at expressing himself.
There were many times when Mo Ran was more willing to do things
directly than just keep his mouth shut.
Somehow, Chu Wanning felt that he could always sense what he was
looking for. They had only just gotten together, but occasionally it felt like
Mo Ran had been by his side for many years already.
As the days passed, the time they spent kissing and hugging grew longer
and longer. However, the flames of desire were still burning in them. Almost
every time they separated, they would only continue to kiss and hug each
other.
After all, he had cultivated for many years, so his mental strength was still
on par with others. However, Mo Ran was not the same type of mental
cultivation method as Chu Wanning, not to mention that the young man’s
blood energy was strong and he had no way of getting up immediately after
every reunion.
It was too obvious. If the clothes couldn’t cover it, people would notice it.
He was enduring too much pain.
Today, after dinner, they hung around in a remote area near the back
mountain for about an hour. But there was still an elder gathering at night, so
after calculating the time, Chu Wanning decided that it was about time to
leave and told Mo Ran that he had to go. However, after calculating the time,
Mo Ran felt that there was still time, so he was unwilling to let him go.
The way he refused was rather crude. He didn’t say it out loud, but directly
kissed him again.
Mo Ran sat on one of the rocks in the abandoned garden. He hugged Chu
Wanning and asked him to face him, while sitting on his lap. Normally, the
person sitting below would be shorter than the person sitting on his lap, but
Mo Ran was tall and straight, which meant he was on the same level as Chu
Wanning and he did not have any disadvantages.
He kissed for a long time, wet and sodden. From his lips to his neck,
between his teeth was the Adam’s apple. Hearing the other party’s low and
heavy breathing, Mo Ran felt even worse. His heart felt like it was on fire.
Chu Wanning could not stand it either. He wanted to escape, he wanted to
leave, but his waist was too soft and his legs were too weak to obey his
commands. Mo Ran had been enjoying this hug very much. It was so close to
him that it made his whole body tingle. Chu Wanning could even imagine
what it would be like if he didn’t have his clothes on.
Perhaps he was truly on the verge of a crisis. No matter how intense the
kiss was, it was unable to release his desire. Instead, it only added oil to the
fire and burned even hotter.
When Mo Ran released his wet red lips, his eyes were moist. He panted
deeply, his Adam’s apple rolling up and down in a sexy voice. He looked like
he wanted to say something, but in the end, he just bit down fiercely.
If he really bit into it, Chu Wanning would feel pain, but it was very
exciting. It was as if needles were stabbing into his body, causing his to
tremble in pain.
He embraced the person in his arms and caressed that pitch-black hair. He
felt that his Shizun was so good that it would make people want to take pity
on him from the bottom of their hearts, and he also felt that his Shizun was so
enticing that it made people want to bully him ruthlessly…
In the tranquil air, the original scent was getting stronger and stronger. Chu
Wanning raised his head and closed his trembling eyes, it was very
uncomfortable. Such a hug and kiss was very stimulating. He already felt
uncomfortable, let alone the young man that was hugging him.
The eyes and tails of Mo Ran were red and slightly moist.
He opened his mouth and spoke in a low and hoarse voice. He seemed to
be enduring something, but he also felt wronged. “Shizun…”
“…”
“Please, I can’t take it anymore…”
What do you want to do if you can’t take it? Chu Wanning thought of his
shattered and fuzzy dreams, and a shiver ran down his spine. He did not make
a sound, and his ears were so red that he could not bear it any longer. What
was he supposed to do…
When Mo Ran once again covered his moist and swollen lips, Chu
Wanning spoke softly, almost inaudibly, “Then… Not here.”
Not here, but there could be more, somewhere else.
Mo Ran looked up abruptly, almost pleasantly, and then kissed him hard,
trying to get him to his feet like that.
Chu Wanning felt humiliated to the extreme and shouted in uncontrollable
rage, “Let me down!”
Mo Ran put him down, but did not forget to kiss him. “Where does Shizun
want to go?”
Before Chu Wanning could say anything, he heard a strange rustling sound
coming from the nearby haystack. He was shocked, his mind cleared, and he
pushed Mo Ran out of the way.
The two of them had just separated when they saw a person walking over
from the shadows of the bamboo forest. In his hand was a faintly swaying
wind lamp and his clothes fluttered in the wind.
That person was silent for a long time. Then, his voice rang out. Even
though he was being repressed, his voice was still filled with astonishment and
bewilderment.
“You all… Why are you here?”
186. Shizun, Xue Meng is so gullible,
hahahaha
The man was wild and handsome, his black and white eyes wide open, his
face illuminated by the wind lamps.
Xue Meng.
Chu Wanning was speechless. He did not know how much Xue Meng saw
or heard. After a few moments of silence, Mo Ran broke the silence.
“I have something to discuss with Shizun.”
Xue Meng slightly narrowed his eyes. He had just walked over when he
faintly heard a low gasp in the forest. He thought it was a pair of ungrateful
disciples secretly meeting in the important areas of the rear mountains.
Normally speaking, Xue Meng didn’t have the qualifications to care about
this sort of thing. Besides the Wubei Temple and the Clearsky Hall, no one
from the top ten sects was forbidden from talking about love and dual
cultivation. Although there is a so-called “abstinence from lust” at Sisheng
Peak.
But it only means “don’t go to the brothel” and “don’t go against the rules
of nature”.
But who was Xue Meng?
He was Chu Wanning’s disciple, the head disciple.
For so many years, Xue Meng had been recounting the words spoken by
Chu Wanning.
What he had done was like a benchmark for himself. Since Chu Wanning
didn’t like to see others privately giving and pulling at each other, then he
wouldn’t care about anything else. He would rather despise this pair of
beloved and hate them for holding hands.
The back of the mountain was an important place where the boundary of
the ghost realm was easy to break. Xue Meng was immediately displeased
and came to find the source of trouble with the lanterns.
He never would have thought that under the flickering light of the lantern,
these two people would be illuminated.
Xue Meng was stunned and stupefied. So he didn’t even greet his as per the
rules. Instead, he just blurted out, “Why are you here?”
The boundary of this place had not been broken, so there was no need to
repair it.
No vanilla flowers, no scenery.
The place was remote and one couldn’t come here by loitering around.
If he had asked Xue Meng in normal times, “There are two people, dark
and silent. They don’t walk the path of the Yang Pass, nor take a seat in the
beautiful back garden. They must go to an extremely secluded place to talk.
Young Master, what do you think?”
Xue Meng would definitely sneer and say, “What else can you say in that
place? A word of love?”
If he were asked again, “The two of them are both men, and they have
known each other for a long time. They are both unmarried, and their
appearances and statuses are equal, what does Young Master think of their
relationship?”
Xue Meng would definitely roll his eyes and say, “What else could it be?
Long Yang’s fetishism6 and cutsleeve’s behavior makes people feel nauseous.”
He then said to him, “Haha, what Young Lord said is incorrect. In fact,
these two are a pair of Shizun and disciple. Young Master, please do not be
arrogant —”
Xue Meng would probably clap the table in anger and say, “Preposterous!
What is this? Which pair of beasts were they? I will immediately expel them
from the sect, and expel them from Sisheng Peak!”
However, as long as he told him that this pair of Shizun and disciple, one
was called Mo Ran and the other was called Chu Wanning, then Xue Meng
would definitely, definitely, definitely be startled. His face flashed with all
sorts of colors like a lantern, and he finally supported his forehead as he sat
down, saying, “About that, the things before do not count. I think there must
be a second possibility.”
— That was it.
Xue Meng definitely wouldn’t, and he really couldn’t, involve Chu Wanning
in any sort of chaotic, irregular, and reckless business, so he immediately felt
like he had misheard.
However, he still felt his mind was in a mess as he muttered to himself,
“What words do you have to say here?”
Chu Wanning was about to open his mouth to explain, but Mo Ran, under
the cover of his wide sleeves, lightly squeezed his hand, signaling him not to
speak.
If Shizun tried to lie, even a three year old child would not be fooled. It
would be better if he could do it himself.
Thus, Mo Ran said, “Before the evening, I found a osmanthus candy year
cake here.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
Xue Meng was stupefied. “What thing?”
“A New Year’s cake made from osmanthus candy that has been cultivated
to perfection. It’s only about ten inches tall, with a lotus leaf on its head and a
tail with a blue lamp burning at the tip.”
“What monster is this? I’ve never seen it in a atlas.”
Mo Ran laughed, “I have also not seen it before, so I was thinking, maybe a
few days ago the Demon Suppressing Pagoda of the Rufeng Sect was
destroyed and some extinct demonic beasts were brought here for Shizun to
see.”
Hearing him say this, Xue Meng immediately let out a breath of relief. For
some reason, he felt extremely relieved in his heart. His face that had been
tightly tightened from just a moment ago finally became lively once more. He
carried a lantern and walked over. Looking around, he asked, “Have you
found the Monster New Year’s Cake?”
“Nope.”
Xue Meng glared at him. “It’s not like I’m asking you. I’m asking Shizun.”
Chu Wanning said, “… We couldn’t find it.”
Mo Ran laughed, “I’m afraid that once he saw Shizun and was afraid that
Shizun would eat it as a snack, he immediately went into hiding.”
Chu Wanning was stunned before reprimanding angrily, “Mo Ran! Are
you thinking of going to the Compendium Pavilion to copy books again?”
After making such a ruckus, Xue Meng’s initial unease gradually
disappeared. He sighed to himself, “Damn it, just now, I had a vague feeling
that Shizun had some unclear connections with Mo Ran…” How ridiculous,
how could this be?
His Shizun was the coldest bunch of holy water in the world, and no one
was allowed to touch him, much less stain him.
At this moment, Mo Ran asked him, “After talking so much, at least talk
about you. What are you doing here?”
Xue Meng mumbled, “I’m here to find Veggie Bun for my mother.”
Mo Ran raised his eyebrows. “Is that the new fat cat?”
“Yes.”
“Orange in color, with a ‘King’ pattern on the head, the one that only eats
fish and not meat?”
“Yes, did you see it?” Xue Meng sighed, appearing very helpless. “It is so
fat, but it can run very fast. I have gone to every place that I can find in the
back mountain of the previous mountain, but there is no sign of it…” He
suddenly thought of something and opened his eyes wide, exclaiming, “Ah!
Do you think the New Year Cake will eat it?”
“…”
He turned into a light cough and said, “About this, I can see that the Sugar
Year Cake is so small. Although it’s a monster, it’s useless. If Veggie Bun
meets it, the thing that should be worrying is not the tangerine cat, but the
Sugar Year Cake.”
Xue Meng touched his chin, thought about the size of Veggie Bun, and
agreed, “Not bad… You’re right…”
“The back of the mountain is dangerous, so don’t go any further. I’ll help
you find it.”
Xue Meng hurriedly waved his hand. “How could I dare to trouble you,
Shizun?”
Chu Wanning said, “Since you have nothing to do, I’ll look for you for a
while. After that, I’ll have to go to the Loyalty Hall to attend the Elders Guild.
Let’s bring Mo Ran and search quickly.”
Mo Ran: “…”
He was really convinced that Chu Wanning felt like his body was a fire;
burning when he wanted him to, extinguished when he wanted to. And now
he was actually asked to stand up and look for a cat? He still hadn’t come
down.
Xue Meng saw that he did not move and his expression was strange, so he
asked, “What happened to you?”
Mo Ran said, “Nothing much. I’ve been feeling a bit uncomfortable since
just now. You guys go ahead and look for it. I’ll be coming over very soon.”
Chu Wanning glanced at him, then suddenly realized that Mo Ran was
wearing a different outfit from his. He was usually dressed in black and gold,
which made him look very aggressive and suitable for combat, but his
weakness was obvious. If he didn’t wear a cloak, his lower body would react
very strongly.
“…” Chu Wanning did not say anything else. In the darkness, the face of a
man with a cold face suddenly turned red, like the sunset shining on a clear
surface of ice.
Ever since that day, Chu Wanning was unwilling to have a private meeting
with Mo Ran no matter what.
It just so happened that during that period of time, they had gotten busy.
The various sects felt that if Xu Shuanglin lived a single day more, they would
not be able to sleep soundly. They turned to the “Tianyin Pavilion” — an
organization independent of the ten great sects. It was an organization
specialized in investigating difficult situations, but Xu Shuanglin was too
ruthless and did not leave behind any clues.
At the end of the month, Li Wuxin could no longer hold it in and sent a
Hero thread inviting the Sect Leaders of various sects and clans to the
Spiritual Mountain to discuss the matter.
Chu Wanning and Xue Zhengyong naturally went as well.
The last time the heroes had gathered at the Spiritual Mountain was when
Xue Meng, Nangong Si, and the others were in the sword competition. In the
blink of an eye, the structure of the cultivation world underwent a drastic
change, and the seats belonging to the Rufeng Sect were empty, while the
Huohuang Pavilion was also in a state of collapse. The newly appointed sect
leader was a stuttering youth who shrank into the crown and refused to talk.
The masters of the Wubei Temple exercised their words and deeds, and never
said that they would preside over the scandal…
When Xue Zhengyong recalled the scene of the heroes arriving together
with the harmonious and harmonious atmosphere, he actually felt that it had
been a lifetime. He couldn’t help but lament deeply.
Sitting up, Jiang Xi had been promoted to the position of the first Sect
Leader and would be in charge of the investigation of Nangong Xu. This
person was completely different from the first Sect Leader Nangong Liu.
Nangong Liu was all smiles. Regardless of whether or not he had a high or
low status, he was still very polite and did not love to offend people.
What about Jiang Xi?
The Sect Leaders had just announced the results of the singing and asked
him to host it when he calmly sat down on the seat of honor that Nangong Liu
had previously occupied.
Before Nangong Liu sat in this position, he had rejected him with all his
might, but after three times, he had made enough of the humble and
respectful act. After sitting in this position, he had even sincerely said words
of praise for an hour.
Jiang Xi only had two words.
“Of course.”
He actually said that this seat should be his.
Sect Leader Jiang was rich, truly rich, truly arrogant, truly bad temper, and
truly thick skin.
Xue Zhengyong suddenly remembered something as he mumbled to Chu
Wanning in a low voice, “He didn’t come to the Spiritual Mountain
Competition. More than once.”
Chu Wanning was not familiar with these disputes, he frowned and asked,
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, ever since Nangong Liu became the First Sect Leader and the
Rufeng Sect was recognized as the number one sect, Jiang Xi never came to
the Sect Leader Meeting…”
Chu Wanning looked at Jiang Xi for a while and said, “He is a proud and
arrogant man. I can see that he does not wish to be beneath trash.”
Xue Zhengyong felt wronged, “I don’t want to be under trash either.”
Chu Wanning smiled faintly, “The Sect Leader is patient, he can’t be
considered to be condescending.”
As they were talking, one of Guyue’ye’s attendants suddenly came,
stopping beside their table, giving a salute, before taking out a brocade case.
Xue Zhengyong turned around and asked, “What’s wrong?”
The attendant shook his head, pointed to his ears, pointed to his mouth,
and turned out to be a deaf and dumb servant who could neither speak nor
hear.
Chu Wanning looked at him back and forth, and realized that this person
was different from the other ordinary disciples of Guyue’ye, with a silver
snake-shaped collar around his neck.
“Cold Scale Sacred Hand…?”
The mute servant noticed that Chu Wanning was looking at his collar,
nodding, bowing again, raising the box above his head and handing it to him.
The box also had an exquisite snake-shaped emblem on it. Xue Zhengyong
looked at it and said, “He should be under the Cold Scale Sacred Hand.”
As he said that, he looked towards Guyue’ye’s direction, and indeed saw
the greatest Grandmaster of the medical sect, the Cold Scale Sacred Hand
Hua Binan, wearing a straw hat and eyes, silently gazing in their direction.
187. Shizun, you are my light
Seeing Chu Wanning turn his head, there seemed to be a trace of a smile
in Hua Binan’s eyes. He stretched out a white hand from under his broad
green silk robe and gently waved towards the box in front of Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning nodded and said to the mute, “Thank you.”
When the mute servant saw that he had put away the box, he bowed again
and returned to his master.
Xue Zhengyong asked in surprise, “Yuheng, you know the Cold Scale
Sacred Hand?”
“I don’t know him.” Chu Wanning looked at the box in front of him,
“Since you know me, you don’t need to spend 2.5 million gold in Xuanyuan
to buy his Tapir Fragrance dew.”
“Then why did he give you this?”
“I don’t know either.” Chu Wanning said, “Open it and take a look.”
The embroidered box was opened. Inside, it was actually neatly packed
with five bottles of warm colored Tapir Fragrance dew as well as a letter.
Chu Wanning opened the letter and saw that the contents were quite
simple. He said that he knew Chu-zongshi had spent a high price on dew in
Xuanyuan Pavilion and felt that the Tapir Fragrance dew’s price was not
worth it. He had been wanting to offer another five bottles.
However, he had never been able to meet the Grandmaster by chance. Now
that he had obtained such a good opportunity in the Spiritual Mountain, he
could only hope for the immortal to accept it.
Xue Zhengyong immediately said, “I think he wants to befriend you.”
“…”
If he did not accept this gift, it would be disrespectful to the other party.
Chu Wanning thanked Hua Binan from a distance and gave the embroidered
box to Xue Zhengyong.
Xue Zhengyong said happily, “Give it to me?”
“… To Elder Tanlang.” Chu Wanning said, “I always felt that this Hua
Binan was a little strange. Every year, Xuanyuan Pavilion would auction off
so many expensive medicines for him, but every time, they would always be
of high value. Could it be that he’s paying us back one by one?”
Xue Zhengyong muttered, “I don’t think it’s strange. After all, there are
high prices. This is the first time I’ve heard of someone as high up as you
being so ridiculous.”
Chu Wanning was slightly angered as he said, “But if there’s anything you
need, it’s nothing out of the ordinary. In short, you should give all five bottles
to Tanlang. I believe there’s no poison here, but it’s not a waste for Tanlang to
learn how to concoct the Tapir Fragrance dew.”
“You don’t need it?”
“I…”
It was strange to think that the number of absurd and realistic dreams had
decreased recently. Other than the few days he had spent outside the gates of
the Rufeng sect and the occasional fragmented dream scene, the rest of the
night was a good dream.
Drinking more of the Tapir Fragrance dew would be a waste of heaven’s
treasure. Chu Wanning felt that there was no need for him to keep such a
good medicine.
He stayed at the Spiritual Mountain for two or three days. When he
returned to Sisheng Peak, Mo Ran was no longer there.
Xue Meng said, “He went to exterminate the monsters.”
A thin frown line appeared on Chu Wanning’s forehead, “Another
monster? It’s the nineteenth this month.”
“They all came from the Golden Drum Tower of the Rufeng Sect.” Xue
Meng sighed, “I captured a lot of things and locked them up in our HeavenPiercing Tower, but Heaven-Piercing Tower is not as small as the Golden
Drum Tower, and the spirit stone talismans inlaid there are not as powerful as
the Rufeng Sect. If this goes on, I’m afraid the tower won’t be able to
withstand it first.”
Xue Zhengyong said, “Next time, Li Wuxin will come again. Let him bring
some to Bitan Manor and stay in his Holy Spirit Tower.”
Xue Meng laughed. “That is a good idea.”
Xue Zhengyong replied, “Guyue’ye can also get a bit of it. I heard that
their Star Plucking Tower is even larger than the Golden Drum Tower of the
Rufeng Sect…”
This time, Xue Meng was unwilling. Raising his pitch-black brows, he
angrily said, “No!”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like that Jiang Gou. He hates it. Even if Heaven-Piercing Tower
explodes, I’m not willing to give him the demons my sect has captured!”
Chu Wanning shook his head. He didn’t want to hear any more of the
father and son duo’s chatter, so he left first.
He returned to the pavilion and slept. As expected, it was a good night’s
sleep, and there was no longer any old dreams that disturbed him. When he
woke up, the sun had already set, and the sky was half filled with the color of
blood.
At this time, Mengpo Hall didn’t have any food left, but he was a bit
hungry. He tidied up his clothes and pushed open the door, preparing to take
a walk around Wuchang Town and have some snacks.
As a result, he coincidentally saw Mo Ran walking on the bluestone
staircase leading to the Red Lotus Pavilion.
Upon seeing him, Mo Ran smiled. “Shizun, I heard uncle say that you were
sleeping and wanted to wake you up.”
“What’s the matter?”
“I’m fine. I just wanted to see you, to walk with you.”
Coincidentally, Chu Wanning felt a bit of joy from their coincidences. In
his heart, he felt that even the tiniest bit of happiness was worth it.
“Where to?”
They asked at the same time.
Chu Wanning was taken aback, as was Mo Ran.
Then he said, “I’ll listen to you.”
They all said the same thing.
Chu Wanning’s ten fingers were tightly clenched in his sleeves. Sweat was
seeping through the gaps of his fingers. His eyes were dark and hot, yet he
watched Mo Ran calmly and steadily.
Mo Ran could not help but grin.
“Everywhere.”
Chu Wanning was actually very happy, but he was still used to being
indifferent, even if his happiness was not light. It was very rich, like the
crimson red of a haitang.
He said, “Let’s go to the town and have a bite to eat.”
He did not even ask how Mo Ran was doing, nor ask if exorcising demons
went smoothly. They were now connected by fate and had a very tacit
understanding, and when he stood outside the bamboo door and watched Mo
Ran’s black clothes flutter about, the dark golden curling grass edge rippling
in the night light, he understood that everything was fine, there was no need to
say anything more.
Together they went to the town.
For the past few years, Wuchang Town had been getting better and better.
It had expanded from the original three-way street into the current five-way
street, which was almost a full circle bigger than the previous three-way
street.
“When I first arrived at Sisheng Peak, the household doors used to be
already closed before nightfall. Incense furnace ashes were scattered all over
the courtyard. The Eight Trigrams Mirror was hung on the door, and the Soul
Suppressing Bell was tied under the eaves.” Chu Wanning looked at the
people walking past his and said, “Other than the name of the town which
hasn’t changed, I almost can’t recognize anything anymore.”
Mo Ran laughed, “With Sisheng Peak, it will only be better in the future.”
The two of them walked along the green stone main street that had been
rebuilt in the town. Along the way, there were people who blew candy, people
who played hide and seek, people who sold food and barbecued food from
stalls, people who ate from pot to pot. The streets were filled with a myriad of
lights, lighting up the bustling night market.
Seeing the pot in the stall, Mo Ran remembered that he, Xue Meng, and
Xia Sini had eaten here before. He smiled and pulled at Chu Wanning,
“Shizun, eat this. This restaurant has your favorite drink soy milk.”
They sat in the squeaky little bamboo chair. The sky was very cold, but the
head chef who cooked with the side dishes was extremely hot. He was barechested and wiping his sweat, walked over and asked, “Two immortals, what
do I need?”
“The mandarin duck pot,” Chu Wanning replied.
Mo Ran said, “Mushroom Clear Soup Pot.”
“… Aren’t you going to eat spicy food?”
Mo Ran lowered his eyes and smiled, his voice gentle and slow. “I want to
quit.”
Chu Wanning was stunned for a moment. He finally understood why Mo
Ran suddenly stopped eating spicy food. It seemed like there was a fish
swimming in the lake, bubbling in the pond.
“You don’t have to…”
Mo Ran said, “No, I just like it.”
“…”
“I like it, I want it.” He looked at Chu Wanning and smiled. The thick
eyelashes fluttered and landed on his slightly red ears.
He did not finish the second part of his sentence.
If I want to be like you, when you eat hot pot, two pairs of chopsticks can
be inserted into a lively pot, no longer red and white, clearly separated.
Mo Ran ordered some more dishes, but unfortunately, the stall didn’t have
exquisite desserts. He ordered three cans of soy milk from the fat porcelain
pot and sat in the back, waiting for the dishes to arrive.
There were people eating nearby, men, women, old and young, black hair,
white frost, steam rising from the soup pot, flames rising from the wok,
shouts and punches, laughter and selfish desires, all gathered together in this
boiling and steaming hot smoke, a lake and a sea of gentleness from the
fragrance of vegetables and wine.
The human world was so ordinary, and the mortal world was so lively.
Before Mo Ran turned fifteen, he was starving and couldn’t eat any of
these good wines or dishes.
Even after becoming an Immortal Emperor, there was still no peace above
the thousands of people.
It’s all there now.
Suddenly, a flame rose in the air. It turned out to be a man holding a spoon
in his hand. The fire came rolling up from the big pot in clusters, causing the
bare-chested man’s entire body to be covered in a layer of fine copper oil.
Under the light of oil, salt, and vinegar, his strong arms and muscles shook,
and a plate of fried meat was sent out of the pot in an instant.
It was the perfect time to heat it up and bring it to the table.
“Oil Burst Double Crisp!” The waiter shouted.
Taxian Jun in the previous life was unpleasant with all kinds of delicacies,
but for some reason, he was actually made to laugh by this “oil burst double
crisp”. His slender fingers overlapped and rested on the smooth chin, deep
dimples appearing. His eyelashes moved slightly, and the brilliance from all
over the world gathered on the two curtains of ink at this moment, dyeing the
darkness very brightly.
Chu Wanning asked, “What are you laughing about?”
“I don’t know. I’m just very happy.”
Chu Wanning stopped talking, but the charming smile of the handsome
man in front of his had brightened his heart.
After eating, he raised his head to look at the sky. He felt that it was about
to rain, but the people below did not seem to care and continued to
methodically enjoy the brilliant night.
As they passed a lantern shop, Mo Ran suddenly stopped and stood
watching.
Chu Wanning followed his gaze. It turned out that the old craftsman was
carefully putting on a pagoda lantern. Another similar lantern had been
prepared, and it was a river lamp.
“Uncle, please give me this pagoda lamp.”
He did not ask for the price, nor did he ask for Mo Ran’s liking.
Chu Wanning walked over and handed the golden leaf to the elderly man,
who was bent over making the lamp. Then, he casually passed the lamp to his
disciple who was standing behind him.
“Take it.”
Mo Ran was pleasantly surprised and at a loss. “For me?”
Chu Wanning didn’t say anything. He picked up the half-empty pot of
wine from the meal and looked around. When his sight fell on the river bank,
he started walking towards it.
Lights flashed on and off, and were once again resplendent. The lights were
resplendent, winning over the majesty of the Buddha.
“Since young, I’ve always wanted to put it on, but I’ve never had the money
to do so every year.”
“Yeah.” Chu Wanning looked at him blandly, “You are the poorest.”
Mo Ran smiled.
He was lazy, so he leisurely leaned against the bridge with his arms
crossed. The white-robed Taoist leaned against the dark black pillar of the
bridge, holding a jug of wine with bright red tassels in it, he raised his head
and took a sip, then turned his face a little, the red light of the lanterns on the
corner of his nose shone on his exquisite porcelain face. His expression was
indifferent, but it was hard to conceal the temperature of his gaze.
Idiot, what’s so fun about that?
However, his eyes were still unblinking as he watched Mo Ran walk to the
river bank. He chatted with the pagoda lamp for a long time, and at last, he
gently placed it on the surface of the river. A streak of golden red reflected in
the sparkling water, Mo Ran paddled the surface of the water twice, sending
the pagoda away.
That day, Mo Ran stood next to the dark river for a long time.
It was not a holiday. No one else on the river had a light on.
Only the small pagoda lantern emitted a weak but stubborn glow. It
wandered around in the endless cold night, turned into a small spark, and
finally was swallowed up by the darkness, disappearing without a trace.
Mo Ran stood there silently, no one knew what he was thinking.
He saw the end.
On the surface of the river, there was no more light.
It’s raining, it’s raining.
The rain beat down on duckweed and knocked on the powder wall.
The peddlers fought to cover the pots, pans, and utensils they used to make
their living with brown tarpaulins. They pushed their carts in a hurry to
escape the heavy rain.
Chu Wanning froze for a moment. Although it was not far from being
stung, it was still early in the winter and the rain was getting heavier.
He stood under the bridge, wet from the rain and the wind, his clothes only
a little wet, but Mo Ran was hurrying up from the bottom of the beach, his
clothes wet, his face wet, his eyes wet and dark.
He looked at him with a bit of gentleness but also a bit of embarrassment
as he smiled.
“Start the spell and dry yourself.”
“Yes.”
The heavy rain did not hinder the cultivators from traveling, especially for
masters like Mo Ran and Chu Wanning. They would be able to return to
Sisheng Peak with a small enchantment.
However, none of them opened the barrier. Instead, they stood side by side
under the pillar, waiting for the rain to stop.
After waiting for a long time, the rain did not show any signs of weakening.
The world was filled with mist and the surging tides. The bustling night
market instantly dissipated like a watercolor washed away by the cold rain
and a painting soaked in ink.
Mo Ran said, “This rain doesn’t seem to be stopping.”
Chu Wanning said flatly, “It’s raining so hard, I must be sick.”
Mo Ran laughed out loud. After laughing for a while, he turned his head to
Chu Wanning and said, “What do we do now? We can’t go back.”
“…”
Chu Wanning knew he should answer him, “Are you not a cultivator?
Don’t you know how to open a barrier? Why can’t I go back?”
But he was silent for a while, and for some reason did not say anything, but
he also did not respond. He only raised his head like this and looked at the
vast night rain.
The palm of his hand was slightly hot, and his fingers were curled up in a
ball of sweat.
Just as he was thinking about how to reply, his hand was gripped by Mo
Ran. His slight tremble, heat, and sweat all fell onto Mo Ran’s hand without
any cover.
Mo Ran looked at him for a while, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat.
“Shizun, I, I want to follow you…”
The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t say it. However,
his heart was palpitating with numbness and he couldn’t swallow it down.
At the end, his dark eyes were wet and hot. He said a few words with an
intense and reserved tone, which was obscure yet seductive. He said in a low
voice, “I mean… It’s raining too hard, don’t go back to the sect tonight. It’s
such a long way, you’ll catch a cold.”
Chu Wanning did not manage to react. He was stunned for a moment
before he said, “I’m not cold.”
“Are you hot?”
“I’m not hot either…”
Mo Ran’s breathing was hot and his chest was heaving. Without waiting for
a reply, he held his hand against his chest and whispered, “I’m hot.”
Rain beats duckweed.
But Chu Wanning could see the fire in his eyes. He could see the melting
stream and the midsummer.
The young man was almost pitifully fretful and cute.
His voice was somewhat hoarse. “Let’s go to the nearest inn, okay? Now.”
188. Shizun, I really love you…
>>sexual content
Chu Wanning’s heart suddenly tightened.
Why was there such a heavy rain? What was so cold and hot? They could
have gone back, but he used this kind of lame excuse to bring him to the inn.
No matter how silly he was, Chu Wanning understood the meaning behind
his words.
Mo Ran was reading his pulse and reading his mind.
If he shook his head, Mo Ran would not force him. However, if he agreed
to it, then Mo Ran would agree to it…
What with him?
Chu Wanning did not know, and even if he did, he did not want to think
about it.
He only felt that his face was burning, the heat of the pouring rain.
He was so nervous that he didn’t know what to say, so he held the flask by
its narrow neck and tried to take another sip, but it was nearly empty.
The last trace of the slightly cold and thick pear blossom went down his
throat. He lowered his head, and the bright red tassel made his fingers even
more slender and white.
He did not say anything and the atmosphere became awkward.
Mo Ran was a person who did not like to drink alcohol. At this time,
watching him raise his head and drink, he suddenly asked him: “Anything
left?”
“There’s nothing left.”
“… You’re so impatient, you drink so fast.” As he spoke, he lowered his
head and gently kissed his lips. “Then, I can only have a taste.”
The taste of white pear flowers is mellow, with a faint fragrance of
osmanthus flowers.
However, when he was thirty years old, Chu Wanning passed away. After a
whole night of drinking on the roof, he could not taste anything. It was bitter.
After that, and after his rebirth, Mo Ran didn’t want to touch wine
anymore.
Too bitter.
He kissed Chu Wanning’s cool lips. He pecked it lightly at first, but then he
opened it and kissed it again carefully.
The rumbling of rain filled the air.
There was no one in the courtyard, the rain had become a natural curtain,
and at some point they had embraced each other, kissing and tangling, their
lips and tongues rubbing wet, the sound of the intense kiss drowned out by
the pounding of the rain on the beams, Chu Wanning could not hear any
more, the sound of the rain was deafening, like the roar of drums.
Unlike the raindrops that were splashed by the ice, Mo Ran’s breathing was
very hot. His kiss moved from his lips all the way to his nose, eyes, forehead,
and then to his temples. The rough and moist tongue reached out to lick his
ear. Chu Wanning couldn’t stand the stimulation on his ears, his body was
tight, hands clenched into fists, but he was unwilling to make any sound.
He rubbed the back of his neck, caught his ears and rubbed against the tiny
mole mark behind his ear…
Chu Wanning trembled in his arms.
Mo Ran hugged him even tighter, wanting to crush his entire body. He
wanted to crush him into his own flesh and blood.
His voice was low and hoarse, as he whispered in Chu Wanning’s ear,
“Shizun…”
The young man’s suppressed eagerness was finally overflowing. The boiling
water was boiling and bubbling, the water was about to burn out, the wood
was growing hotter and hotter, and it was tormenting him.
It tormented them.
“Come with me…”
Perhaps he was possessed by a ghost, but he held his hand tightly by Mo
Ran, and ran eagerly in the rain. It was so absurd.
None of them opened a barrier, nor did they buy any umbrellas. They
seemed to have lost their magic power, like the most ordinary of mortals,
allowing the wind and rain to blow on them. They hurriedly followed the
swaying red lanterns in the rain and ran into an inn.
The waiter was yawning, thinking that with the rain coming down so late,
there would no longer be any travelers staying the night. Thus, he was
shocked to see the two of them barging in wet.
Mo Ran tightly held onto Chu Wanning’s wrist. His palms were so hot, it
seemed as if the water was going to be evaporated.
He wiped the water droplets that dripped down his handsome face and said
somewhat impatiently, “We need a room.”
“Ah, good, good. Here are the keys to the two best rooms, a total of…”
“What?” Hearing that, Mo Ran had become even more anxious, his throat
moved. His slender fingers curled up as he knocked on the table, “No, we
only want one.”
The waiter was stunned. He looked at Mo Ran and then looked at Chu
Wanning.
Chu Wanning abruptly turned his face away, his face was burning fiercely.
Without batting an eyelid, he removed his hand from Mo Ran’s palm and
said, “Two.”
The second brother hesitated for a moment and said with understanding,
“If you don’t have enough money, one is fine too.”
“Two.” Chu Wanning was resolute and decisive, his gaze sharp as a
bayonet. He had no idea where he had gotten in the way of the white-robed
Immortal. He quickly handed over the two keys and accepted the silver taels
for the price.
Chu Wanning tried his best to look as calm as he usually did, but
unfortunately, his body was still dripping wet, and there were even beads of
rain dripping down his pitch-black eyebrows. When they fell into his eyes, he
blinked and his eyelashes became moist.
“I’ll go to sleep first. Buy some ginger tea towels and come back later.”
Chu Wanning was serious and solemn. He even took the key from Mo
Ran’s hand and went upstairs alone.
He looked innocent.
Mo Ran didn’t say anything else, he just felt funny. He knew that Chu
Wanning was very thin-skinned, no matter what, he had to show his to others.
Chu Wanning entered a single room with a narrow bed.
He glanced at the bed and felt his throat dry up. His face was so hot that he
did not dare to look at it again. He stood in the middle of the bedroom
without even lighting a candle. He did not know what to do.
His mind was still in a daze. He felt that it was all so ridiculous, so sudden,
and so caught off guard.
How could this be…
Why did I stand here, how did I come here in the rain to mess around, how
did I…
Before he could finish his thought, the door behind him opened and Mo
Ran walked in.
Chu Wanning’s body tensed up, his fingers forming a fist under his wide
sleeves. He tried his best to do it, but he could not do it.
It was the first time in his life that he had been so dazed and helpless as to
place the lead of the kite in the hands of someone else.
It was unknown whether it was rain or sweat, but his palms were very
moist.
With a ‘ka da’ sound, the bolt on the door fell down. It was clearly audible,
and made one’s hair stand on end. It was like a blade that was placed on the
neck of an executioner, releasing a fishy smell. Its sharp teeth were like those
of a tiger, leopard or wolf, ready to bite its prey. The smell of blood.
Chu Wanning suddenly felt the urge to flee before the battle.
Fortunately, his face did not show it.
Mo Ran opened his mouth to speak. His voice was still considered gentle
and he was not overly aggressive. He restrained himself and asked somewhat
hoarsely, “Why don’t you light a candle?”
“… I forgot.”
Mo Ran placed the wooden tray on the table and passed a small bowl of
hot bamboo hat to Chu Wanning, “Jiang tea, you want it, drink it while it’s
hot.”
He went to the window and lit the candlestick by the west window.
It was windy and slanting outside, and the room was dark, but the
grapevine windows were open, and the lights of the other houses were dimly
lit and dimly lit.
Mo Ran stood in front of the open window, beside the slender bronze
candlestick of the crane bird. The white curtain of rain framed his tall figure,
and the silhouette of the shadow stood tall and straight, elegant and distinct,
its slender eyelashes as distinct as two black butterflies as it fiddled with the
flint of a flint knife.
If he were to light a fire, it would originally not be that troublesome, but he
was actually willing to be the most ordinary person, to use the most ordinary
method, to firmly and quietly light that wisp of light, to make his heart light
up, to make the wax torches soft for tears.
The firestone was lit up, and just as he was about to move to the
lampshade, Chu Wanning suddenly said.
“Don’t light the lamp.”
Mo Ran’s hand hung in the air, but he had yet to reach it. He turned his
head to look at him and asked, “What is it?”
Chu Wanning did not know what to say, so he repeated stiffly, “Do not
light the lamp.”
For a moment, Mo Ran felt somewhat dazed. Then, as he looked at the
person standing stiffly in the darkness, he slowly came to a realization.
Even if it was Yuheng of the Night Sky, there would still be times when he
would be afraid. There would be times when he would feel fear. There would
also be domains that he would not know about.
In his previous life, those people that he had slept with before, be it men or
women, were all willing to show more of their faces to the Emperor TaxianJun. No one had ever brought up the request to extinguish the lights; they
would rather have the red candle shine brightly through the night, to use all
sorts of skills to please, to be infinitely flirtatious, and to have half an inch of
love for the Emperor.
Mo Ran did not miss it.
Whether it was Rong Jiu at the beginning, or Song Qiutong later, he had
doted on both of them because he stubbornly felt that they were like Shi Mei,
thus keeping them by his side was almost like a playful infatuation.
But in bed he never liked to see their faces.
He just let them turn their backs on him, didn’t kiss them, and didn’t like
to touch. His mind was even clear in the dull and repetitive motions.
He would even suddenly feel that it was very boring.
Really boring.
He couldn’t remember the charming, greedy, flushed, high-spirited faces
under the candlelight.
Now that he thought about it, those pleasures had nothing to do with
‘happiness’ or ‘love’. Instead, it was as if he had sunk into a quagmire and
fallen into it, making himself even dirtier, deeper, and more self-destructive,
wishing that his bones could be dyed black.
At its darkest point, it would no longer desire light or hope for salvation. It
would no longer dare to try and hold the final ball of fire in the world.
Great.
But why hadn’t he given up yet?
No matter how he told himself not to linger, not to linger, to tell himself
that life was hopeless, that the world was as dark as it could be, and that he
would still stretch out his trembling claws and strangle Chu Wanning’s neck
in the midst of torment and struggle, and press his down onto the cold golden
stone bricks, on the blue stone platform in the desolate courtyard, between
the messy bedding on the pillow, in the snow, in the hot springs, even in the
high seats of the imperial court, in the temple’s ancestral hall, in the most
solemn and respectful places.
Taint him.
Looking at his face, kissing his neck, his cheeks, his lips, calling his name.
Tear him.
Actually, at that time, Chu Wanning wanted the darkness to go out as well.
He didn’t want any light at all.
However, at that time, Chu Wanning did not want to say anything. He did
not want to bring up any requests.
Thinking about it, he had been under house arrest for eight whole years.
Chu Wanning had only begged him for two things at the beginning and the
end.
The first was to beg him to let Xue Meng go when he stepped into the
Wushan Palace.
The second was to ask him to forgive himself before he passed away.
If not for his disappointment and coldness, how could he have ended up
like this?
Mo Ran put down the fire knife and the fire stone. He did not speak for a
long time.
It was so long that Chu Wanning finally relaxed his tensed body and asked
softly, “What’s wrong?”
Mo Ran said. “Nothing.”
His voice was gentle, moist, and salty.
He walked over and hugged the man who was still standing in the darkness.
Both of them were still wet from the rain, so Mo Ran hugged him and said,
“Wanning.”
“…”
For a moment he was tempted to tell him the past, but his throat was
choked and he could not speak.
Really, really couldn’t speak.
It was not easy to get this kind of warmth. It was too difficult for him and it
was also too difficult for Chu Wanning. Even though he was extremely guilty,
he couldn’t say it out loud. He didn’t want to say it out loud.
He didn’t want to wake up.
I just want to have a good dream.
Until dawn.
There was no light, no fire, and in the darkness, Mo Ran embraced him
and kissed him.
It was very quiet in the room. The rain could not disturb the silence. They
could hear each other’s breathing, their heartbeats, the touch of their lips, and
the faint sound of wetness as they changed their angles.
Chu Wanning tried his best to keep his breathing the same as usual, but it
was to no avail. Under the caress of Mo Ran’s kiss, the rise and fall of his
chest gradually became more rapid. He was a tall, well-proportioned man, but
Mo Ran could easily trap him, cover him, and he was as tall as a mountain.
The man held him in his hot arms and kissed him lightly at first, then asked
for more.
He forced open Chu Wanning’s lips, and his hot, wet, coarse tongue stuck
out into the fire, rubbing against it like a thirsty person drinking sweet dew.
He was like a person who was burning with fire and trying to put out the fire,
but to him, Chu Wanning’s breath was not cool water, it was soft oil, pouring
into the fire, burning endlessly, like a beacon of smoke.
They didn’t know who took off the other party’s clothes first, their
breathing in the dark was mixed with throat gathering, low swallowing voice,
perhaps because of hasty waist closure clothes, action intense pain, or perhaps
long drought and sweet throb, occasionally there are irresistible small
whispers in the room, but more is the male’s desire to come to the excitement
of heavy breathing.
The fabric of the obscene clothes were torn apart, Chu Wanning had not
yet adapted to the slight coolness, so he felt Mo Ran going down, kissing his
neck, then his clavicle, and then his lips sucked his chest, humid and hot…
Chu Wanning gave a low gasp, back arching, shame and excitement.
He blushed, but fortunately the surroundings were dark. He wanted to lose
sight of the heat on his face, but he whispered, “Window…”
“What?”
Mo Ran looked up vaguely, with wet eyes hanging over Chu Wanning.
He had wanted to hear what Chu Wanning tried to say, but at one glance,
his scalp was numb and blood gushed in his brain. He could not contain his
fierce passion. He kissed him, rubbed him, and kissed him for a long time.
Then he gasped for breath, released Chu Wanning’s lips slightly. He gave up
again and pecked his lips again and muttered, “What?”
“… Window…” Chu’s heart beat so fast that he didn’t know how to
breathe in the long kiss, so his head was dizzy. “You haven’t closed the
window yet.”
Mo Ran walked over the window and closed it.
The last bit of shimmering light was also separated from the outside. In the
bedroom, there was darkness. The desire for fire is arbitrary cage, Mo Ran
only felt that his whole body was hot.
They bumped and rolled into the bed, which was in disrepair and made a
heavy creak. Mo Ran did not give Chu Wanning the opportunity to respond,
his body pressing Chu Wanning’s, his hands made quick work of removing
the rest of his white robes.
He felt Chu Wanning trembling under him, just as he had done when they
had sex for the first time in their previous lives. Even if he wasn’t restrained
like back then, Chu Wanning was still trembling, shuddering slightly, and he
couldn’t control it.
Mo Ran felt pity and heartache. He held Chu Wanning’s face, kissed him,
his eyes, his lips, his chin.
He muttered hoarsely in his ear, “Don’t be afraid…”
“I’m not… I’m not afraid…”
Mo Ran took hold of his weak trembling hands, clasped with his ten
fingers, and his burning and vigorous breath sprayed on Chu Wanning’s
earlobes. He soothed him: “Give it to me… Good… It’s all right…”
Chu Wanning wanted to say a word, a few words or two or three words,
but he could not say anything. His brain was almost numb.
He could only feel Mo Ran’s tall and thick body pressing on him, the hands
rubbing his waist and back, he could not stand the stimulation, slightly bowed
up, but he unintentionally clung to Mo Ran’s chest. Mo Ran’s clothes had
been removed long ago, showing a strong naked upper body, amazing heat
and strength, causing his whole body to melt and soften.
The slightly wet and sweaty bodies are entangled together, every inch of
skin rubbing each other, burning heat. The loud gasps in the room were more
and more heavy with desire and thirst.
No matter how close you are or how hard you suck, you’re still thirsty, and
you can’t stop your thirst if you don’t have enough to feed.
Somehow, in Chu Wanning’s brain, there were some dim and shattered
scenes, stirring bodies, feeble legs, bright red curtains and mattresses.
It was his dream that suddenly became clear in his mind.
In the dream, Mo Ran held him fiercely, pulled him in, held his waist, hit
his crotch fiercely, inserting himself extremely deep and savagely. He didn’t
know whether it’s because of the dream or the surroundings. Mo Ran in the
dream, though handsome, appeared to have fierce, beastly eyes.
Chu Wanning did not doubt that he didn’t know anything about it, but he
thought that it was human nature. When desire came, he should have dreamed
of such a real scene.
But Mo Ran didn’t know, he just felt that Chu Wanning didn’t know
anything, he didn’t have experience with either men or women, and he didn’t
know how was the love between men. He was afraid to frighten him and hurt
him for the first time. So he caressed Chu Wanning and did enough foreplay.
He didn’t want to let Chu Wanning suffer so much in this life.
Touching, dawdling and tangling with each other, the desire was getting
heavier and heavier. Where Chu Wanning had experienced such stimulation,
he couldn’t bear it gradually. He still clung to Mo Ran’s hand in one hand and
holds the mattress in the other. He wanted to go down to touch and relieve
himself, but his face was red and he didn’t want to do such embarrassing
things in front of his loved one.
But his lower body was so swollen and hot that it was held up by sweater
pants as a spectacular hard object.
Chu Wanning only felt that his face had been swept away and that he was
in great pain.
He wanted, wanted, wanted to vent, wanted to make himself feel good, but
he was unwilling, stubborn, cruel, his phoenix eyes became gradually foggy,
gradually confused…
He didn’t know. Gradually, he didn’t know anything.
In his heart, he seemed to know what to do, how to make a man feel good.
He had desire and love in his chest. He loved the man on top of his body very
much. He wanted to go to the sea with him and sink into the abyss with him.
In front of him, there are scenes flashing, shaking and strange.
Strange… How can it be at Sisheng Peak? In Loyalty Hall…
He had a fleeting thought in his mind and was instantly drowned out.
He saw Mo Ran sitting on the grand seat of Loyalty Hall, which was
supposed to be the solemn place for welcoming guests. Mo Ran sat there, but
he himself was on Mo Ran himself and was held face to face by him. He was
naked and ashamed. Mo Ran was almost completely well dressed, except for
some of his obscene trousers, which had been covered by his drooping legs.
Mo Ran kissed him and touched him up. His eyes were fixed on his face
without blinking.
He asked him, “How does it feel?”
He seemed to see himself shaking his head in pain.
Mo Ran’s finger reached into his mouth and pried it open as if to pry his
moan.
“Just scream, scream out.”
He refused. There was only a small whimper in his throat.
Mo Ran no longer pushed, he buried in his body, holding his waist, leading
him, slowly sliding down, holding his buttocks, crushing his hair out of the
way, hoarsely and fiercely he said: “Shout ah.”
“No…”
He grabbed his waist and buttocks and allowed him to fall slowly and
deeply on his crotch. Watching Chu Wanning with wet eyes, seeing him
endure, tremble, but still silent, he began to grasp the narrow waist and grope
him slightly from bottom to top, because the range is small, so the insertion is
fast and compact. Chu Wanning only felt that he was going to be driven mad
by the terrible friction. His whole person seemed to be penetrated again and
again: “No… Don’t…”
“Where else do you want it?” The man on the seat sneered. He didn’t move
any more, but his hot and erect penis was already deep inside, beating along
with his heartbeat. “What’s more, aren’t you feeling good? You see, you’re
hard.”
These words and influences are blurred, fragmented and muddy, like the
illusion of oneself caused by excessive stimulation.
Chu Wanning laid blankly on the bed of the inn, trembling, his lower body
hard, painfully so.
What’s wrong? How to do…
The picture became more and more blurred, but it was dim to see that Mo
Ran was sitting on the pedestal suddenly plunged in fiercely from top to
bottom, pulling out and thrusting in.
Too much stimulation…
At last he could not help but collapse, leaning over the man and groaning,
“Ah… Ah…”
The man was panting, intruding and manipulating him.
“You can’t be heard if you don’t shout.”
“Look at you being pitiful. You are not afraid of being heard.”
“Damn… Do you want me to fuck you?”
It was getting more and more blurry…
Until he couldn’t see it.
It was an illusion. It was an illusion. If it was fake, then it was fake.
It was the superposition of the dream, a nightmare that would not disperse.
However, the feeling of being forcefully occupied by something that defied
the heavens was extremely clear.
It should be… Is that what he should be doing?
Chu Wanning’s eyes were half closed as he said in a low voice, “Come
in…”
Mo Ran was shocked!
Chu Wanning knew what to do?
How could he know?
How could this person, who hadn’t even seen any erotic pictures before, a
clean piece of white paper know about it?
“Yes… Is it supposed to be… this way?”
His face was so red that it seemed as if blood would drip out at any
moment. He mumbled like this to the man on top of him.
“Where are you from?! Where did you learn that?”
“…”
Of course, it would be embarrassing for Chu Wanning to say that he had
dreamed it. It was like he was in a bad mood and didn’t know his shame at
all. He mumbled, “I saw it in the Compendium Pavilion…”
He quickly added, “Someone put the wrong book.”
Naturally, Mo Ran didn’t suspect him. He felt slightly relieved, but he was
also slightly moved.
He kissed the corner of Chu Wanning’s lips and the tip of his nose, then
said, “Too early.”
“…!”
Urgent.
Who was it that was called impatient?!
His blood and Qi immediately surged. He was both angry and humiliated.
But Mo Ran leaned over and hugged him, his chest touching his.
He stroked Chu Wanning’s hair and said gently, “It will hurt.”
“… Then no.” Chu Wanning wanted to save face.
Mo Ran chuckled softly. His deep and slightly hoarse voice was very rich
and pleasant to listen to.
He said, “Don’t worry about me, tonight…” His voice gradually grew
softer.
Chu Wanning blinked his eyes.
What about tonight?
But he saw Mo Ran’s strong arms propping up, staring at him from above,
then slowly sitting up and moving down.
This was something he had never dreamed of. What was he going to do?
“Tonight, I just want to make you feel good.”
He said, leaning down, and when Chu Wanning did not respond, he untied
his underwear and saw Chu Wanning’s erection. His eyes were deep and hot,
and then he opened his mouth…
“Ah-!”
He felt a spinal tremor and Chu Wanning gasped heavily. What is this
feeling?
Why… How can it be like this? How dirty this is…
But it was so refreshing to be wrapped in the warm mouth of his beloved
one and sucked. His teeth were carefully folded. He was sucked by Mo Ran.
He heard him breathe and gasp, raised their eyes, looked at him gently and
even indulgently.
Taxian-Jun never did such a thing, ever, never thought that he would do
such a thing.
But now he is willing, obsessed and even happy to do so.
“You don’t want to… How can you… Quick, quick spit out.” Chu
Wanning’s face turned red to the extreme. He bit his lips and shook his head.
His eyes were like bayonets in the past. At this moment, there was only spring
feeling and panic.
So cute.
Mo Ran deeply sucked, deepthroating him, stimulated Chu Wanning, who
was unable to support himself, lying on the bed, hardly breathing, eyes
scattered, gradually losing focus.
He sucked, went back and forth several times, withdrew, his lips hung with
a silk of lust, his eyes moist, and asked, “Baby, does it feel good?”
Chu Wanning felt that there were fireworks flowing in his brain, and the
whole people were drowsy, but he still whimpered Mo Ran’s name. He felt
ashamed and sweet, sweet and extremely ashamed, and his bones were sour
and soft. How can he…
He is his Shizun. He is so old. He is the Yuheng immortal. He is… “Ah…”
The mute voice resounded in the quiet dark bedroom.
Mo Ran licked his plump and round stem, the tip of his tongue was clever
and rough, rubbed through the place where Chu Wanning seldom touched
himself. Chu Wanning’s was so stimulated he began to shed tears, with the
same precaution, rejection and resistance of his previous life. Although he
restrained himself, he was still willing to do it with Mo Ran, and he could not
resist it. Therefore, his throat knotted and rolled, and there was a rusty breath
leaking out.
He unconsciously closed his vapor-covered eyes, sucked him in again, and
imitated the rhythm of the pull back and forth to please him. Chu Wanning
could only put out his hand impatiently, with five slender fingers submerged in
the black top of Mo Ran’s hair, unable to push back.
“Don’t… Don’t do that… It’s dirty… Ah…”
But Mo Ran only raised his wet eyelashes, looked at him with his lustful
black eyes and said, “I love you, I would like to treat you like this, want you to
feel good… How could it be dirty?” He gently kissed the head, which has
visible veins, and gently said, “Everywhere I touch, it’s the best.”
He said before he buried his head and continued to lick, sucking. Chu
Wanning was so pure and extremely lacking in experience and thus he
couldn’t withstand the stimulation under such an attack for the first time. He
soon released, when the passion seemed to be uncontrollably pumped
through, against Mo Ran’s throat.
Mo Ran… Shouldn’t it be very disgusting?
There is a vast space between heaven and earth, everything is scattered,
only when ejaculation is good, he never thought, never had a strong pleasure.
Even in this overwhelming pleasure, he still vaguely realized what he had
done in the end. He wanted to get up and wipe Mo Ran’s lips, wanted to
caress him, kiss him and thank him.
But his waist felt soft and the legs and feet were weak.
He could not get up.
When eyelashes trembled and looked past, Mo Ran swallowed up the
turbid liquid he had sprayed. This left Chu Wanning’s mind blank. A muscle
behind his head and neck was tingling and twitching.
Finally, Mo Ran covered his body and caressed his face. The man’s eyes
were somewhat red, with a bit of the aura of a wild beast, but they were still
blazing as he gently stared at him.
“I love you.”
Really, really, really love you.
It was the ambition of a wolf. It was also the ambition of a prodigal son
who would turn around and bear the guilt and sin. However, even so, he was
unwilling to give up. It was something that was selfish, despairing, passionate,
and desired.
Love you.
189. Shizun, you’re so good
>>sexual content
The room was very quiet. The sounds of heartbeats and gasps were very
distinct. The slightly fishy smell that permeated the air was actually very
sweet.
Lying on the bed, Mo Ran changed his posture and hugged him from
behind. He gently pecked at his eyelids, his neck.
Their bodies were covered in sweat, and the temperature of their bodies
was shockingly hot. They were stuck close together, wet and entangled. Chu
Wanning’s mind was still dizzy. He didn’t even dare to think about what they
had done just now. Everything was so ridiculous.
However, the heart was warm and fiery.
Warm water was churning under his chest, trying to break out of the earth.
Suddenly, he heard the person in his embrace whisper, “What about you?”
Mo Ran was stunned. “What?”
Chu Wanning coughed lightly, “You…”
He did not continue speaking. He turned around in the dark, and his bright
eyes slowly looked into the eyes of Mo Ran. Even though he was in a daze,
Mo Ran still felt like he saw Chu Wanning blushing.
“You still…” Chu Wanning hesitated for a while, but he could not say
anything. Finally, he lowered his gaze and said, “Let me help you.”
Mo Ran suddenly understood and felt sad and sweet. He embraced him and
said, “Why are you so stupid? It doesn’t matter, we’ll talk about it later.”
“… I’m not stupid.” He was unwilling to be called stupid, “Aren’t you the
silly one? You… Isn’t it uncomfortable?”
“Cough, I’ll wait for you to fall asleep, then go take a shower…”
However, Chu Wanning insisted, “I will help you.”
“There’s no need!” Mo Ran hurriedly stopped him.
“…” Chu Wanning didn’t say anything else, he felt embarrassed by his
clumsiness in bed. He probably wouldn’t let Mo Ran feel comfortable, so he
said something about taking a shower, but it was just to save his face. The
meaning of his words was probably that his technique was better than his
own.
As he pondered, his face gradually turned cold. Finally, he said, “If you
don’t want it, then forget it.”
Mo Ran was slightly startled. Because of his emotions, Chu Wanning’s
voice was not as impeccable as usual. It was not as happy, angry, and
sorrowful as usual. The feeling of indignation was so strong that it could be
clearly seen.
Why was this person so stupid?
How could he not want to wish that this night would never end, that this
rainstorm would never stop, wishing to be drunk and dreaming with Chu
Wanning in this inn. He wished to turn the person in his arms inside and out
into the so that he have him to his heart’s content, merge with his body, and
integrate with his spirit.
He even wanted to see Chu Wanning choking on his tears because of his
bullying. He wanted to see his aura and his mark in Chu Wanning’s body.
But it will be hard.
In his previous life, he had done it with Chu Wanning. He knew how long
he had had a fever after that incident, and he would never forget that pale face
with chapped lips.
He just wanted to take his time. It didn’t matter if he endured the
hardships. He wanted Chu Wanning to be comfortable for the first time.
From then on, he would enjoy the thrill, taste and indulge in the depravity of
his life.
However, Chu Wanning clearly misunderstood something.
Mo Ran kissed his forehead and said softly, “Why don’t I want it anymore?
What are you thinking about?”
“…”
“Why don’t you take a look at what I’m like now?” The man’s heavy breath
was by his ears and his voice was moist, “What have you done to me? You
actually think that I don’t want you… Idiot.”
Chu Wanning flew into a rage, “If you call me idiot one more time, I will
cut off your head! You — uh…”
However, Mo Ran caught his hand and carried his somewhere. Chu
Wanning was shocked to the point where he couldn’t say any more
threatening words. He felt as if steam was rising from his head.
“It’s all because of you.”
In the night, he kissed his eyelids again, then lowered his lips, sucking,
licking, and rubbing his lips in fascination and intoxication.
After kissing for a while, the two of them couldn’t restrain themselves. The
lust in the room became more and more intense. Their lips were attracted to
each other, the legs and feet could not be entangled underneath, and they
couldn’t help but rub against each other, and their desire was naked. In the
midst of their passion, Mo Ran heard Chu Wanning mumbling something,
and he was a bit unwilling, but also a bit embarrassed, and he still said in a
stubborn voice, “I want to as well… I’ll make you feel good…”
The last words were almost trembling. Shame washed over him.
Mo Ran’s heart was about to melt, and the desire was even more swollen to
the point of cruelty. Chu Wanning’s hand was still holding his cock, so that
the fierce sword stretches all the way from the palm to the back. He can
clearly feel the ferocious state of the blade depicted on the Xiuzhen Ranking
List when it is vigorous and hot, it is rough, it is hard, it is boiling, barely
separated by clothes. The top is very fierce, and he feels that he could never
contain it.
Sex with this man is life-threatening.
At this time, Chu Wanning eventually realized that the “pain” mentioned
by Mo Ran was not a plain and unreasonable worry. Where would it hurt, it
was clear that it would be torn apart, cut apart, flesh and blood, and strangle.
But thinking of how Mo Ran treated him, Chu Wanning did not know
where the courage came from, or perhaps he was originally a ruthless person
who was willing to bow down and try.
Mo Ran panicked, it was not easy to maintain reason. If Chu Wanning
really wanted to take him in, he feared that all his remaining warmth would
be burnt to ashes.
A man who is totally controlled by lust is a beast. He has no reason and no
sense. He only wants to pleasure and to possess madly, he knows.
He pressed Chu Wanning back and hoarsely said, “Don’t do that, Wanning,
you… You…”
“Never mind, I’ll just learn from what you did.”
“No.” Mo Ran’s voice was like boiling water. His throat was swollen and
astringent. “I can’t hold back.”
Chu Wanning did not understand what he meant. He was shocked. “What
is it?”
Mo Ran cursed, and could not bear it any more. Chu Wanning’s peaceful
breath, voice, body, taking him inch by inch, losing the shackles on his own,
burning him.
He lowered his breath for a moment, suddenly got up, put Chu Wanning on
the bed instead, and before Chu Wanning could respond, he felt himself
pressed into the mattress in an irrevocable fierce way, and Mo Ran down his
strong body, wrapped him in the back.
Almost at that moment, he felt the horrible size of the giant crashing into
his buttocks across Mo Ran’s thin clothing.
Suddenly, Chu Wanning shouted out in a low voice “ah”. The voice was
prosaic and soft, which he had never thought of. Chu Wanning’s face turned
red instantly, his fingers clutched the bedding tightly, his lips clenched tightly,
and he did not want to pant or shout any more.
What can’t he hold back?
He had a vague understanding of the sentence now. He heard Mo Ran
rubbing against his clothes behind him, and then he said a hoarse and
abundant sentence: “I can’t help wanting to get in, wanting to do you, why
don’t you understand…”
The hot breath sprayed on the back of his ear. The man’s strong arms were
propped up on the bed, one was pinching his waist tightly, his lower body
moved forward incessantly, and his throat gave out a heavy, low gasp. So after
scratching his boots for a while, Mo Ran suddenly patted his buttocks and
said, “Keep your legs together.”
Chu Wanning did what he said at a loss, but did not see his movements. He
was about to turn around. Suddenly, between his hips and legs, he squeezed
in a very hot, very hard, thick and big weapon, which stimulated him to gasp
in his throat, his eyes were open, and his scalp was numb.
Mo Ran took away his underwear, and then the huge unshielded head was
angry and cardiac. The head was deep bloodshot and dark. The round head of
the penis secreted a shy and glittering liquid, which was inserted between Chu
Wanning’s legs. The heat was wrapped in the inside of his warm and tender
thighs. He uttered a sigh of pleasure, held Chu Wanning’s waist, imitated the
action of genuine sexual intercourse, and pulled it in and out.
“Ah…”
How did Chu Wanning not think that it could be like this? The thick head
rubbed against him, rubbed out the liquid, stirred up fiercely and vividly,
rubbed between his hips and legs, his waist was soft, his spine was crisp, his
eyes were covered with a layer of water mist, and he felt very confused and
could not feel anything except the strong stimulation of rubbing done by his
beloved. He gasped low, silently, and his cheeks were slightly pink. Side,
resting in the pillow and mattress, hair scattered…
Mo Ran’s penis was rubbed into the hole several times. He kept pounded
into it, thrusting completely into his Shizun, into the man beneath him. Chu
Wanning was pounded repeatedly. He was urged by the terrible feeling and
stimulation of the thrust, and his vented desire would rise in this increasingly
urgent agitation.
The man’s crotch hit his hip, fierce and hot, crazy and hungry.
There was slapping noises in the room, the smokey hair of his abdomen
and crotch rubbed against his skin and it became more and more frantic.
“Shizun, clamp up… Ah…”
The man’s appeal is so low and full of passion that he can’t help but follow
his words.
“T… That’s it… More tightly… Fuck…”
The desire was getting higher, and the mind was gradually growing dim.
The beast and animal desire gradually engulfed the man who had been
leading the sexual intercourse. Mo Ran snuggled against his neck slightly,
swallowing, Adam’s apple rolling in a sexy way.
“Shizun… Baby… It’s so hot inside you… Ah… Um…”
It refers to between the thighs, but it sounds so erotic, those deep and
devoted thrusts, the dirty and rude language. But it didn’t feel dirty. Chu
Wanning rather felt that he was probably mad. Listening to his breathing, he
would feel more and more hot and uncontrolled. He asked softly, “Are you
feeling good?”
“Good…” Mo Ran slightly opened his closed eyes, which were moist,
bright and confused.
He bent over, wrapped him in his broad shoulders, held him in his arms
and laid him on the bed. His upper body was close to the other’s, so as to
withstand the lingering and violent impact of his lower body, which made
him more and more damp and crazy.
He went to look for Chu Wanning’s lips. He took Chu Wanning’s chin with
one hand and kissed him hungrily and thirstily. Their tongues tangled with
each other, which was sticky and moist.
His dick was stirred between the thighs, pushing forward, crotching,
shaking the bed, trying to go deeper, his toes on the mattress white because
of the hard twisting, Chu Wanning was in such a state, even gave place to a
real illusion of being penetrated.
He kissed Mo Ran fiercely with his head up. In the dark, shameless and
abandoned, full of instinctual desire and love. The gesture was erotic and
attractive, irrational.
Because of the intense kiss, his heart beating fast, the hard breathing, Chu
Wanning was dizzy, as if he was about to see a broken scene again.——
He didn’t know where, but it was also in a bed. That bed was wide, covered
with bright red bed sheets.
Intertwined legs and feet, wheezing appeals, hot sweat, and desires.
The same gesture, thrusting into him from behind, holding his face and
kissing him. But he had been stretched out inside, an inflated and fierce penis
thrusting in and out of his body fiercely, he did not know how long it had
been inserted, as if with lube, not so painful. It was very hot and wet, and a
rip in it was stimulated, and it stood there shaking vigorously.
“Ah… Ah…”
He heard someone screaming, gasping, groaning, with a soft, muddled
voice.
Who was it?
Himself?
Mo Ran had been playing with him, endlessly, increasingly fierce, his body
full of desire to death, as if to be penetrated, but somehow feeling refreshed,
addicted, as if it had been taught to him, Mo Ran’s thrusting made his legs
weak, but vaguely, boiling and moving backwards, rubbing, to be penetrated
deeper.
It’s so sad that there seems to be an insatiable need in the body, which can
only be solved by sex.
It’s like the strongest love drug in the world, destroying the most resolute
person.
He’s falling, catering, humming.
Who is…
What a strange sight… What a strange dream… Phantom… Reality…
What is it?
“Chu Wanning, I’m fucking you. Are you feeling good?”
“Look at how humble you are.”
“Relax, why do you suck me in so tightly…”
“I’ll come inside you, I’ll come inside you… Ah…”
It’s messy, inaudible, inaccurate, but it seems like this.
What’s the matter?
Mo Ran’s voice. Similar, but not quite the same.
Mo Ran has never spoken in such a distorted voice, never…
I can’t hear you clearly… It should be false…
It’s a mess.
A confusing mess.
The back of the bed was hit more and more brutally and wildly by Mo
Ran. His toes were against the mattress, and the pillow on the bed was
completely moved. They gasped, stirred, and puffed fiercely and lingered for a
long time, finally holding him tightly. They were like sexual beasts, eager for
intense kisses on top, and eager for a wet, clingy and urgent sex below.
“Wanning… Shizun…”
He was panting, calling, and lusting for him.
“Baobei…”
Mo Ran held Chu Wanning’s waist tightly, groping and rubbing, full
buttocks fiercely stirring and his throat dry. He had reached the critical point,
and his eyes were almost fierce. After the most crazy pull-in, which almost
crushed Chu Wanning, he grabbed a man in his arms and kissed and gnawed
at his earlobe and neck.
His rushing chest was attached to his hot and humid back, and Mo Ran’s
reason was almost destroyed. His other hand, holding the hard and angry sex
organ, which could not bear the stimulation, reaching Chu Wanning’s climax.
Seeing how fierce and wild he was, Chu Wanning really panicked. His
spine was numb. He struggled: “You can’t say you want to come in, you wait a
minute.”
Mo Ran gasped and kissed his neck, swallowed his own saliva, and then
turned to his cheek, which had been affectionate to Wanning.
“Don’t be afraid, I won’t go in, but… I want to come here.”
Mo Ran could hardly restrain himself. The round head of his cock was at
the slightly contracted opening. He cursed and stopped talking. He only
rubbed fiercely and eagerly between Chu Wanning’s stocks to accumulate the
pleasure of climax. At last, he moved himself, pressed the tip tightly against
Chu Wanning’s entrance, growled as he shoot a stream of semen into the
opening of the hole. Flowing to the inside of the thigh, rubbed onto the
mattress, chaotic, fishy.
Chu Wanning’s whole body was trembling and convulsing.
Mo Ran involuntarily put his hand in front of him, grasped Chu Wanning’s
dick, and touched him warmly and enthusiastically.
Chu Wanning was almost overwhelmed by shame. His cheeks burned and
his voice whispered, “No… Stop touching… I’ve just…”
In the burning eyes of Mo Ran, he muttered obsessively, “Well, I know
you’ve come.”
Chu Wanning felt severely humiliated and humid, but he said, with wet
eyes, fiercely: “You… Don’t say that word.”
“Which one?”
“…”
“Oh,” Mo Ran’s black eyebrow raised sensibly, and then he smiled heavily,
“Alright.”
He kissed him, but his movements were not rude: “But Shizun, I want to
see your climax again.”
“Hmm…”
This young man’s work was really too good. Chu Wanning is completely
helpless, and soon was stimulated to come for the second time. Where can he
stand such pressure, such indulgence? Besides, his brain seemed to be dizzy,
there were always some blurred shadows in front of his eyes, dim voices in his
ears, he felt very sleepy, very tired…
“Wanning.”
He heard Mo Ran calling to him from behind him, so soft, so entangled, so
loving.
After the two of them had vented their desires, they calmed their breathing
and panted. Mo Ran caressed him, kissed him, and thanked him. He
encircled him in his arms, protecting him like a treasure.
Chu Wanning was unconscious, sweat trickling down his back. He leaned
against Mo Ran on his chest, feeling dizzy for a while. Finally, he closed his
eyes and fell asleep.
The next morning, Chu Wanning woke up. The daylight was shining
through a crack in the window, and he heard the sound of rain hitting on
Dewar. The rain was heavy, and it did not stop.
His head ached, and the fragments of the night before were like fish scales
rolling in the sink, mottled and sticky, floating.
He wanted to recall the memories, but the scales only sunk deeper and
deeper until they eventually disappeared into the darkness.
Then, he recalled what he did with Mo Ran last night. His entire body
suddenly stiffened, and his face quickly flushed red. He tried to get up, but
Mo Ran’s strong arms still clung to him from behind, his chest still rising and
falling evenly against his back.
Mo Ran had not woken up yet.
He waited like this for who knows how long. The hour was not very clear
in this dark bedroom, but it should have been very long.
It was so long that his arms were numb.
The pounding of his heart slowed down.
It was so long that it was no longer awkward.
Chu Wanning finally turned around and faced Mo Ran’s sleeping face.
He was extremely handsome. Regardless of whether it was his facial
features, the bridge of his nose, or his lips, they were all the best in the world.
He was frowning slightly, as if there was something on his mind that
couldn’t be removed. It felt heavy.
Chu Wanning stared silently at his face for a long time.
After a long time, he finally could not hold it in anymore, and gently, for
the first time, took the initiative to kiss Mo Ran’s face.
Then he gently removed his arms, sat down on the edge of the bed, put on
his underpants, and went to get his white undershirt. There were countless
creases on his clothes. Chu Wanning tried to smooth them out, but it was to
no avail.
He could only put them on like this, hoping that no one at Sisheng Peak
would notice anything unusual. As he thought this, he began to fold up his
clothes.
Suddenly, someone hugged him from behind.
Chu Wanning was shocked, although it was just a slight pause in his
movements.
At some point, Mo Ran had already woken up. He stood up, hugged him,
and kissed his ears.
“Shizun…”
For the first time in his life, since he met Chu Wanning he didn’t know
what to say and he couldn’t look him directly in the eyes. Mo Ran’s feelings
also gave birth to some newlywed-like embarrassment and after a long time
he said softly…
“Morning…”
“Early what? Too late.” Chu Wanning didn’t even turn around as he
continued to dress himself.
Mo Ran smiled, and with a light nasal tone, he reached out his hand to help
arrange the pendant hanging around Chu Wanning’s neck.
“You have to keep it close to your body to ward off the cold. Otherwise, it
won’t be effective.”
Chu Wanning seemed to have thought of something and turned to look at
him.
Last night, when they were making love, he had felt something tied around
his neck, but at that time, he had been dazzled and had not taken a second
look. At this time, he realized that it was actually a Dragon Blood Crystal
Pendant.
“You…” Chu Wanning was stunned, “When you were in the Rufeng Sect,
didn’t you say that there was only one pendant? Why…”
He shut up.
Because he saw Mo Ran smiling at him, his eyes were soft.
He suddenly understood Mo Ran’s selfishness. Suddenly, he felt a little hot
and dry. He turned his face away and remained silent. He was completely
immersed in arranging his clothes.
“Let’s head back earlier.” In the end, not even daring to look at Mo Ran, he
could only say, “If I’m late, someone might see something.”
Mo Ran tamed him, “I’ll listen to Shizun.”
However, after a short period of silence, his ambition remained unshakable
and his blood was boiling. Pulling over Chu Wanning, who was getting ready
to stand up after putting on his boots, he leaned over and kissed him on his
lips.
“Don’t be angry, you’ll have to endure it once you get back. I want to keep
my thoughts to myself.” Mo Ran smiled and tapped Chu Wanning’s lips with
his fingertips. “Shizun, you’re so nice.”
It was good to hear that. Chu Wanning was still in a trance when they
reached the gate.
He felt that what was good was not himself, but Mo Ran.
This young man was handsome, gentle, and focused on loving him.
Sometimes, it would even seem unreal to Chu Wanning that this man was too
perfect. How could he belong to such a dull person like him?
He belonged to the kind of person who wouldn’t even say a proper word of
love.
But when Mo Ran stared at him, his expression was very serious, not the
least bit fake. When Mo Ran kissed him, his emotions were stirred up, his
breathing seemed to be controlled by Chu Wanning, everything was handed
over to him.
Even though his actions last night were clumsy, his speech was boring, and
he was sometimes absent-minded…
But Mo Ran did not feel disheartened. When he woke up in the morning,
he was willing to kiss his lips and say, It’s good of you.
“…”
“Shizun.”
“Hmm?”
Suddenly, he recovered his wits and saw that under the red flower blossom
enchantment, Mo Ran was waving at him with a smile: “Where are you
going? This way ah, over there is the Red Lotus Pavilion. Let’s go to Mengpo
Hall to eat first, then you can go back.”
Inside Mengpo Hall, Mo Ran was still sitting in front of him. However,
people were coming and going around him, making a lot of noise. They were
not as calm as before, and their heads were lowered as they ate the food in the
bowl.
The group of disciples who liked to bet with Chu Wanning could not help
but start whispering to each other.
“Why isn’t Elder Yuheng talking to Senior Brother Mo today?”
“Not only did he not speak, he didn’t even look at him.”
“How strange, Senior Brother Mo isn’t giving food to Elder Yuheng
anymore, isn’t he usually rather obsequious… What happened to them? Did
they quarrel?”
“… Will you still be sitting at the same table as your Shizun after the
fight?”
“Haha, that’s true.”
As they were whispering to each other, they suddenly saw Chu Wanning
stand up, carry a bowl of porridge, and pass by them with his white clothes
fluttering in the wind. The group of busybodies stopped talking and
obediently nibbled on their steamed buns.
After Chu Wanning returned to his seat, they started to discuss among
themselves.
“Do any of you think that Elder Yuheng is acting a little strange today?”
Immediately, someone nodded: “Yes! That means it’s not weird, but it
looks like clothes?”
Five or six pairs of eyes peeked around for a while. Suddenly, a young
disciple clicked his tongue and said, “It seems to be a little too wrinkled. It’s
not as meticulous as usual.”
When he said this, everyone realized that it was true. However, no one
thought about it. After muttering to themselves for a long time, everyone felt
that Elder Yuheng should have gone to the back of the mountain last night to
fill in some small gaps in the forbidden area.
Looking up at him, these disciples would at most find him interesting, but
no one had ever treated him as someone with flesh and blood, or as if he was
someone with desires. So, even if what Mo Ran and Chu Wanning did was
not without a trace, even if there were a lot of clues, they did not pay
attention to it.
When a person was carried onto the altar by the crowd, he had no choice
but to remain silent, to remain motionless, to break off emotion and desire,
and to remain cold. Otherwise, it would be a mistake to miss a single step.
Later, when the relationship between Mo Ran and Chu Wanning was
announced to the world, many people felt that their gods had collapsed. They
felt disgusted and angry, and they found it unacceptable.
But they had all forgotten that it was a cruel and difficult thing to force a
man to bow to them from a height, to force him to walk with every step
according to their expectations, to make him live from head to toe for the
sake of their pleas and not allow him to have the slightest bit of selfish desire.
190. Shizun again in seclusion
After that day, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran did not have the chance to meet
in private.
The rain continued to pour down in a demonic manner. A large number of
dead fish and shrimp appeared in the billowing river outside White Emperor
City. There were also a lot of vicious aquatic beasts.
Due to the powerful spiritual energy of both Chu Wanning and Mo Ran,
they were not scheduled to waste any strength at this time. One of them went
to the Three Gorges Port while the other went to Yizhou.
In the hundreds of years of history of the Rufeng Sect, countless demon
beasts were being held in the Golden Drum Tower.
In addition to Shu, the peaceful areas of Yangzhou, Laizhou, and Xuzhou,
which originally belonged to the Upper Cultivation World, also produced
many disasters by demon beasts, eating people and killing civilians. For a
time, they distributed a lot of manpower and energy of the various sects to it.
So the investigation of the whereabouts of Xu Shuanglin was even slower.
It only took him four days to quickly settle Yizhou down and return to
Sisheng Peak. When he heard that Chu Wanning had come back, he was
overjoyed and wanted to go to the Red Lotus Pavilion to find him, not caring
about rest.
In the end, the water pavilion’s door was shut tight. After asking again, Xue
Zhengyong asked in a curious tone, “Seclusion? Didn’t Yuheng tell you?”
“Going into seclusion again?” Mo Ran was shocked. “Is Shizun injured?”
“What kind of injury? Isn’t it due to the mental cultivation method? Every
seven years, he has to retreat. The last time he trained in seclusion, you went
to take care of him, so how did you forget?”
As Xue Zhengyong said this, Mo Ran suddenly remembered something.
He had just taken Chu Wanning as his Shizun, and it had only been half a
year since then, and Chu Wanning had already mentioned that he had
advanced in his cultivation. Although he was fine, he had to train in seclusion
once every seven years.
In ten days, Chu-zongshi’s cultivation base had declined, almost as if he
were a mortal. He needed to meditate and cultivate in order for his body to
recover. During this period of time, he only had one hour a day to recover his
soul consciousness, drink some water, and eat a little food but not to be
disturbed or injured by others. Therefore, Chu Wanning would place the
strongest barrier around the Red Lotus Water Pavilion in advance. Only four
people, Xue Zhengyong, Xue Meng, Shi Mei, and Mo Ran, were allowed to
enter in case of a disaster.
Last time, not long ago, when he was in closed-door cultivation, he had a
conflict with Chu Wanning over the matter of “picking flowers”.
Thinking back to that time, Mo Ran felt uneasy. He immediately said, “I’ll
go and see him.”
“You don’t need to go. Before he entered, he said that he would do the
same thing as last time. He would ask Xue Meng to guard the first three days,
Shi Mei for the three days, and the last four days you accompany him.”
“I just wanted to take a look at him…”
“What’s there to see?” Xue Zhengyong laughed, “Last time you crossed
this hurdle, wasn’t it also because of Meng’er? What else do you have to
worry about? Moreover, you have already passed. Once Meng’er sees you, he
will have to speak to you. It would not be good if you were to argue with
Yuheng.”
That night, he did not fall asleep. When he thought of Xue Meng in the
Red Lotus Pavilion alone with Chu Wanning, he felt a sour feeling in his
heart.
Of course, he knew that Xue Meng was pure and did not have any interest
in men, but he just felt uncomfortable. After tossing and turning for half a
night, he finally managed to sleep for one or two hours at dawn.
After waking up, Mo Ran felt that it was no good.
He still couldn’t help himself. He wanted to see Chu Wanning, even if it
meant taking a look at him from afar.
Although the door of the pavilion was closed and there were enchantments
everywhere, Mo Ran was Chu Wanning’s disciple. The enchantment did not
obstruct him, and as for the wooden door made of green jade bamboo, it was
just a decoration. Every time Chu Wanning cultivated in seclusion, he would
get used to staying in a bamboo pavilion in the depths of the lotus pond. This
time, it should be the same.
Indeed, from far away, he could see the elegant bamboo pavilion’s veil
fluttering in the lotus leaves on the Smoke Pond. Chu Wanning sat quietly on
the ground, his white clothes covering the ground.
Xue Meng stood next to him. He seemed to think that the sun was shining
outside. Thus, he tied up a snowy veil so that his Shizun would be able to
bask in the warmth of the sun. The winter sunlight flowed into the pavilion,
illuminating Chu Wanning’s slightly pale face. He seemed to have felt the
warmth during his meditation, and his face gradually turned a bit pale.
After a while, due to the circulation of the qi in his body, sweat started
dripping from his forehead. Xue Meng used a snow-white towel to wipe it off
for him. After wiping it off, he couldn’t help but raise his head and look left
and right, muttering, “How strange, why do I feel like someone is staring at
me…”
Mo Ran was not staring, but staring.
His expression looked calm, but in reality, his heart was in turmoil.
He felt that Xue Meng had taken too long to wipe Chu Wanning’s forehead
with a handkerchief. He got closer and his eyes became ambiguous. In short,
Xue Meng was being thrown all sorts of crimes at him. He just felt annoyed
and frustrated.
He felt that he could not take it anymore. He was unwilling to stay here and
suffer any longer, so he decided to leave.
However, he was unable to control himself and the sound of his feet
became louder. Xue Meng immediately threw out a Plum Blossom Darts that
were brimming with spirit energy and shouted, “Who is it?!”
The Plum Blossom Darts were a small matter. He caught them with his
bare hands, but when he heard his voice, Mo Weiyu almost jumped out of the
bamboo forest and into the pavilion.
Xue Meng’s eyes widened as he said in astonishment, “How did you…”
“Lighter.” Mo Ran immediately covered his mouth and said in a low voice,
“Why are you shouting so loudly?”
“Uuuuuuuu — uuuu!” Xue Meng struggled for a long time before he
suddenly pulled himself out of Mo Ran’s hands. His face was flushed red as
he angrily stroked his messy hair and said, “You’re still talking about me?
What are you looking at from under the bushes like a thief?”
“… I’m just afraid you’re going to be as noisy as you are now.”
“I said Shizun can’t hear me!” Xue Meng said angrily, “Oh, the Curse of
Soundlessness, didn’t you see that Shizun had already cast the Curse of
Soundlessness on himself? Unless you break his curse, he won’t be able to
hear what you’re saying even if you shout in his ear…”
He grumbled, but Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. “Curse of
Soundlessness? Then why did Uncle say he was afraid that I would come over
and disturb you?”
“My dad must have felt that you just came back from Yizhou and was too
tired. He wants you to rest first. You also believe his words. I don’t know if
you should think about it, but Shizun, when did he not first go into seclusion
and cast that incantation on himself, making it easier for us to be more
comfortable by his side. You didn’t even use your brain. You truly are
extremely stupid.”
Mo Ran: “…”
Seeing that Mo Ran was about to sit down in the pavilion, Xue Meng
hurriedly pulled him back. “Hey, what are you doing?”
Mo Ran said, “Since that’s the case, I’ll keep watch as well.”
Xue Meng said, “Who asked you to keep it? I was the one who guarded
him for the first three days, and now you have to behave with master again.
Let’s go, go. Don’t snatch my job.”
“Can you take care of him alone?”
“Why can’t I take care of him? It’s not like this is the first time I’m taking
care of Shizun in closed door cultivation.”
Seeing Xue Meng’s anger, Mo Ran did not know what to say. After
hesitating for a while, just as he was about to leave, he suddenly saw a tea set
on the table. It had a wide leaf, dark color, and a light fragrance. Seeing this
he asked: “Is this Cold Fragrant Snow tea from Kunlun?”
“Eh? How do you know?”
“…” How could he not know that this tea was Xue Meng’s favorite drink?
Xue Meng was always willing to offer his most beloved things to his Shizun,
but he did not think over whether these things suited Chu Wanning or not.
“Cold Fragrant Snow tea is cold, and Shizun already has a cold
constitution. If you give him more tea like this, will he feel comfortable?”
Xue Meng stared blankly for a moment. His face was a little red as he
explained in embarrassment, “I didn’t think too much either. I only know that
the Cold Fragrant Snow is good tea, I…”
“Go exchange for some fragrant rose tea, add two spoonfuls of honey, and
when he wakes up, boil some water for him to drink. I’ll make some snacks
and bring them to you later.”
Thinking that he would be able to save some face, Xue Meng hurriedly
said, “He can’t eat snacks. He has to fast for the next ten days.”7
“I know, but uncle said he can eat a little.” As Mo Ran spoke, he waved his
hand and walked out of the bamboo pavilion, heading out of the pavilion.
“See you later.”
Xue Meng watched his back. He was lost in thought for a while.
When Mo Ran had gone far away, he lowered his head and could not help
but look at the side of his Shizun’s neck — the faint bruise that he had
inadvertently caught sight of yesterday.
Under the sunlight, it was even clearer. It didn’t look like the bite marks of
a mosquito, nor was it a wound. Xue Meng was no longer a 14 or 15 year old
person. Although he had not experienced some things, it did not mean that he
was completely ignorant. The little mark on Chu Wanning’s neck made him
very restless.
He thought of all the details, especially what he had heard that day in the
back mountains.
He kept telling himself that it was the wind, the wind.
However, the vague fog in his heart seemed to have shrouded him again.
Under the dense fog, there seemed to be something strange that was gradually
revealing its original appearance.
Under the warm sun, for some reason, Xue Meng suddenly felt very
uncomfortable. He couldn’t help but shiver and frown.
Because of this restlessness, on the sixth day of Chu Wanning’s closed door
cultivation, Xue Meng made a decision.
He planned to secretly follow Mo Ran to take a look.
This was the last day of service for Chu Wanning. It was supposed to be
midnight, but Mo Ran had dinner at Mengpo Hall early on that day. He
picked up a box of snacks and headed straight for the Red Lotus Pavilion.
Xue Meng did not expect him to actually plan to change Shi Mei at this hour
and stop eating the rest of the food as well. He bent his waist and chased after
him, following outside the Red Lotus Pavilion and walking through the main
door. He rested for a moment, then followed Mo Ran’s example and jumped
over the wall and entered the house.
At this time, before the sun set, the crescent moon had already appeared.
The sky had been stripped of its colorful makeup, and only the tinge of red
could be seen in the end. The magnificent sunset had already faded away, and
the stars were like water, swallowed up by the dark night.
Mo Ran carried his food box and saw Shi Mei walking into the bamboo
pavilion with his back towards him. He did not seem to have heard Mo Ran’s
approach and stopped right in front of Chu Wanning.
Mo Ran smiled and was about to greet him when he saw a cold ray of light
flash across Shi Mei’s hand. He pointed it at Chu Wanning, who was sitting in
the middle of his meditation.
“Shi Mei!”
His back felt cold and his hair stood on end.
In his two lifetimes, he had experienced too many life and death situations,
to the point that even the slightest movement could cause him to become a
common person. As the saying goes, once bitten by a snake, this Red Lotus
Pavilion held the corpse of Chu Wanning for two whole years, until the day
he died.
In truth, he didn’t really like it here. Stepping into the pavilion, he could
always think of the last few years of his previous life when Chu Wanning was
lying in the middle of a lotus flower with his eyes closed forever, lifeless.
Therefore, he subconsciously felt that the Red Lotus Pavilion was a
calamity with a bottomless throat that would devour the final fire in this
world.
Shi Mei turned his head and looked down. The silver light was hidden in
his sleeves: “Mo Ran?… Why are you here?”
“I —”
Mo Ran’s heart was beating wildly. He could not catch a breath. Ignoring
everything, he frowned and said, “In your hands…”
“My hand?”
Shi Mei paused for a moment, and then raised his hand again. In his hand
was a comb made of pure silver, with spirit stone slags embedded into the
back of the comb.
Mo Ran was at a loss for words. After a long while, he said, “You… are
you combing Shizun’s hair?”
“… Hmm, what’s wrong?” Shi Mei looked him up and down, then slightly
frowned, “Such an ugly expression, could something have happened outside?”
“No, I’m just…”
Halfway through his sentence, he could not continue on, but his face turned
from pale to slightly red. Fortunately, the darkness of the night made it
difficult for people to see him clearly. After pausing for a moment, Mo Ran
tilted his face and lightly coughed. “Nothing.”
Shi Mei continued to look at him in silence. Then, he seemed to have
understood something. His expression turned slightly blank as he hesitantly
said: “Don’t tell me that you think…”
Mo Ran hurriedly replied, “I don’t think anything.”
After all, Shi Mei was also someone who treated him extremely well,
someone he treated like family. Mo Ran was also shocked by his
misunderstanding of Shi Mei and felt that he had let him down, so he blurted
out the words “I didn’t”.
Shi Mei didn’t say anything. After a long while, he said: “A-Ran.”
“Hmm?”
“I haven’t even said the last part.” Shi Mei sighed, “Why are you so anxious
to deny it?”
With these words, it was no doubt clear that Shi Mei understood that in
that instant, Mo Ran had mistakenly recognized the silver brush in his hand as
a ferocious blade.
Even though this fear came from the death of Chu Wanning in his two
lifetimes, no matter who it was that stood with their back facing Mo Ran,
whether it was Xue Meng or Xue Zhengyong, they would all probably
tremble for a moment. However, facing Shi Mei, Mo Ran calmed down, and
his heart was still in pain.
He lowered his eyes and said, “… I’m sorry.”
In his memory, Shi Mei was always gentle and kind when encountering
people, rarely was there a moment when he was cold or blaming others. But
that night, by the Lotus Pond, he looked at Mo Ran and didn’t say anything
for a long time.
The wind was blowing, the lotus leaves in the pond tumbled, and the red
lotus flowers danced lightly.
Shi Mei said: “It’s one thing if people are not as good as the old one, but
A-Ran, we’ve known each other for almost ten years. In your heart, how
could I be so weak?”
His voice was soft and calm, without much anger or grievance. Mo Ran
looked at his eyes. The two pools of cold spring water seemed to have seen
through everything, but he did not care about anything and did not want to
say anything more.
Shi Mei handed the silver comb to Mo Ran and said, “Before Shizun closes
his eyes to meditate, ask me to help him tie his braids. Since you’ve come, I’ll
give it to you.”
“Shi Mei…”
However, the tall and extremely beautiful man had already walked past him
by mistake. His footsteps were gentle, but he did not turn back as he left the
bleak Red Lotus Pavilion on his own.
191. Shizun, Xue Meng and I…
The most important person to Mo Ran in this world, other than Chu
Wanning, was Shi Mei.
Once, Mo Ran thought that it was love that he felt for Shi Mei, but later
on, he realized that he was not. However, his feelings for him, who treated
him well and cherished him, had never changed.
Even though he would gradually feel that Shi Mei had become a stranger,
and that this tall and charming man seemed like another person. Even though
the original bowl of wontons was only sent by Shi Mei on behalf of Chu
Wanning,
But no matter what, Shi Mingjing was the same Shi Mingjing from before.
It was his companion, smiling and reaching out to him in the darkness and
the darkness.
When he was lonely and unwilling, he was the senior brother who
accompanied him and was willing to comfort him.
In this world, Shi Mei was an orphan, he no longer had family members,
and Xue Meng was very proud and arrogant. Although he was on good terms
with Shi Mei, in all these years, Shi Mei had never called Xue Meng by his
name. Instead, he respectfully called him Young Master.
The only person who Shi Mei could truly call “friend” was most likely
himself.
As a result, he had also hurt his heart.
Xue Meng was hiding in the bamboo forest. He crossed his arms and
observed for a long time. He saw Mo Ran standing there motionlessly,
playing with his silver brush as if he had something on his mind.
After waiting for less than an hour and seeing no signs of movement, Xue
Meng started to feel like an idiot.
What was he thinking? Why did he feel that Shizun had something to do
with Mo Ran? Is his brain damaged… The more he stood, the more
embarrassed he became, the more he felt that he was even more baffled. At
the end of the fight, Xue Meng turned around and was about to leave, but he
was indeed from the same sect.
He relaxed for a moment and was unable to control his footsteps.
Mo Ran stood up and asked in a low voice through the curtain, “Who is
it?”
“…”
Under the moonlight, Xue Meng walked out unwillingly, neither
embarrassed nor flustered. His eyes avoided the gaze as he gave a light cough.
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. “What are you doing here?”
“Only the state officials are allowed to set fire, and people are forbidden to
light lamps?”8 Xue Meng did not dare to look at Mo Ran’s eyes. His gaze was
fleeting, and although he sounded reasonable and calm, his face was red. “I
also just wanted to come and see Shizun.”
With a thought from Mo Ran, he vaguely understood the possibility of Xue
Meng following him. He could not help but freeze, but he quickly adjusted his
expression and regained his composure before Xue Meng realized it.
“Since you’ve come, let’s sit for a while.”
Xue Meng did not refuse and followed him into the bamboo pavilion.
“Would you like some tea or wine?”
“Tea. Drinking makes you drunk.”
There was wine and tea on the table, and a small stove by Mo Ran. Flames
lit up in the darkness, illuminating his distinctive features. He boiled the Eight
Treasures Tea on top of the stove, and the two brothers sat on a bamboo
bench, leaning against a pillar, waiting for the tea to boil.
Xue Meng asked him, “Why are you so early? Originally, it should have
been worth another half a night.”
“I have nothing to do, so I’m here.” Mo Ran smiled, “Aren’t you the
same?”
Xue Meng thought about it, it seemed to be true.
After all, after the battle of the Heavenly Rift World, Mo Ran had
gradually changed. Now that so many years had passed, he was vastly
different from that arrogant youth from back then. The disciple that Chu
Wanning had saved with his life had finally grown into a righteous man.
Lowering his eyelashes, Xue Meng pondered for a moment before
suddenly smiling.
Mo Ran asked, “Why?”
“No, I remember the last time he went into seclusion. At that time, you still
weren’t convinced by Shizun. After ten full days, you came to see him, then
said that you weren’t capable enough and that you probably wouldn’t be able
to serve him and that you ran over to Daddy’s to organize the books. At that
time, you were still sulking in your heart. I never thought that after seven
years, you would become like this.”
Mo Ran was quiet for a while, then said, “People change.”
Xue Meng asked, “I want to give you another chance. I want you to return
to seven years ago. Do you still want to run away?”
“What do you think?”
Xue Meng seriously pondered this question, then said, “I’m afraid I’ll need
to spend ten days and ten nights by Shizun’s side.”
Mo Ran lowered his eyes and laughed.
“Hmph, why are you laughing?” Xue Meng changed his position and put
one foot on the bamboo pavilion’s bench. His elbow was resting comfortably,
his head and neck slightly tilted back, his gaze moving to his eyes and tail,
and he looked at his own cousin. “Our feelings for Shizun are the same now.
Mo Ran lowered his eyes. “Yes.”
Xue Meng narrowed his eyes, then looked towards him at the corner of the
pavilion and said, “Very good. Back then, when Shizun died, I resented him
for exchanging his life for yours. But today, it would seem that you are not
completely heartless.”
Mo Ran did not know what to say, so he replied with an “En.”
The bell tinkled in the wind.
After a few moments of silence, Xue Meng couldn’t help but turn his head.
With a burning gaze and a slight crease between his eyebrows, he suddenly
asked, “Cough, actually, there’s something I want to ask you.”
“Go ahead.”
“Tell me the truth, that day at the back of the mountain, you guys……”
Mo Ran actually knew that Xue Meng had always wanted to ask this
question.
After all these twists and turns, he still couldn’t escape the question. He
waited for him to continue.
However, Xue Meng stammered for a long time, his face was pale and red,
red and white. In the end, he was still unable to say those words. “Are you
looking for a osmanthus cake?”
The water was boiling, and the wisps of steam that had gathered in the cold
night were fading away.
Their gazes met. Xue Meng’s eyes were filled with anxiety, flickering with
flames. Mo Ran’s eyes were devoid of any emotions, and so deep that one
could not see the bottom of it.
“We can drink tea now.”
Xue Meng suddenly grabbed his arm and stared at him. “Are you guys
really looking for the osmanthus candy New Year cake?!”
“…”
Mo Ran paused for a moment, then he opened his hand and went to the
table to pick up the black cast iron pot. Each person had a cup, filling it to the
brim.
Only then did he raise his eyes and say, “If we weren’t looking for the
osmanthus candy, what else could we be doing?”
“You…”
“Shizun wouldn’t lie to you so easily. If you don’t believe me, you have to
trust him.”
Xue Meng was like a small snake that had been pinched around seven
inches. His hand that was placed on his knee was slightly spasming as he
suddenly lowered his head and said, “I don’t doubt him.”
“Drink your tea, then.” Mo Ran sighed, “What are you thinking about all
day long? It’s all useless.” He lowered his head and blew on the steaming hot
air. In the dense mist, his face appeared so handsome, yet it was also
somewhat blurry. It was like a reflection of the moon in a mirror, making it
difficult to see clearly.
The Eight Treasures Tea was warm. Xue Meng slowly drank a few
mouthfuls as he felt the gurgling heat from it caused his frantic heart to
gradually calm down. He finished the tea, but the warmth still lingered in the
cup.
Xue Meng lowered his head. He suddenly stared blankly, as if he was
talking to Mo Ran, and also as if he was talking to himself. “I really care
about him too much, that’s why I think so much. Even a little bit of
trouble…”
“I know.” He said, “Me too.”
Xue Meng turned his face to the side, looking at him.
Mo Ran leaned against the pavilion pillar. Before he finished his tea, he
took another sip and then said, “Just now, because of this, I misunderstood
Shi Mei. You are at least better than me, so you don’t have to be so
impulsive.”
“No wonder he left after just a few words. What did you misunderstand
about him?”
“… It’s fine if you don’t want to say it.” Mo Ran smiled bitterly, “I can
even think more nonsense than you.”
Xue Meng wrinkled his nose, “He is a pitiful person. During the famine,
people would easily become food for others. If not for father saving him, he
would have become the meat of a hungry people. Shi Mei has always been
good to you, don’t bully him.”
Mo Ran replied, “Yes, I know. It was just a moment of rush earlier, but it
won’t happen again.”
The two of them stood guard in the pavilion, talking to each other in a
nonchalant manner.
This feeling was very strange. Under the moonlight, Xue Meng’s handsome
and somewhat arrogant face belonged to a person who had left a hole in his
chest in his previous life. Every time he saw him afterward, it was
accompanied by tears and blood.
Who would have thought that they would still be able to speak in such a
calm manner? Under the moon in the lotus pond, brewing tea and cooking
wine.
Yes, wine.
After the tea was finished, Xue Meng had no intention of leaving.
After Mo Ran heated up another pot of wine and drank a few cups. As
long as he wasn’t drunk, it would be harmless.
However, he seemed to overestimate Xue Meng’s alcohol tolerance.
Amongst the four of them, the one who didn’t fall out of the thousand cups
was Chu Wanning. While his own tolerance for alcohol was quite good, Shi
Mei’s alcohol tolerance was very poor. However, the most hopeless one was
Xue Meng.
Two small glasses of pear blossom white, this person is a bit dizzy, speech
also big tongue.
Mo Ran was worried that he would cause trouble so he quickly kept the
wine and did not give it to him to drink.
Although Xue Meng’s consciousness was muddled, he still hadn’t lost it
completely. He still understood clearly, his face was bright red as he smiled
and said, “It’s good to keep it, I… I can’t drink anymore.”
“Yes.” Mo Ran said, “Quickly go back and rest. Can you walk by yourself?
You can’t leave. I’ll send a mental message for uncle to come over.”
“Oh, no need for him to come over. No need for him to come over.” Xue
Meng smilingly waved his hand. “I can walk back myself, and I even
recognize the way.”
He stretched out a finger and placed it in front of him. “What is this?”
“One.”
He then pointed at Chu Wanning, “Who is this?”
Xue Meng laughed. “Big brother Immortal.”
“… Speak properly.”
“Haha, Shizun, I recognize you.” Holding the pillar, Xue Meng laughed.
He scolded Xue Meng on how this guy’s alcohol tolerance was getting
worse every year, but he was still worried. He pointed to himself and asked,
“Then what about me? Look at me, don’t joke with me. Who am I?”
Xue Meng was stunned for a moment.
Time seemed to overlap with the past. On the New Year’s Eve in Mengpo
Hall, Xue Meng was also drunk. He recognized the face of Shi Mei, said that
Chu Wanning was the Immortal Brother. He then looked at Mo Ran and
laughed, saying that he was a dog.
Mo Ran calmly looked at him, prepared that if he were to speak another
word, he would secretly press Xue Meng down and beat him up. Then, he
would call Xue Zhengyong to come over and take the little drunkard back.
But Xue Meng stared at him blankly for a while. He did not know what
strange expression he had on his face, but in the end, his lips opened and he
slightly pouted, as if he was going to utter the word ‘dog’.
Mo Ran was going to cover his mouth.
“Brother……”
But his hand froze. Xue Meng’s hazy eyes stared at him. Slowly, quietly, he
called out, “Brother.”
Mo Ran froze for a moment. It was as if he had been stung by a bee sting.
The sting turned into pain, which was numbed by the poison. His throat was
blocked, and he could not say a single word. He could only stare blankly at
Xue Meng’s face, his young, arrogant, high-spirited facial features.
Mo Ran’s face was used to seeing hatred, anger, and contempt.
However, he had never seen his current expression.
Xue Meng rubbed the Longcheng saber hanging on his waist. This saber
was made from Mo Ran, who had cut down the great demoness with great
difficulty and seized the top grade spirit stones, sending them over for him to
embed.
Without this saber, he might not have been able to take first place in the
Spiritual Mountain Competition. Without this saber, he might have been
reduced to a nameless cultivator, bearing the injury of Zhong Yong.9
When he was awake, for reasons like this, and out of pride and face, he had
never properly expressed his thanks to Mo Ran, but he was in pain — every
day he would wipe the Longcheng with mixed emotions.
Especially after he came back from Rufeng Sect, when he got to know that
Mo Ran rescued him from Xu Shuanglin, Xue Meng was even more
tormented. After he woke up, and heard that Mo Ran and Chu Wanning were
still missing, he broke down in tears. Everyone thought that he was just crying
because of his Shizun, and only Xue Meng himself knew that that night, he
hugged the saber Longcheng’s as he lay on his sickbed, looking into the
darkness, and said hoarsely:
“Brother, I’m sorry.”
Where are you. You and Shizun… Are you all right…
Mo Ran could not speak, nor could he move his feet. It was as if his entire
body was frozen, and he just stood there motionlessly.
Yesterday, all sorts of emotions flashed across his eyes.
He thought back to the Sisheng Peak in his previous life. Xue Meng
climbed up the mountain by himself and stood in the desolate Wushan
Palace. His eyes were red as he asked for Chu Wanning’s whereabouts.
Xue Meng said, “Mo Ran, turn around and look…”
He thought of how Xue Meng and Mei Hanxue had ambushed and
assassinated him after he became the Emperor, and how Mei Hanxue had
blocked his path in the clear sky.
Xue Meng said, “Mo Weiyu, no one can save you. This world will not
tolerate you!”
He thought of hatred after hatred, angry, hot, dancing dragons and
serpents.
He thought of the day that Chu Wanning died in his life, Xue Meng
suddenly leapt up and roared as he pressed him against the wall. His carotid
artery suddenly burst out, and he howled like a trapped beast, “How can you
say that he didn’t save you… How can you say that he didn’t save you!”
Suddenly, a thought flashed in his mind, and a faint light seemed to light up
in front of his eyes.
Perhaps it was because Mo Ran had stood so stiffly for so long that he
reminded him of the earliest, earliest, most vague memory.
He seemed to have seen two youths, one of them was extremely thin,
looking anxious and terrified. Like a abandoned dog that was used to being
whipped, he squatted uneasily at the small table in the disciple’s room,
squatted on a stool, and clenched his hands tightly in his lap.
There was also a young man with a face as white as snow and a face pretty
and adorable, like a young pheasant whose wings were bright and proud. He
stood there with a beautiful scimitar at his waist, stepping on the chair with
one foot, looking at him with his round, pitch-black eyes unblinkingly.
“My mother told me to come and see you.” The youth, Xue Meng, snorted.
“I heard you’re my cousin?… It’s a shame.”
Mo Ran did not say a word and lowered his head. He was not used to being
stared intently at like that.
Xue Meng asked, “Hey, what’s your name? Mo… That Mo… What? Tell
me, I don’t remember.”
“…”
“I’m asking you a question, why aren’t you saying anything?”
“…”
“Are you a mute?!”
After the third time, the young man, Xue Meng, was so angry that he
started laughing. “I already said you’re my cousin, but you’re so submissive
and so small. How could I have such a shameful brother when the wind
blows? What a joke.”
Mo Ran lowered his head, increasingly unwilling to pay any attention to
him.
Just like that, there was silence. Suddenly, a flash of red appeared in front
of his eyes. The person who passed it to him was too rough, almost piercing
the tip of his nose.
“For you.” Xue Meng said.
“I can’t eat anyway.”
He brought a box of pastries and casually threw it on the table. His attitude
was one of charity, but as Mo Ran stared at it, he only felt that he was very
generous. Before this, no one had ever been willing to give him so many
things.
“I… This… is mine?”
“What?” Xue Meng frowned. “What do you mean ‘this is mine’? What do
you want to say?”
“Can I eat all these?”
“Huh?”
“Actually, one is more than enough… If you can’t eat it, then I’ll…”
“Are you sick? Are you a dog? Eating the leftovers of others?” Xue Meng’s
eyes widened in disbelief as he said, “Of course it’s all yours! This whole
bunch, this whole box, they’re all yours!”
The lacquered wooden dim sum box was beautifully crafted, and on it was
a golden powder drawing of the Immortal Crane Xiangyun. It was an
imposing style that Mo Ran had never seen before.
He did not dare to reach out his hand, but kept staring at the box with his
black eyes, which gave Xue Meng goosebumps. He lifted his hand to open
the box of snacks, and the rich fragrance of milk, fruit, fruit, and bean, as
well as the mixed aroma of the sand and mud filled the box. There were nine
of them in total, some were golden and crisp, some were pink and tender,
others weak, and fragile.
The youth, Xue Meng, didn’t even look at it. He pushed the entire box of
dim sum towards him and impatiently said, “Eat it. If it’s not enough, I still
have more. There’s no way to finish it. I’ll just give it to you.”
This Young Master’s attitude was rude and his tone was rude. His black
and white round eyes were still rolling up, as if he was looking down on
people with his nose in the sky.
But the fruit was sweet and soft.
After two lifetimes of bitterness, blood, and that distant sweet taste, it
seemed to have returned to his tongue just like that. Mo Ran looked at Xue
Meng’s drunk face under the moonlight. Xue Meng narrowed his eyes and
stared at him. After a while, Xue Meng smiled. He seemed to be drunk, but it
was unknown what he was laughing about.
He let go of the pillar in his arms as if he wanted to go over and pat Mo
Ran’s shoulder, but his steps were unsteady. He staggered and fell into Mo
Ran’s arms.
“Ugh…Brother…”
He lightly patted Xue Meng’s back. The night wind blew, causing his hair
to cover half his handsome face, and no one knew what kind of expression
Mo Ran had. After a long time, Xue Meng, who was too weak in alcohol, fell
asleep in his arms.
“Xue Meng, I’m sorry, I’m not worthy to be your brother…”
192. Shizun gave me my life
On the day that Chu Wanning finished his closed door cultivation, an
unexpected guest arrived at his peak.
Knock, knock, knock.
Early in the morning, the door to the Red Lotus Pavilion was being
knocked on anxiously.
Mo Ran was in the midst of attending to Chu Wanning when he heard the
knock on the door. He was still in a daze from the ten days of meditation and
had just finished his training when he heard a knock on the door. He said
coldly, “Come in.”
Mo Ran: “Pfft.”
“… What are you laughing at?”
“Shizun set up a barrier at the door. Other than me and Xue Meng, who
else can enter?”
Only then did Chu Wanning remember. He lifted his hand to remove the
barrier. A messenger disciple hurriedly came in from outside. He reeked of
alcohol and acted like a fly without a head, “Elder Yuheng, this isn’t good. A
great demon has come to our Loyalty Hall!”
The two of them looked at each other and immediately rushed to the
Loyalty Hall.
From far away, Mo Ran saw a huge gourd swirling around the entire plaza.
A group of elders and disciples were watching from the side, not knowing
whether to laugh or cry.
Mo Ran: “… Diremonster?”
Fat Gourd: “Gulp, gulp, gulp.”
Seeing that Chu Wanning and Mo Ran had arrived, Xue Zhengyong’s eyes
lit up and slapped his thighs, “Ah! Yuheng! He woke up at the right time!
There’s hope, there’s hope!”
Chu Wanning was still in a daze, but his days were cold. Even though he
was still in a daze, his face was still unfathomable. “Hmm?”
“Another monster that escaped from the Golden Drum Tower.” Xue
Zhengyong’s face was bitter, angry, and amused at the same time. “Stay here
and don’t go — wine lustful gourd!”
Chu Wanning raised his head to look at the huge gourd on the ground. The
two were about the height of a person and they emitted a mother-of-pearl
luster. Peach red smoke was drifting from the mouth of the gourd and wine
was spewing out from the mouth of the gourd.
“This demon doesn’t hurt people,” Chu Wanning replied.
“But it’s filled with wine!”
His words were true. The wine gourd was chasing a group of young
disciples as they ran. As long as one of them caught up to them, a hole would
be opened in their mouths and they would start spewing alcohol into their
mouths.
Chu Wanning: “…”
“I heard that it only accepts good alcohol.” Xue Zhengyong said eagerly,
“Yuheng, look…”
Chu Wanning felt a headache coming on as he ran down the stage,
summoning Tianwen and placing it right in front of the wine gourd.
“Don’t run. I’ll drink with you.”
The fat gourd was overjoyed as it shook back and forth. Their opening
immediately expanded and a mouthful of wine shot out like an arrow towards
Chu Wanning’s face. Unexpectedly, Chu Wanning dodged it and calmly
avoided the wine, only to see a golden light shine, and the fat gourd was
tightly restrained by Tianwen.
“In other words, do you have a cup?”
“Gulp!” A small gourd ladle was spat out from the opening of the fat
gourd, it was filled with wine, “Po!”
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Chu Wanning sat on the ground and
started drinking with the wine gourd.
“Gulp, boom, boom!”
“Not bad, one more.”
“Bo!”
“Did Pear Blossom Bai do it?”
“Pop, pop, pop!”
Xue Zhengyong asked in astonishment, “Yuheng, you seem to understand
what it’s saying?”
“Yes. This kind of monster can always be understood a little bit.”
The wine gourd: “Pop pop pop!”
Mo Ran laughed, “Shizun, what did he say this time?”
“He’s talking to me, saying that he hasn’t been exposed to the sun for a
long time.”
The wine gourd was very happy. For some reason, it seemed to have
understood Chu Wanning’s words as well. It then intimately went over and
poured him a big jug of wine.
“This time, it’s Pear Blossom Bai?”
“Bo!”
“I don’t like Nu Er Hong.”
“Pop…” The wine gourd immediately poured out the wine and changed to
another one.
Everyone was shocked speechless.
Seeing the man and the demon drinking from the morning till noon, the
man and the demon were overjoyed. Everyone was flabbergasted as more and
more people gathered at the Loyalty Hall’s entrance.
Xue Meng and Shi Mei also came.
Seeing Shi Mei, Mo Ran recalled the misunderstanding and felt guilty. He
wanted to apologize to him, but the moment he caught sight of him, he turned
and left.
Seeing the way out, Xue Meng prodded Mo Ran with his elbow. “He
seems to still be angry at you for misunderstanding him last time.”
“Then what should we do?”
“Let’s chat with him. You guys do it like this, even if I’m stuck in the
middle, I still won’t be able to be a person inside or out. Hurry up. Anyway,
this place has nothing to do with you.”
Mo Ran glanced at Chu Wanning, who was drinking with a wine gourd,
and felt that nothing bad would happen soon. He said to Xue Meng, “Then I’ll
go find him first. Stay here and keep an eye on Shizun. If anything happens,
let me know immediately.”
Catching up to Shi Mei did not take much time. Mo Ran called out to him
from in front of the sword dance plateau: “Shi Mei!”
“…”
“Shi Mei!”
Shi Mei stopped and turned around. He looked at him quietly and asked,
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
“No…” Mo Ran waved his hand and frowned. “I came here to tell you that
I was in the wrong with the previous matter.”
“What did you say?”
Mo Ran was stunned and his eyes widened. “What?”
Shi Mei’s expression was still light and gentle, and the wind was blowing.
He stroked his hair, “It’s the Red Lotus Pavilion. You misunderstood me.
What would I do to Shizun? When we were eating together in the village,
none of you would sit at the same table as me. Or perhaps it was earlier, when
Shizun woke up, I went to bring you guys some wine, but you didn’t say
anything to me from start to finish. Which one?”
It was completely unexpected that he would actually bring up the matter
from before. Mo Ran was at a loss for a moment, and only after a long time
did he say, “You… Are you angry with me so early?”
Shi Mei shook his head: “Being angry is not necessarily true, but it doesn’t
matter.”
“…”
“A-Ran, ever since I respected you, you have been deliberately distancing
yourself from me.”
Mo Ran fell silent. He was indeed deliberately distancing himself from Shi
Mei. The two of them had been so close in the past that even Chu Wanning
could see them clearly.
It was just that because they always felt that something was missing, when
they were young, the layer of window paper between them did not break.
Later, when Mo Ran realized his intentions, he did not know how to deal with
the relationship between him and Shi Mei.
He had thought of saying this to Shi Mei, but felt that it wasn’t appropriate.
He had never confessed to Shi Mei, so he didn’t know what kind of
feelings he had towards him. It would be too sudden and presumptuous for
him to run over and say that he wanted to cut off their relationship.
Thus, the last thing he thought of was to slowly fade away.
Shi Mei quietly stared at him. After a while, he said, “When you first came
to the Sisheng Peak, I told you that I had no parents and no friends. From
then on, we were family.”
“… Right.”
“Then why did you change?”
Mo Ran felt very sad. He suddenly felt a little lost in his heart as well, not
knowing why he had to be so estranged from Shi Mei.
Ever since he came back from the ghost realm, did he exchange more than
a hundred sentences with Shi Mei?
The two who used to be inseparable were now walking further and further
away. Mo Ran could not help but hesitate if he had done too much.
He said, “I’m sorry.”
“… There’s nothing to be sorry about.” Shi Mei looked away, “Forget it,
that’s all.”
“Don’t be angry. You’re angry, I. You’ve always been good to me.”
Shi Mei finally smiled faintly: “I treat you very well, then what about
compared to Shizun?”
Mo Ran said, “That’s different.”
“I remember that you told me before that I treated you well because it gave
you a lot of warmth,” he said. “Then what about Shizun?”
Mo Ran said, “He gave me his life.”
For a long time, Shi Mei didn’t answer. Finally, he sighed: “I can’t
compare.”
Seeing this, Mo Ran’s heart felt even worse. “There’s nothing to compare
to. People are different. You —”
Without waiting for him to finish speaking, Shi Mei turned his face to the
side and slapped Mo Ran’s chest against the wind, “Alright, you don’t need to
say anymore. I know what you mean. Actually, I am not a person who would
care too much about others’ opinions. However, I am truly sad that you
misunderstood me like this before.”
“Hmm…”
“I think it’s already over. No one can think about it anymore.”
Mo Ran’s black eyes were warm as he nodded after a while. He said almost
gratefully, “Alright.”
Shi Mei was tall and slender. Leaning against the jade fence of the Sword
Discourse Arena, he looked down at the rustling leaves. After a while —
“Go back.”
“What did you want to say that year?”
At the same time, Mo Ran was stunned. “Which year?”
Shi Mei said: “The year of the Heavenly Rift.”
Only then did Mo Ran remember the scene from the Heavenly Rift, where
he was frozen in place for a moment with his unspoken confession.
Shi Mei said, “Back then, you didn’t finish your sentence with me. I don’t
know what you want to say, but can I ask you now?”
Mo Ran was about to reply when he suddenly heard a loud sound from the
Loyalty Hall behind him.
Both his and Shi Mei’s expressions changed as they replied, “It’s Shizun’s
side!”
Shi Mei did not have the time to chat and said, “Quickly go back and have
a look.”
The two of them turned around and rushed back to the main hall. When
they arrived at the entrance of the Loyalty Hall, they discovered that there
was actually a second fat gourd on the large plaza.
Mo Ran exclaimed, “What is this?!”
Xue Zhengyong covered his face and said, “Wine Lust Gourd.”
“How many are there?!”
“Two, one wine, one color. They are twins.” Xue Zhengyong’s head was
about to explode. “The one fighting with Yuheng is only the little brother.
This is the big brother.”
Mo Ran’s heart twitched. It was only after a while did he come to his
senses. “Wine gourds like to compete with others. That colored gourd…” He
turned around, blue in the face, and looked at the fat, twirling peach gourd.
Xue Zhengyong said awkwardly, “The perverted gourd can do the most
alluring things in the world. It only obeys the orders of the purest of people.”
Mo Ran turned his head and said, “Xue Meng!”
Shi Mei exclaimed, and said: “Why isn’t Xue Meng here? Where did he
go?”
Xue Zhengyong pointed at the colored gourd. “He has already gone
through the trial in the bottle gourd, he said that he will help to share his
worries.”
Mo Ran let out a sigh of relief. “Then it’s alright. If even Xue Meng was
not pure, then there would be no pure people in this world.”
Right after he said those words, ‘peng’, an explosive sound was heard.
Xue Meng was blown out of the gourd and landed heavily in the middle of
the crowd. The commotion was so loud that everyone turned to look at him.
Even Chu Wanning, who was drinking with the wine gourd, turned his head
around.
Shi Mei was stunned, “What’s wrong?”
Another person exclaimed in astonishment, “Could it be that even Young
Master…”
“Cough, cough, cough.” Xue Meng’s face swelled red as he stood up
shakily from the ground. His eyes were filled with anger and shame as he
roared at the perverted gourd, “You — you demon! You, you, you, are you
shameless!”
Mo Ran looked around and saw that Xue Meng had at some point changed
to a golden-red robe. He felt that it was both funny and curious. “What’s
going on?”
Xue Zhengyong only held his forehead, unable to say a word.
“I have heard of this before. The Lust is not lustful, but infatuated; it wants
to find the cleanest, most infatuated person in the world and no one in its
heart to marry it. It is said that those who are sucked into the gourd will find
themselves in a new room.”
“… And then?”
“After that, the primordial spirit of the perverted gourd will turn into the
appearance of a bride and groom. However, regardless of whether the bride
and groom are married or not, their faces are covered. They have to wait for
the other party to personally uncover them.”
Mo Ran said, “Is that the perverted gourd itself you uncover?”
“Of course not, the things that you uncover will vary depending on the
person. If you have someone you love, you will see the appearance of the
person you love. If you don’t have someone you love, but you are lustful, it is
said that what you see will be…” Shi Mei coughed lightly, a bit embarrassed,
“An unblemished beauty. Only the purest of people will be able to see the
original appearance of the colored gourd.”
Mo Ran turned his head in disbelief to look at the fuming Xue Meng on
the spot. “What did that Xue Meng see?”
He truly did not believe that Xue Meng had a lover, but he also did not
believe that Xue Meng could see some naked beauty or beauty in his eyes.
However, Xue Meng was actually thrown out by the colorful gourd.
Moreover, seeing the colorful gourd rolling around on the spot, it was obvious
that he was extremely happy. He even looked at Xue Meng and laughed.
Shi Mei could not bear to see this, so he tried to smooth things over for
Xue Meng. He said, “It might be a mistake on the part of a pervert…”
Before he could finish, Xue Meng unsheathed his sword and pointed at the
perverted gourd as he roared, “You actually changed into my own fucking
illusion to confuse me! You even made me dress like a woman in the illusion!
You, your dog’s broken gourd! How dare you humiliate me!”
“…” The disciples at Sisheng Peak, including Mo Ran, were all silent for a
moment. They wanted to endure it, but they couldn’t. All of them started
laughing out loud.
The most narcissistic was Xue Ziming, the peacock spreading the tail of
the water fairy, and the newlyweds made out of perverted gourds. When Xue
Meng lifted his head, what he saw was actually his own heavily made-up face.
“That’s reasonable.” Mo Ran tried his best to restrain himself from
laughing too exaggeratedly. He nodded his head and said, “Xue Meng should
be very pretty when he’s a girl.”
Before he could finish laughing, Xue Zhengyong heard a headache coming
on as he shouted, “Yuheng, why don’t you treat this perverted gourd after we
settle it?”
193. Shizun, did you marry me?
There were three people at the Sisheng Peak who were the most aloof and
innocent.
Xue Meng.
Elder Tanlang.
Chu Wanning.
Xue Meng had already been thrown out by the perverted gourd. Elder
Tanlang was not a virgin; he had once married a wife. However, that girl’s
body was weak and died soon after.
It was said that Elder Tanlang was studying medicine because he didn’t
want to see people leave because of illness.
Thus, the only one left was Chu Wanning.
“Elder Yuheng will surely be able to take care of it.”
“Yeah, even the Young Master can’t do that. We can only rely on the
Young Master’s Shizun.”
Mo Ran was listening full of anger, but there was nothing he could do. He
could only stand there.
With nothing to do, Mo Ran was in a hurry to seek medical treatment. He
said to Xue Zhengyong, “How about I try it?”
Xue Zhengyong looked him up and down and spoke in a rather
euphemistic tone, “Yang-er, the first requirement is that there has never been
a history of love.”
Mo Ran: “…”
On the other side, the wine gourd was completely disoriented by Chu
Wanning. Finally, it fell to the ground with a plop. The green smoke
dissipated and became a small jade gourd lying quietly on the ground. Xue
Zhengyong walked forward and put the wine gourd into his Qiankun bag and
said happily, “Haha.
“As expected of Yuheng. Come, colored gourd.”
Chu Wanning’s expression remained the same, but his eyelashes fluttered,
and he refused to look directly into Xue Zhengyong’s eyes, “No.”
Xue Zhengyong was stunned, not to mention him, even the surrounding
disciples and elders were stunned.
“Wh-why?”
“… I drank too much. I’m tired.”
Xue Zhengyong was not an idiot. He did not want to get drunk with Chu
Wanning, so he was not lying.
He stared at the man in white, staring at Chu Wanning impatiently. He
flicked his sleeves and turned around. Xue Zhengyong suddenly realized
something. He was stunned for a moment and blurted out, “Yuheng, don’t tell
me you can’t —”
Chu Wanning’s ears suddenly turned red. He looked back angrily, his eyes
flashing like lightning. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
Before he could even finish his sentence, he felt like he couldn’t take it
anymore. He thought to himself, “How is this possible? Who is Chu
Wanning?”
Xue Zhengyong slapped his leg in anxiousness. “Then you, then you give it
a try. Otherwise, if this gourd keeps wandering here, although it won’t hurt
anyone, it’ll be troublesome to death. Furthermore, this wine gourd’s skin is
so tough that even if you spend three to five years, you probably won’t be able
to cut off a single layer of its skin.”
“…” Chu Wanning’s gaze swept across the crowd. All the disciples were
looking at him eagerly. Only Mo Ran felt ashamed and could not hide the
burning sensation in his heart.
Chu Wanning cursed in his heart. However, he was currently stuck in a
dilemma. If he were to just leave like this, then he was afraid that he would
have more complaints in the future. After thinking for a moment, he said,
“Then I’ll try.”
The colorful gourd quickly sucked Chu Wanning into its stomach, then it
began to spin on the spot. None of the disciples were suspicious of Chu
Wanning’s strength. They were confident that he would be able to tame the
perverted calabash even if Chu Wanning were to enter. Only Mo Ran knew
what he was capable of.
In this world, the most innocent immortal elder had already, on that rainy
night not too long ago in the dark inn of Wuchang Town, been lying on the
bed with his lips touching his skin.
He had dirtied it with his own hands.
Chu Wanning opened his eyes.
This gourd had its own world. It was like a dream.
It was just as the legends said. The bright gourd was lit up by red candles,
and the wedding veil hung low in the air. Go forward, but see a big bed of red
acid branches thick quilt, sprinkle peanut red jujube, felt the curtains are all
ready.
An old woman with long green hair and a smile, looking like a gourd,
stood at the door of the greenhouse. She had a wide grin on her face, and
even her teeth were emerald green.
Chu Wanning knew that it was impossible for him to tame the gourd, so he
didn’t bother to say anything else. He walked up to the old woman and said,
“Grandma, just send me out. Don’t make me turn my head.”
The old woman said pleasantly, “Hmm, hum, hum.”
“…”
He did not expect that this old woman did not know human speech and
was not as sharp as the wine gourd. She did not understand what Chu
Wanning meant by that. Chu Wanning had no other choice but to sigh and
grit his teeth as he walked towards the bed.
On the bed sat a man, with a dark dragon pattern embroidered on his robes
and phoenix feathers embroidered on his lower body. His feet were bare and
his head was covered, making it difficult to see his face.
The old lady walked over unhurriedly. Smoke rose from her hand, and a
jade ruyi appeared. She handed it over to Chu Wanning and gestured for him
to come over.
Although Chu Wanning could not accept the fact that Mo Ran was wearing
a bridal dress, thinking about it made him feel slightly disgusted. However,
thinking about how he had once played the role of the bridegroom in
Butterfly Town, he also felt that Mo Ran was making a fool of himself.
“…”
Yes, that’s right. Being disgusted was one thing, if he didn’t want to see it,
it was useless.
Chu Wanning stood for a moment with an ashen face, took a deep breath
and walked forward.
The old woman urged, “Hmm, hum, hum.”
“Understood, don’t be anxious.”
The red silk fell to the ground as the ruyi appeared.
Chu Wanning opened his eyes wide, “You are…”
A man wearing a crown on his head opened his eyes in between the
candles. Light flowed across his pale and handsome face, and his black eyes
were filled with mockery. He raised his chin slightly and smiled at Chu
Wanning.
Chu Wanning was stunned.
This person was indeed Mo Ran, but his face was a bit sickly and fair, and
his eyes looked very sickly. He had a very strange expression on his face.
“Hmm, it seems that in Wanning’s heart, he still can’t forget this Venerable
One.” Seeing him in a daze, the man stretched out his hand and grabbed Chu
Wanning’s wrist. His fingers were cold as he stared into Chu Wanning’s eyes,
ruthless and fierce like a vulture.
Mo Ran grinned. He smiled, but it was not a warm smile. Instead, it was a
smile filled with dense white teeth.
“I am very pleased.”
… What nonsense!
Chu Wanning was both angry and amused. He thought to himself that this
lecherous gourd must have gone silly in the Golden Drum Tower. Anyone
who came out of it would be baffled.
“Let go.”
Mo Ran did not let go.
Chu Wanning turned around and said to the green-haired old lady, “Tell
him to let go.”
Before he finished his sentence, “bride” Mo Ran stood up abruptly. Chu
Wanning only had enough time to see the crown on his head swaying before
his waist tightened and his world spun. When he regained his senses, he was
already pushed onto the gold-red bed.
“It seems that you really enjoyed the taste I gave you?” The man’s breath
was hot on the side of his neck. “So much so that you can’t forget me…”
Chu Wanning frowned as he tried to avoid the topic. He cursed in his heart
for being too ridiculous.
Mo Ran had always been gentle, polite, and well-behaved to him. How
could he possibly speak to him like this? He was embarrassed and amused at
the same time. Annoyed and helpless, he kept hiding like this for a while until
the pillow area became a mess.
Suddenly, in the time it took for a spark to fly off of a piece of flint, Chu
Wanning narrowed his eyes as he looked at the golden red cloth. He suddenly
thought of something.
A dream.
He was stunned for a moment.
Then, his face suddenly turned red.
This… this was a dream that he had.
This was how Mo Ran acted in his dreams. He spoke harsh and stimulating
words, and his actions were very unrestrained.
So, this was not an illusion randomly born from a perverted gourd, but his
own shameful thoughts deep within his heart? This thought was too shameful,
causing Chu Wanning to be embarrassed for a moment he was so
embarrassed that even the tips of his ears were burning.
“Baobei…”
Suddenly, a wave of heat and wetness came over Chu Wanning. As his
mind drifted away, Mo Ran kissed his ear. Greedy and sinister, he stuck his
tongue into his eardrum.
“Ahh…”
Chu Wanning was caught off guard by this sudden burst of excitement, his
voice was hoarse and moist, filled with moisture.
Since the voice had already been spoken, it was even more humiliating.
However, for some reason, the scene before his eyes was too real. It was as
if he had kissed and pestered his like this a long time ago. Chu Wanning was
trapped on the bed by him as Mo Ran kept kissing his neck, cheeks, ears, and
his movements were extremely rough and quick.
He was anxious and angry, and even his eyes were red. He wanted to
struggle, but he could not do so, until this “Mo Ran’s” lips was about to land
on his own.
“Bam!”
Suddenly, ‘Mo Ran’ seemed to have sensed something. He was stunned for
a moment as he stared at Chu Wanning in disbelief.
Taking advantage of the opening, Chu Wanning pushed him away. The
golden light in his hands glowed and Tianwen was lit up. He then chopped
down at the “Mo Ran” in the illusion.
Upon seeing the Heaven Seeking Light, “Mo Ran” became even more
astonished and blurted out, “You actually… You are actually…”
The willow vine descended, and flowers of fire splashed everywhere.
“Mo Ran” was in pain, but he did not resist. Instead, he widened his eyes in
astonishment. After a few moments, a thin cloud of smoke rose.
The old woman with the green hair disappeared, as did Mo Ran.
Inside the warm room, there was an unfamiliar young man with green hair
and sharp ears. He looked extremely handsome.
Chu Wanning was still fuming, he got up from the bed and grabbed his
open shirt, glaring at the man with his maddened phoenix eyes. His voice was
low and dangerous, like a tiger or leopard that had been angered.
He gritted his teeth and said, “Evil creature.”
This young man was the primordial spirit of the “perverted gourd”. It
stared at Chu Wanning, its face was pale, shocked and fearful, “It’s you…”
Chu Wanning was angry, he turned his head and stared at him: “What do
you mean?”
The colored gourd was already trembling in fear. With a ‘putong’ sound, it
knelt on the ground and kowtowed. “I don’t know who this junior is…” It was
as if he was afraid to even say Chu Wanning’s name. He trembled and
kowtowed again, “Please forgive me, Sir Immortal. Please forgive me.”
“…”
Back in time, Chu Wanning beheaded and exterminated demons, taming
demons and ghosts. “Tianwen” was a well-known existence among those
demons and devils, even small demons wouldn’t dare to move when they saw
him.
However, he didn’t expect that this perverted gourd was of the same moral
character.
Chu Wanning kept his Tianwen. With a gloomy face, he got up and stared
at the young man who was kowtowing. After a moment of silence, he said,
“Take me out.”
“Yes, yes!”
He immediately chanted an incantation and a “peng” sound rang out.
Smoke rose up from the ground, and Chu Wanning was completely blinded
by the fog. When the fog dissipated and he could see clearly, he had already
returned to the plaza in front of the Loyalty Hall.
A few people immediately surrounded him.
“Shizun, are you alright?”
“Yuheng, you did too well!”
“Shizun, Shizun, are you hurt?”
The smoke had the smell of rotting gourds, Chu Wanning felt dizzy from
the smoke. It took him a while to notice that the colored gourd had also
disappeared. On the stone floor in front of him lay a small, peach-colored
bottle gourd.
Chu Wanning thought about the illusion and felt ashamed. He didn’t want
to say anything more and just said, “Take these two gourds and let them stay
in the Demon Suppressing Pagoda.”
Xue Zhengyong said, “Okay… Hmm…”
However, his gaze was fixated on Chu Wanning, going back and forth with
some hesitation.
Chu Wanning was scared out of his wits by his stare, “What’s wrong?”
“… Nothing.”
However, Xue Zhengyong’s expression was definitely not saying “nothing.”
Chu Wanning suddenly realized that other than him, the rest of the people
around him were also sneaking glances at him, full of curiosity and
amusement. Chu Wanning turned around, and even Mo Ran looked at him
awkwardly, his face red.
“Why…”
This time, before he could ask, Chu Wanning already knew the reason.
He looked down and saw his clothes.
It was unknown when he had first entered the belly of the colored gourd,
but the clothes he wore had been replaced by a golden robe similar to the one
Xue Meng wore.
Chu Wanning: “…”
The matter of Elder Yuheng accepting the matter of defeating the demon
quickly became a topic that the people at Sisheng Peak discussed with great
interest.
“I wonder who exactly Elder Yuheng is married to in the belly of the
gourd.”
Some people did not mind that their lives were short. They said in high
spirits, “They must definitely be a beauty like a fairy.”
Some felt that they had a long life ahead of them, so they winked and said,
“Maybe he’s a god-like man?”
One treasured his life very much, so he said seriously, “When the Elder
lifted the cover, what he saw should be the bottle gourd itself. If he saw
something else, the bottle gourd would not be happy and he would not be able
to subdue this demon.”
Everyone despised this coward who treasured his life and felt that he was
uninteresting, so they shook their heads and scattered.
However, at the Sisheng Peak, there was still the bravest warrior who was
unafraid of death…
On this day, the weather was dark and the morning cultivation was
suspended. Mo Ran brought snacks early in the morning, and when no one
was looking, he sneaked over to the Red Lotus Pavilion to eat with Chu
Wanning.
After the two of them had their meal, this “Heavenly Immortal beauties”
and “Heavenly God beauties”, who everyone was talking about, pulled on Chu
Wanning’s hand and asked, “Shizun, did you marry me in the lustful gourd?”
194. Shizun, am I not the Ran-mei you
love?
Chu Wanning ate until he was full and then angrily said, “Marry what?
You’re a man, you don’t even have to be ashamed to say such words…”
“Then, since it’s not you marrying me, then is it me marrying you?”
Chu Wanning got even angrier. Not only was he angry, he was also
ashamed.
He could not tell Mo Ran even if he was beaten to death. The appearance
of the colored gourd was exactly the same as the one he had dreamed of in
his dreams, Mo Ran with somewhat pale skin.
Nor would he tell Mo Ran how they had been entangled in each other in
that dream, making love so fiercely and sweetly.
One of the most important things in this world was the face of Elder
Yuheng.
Thus, Chu Wanning brushed his sleeves and said, “If you continue
babbling such nonsense, leave now. I won’t allow you to stay here any longer.”
He pursed his lips as if he felt wronged, but at least he was obedient. He
looked at Chu Wanning with his shiny black eyes and rubbed his cheeks with
the tip of his nose, saying gently, “Oh, then I won’t ask anything.”
“Dear Shizun, don’t chase me away.”
“Shizun is enough, don’t add to it.” Chu Wanning felt his heart go soft
upon hearing his words. Even though he could not resist, he pushed him
against his head and said with a straight face, “Don’t scream.”
“But if I only call you Shizun, then it’s not intimate at all.”
“Is it?”
“Look, I’ll call you Shizun in public, but if I call you Shizun in private, it’ll
be tedious and passionless, right?”
Chu Wanning was not fooled, “No, that’s not right.”
“…” If one move was not enough, then another would be done. Mo Ran
pulled Chu Wanning and kept calling out, “Shizun, Shizun, Shizun.” Every
form of summoning was sweet and greasy, giving Chu Wanning goosebumps.
In the end, Chu Wanning could not take it anymore and threw a book beside
him onto Mo Ran’s face.
“Shut up.”
The book was very thick, but it was very light when it came down. It didn’t
hurt.
Mo Ran laughed as he took down the book, revealing his handsome and
peerless face at the back, “I’m afraid that if I keep calling you Shizun like
this, you might accidentally call me Shizun. So, let’s think of a way to address
you.”
Chu Wanning frowned, “Since you’ve called me by another name, can’t you
get used to it by running over to someone else to call that?”
Mo Ran sighed. “Why don’t you bite the hook?”
“…” Being stung by this description made Chu Wanning even more
displeased. He lowered his head to tidy up his books, ignoring his disciple
who was lying on the table blowing on his hair.
After living in peace for a while, Mo Ran said in disappointment, “I want
to get some good stuff from Shizun.”
“Hmm?”
“Shi Mei and Xue Meng call you Shizun. I also call you Shizun, but there’s
no difference at all. I, I actually don’t want much, I just want to ask for
something different… something only I can call you.”
Chu Wanning stopped what he was doing and straightened up to look at
him.
“I won’t do it often.” Mo Ran’s dense and long eyelashes droop, casting
fragmented shadows on the tip of his nose. “Occasionally… Is that also not
possible?”
“…”
“You really can’t.” Mo Ran looked even more disappointed, “If you don’t
want to, then don’t.”
In the end, Chu Wanning gave way.
He had probably grown ten years older than he was, but he would still be
unable to resist the young man’s coaxing and pleading.
He looked at the handsome man who was smiling brilliantly after he
nodded to himself. Suddenly, he felt like he had been cheated.
He always seemed to be ferocious, bared his fangs and brandished his
claws. But in the end, he was always the one who compromised and was
always obedient to Mo Ran.
This fish had wandered around for so long that it finally bit the hook called
Mo Ran in a fit of dizziness.
“What should I call you?” the hook asked.
Chu Wanning looked dispirited, “It’s up to you.”
“How could I be careless? This is a very important matter.”
Mo Ran thought hard for a long time, but his brain was still lacking. He
even had some vulgarity, so he could only ask, “Baobei?”
Chu Wanning immediately thought of that dream, unable to bear it any
longer, “Don’t.”
“Chu Lang10?”
Chu Wanning felt disgusted and asked with a dark face, “… Do you need
me to call you Ran-mei11 then?”
“Hahaha, it really isn’t that good.” Mo Ran scratched his head and laughed
for a while before he frowned and thought again. However, his thoughts were
still a bit too strong, so it was still very bad. “Chu Lang baobei-er12?”
After saying so, he could no longer take it anymore. Holding his forehead,
he felt some despair.
Seeing him like this, Chu Wanning could not help but laugh, “It’s better not
to think too much. What’s the point of thinking so hard? On the contrary, it’s
quite awkward.”
Mo Ran felt that what he said was reasonable, but he was not willing to
accept it. In the end, he smiled and said, “In the future, I will definitely think
about it and think of the most suitable nickname to give to you.”
Pausing for a moment, he pulled Chu Wanning over, who was standing by
the side, and let him sit on his lap. He stared at him for a while.
Chu Wanning felt uneasy, “What is it…”
Mo Ran sighed and muttered, “No matter how many times I see you, I
won’t be able to hold it in.”
“What a mess… Ugh…”
Before he could finish his words, his lips were already covered. Mo Ran
had warm and slightly moist lips, and it was sweet and fragrant. He hugged
the person on his leg, and the two of them kissed tightly in the chair. It was
raining outside, and the sound of the rain masked the sticky, shy sound of lips
and tongue.
When they split up, Chu Wanning slowly opened his moist eyes. He wanted
to see Mo Ran, but he didn’t dare to.
Mo Ran smiled. Knowing that he was thin faced, he couldn’t help but pull
him into his arms and caress him, his heart thumping.
“Actually, I can call you anything.”
“Hmm?”
“Nothing.” In the end, he only said, “Shizun is the best.”
Chu Wanning leaned on his shoulder. This kind of feeling was very sweet,
but it also made him at a loss of what to do.
Sitting on his legs, he could clearly feel the hard, hot thing, and he felt his
head start to burn.
After a while, he said softly, “Why are you…”
“Cough, I’m fine.”
“… Let me help you…” After saying that, Chu Wanning’s face was
burning.
Mo Ran hurriedly said, “There’s no need. Shizun still needs to go to the
Elders meeting in a little while.”
Chu Wanning looked at the dripping liquid, “There is still about ten
minutes left, it should be…”
Mo Ran said embarrassedly, “It’s not enough.”
“Hmm?”
“… I can’t get it out.”
Chu Wanning was stunned for a moment before reacting, his face turning
even redder.
He quickly got up from Mo Ran’s body and took a step back.
After he had finished retreating, he felt somewhat vexed. He seemed to
think that his behavior was one of cowardice, so he took another step
forward.
Mo Ran found this funny. He sat on the chair and did not try to hide it.
Even though his clothes were covering it, the place of his desire was still
ferocious. It could take a person’s life.
“I won’t tease you anymore.” At last, Mo Ran grabbed his wrist. He wanted
to pull him over and kiss his lips, but the taste of Chu Wanning was too
seductive. He was afraid that he would be indulged if he touched him, so he
just held his hand.
He brought his hand to his lips and looked at Chu Wanning. Then, he
lowered the curtain and kissed him. Very pious.
Finally, he licked the back of Chu Wanning’s hand.
“Shizun, you’re so sweet.”
It had rained for half a month. Finally, the day was clear and the sun was
shining.
Mo Ran walked between the bamboo forests while stepping on the shallow
and deep pool of water. He had resumed his morning cultivation today, but
Chu Wanning did not come. People said that he had gone to the back of the
mountain to teach Xuanji’s foolish disciples how to throw Plum Blossom
Darts.
“Relax your hand, the Plum Blossom Darts is stuck between your index
and ring fingers. The spiritual energy is emitted from the tip of your finger,
causing it to scatter at the tip. Wait for the edge to emit a golden light before
throwing it at the target.”
“Rustle…”
Just from the sound alone, Mo Ran knew that his disciples had failed once
again. Each and every one of them began to lament.
“Oh my god, it’s really difficult.”
“Elder, can you demonstrate it to us again?”
“When the golden light is released, the Plum Blossom darts will feel
slightly warm. Feel it carefully and don’t use your eyes to look.”
“You can aim even when you don’t see it?”
Before Chu Wanning could reply, a laughing voice came from behind him,
“Of course we can aim.”
Chu Wanning turned around, “Why are you here?”
The group of new disciples said, “Senior Brother Mo.”
Among them was an extremely cute and adorable female disciple. Upon
seeing Mo Ran’s face, her face immediately turned red as she hurriedly
cupped her hands together.
Mo Ran did not pay any more attention to Xuanji’s apprentice. Instead, he
walked up to Chu Wanning and said, “Shizun, why don’t you cover your eyes
and throw it at them?”
“… Alright.”
With permission, Mo Ran took off the snow-green headband on his head.
It was as wide as three fingers and wrapped around Chu Wanning’s eyes. The
headband was tightly tied, but it didn’t tighten.
“Plum Blossom Darts.”
A disciple of Elder Xuanji stepped forward and handed his Plum Blossom
Darts to Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning said, “Three.”
“Huh?” Although the disciple was puzzled, he still took out two more from
his hidden weapon bag and handed them over to him. Chu Wanning’s slender
white fingers stroked the cold metal texture of the Plum Blossom Darts. He
pursed his lips and didn’t say a word. He didn’t stay any longer. He could only
see the dart fly out from between his fingers in a split-second.
“Clang! Clang! Clang!”
A buzzing sound rang out.
“Oh, it hit! Red in the bull’s eye! But there’s only one.”
Chu Wanning did not utter a word. Mo Ran said flatly, “There are two
more on the target behind you.”
When the new disciples heard this, they didn’t believe it and turned their
heads to look. However, when they looked, they were filled with fear. The
two remaining darts, one on the left and one on the right, were embedded in a
target in the complete opposite direction, right in the center of the heart.
In the bamboo forest, the morning sun was flowing. The Xuanji disciples
were shocked speechless. Chu Wanning lifted his hand to pick up the blue
ribbon covering his eyes. His phoenix-like eyes slightly raised, and his
eyelashes fluttered.
He handed the hairband back to Mo Ran and said, “The first sound just
now was the sound of the three plum blossom darts colliding in the air.
All the disciples looked at each other, when suddenly, a young one with a
face full of longing shouted: “Elder, this, this, how should we train? Is there a
trick to it?”
Chu Wanning said, “Mo Ran, show them your hand.”
The younger disciples surrounded him in an attempt to see what kind of
tricks he was holding, but after looking for a long time, they could not find
anything. On the other hand, the female cultivator was looking, her heart was
beating wildly, and her eyes were filled with emotions.
She and her sisters had just entered the school, so they were still restless.
They would often go down the mountain to buy some random books, and
they had secretly read the book that Chu Wanning had read before. When the
girls saw the rankings, they were shy and surprised, laughing and laughing at
each other, but they had also discussed the matter in whispers in the disciple’s
room.
“I heard that the longer a man’s finger, the more majestic that place
becomes.” A bold senior sister said, “If there is a chance next time, I will go
to Mengpo Hall for dinner and then squeeze behind Brother Mo to take a
look. I would like to see how big his hand is.”
Later on, the senior sister really did squeeze in. In order to line up behind
Mo Ran, she hurriedly ran. She even accidentally overturned the bowl of soup
and poured half of the hot soup on him.
The girl’s small mouth slightly opened, sluggish and embarrassed. She
didn’t know what to do, but she saw a long, well-proportioned hand carry
away the bowl in his bowl that was still bubbling with hot soup, put it back on
the counter, and then replace it with a new bowl.
“Don’t knock it over again, it’s not good to waste it.”
Hearing his low and magnetic voice, that Senior Sister did not even dare to
raise her head. Her face immediately flushed red, and her head began to emit
steam like soup from a bowl.
From beginning to end, she only dared to secretly glance at Mo Ran, at his
waist, his powerful figure, at his clothes, his broad chest, of course, she would
most often glance at those two hands…
“Exquisite.”
After he came back, there were all sorts of unspeakable praises. In the end,
only these two words could describe him.
At that time, all of the Junior Sisters in the room had stopped talking. They
pursed their lips and felt their hearts warm up, filled with reverie and
romantic fantasies.
Suddenly, a cold voice interrupted his memory —
“What do you see?”
One of the disciples said, “Elder, please forgive us. This disciple is too
stupid to tell.”
“Senior brother Mo’s hands seem to be particularly strong?”
Everyone was talking at once, it was her turn. His face was red as she
nervously said, “his fingers are very long.”
“?”
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. He did not know what they were
looking at, so he retracted his hand and scratched his head. Then, he turned
his head to look at Chu Wanning.
Although Chu Wanning did not know what the finger length represented,
he was not a slow person. He glanced at the shy appearance of the female
disciple and knew that it must not be a good thing. His face darkened as he
said coldly, “What are you looking at?”
Seeing that there was a hint of anger between his brows, the disciples
jumped in fright and couldn’t help but lower their heads.
Mo Ran felt the tense atmosphere, he did not want Chu Wanning to be
called unreasonable again, so he smiled and said, “It’s just a callus.”
After he finished this sentence, he looked at Chu Wanning and said:
“The fingertip is broken, the cocoon is formed, and if it is broken again and
again a hundred times, it will be able to accurately control the spirit energy.
There are no shortcuts.”
After practicing with them until noon, most of the disciples were able to
grasp the gist of the technique, so Chu Wanning did not stay any longer. For
other people’s disciples, it didn’t matter if they were given some pointers or
not, but if they were taught too carefully, it might actually make Elder Xuanji
feel comfortable. Chu Wanning was no longer 15 or 16 years old, he had just
emerged from the mountains. He finally understood a little about the ways of
the world.
He and Mo Ran walked out of the bamboo forest and arrived at the Naihe
Bridge.
They walked very close, side by side, the sleeves hanging down, the backs
of their hands always grind against each other, so that each other’s hearts
were soft and numb, like the sprouting of spring.
No one was around, Mo Ran finally reached out and grabbed Chu
Wanning’s finger. Although it was released very quickly, both of their ears
were slightly red and their throats were hot from thirst.
Speaking of which, since the last time the two of them had been intimate,
the chances of the two of them being alone was pitifully small.
Occasionally, he would pester him after closing the door of the Red Lotus
Pavilion, worrying about whether Xue Zhengyong would suddenly pay him a
visit.
Actually, up till now, it was just a short time of touching his fingers, but it
already caused a fire to burn in Mo Ran’s chest. He softly said, “Shizun,
tonight, can we go……”
Before he could finish his words, a person suddenly ran over from the front.
Mo Ran immediately stood up straight and pursed his lips, standing to the
side without saying anything. The man did not notice anything amiss as he
walked over and bowed, “Elder Yuheng, there’s an urgent matter. The Sect
Leader would like to invite you to the Loyalty Hall as soon as possible.”
Chu Wanning asked, “What’s wrong?”
“A guest came, bringing important news related to Xu Shuanglin. Sect
Leader Xue couldn’t make up his mind by himself, so he called all the elders
over early in the morning to discuss with them. All that’s left is for you.”
After Chu Wanning heard the two words ‘Xu Shuanglin’, he immediately
ran towards the Loyalty Hall without caring about warmth.
Mo Ran followed closely, saying, “Wait for me. I’ve fought with Xu
Shuanglin, so maybe I can help.”
The two of them swiftly used their lightness skills and arrived in front of
the Loyalty Hall in a few moments.
Pushing the door open and entering the hall, the entire hall was silent.
Apart from Xue Zhengyong and the elders, two other men covered in blood
were standing in the hall.
Mo Ran’s gaze fell on the sword case on the back of one of the men and
found it somewhat familiar. After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes
wide as his expression changed, “Ye Wangxi?”
195. Shizun is the most impressive
Hearing someone call her, Ye Wangxi turned around. Although her
expression was haggard, her spirit was not as bad as Mo Ran had imagined.
Seeing Mo Ran, Ye Wangxi lowered her eyes and bowed to him as a man
would. She could not change this habit and said, “Young Master Mo.”
Mo Ran looked at her, then at the man beside her.
He could not help but ask, “You guys… Where did this come from? Why
is your body covered in blood…”
Ye Wangxi said, “We started off from Linyi and encountered many evil
spirits along the way. It’s hard to avoid being disheveled. My apologies.”
Mo Ran was about to ask again, but Xue Zhengyong said, “You’re here?
Sure, come in and talk.”
Once Chu Wanning entered the room, he stopped looking at Mo Ran and
sat in his seat. He tidied up his clothes and looked at Nangong Si.
Although he and Nangong Si did not have the title of Shizun and disciple,
they did have the grace to be enlightened. He looked at Nangong Si for a
moment and could not help but feel sad in his heart, but he merely said a
simple sentence, “… Are you all okay?”
This was the first time someone had seen them and asked them if they
were doing well since the death of the Rufeng Sect.
He closed his eyes for a long time before suppressing the urge to cry in
front of Chu Wanning. He said hoarsely, “No, it’s fine, it’s alright.”
Chu Wanning sighed softly and lowered his eyes, not saying another word.
He did not believe Nangong Si’s words. Linyi Road was far away, how
could the two young men not suffer?
Xue Zhengyong’s heart ached and he helped to explain, “Yuheng, you did
not come. It’s like this. Young Master Nangong and Miss Ye found some
clues and came to inform us.”
“I heard that it’s related to Xu Shuanglin?”
“Yes.”
“Sit down and let’s talk.”
Mo Ran went to bring a chair over, but both Nangong Si and Ye Wangxi
felt that their bodies were dirty and smelly, and they were unwilling to sit
down. Chu Wanning didn’t force them. He paused for a while before asking,
“When we parted ways that day, where did you go?”
“Ye Wangxi and I are forced to stay in Mount Wei which is separated by a
river because of the calamity fire.” After pausing for a moment, he continued,
“The terrain of the Wei Mountain is desolate and inaccessible. Ye Wangxi
was also injured, so after the fire was extinguished, we rested for a while
before we returned… We have returned to the Rufeng Sect.”
Now, he heard Nangong Si mention the sect that he had joined when he
first entered the world, it was already very different. Chu Wanning couldn’t
explain how he felt. After a while, he sighed, “There should be nothing
growing there anymore.”
“Grandmaster is right. It’s true that not even an inch of grass has grown.
However, something has crawled out from the rubble.”
Chu Wanning raised his eyes and asked, “What?”
“These bugs.”
He opened a bloodstained sack in front of him, half open and half
concealed. The bag was filled with buzzing worms, black spots on their green
shells, five spots on three, two, and a faint smell of blood coming from their
tails. Most of these bugs were still inside the bag, seemingly afraid of the
light. However, a few of them had already flown out and stopped on the walls
of the Loyalty Hall.
Mo Ran recognized this worm, the Soul Devourer.
This kind of insect only lived in the blood pools near Linyi Rufeng Gate. It
was a type of insect that could not live or die, and relied on eating human
flesh and soul to survive.
Almost all the elders felt that this insect was extremely disgusting. Lucun
even directly covered his mouth and nose with a handkerchief. He could not
stand this stench.
“We found these Soul Devouring Insects in the ruins. I thought some of the
insects in the nearby blood pool were attracted and flew here, but then I
realized it wasn’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are too many bugs. Ye Wangxi and I have been through the 72
cities of the Rufeng Sect. In the cracks in the bricks, in the mud, and in the
ashes, there are countless of these Soul Devouring Insects. We thought
something was wrong, but when we looked carefully, we found not only
adults, but larvae as well. Grandmaster should understand what I mean.”
Chu Wanning did not know much about Soul Devouring Insects. At first,
he was a little confused, but after some thought, he understood.
The blood pool was next to Mount Wei, separated from Linyi by a large
river. The Soul Devouring Insect’s wings were weak, and the adults could
smell the scent of the dead, so it made sense. But what about the larvae?
How could the larva be able to cross the river on its own legs, cross the
mountains, or land itself on the scorched earth of the Door of Doom?
Chu Wanning frowned, “Someone placed it here in advance?”
“Well, I think so.”
When Elder Tanlang heard this, he suddenly realized, “This Soul
Devouring Insect can store spirit energy. After the disaster, vengeful spirits
could be found all over the place, and there are a lot of cultivators around.
When the insects eat the spirit souls of cultivators, they become seeds that
can store spirit energy of different attributes. With these tens of thousands of
seeds, even if you do not need to use your own magic, you can still drive the
majority of the formations.”
Then who would be the one to release the bugs? Who could foresee this
catastrophe? Who needs external spiritual energy?
No one answered, but the answer was obvious.
Only the instigator, Xu Shuanglin, or should be called his original name,
Nangong Xu.
Xue Zhengyong said, “So in this period of time, he relied on magic to find
Xu Shuanglin. In the end, he didn’t use his own strength at all, but the
insect’s?”
Nangong Si replied, “Yes, that is indeed the case.”
Xue Zhengyong muttered, “Hmm… Detection techniques had only ever
detected humans, and were indeed unable to detect the traces of beast-like
monsters. If Xu Shuanglin had used this method, it would truly be able to
hide for a very long time.”
He then asked Tanlang, “Can we rely on tracking bugs to find Xu
Shuanglin’s whereabouts?”
Tanlang said, “Impossible, the Soul Devouring Insects can clear the
netherworld. After they’ve eaten enough soul fragments, they’ll all go
underground. There’s no way to find their whereabouts.”
Hearing this, Xue Zhengyong suddenly thought of something and said,
“Since we are going to the Netherworld, why not ask master Huaizui about it?
He should be able to know about the matters of the ghost realm.”
However, Chu Wanning immediately said, “No need to ask him.”
“Why?”
“It’s useless to look for him. He doesn’t want to interfere in the affairs of
the mortal world, so he won’t say anything.”
Chu Wanning was once a direct disciple of him. Now that he said those
words so decisively, even though everyone was puzzled, they could not say
anything more. The entire hall fell silent once again.
After a long while, Xue Zhengyong murmured, “Then what should we do?
Since Xu Shuanglin can use the spirit energy of the Soul Devouring Insect to
hide from us, no matter how we investigate, it’s useless.
Chu Wanning suggested, “How about we change the way we search?”
“What do you mean?”
“Sect Leader, when Xu Shuanglin left, he took three items with him. Do
you remember which three items he took?”
Xue Zhengyong began to count: “Luo Fenghua’s spirit core, Nangong…”
He looked at Nangong Si and sighed in his heart. Then, he lowered his voice
and said, “Sect Leader Nangong and a holy weapon.”
Chu Wanning said, “Good, he always has his own reasons for doing things.
Even when he’s in a hurry to escape, he still insists on taking these three
things with him. He definitely won’t be bored just because of this. Then
according to the Sect Leader, why would Xu Shuanglin take his older brother
away?”
“Um… Revenge?”
“Then why did he take away the holy weapon?”
Xue Zhengyong thought for a moment, “Relying on five types of pure spirit
energy to tear open the ghost realm.”
“The reason why the ghost realm is being torn apart is to obtain Luo
Fenghua’s spirit core. There is no need for him to tear it apart a second time.”
“Then why?”
“I think there’s one possibility,” Chu Wanning said. “He’s doing it for the
Rebirth Technique.”
Xue Zhengyong was startled, “But the Rebirth Technique… Master
Huaizui didn’t even need five types of pure spiritual energy to display it.”
Chu Wanning shook his head, “Huaizui said that the method of rebirth isn’t
the same in the world, so Sect Leader doesn’t need to use his technique as a
reference.”
When Tanlang heard this, he sneered, “Elder Yuheng has no proof, so how
could he have the audacity to speculate. Is Xu Shuanglin doing all this for the
sake of cultivating the Forbidden Technique for Rebirth?”
Chu Wanning replied, “With the last thing he took away, it was Luo
Fenghua’s spiritual core.”
In the main hall, Chu Wanning’s voice was steady and steady.
“Many years ago, I once interrogated a dead girl in Butterfly Town. When
that girl was young, she met a madman covered in blood who stuffed her with
an orange. He said that her eyes looked very much like an old friend of his,
and that madman even said one last sentence — Linyi has a man whose heart
was already dead at twenty.”
Twenty years old, that was the age where Nangong Xu had been framed
and criticized by the crowd for never being able to stand up again.
That year at the Spiritual Mountain Competition, he had been high-spirited
and proud, and felt that as long as he relied on his own talent and lifelong
efforts, he would be fair and have everything that he deserved.
However, after exhausting all his efforts, all he received was a lifetime of
infamy.
The sharp blade in his hand and the ambition in his heart. He couldn’t
defeat his brother, who was always flattering him.
He hated it.
Everyone hated him to the depths of their hearts, so there was no place for
them to declare their grievances. They all laughed at him, denounced him,
and despised him.
In the end, the living became the dead, and the dead became the ghouls.
The evil ghost crawled out from the blood of the broken mountain and
wanted to get back the justice it deserved from all the righteous men and
women in this world.
“There’s no need to mention this madman. If he’s Xu Shuanglin, then
who’s his old friend? Who do you think his eyes look like?”
“They all look alike, but their surnames are Luo…” Xue Zhengyong said in
shock, “Could it be Luo Fenghua?”
Chu Wanning said, “I think it should be Luo Fenghua. At the bottom of
Jincheng Lake, Xu Shuanglin had tried two techniques, Zhenlong Chess and
Rebirth. Zhenlong Chess was to control others, but who was it for when he
was reborn? He has only brought two corpses with him in total, Luo
Fenghua’s and the head of Nangong,and Rebirth is unlikely for the head of
Nangong.”
Xue Zhengyong muttered: “But why did he revive Luo Fenghua? Wasn’t
Luo Fenghua the one who framed him before?”
“It’s hard to predict what will happen, so you can’t speak carelessly.” Chu
Wanning said, “But he took away Luo Fenghua’s corpse. Other than reviving
it, I can’t think of any other use for him.”
Everyone was silent. After some careful consideration, they all felt that
Chu Wanning’s analysis was not bad, but he had no proof. In the end, these
were only their deductions. The answer to this question could probably only
be answered by Xu Shuanglin who was currently hiding somewhere.
After the meeting ended, Mo Ran pondered for a long time. That night, he
went to the Warm Pavilion to find Xue Zhengyong.
Xue Zhengyong was reading some ancient books and reading some
information related to the “Soul Devouring Insects”, hoping to obtain some
clues regarding Xu Shuanglin’s whereabouts.
“Uncle.”
“A-Ran? Why aren’t you going to bed at this time of the night?”
“I can’t sleep, there’s something I want to ask uncle.”
Xue raised his chin and gestured for him to take a seat. Mo Ran did not
beat around the bush and went straight to the point: “Does Uncle know that
Luo Fenghua… In other words, the Shizun of Xu Shuanglin, just what sort of
person was he?”
“Luo Fenghua.” Xue Zhengyong frowned and thought hard for a while
before he shook his head, “I haven’t interacted much with him, so I can’t tell
you the specifics. It’s probably… Righteous, resolute, impartial, and taciturn,
but he actually has a very good temperament and does things with courage.
When he was the leader of the Rufeng Sect, he even sent his disciple to
cultivate and exterminate demons.”
Mo Ran continued, “So in short, other than trying to take over the position
of Sect Shizun of the Nangong Family, he didn’t criticize anyone else, right?”
Xue Zhengyong sighed. “That’s right. He’s more than just not criticizing.
He’s a good person. I don’t understand why someone like him would curse his
disciple so harshly.”
Mo Ran pondered for a moment and suddenly said, “Uncle, did you feel
that your description of Luo Fenghua just now was a bit like a person?”
Xue Zhengyong was stunned, “You mean Yuheng? Come on, how could
Yuheng’s temper be good?”
“No, it’s someone else.”
“Who is it?”
Mo Ran said, “Ye Wangxi.”
“Ahh…” Slowly, Xue Zhengyong’s tiger-like eyes widened, and three
words came out between his lips, “Ye Wangxi…”
This person was benevolent and resolute, tenacious and unyielding. He was
indeed very similar to the person in his memory, Luo Fenghua, who had only
been Sect Leader for around a year.
“You think so?”
“… Yes.” Xue Zhengyong was gradually surprised, because Ye Wangxi
and Luo Fenghua were of different genders and ages, and they were also of
different positions in the Rufeng Sect, he had never placed them together
before. Now that he was reminded by Mo Ran, he was shocked to realize that
the two of them were of the same kind, carved out of the same mold.
The more Xue Zhengyong thought about it, the more surprised he was.
Memories that had been sealed for a long time surfaced one by one, he could
even vaguely remember that when Luo Fenghua was still a guest of Rufeng
Clan, the clothes he wore were extremely similar to the ones Ye Wangxi was
used to.
There was also the way the two of them talked and their tone of voice.
Even the way he pulled the bow…
When he was young, he had seen Luo Fenghua draw his bow, it was to
celebrate Nangong Liu Shengchen’s victory. At that time, Rufeng Sect also
invited the Xue brothers, and Xue Zhengyong remembered that in the midst
of the flying snow, Luo Fenghua only had three fingers holding his bowstring
tightly, his pinky finger was stretched taut, and an arrow shot out through the
air, slicing through the white cotton, causing a Snow Demon Rabbit a
hundred steps away to fall to the ground.
The surrounding people were all praising his amazing archery skills. Luo
Fenghua only smiled gently and casually retracted his bow and arrow, placing
it on his left arm. His fingertips subconsciously caressed the bowstring.
It was a set of movements as natural as the clouds and flowing water,
carefree and unrestrained. The final conclusion was also different from the
others’ awe-inspiring might and mighty voice.
Xue Zhengyong watched from the side and was shocked. He then
remembered it in his heart.
At this moment, he suddenly recalled that during the Heavenly Rift War,
Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si had used arrows together, but Xue Zhengyong
did not have much of an impression of them. On the other hand, Ye Wangxi,
who had used up all of his arrows, would habitually place his arrows on his
left arm, pull back his hands, and subconsciously stroke his fingers on the
bowstring.
At that time, he couldn’t help but take a few more glances. He felt that the
gentle and smooth, relaxed and composed posture was very similar to
someone’s.
He slapped his forehead and said, “Aiya, really. It was real! It’s practically
the same!”
Mo Ran raised his eyebrows and asked, “What do you mean by ‘exactly the
same’?”
“Luo Fenghua looks exactly like Ye Wangxi when he shot an arrow, exactly
the same, exactly the same!”
Looking at Xue Zhengyong’s shocked expression, Mo Ran couldn’t help
but laugh, but he said, “Uncle’s words are wrong.”
“Ah? What’s wrong?”
Mo Ran said, “Causality is wrong.”
“Causality?”
“Mmm, it’s not that Luo Fenghua is like Ye Wangxi.” Mo Ran sighed, “It’s
Ye Wangxi, she’s very similar to Luo Fenghua.”
When he said this, his eyes shone brightly. He felt that he could finally
confirm that Xu Shuanglin’s rebirth technique was to revive Luo Fenghua.
Although he did not know how many secrets were hidden within the past
events of the Rufeng Sect, but he had experienced two lifetimes. In his
previous life, Xu Shuanglin could have died for Ye Wangxi.
He did not believe that Xu Shuanglin was simply unwilling to act because
Ye Wangxi was his adopted daughter.
Xu Shuanglin looked very free and at ease, saying, “Linyi has a man,
twenty hearts are already dead. He gave his place of residence the name
‘Three Lives Courtyard.’ He seemed to want to forget everything that had
happened in the past, and even gave his adopted daughter a name.”
Forgotten.
Forget your old self, old friends, forget past hatred, kindness.
But Xu Shuanglin had unconsciously nurtured Ye Wangxi into that
unforgettable reflection, this orphan abandoned by others, into the appearance
of another person.
This person who fervently wished for him to forget all the memories of the
past, might still be living in the mud of his memories from beginning to end.
At this point, Mo Ran already had a faint guess in his heart. It was
probably because he himself had also once gone mad in the darkness, but he
felt that his prediction of Xu Shuanglin’s behavior was a bit more accurate
than the others. However, it was not convenient for him to share his thoughts
with others, so he could only first assess the situation and wait to see what
would happen.
The next day, Xue Zhengyong, who had gone through all the ancient books
to no avail, called over the group of people and said, “The poisonous insects
and strange beasts are Guyue’ye’s strong points. We found the Soul
Devouring Insect at the old location of the Rufeng Sect. Why don’t we inform
Jiang Xi first?”
Xuanji agreed. “The world’s number one medicine master, the Cold Scale
Sacred Hand, is under Jiang Xi. He should be able to find a way to investigate
it.”
However, Chu Wanning frowned and asked Ye Wangxi, “Miss Ye, ever
since you were young, have you seen your foster father raise any poisonous
insects or beasts?”
“Never.”
“What about medicine and beast taming? Have you ever gone hunting?”
“He… He has only raised one parrot, and the rest are monsters and
monsters. Even an ordinary puppy doesn’t have the mood to take them in, and
his medical skills are even weaker.”
After Chu Wanning heard this, he turned to Xue Zhengyong, “Don’t tell
Guyue’ye about the Soul Devouring Insect.”
“Why?”
“Since Xu Shuanglin is not good at medicine, nor is he good at beast
taming, it is not necessarily him who is being fed the Gu, but most likely the
hand that stuck out from the final crack.”
“You suspect Guyue’ye…”
“You mustn’t jump to conclusions. But caution is always right.”
196. Shizun, do you want to take a bath?
In this way, he couldn’t rely on Guyue’ye. After the meeting was over, Xue
asked Tanlang to go with him to the flower room to find Madam Wang and
discuss how to follow them. This was the so-called specialized in martial arts.
At this point, Chu Wanning could not help much and could finally take a
break.
In the evening, he stood by the pontoon bridge watching the fish. When the
door was knocked, Chu Wanning said, “Come in.”
The moonlight illuminated the youth’s face. The one who came was
Nangong.
“Grandmaster, you called me?”
Chu Wanning said, “I heard that you and Ye Wangxi will be leaving the
Sisheng Peak the day after tomorrow. Where are you planning to go?”
Nangong Si lowered his eyelashes. “We plan to go to Mount Jiao.”
Mount Jiao was a stronghold of the Rufeng Sect outside of Linyi. To the
Rufeng Sect, it was an extremely important place. According to legend, the
first generation leader of the Rufeng Sect, once established a contract with a
flood dragon. After the death of the flood dragon, he transformed into a
mountain of bones.
From then on, all the heroes of the Rufeng Sect were buried here. This
mountain range protected the heroic souls of the Rufeng Sect. If there were
intruders or presumptuous people, they would all be killed within the
mountain.
Not a complete corpse. Every year during the Qingming winter solstice,
the Sect Leader of the Rufeng Sect would also go there to offer sacrifices.
Therefore, it was said that Mount Jiao was the ancestral hall of the Rufeng
Sect.
“My father…” Nangong Si’s eyes dimmed for a moment, then he said, “My
father told me that the temple contains the savings left by the previous heads,
in case there is a need for future generations. I think it’s time to get them
out.”
He did not have any reservations and precautions towards Chu Wanning, so
he naturally told him the location of the treasure. Unlike Xue Meng and the
others, he was not that close to Chu Wanning. However, they were
inextricably linked. It was just a coincidence that he did not become Chu
Wanning’s disciple in the end.
Sometimes, Nangong Si would think that if his mother had not died, if
Jincheng Lake had not used his wife to exchange weapons, would he have
now called Chu Wanning his “Shizun”?
Chu Wanning said, “Mount Jiao is a long distance, and I heard that it is a
sign of respect. We must fast for ten days before we can enter the mountain
successfully, or else we will be rejected by the dragon spirit. Since we have to
go, we might as well finish the fast on the Sisheng Peak and then move out.”
Nangong Si shook his head, “At present, everyone in the Upper Cultivation
World bears a grudge against me and Ye Wangxi, and they all wish that we
could get rid of them as soon as possible. We will only implicate Sect Leader
Xue if people find out that we have been here for too long.
“What nonsense are you talking about?”
“…”
“Ten days is too dangerous. What if the Chou family finds us outside?”
Chu Wanning said, “Besides, Sect Leader Xue is a kind-hearted person, I
won’t let the two of you leave just like that. Listen to me, don’t go yet.”
After days of fatigue, when he heard Chu Wanning say this, he could not
help but feel a bitter pain in his heart, as if tears were about to fall.
He lowered his head abruptly and said, “I dare not forget the great kindness
that Grandmaster has shown me.”
“I’ve only lived here for a few days, what favor are you talking about? Also,
there’s another reason why I called you over.”
“Grandmaster, please speak.”
“Previously, I heard Xu Shuanglin say that the spiritual core in your body is
tyrannical, making it easy for you to go berserk. You can take a look at
Madam Wang for this condition.”
Nangong Si was stunned for a moment, and then he laughed bitterly, “The
disease of the Nangong Family has been a problem for generations. Before,
father invited Guyue’ye’s Cold Scale Sacred Hand to show me, saying that
there is no way to suppress it and that I can only let it develop. Even the
number one Saint doesn’t think much of it, so how could Madam Wang have
such a good method?”
“The Cold Scale Sacred Hand might not be a bad doctor, maybe it’s
because he doesn’t want to be a doctor. There are too many sect grudges and
benefits, so it’s normal for him to hold back. As for Madam Wang… she has
a deep understanding of suppressing the explosive Spiritual Cores, and might
be able to help you.”
“Why would she want to study this?”
“… It was just a coincidence. Don’t ask too many questions, go ahead.”
After repeatedly thanking him, Nangong Si left the Red Lotus Pavilion.
Chu Wanning looked in the direction he left and couldn’t help but sigh.
He thought, Nangong Si was originally such a high-spirited person,
arrogant, proud, when in a good mood, he also liked to smile, when he
smiled, his eyes would shine, like the light of the morning sun.
He didn’t know when he would be able to see it again.
Just as he was about to return to his room, there was a knock on the water
pavilion’s door. Chu Wanning thought that there was something wrong with
Nangong Si and returned. He then said, “Come in.”
The door opened, but the person outside was not Nangong Si. Instead, he
was Mo Ran, who was holding onto a wooden basin. He was a little hesitant,
as if not wanting to make himself seem too reckless, he lightly coughed and
said, “Shizun.”
Chu Wanning was a little surprised, “Is there something you need?”
“Nothing, I just came to ask you if you want to take a bath together.”
Chu Wanning almost choked on his words. With wide eyes, he coughed
lightly and asked, “Where are we going?”
Mo Ran hesitated for a moment before saying, “The Miaoyin Springs.”
“…”
The Miaoyin Springs was full of twists and turns. It was hard to tell one’s
fingers from the other. No matter what one did, it would be hard to find in a
secluded place.
Chu Wanning didn’t expect Mo Ran to invite him to take a bath there. He
felt a little scared and thought to himself, “This guy is really shameless.”
Shameless, Mo Ran said, “Xue Meng just came back from a bath and said
that there weren’t many people in the Miaoyin Springs…” As he spoke, his
face turned a bit red. He felt that his words were too naked, so he said, “It’s
too cold. I think that if Shizun washes in the pavilion, he might catch a
cold…”
Of course he would not catch a cold. If Chu Wanning was willing, he could
open a barrier to warm up the surroundings.
He knew it, but he still invited Chu Wanning to bathe in the Miaoyin
Springs. This was clearly a sign of his sincerity, yet he dared to say that he
was afraid of Chu Wanning’s cold and was too shameless.
The shameless Mo Ran stared at him with his pitch-black eyes. “Shizun,
are you going?”
“…”
Chu Wanning was clear that if he nodded, it would mean telling Mo Ran
that he knew of his wolfish ambitions, but he was willing to join him.
Upon entering…
As he thought of this, he suddenly thought of that night in the inn. Mo Ran
did not hesitate to kneel down, giving him a sense of impending doom that he
had never experienced before.
Those eyes were warm and gentle, the water vapor of love was hazy, and
when he looked at himself, his heart was soft and scattered.
“Stay with me.”
“… Are you five years old?”
The man with ill intentions smiled and said gently, “Well, it’s getting dark,
and I’m afraid of ghosts. If Brother Ning had brought him, he would have
dared to walk at night.”
Pui, how shameless.
However, Chu Wanning still went.
Most of the disciples at the summit of the Sisheng Peak had bathed after
the late stage of cultivation. At this time, there weren’t many people at the
Miaoyin Springs.
Mo Ran lifted the soft curtain and stepped onto the rainbow-stone road
with his bare feet. In the midst of the steam, he turned his head to smile at
Chu Wanning, pointed at the distance and walked over first.
Chu Wanning sneered in his heart, Weren’t you afraid of ghosts? Why are
you walking faster than me?
Most of the disciples loved to take baths in these two ponds, but there were
also some nameless ponds, which were very common in those places, and no
one would want to take a bath there, except for when the baths were crowded
and there was nowhere else to go.
From the corner of his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a few blurry shadows
in the middle of the hot spring. However, he could not see their facial
features, and could only hear the voices of the disciples, some of which were
just idle chatter.
Up ahead, close to the Plum Pond, the fog thickened, making it almost
impossible to see.
Suddenly, a large hand reached out and wrapped around him from behind.
Chu Wanning’s back was pressed against his hot and sturdy chest. Perhaps it
was because he was too close and wore very few clothes, but he could clearly
feel Mo Ran’s desire.
Chu Wanning was shocked, “What are you doing? Don’t mess around.”
Mo Ran smiled and whispered, “Wanning-gege, don’t go any further.
There’s a ghost up ahead.”
“…”
Chu Wanning hesitated between “Ghost your head” and “Gege your head”
before reprimanding in a low voice, “Let go!”
Mo Ran did not release them, but instead gently smiled and said, “Letting
go is so difficult, I can’t do it.”
“Are you sick?”
“Yes, I’m really sick. If you don’t believe me, look at me.”
Chu Wanning was resolute and decisive, even though his ears were already
red, “I don’t want to watch.”
Mo Ran laughed, his voice somewhat hoarse. “That’s fine too, we’ll do as
you say.”
However, the man’s words were so pleasant to hear that his hands were a
completely different story. His rough fingers grazed Chu Wanning’s throat
and slowly slid up, grabbing his chin.
“Don’t… Nonsense!”
Although the vision in the fog was gone, the other senses were clearer than
usual. Chu Wanning felt Mo Ran’s face and his hot breath on his neck. It
made him tremble involuntarily.
“Why are you trembling? Is it because you’re afraid of ghosts?”
“Don’t shout!”
Mo Ran gently smiled and hugged him from behind. He kissed the side of
his neck and respectfully said, “I’ll listen to you, stop shouting. Then…
Shizun, let this disciple help you bathe and change your clothes, okay?”
“…”
It seemed even worse.
Chu Wanning could not take it anymore. The steam from the hot spring
had burned his body and mind. He felt embarrassed and humiliated. His eyes
reddened as he said, “I’m not going to take a bath, I’m leaving.”
Mo Ran knew that he was thin faced, but he also felt that this person’s
appearance of retreating before the battle was both cute and funny. He asked,
“Shizun is now like this, do you want to leave? What if we get run into by
someone?”
Chu Wanning’s face was dark, “If you run into someone, you run into
someone. It’s better to be bitten by a dog than fooling around with you.”
“Bite by a dog?”
“… What’s wrong?”
Mo Ran smiled. Because of his burning desire, his eyes were dim and he
was not as gentle as usual. He revealed a mouthful of white teeth, leaned over
and pressed his body against the back of Chu Wanning’s ear.
Chu Wanning thought he was going to say something vulgar, but just as he
was about to get angry, he heard the man whisper in his ear, “…Woof.”
“… What are you doing?”
“Doesn’t it sound like it? I used to have a pup with blue eyes and three
flames, that’s what it said.”
Chu Wanning was speechless, “Never heard of it. And why did you imitate
a dog?”
“What do you think?”
“…” Chu Wanning did not know how to react.
As Mo Ran kissed the back of his ear and buried his head into his neck to
lick it, he said in a low voice, “You’ve already cried for it. Shizun said it
himself. He would rather be bitten by a dog.”
Chu Wanning froze for a moment as his blood boiled.
That person had to add, “Can I bite you now, Shizun?”
Before he could answer, a heavy, urgent kiss fell on him.
Intense entanglement, grinding at the ears and temples. Mo Ran wanted to
taste the medicine first, but he didn’t expect it to be a poison used to quench
his thirst. Chu Wanning was his poison that could destroy his rationality and
stir his desire to set the prairie ablaze.
It was as if he wanted to stop, and he wanted to stop.
Unable to stop himself, he began to breathe heavily.
When they parted, Chu Wanning’s eyes lost focus, but he did not forget his
business, “I’m here to take a bath, first…”
“En!” Mo Ran replied. It sounded a bit like an “en” but also a bit like a
“hmph”, a very sexy and hoarse voice. At such a close distance, it sounded
like Chu Wanning was trying his best to resist, but he knew that his spine was
being struck by lightning and his eyes were burning.
His wrist landed on the palm of Mo Ran, and the man led him into the hot
water. The sound of the waterfall hid their hurried breathing.
Chu Wanning could not take it anymore. When Mo Ran hugged him and
was about to kiss him again, he stopped him with difficulty and asked in a low
voice, “Is there really no one here?”
“No, I’ve seen it all. Shizun, do you think I’m really sick?” Mo Ran’s voice
was low and boiling as he answered. It was even hotter than the spring water
around his legs and even hotter than the temperature of the stomach. “Why is
it so hot… This… Hard.”
“…”
Chu Wanning’s face immediately flushed red. This was too shameful. He
wanted to withdraw, but the strength of Mo Ran’s hold of his hand was too
great, causing his palm to hurt, as if it was about to shatter within the palm of
his hand.
The young man’s breathing was quick, hot, and almost lovable, and the
smoke was thick around him, making it impossible to see anything, except for
his handsome face, which was very near at hand, and his dark eyes were
moist with love and burning with it.
Mo Ran’s Adam’s apple bobbed, he stared at Chu Wanning’s face and
whispered, “Shizun, help me…”
Once again, he covered his slightly opened lips.
Passion is the flame that burns the oil, and the water cannot extinguish it,
the heat wave is churning, and ten thousand pieces of wood become ashes
under it.
Meeting half-way in a kiss, their lips and tongues are intertwined, the
tongue goes in to absorb each other’s breath, but like scratching between
boots, it just feels insufficient and wants more wind.
Mo Ran brings Chu Wanning to the deep of the hot spring. The spring
water doesn’t pass the waist. He puts Chu Wanning on the slippery rock wall
and kisses him passionately, eagerly and obsessively. He tears Chu Wanning’s
last thin bathrobe without taking it off completely.
The torrential water splashed on the rocks, and the rain curtain was
filamentary. The sound of the waterfall was in their ears, and they could not
hear anything.
Chu Wanning was kissed by him in front of the stone wall, his robes were
wide open, and dropped to the elbow, which was used to tie his arms.
“You… Don’t you…”
But the shame and stimulation of being bound made him more sensitive.
He gasped under the comfort of Mo Ran. Suddenly, the pale red on his chest
was licked by his disciple’s rough tongue. He frowned at him. His solemn face
gradually became confused because of lust, and his struggle between
indulgence and reason was maddening.
“Gentle, gentler…”
Hoarse throat, Chu Wanning raised his head, and couldn’t help but gasp
roughly.
The mist escaped and covered everything.
Chu Wanning was turned over and felt thick legs pressed against his and
his face was pressed against the cool stone wall. The heat was more and more
striking. His eyelids were closed. How could he have imagined that one day
he would go to this point with his disciple, that somebody would come to do
such erotic things in the Miaoyin Springs with him.
Shame, vacancy, longing, excitement, which made his eyes scatter.
Suddenly there was a thick, long, hot, lively, angry thing between his legs,
rubbing between his hips, he was surprised for a moment and he could not
help but gasp out: “Ah…”
The man behind him gave a groan, and then seemed to be stimulated by his
heavy breathing. He put his big hands around his waist and thrust hard against
him underwater.
Although he didn’t go in, he just thrust between his legs, Mo Ran was very
passionate. The person under him was Chu Wanning, the strongest
aphrodisiac for him.
He leaned over him, and from the surface of the water it seemed that he
only stirred up the spray, but under the hot spring his cock was thick and
long, rubbing hard against the inner wall of Chu Wanning’s thighs, rubbing
into him several times. He was so dizzy that he almost wanted to lift Chu
Wanning’s thighs, push himself in and fuck him in regardless of how many
times he had gone in and out of him in his previous life. He craved to hug and
suck him, hold Chu Wanning’s legs around his waist, groan and come inside
him.
“Wanning…”
His throat was moist and dumb, full of sparks.
Mo Ran’s eyes were dark, and the sound of the water was like the rhythm
of the intercourse of previous generations. The warmth of the hot spring
combined with the touch between Chu Wanning’s legs, which made him
realize that he would soon lose his mind.
He gasped, and before he had done something more crazy, he turned Chu
Wanning around, with his chest close to his chest, the waterfall confused their
eyes, the hot water splashed on their confused faces, Mo Ran fiercely kissed
him. He was a little anxious, and he kissed him on the chin, but soon hungrily
and thirstily squeezed his lips, which was almost done in a violent way.
His other hand reached down and grasped Chu Wanning’s cock, which had
also risen to a painful degree, against his own.
Chu Wanning did not expect him to do so. The stimulation of direct
rubbing each other and the desire made him close his eyes and hum softly
with his neck up: “Mo… Mo Ran…”
He only had time to call his name vaguely before the other’s voice was
sealed between his lips and teeth with Mo Ran, who rubbed his cock and Chu
Wanning’s together. Rubbing and stimulating, he hugged his Shizun tightly
and felt his slight tremor in his arms. His tremor made him feel love,
admiration, madness and obsession.
At the end of the kiss, their lips and teeth were wet and sticky. Chu
Wanning opened his eyes subconsciously and looked down where their desires
were pleasured together.
At one glance, his scalp went suddenly numb.
For the first time, he saw Mo Ran’s cock so clearly that it was really a fleshand-blood blade. It was rough and full and aggressive. At this time, because
of the pleasure, the thing was angry and heavy, and the muscles were clear.
The tip was wet and sticky, secreting body fluid and rubbing smoothly against
Chu Wanning’s abdomen in rhythm.
Chu Wanning closed his eyes suddenly. His whole body was trembling and
his mind was in chaos.
How can it be so big? How will we get it inside? I’m afraid I can’t even hold
it in my mouth. I’ll gag. How can it be like this?
He was so ashamed that his eyes burned like fire.
If such a thing comes inside him, will he die?
So those dreams that he had were all unrealistic illusions. Chu Wanning’s
cheeks were burning red. Otherwise, how is it possible?
How could I possibly kneel on my knees to withstand such fierce intrusion,
how could I have accepted such a penis, gasping and groaning shamelessly,
like an estrous beast begging for more and more violent interaction?
How can you feel pleasure by being thrusted and ejaculated into?
How is it possible?
The more he thought about it, the more incredible it was, the more
humiliating it was and the more aggrieved it was. He even felt a sense of selfcontempt, but fortunately Mo Ran did not give him more time to think about
it.
Mo Ran’s big hand held himself, and also held Chu Wanning, knowing
how to touch them.
Desire gradually folded high, the veins of their necks were protruding and
shaking because of the pleasure. Chu Wanning rather could not stand it,
almost leaking out his voice.
“Don’t shout. It’s foggy here. You can’t see people, but you can hear them.”
Said Mo Ran bringing another hand to cover Chu Wanning’s mouth and nose.
In such a tight and warm fog, Chu Wanning almost produced a kind of
suffocating and terrible boiling. His hands were still tied back by his clothes,
and his voice was covered. The feeling of being bound by and covered was so
painful and exciting.
“Mmm…”
The bullying is too miserable, and the eye tail drips through the tears
involuntarily.
Like a dying crane, he leans back slightly, reveals his fragile neck and
shakes his head. No, really no. Instead of letting go, Mo Ran went over and
gnawed at his throat. Then he raised his eyes quietly and looked at Chu
Wanning’s painful and enduring appearance, and at his frowning, almost
dying appearance.
“Shizun…”
He muttered and could not help it any longer. He took off his hand
covering Chu Wanning and kissed him violently.
The sound of the water was stirring and the waterfall was turbulent.
Chu Wanning was kissed by Mo Ran and could no longer breathe. His lips
were slightly swollen, panting, and his eyes were not focused.
Mo Ran embraced him and buried him in his neck. The desire and
breathing in the secret place of the hot spring lasted for a long time. By the
time they were finally going to climax, both of them were soaked, sweaty and
hot, like necked beasts, entangling madly for each other. They only hated that
they could not hold each other more tightly, and could not be completely
rubbed into each other’s flesh and blood.
“No… I really don’t want to…” Chu Wanning was almost struggling, and
the thrill of desire made him shudder. “Don’t do it anymore, I won’t do it…”
Hearing Chu Wanning’s murmur in a low voice, his eyes grew darker and
darker. He kissed him on the cheek and gasped, “Baobei, wait a minute, join
me…”
The speed of the hand grew faster, and the crotch even unconsciously
began to thrust as well. Gradually, the two men had no other thoughts, only
desire and love in their eyes.
“Ah… Ah…”
Release time was too pleasurable, perhaps because there was the
stimulation of hiding in the Miaoyin Springs, it becomes more and more
intense, distracted, Chu Wanning did not endure for long, ejaculating, he
hoarsely gasped out, and even forgot to suppress the voice.
Both men were sighing, rough and affectionate, dirty and pure, with only
the face of each other at orgasm and the face of the other… Kiss again,
lingering, moist, lingering.
“You let out a lot…” Mo Ran murmurs, and the voice is muddy.
His hands were full of their love liquid, his eyes darkened, he leaned over,
gently wiped it on Chu Wanning’s abdomen, along the compact and
symmetrical abdominal muscles, all the way up, wiped it on his chest.
Chu Wanning was trembling in Mo Ran’s embrace. This kind of trembling
caused by pleasure and excitement was not something he could control. Mo
Ran hugged him, caressed him, and whispered into his ear, “Did it feel
good?”
“…”
“Next time… If you are ready…” With his sweaty skin pressed against his,
Mo Ran kissed him, “Then we’ll be serious, alright?”
Although he was prepared for it, hearing the words coming out of his
mouth along with the terrible anger he witnessed just now caused his back to
feel numb and his entire body tensed up.
Mo Ran, sensing his tiny muscles, kissed him more tenderly.
“I won’t let you feel any pain. I will make you feel good…”
Their passion had not yet subsided, and they were rubbing their temples in
the depths of the waterfall.
Mo Ran’s voice was filled with love and lust as he said in a low voice,
“You’ll like it, really… At the beginning, it might hurt a little, but I will still
be able to control it…”
Chu Wanning felt ashamed. He wanted to run away, but his legs were
numb.
“Don’t say anymore…”
It was probably because he knew that he was not really disgusted by him,
but because of his rare disobedience, he did not listen to him. His moist lips
were still pressed against his ears, as if he was trying his best to seduce him,
“I will do it well… Shizun, if you’re afraid of pain, just use some medicine,
I’ll go buy… Believe me, once you get used to it, you’ll feel very good.”
I’ve seen how you were screwed to the point of losing your soul in your
previous life.
But at that time, it was all because of hatred and punishment.
In this life, I just want you to hug me, become one with your spirit body, and
never be separated from me again. I want you to like me, I want you to feel
good, and I want you to never forget me.
He kissed him, his eyes like wet wood on fire. These words were said with
both gentleness, shame and sincerity, coquettishly and ferociously.
The first part was respectful, while the second part was unsatisfactory.
“My Shizun, next time, can you let me in?”
The author has something to say:
Mini theatre, «0.5 and 2.0, which one is more extra?» out of
character, modern elements are inserted randomly, don’t take this
seriously~
Madam Wang’s VeggieBun (that’s right, that fat cat): Elder Yuheng,
between 0.5 and 2.0, which one makes you feel more shameful?
Which one is more extra-meow?
Chu Wanning: 2.0
VeggieBun: Why-meow? Isn’t he very considerate of you?
Chu Wanning: 0.5 won’t ask questions and will just do things. Even
though his words are indeed sometimes vulgar, but that has nothing
to do with me. As for 2.0…
VeggieBun: What ab-meow-t 2.0?
Chu Wanning: (uncontrolled rage) When he asks me about those
things in full deference, has he ever considered my feelings? Must I
nod and tell him, “Yes. Please come in. Remember to use protection.
Welcome.”
VeggieBun: Seems like it meow hahaha~
Chu Wanning: 0.5 won’t ask me how I feel. Once he’s done, he just
minds his own business and goes to work. 2.0 will interview my inner
feelings… Do I need to fill out a customer satisfaction survey?
VeggieBun: Meow Hahahaha arf! I laughed so hard I barked!
That day, VeggieBun returned to the backhills and issued a special
report with the headline «Would you rather have an overbearing
CEO or a loyal dog» to all the cats of Sisheng Peak.
VeggieBun: Elder Yuheng has expressed being with 0.5 makes him
feel like he’s a pre-meow-ium gigolo being visited by a mob boss
who refuses to pay.
Meatbun: Elder Yuheng has expressed being with 2.0 makes him
feel like he’s a picky mob boss paying for a pre-meow-ium gigolo.
The next day, all the cats of Sisheng Peak went without food.
197. Shizun is not a vixen
Because of Mo Ran’s words, Chu Wanning felt extremely ashamed. After
exiting the Miaoyin Springs, he did not want to bother with Mo Ran
anymore, so he left without looking back.
I want face, I want skin. I am even so angry that I don’t even have the face
to say such shameful words… Did Mo Ran really think that he would nod in
agreement?
It was enough for him to do such a thing, there was no need to ask him!
On the second day, when the Elder who taught History was sick, Xue
Zhengyong sent Chu Wanning to monitor the students’ recitation. History was
a big lesson with many disciples, and he couldn’t manage it alone, so he asked
Mo Ran and the others to help him with his inspection and answer questions.
Of the four masters, Shi Mei and Mo Ran were the busiest. The reason was
very simple. Shi Mei was gentle and beautiful, and Mo Ran was kind and
heroic. All of these things were very popular with the junior brothers and
sisters, especially Shi Mei, whose narrow legs and picturesque eyes made him
lose the immaturity of his youth.
He was a completely elegant and beautiful man. He had a good
temperament and his voice was pleasant to listen to. Regardless of gender, it
was very easy to have a good impression of him.
As for Mo Ran, he was trapped within the group of female disciples and
couldn’t come out.
“Mo-shixiong, I don’t understand this, can you take a look for me?”
“Mo-shixiong, I can’t really understand the difference between these two
incantations. Can shixiong teach me?”
“Mo-shixiong…”
After Mo Ran explained to the ninth shimei why the “Ten Thousand
Waves Reversal” had to look exactly like the original one to work, Chu
Wanning finally lost his patience. He frowned and coldly looked at Mo Ran
from several rows of disciples.
Mo Ran had been ignored by him since yesterday. In fact, he felt somewhat
wronged.
He was used to being rough in his past life, and he treasured him even
more in this life. Thus, every step he took, he wanted to see if Chu Wanning
was happy or not. He didn’t know what he had done wrong. Was he not
supposed to ask that question?
He shouldn’t have asked, “My good Shizun, can I go in next time?” Instead,
he should ask, “My darling, can I go in next time?”
Having suffered a day’s worth of cold treatment, he suddenly felt Chu
Wanning’s gaze. Even though it was glaring at him fiercely, Mo Ran was still
like a cabbage that had been watered with water. He immediately perked up
and gave him a big smile.
“…”
This person didn’t know where all those girls had come from, nor did he
understand why they had so many questions.
Do they not understand? If he really didn’t understand, then why did he not
ask Chu Wanning about the creation of the Wave Reversal Spell and instead
go around the corner to call them “Mo-shixiong”?
Chu Wanning was displeased, but he did not say anything. He only looked
coldly and silently at Mo Ran.
As he watched, Mo Ran felt that something was amiss. At this moment, the
tenth shimei waved at him eagerly. “Mo-shige ~”
“I’m sorry, I have something to do.” Mo Ran smiled and pointed at Xue
Meng. “Ask your Xue-shixiong.”
As he finished speaking, he walked towards Chu Wanning, leaving the little
shimei with a disappointed expression. He bit his pen and sighed deeply.
“Shizun, what’s wrong? You don’t seem very happy?”
Chu Wanning pursed his lips but didn’t say anything directly. After a
moment of silence, he said, “I’m a bit tired, let Xue Meng patrol the area.
Help me watch over this area.”
Mo Ran did not suspect him, nodded his head, and followed Chu Wanning
as if he was doing his duty. Strangely, as he walked beside Chu Wanning, he
suddenly felt that there were fewer people asking questions. Could it be that
this group of disciples was smarter than the rest?
He could not hear the annoying “Mo-shixiong” or the even more annoying
“Mo-shige”. Chu Wanning finally felt better, but his face remained
expressionless as he paced around the crowd of elementary disciples who
were reciting scriptures. As he walked, he suddenly heard a conversation
between two junior disciples.
“Shixiong, shixiong, let me tell you, there is a fox spirit in the Miaoyin
Springs.”
“Ah? What do you mean?”
“Yesterday, after I finished bathing at Plum Blossom House and was about
to go back, I heard a faint sound of something in the distance… Uh… There
was such a commotion…”
The shixiong seemed very surprised. After opening his mouth for a while,
he hesitantly said, “Could it be that some fellow sect member is acting so
boldly?”
“Who has the guts to do so? It’s impossible. If Elder Yuheng or Elder
Tanlang were to see it, they would have broken their legs! It’s definitely
impossible for him to be a disciple of the sect!”
“That’s true.”
“It must be the fox spirit gathering to replenish his yin energy. Tonight, I’ll
call some of my fellow brothers to take a look and see if we can capture that
little fox. That would count as a meritorious deed, it wouldn’t be good to let
him seduce our fellow sect members, right?”
“That’s true, but have you seen who the fellow sect member he seduced
yesterday was?”
“… The Miaoyin Springs is so foggy, I don’t want to go even if I have to
walk in front of their eyes. I’m still a kid, what if that fox spirit catches my
eyes, what will I do?” The little disciple muttered to one another. Suddenly,
he noticed that his senior brother’s expression was strange. He reached out his
hand and scratched it, “What’s wrong?” His expression suddenly changed.
“…”
The little disciple finally felt the chill behind his back. He faintly turned his
head and saw Elder Yuheng standing behind him with an unfathomable
expression and an extremely cold aura. He was so frightened that he cried out,
“Elder, please forgive me!”
“To recite a scripture is like reciting a scripture, what is so clever about it?
Also, dual cultivation.” Chu Wanning’s face was gloomy, “You’re thinking
quite well. If you continue to blabber nonsense, you’ll be punished.” With
that, he flicked his sleeves and left.
Mo Ran also heard the conversation. He wanted to laugh, but he didn’t
dare to. His eyes were chasing after Chu Wanning’s back. He thought to
himself, “How could this serious person love me so much?” Why would he be
willing to be with him…
He felt warm and bitter in his chest, mixed with sweet and sour. After the
lesson was over, he couldn’t help but hug and kiss Chu Wanning, who was
busy cleaning up the ancestral scripts, lovingly in his arms.
Chu Wanning was furious, he hit him on the head with the bamboo slip,
knocking on his head as he said, “It’s all your good idea, Miaoyin Springs…
This is great, what did I become?”
He rubbed the tip of his nose against his ear and asked with a gentle and
soft voice, “What has Shizun become?”
Chu Wanning did not expect him to be so shameless and could only stare
with wide open eyes, “You…!”
Dimples about to drip into honey, Mo Ran kissed him again and laughed,
“Those shidis are really bullshitty, fox spirit? Harvesting… What… Haha,
Yang Recovery to complement your Yin?”
“Say it again, I’ll kill you.” Chu Wanning almost stuffed the bamboo block
into his mouth.
Mo Ran smiled, “Ugh… Then could he choose the method of death? It’s
also a good thing that to be killed by the Miaoyin Springs’s fox spirit
Zaiyang…”
“Mo Weiyu!”
From then on, Chu Wanning refused to take a bath at the Miaoyin Springs
with Mo Ran anymore.
A few days later, Madam Wang called Mo Ran to the table and asked him
a question.
“A-Ran, when you were wandering around a few years ago, did you see a
strange girl in the Snow Valley?”
“What girl? What’s so strange about that?”
“She should be very white. There isn’t much blood on her face. She likes
wearing red and always carries a basket in her arms. She would chat with
passersby in the Snow Valley…”
Mo Ran laughed, “Oh, aunt is talking about Xue Qianjin, right?”
Madam Wang was surprised at first, but was soon overjoyed. “You know of
Xue Qianjin? I thought that you had never read about such a monster before,
and specifically wanted to describe it to you… I didn’t expect that…”
“Shizun’s bets were on, I just happened to see it. Aunt asked me what does
Xue Qianjin do?”
“It’s like this. Young Master Nangong came by a few days ago and I
checked his pulse. I feel that the Scorching Sun Aura in his body is not
uncontrollable, it’s just that the materials required are extremely rare. The
hardest thing to find is the Ice Shilling Fish in Xue Qianjin’s basket. However,
that Xue Qianjin is extremely difficult to meet. Twenty years ago, someone
had met her in the Snow Valley, and if you were to look back on her now, you
must know that it was recorded in the Taxue Palace on Mount Kunlun a
hundred years ago. Therefore, I wanted to ask you if you are lucky.”
Hearing this, Mo Ran was both happy and worried. He was happy because
if Nangong Si could be cured, he would be an ordinary person. Ye Wangxi
was deeply in love with him and might eventually become a good family
member.
With a mixture of joy and sorrow, he said to Madam Wang, “After Xu
Shuanglin’s matter is settled, I will personally go to the Snow Valley and
search from the foot of the mountain to the perilous peak. Perhaps I can find
some clues.”
After Mo Ran finished speaking, because he was happy, he immediately
went to inform Nangong Si. Madam Wang said from behind: “Aiya, A-Ran,
don’t leave so quickly. I’ve already told Young Master Nangong, you don’t
need to…”
However, Mo Ran did not hear anything and was already far away.
He looked around and found that Nangong Si was at the end of the Bridge
of Helplessness. As he was about to go over, he saw a person walking over
from the other side of the bridge. Mo Ran looked over and realized it was Ye
Wangxi. His heart skipped a beat and he stopped calling for Nangong Si.
Instead, he stood far away and looked at them.
The mental cultivation method she practiced, as well as the guidance she
received, had already made her unrecognizable from men. In fact, all these
years, if not for the fact that she still had a crush on Nangong Si, she would
have already forgotten that she was a woman.
When she saw him coming, he gave a light cough and looked out at the
river again.
“Young Master called me?”
“… Ah…” He crossed his fingers and rested them on the stone lion on the
Bridge of Helplessness. After a long time, he finally answered, “Yes.”
“What’s the matter?”
“No, no.” He did not dare to look at Ye Wangxi at all, his fingers caressing
the stone lion’s curled hair, “That’s right. There’s something I want to give
you.”
Ye Wangxi was confused, “What?”
Nangong Si lowered his head and slowly untied a piece of cloth from his
waist. On the other side, which Ye Wangxi couldn’t see, he clumsily untied it
for a long time before he finally did. He passed it over to Ye Wangxi and
coughed softly, “Thank you for all these years… Forget it, I don’t know what
to say. I don’t have any valuables to wear right now, so I’ll just give you this.
After following me for so many years, it’s not the best jade, but…”
He did not continue speaking. His eyes were lowered and his face was a
little red.
He didn’t dare to look at Ye Wangxi for a long time, after a while, seeing
that Ye Wangxi had no reaction, he suddenly felt very upset, very rude and
also very embarrassed. After hesitating for a while, he took back the phoenix
totem jade pendant from Ye Wangxi’s hands, and muttered: “I, I know this is
not good, if you don’t like it, then… Just give it back to me. It’s okay, I, I
won’t mind… After the revival of the Rufeng Sect, I will find you the best
one, I…”
Ye Wangxi was stunned for a long time before she smiled. There was a
trace of a woman’s gentleness in her eyes, which made her look as if she had
never had a rouge in her life before.
She held the jade pendant in her hands. The wind was blowing, the
bamboo leaves were rustling. Ye Wangxi said, “This one is enough. Thank
you, Young Master.”
Nangong’s face turned even redder, and he said woodenly: “You, as long as
you like it… I also… Sigh… I don’t know what to say.”
Mo Ran: “…”
In the bamboo forest, he almost wanted to hold on to the head and smash it
against the stone lion.
Does this man know how to do nothing but raise little wolfdogs? “I don’t
know what to say.”
“Madam Wang told me that I can suppress the violent spirit core in my
body. Perhaps I don’t need to dual cultivate in order to do so.”
Ye Wangxi was stunned for a moment, but soon realized that he had
misunderstood her words. She hummed softly and lowered her eyelashes, not
saying another word.
If he didn’t need to dual cultivate, then he would have no reason to be
shameless and stay by the side of anyone. She also had her dignity, and didn’t
want to beg for him to love and pity her. Nangong Si used this jade pendant
to make a decision, he could also save some thoughts for himself in the
future.
“You understand. Hmm… Do you understand what I mean?”
“… Right.”
Nangong Si was overjoyed upon hearing that, but he still foolishly replied,
“Then, then if you are willing… Actually… You can call me in the future,
just like you did when you were a kid, I… I… I think that’s good. Oh, I’m
sorry. I really don’t know what to say. Sigh…”
He sighed twice, until he couldn’t take it anymore. He covered his eyes and
sighed, “Heavens, what am I saying?”
Now it was Ye Wangxi’s turn to be at a loss. She raised her head and
suddenly seemed to understand something. She opened her eyes slightly, and
a thin layer of blood appeared on her face.
The bamboo leaves on the Bridge of Helplessness swirled in the wind as
her clothes fluttered in the wind. Her jade pendant was warm and smooth.
Her bright red tassels were fluttering between her fingers.
After a while, Ye Wangxi hesitated and asked in a soft voice, “What?”
In an instant, perhaps it was an illusion, but Nangong Si felt that her voice,
which had been distorted by the spell to the point where it could no longer be
recovered, had become a little soft, a little soft, in the vague wind.
He suddenly raised his head and looked at Ye Wangxi’s face. The morning
clouds were like brocade, reflecting her expression, and she smiled, still with
her familiar handsome, upright appearance, but her slightly narrowed eyes
were flashing. She did not hold back as tears rolled down her face.
Nangong Si looked at her, at the face, and the vague image of a young
child came back to him.
It was a little girl, young and immature. Her cheeks were flushed and her
eyelashes were very long. She had a very soft and sweet appearance.
At that time, Ye Wangxi had not yet been sent to the Dark City by
Nangong Liu to cultivate her mental cultivation method. She had just been
picked up by Xu Shuanglin and had to learn some basic magic techniques
from Nangong Si.
That day, in order to train them, Nangong Liu had them test their strength
in the simplest illusions of the Rufeng Sect. That illusion was not difficult, but
it was somewhat terrifying.
At first, Nangong Si did not intend to deal with Ye Wangxi, he only cared
about himself. But then, he realized that Ye Wangxi was not following him.
She was just a little girl curled up in the temple of the illusion, not daring to
move at all.
He looked back at her and snorted. Just as he was about to leave, he saw a
Hanged Ghost floating behind her. It stuck out its bright red tongue and was
about to wrap it around her throat—
“AHHH!”
By the time the little girl realized it, it was already too late. She could only
scream in fear, but there was nothing she could do. She hugged her sword and
turned her head away.
But nothing happened.
When she opened his eyes timidly, she found that Nangong Si was standing
in front of her. The Hanged Ghost had already been repelled by his sword,
sticking to the Thunder Sigil spirit, and in the time it took for lightning to
bloom, he turned his head to look at her, wanting to scold her a little. But the
girl’s expression was so pitiful, like a frightened cat.
Nangong Si was stunned, he said after a long while, “You, why are you so
useless, you are even afraid of ghosts…”
“That’s a ghost!” Ye Wangxi cried out, “If I’m not even afraid of ghosts
anymore, then what am I afraid of?”
Nangong Si, “… Why are all of you girls so useless?”
“Then I also want to be of use!” The beautiful little girl cried, she was so
wronged that her nose was running, “Who’s willing to drag you down, I want
to help too. But you left so quickly, you didn’t even wait for me… I… I’m
just scared of ghosts…”
“Err…”
After that, Nangong Si had no choice but to kneel down beside her. He
could not coax her, and could only blankly watch her cry. Ye Wangxi, who
had never experienced the dark city’s tempering, was like an ordinary girl, her
tears flowing down his face.
She cried and choked back her sobs, “What are you looking at?”
“… I want to see when you’re done crying.”
“…”
“After you’re done crying, let’s go together. Who told you to be so weak?”
He raised his hand and tapped the little girl’s fair forehead, “Follow me, I will
protect you.”
When he thought back to the past, he realized that during that illusion it
was actually the only time he had seen a girl like Ye Wangxi cry because she
was afraid.
Later, she became cold, stony, and suppressed all emotions under her pale
face.
Suppressing her emotions, not to mention Nangong Si, he had even
forgotten what kind of person she was. She only remembered to follow
behind the back of the Young Master of the Rufeng Sect, from the child to
the youth to when he became a Young Master.
She didn’t shed tears or drag him down. She followed him silently for
twenty years.
198. Shizun’s trip to Mount Huang
After ten days of fasting, Nangong Si and Ye Wangxi were able to set off
for Mount Jiao. “Naobaijin had been wounded, and his vitality was greatly
damaged, so for the time being he could not take his master on a long
journey.”
This huge demonic wolf transformed itself into the appearance of a young
cub. The palm-sized wolf stuck its fluffy head out from Nangong Si’s quiver.
Mo Ran escorted the two to the entrance of the mountain and caressed the
mane of the fine horse beside him. He laughed, “The Mount Jiao Road is far,
and the Imperial Sword Technique is exhausting energy. The two of them
grew up eating spiritual herbs and traveled thousands of miles in a day.
Although they are not as powerful as Naobaijin, it is still passable.”
Nangong Si thanked Mo Ran, and with Ye Wangxi, mounted their horses.
They bowed their heads and clasped their fists, “Thank you, Mo-xiong. There
is no need to send us off. We shall meet again in the future.”
“Yes, be careful along the way.”
He stood at the entrance of the mountain and watched as Nangong Si and
Ye Wangxi’s silhouettes gradually disappeared into the distance. Just as he
was about to leave, he suddenly heard a crisp sound from the forest to his left.
“Meow…”
“Cat?” Mo Ran narrowed his eyes and muttered.
On the other side, Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si were walking side by side
down the mountain gate. There was still a deserted path from the Sisheng
Peak to the town of Wuchang. Sunlight scattered down from the lush foliage
and the hooves of the horses stepped, turning the shattered light into dust.
Nangong Si looked at Ye Wangxi, and was about to say something, when a
head popped out of the quiver, revealing Naobaijin front claws.
“Awoooooooo!” Shocked, Nangong Si quickly reined in his bridle and said,
“Be careful!”
The two of them had practiced together since childhood and had a tacit
understanding of each other. The two of them flew up from the left side of
Nangong Si and Ye Wangxi’s sword, and after a series of clanging sounds, the
poisoned Pear Blossom Needles fell off one after the other. Following that,
Ye Wangxi raised her hand and threw out a talisman, and the barrier flew out
and trapped the two of them.
“Who is it?!”
The sunlight was dim, but it was not obscured by the clouds. Instead, a
person was standing on top of a thin branch. He was wearing a wide robe and
his hair was fluttering in the wind. He stood against the sunlight with a hateful
expression on his face.
The cousin of the former Sect Leader of Jiangdong Hall, Huang Xiaoyue.
He stood on the branch and watched coldly at Ye Wangxi’s face. Soon
after, the dense forest was filled with rustling sounds, and more than a
hundred Jiangdong Hall disciples walked out from the forest, each of them
with bright red frontal rings on their heads. They were all elite disciples of the
Jiangdong Hall.
Huang Xiaoyue twirled his beard and said, “You two, are you two
comfortable at Sisheng Peak? It took me ten days and ten nights to come out
of hiding.”
Nangong Si was furious, “Huang Xiaoyue, why is it you again?!”
“What happened to me?” Huang Xiaoyue replied coldly, “You are well
aware of the feud between the Jiangdong Hall and the Rufeng Sect.”
Nangong gritted his teeth and said, “From Linyi to Shizhong, you have to
repel four attacks from your disciples, and you still want to chase after them?
What grudge? Are you guys done yet? Xu Shuanglin knows his place. Your
sister-in-law has killed your brother, and has come time and time again to
argue with us about it. Just where is your face?”
“Face? In this old man’s opinion, the little gongzi is the one who truly does
not care about face.” Huang Xiaoyue said gloomily, “It was obviously your
Rufeng Sect that had greatly damaged the vitality of our Jiangdong Hall. Do
you dare to deny it?”
Ye Wangxi said, “Even if you want to seek revenge for the Rufeng Sect,
you should do it in a fair and honorable manner. What kind of actions are
these?”
“Shut up. It’s for a man to speak, it’s not up to a girl like you to speak.”
Huang Xiaoyue waved his sleeves, “Don’t think that because that bastard
would treat you as a man and raise you you’re really a man.” He said, “Little
girl, you will always be a silly little girl. A woman like you should be cooking
in the kitchen. You are just a girl, what qualifications do you have to come
out and act arrogantly in front of me?”
Nangong Si retorted in anger, “Huang Xiaoyue, you have to be
reasonable!”
“Very well. Then this old man will talk reason and settle the total debt.”
Huang Xiaoyue then said, “Your father shamelessly made an affair with a
married woman, inciting that wicked woman to kill my own younger brother
and seize power and usurp the throne. As for the one next to you…”
“She is the daughter of a beast. Her foster father has spread the private
affairs of our Jiangdong Hall to the rest of the world, harming our great and
noble name. Today, this old man has personally led an outstanding individual
from his sect to stop a lowly person, all in order to repay the Jiangdong Hall
and to give justice to the entire world!”
He waved his hand and descended, and those hundred disciples, who were
like tigers eyeing their prey, immediately rushed forward to attack them. But
just as they were about to scuttle out of the forest, Mo Ran suddenly
descended from the sky.
“Brother Mo?”
The person who came was none other than Mo Ran. He held a willow vine
in his hand as he stood on top of a tree opposite to Huang Xiaoyue, staring
coldly at him.
Huang Xiaoyue didn’t expect that Mo Ran would appear. His expression
immediately turned ugly, and after a long while, he asked, “How come Mozongshi is interested in watching the show?”
“Then we should ask the disciple of the Grandmaster how he decided not
to do it, but to hide in the forest and learn to meow like a cat.”
Huang Xiaoyue’s expression was gloomy, his face and surname were
almost identical. He calmly asked, “Grandmaster, what do you mean by
that?”
“This question should be asked to Senior Huang,” Mo Ran said. “In my
Sisheng Peak, attacking Sisheng Peak’s guests, Senior Huang, do you think
that my sect is too clean and tidy, and would like to sprinkle some blood on
the ground?”
“Since you are already out of the sect, it is not up to you to take care of it. I
will avenge my deceased brother, and there is no need for Mo-zongshi to say
anything!”
Mo Ran said, “Senior Huang is right. Personal grudges. After leaving the
sect, it is indeed not a matter of life or death.”
Huang Xiaoyue coldly snorted, “Then why aren’t you giving way to the
Grandmaster?”
Mo Ran did not move. The bloody light from Jiangui became even
brighter. The willow leaf on it almost turned into a string of red beads of
blood. He said, “But what if I want to manage it myself?”
“You-!”
Huang Xiaoyue was aware of Mo Ran’s strength, but he was unwilling to
give up his revenge. He could only threaten him in anger, “Mo-zongshi, are
you trying to make an enemy out of my Jiangdong Hall?”
“I didn’t mean it that way. I just wanted to send a noble guest to leave
Sichuan safely. As for whether it was the Jiangdong Hall or Jiang Xi Hall,
they would all be the same.”
Huang Xiaoyue narrowed his eyes, the hatred in his eyes could almost turn
into a visible flame, burning Mo Ran and the juniper he was standing on into
ashes.
“You insist on protecting these two remnants of the Rufeng Sect?”
“What did the remaining scoundrel say?” Mo Ran asked coldly, “I would
like to consult senior. Jiangdong Hall regrets that Miss Ye and Young Master
Nangong have participated in this.”
“…”
“Did he plot a change in Jiangdong Hall? Or did he reveal the scandal of
Jiangdong Hall?” Mo Ran looked at Huang Xiaoyue and asked, “Did you kill
the previous Sect Leader, or did you deliberately take part in the murder of
your disciple?”
“But so what?!” Huang Xiaoyue said furiously, “The son shall pay the
debts of his father! It’s perfectly justified!”
“What a righteous and natural thing to do.” Mo Ran said indifferently,
“That’s enough, I don’t think there’s a need to argue with Senior Huang. Let’s
spar and let the weapons decide.”
Huang Xiaoyue was angered to the extreme as he shouted, “Mo Ran!
You’re so unreasonable!”
“Interesting, who’s the unreasonable one?” At this moment, another voice
came from the mountain path with a wild tone. Xue Meng held Longcheng in
his hand as he slowly walked out from the forest. The hilt of his saber was
cold and sharp. With the shine of the sun, it was almost impossible to open
one’s eyes.
“You started a massacre in front of my house and shouted loudly. Why is
Jiangdong Hall at Sisheng Peak? Is he courting death?”
If it was just one person, Huang Xiaoyue might not be able to defeat him,
but with his numbers, he might be able to get away from him and take the
opportunity to behead his enemy. However, with Phoenix Xue Meng striding
forward, who knew about the fierceness of Longcheng in his hands?
At this moment, both brothers had appeared in front of the mountain gate.
No matter how hard Huang Xiaoyue tried, it was impossible for him to find
an opportunity to protect Nangong Si and Ye Wangxi’s lives.
Seeing that Xue Meng had come, Mo Ran’s expression became serious. He
said to Xue Meng, “Go back.”
“Let me help you —”
“This matter has nothing to do with the Sisheng Peak. It is my selfishness
that is helping me, so don’t interfere.” Mo Ran frowned, thinking to himself,
‘Is this little brother stupid?’ Although Jiangdong Hall was no longer
powerful, he was still a skinny camel that was bigger than a horse. He was
still a part of the nine great sects, and the old hall Shizun’s niece was a dao
companion with the head senior apprentice brother of the Huohuang Pavilion.
If Xue Meng were to come out to help them, it would mean that he would be
using the name of the Sisheng Peak to suddenly lose all decorum with the two
great cultivation sects.
It must not be done.
Mo Ran said, “Quickly go back.”
On the contrary, he was annoyed that Mo Ran did not need his help. While
they were in a stalemate, he suddenly saw the dust flying in the distance, and
the snow-white horse arrived in a flash. The person on the horse was dressed
in snow-white clothes, and had an extremely beautiful appearance; carrying a
lute on his back, was the Immortal Lady of the Taxue Palace in Mount
Kunlun.
“Urgent news! Emergency report —!” The immortal lady frowned, she
whipped her horse and shouted loudly.
However, when she turned a corner and saw such a tense scene at the foot
of the mountain, she suddenly reined in the reins. She was stunned for a
moment and sat astride the horse, blinking blankly.
“Urgent — er… This is… What are you doing?”
Due to the sudden arrival of the herald from the Taxue Palace on Mount
Kunlun, the fight between Mo Ran and Huang Xiaoyue did not succeed.
Instead, Huang Xiaoyue was invited by Xue Zhengyong to the Sisheng Peak.
The Immortal Lady of the Taxue Palace stood in the Loyalty Hall. Her red
lips parted, and she bowed. Then she said:
“Urgent report, Xu Shuanglin is missing.”
After saying so, Ye Wangxi’s face turned pale.
The immortal lady said, “I sent over ten thousand Jade Butterflies to track
down Xu Shuanglin, and I’ve finally returned two this morning. Since we
found out that there was a strange magic curse around Mount Huang, the
palace master guessed that Xu Shuanglin should be hiding here, and
specifically ordered us to rush to the various big sects and report it to them as
a backup plan.”
Xue Zhengyong was surprised and happy at the same time. “We found it
just like that?”
The immortal lady replied, “I can’t be sure, but Jade Butterfly reported that
the bloody aura around Mount Huang has been lingering around for the entire
day. It has already become a phenomenon, so it should not be too far from the
mark.”
Xue Zhengyong stood up and said, “Good!”. Now that he had a clue, he
didn’t want to delay any longer. “What does your palace master mean?”
“The palace master and Sect Leader share similar views. He also feels that
the matter should not be delayed and should quickly head there and
investigate.”
“Great!” Xue Zhengyong then turned to Huang Xiaoyue and said, “Leader
Huang, why don’t we go together? If we are able to successfully capture the
culprit, Xu Shuanglin, then we can take revenge for the murder of our
younger brother.”
Huang Xiaoyue’s heart skipped a beat. He knew very well that his chances
of defeating Xu Shuanglin were close to zero. Furthermore, his so-called
revenge was just a pretense.
Actually, how much could his brother’s death have to do with these two
juniors?
While he was shouting the slogan of revenge for his disciple, he had other
shrewd plans in mind. One must know that due to the calamity that had
befallen Jiangdong Hall, their strength had declined and he had long heard of
the rich and precious treasures that were hidden in the Rufeng Sect. He was
planning to capture both Ye Wangxi and Nangong Si in one fell swoop and
force them to throw up their ancestors for their own use.
After weighing the pros and cons for a while, he forced out a brown and
shriveled up smile and said: “Whether the one on the Mount Huang is Xu
Shuanglin or not, we still don’t know. Not to mention that the conflict
between the Jiangdong Hall and the Rufeng Sect has already been settled, this
is not my personal grudge, it’s a matter that concerns my sect’s reputation, so
we need to settle this properly.”
“You’re right.” Xue Zhengyong said, “Then we should first find Xu
Shuanglin and settle our personal grudges, and then find Rufeng Sect to settle
our grudges?”
“What Sect Leader Xue said is interesting. The Rufeng Sect is now a pile
of scorched earth. Where do you want me to settle the score with you?”
“I’m not sure about that. You have to ask this Huang-daochang yourself.”
Xue Zhengyong said with a smile, “Why is there only rubble left of the
Rufeng Sect and the daochang is still in a hurry to exterminate these two.”
“You-!” Huang Xiaoyue shook his sleeves and said, “This is my personal
matter.”
Xue Meng smiled merrily. “Just now, you said it’s the face of the sect, and
it’s a big matter. Now, it’s a private matter. Jiangdong Hall is one of the nine
great sects in the cultivation world. How can you act so casually?”
Huang Xiaoyue knew that he was in the wrong, but he didn’t know how to
reply, so he simply didn’t speak. He gave Xue Zhengyong a fierce glare, then
waved his sleeve and led a group of Jiangdong Clan disciples out of the main
entrance of the mountain of the dead in full fury. They took the lead and
headed towards the Mount Huang to ride on the sword.
Extremely apologetic, Ye Wangxi said to Xue Zhengyong, “Sect Leader
Xue, I am truly sorry. We —”
“Birds are caught on the net, hunters will not kill them.” Watching the
people of Jiangdong Hall leave, the smile on Xue Zhengyong’s face slowly
disappeared. His gaze turned cold as he said, “It’s Jiangdong Hall that has
gone too far.”
He looked at the light of day outside of the great hall, and his brows were
pressed down very low. A faint crease appeared in the middle, and after a
long while, he sighed: “Let’s go to Mount Huang.”
Mount Huang was a long way off, so everyone chose to ride their flying
swords. When they arrived at Mount Huang, a large group of cultivators had
already gathered at the foot of the mountain. The remaining nine sects had all
arrived at the foot of Mount Huang, and the rest of the nine cultivation worlds
had all arrived.
Chu Wanning was the first one to get off the Imperial Sword Technique.
His steps were a bit unsteady and his face was very pale. Fortunately, his face
was very pale and the people around him could not see anything strange. He
walked over and gently rubbed the back of his hand while no one was
looking.
“Shizun, you flew exceptionally well.”
“Hmm?”
Mo Ran smiled and said, “It’s true.”
Chu Wanning coughed lightly and looked away.
The other eight Sect Leaders had already arrived and were standing at the
very front of the mountain. In front of a barrier that reached into the sky, Xue
Zhengyong immediately rushed over to help and poured his spirit energy into
it.
The people that were at the Sisheng Peak arrived one after another, and
after a while, Xue Meng also arrived. He landed steadily beside the two of
them, looked at the scene in front of him, and immediately said with a frown,
“What is he doing? Why don’t you go up the mountain?”
Seeing him come, Mo Ran explained, “It’s not that I’m not going, but I
can’t go up.”
Xue Meng was rather confused. “Why?”
Chu Wanning replied: “Mount Huang is one of the four great evil
mountains in the cultivation world, this mountain is very strange, and it is not
so easy to enter.
Xue Meng was a little shocked, “I only know of the Four Great Sacred
Mountains. Which four?”
Chu Wanning said, “Mount Jiao, Mount Jia —”
Xue Meng was stunned. “A fake mountain?”
“… Black Tortoise Armor.”
“Oh, oh.” Xue Meng’s face turned red. “Yes.”
“Fearsome Mountain, and this mountain in front of us, Mount Huang.”
Chu Wanning paused for a moment, then continued, “This is the bloody
past of the cultivation world, now it’s rarely mentioned. Only by reading more
books would you be able to read the records of the four great evil mountains.”
“Then why would there be something like an evil mountain?”
Chu Wanning didn’t answer directly, instead, he asked Xue Meng, “Do you
still remember the time when the first sect leader of the Rufeng Sect subdued
the flood dragon?”
“I remember.” Xue Meng said, “The evil dragon was in the East China Sea.
It was he who defeated the evil dragon, sealed it in the Golden Drum Tower,
and then signed a blood contract with the dragon so that it could be used by
him. The dragon’s tendons became the mantle, the dragon’s blood became the
river, the dragon’s bones became the mountain rocks, and the dragon’s armor
became the trees. This mountain, for generations, has guarded the tombs of
the disciples of the Rufeng Sect, hence it is known as the Hero’s Tomb, also
known as Mount Jiao.”
Chu Wanning nodded, “That’s right, that’s why Mount Jiao is the
transformation of the Azure Dragon Evil Spirit. You all know that the four
constellations of the auspicious beasts are the Azure Dragon, the Vermilion
Bird, the White Tiger, and the Xuanwu, respectively.”
Xue Meng slowly came to a realization. “So, the remaining few tablets are
the same as the Mount Jiao. They were transformed from the spirit of the evil
beast?”
“Yes.”
Xue Meng said: “Then Mount Huang is… Is it a Vermilion Bird?”
He jerked his head up to look at the colossal mountain range shrouded in
haze and found that the center of the mountain was towering and flattened
twice, like a phoenix groaning at the nape of its neck.
Chu Wanning said, “That’s right. In addition, each of the four great evil
mountains had their own evil arts. For example, Mount Jiao only allowed the
descendants of the Rufeng Sect to lead people in. Those who trespassed
would be dragged into the earth by the dragon tendons, buried alive. This
Mount Huang, is also the same.”
“But it’s so strange.” Xue Meng turned his head to look at the Sect Leaders
who were casting their spells. His father also went over to help, “Mount Jiao
is the mountain belonging to the Rufeng Sect. Everyone knows about this. We
just need to bring the descendants of the sects who subdued the Vermilion
Bird Evil Spirit back here.”
Mo Ran, who had been silent all this while, finally spoke up, “That person
died by accident not long ago. If she’s still alive, he can do it.”
Xue Meng was stunned for a moment. “You know who it is?”
“Got it. It’s a woman, we all know her.”
199. Shizun’s first disciple
“Ah, who is it? Was he the only one capable of commanding Mount
Huang? What about the other descendants of the Vermilion Bird Evil Spirit?”
Mo Ran did not directly answer him. Instead, he said, “A thousand years
ago, the person who subdued the Vermilion Bird’s Evil Spirit was called Song
Qiao, courtesy name Xingyi.”
Xue Meng turned pale with fright and blurted out, “The lord of Huabi,
Song Xingyi?!”
“Yes.”
“H-he’s the last Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feast in the history of cultivation
to become a Grandmaster!”
Mo Ran’s face was expressionless as he said: “That’s right, so the last
person who could open the gates to Mount Huang has already died in the sea
of fire of the Rufeng Sect. It’s Song Qiutong.”
Xue Meng’s mouth could not help but open widely, and just as he was
about to say something, a commotion suddenly occurred in the distance. At
the foot of the Mount Huang, a large group of green-clothed cultivators from
Bitan Manor were suddenly surrounded by the barrier.
“Lord Li!”
“My lord!”
Chu Wanning’s complexion slightly changed. With sunken brows, he
walked towards them. He pushed his way through the crowd and saw Li
Wuxin being supported by a disciple. His face was as white as paper and he
spat out blood.
The stinky blood was stuck to his white beard, his lips were green and
white, his eyes were rolled up, and he was already subconsciously speaking
with a trembling voice, “It’s first… It was… It’s first place…”
Due to Li Wuxin pulling back, the remaining Sect Leaders were affected
by the backlash from the enchantment. Huang Xiaoyue was the temporary
Palace Head of the Jiangdong Hall, and his spiritual energy was lower than
the other Sect Leaders. At this point, he could not bear it any longer, and
even turning his head was difficult.
On the other hand, Jiang Xi’s face was rather pale. However, he was still
capable of looking in Li Wuxin’s direction. He opened his mouth and said,
“He fell victim to the Phoenix Nightmare.”
The Phoenix Curse was attached to the Phoenix’s seal in Mount Huang. If
someone wanted to tear open the crack and attempt to climb the mountain,
they would be easily engulfed by this nightmare.
This was similar to the illusion of Jincheng Lake, but the Phoenix
Nightmare was hard to dispel and the one who was tricked would often never
wake up again.
Seeing that, the group of Bitan Manor disciples knelt down on the ground,
and some of them even started to wail: “Palace Master! “Please wake up,
Palace Master.”
Li Wuxin laughed in his dreams for a while, then mumbled his words, and
then suddenly broke free from the embrace of his disciple Zhen Congming,
who was lying on the ground, and started dancing with joy, and laughed out
loud: “First place! First place! First place!”
Among the disciples surrounding them, someone whispered, “What is first
place?”
Li Wuxin would never answer them. He was immersed in the joy of the
nightmare. His mouth was wide open, revealing two rows of teeth that were
thick with blood and saliva. He laughed extremely happily.
“No-you can’t do this! You can’t do this! He said that he would return the
secret sword art manual from the Bitan Manor to me! How can you go back
on your word!”
A moment later it was a mournful face.
This was truly frightening. Li Wuxin was an old cultivator who cared about
his reputation and was also the master of a village. He had never had such a
face in front of others…
He didn’t look like a Sect Leader or a cultivator.
Not even a man.
As if he was doing his best to hide his dignity in the wrinkles that covered
his face, he begged, “Eight billion gold is truly too much. That secret sword
art scroll was originally from Bitan Manor, and was given to my Shizun. Sect
Leader… Please, a little less…”
The crowd around them looked at each other in dismay.
8 billion gold?
Sword manual?
Afterwards, someone suddenly recalled that because of the former Sect
Leader’s fiery temper, he had righteously and straightforwardly provoked the
attention of many sects in the cultivation world. After that incident, the entire
villa and river fell, and he was unable to allocate even the leftover funds to
subsidize disciples for three years. Then, for some reason, he suddenly
became rich again, but strangely, ever since that generation, the Broken Water
Sword Technique, which originally shook the entire Nine Regions, had fallen
into desolation, and the disciples were unable to use its essence.
For this reason, there were people in the martial arts world who ridiculed
Li Wuxin, saying that it was all because of his bad teaching that caused the
former Sword Saint’s Manor, the Bitan Manor, to be reduced to the end of
the world of cultivation.
But at this moment, everyone realized with a start that things might not be
as simple as they thought before — could it be that the calamity at the Bitan
Manor had been brought back to the continent by selling the sword manual?
Some of the profiteers immediately thought of Guyue’ye and stealthily
swept their eyes over Jiang Xi’s face.
“Could it be Guyue’ye…”
“It might be Sect Leader Jiang’s Martial Ancestor…”
Li Wuxin was still struggling painfully on the ground. He rolled on the
ground, but Zhen Ming couldn’t even hold him. He could only cry and yell at
times, and at times, he could only get up and kowtow in every direction with
blood and snot flowing down.
“Give it back to me. I’ve raised it for most of my life. The total is 5.1
billion gold.” Li Wuxin wailed, “Only five billion and one hundred million
gold… What you want, I’ve really done my best. I really don’t have that much
money, I can’t just kill, rob, and do all sorts of bad things to get the money
right?! The sect was getting more and more rich, but the Bitan Manor really
didn’t have that much money… I beg of you…”
Upon hearing the words “every day, every member of the noble sects will
enter the sect with ten thousand gold coins”, those who hadn’t been sizing up
Jiang Xi started to scan his direction. Jiang Xi’s Xuanyuan Pavilion was the
largest black market in the world of cultivation. If it wasn’t for him, who else
could it be?
The young disciples of the Bitan Manor were furious. Their eyes were
already bloodshot as they shouted at Jiang Xi, “Sect Leader Jiang! So the
three most important volumes of our Bitan Manor’s Broken Water Sword Art
are actually from you, Guyue’ye?! You want to ask for eight billion gold,
you… How can you be so shameless!”
Before Jiang Xi could say anything, a person on the left said hoarsely, “The
truth is unknown. How dare you accuse Sect Leader Jiang?”
The person who spoke was Huang Xiaoyue, who was on the verge of losing
his breath.
The hands of this old fogey, who was holding on to the barrier, were
already trembling. He still wanted to speak up for Jiang Xi to show his
loyalty? What in the world was he planning? It was as clear as day.
The disciple from the Bitan Manor was extremely angry. He rushed
forward to curse Huang Xiaoyue, but he was firmly stopped by his fellow sect
members. He advised, “Zhen Fu, don’t provoke them.”
Hearing this name, Mo Ran was stunned.
In the past, he might have thought that this name was the same as being
really smart, making people laugh their teeth off. However, now that he
looked at the old man kowtowing and kneeling in the mud, he suddenly felt
very bitter.
He couldn’t laugh at all.
“Five billion won’t do… Then… Then five billion and five hundred
million?” Li Wuxin was crying. He kept wiping tears off his face with his
sleeves, “Five and a half billion. I will help Yizhou’s Chang Shi’s business and
sell some magic artifact and spirit stones. I can still get five and a half
billion… Sect Leader, do a good deed and be merciful… Just return the
sword manual to me.”
He bent over and kowtowed. In the end, even his forehead was broken and
blood was flowing out.
“The Broken Water Sword Art, it’s the spirit of the Bitan Manor…” He
cried, “Before I turned into my original form, my only wish was for me to
redeem the sword manual. I will do my best for the rest of my life… All his
life, he had gone from black hair to white hair, and the person he was begging
for had also gone from your father to you… I’ve even begged Luo
Fenghua…”
“AHHHHHHH!”
Everyone paled.
Luo Fenghua?!
Li Wuxin had begged Luo Fenghua before?!
Not Guyue’ye… It was… It was…
They all looked back and saw that no one was moving. However, they
immediately made a path for themselves. Almost all the people from the
various sects were turning their heads to look at Nangong Si and Ye Wangxi
in the corner.
“It’s the Rufeng Sect!”
This time there was no need to whisper. Someone shouted.
“Shameless!”
“Just how did the sword arts of the Rufeng Sect suddenly improve by so
much in these past few decades? There’s even the legacy of a Sword Saint!
Beast!”
“Back in the day, the Spiritual Mountain Competition gave Nangong Si a
third! Stolen sword techniques are nothing at all!”
“How disgusting!”
Of course, he did not know that the evil scandals of the Rufeng Sect,
which were caused by his father and ancestors, should have landed on the 72
cities of the Rufeng Sect. Now, he was going to have to deal with them all by
himself.
He did not run, nor did he utter a word. His face was ashen as he stood
there silently.
Ye Wangxi wanted to shake her hand, but the man calmly withdrew his
hand and stood in front of her.
“He actually has the guts to…”
“His father is already such a beast, what do you think a son is?”
The people from the Bitan Manor were the most angry, and shouted at
them: “Get lost! Why aren’t you guys getting lost?!”
“The Rufeng Sect is no longer one of the top ten sects! What are you
standing here for! Scram!”
“Bastards! Shameless!”
The surrounding crowd was filled with the passionate and passionate chants
of Peng Bai. They were cursing and yelling, and their faces were filled with
clear hatred.
Suddenly, someone rushed over with his green robe rolled around. It was a
disciple of the Bitan Manor. That person grabbed Nangong Si’s lapel. Ye
Wangxi immediately said, “A-Ming!”
In the blink of an eye, Nangong Si was pushed away by the disciple and his
fists rained down on his face, his chest, abdomen, fist, without using any spirit
energy, were all punches dull, ferocious, and berserk.
At this time, another cold voice suddenly said in a stern voice, “Stop.”
Before he managed to recover from the blow, it landed on Nangong Si’s
handsome face. He coughed out a mouthful of blood, his hair was disheveled,
and he lay on the ground covered in mud.
The angry disciple wanted to wave his fist, but his arm was grabbed.
He looked back angrily and howled: “Bastard! “I don’t want you —”
He did not speak.
That was because the person standing in front of him was the Unrivaled
Grandmaster, Chu Wanning.
“Stop.”
Chu Wanning’s eyes were like cold spring water as he looked down at him.
His expression was indescribable, as if there were many emotions on his face,
but also as if there was nothing.
He just tightly held onto the young man’s arm, pursed his lips, and halfjokingly said, “Stop hitting.”
Nangong coughed out another mouthful of blood on the ground, Ye
Wangxi hurriedly went over to help him, but was stopped by him, “Don’t
worry about me, I am responsible for the Rufeng Sect, I should take it on
behalf of my father.”
The young man got even angrier, struggling to get rid of Chu Wanning’s
hand and wanting to fight him again.
Chu Wanning’s sword-like eyebrows creased, “Stop!”
“Don’t worry about it! You are the person who is at the pinnacle of death,
so this matter is none of your business!” The young man was also mad,
yelling at Chu Wanning, “What right do they have to treat my master like
that? Why?! What right did he have to do this to the Bitan Manor?! How
many years had Bitan Manor been acting like a horse for Rufeng Sect?
Why… Why should I!”
He cried.
Behind him was Li Wuxin’s groans and pleas.
Li Wuxin was still begging Nangong Liu who did not even exist in his
consciousness: “Luo Fenghua said he was willing to exchange the sword
manual for me… However, he was nowhere to be found… You promised me.
Sect Leader… You promised me…”
“I’m now seventy-nine. I won’t have many years to live. My cultivation base
isn’t high enough in this life. I might not be able to dismember my corpse and
become an Immortal, nor will I be able to see my master… But the only thing
he told me, I couldn’t do it.” Every word that came out of Li Wuxin’s mouth
was like a lump of blood that had been gouged out of his throat. He was also
wailing, “I can’t do it, Sect Leader… Give it back to me… To take the things
of the Bitan Manor… Give it back to me…”
“I beg of you…”
The disciples of the Bitan Manor were trembling, as were Chu Wanning’s
hands.
The youth’s eyes were filled with tears, hatred, and confusion.
However, he was unable to break free. In the end, he spat on Chu
Wanning’s face and said, “What Grandmaster, they are all beasts.”
“Shizun!”
“Mo Ran, stand still and don’t move. Don’t come over.”
Chu Wanning let go of the young man’s hand. Once the young man was
free, he immediately went to beat up the injured Nangong Si, but
unexpectedly, a golden light descended and the Haitang Spirit Formation was
opened, protecting both Nangong Si and Ye Wangxi.
Chu Wanning, who was half kneeling on the ground, slowly stood up and
gazed at the blurry and lively faces.
At one end of the crowd was him, and at the other end was Li Wuxin, who
was covered in blood and tears.
Li Wuxin’s aged voice rang out. It was Dong Ri’s branches that pierced the
heavens, “Five billion and five hundred million isn’t enough…”
In his dream, this old man was still trying to bargain with Nangong Liu.
He died humbly.
Very humble.
It was so humble that even an old face turned into mud.
“Five billion and eight hundred million?”
His voice was trembling.
Chu Wanning closed his eyes.
His hands were also curled and quivering under his wide sleeves.
But he still said word by word: “Nangong Si the son of an old friend, Rong
Yan, Madam Rong.”
In front of the huge Mount Huang, over a thousand people were quietly
listening to Li Wuxin’s wails and Chu Wanning’s cold and harsh voice.
First, Li Wuxin said, “Five billion and eight hundred million, that should
be enough, right? Those are only three sword manuals…”
On the other side, Chu Wanning said, “When I left the mountain, I didn’t
bring any silver taels, so I didn’t know how to ask for them. It is the grace of
Madam Rong to have a meal, and to have me stay in the Rufeng Sect for the
time being.”
He paused, and Li Wuxin’s tearful voice was the only sound he could hear.
“Madam Rong had asked me to accept her son, Nangong Si, as my
disciple. I didn’t agree because I felt too young. But that year…”
Chu Wanning turned his head and looked at the fallen Nangong Si. He
finally unveiled the truth that Nangong Si did not remember, word for word.
“That year, Madam Rong brought his young son and kowtowed to me three
times in front of the temple. She said that Nangong Si had completed his
Shizun’s gift, and if I am willing to stay in the Rufeng Sect for a long time
from now on, he will treat me with respect.”
Chu Wanning raised his eyes.
“Nangong Si is my disciple.”
Hearing this, Xue Meng’s face instantly turned ashen!
Mo Ran and Shi Mei did not look too good either, but they did not say a
word as they looked at Chu Wanning.
“If it is correct to say that a father owes a son his debt, then a Shizun for a
day, a father for a lifetime. Since I have already received three kowtows from
Nangong, he can call me Shizun.” He said, “His Shizun is still here. Thus, it
didn’t matter if you were seeking revenge or insulting him… I am here, and
will not resist at all.”
“Shizun!”
“Shizun!”
Mo Ran, Xue Meng and Shi Mei knelt down together. Nangong Si also
struggled to get up from the ground, the blood in his mouth had yet to stop as
he mumbled, “No… I won’t bow down… I’ve never kowtowed. I don’t have a
Shizun. No Shizun…”
However, at this time, Li Wuxin suddenly let out a long howl. He raised his
head towards the sky, his hair blowing like snow and eyes wide open. Blood
unceasingly flowed out from his eyes.
He was howling, crying, choking.
“5.9 billion, that should be fine, right? Sect Leader Nangong… 5.9
billion… If you have more, take pity on me, this old man, and leave me some
money for the coffin…… Okay, okay?”
He was in a position where he could kill himself by pulling at his neck. In
the end, he hissed and his veins bulged.
“Alright!”
Three consecutive times, all of a sudden, Li Wuxin spat out another
mouthful of blood.
Immediately after, he plopped to the ground.
The Sect Leader of the most inferior sect in the world of cultivation. This
old man, who had been trying to curry favor with every possible sect while he
was still alive, was like an ugly horned old man who was wandering
everywhere. This was a huge joke that he had spent most of his life and still
could not accomplish anything. Even three sword manuals could not redeem
him.
A trash, mediocre.
Thus, he opened his eyes and fell into the ash covered dust.
Dead.
The wind was blowing. All the living beings had different expressions on
their faces, and no one said a word.
However, Mo Ran suddenly remembered that Mount Jiao had a treasure
trove that was enough to revive the sect. This was something even the
Jiangdong Hall knew.
The Bitan Manor and the Rufeng Sect were so close, so how could they not
understand what this signified?
After Nangong Liu’s death, many large sects and small sects were chasing
after him, wanting to capture him alive. They said it was for revenge, but in
their hearts, it was all because of that mountain of gold and silver.
However, the Bitan Manor did not.
The Bitan Manor was clumsy as they thought of a stupid way to get on
good terms with the Sisheng Peak, as well as with Guyue’ye. They hoped that
in the future, they would be able to look after each other and support each
other.
Li Wuxin did not even think about the golden and silver treasure of the
Rufeng Sect.
He was clearly the one who had been bullied and humiliated by the Rufeng
Sect for the rest of his life.
Perhaps, it was because he had been bullied for too long and had been
squeezed out for too long, this old man would finally understand in his heart
that while wealth could be taken away, it could not be taken away as injustice.
Mo Ran gazed into the distance at Li Wuxin’s dirty and dirty old face,
dirty to the point that it was somewhat laughable.
He suddenly understood why the Rufeng Sect was in such a state of shock
that day. Everyone was fleeing in panic, trying to escape. This old man
wanted to escape, but he cowered and did not.
He clearly didn’t have much ability, but he had forced himself to stay in the
sea of fire.
One Imperial Sword had saved dozens of lives that had nothing to do with
him.
It was said that the Bitan Manor’s Martial Ancestor had the Broken Water
Sword Technique. It could break water, break the heavens, and was known as
the Sword Saint.
Li Wuxin lacked three books. If he couldn’t learn this amazing sword art,
he wouldn’t be able to become a Sword Saint.
The only thing he could do, in the end, was to use a growing Imperial
Sword and send out the people he did not know, or even the disciples of the
Rufeng Sect, out of the sea of fire and one by one back to the human world.
200. Shizun, Mount Huang opened
The Bitan Manor’s disciples would never have thought that their Palace
Master’s life would be taken before the battle of Mount Huang had even
begun.
Although Li Wuxin was already old and gradually showed signs of old age
with every movement, if he wasn’t caught in this demonic enchantment’s
nightmare and his meridians overturned, he shouldn’t have died so suddenly.
After a few moments of silence, the people from the Bitan Manor all knelt
down.
The mournful wails shook the skies, causing everyone to be shocked. The
disciple that was supposed to settle his debt with Nangong Si no longer cared
and crawled over to the Old Palace Master’s side, crying as he wiped his tears
away with his sleeve.
Suddenly, the gigantic enchantment barrier in front of Mount Huang let out
an ear-piercing buzzing sound. Jiang Xi’s expression changed as he said in a
stern voice, “Someone fill in Li Wuxin’s spot. Otherwise, we will all die here
today!”
Xue Zhengyong turned his head and shouted: “Yuheng! Come on, give me
a hand!”
Naturally, Chu Wanning did not need to be said twice. His specialty was in
world enchantment techniques, and his cry was a curse left behind by the
phoenix evil spirit that was able to touch this layer of curse.
This meant that the elders were not far from tearing apart the barrier. If
they could do it, then they would succeed, but if they couldn’t, then the
backlash from the curse would be able to move mountains and fill the sea.
He immediately flew over. With a sharp gaze like a bayonet, he waved his
sleeve and raised it, striking the empty space left behind by Li Wuxin.
Upon touching it, Chu Wanning was startled and immediately looked at
Huang Xiaoyue, who was standing beside him.
“…”
He saw that Huang Xiaoyue was sweating profusely; his entire body was
trembling and his face was flushed red. He seemed to be using all of his
strength to operate his technique — the other Sect Leaders also seemed to
think the same way.
However, Huang Xiaoyue could deceive others, but he could not deceive
the cultivator Chu Wanning.
When Chu Wanning took Li Wuxin’s burden, he immediately felt that the
counterattack power of this position was extremely ferocious. In other words,
Li Wuxin had just taken on the evil aura from the two Sect Leaders’ bodies.
This kind of situation rarely happened with a formation that everyone worked
together. There was only one possibility for this to happen, and that was that
the person beside him had not used any of his strength at all.
Huang Xiaoyue was actually just putting on an act!
Chu Wanning was furious, his black eyebrows were creased as he said
sternly, “You… How dare you play with me!”
“Wha, what…” Huang Xiaoyue was breathing heavily, and his voice was
like the sound of a mosquito. His entire body seemed to be on the verge of
collapse. The few nearby Sect Leaders also heard the commotion and looked
over to see what was going on.
“What is Grandmaster saying… What child’s play…”
“You should know what kind of joke it is yourself! Hurry up and fuck off!”
Xue Zhengyong could not contain his anger and shouted, “Yuheng, what
are you doing to Taoist Huang? You see, he’s almost unable to speak. If
anything is amiss, let’s open the barrier first!”
Huang Xiaoyue’s gaze drifted over, only to be shocked by the frosty gaze
that was like an unsheathed blade, causing his heart to grow cold by more
than half.
He simply didn’t have the strength to open the phoenix enchantment. The
reason he rushed up to help was to gain face. Afterwards, he could let the
cultivation world know that Jiangdong Hall’s strength was still there and he,
Huang Xiaoyue, had some skills.
However, Li Wuxin was such a pussy, yet he could not handle the evil qi of
two people, and was instead hit by the phoenix enchantment and died beside
him. It was one thing if he died, but the person who took over his position
was Chu Wanning.
This Chu-zongshi, who deserved to be chopped into pieces!
Huang Xiaoyue’s greasy face was covered in sweat. These beads of sweat
were no longer forcefully forced out, but instead, he was breaking out in a
cold sweat. He was unceasingly breaking out in a cold sweat.
He was thinking, what should he do?
At this critical moment, Huang Xiaoyue was on the verge of going berserk.
He bit his tongue, causing hot blood to flow out. He allowed the saliva and
blood to seep onto the corner of his lips.
“Grandmaster… He has truly misunderstood this old man… After Palace
Master Li withdrew, this old man was really… Never again… Never again…”
He began to cough violently, splattering his blood everywhere.
“This old man can’t take it anymore…”
How would Chu Wanning fall for it?
Li Wuxin and Huang Xiaoyue; who was the weaker of these two? There
was no need to mention how strong they were. If both of them had used their
full strength, how could Li Wuxin have been the first to fall?
He waved his sleeves in anger and swung Tianwen with a single hand. He
actually flipped Huang Xiaoyue over ten feet away.
“Scram!”
“Ouch!”
The disciples of the Jiangdong Hall were all shocked, rushing up and
surrounding their respected elders.
There were also many people who glared at Chu Wanning. “Chu-zongshi,
why are you so unreasonable?”
“Taoist Huang has already done his best, why would he just shake the whip
and throw the tantrum!”
“Bullying others just because you have the ability?!”
Chu Wanning turned a deaf ear to these angry shouts and words. His heart
was filled with rage, his eyes were sharp and cold, perhaps because the red
light of the enchantment was reflected in his eyes, causing his pupils to be a
little red.
“Scram for me.”
His voice was not loud, but it was extremely gloomy.
Anyone who knew anything about Chu Wanning knew that there was room
for discussion even if he scolded him. However, if he became like this, it
would be cold and oppressive. Then no one could stop him.
Who would stop him? If Tianwen was enraged, it was likely that he would
be able to take that person’s life.
Xue Zhengyong muttered, “Yuheng… What’s going on…”
“Huang Xiaoyue, are you really going to use half an inch of strength to
open the phoenix barrier?” Chu Wanning’s hand that was covering the barrier
was so angry that his veins were popping out, “When Li Wuxin was unable to
bear it, did you really share the burden for him?”
“What are you talking about!”
The female disciples of the Jiangdong Hall screamed out.
“Our Taoist Huang has already vomited blood, and you still say he hasn’t
tried his best? Do you only feel satisfied when we see him die like Palace
Master Li?”
Chu Wanning’s black brows were raised. He was about to speak again
when suddenly, the barrier around him began to tremble violently. The palms
of all the Sect Leaders were wrapped in a blood-red glow.
Jiang Xi immediately said, “Concentrate! The last level! It’s about to be
torn apart!”
“…”
Chu Wanning was in no mood to argue with those madmen. He looked
back in concentration, placed his hands on top of the barrier, and inserted his
spiritual power into the crack, full of raging flames.
There was a loud bang.
The earth trembled.
A huge crack appeared on the Mount Huang barrier, it was at least eight
feet tall, enough for five people to walk side by side.
Xue Zhengyong said happily, “It’s opened! The enchantment has been
opened!”
He was very close to the opening, and when he looked out, he could feel a
black and red miasma blowing against his face. He could not help but cry out,
“Why is it so smelly?!”
The other cultivators no longer cared about the Bitan Manor and the
Jiangdong Hall, and rushed over to take a look.
The Head of the Wubei Temple was extremely sensitive in this way. With a
turn of its pearl in its hand, it said in a deep voice: “It is a place where
corpses are collected. The corpses and grievances on this Mount Huang are
perhaps even more numerous than what we imagined.”
Jiang Xi said with a gloomy face, “Looks like that street rat, Xu Shuanglin,
is indeed hiding in this crappy mountain.” As he spoke, he turned his head
back and said, “Everyone listen. The ones who were injured before, terrified,
useless, and acted all pretentious.”
When he spoke of putting on an act, his cold and deep eyes glanced at
Huang Xiaoyue who was lying on the ground, and he gave an almost
imperceptible sneer.
“All these people, stay at the foot of the mountain. The rest, follow me up
the mountain.”
When Xue Meng saw that Chu Wanning had entered the crevice, he was
anxious to follow him, but Mo Ran was not by his side. He looked around and
saw that there was a commotion where Nangong Si was standing. It turned
out that after the sorrow of the Bitan Manor’s disciples, the hatred between
them grew even stronger. Even Nangong Si had to settle the score with them.
Even though Chu Wanning had set up a barrier over there, but even so, he
was still surrounded by a group of twisted and hideous faces. Every one of his
bright red tongues was cursing and cursing at the same time.
Xue Meng said anxiously, “Mo Ran, what are you doing there? Everyone is
going up the mountain.
“Go first and take care of Shizun and Shi Mei. If you can’t handle it, report
it to me immediately.”
Xue Meng had no choice but to leave.
At this time, the only people left at the foot of the mountain were the Bitan
Manor and the people of Jiangdong Hall. Mo Ran retracted his gaze from
Xue Meng’s back and said, “I know how everyone is feeling, but the matter
regarding the sword manual was not done by Young Master Nangong. If
everyone wishes to settle the score, at least wait until you catch Xu
Shuanglin.”
“These are two different things. Whether it’s Xu Shuanglin or Nangong Si,
none of them will escape!”
“That’s right! Both of them will have to pay the price!”
His eyes were red as he glared at Mo Ran. “Mo-zongshi, now that you’re a
Grandmaster, your Shizun is a Grandmaster too. Is this how you two
Grandmasters cover for your crimes and malpractice for personal gain?”
Mo Ran said, “I just want you all to be fair. If you really want to clarify
this matter, then after this matter is settled, we should follow the rules of the
cultivation world and send Xu Shuanglin and the rest to the Tianyin Pavilion
for questioning. Now why rush to break up a corpse who is not going to fight
back?
Zhen Congming: “…”
Someone shouted, “What ten great sects? Nine! How can the Rufeng Sect
be considered a sect?”
Zhen Congming suddenly said, “It’s eight.” There were bloodstains on his
face. He wiped them off for master and then shed a few more tears. Those
bloodstains made him look very sad and vacant, “They are eight sects… The
Bitan Manor is ownerless now.”
“Shixiong…”
He ignored the wails of his shidis and slowly turned his head to look at Mo
Ran. “After the battle of the Heavenly Rift, master once said that the Sisheng
Peak can be considered a fair sect. Now it seems like he might have
misjudged you two.”
Mo Ran: “…”
Zhen Congming asked, “Mo-zongshi, do you really have to protect these
two animals from the Rufeng Sect today?”
Before Mo Ran could reply, Nangong Si said hoarsely, “Mo Ran, go away.”
Ye Wangxi half knelt beside him and helped him up. She did not cry, nor
was she at a loss. However, her voice was hoarse as he said, “Young Master
Mo, let’s head up the mountain. This has nothing to do with you.”
Mo Ran said as he looked at Nangong Si, “You acknowledged my Shizun,
could it be that you have done so for nothing? Since he is a member of my
sect, how can you possibly have nothing to do with me?”
Nangong was at a loss for words. “You…”
Mo Ran turned his head and looked at Zhen Congming’s face again. At this
time, the people from Bitan Manor were no longer in front of him, and the
Jiangdong disciples also surrounded him like tigers eyeing their prey.
Under the support of the two female disciples, Huang Xiaoyue pretended
to stagger closer. Panting, he rolled his eyes and stared at Mo Ran. Then, he
waved away the two disciples on his left and right. His withered, wood-like
fingers ferociously tapped and said, “This old man has suffered a lot of justice
from the Upper Cultivation World since he was young. How can you just sit
by idly and watch?”
Mo Ran said coldly, “Taoist Huang is indeed a role model for the Upper
Cultivation World. Just a moment ago, he was still struggling with his last
breath, but before the time it took for an incense stick to burn had arrived, he
was already able to jump up and start acting on behalf of the heavens. I really
admire you.”
“You — cough cough cough!” Huang Xiaoyue seemed to be extremely
angry as he clutched his chest, coughing until the sky went dark. The act was
done extremely well, but Mo Ran did not even bother to look at him directly.
Qing Yi from the Bitan Manor and Jiangdong’s purple robe were
surrounding the three of them. They were closing in on Qing Yi, but no one
dared to make a move first.
Everyone knew that once this move landed, it would be difficult to retrieve.
Zhen Congming said in a low voice, “Mo-zongshi, let me ask you one last
time. Are you sure you don’t want to go away?”
“AHHHH!”
Before Mo Ran could reply, a shrill voice suddenly rang out from the front.
It was unknown which female cultivator had emitted it, but immediately after,
a pile of blurry black-grey mudstones surged out from the crack in Mount
Huang’s barrier.
Huang Xiaoyue said in shock, “What is it? The mountain is collapsing?”
Mo Ran narrowed his eyes.
Not a landslide.
Everyone quickly saw it clearly and sucked in a breath of cold air.
What came out of the crack were wave after wave of charred zombies!
These zombies had their arms stuck to each other, their skin and flesh stuck
to each other, and there was still thick water seeping out of their skin, barely
allowing them to see their faces.
“Wahhhhh!” Immediately, someone couldn’t take it anymore and began to
vomit on the ground.
“This is too fucking disgusting…”
“Could it be that all the mountains are made out of this kind of stuff?”
“How many corpses…”
At this time, a heavy, muffled sound came from the sky. The barrier that
the few elders had torn apart earlier actually began to move again. It slowly
closed up as if it was about to close down.
This barrier could actually heal itself! Not long after the tear, it would
close again to prevent more people from entering!
Mo Ran said anxiously, “Let’s go up the mountain first. We’ll talk about the
grudge later. Xu Shuanglin is right there on the mountain. Could it be that the
culprit will be left to die just like that?”
The men from the Bitan Manor hesitated, but Huang Xiaoyue sneered and
said, “Almost all the experts in the world are at that mountain, there is no
need to worry about not catching Xu Shuanglin. However, these two kids
from the Rufeng Sect ran as fast as mud loaches without holding back. If we
put them in the wrong places, we won’t have another chance in the future.”
“… Huang Xiaoyue.” Mo Ran was enraged to the extreme as a red light
flashed in his hand. “Are you done yet?!”
The hundred over people in front saw him summoning his holy weapon, all
of them unsheathed their blades, holding their weapons, they stared at him
warily.
Mo Ran knew that he wouldn’t be able to escape a fierce battle this time.
He would have nothing to do, but according to these people, they would
probably consider his battle today to be the pinnacle of life and death…
However, at this moment, he suddenly heard a cold voice coming from
behind him.
“Everyone, please head up the mountain. Nangong Si will wait here. He
will definitely not escape.”
Huang Xiaoyue said, “Kid, you speak so easily. Why should I believe you?
Can it be that he really can turn the situation around and leave just like that?”
Nangong Si looked at him coldly and stood up from the ground. Then, he
suddenly lifted his hand and pushed Ye Wangxi out of the boundary set up by
Chu Wanning.
“A-Si!”
Only the people inside could go out of this barrier, but the people outside
could not.
Standing alone inside, Nangong Si slowly drew his sword. The snow-white
sword light, inch by inch, illuminated his face.
The chin, the lips, the tip of the nose.
Eyes.
Ye Wangxi had already understood what he was going to do. She slammed
the hammer on the barrier and shouted, “Don’t mess around!”
“When our ancestors founded the sect, they once said: Greed and rape and
murder are things that I, a gentleman, should never do.” Nangong said, “My
father is not a kind person, which is against this rule. But I have been a proud
man for twenty-six years, and I have never done anything rash. I have nothing
to be ashamed of.”
With a “weng” sound, the sword in his hands came out of its case like
flowing water.
“No!”
Mo Ran knew what he was going to do. He tried to unravel the barrier but
it was so firm that it could not be removed in a short period of time.
He muttered, “Nangong…”
However, Nangong Si did not even glance at Ye Wangxi, nor did he bother
with Mo Ran. He said, “Since the other lords are not willing to believe me
today, I have no other choice. Fortunately, I have learned the art of
imprisonment. Now that I am here, I hope that everyone will stop implicating
the innocent. I, Nangong, will draw the Earth as a prison and await your
return.”
“Nangong!”
Before he could finish his sentence, his blood was gushing wildly.
Nangong Si’s sword was instantly stabbed into the ground, leaving not even
half a fragment.
At the same time, Nangong Si’s left hand was also nailed to the ground.
He actually nailed his hand fiercely to the ground, like a snake nailing
seven inches. Lightning and thunder rose up from the sword, and the
Forbidden Spell flew in all directions.
Ye Wangxi knelt down in front of the barrier.
The sword’s hilt dripped blood, staining the ground red.
No one could see Ye Wangxi’s expression. She hung her head low, with
only her hands tightly gripping the barrier as her knuckles turned pale and
convulsed.
This was the Binding Incantation to nail evil beasts, evil spirits, and
livestock. Almost everyone knew how to use an expert in the Upper
Cultivation World.
Nangong Si had used this incantation to nail himself.
His lips were trembling from the pain, but he did not cry. After a long
while, he raised his head, and his eyes were bloodshot.
He said, “Let’s go.”
“…” It was rare for Mo Ran to be so shocked that he couldn’t speak.
In his previous life, Ye Wangxi was the only one who had managed to do
so.
And in this life, he had met the person Ye Wangxi loved.
He was confused as to why exactly did Ye Wangxi like Nangong Si. A
Young Master who only liked looks and pretty girls and had no brains, how
could he possibly be worthy of Ye Wangxi’s friendship?
But at this moment, he saw another Ye Wangxi.
Kneeling, messy, and bleeding profusely, but ruthless to the bone.
Nangong Si.
“Let’s go!” Nangong Si roared, “What else is there to worry about?! Do
you want me to nail my legs to the ground? Let’s go!”
Zhen Congming was the first to turn around.
He returned to Li Wuxin’s corpse, tidied up the Sect Leader’s corpse,
picked it up, and walked back.
“Shixiong!”
“Senior Brother, won’t you stay?”
“Senior? Are we just going to leave? Don’t tell me we have to let them go
just like this…”
Zhen Congming said, “Why are you staying? Who knows how long the
fight on the mountain will last, for the Sect Leader to be lying on the ground
like this without a proper coffin, is he waiting?!”
The disciples of the Bitan Manor looked at each other, lowered their heads,
and didn’t say anything else.
Zhen Congming walked to Mo Ran’s side and said, “Master Mo, remember
what you said. After this battle, we shall meet with you from the Tianyin
Pavilion.”
“Not bad. In this world, there is still the Tianyin Pavilion that can uphold
justice.” There was a man with bloodshot eyes, he was the disciple who had
spat on the ground and insulted Chu Wanning earlier. He followed behind his
senior brother, resentful, “The Pavilion Master will definitely act impartially,
so our master can rest in peace.”
“Mo Ran, Nangong Si… You evil people, just you wait! You will all have
retribution. Just wait for your death!”
201. Shizun, how should I humiliate you?
With the departure of the Bitan Manor, even if Huang Xiaoyue wanted to
stay, he had no reason to.
He could only go up the mountain.
Mo Ran hoped to end the battle quickly, so he immediately rushed into the
Mount Huang barrier, and the people of Jiangdong Hall followed. Once they
entered the enchantment, Mo Ran was fine, but the people from the
Jiangdong Hall all screamed out —
Dead.
Dead everywhere.
The ground was littered with dead bodies, lying on the ground and hanging
from the treetops. It moved, crawled, twisted, and approached every living
person at an extremely slow speed.
Mount Huang had become a mountain of corpses!
Seeing this, Huang Xiaoyue took out a horsetail whisk and struck forward.
In the blink of an eye, four to five corpses were beheaded. Before Mo Ran
could react, he realized why this old man had suddenly become so brave…
He let out an “ah” scream and fell to the ground in an extremely
exaggerated posture. His eyes rolled back as he coughed out blood and foam.
Mo Ran: “…”
The disciples of Jiangdong Hall rushed up: “Senior Huang —”
“Elder…”
“It doesn’t matter. Although this old man is heavily injured, I can at least
contribute with some strength.” Huang Xiaoyue struggled to get up, but after
crawling twice, his knees gave out and he fell back to the ground, gasping
heavily.
Those disciples then anxiously said, “master, you should go outside to rest.
There are too many evil spirits here, I’m afraid they will damage your heart.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
The blood was still mixed with thick saliva, giving off an indescribably
disgusting feeling. After repeating this three times, Huang Xiaoyue led the
disciples of Jiangdong Hall and showed an appearance of extreme regret.
Everyone was like a crucian carp that had crossed the river as they rushed out
of Mount Huang’s enchantment.
The enchantment blocked their way, but it did not stop them from
escaping. Soon, there were only a few people left in the Jiangdong Hall. At
this time, a young man suddenly descended from the mountainside ahead.
The young man had light golden hair, dark blue eyes, and a cold expression.
When he and Mo Ran saw each other, they were slightly startled.
Mo Ran was the first to react. “Brother Mei?”
Mei Hanxue nodded. He was cold and didn’t like to talk.
Mo Ran anxiously asked, “Did you see my Shizun and the others?”
“Up ahead.” As he said this, a dead body staggered up from behind Mei
Hanxue. Mo Ran was just about to remind him when he saw the sword light
turn cold, and Mei Hanxue had already summoned his sword. Without even
turning his head around, he stabbed a heart-piercing hole into the dead body’s
chest.
Mei Hanxue’s expression was cold as he wiped the blood off his sword. He
said, “You go up and keep going forward. The first mountain road is to the
left, and there are too many corpses. The road is being cleared and everyone
is there.”
Mo Ran thanked him and was about to catch up. However, Mei Hanxue
stopped him.
“Wait.”
“Is Brother Mei busy?”
“Yes. Mistress and Madam Rong were old friends, so she couldn’t stop
worrying. She told me to return and take a look at those two from the Rufeng
Sect. How are they, are they still outside?”
Hearing that, Mo Ran’s heart was relieved, and he said, “They are still
waiting outside. Nangong Si had placed a Binding Curse on himself.
However, Huang Xiaoyue has gone out. I’m afraid that he might do
something that would cause trouble for them.”
Mei Hanxue pursed his lips and said no more. With a tap of his foot, he
disappeared at the edge of the boundary.
Mo Ran didn’t waste any more time and immediately headed towards the
main force.
At first, he thought that with so many corpses, he should have seen the
remains of some of his own people on the way, but there were none. There
were chopped corpses everywhere, rotting flesh, disgusting and disgusting,
but not mixed with any of the remains of other cultivators.
Is it because the Sect Leaders have brought elites?
He did not have the leisure to think about it further. He immediately threw
himself into the battle of cleaning up the foot of the mountain. Just now, he
had been walking along the path that everyone had taken to kill those
zombies, but now that he was on the move, he felt that something was even
weirder.
It was too simple.
He felt that he wasn’t fighting against the vengeful spirit at all. He felt as if
he was slaughtering an ordinary person with no strength left in his hands.
This situation caused him to feel uneasy, and he vaguely had a terrifying
guess…
“Heeheeheeheehee ~ ~”
Suddenly, a zombie hung from the tree in front of him. Its hair was
disheveled and it stretched out its hand to pinch Mo Ran’s neck. Mo Ran
jerked back, and the zombie immediately turned its head. Its nostrils flared as
a hand grabbed his shoulder, trying to bring the vicious and rotten face closer.
Mo Ran was disgusted, but he took this opportunity to observe it first. He
raised his foot and kicked it into the crowd of corpses, knocking over several
rotten corpses.
“Mo Ran!”
At this time, Xue Meng also called over. He had his back to Xue Meng as
he gasped for breath, his cheeks were splashed with black blood, and his eyes
were like lightning. He said in a deep voice, “What’s going on, are these
corpses just playing around? Playing at sea? Why is it so weak!”
The look in Mo Ran’s eyes was cold and filled with chilliness. In his
previous life, the Immortal Taxian-Jun was proficient in demonic techniques,
so he already had a faint guess. However, at the moment, he didn’t have
enough clues, so he wasn’t sure.
Mo Ran gritted his teeth and said, “These are not the corpse of a cultivator.
He’s an ordinary person.”
“What?!” Xue Meng was shocked, he turned his head and asked, “People
are already rotten to the point of black ash, how can you tell if they are
cultivators or not? I don’t even know if they’re men or women!”
Mo Ran did not answer directly, instead he said, “If I fought with you, and
I did not dodge in time, you would grab me by the shoulder, what would
happen to you?”
“… How could you expose your shoulder to me? This is a taboo in fighting
techniques, even an eleven or twelve year old disciple would not make such a
mistake.”
“Why is it taboo?”
“The spirit core is close! Grabbing onto your shoulder is equivalent to
grabbing onto half of your spirit core. If your other hand were to pierce into
your chest, it will immediately decide your life and death!”
Mo Ran said, “Alright, just now, a corpse caught me like that —”
Xue Meng said in surprise, “Why are you so careless? You want to die?!”
Mo Ran interrupted him. “It didn’t move.”
“Huh?”
“At such a close distance, it didn’t even think about using its other hand to
attack my spirit core. For cultivators, protecting their spirit cores and
attacking other people’s spirit cores at close range was already a habit that
went deep into the bone marrow. Like you said, even young cultivators
around the age of 11 or 12 would do such a thing. Even after death, when one
turns into a zombie, the habits of fighting would not change. However, this
corpse did not do so.”
Mo Ran paused for a moment and said in a deep voice.
“Why not? Two possibilities. I can’t do it, but I didn’t expect it.”
Xue Meng, “…”
Mo Ran said, “Your hands and feet are healthy. This is a rare opportunity,
so it’s impossible for you to not be able to do so. As such, he could only
choose not to think about it. When these corpses were alive, most of them
were probably just ordinary people. Even if they died, they wouldn’t be a
match for these elites, so up until now, there hasn’t been a single injured
person.”
Xue Meng said in surprise, “How can this be? What was Xu Shuanglin
doing on Mount Huang while there were so many ordinary people? He has
this mental strength, why wouldn’t he be in control of the cultivators?”
Mo Ran replied, “It’s the same as before. There are two possibilities. He
can’t do it, he knows it.”
“How could he not have thought of this!”
“Therefore, there is only one way left. He can’t do it.” Mo Ran’s gaze was
heavy. The damned starfire splashed into his eyes, like boiling molten iron
falling into the vast ocean of darkness. “Xu Shuanglin’s spiritual energy is not
enough to control so many cultivators with his Zhenlong chess pieces.”
“Then even if he controls these soft-footed prawns, it’s still useless?” Xue
Meng kicked back another pile of zombies. He didn’t know whether to laugh
or cry. “What can you block?”
Mo Ran did not say anything more. The guess in his mind became clearer
and clearer.
He looked at the zombies that were fighting with the crowd, and soon, he
discovered something very strange. The corpses that had their limbs cut off
and their heads cut off, upon falling to the ground, would immediately have
tiny vines extending out and pierce into their chests. With a “pu” sound, their
chests, along with their hearts, would suddenly sink into the ground,
disappearing without a trace.
This was something that was easy to find, but with the chaos surrounding
them, everyone was unable to react. The vine was small and thin, and if they
did not quietly stand at the side and observe, they would not be able to see it.
“Mo Ran?”
Xue Meng was still calling out to him, but Mo Ran was completely unable
to hear his voice.
Suddenly, he leaped up, grabbed a zombie by its neck, pulled out his
hidden weapon and dagger, and stabbed towards the heart of the zombie.
Black blood splattered all over his face in an instant!
Xue Meng suddenly opened his mouth and took two steps back. He was
actually speechless.
He felt that Mo Ran must have gone crazy…
Mo Ran tilted his face to the side and quickly used all his strength to pull
out the black-gray heart of the zombie, revealing a black chess piece.
The corpses of Mount Huang were clearly under the control of Zhenlong
Chess, which was why they acted as accomplices. Mo Ran was not looking
for this chess piece — he was rummaging through the blood, enduring the
strong stench.
Xue Meng could no longer bear it and bent his body as he vomited.
“You! Are you sick?. This was too disgusting… Ugh…”
Mo Ran ignored him, his fingers fiddling with the clot of blood. Soon, he
found the item he was looking for.
On the back of the chess piece, there was a little bug lying down on the
ground. It was completely red — Soul Devouring Insect.
At the same time, dozens of thin and soft vines sprouted up from the
ground and headed straight for Mo Ran’s bloodied hands! He quickly dodged,
but the vines got faster and faster, vowing to wrap the chess piece along with
the small insects into the core of the earth.
At this moment, Mo Ran completely understood Xu Shuanglin’s intentions
and actions.
All the hair on his body stood on end as his blood became thoroughly cold.
In this world, other than Immortal Taxian-Jun from his previous life, no
one else could think of such an evil technique!
Just like the Ten Thousand Waves Reversal was created by Chu Wanning,
everything in front of him, this chess piece, this Soul Devouring Insect, these
corpses, all these arrangements, they all pointed to a spell formation.
The Shared-Heart Formation.
This was a formation that he had personally created in his previous life!
If it had been a guess in the past, then the reappearance of this formation
would have given him a huge blow to his head. Its reappearance would have
undoubtedly righted two things:
Firstly, there must be someone else in this world besides himself who has
been reborn.
Secondly, the person who had reincarnated must have been familiar with
the ways of the emperor Taxian-Jun in his previous life.
Mo Ran’s hand trembled slightly, and black blood constantly dripped from
the gaps between his fingers. The black chess piece and the scarlet red bug
were tightly clenched in his palm.
While he dodged the flying vines, his mind was already in chaos.
In the midst of the chaos and horror, he suddenly recalled the shattered
memories of his previous life…
At that time, he was only nineteen.
At that time, the Ghost World Heavenly Rift had just been filled and Shi
Mei had just recently passed away. As for Mo Ran, after the death of Shi
Mei, he had secretly cultivated his Zhenlong chess skills for nearly half a year
without any results, repeatedly failing.
Until that day.
The nineteen year old Mo Weiyu sat cross-legged and slowly opened his
eyes.
He spread out his hands and saw two pitch-black pieces lying on his palewhite palm — this was the first time in his life that he had tempered a
Zhenlong chess piece.
Before this, he had tried thousands of different methods, but all of them
ended in failure. He could not understand the unfathomable words written on
the Forbidden Spell, but he could not ask Chu Wanning. In fact, he was no
longer willing to talk to Chu Wanning during that period of time. His death
was a gap that could never be bridged.
This Shizun and disciple pair had long existed in name.
In his final months of revealing his demonic face, he would occasionally
run into a man in white clothes walking over from the other side of the road.
However, every time they met, he would pretend that he didn’t see them, and
silently walked away.
In fact, he had brushed past him several times on the Bridge of
Helplessness. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed that Chu Wanning
seemed to want to say something to him. It was a pity that Chu Wanning’s
dignity did not allow him to take the initiative to call his disciple. And Mo
Ran would not give him any more time to hesitate. He just left like that, never
to turn back.
In the end, they missed each other.
With no one helping him, Mo Ran spent a long time in order to barely
understand the meaning behind the incomplete Forbidden Technique scroll.
He also knew the most important point of the Chess game:
All the chess pieces, whether it was black chesspiece or the even more
powerful white chesspiece, who could empathize with the caster, were
formed from the caster’s spiritual energy.
The amount of spiritual energy consumed to form a chess piece was
astonishing. Refining one black piece would allow one to execute over a
hundred major moves. Refining one white piece would be enough to drain the
spiritual energy of a grandmaster like Chu Wanning in an instant.
This was to say, if a person was extremely clever and had a thorough
understanding of the chess game, then it would be of no use. If one’s spirit
energy was insufficient, they could only talk about military matters on paper.
Although Mo Ran was talented and had abundant spiritual energy, he was still
a youth who had not yet reached the age of twenty. Therefore, he had
expended all of his mental and physical efforts and after a few failures, he was
only able to condense two black dots.
It was lying on his palm.
Mo Ran stared at the two black pieces, his eyes flashing with a peculiar
luster. In the darkroom, there was only a candlestick that was about to burn
out shining on his face.
He did it.
At that time, he didn’t care about the number of pawns at all. He was only
overjoyed because he had successfully formed Zhenlong Chess. He did it!
He was clearly such a handsome person, but he suddenly had the ferocious
appearance of a wild beast.
As he walked out of the cultivation room, he felt dizzy. Half of it was
because he was having fun, and the other half was because the two chess
pieces had used up all of his spiritual energy. He was completely exhausted.
His face turned red, then white, and a blurry scene appeared in front of his
eyes. In the distance, he saw two disciples at Sisheng Peak approaching. The
only thing he could do was to quickly hide the two black objects in his
Qiankun bag. His legs went soft, and he fell onto the ground, fainting.
In this half asleep half awake state, he knew that he had already been
brought back to his disciple’s room and laid down on a bed that was not very
spacious. He slightly opened his eyes. There was a person sitting beside the
bed.
He had a fever, and his head ached. He could not see the man’s face
clearly, but he could vaguely feel the concern, concentration, gentleness, and
even self-reproach in those eyes as they looked at him.
“Shi…”
His lips moved and his voice was so hoarse that he could not complete his
sentence. Tears began to flow from his eyes.
The white figure paused for a moment, and then Mo Ran felt a warm hand
on his face, wiping away the tears on his cheeks. The person sighed softly and
said, “Why are you crying?”
“…”
Shi Mei, did you come back?
Could you not leave… Don’t die… Don’t leave me alone.
Ever since my mother left, there was no other person in this world who
would treat me gently like you did. Treat me well, no one else who would not
despise me and who would be willing to accompany me…
Shi Mei, don’t go…
He couldn’t stop the scalding hot tears. He also felt that he was very
unpromising, but he kept on crying. In his dreams, he kept on crying.
That person sat beside his bed, accompanying him. Afterwards, that person
held his hand without saying a word. That person was so clumsy, not leaving
the ground even for a moment as he accompanied him.
Mo Ran recalled the two Zhenlong chess pieces in his Qiankun bag. He
also knew that they were the source of evil, the seeds of demons.
However, it was also a bargaining chip between him and the heavens and
the earth that he couldn’t ask for.
In fact, what he needed to refine a chess piece for wasn’t spiritual energy,
but rather, his originally fairly clean soul.
Mo Ran muttered. Under his moist eyelashes, his eyes were hazy as he
looked at the mirages of Shi Mei. He said, “I’m sorry. If you’re still here,
I’ll…”
I don’t want to go down this road either.
However, he no longer had the strength to continue the latter half of the
sentence as he fell into a deep sleep once more. When he woke up again, the
man in white had already left. Mo Ran felt that it was a dream he had had
while he was unconscious. However, he remembered that a pot of incense
was burning inside the house. It was given to him by Xue Zhengyong to calm
his mind. The incense was very fragrant, but he did not like the smell of it.
The smell was gone.
A very long incense stick wasn’t burnt out, and it had been extinguished by
someone.
Who had come?
He sat up and stared blankly at the censer. He had thought about it for a
long time, but he had not been able to think it through. In the end, he simply
did not want to continue. He saw his clothes and accessories, as well as his
holy weapon and Mystical Knife, all neatly placed on the table, along with his
Qiankun bag.
When he came back to his senses, he quickly went to his own Qiankun bag
with his bare feet.
When he opened it, it was still the same three knots he had purposely used
before he fainted. No one moved.
Mo Ran breathed a sigh of relief and rummaged through the bag. He saw
the two pieces of Zhenlong Chess that were as black as night, lying dormant
in the corner like two malicious ghost eyes. To swallow him up.
He stared blankly at the two pieces for a while.
This was probably fate – if Chu Wanning had flipped through the Qiankun
bag next to Mo Ran, everything would have changed.
However, Chu Wanning would not randomly flip through other people’s
belongings. Even if it was in his open pockets, he would not take a second
look.
Mo Ran took out the chess piece. His Adam’s apple bobbed and his heart
thumped like a drum.
What should he do now? How should he use these two chess pieces…
This was the first time he had been able to condense such a sharp weapon.
He couldn’t wait to try it out — but who was he looking for? The thought that
suddenly popped up in his mind like a spark, was instead an extremely crazy
one.
Chu Wanning.
He wanted to strike the chess piece into Chu Wanning’s body.
After entering, would that callous, hypocritical man obey his orders from
then on? Would he never stand if he was told to kneel?
Would he be able to make Chu Wanning kneel down in front of him and
apologize? Would he be able to make his scream that his Shizun was a Shizun
that would sting and bite him?
The extreme excitement caused the light in Mo Ran pupils to twist and
distort.
Yes, torture him…
How could this respected cultivator feel the most pain? The most
shameful?
Humiliate him…
Mo Ran tightly held the two chess pieces, his mouth was dry, and his
mouth was getting hotter and hotter.
He was overcome by a sense of excitement and anxiety, and he licked his
chapped lips. He couldn’t wait to see Chu Wanning lower his pale neck and
reach his hand out to feel the trembling, and then…
Break his neck? Crush his bones?
Mo Ran felt unhappy.
He felt empty and unsatisfied for no reason.
To let Chu Wanning die was too boring. Even in his imagination, he didn’t
like it. He wanted to see him cry, wanted to see him prostrate, wanted to see
him suffer a fate worse than death, filled with shame and anger.
He always felt that there was a better way to vent his anger.
He put a chess piece to his lips, felt the coldness of the chess piece against
his lips, and muttered in a low voice, “You can’t stop me, Chu Wanning.
There will be a day like this soon. I will make you…”
…make you what?
At that time, he had not thought it through. He did not know that a large
part of his surging desire was to conquer his lust for Chu Wanning.
But he had that terrible male instinct.
He wanted to bury the first condensed demon seed into Chu Wanning’s
body.
He wanted to dirty him.
He got up, pushed the door open and walked out —
202. Shizun’s first encounter with a demon
However, after wandering around the Red Lotus Pavilion a few times, Mo
Ran was still calm and did not do such a crazy thing.
It was too dangerous.
This was his first time refining a Zhenlong chess piece, and he had never
tried its effects before. He had recklessly attacked the First grandmaster. He
probably thought that his life was too long.
Thus, after hesitating for a long time, Mo Ran finally controlled his
impulsiveness and left the Red Lotus Pavilion. After some deliberation, he
finally chose to beat the two black Zhenlong Chess pieces onto the bodies of
the two juniors at Sisheng Peak — he needed to experiment a little longer.
Choosing a disciple with an unstable foundation was the safest choice.
It was a slightly cold night, and darkness shrouded the peak of the
mountain. Mo Ran’s hand moved extremely quickly, and when he saw the two
young men who were still wasting away at the riverside competition, he was
so nervous that even his hands were trembling, and his pupils had shrunk to a
tiny size. The moonlight shone on his pale face, and he pursed his lips. His
fingertips moved slightly as he strolled out.
That was the first time he used such an unforgivable forbidden technique.
He was excited and nervous.
“Whee—”
The two of them suddenly knelt on the ground. Mo Ran was like a
frightened bird, as if he was a murderer who had just killed someone, and
even the slightest movement could take his life. He immediately hid himself
in a nearby bush, and his heart seemed to jump out of his throat.
Bang bang bang.
After a long period of rest, he finally managed to calm his beating heart
when he saw the two of them kneeling on the ground, stiff and motionless.
His undershirt was soaked through with cold sweat and his scalp was numb.
He went out.
He stood under the moonlight again, next to the riverbank’s gravel.
He was calmer now than he had been before, though he still didn’t dare
breathe, careful as a slithering snake in the night.
Mo Ran lowered his head and looked at the two juniors.
The two people who were playing earlier had completely lost all color on
their faces. They were as calm as still water as they knelt on the ground
without moving. Mo Ran stared at them. They did not even raise their heads
and just knelt like that.
“…”
Mo Ran tried to move his fingertips and activate the spell.
The two junior brothers kowtowed and got up. They raised their eyes and
Mo Ran saw his own reflection in those two pairs of dark eyes.
The reflection was not very clear, but for some reason, Mo Ran felt that he
had seen it clearly.
He saw a ghost with a pale face and red eyes facing the full moon.
When Mo Ran heard his own voice, he trembled and asked with a hoarse
voice, “Speak your name.”
What answered him were two calm and serene voices. “My name is out of
my control.”
Mo Ran’s heart was beating rapidly. His blood was flowing freely in his
body. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he continued asking in a low
voice, “Where are you?”
“My location is out of my control.”
“What day is it?”
“The days are out of my control.”
For the low-level black pieces successfully controlled by Zhenlong Chess,
there will be three aspects out of control: the name is out of control, the
where is out of control, and the when is out of control.
— It is all up to the Master.
This was exactly the same as what was recorded in the ancient book.
It was strange to say that when he faced the two pieces he had made
himself, the most he felt was not ecstasy, but fear.
What was he afraid of? He did not know, but his heart was in turmoil.
He knew that he was standing on the edge of a cliff — no, he had fallen off
it, and there was darkness below him, and the endless abyss. He could not see
the bottom, could not see where death was, where the end was, where there
was fire, where the end was.
He felt as if there was a spirit within his body that was screaming and
screaming in pain. However, it was quickly shattered, turning into powder and
turning into fragments.
Trembling, he reached out and touched the cheek of one of the pieces.
He swallowed, but there was no saliva in his mouth. His lips were chapped,
and his handsome face was twisted. He stared at his junior brother and asked
the last question. “What do you want?”
“All that you demand, for the king, the pawn does not hesitate to sacrifice
his life.”
“…”
Mo Ran stopped.
Everything around him suddenly became very quiet, cold and still, like ice.
He made two chess pieces, and with two chess pieces, the two juniors
whom he didn’t even know their names, became his puppets. If he wanted
them to go east, they wouldn’t go west. If he wanted them to kill each other,
they wouldn’t let each other go.
He was their master.
Zhenlong Chess is the worst controllable dead object, the strongest
controllable living person.
Mo Ran’s Spiritual Energy was a natural domineering and fierce energy,
moreover, it was a natural talent. When he made his first move, the chess
piece he made was actually able to control two living cultivators, even though
they were young and had just entered the sect.
After his initial fear, Mo Ran suddenly felt extremely excited. In front of
his eyes, there seemed to be a large picture scroll slowly unfolding. It was
filled with all sorts of colors and colors, and everything in it was in his palm.
Everything was his.
He could hold anything he loved tightly.
Anything he hated could be crushed into fine powder.
Mo Ran was extremely excited. His heart was still beating very quickly,
perhaps even faster. However, it was not because of his fear, but because of
his excitement. It was a Zhenlong chess game! Three forbidden arts!
Stealthily, he had failed tens of thousands of times, but he had finally……
He finally succeeded… He did an excellent job.
The world would be his!
With these black marks, he could do many things that he could never have
done in the past. He could make people from Mobei to Jiangnan his
henchmen!
The scene before him was colorful and dazzling to the extreme.
As if he could do anything, anything, he…
“Mo Ran.”
Suddenly, a familiar deep voice interrupted him.
Like a basin of cold water, the red towers seemed to collapse in an instant.
It was as if he fell from the clouds onto the cold and hard ground, falling back
into the repressed reality.
Mo Ran slowly turned his head. His eyes were scarlet and ferocious. Facing
the moonlight, he saw a man in cold white clothes standing on the gravel.
“…”
He had never wanted to see Chu Wanning before, not even more than at
this moment.
“What are you doing here?”
Mo Ran’s hand clenched into a fist. He pursed his lips but didn’t
immediately reply.
Behind him were two other pieces that were not perfect. If Chu Wanning
were to look closely, he would have felt that something was amiss and
everything would have been exposed.
With Chu Wanning’s personality, he would have pulled his tendons, broken
his legs, destroyed his spirit core, and burned down the ancient scrolls that he
had copied from the forbidden area of the Compendium Pavilion.
Seeing that he did not make a sound, Chu Wanning slightly frowned,
stepped on the sand with his white silk shoes and took a step forward.
But it was also true that he had only taken that step. Then he stopped and
looked at the two disciples standing strangely behind Mo Ran.
He could no longer care about anything else. Mo Ran gently crooked his
pinky, but he used almost all of his willpower to shout out orders in his heart.
Finally, the two disciples moved as he wished.
A disciple laughed and said: “This throw is too close. That throw just now,
I will definitely throw it far more than you.”
“Keep bragging, anyway you… Ah, Elder Yuheng!”
They moved as usual, playing around like before. When they saw Chu
Wanning, they were stunned for a moment. The two of them bowed to him,
and he glanced at them a few times. He felt that something was wrong, but he
wasn’t sure.
“Greetings Elder.”
“Elder Yuheng, hello.”
The two disciples restrained their smile and greeted Chu Wanning
obediently. They were planning to leave the place tactfully.
Chu Wanning frowned, not relaxing his brows. His gaze was still watching
the two chess pieces walking from the riverbank, approaching him, passing by
each other, heading towards the bamboo forest… He stared at the two men
for a long time before turning his head back to look at Mo Ran. Mo Ran let
out a sigh of relief, but before he could catch his breath, Chu Wanning
suddenly said,
“Halt.”
“…” Mo Ran’s expression changed slightly. His nails had left a red mark
on his palm, but he did not say a word. He quietly observed Chu Wanning’s
expression, observing his every move.
Chu Wanning said to the two frozen men, “Come back.”
Mo Ran had no choice but to orders the two chess pieces. He slowly
walked back from the end of the bamboo forest and stood in front of Chu
Wanning.
The light cloud moved and the full moon appeared.
Under the bright moonlight, Chu Wanning watched the two disciples’ faces
attentively. Suddenly, he raised his hand and placed his fingertips on the side
of one of the disciples’ neck.
Mo Ran stared at Chu Wanning’s expression, his heart was beating wildly.
He knew that Chu Wanning must have sensed something was wrong, which
was why he suddenly extended his hand to check the pulse. One had to know
that those who had just learned Zhenlong chess could only control corpses,
not living people. Although the two were made directly from living people,
Mo Ran wasn’t sure if he had truly done it perfectly. He wasn’t sure if he had
instantly killed them when he put the black seed in their hearts.
“…”
After an unknown period of time, Chu Wanning finally dropped his hand.
He waved his sleeve and said, “Let’s go.”
Mo Ran felt that the knife hanging around his neck had been removed —
Chu Wanning did not notice. The heavens had their eyes on him, allowing
him to secretly live under Chu Wanning’s nose.
After the two disciples left, Chu Wanning looked at him and said, “It’s
already so late, why are you here?”
Mo Ran said, “Passing by.” His tone was firm, and he did not suddenly
become nice to Chu Wanning just because he had something on his mind.
Perhaps it was due to his cold and disobedient attitude that Chu Wanning,
who should have suspected something, pursed his lips and was speechless for
a moment.
He did not want to stay with Chu Wanning any longer, so he looked away
and walked forward. But just as he was about to make a mistake, Chu
Wanning suddenly said something that made him tense up.
“Someone has recently snuck into the forbidden area of the Compendium
Pavilion.”
“…” Mo Ran did not look back, but his pupils were slightly distorted.
“You should know that the ten great sects are in charge of a few incomplete
forbidden arts manuals.”
Mo Ran stopped and said, “I know.”
“The most important remnant of one of the scrolls had traces of it being
flipped through by someone.”
Mo Ran sneered, “What does that have to do with me?”
He was holding on. He knew that as long as Tianwen was revealed and
interrogated him, then all his sinful actions and budding inner demons would
be exposed under Chu Wanning’s nose.
His big dreams and ambitions had all come to an end.
Chu Wanning was silent for a moment, “Mo Ran, how long are you going
to be stubborn?”
His voice was filled with resentment.
“…” Mo Ran did not answer, but he could almost predict what would
happen next.
He anticipated the flash of the Tianwen golden light.
He had expected that Chu Wanning would act like a righteous man and ask
him why he was doing such a thing. In Chu Wanning’s eyes, he would always
be like that.
“Do you know how dangerous it is?”
There was no saving him.
He still dryly thought through those four words.
He then turned his head, seemingly at a loss. He looked at Chu Wanning’s
face under the moonlight.
His face was pale, and there was a faint sense of unease under his swordlike brows. A pair of clear eyes looked at him, but they didn’t see through
anything. They didn’t see through anything.
“If someone really practices this forbidden art, it will kill people. You
didn’t sleep at night, yet you came to this kind of desolate place. Do you want
to die for nothing?”
“…”
Chu Wanning’s voice was low, as if he was biting on the edge of his words,
“With so many people dying in the Heavenly Rift Battle, don’t tell me that it
hasn’t taught you to cherish your life? Since you already know about the
matter of the incomplete scrolls being stolen, how can you still be so
carefree!”
Mo Ran remained silent, staring at the other party with his dark brown
eyes.
His forehead was covered in a thin layer of sweat. At this time, he slowly
calmed down.
His body relaxed bit by bit, as an unknown strange feeling permeated his
heart. In the end, Mo Ran revealed a smile. “Shizun…”
Chu Wanning’s phoenix eyes glittered slightly.
Ever since his Shi Mei died, Mo Ran had never smiled at him, and rarely
called him Shizun.
Mo Ran smiled and asked, “Are you concerned about me?”
“…”
The smile widened.
It was bright like a bayonet. The white knife went in and the red knife
came out and went into his chest with a plop. There were beads of blood on
the blade. Like a demon, he slowly opened his mouth, revealing a mouthful of
white teeth that looked like the poisonous claws of a scorpion.
“The battle between the Heaven and the Earth…” He chuckled, “Shizun
being able to bring up the battle of the heavens is the best we can do. In that
battle, it wasn’t important what I learned; the key is, Shizun learned how to be
merciful.”
Looking at the flickering light in Chu Wanning’s eyes, he was tense and did
his best to avoid it. However, there was nowhere for him to retreat to.
The smile on Mo Ran’s face became increasingly exaggerated, reckless and
cruel.
He invaded him and bit him. He chewed on Chu Wanning’s throat and
suddenly felt very satisfied. He started laughing out loud, “Hahaha, very good,
very good, it was really a good deal! A disciple of unknown origin, in
exchange for Chu-zongshi’s conscience, Chu-zongshi will finally remember
the life and death of the people around him. Shizun, today I finally feel that
Shi Mei’s death was good.”
Even someone as calm and solemn as Chu Wanning started to tremble
under his mad, eagle-like laughter.
“Mo Ran…”
“It’s good that Shi Mei died, it’s worth it to die, but it’s also worth it to die
in the name of righteousness!”
“Mo Ran, you…”
Don’t laugh.
Don’t say it again.
But he couldn’t say it, Chu Wanning couldn’t say it. He couldn’t beg, beg,
or arrogantly reprimand his disciple who was close to insanity, saying, You’re
wrong, it’s not that I don’t want to save him, it’s that I really don’t have the
strength to do it.
I have also suffered the same injury as him, so if I were to spend another
inch of spirit energy, I would also become a corpse in the grave, a person in
the afterlife.
He couldn’t say it out loud.
Perhaps he felt that this confession was too weak.
Or perhaps he thought that in Mo Ran’s heart, even if his Shizun died, it
wouldn’t be worth mentioning. It wouldn’t be comparable to Shi Mingjing,
who treated him the gentlest.
Thus, in the end, Chu Wanning could only suppress the trembling in his
voice and say slowly, word by word, “Mo Weiyu, how long are you going to
stay crazy?”
“…”
“Go back.”
Angry flames boiled sorrow, the throat is full of salt and bitterness.
“Shi Mingjing didn’t die in exchange for a lunatic like you.”
“Shizun, you’re wrong.” Mo Ran smiled and said, “How could I be the one
to be replaced for Shi Mei’s death?”
He was like a snake and a scorpion, like a bee or an ant.
“He’s dead, and the person who returned was obviously you, Shizun.”
Bees pierced into flesh.
Looking at Chu Wanning’s pale face, he felt a pang of joy. He did not want
to risk his life to provoke and mock him. He did it himself to make Chu
Wanning suffer a fate worse than death.
Great.
They go to hell together.
“I want to go back too.” Mo Ran smiled leisurely, his dimples were deep,
and he brewed some poison wine, “I also don’t want to wander around in the
middle of the night. But across the room from mine is his house.”
Mo Ran did not say who it was and instead used the word “he”.
The intimacy between the two made it even more difficult for Chu
Wanning.
“The lights in his house will never come on again.”
Chu Wanning closed his eyes.
After a long time, his expression gradually calmed down. “I want to beg for
a bowl of food, but I can’t.”
For a moment, Chu Wanning’s eyelashes trembled, his lips moved as if he
wanted to say something.
However, Mo Ran did not give him the chance to say it. He did not give
him the courage to say it. Mo Ran was not without ridicule: “Shizun, copying
this kind of thing, the people in Shu are the best at doing it. The red oil and
spicy pepper are indispensable. They’re the ones you hate the most. When
you wanted to cook another bowl for me, I didn’t accept it. However, I don’t
need to taste what you made, I already know that there is only one word that
can describe it.”
Chu Wanning did not open his eyes, his eyebrows were slightly creased.
It seemed this way, he would be able to avoid the sharp sword.
“I haven’t studied much. Fortunately, I heard from Xue Meng about it a
few days ago. I feel that it’s a good idea to use it on Shizun’s handwork.”
What is it?
A waste of effort?
In vain?
Chu Wanning searched in his mind in confusion, as if he was busy finding
a suitable armor, and finding up the most unpleasant words first to avoid being
humiliated too much.
Worth nothing?
Mo Ran still did not speak. The word stuck playfully between his lips.
Yes, worthless.
Chu Wanning was convinced that there was nothing more chilling than
this.
He calmed down.
Until he heard Mo Ran say calmly, “Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi’s frown.”13
He opened his eyes, almost at a loss.
He never expected the other party to be so venomous, his hands were
trembling under his sleeves.
He mixed the noodles, seasoned the ingredients, and then kneaded the
filling…
As he looked at “The Story of Bashu”, he looked at it seriously, one word
at a time. His face was covered in flour, and the hands he used to wrap it were
all twisted from crooked to perfectly round and adorable.
He had been learning and trying to understand.
Just hearing those words.
Dong Shi imitates Xi Shi’s frown.
The beach at night was suffused with a silver glow. Mo Ran looked at him.
Chu Wanning stood there for a while, then without a word, he turned and left.
For some reason, Mo Ran always felt that day, his leaving pace was a little
fast. It was no longer as calm and steady as before — it was like he had been
defeated, like he was escaping.
He did not know why, but he felt a little uncertain. He frowned as he
looked at Chu Wanning’s back. Just as it was about to disappear, he called
out, “Wait!”
203. Shizun’s Misplaced Ghosts
However, Chu Wanning did not stop nor did he turn around.
He couldn’t turn back.
He gritted his teeth to endure, but his tears still flowed.
It was too unfair.
But even if he felt wronged, so what?
Explanation?
Rage?
Since he had already reached this point, how could he still have the face to
tell Mo Ran the truth? Did he want him to explain himself when the flames
of anger and hatred were mocking him? In addition to being seen as a crude
imitator, did he also want to be seen as taking all the credit?
He left.
That night by the Bridge of Helplessness, by the Yellow Springs, the
conversation between Shizun and disciple flowed down the surging river, into
the river, into the underworld.
As for that gentle youth, if he had known in the underworld that he would
hear such a conversation, would he have felt sad because of the discord
between the teacher and pupil?
He stood alone on the riverbank for a while, thinking that this might be
fate.
Chu Wanning suspected someone else, but not him.
Speaking of which, it was indeed quite a coincidence. Chu Wanning’s
Tianwen had been used when he was patrolling the back of the mountain, and
it had been used by a little ghost.
The golden Tianwen was shining brightly in Chu Wanning’s white robes.
The rattan whip that could get him to tell the truth and kill the future
emperor Taxian-Jun was shining brightly all the time.
However, Chu Wanning did not take it off, nor did he interrogate him.
Mo Ran escaped from Tianwen and slowly walked away by himself into
the depths of the rustling bamboo forest. He walked to the darkest part of the
night and was finally completely engulfed by darkness.
From then on, he began to concoct chess pieces in secret, two, four, ten of
them in advance.
More and more.
He had planted them one by one into the bodies of the Sisheng Peak
disciples, making them his eyes, ears, fangs, and arrows.
After the initial joy, Mo Ran began to become irritated and gloomy. He
became more and more irritable, more and more irritable, and he became
more and more unsatisfied.
Too slow.
He felt that it was not enough.
He was afraid that Chu Wanning would detect some movement, so he did
not dare to waste all his energy to make a Zhenlong chess match like the first
time. He only did one attack at a time, and left half of his energy behind. He
was no longer tense and hostile, but had finally put away his claws and
returned to Chu Wanning’s seat, following him in his cultivation.
He calculated that Chu Wanning could help him raise his cultivation as fast
as possible, and he would lay the bricks for his first step of clearing out the
bones in the world. Why not?
On this day, he had trained too hard and was completely exhausted. He
accidentally lost control of himself on the slender treetops and fell straight
down.
In just a split-second, Chu Wanning’s white clothes flashed past. He held
onto Mo Ran, but for a moment, he could not summon out his hand to
summon the enchantment. The two of them fell under a tree. Chu Wanning
was crushed by Mo Ran. He groaned in pain. When Mo Ran opened his eyes,
he saw that Chu Wanning’s hand had been scraped. There was a bloody cut
on his flesh.
At that time, his temperament had already started to distort, and he
actually did not feel too much gratitude or guilt. He only felt that the blood
was really good, and that it would be better to let it flow a little more.
However, he knew that it was not the right time yet, he could not reveal his
sinister face under the hood, so he helped to clean up Chu Wanning’s wounds
and bandaged his wounds.
Neither of them spoke as they each had their own thoughts. Pale white
gauze covered their faces as they spoke.
Finally, Mo Ran said meaningfully, “Thank you, Shizun.”
This sudden and unexpected ‘thank you’ surprised Chu Wanning. He raised
his eyes and looked at the his face. The sunlight shone down, illuminating Mo
Ran’s face. The brown color was very faint under the light.
At that time, Mo Ran was curious, what kind of opinion did Chu Wanning
have towards him after he thanked him?
Finally a prodigal son turning back?
It finally began to slow down?
However, Chu Wanning didn’t say anything. He simply lowered his
eyelashes and rolled down his sleeves.
The wind was blowing, and the sun was shining.
In his previous life, he had never been able to see through his Shizun, just
like how his Shizun had also misjudged him.
After that, Mo Ran became more and more powerful. He had an
astonishing talent. The number of chess pieces he could make with half his
spiritual energy consumed increased from one to two, then to four.
But not enough.
What he wanted was a million strong army, a force that could take down
Sisheng Peak in one fell swoop and trample Chu Wanning beneath his feet.
Mo Ran’s calculations were not good. The man who was about to become
the Emperor Taxian-Jun held his abacus as he began to calculate furiously.
When Xue Meng came to see him, he coincidentally saw this scene, so he
curiously went over and asked, “Hey, what are you doing?”
“Settle them.”
“What are you counting?”
Mo Ran paused for a moment, his eyes dark. Then he smiled and said,
“Guess.”
“I can’t guess.” Xue Meng walked over and picked up the book in front of
him to read carefully. As he read, he mumbled, “One… 365 days… 365…
4… 365 days… What’s all this nonsense?”
“I want to buy some sugar,” Mo Ran said calmly.
“Sugar?”
“One month’s worth of Cheng Zhai’s best candy costs one coin. If you save
up one copper coin a day, you could buy three hundred and sixty-five candies
in three hundred and sixty-five days. If you can save up to four copper coins a
day, that would be…” He lowered his head, bent his fingers, and couldn’t
figure it out. He shook his head again, and started to make calculations with a
crackling sound, “Just a thousand…”
Xue Meng’s mental calculations were faster than his, so he quickly replied,
“One thousand four hundred and sixty candies.”
Mo Ran raised his head, and after a moment of silence, he said, “You’re
really fast.”
Xue Meng was rarely praised by him. He stared blankly for a moment,
then laughed and said, “That’s not right. After all, I’ve been helping Mother
with medicine since I was young.”
Mo Ran muttered to himself and laughed, “I don’t know which way to go.
Why don’t you do the math for me?”
It had been a long time since Mo Ran was this calm after Shi Mei passed
away. Xue Meng faced the sunlight and looked at him, feeling pity in his
heart.
So he nodded, pulled back his chair, and sat down beside Mo Ran.
“Come on, tell me.”
Mo Ran said warmly, “Ten candies a day, how much can you save in a
year?”
“Three thousand six hundred and fifty. That’s not worth counting. It’s too
simple.”
Mo Ran sighed and said, “Add some more, 15 in a day…” After thinking
about it, he felt that it was beyond his limit to make such a chess piece, so he
asked, “Twelve pieces a day. How much?”
“Four thousand… Four thousand three hundred and eighty.”
“I want five thousand candies. How many more days do I need to wait?”
“I have to…” Xue Meng scratched his head, thinking too hard, so he
asked, “Why do you need so much candies? You can’t eat them all.”
Mo Ran lowered his eyes, covering the sinister glint in his eyes. “Next year,
Sisheng Peak will have been established for thirty years. I want to give
everyone a piece of candy.”
Xue Meng was stunned. “You actually have this kind of thought…”
“Yes.” Mo Ran smiled, “Are you surprised? You too.”
“I don’t need it.” Xue Meng waved his hand. “I don’t need this candy.
Come, I’ll continue to help you calculate. See how long you have to save
before you can buy over five thousand candies.”
As he spoke, he took the abacus and began to seriously calculate under the
reflection of the flower trees by the window. Mo Ran rested his chin on his
cheek as he watched, a luster flowing in his eyes. After a long while, he
chuckled and said, “Many thanks.”
Xue Meng snorted. He was very focused and did not pay any attention to
him.
In Mo Ran’s eyes, there were only those crackling black beads. One and
two were like black pawns, and they piled up one after the other, increasing
bit by bit.
At that time, Xue Meng would probably never have imagined that what he
was calculating was not candy, but rather the lives of many people,
overturning the lives at Sisheng Peak.
He did not know that it was because of his appearance by the window that
caused Mo Ran to feel the last trace of kindness in his heart.
So, in the end, Mo Ran took into account their former camaraderie and did
not give him a share of those five thousand chesspieces.
“That long?” Finally, he looked at the number Xue Meng had written
down. Mo Ran shook his head, “It’s too long.”
Xue Meng said, “Why don’t I lend you some money?”
Mo Ran smiled. “There’s no need.”
After Xue Meng left, he thought about it again and again. After flipping
through a few scrolls, he gradually came up with a plan — and this plan
became the prototype for the “Shared-Heart Formation” created by Immortal
Taxian-Jun.
That night, Mo Ran had refined ten chess pieces. Those chess pieces were
incomplete and could not be controlled with full strength. They could not
even control the stronger corpses.
He carried these ten chess pieces down the mountain to the Wuchang town
and hummed a small tune as he arrived at a place in the outskirts of the town:
Returning Crane to Slope.
A man dies riding on a crane, returning to the nine heavens. This was a
beautiful and simple illusion of a mortal. In other words, this hillside was a
graveyard. The families of the people that died in the Wuchang Town were
all dragged to this mountain to be buried. This was the town’s burial ground.
He walked between the rows of tombs without much delay, his eyes swept
across the words written on the tombstones, and very quickly, he stopped in
front of a fresh grave with bright writing, and in front of the tombstone, there
were still fresh fruits and buns. He raised his hand, and clenched his fingers
tightly in the air.
Because of some childhood experience, Mo Ran had no fear of corpses
and had no respect for them. He jumped down from the hump, summoned
Mo Dao, forced open the coffin, and kicked away the thin lid.
The moonlight fell on the corpse’s face. Mo Ran leaned his head over to
measure the color of the pork and looked at the skeleton inside.
It was a newly buried old thing with a shroud wrapped around its shriveled
face and sunken cheeks. Because the burial environment wasn’t good and it
didn’t have much money to use for embalming, the coffin was filled with a
strong stench. Some parts of its flesh had already begun to rot and give birth
to maggots.
Mo Ran frowned and endured the stench. He put on the metal gloves neatly
and grabbed the old man by the neck, pulling him out of the coffin. The old
man’s head drooped down stiffly. Mo Ran’s eyes were ice-cold. With a flash
from his hand, he had already sent the precious black seed flying into his
chest.
“Be good, be good.” Mo Ran affectionately caressed the dead man’s face,
and suddenly slapped the corpse back, smiling. “What are you so listless for?
Stand up straight, my dear obedient little baby.”
Although the incomplete black chess piece was unable to control the strong
corpse, he was still more than enough to control a lethargic old man with legs.
The corpse’s body began to move. A pair of tightly shut eyes suddenly
opened, revealing a pair of grayish eyes.
Mo Ran said, “Speak your name.”
“My name is out of my control.”
“Where are you?”
“My location is out of my control.”
“What day is it?”
“The days are out of my control.”
Mo Ran narrowed his eyes, weighing the remaining nine fragments in his
hand. Indeed… If he had only controlled the corpse to such a degree, he
wouldn’t have to spend so much spiritual power to create such a pure black
hole.
He grinned, a smile that was extremely handsome. Slowly, he asked the last
question:
“What do you want?”
The old man said in a hoarse voice: “I only care about what you ask for, as
the king’s chess piece.”
Mo Ran laughed out loud. He was very satisfied with this result. He then
used the remaining pieces of the chess piece to make the other nine corpses,
picking out fresh ones.
These corpses were old, weak, and handicapped. They fell when the wind
blew, and they did not have any power. However, Mo Ran looked at them, his
eyes flashing with a crazy and joyful light.
He took out ten small boxes from his Qiankun bag and opened one of
them. He saw two small, blood-red insects curled up inside.
“Alright, I’ve already enjoyed myself enough. I’ll be troubling you two to
stop now. It’s time for you two to be of use to me.” As Mo Ran lazily spoke,
he flicked his finger to brush away the two worms that were interacting with
each other. He then took out one of the male worms and said to the old man
who was playing the first chess piece, “Friend, please open your foul mouth.”
The old man obediently opened his mouth to reveal a rotten tongue. Mo
Ran threw the worm into his mouth and said, “Eat it.”
There was no resistance, no hesitation.
The corpse obediently ate the Soul Devouring Insect into its stomach.
Mo Ran followed the same pattern and fed all of the worms in the box into
the mouths of the corpses. Then it said, “Alright, go back and lie down. All
of you should rest.”
On the second day, Mo Ran had refined another ten blackstones. They
were also damaged and didn’t consume too much spirit energy. After he
finished refining, he attached all the remaining female Soul Devouring Insects
to the chess board and then quietly entered the bodies of some low-level
disciples.
At first, those disciples only felt an itch on their backs, but there was no
special feeling. Mo Ran was not impatient, he was waiting…
Wait until the female Soul Devourer lays eggs, then leave the larvae in the
hearts of these disciples that resonate with the males.
In this way, two unrelated pieces passed through the adult and larva and
became a corresponding mother puppet.
This was just like flying a kite. Those weak corpses became kite strings as
one end led by Mo Ran while the other end had the even more valiant
Zhenlong black chess piece. Mo Ran only needed to give the order to the
dead body of the adult, which was hidden inside the dead body of the
corresponding child, and would do the exact same action.
It was called the Shared-Heart Formation.
This ultimate move had been created by Mo Ran himself. Before him,
those who had come into contact with Zhenlong Chess were all grandmasters,
who did not lack spirit energy, nor were they crazy enough to want to make
tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of Zhenlong Chess, so they
did not need to think of such opportunistic methods.
At that time, Mo Ran, who was obsessed with demonic techniques, didn’t
realize that he had already done something that no one in the cultivation
world had ever done in the past tens of thousands of years.
Turning an evil technique that could destroy the heavens and the earth,
everyone could learn it.
Everyone can do it.
“Brother!”
Suddenly, an explosive shout was heard.
Mo Ran suddenly became clear-headed as a blood-red light flashed before
his eyes.
The Phoenix Evil Spirit that was buried in the heart of the Mount Huang
Range had already turned into even more vines than before, fiercely chopping
down. The Phoenix was originally a flying beast, its speed was extremely fast,
it was unable to avoid in time, and its shoulder was suddenly cut open, causing
blood to immediately spurt out.
Xue Meng exclaimed, “How are you?!”
“Don’t come near me!” Mo Ran panted. His gaze was cold as he stared at
the tentacle-like vine on the ground that was ready to pounce at any moment
and launch a second wave of assault. He stopped Xue Meng sternly, “Quick,
go to Shizun’s side! Tell him to stop! Make everyone stop!”
Blood dripped, and he gripped the heart and the chess piece tightly.
His mind spun rapidly as all kinds of thoughts surged in his mind.
This formation of the heart was not wrong, and it was even better than the
one he had used in his previous life. However, no matter how much
improvement there was, the principle was here. Only by maintaining the
mother body on one side could the child on the other side display its strength.
Mo Ran held the Chess in his hand, his entire body still trembling. It wasn’t
because of the pain in his shoulder, but because of the cold and fear that
spread out from the bottom of his feet.
There was no doubt that someone had been reborn.
Then, does the person who was reborn know that he is also a living ghost?
If he knew, then…
A cold chill went down his spine as Mo Ran suddenly fell into despair.
In his eyes, he saw the pale face of Taxian-Jun, with his crown on the head
and a sinister smile on his face.
He sat high on the dragon throne, eating his food. He was cold and
mocking.
“Mo-zongshi, please escape! Where can you escape to?”
Ghost shadows rose up like a tide. They were all people he had killed in his
previous life, and they were all debts he had owed in his previous life.
He saw the bloodied Shi Mei, the bloodless Chu Wanning, the hanging
woman dragging a three feet long piece of white silk, and the man with his
stomach all over the ground.
They were all here to take his life.
“You won’t be able to dodge it sooner or later.”
“Someone already knows what kind of dirty spirits you have in your shell.
You’ll never be able to reincarnate.”
Mo Ran closed his eyes.
If the person behind the scenes really knew that he had also been reborn,
and if that person revealed all of his past, then… What should he do?
He didn’t dare think about it anymore.
204. Shizun protects me
On the other side, Xue Meng had already run to the region of intense
chaotic battle. He waved his arm and shouted, “Stop! Stop! Stop fighting! It’s
useless!”
In fact, these people had already felt that something was amiss before he
had arrived.
Thousands of elites were fighting against the unorganized corpse tide. The
scene looked very grand and heroic, but the more they fought, the more
confused everyone became because it didn’t look like a fierce battle was about
to begin.
Everyone kept killing their way here. Aside from two people who were
slightly injured, the rest of the cultivators were unharmed. Thus, when Xue
Meng shouted, everyone stopped and turned to look at him.
“I…”
It was the first time that so many people were simultaneously looking at
him. Moreover, many of them were well-known figures and elders. Xue Meng
unexpectedly choked for a moment.
Chu Wanning asked, “What’s wrong?”
Only after hearing his Shizun’s voice did Xue Meng calm down. He
pointed at where Mo Ran was fighting against the vine willow and said, “Mo
Ran seems to already know what is going on here. It shouldn’t be very useful
against these zombies.”
The crowd looked at each other in dismay. The Sect Leaders were not
ordinary people, how could they be willing to listen to the advice of a junior?
Their faces became extremely ugly. Jiang Xi’s expression was the gloomiest
as he said, “Mo Ran is just a young man in his early twenties. What does he
know?”
If it was any other person who spoke, Xue Meng might have been a bit
more polite, but since this person was Jiang Xi, Xue Meng became angry
when he saw him. He immediately said angrily, “If you still drink milk when
you are twenty, it doesn’t mean that I have to be like you! If you are so
narrow-minded and want to die, you can forget about it!”
This was truly amazing. To publicly embarrass Jiang Xi in front of the
crowd, all of Guyue’ye’s disciples were unable to stand anymore, and angrily
rebuked his one after the other.
“What are you talking about!”
“Xue Meng, keep your mouth shut!”
Xue Meng felt uncomfortable being silently stared at by everyone. In this
situation, he was actually not afraid. After quarreling with Mo Ran for so
many years, he was used to being provoked. Immediately, his handsome
brows slanted as he said, “What, am I wrong? It’s because you, Sect Leader
Jiang, are in front of this big event that you don’t care about the severity of
the matter. How can you use your age to talk about your qualifications!”
Jiang Xi had a bad temper as well. He was like an immortal fairy,
unexpectedly squinting his eyes. In front of all these people, he had started a
war of words with a junior.
“Age and seniority are linked. When you reach your father’s age, you
should understand one thing — when talking to an elder, etiquette is the first
thing you do.”
Xue Meng angrily said, “Even with Sect Leader Jiang’s confidence, you can
still be an elder?”
“Alright, Meng’er.” Xue Zhengyong frowned, “Stop talking. Where is
Ran’er? Quick, lead us there.”
Although Xue Zhengyong stopped Xue Meng in time and Jiang Xi had no
way to argue with him, he still left behind a sentence with a flick of his
sleeve, “Xue Zhengyong, you are truly a good teacher.”
Xue Zhengyong’s face was ashen, as if he wanted to say something.
However, he seemed to be hindering the number one Sect Leader from his
words. In the end, he didn’t say anything and followed everyone towards the
mountainside.
Halfway up the mountain, he saw Mo Ran dressed in black, floating over.
Half of his sleeves were covered in blood, and the chess piece was tightly
gripped in his hands. The vines behind him had already been burnt, and there
were no new vines to be seen.
Seeing him get injured, both Chu Wanning and Xue Zhengyong’s face
changed. Xue Zhengyong quickly asked, “Ran’er, how are you feeling?
Heal… Heal, someone come quickly! Shi Mei! Come and help!”
Shi Mei seemed to be shocked as well. He looked at Mo Ran’s bloodied
arm and his face turned pale. For a moment, he just stood there in a daze,
unable to move.
Guyue’ye’s Cold Scale Sacred Hand took a step forward, and with a flick of
his sleeve, Mo Ran felt the burning pain in his wound slowly disappear. He
nodded to Hua Binan, “Many thanks, Sacred Hand.”
“Thank you.” Hua Binan’s voice was cold and indifferent. “I wonder what
Mo-zongshi has discovered. Can you share it with everyone?”
At this moment, Mo Ran’s mood had already dropped to the extreme. He
was very clear that if he were to reveal the “Shared-Heart Formation” at this
moment, he would definitely be met with suspicion and speculation from
some people.
However, he could not care that much. He was very clear on what kind of
bloody scene would follow if Zhenlong’s chess game were to appear in large
numbers in the martial arts world. It was something that he himself, Chu
Wanning, would not wish to see.
“Look at this.”
He opened his palm and showed the black piece in his hand to everyone.
Jiang Xi sneered, “Chess? Didn’t he already know about it? Could this be
the discovery of Mo-zongshi? If not for Zhenlong Chess, how could these
corpses be at the mercy of others?”
Mo Ran pursed his lips and said, “It’s not a Zhenlong chess piece. It’s the
Soul Devouring Insect on the chess piece.”
He showed it to the others. “Here it is.”
Jiang Xi stood with his hands behind his back. He didn’t say anything, but
just looked at him coldly. “…”
Xue Zhengyong moved closer to the insect and looked at it. After a long
time, he could not think of anything, so he asked, “What’s wrong with this
insect? Is there anything wrong with it?”
“Every single chess piece has it. This Zhenlong chess game is not as simple
as you see it.”
Many pairs of eyes were staring at him, and he swept them with his gaze as
well.
Of course he knew what he was doing.
He told everything he knew to prevent a catastrophe from happening.
However, he was very clear about the price…
This was actually the place where the mastermind was brilliant. If that
person wasn’t sure if Mo Ran was a reincarnated body, the Shared-Heart
Formation would undoubtedly be the best bait.
Unless Mo Ran was ruthless enough to not open his mouth and allow
disaster to descend. As long as he gave guidance, he would undoubtedly
reveal a piece of information to the person behind the scenes.
He must have been reborn.
But Mo Ran had no choice but to ponder, “I don’t know if any of you have
ever seen a puppet show.”
Someone answered, “… Of course I have. But why do you say that?”
“I’ve seen it too, but when I was young, I was short and couldn’t squeeze
into the front row, so I could only stand behind the counter and listen from
behind the scenes.” Mo Ran said. “So the puppet show I’m watching might be
different from what you guys are watching. What you guys are watching is a
story show, where a few puppets appear on stage, fight, kill, and talk and
sing.”
Jiang Xi impatiently asked, “What are you trying to say? Can you be more
concise?”
“No.” Mo Ran said, “Not everyone understands that it is faster than Sect
Leader Jiang. I want everyone to understand that.”
“…”
Seeing Jiang Xi’s gloomy face and not utter another word, Mo Ran
continued, “Will the cloth puppets on the stage move by themselves?”
Xue Zhengyong said, “Of course not.”
“Then how did they move? Do I need to have a few people squatting under
the curtain, holding up sticks and ropes and manipulating them?”
“That’s right.”
“Alright.” Mo Ran said, “I have an idea. I don’t know if Xu Shuanglin
thought like this, but I think it should be pretty close. The ‘Mount Huang’ we
are currently on, is just like the ‘Mount Huang’ below the stage. These soft
zombies are like people who are controlling the puppets at the foot of the
stage – naturally, these people don’t need too much skill. As long as they
move the puppets, it will be enough.”
Jiang Xi said, “… Go on.”
“If it’s really like this, then Mount Huang is actually just a backstage. The
real show will not be performed here, but on the stage. Xu Shuanglin is like
the leader of this troupe. If he were to give an order, to whom would he give
it?”
Xue Zhengyong said, “Of course it’s the people squatting behind the
curtain and carrying the ropes.”
Mo Ran said, “That’s right. This is the logic. The people on Mount Huang
are the people carrying the threads. Xu Shuanglin gave them the instructions,
and they led the cloth puppet in their hands to stand up and act.”
After Jiang Xi heard this, he narrowed his eyes and said, “You mean, other
than Mount Huang, there is another place with corpses piled up like a
mountain. That place is the so-called ‘platform’, and those corpses are the socalled ‘cloth figures’?”
“Sect Leader Jiang is so perceptive.”
“You don’t have to flatter me.” Jiang Xi said, “I just want to know, what
you said seems like a bunch of flowers, the head is clear, but the truth is that
you are indulging in wild fantasies. Mo-zongshi, words are empty, what
makes you think that you have the right to speak?”
“… I don’t have much of a basis. The reason why I was able to think of all
these is because I accidentally discovered a chess piece with a Soul Devouring
Insect inside the corpse.”
The pitch-black chess piece in his hand was still stained with blood and
was very dirty. Not long after the Soul Devouring Insect left his body, it was
still alive.
Mo Ran was silent for a moment. He raised his head and looked at the
Cold Scale Sacred Hand behind Jiang Xi. “Sacred Hand, you should know
best what kind of compatibility Soul Devouring Insects have.”
“There are many of these insects. Which one is Mo-zongshi referring to?”
Mo Ran said, “Imitate.”
Hua Binan said, “Of course. Soul Devouring Insects, larvae can easily
imitate their male counterparts. They will imitate their male counterparts’
every move until they become adults.”
Mo Ran said, “Alright, then what happens if I throw the larva that
corresponds to this chess piece into another person’s body?”
“…” Hua Binan’s expression changed slightly as he said, “What are the
corpses doing here? That side of the body will do the same.”
“How?”
“There’s no way to cure it, except when the bugs die.”
Mo Ran nodded and said, “Everyone, spread out a little. Be careful and
watch.”
When his voice fell, a cold light suddenly appeared in the bottom of his
eyes as he fiercely hacked at the Soul Devouring Insect on the chess piece. At
this moment, the ground suddenly trembled. The thin curtains that had been
raised up abruptly once more charged towards Mo Ran. Everyone was
shocked, but Mo Ran quickly retracted his killing intent and dodged a round
of vine attacks.
He let out a breath, stood with one hand behind his back, and said, “Did
you see that? Mount Huang was deliberately protecting these Soul Devouring
Insects, preventing them from being easily killed. If there was anyone who
insisted that it was just a coincidence that this bug would appear on the
treasured chess set… Or maybe it’s just an act, then I have nothing else to
say.”
Almost everyone was deep in their thoughts, digesting Mo Ran’s
conjecture.
A bold, almost outrageous guess.
However, for some reason, he was unable to find any loopholes.
The idea of Mo Ran was too crazy, but his words were firm and his gaze
was hard.
It was as if he had full confidence in Xu Shuanglin’s every move and
thought, and he was doing his best to convince them.
However, this kind of belief was very scary. In the crowd, even Chu
Wanning was a little uneasy. He frowned as he looked at the pale face of Mo
Ran from afar. Suddenly, he felt his heart palpitating. He felt as if something
had exposed a little bit of its clue, a little bit of its fangs.
Tear it open.
Perhaps only someone like Xue Zhengyong could think so simply. He
didn’t care too much about why Mo Ran could think of such a peculiar
“puppet control” in such a short period of time. He only thought about it
seriously for a moment before patting his head.
“So, Xu Shuanglin is not here at all?!”
Mo Ran: “I don’t think so.”
Elder Xuanji’s concern was different from everyone else’s. He frowned and
said, “Along the way, if we didn’t kill tens of thousands of zombies, there
would have been at least 9,000. Where did he get so many corpses? If there
was a place where so many people suddenly died, then there would be no
reason for us not to alarm the ten great sects.”
Mo Ran sighed and said, “He just died. Have you forgotten?”
“Where did he die?”
Seeing everyone not understanding, Mo Ran simply said two words.
“Linyi.”
“Impossible!”
Immediately, someone refuted him.
“Linyi was in a sea of fire. The Heaven Calamity Flame was raging, and
the city was even burnt to ashes. How could there be a corpse left behind?”
“Because there are space cracks.” “Aside from Xu Shuanglin, he has
another companion who knows space cracks.”
No one objected this time.
Not because they believed, but because it was too ridiculous, too
ridiculous.
After a while, Jiang Xi said, “That was the first forbidden technique that
has long been lost…”
“The first forbidden technique is the Gate of Time and Space. Not space.”
“There are several thousand people here, not just Xu Shuanglin.” Jiang Xi’s
expression was extremely cold, “How much ability do you have to send
thousands of people to Mount Huang before they are engulfed by the sea of
fire?”
“Sect Leader Jiang, why don’t you think about it another way? I feel that
these people were not sent here while alive, but before they were burned to
death and turned to ashes. With this teleportation technique, it’s much easier
to teleport dead than alive.”
Jiang Xi didn’t like the way his juniors guided his thoughts. He narrowed
his eyes, but before he could say anything, a pale, slender hand pressed down
on him. Hua Binan smiled and looked at Mo Ran, “Mo-zongshi, you speak
with such confidence, as though you’ve seen it with your own eyes. What
proof do you have?”
Mo Ran didn’t expect the medical sect to stand up and say something. He
was startled for a moment before saying, “No one knows better than master
Hua whether the flesh of these zombies is burnt or rotten.”
He glanced at the zombies that were lying on the ground with their legs cut
off, unable to get back up. Then he looked back at them and blandly said,
“Even if they were burned, are you sure they are Linyi’s corpses?”
Mo Ran’s black eyes stared at him unflinchingly, saying, “Just guessing. If
master Hua thinks it’s too absurd, then you can come up with another way
and have Xu Shuanglin bring over thousands of corpses to Mount Huang
without anyone noticing.”
Hua Binan smiled. “I’m not good at evil arts, so I can’t guess.”
“…”
No one said anything else for a while.
These words from the Cold Scale Sacred Hand had stabbed the hearts of
everyone.
When Mo Ran speculated on the use of the Soul Devouring Insects, many
people began to feel a faint sense of dread and trepidation in their hearts, and
goosebumps rose on their backs.
There’s a good saying, you can see what kind of person you are.
Many of the people present weren’t naive characters, so they were able to
immediately think of the crux of the problem. That was, how could Mo Ran
have made such a terrifying yet meticulous guess in such a short period of
time?
Naturally, he was not Xu Shuanglin’s henchman. If he was, then he would
absolutely not reveal this conjecture.
In that case, did this mean that Mo-zongshi, who had always shown a
‘righteous’ attitude, had actually long since been involved in this kind of
demonic technique, or had at least thoroughly studied it?
The veil on Hua Binan’s face fluttered gently as he smiled and said, “In the
end, when it comes to guessing what Xu Shuanglin is thinking, I feel that I
can’t compare with Mo-zongshi.”
Mo Ran wanted to refute for a moment, but he suddenly felt that he could
not stand up for himself. He could not say it out loud.
At this time, he suddenly heard a cold voice, “grandmaster Hua, why do
you need to use insinuations?”
“Ah!” Hua Binan smiled. “Chu-zongshi.”
Chu Wanning was wearing a snow-white robe and standing under the
moonlight, his expression was very dull, “Individuals in different positions
will think differently. The ones in the seats can only see the puppets on the
stage, but some can only watch from the back of the stage, watching the
ordinary people squatting behind the tables. Grandmaster Hua, do you
understand what I mean?”
Hua Binan smiled and said: “Forgive my stupidity.”
“Mo Ran has his own ideas.” Chu Wanning said coldly, “He is a disciple of
my sect. I will leave it to you not to make any further guesses.”
Such trust made Mo Ran’s throat throb as he muttered, “Shizun…”
Hua Binan looked at Chu Wanning for a moment, wanting to say
something. But in the end, he didn’t say anything. Smiling, he went back to
Guyue’ye’s team.
Jiang Xi retrieved his face, but his expression was still ugly.
He said coldly, “No matter what, we’ll discuss it after we reach the top.”
When everyone reached the peak, it was completely empty. There was only
a gigantic spell formation, and red lumps of light constantly emerged from the
core of the formation.
When Mo Ran saw this array, his heart sank and his fingertips turned cold.
It was indeed a Shared-Heart Formation… It was an array formation that
required refining a common heart chess piece and combining the Soul
Devouring Insects into a Zhenlong chess piece.
The palace master of the Taxue Palace frowned, sizing up the strange array
totem, and said: “What array is this? Never seen it. Sect Leader Xue, you
have seen a lot, have you ever seen one?”
Xue Zhengyong moved closer to take a look and shook his head. “No.”
Jiang Xi’s brown-black eyes shone with a ghostly light. He looked at the
eye of the formation for a while, and then slowly probed it with his hand. He
was the most proficient at this type of alchemy array. He closed his eyes for
about an incense stick of time before suddenly withdrawing his hand and
turning to Mo Ran, “Do you have any other ideas?”
His reaction told everyone that Mo Ran’s conjecture was correct!
Mo Ran said, “… Yes.”
Jiang Xi said, “Speak.”
“Since it’s a mother bug, then it’s just as I said. One is on the stage, the
other is off the stage. As a result, as many precious pieces of chess as Xu
Shuanglin has done here, countless corpses will rise up and similarly obey his
orders. However, in that place, there will definitely not be piles of ordinary
zombies that are as weak as a chicken. I’m afraid they are all the remains of
people with extremely powerful cultivations when they were alive.”
Xue Meng said in surprise, “Is this the reason why Xu Shuanglin killed so
many ordinary people? In order to make the corpses of the cultivators under
you easier to control?”
“I’m afraid so.”
“…”
Xue Meng turned around and looked at the mountain of corpses and the
sea of blood below. Instantly, the color of his face completely drained. It was
unknown if it was because he felt too disgusted or too shocked, or if it was
because he thought of another place and the equivalent number of dead
cultivators they were going to face.
Perhaps it was both. Xue Meng seemed to be swaying a little.
Suddenly, someone shouted, “Look here! There is a corpse here!”
There was no longer any tall shelter at the top of the mountain. There was
only a bush. Those with sharp eyes noticed that there seemed to be a white
robe sticking out from the top.
205. Shizun, a great disaster is about to
befall
Several men went to investigate and dragged it out of the bushes. It was a
corpse that was charred black all over. It was burning so strongly that one
could easily see that it had struggled in the sea of fire before it was born. Its
face had become completely viscous, and its facial features could not be seen.
She could only be judged to be a woman when she was alive by her
physique, as well as by the way she was dressed in snow-white clothing that
would never melt in the face of fire.
Chu Wanning put his hand in the air, closed his eyes and said, “There are
no traces of Zhenlong chess pieces.”
Someone mumbled, “Strange, could it be that Xu Shuanglin missed out on
an entire mountain of Zhenlong chess?”
Immediately, someone retorted, “Have you ever seen a corpse that was left
alone at the top of a mountain?”
Mo Ran also walked over, going back and forth as he carefully examined
the female corpse. As the person who was the most proficient at using Chess
in his previous life, he naturally knew about some of the restrictions of this
technique. Therefore, he was concerned about the identity of this female
corpse.
He had a more convincing guess, but he needed a little corroboration.
The evidence was quickly found.
Mo Ran took off a burnt black chain from his hand and wiped off the dark
gray color on it, revealing some faint red Spirit Stones.
He handed the chain to Jiang Xi and said, “Song Qiutong.”
“… Why are you…” Jiang Xi asked halfway, then reacted with the chain in
his hand. “Do you recognize this chain?”
“The wedding gift I gave her. Song Qiutong is the descendant of Song
Xingyi. The clan of Butterfly-Boned Beauties who subdued the Phoenix Evil
Spirit is the key to opening the Mount Huang Forbidden Area.”
Someone asked, “Xu Shuanglin killed Song Qiutong and used her as a key
to open the gates to Mount Huang?”
Mo Ran shook his head and stared at Song Qiutong’s face for a long time.
He did not feel pity, but his emotions were complicated. “No, I’m afraid she
was still alive when he took her up the mountain.”
“What do you mean?”
Before Mo Ran could speak, Jiang Xi spoke first. Perhaps it was to save his
pride, but when he met with this kind of question that he could easily answer,
Jiang Xi did not plan on bringing this junior into the limelight again. Instead,
he lightly said, “In order to give the order to Mount Huang.”
Mo Ran glanced at him, thinking that this was for the best. If he were to
say everything, it would be harder to justify himself if suspicions were raised
about him in the future. Thus, he walked to the side and handed over all the
seats to Jiang Xi, allowing his to speak.
Someone asked, “Order? A weak girl like Song Qiutong, what orders can
she give?”
“Although she is weak, her ancestors may not all be pustules. The Phoenix
Evil Spirit of Mount Huang will only obey the orders of the bloodline that
tamed it.” Jiang Xi was no fool, he said, “Song Qiutong is the last descendant
of this bloodline.”
The man gasped, “Ah, the one who tamed the Phoenix Evil Spirit was the
Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feast Venerable One?”
“That’s right.”
“This is indeed unheard-of…”
Jiang Xi said, “I’ve never heard of it, but it’s normal. Besides guarding, the
four great evil mountains don’t have any other uses, so no one will care if they
can be activated by anyone else. Song Qiutong had been displaced earlier and
used as an auction item, so she probably did not know that she could hide on
Mount Huang… she should not have even heard of her own ancestors
defeating the Phoenix Evil Spirit.”
“So… So Xu Shuanglin brought her here?”
“That’s how it should be.” Jiang Xi continued, “At that time, a calamity
broke out in the Rufeng Sect, and everyone was forced to flee for their lives.
No one will be able to return to the main hall to bother about that weak
woman. The only person who can take care of her is Xu Shuanglin, or that
comrade behind Xu Shuanglin.”
Xue Zhengyong thought on the side and nodded, “Since the person behind
the scenes can tear open the space crack and take Xu Shuanglin somewhere
else, it would be a simple task for him to take Song Qiutong. We might as
well make an assumption — he took her to Mount Huang. Song Qiutong was
naturally a person who took advantage of the situation. If she grabbed onto
this life-saving straw, she would only do as she was told. At this time, that
person only needs to bring her to Mount Huang and have her give an order.
She won’t reject.”
Someone asked, “But why didn’t he use the piece to control Song
Qiutong?”
“Because the person who gave the order was under control due to the
Phoenix Evil Spirit Identification. Only those who are alive and those who are
willing will be willing to follow the command of this mountain.”
Everyone slowly started to ponder about the smell. Someone exclaimed,
“Then what are we doing here? They had all been tricked by him and ran into
his ‘background’, and it was also because of this damned mantle of Mount
Huang that they had no way of getting rid of these Soul Devouring Insects…
What do we do now?”
Jiang Xi furrowed his brows, as if he despised the ‘behind-the-scenes’
analogy that Mo Ran was using, but he still said, “Find the ‘front of the stage’
and go directly destroy Xu Shuanglin’s puppets.”
“Mo-zongshi.”
After Jiang Xi finished speaking, he suddenly called out to Mo Ran. Mo
Ran was originally listening attentively with his arms crossed. He couldn’t
help but be startled when he mentioned him.
“Hmm? What’s wrong?”
Jiang Xi said faintly, “Mo-zongshi’s analysis just now was very thorough.
Then, I would like to ask Mo-zongshi one more time, where is the stage now
and how should I look for it?”
Mo Ran: “… Try and see?”
“Try… What?”
Mo Ran coughed lightly. The flame in his palm lit up, and the willow vine
suddenly appeared. He said, “That’s it, it’s called ‘Jiangui’.”
Jiang Xi: “…”
Just like Tianwen, Jiangui has the ability to interrogate. It can interrogate
living people, Evil Spirits, and even corpses with separated souls. The only
difference was that the interrogator and the Inquisition had the two of them
speak, whereas the inquiry had the spirit soul directly to communicate with
the interrogator.
Song Qiutong had been dead for more than a month, her soul had long
disappeared, but fortunately the mountain was still full of Yin Qi and her
corpse had not rotted. Mo Ran whispered, “Jiangui, let’s go investigate.”
The only thing he saw was that Song Qiutong’s body had been wrapped in
red three times by the extended branch and leaf vines immediately following
his command, emitting a blinding red light.
As the red light flickered in the depths of Mo Ran’s eyes, he opened his
mouth and asked in a low voice, “Was the person who brought you here Xu
Shuanglin?”
It was hard to tell the facial features of Song Qiutong charred face, so they
did not move for a while.
“… Is it not working?” Someone muttered softly.
Mo Ran narrowed his eyes and asked again, “Is the person who brought
you here Xu Shuanglin?”
Still no movement.
Jiang Xi said, “Seems like Mo-zongshi is still too young. Why don’t you
switch to your Shizun instead?”
However, just at this moment, Song Qiutong’s neck suddenly moved! Her
movements were stiff and extremely slow, but she undoubtedly shook her
head in the most obvious manner.
“It’s not Xu Shuanglin?” Xue Zhengyong asked in shock.
Mo Ran tightly gripped the damned thing as his meridians slightly
protruded from the back of his hand. He then asked, “Then, have you seen
the person who brought you here?”
After a few more moments of silence, Song Qiutong suddenly opened her
mouth but she did not reply. What came out of her mouth was a sticky,
slippery snake that slithered to the ground and slithered away.
Some of Guyue’ye’s disciples immediately recognized her, “She has a
Swallowing Snake in her stomach!”
The Swallowing Snake, an evil beast, was not poisonous. Its entire body
was covered with spirit armor, and it could live for more than twenty years in
a person’s stomach.
From then on, besides being able to answer the truth with the Swallowing
Snake’s owner, the rest of the Dark Guard could only answer lies or be mixed
in with the truth. Otherwise, this kind of snake would wake up from its
slumber, and instantly tear apart the host’s internal organs, throat, and tongue.
The devilish red light was extinguished abruptly, and Song Qiutong’s entire
body was trembling. She could not help but shake her head as a large amount
of blood spurted out of her mouth. It looked like her internal organs had been
shattered, as well as her tongue and throat…
She could no longer speak the truth.
Suddenly, someone suggested, “Since she can’t say it, why don’t you let her
write it down and read it?”
The moment Mo Ran saw the Swallowing Snake, he had already
understood that the person behind the scenes was very meticulous and was
not something an ordinary person could handle. However, he still went
forward and raised Song Qiutong’s hands to examine them.
“How is it?” Xue Zhengyong asked.
Mo Ran shook his head and said, “All her bones and tendons have been cut
off and she can’t write anything at all.”
All of a sudden, a cold wind blew past, and the leaves in the mountain
forest began to cackle, the howls of zombies could be heard from far and
near. The atmosphere on the mountain peak became extremely tense and
strange, and Ma Yun, the owner of the Taobao Villa broke the silence,
saying, “T-that lead to the end?”
No one said anything.
Jiangui had been retracted, and Song Qiutong’s corpse fell limply to the
ground.
Soon, the vines of Mount Huang creeped over, carefully coiled up the
corpse, and dragged her into the bushes, as if to preserve her with this little
bush.
Earlier, he had actually not understood why Xu Shuanglin and the rest did
not directly kill Song Qiutong, burn her, and then spend so much effort to cut
off the meridians in her hands and feed it to the Swallowing Snake. However,
seeing this scene, he suddenly understood —
Mount Huang obeyed the clan of Butterfly-Boned Beauties, from life to
death. As long as her corpse was in Mount Huang, the Phoenix Evil Spirit
would not allow others to burn her to ashes.
He didn’t know what feeling Mo Ran had, but he suddenly thought of his
previous life. He was dead, and no one had ever taken his body from him.
Before he died, he had to lie down in a coffin he had dug out beforehand.
Actually, there was no point in doing that. Later on, the rebel soldiers who
attacked him from the mountain, it would be weird if they didn’t cut him into
pieces.
In his previous life, the way he died was probably even more miserable
than Song Qiutong’s death. When he arrived, he didn’t even have a vine
willing to protect him.
Many people in the surrounding area were whispering, talking to each
other, frowning, and discussing how to deal with the situation. Some of them
had their eyes closed and were deep in thought, such as Jiang Xi and Chu
Wanning.
Mo Ran closed his eyes and combed through what was happening before
him. Such a bloody tactic was extremely similar to what he had experienced
in his previous life. Perhaps because of this, Mo Ran felt that it was not that
difficult to guess Xu Shuanglin’s thoughts and actions.
He seemed to see Xu Shuanglin pacing back and forth barefooted in his
Three Lives Courtyard. Xu Shuanglin was thinking and asking himself: If I
don’t have enough spiritual energy, I can’t control the cultivators’ corpses,
what should I do?
Then, he came up with an idea —
When using the Shared-Heart Formation, he could kill the same number of
ordinary people. Each cultivator would have an ordinary corpse, just like a
marionette, which he could use to drive.
Where is the safest place to do this?
Four Great Evil Mountains.
What if he couldn’t open the Mount Huang barrier?
He brought along Song Qiutong’s corpse.
All the clues were rapidly connected together. Mo Ran’s eyes were dark,
and he was deep in thought.
Where did the corpses of commoners come from?
Linyi had burned in the calamity fire.
Even though it was all a guess, every single one of them matched each
other. The luster in his eyes scattered and disintegrated, disintegrating and
disintegrating, and he could even feel that he was Xu Shuanglin, and Xu
Shuanglin was him. Standing at the summit of Mount Huang, his gaze
frantically roamed about, watching the surging corpse tide below.
More and more clearly, more and more clearly, until suddenly, it was at a
point.
If he was Xu Shuanglin, then after doing all this, shouldn’t he build the
“front of the stage” and perform the puppet show that he had painstakingly
arranged?
Where should “the front stage” be chosen?
Where would they be able to find such a strong and considerable amount of
cultivators’ remains?
If he wasn’t discovered, he could be protected…
The gradually flourishing sunlight suddenly dimmed down.
“Mount Jiao…” he murmured.
Jiang Xi cast a sidelong glance at him. “What?”
Mo Ran’s expression changed as he looked to the east. He suddenly
became somewhat furious. The Hero Tomb! — The stage he found was in
front of the Hero Tomb in Mount Jiao! Linyi’s calamity, the majority of the
casualties were commoners. Xu Shuanglin was able to obtain so many corpses
of commoners, but not cultivators with even greater magic power! — The
Hero Tomb!”
Jiang Xi also reacted. “Are you saying that Xu Shuanglin’s corresponding
summoning is the skeleton of the Rufeng Sect that was buried in the Hero
Tomb during these hundreds of years?”
Mo Ran was too lazy to waste words with him. He cursed under his breath
and dashed down the mountain.
Xu Shuanglin was truly a madman! The Hero Tomb was filled with
generations of Sect Leaders from the Rufeng Sect, even the original Sect
Leaders whose corpses had been dissolved into immortals. It was fine to
control the common cultivators with the Shared-Heart Formation, but to
control these people?
Once Xu Shuanglin’s magic power ran out of steam, these strong bones
would go berserk and break free. At that time, Xu Shuanglin would be
counterattacked and die, while the most powerful corpses of the Rufeng Sect
in hundreds of years would go berserk.
That would be a great calamity no less than the Unbroken Hell’s Heavenly
Rift!
206. Shizun, just who am I?
Mo Ran swept past the rolling corpse tide, heading straight to the foot of
the mountain. After exiting the barrier, his gaze immediately fell on Nangong
Si.
At this moment, Nangong Si’s imprisonment had already been released. Ye
Wangxi knelt down on one knee to the side, bandaging his wounds. Mei
Hanxue, on the other hand, had a cold expression on his face as he quietly sat
on the floor between the Jiangdong Hall and Nangong Si.
It had to be known that Mei Hanxue was the da-shixiong of the Taxue
Palace in Mount Kunlun. It was also said that he had appeared and
disappeared mysteriously, and his movements were extremely strange and
unpredictable.
With his blessings, although the group of people from Jiangdong Hall
wished that they could cut Nangong Si to pieces, they had no other choice but
to obediently sit on the rocks at the side and glare at them.
Seeing that Mo Ran had come down, Mei Hanxue’s zither music abruptly
stopped. He retrieved his zither, stood up and nodded slightly.
The style of a sect was extremely dignified and righteous.
“What happened on the mountain?”
Mo Ran said, “It’s all fake.”
“Fake?” Mei Hanxue frowned slightly. When the people of Jiangdong Hall
heard this, they all gathered around. Huang Xiaoyue was still lying in the
pavilion beside them.
A few disciples were massaging his legs and shoulders as they feigned a
weak and dying appearance. However, when they heard his words, they could
not help but narrow their eyes and prick up their ears to listen.
Mo Ran said, “Xu Shuanglin is not on this mountain, but I’m afraid at
Mount Jiao. I —”
He had not finished speaking when Nangong Si’s face turned pale. He
stared at Mo Ran and asked, “Xu Shuanglin is on top of the Mount Jiao?”
“Perhaps, but not with absolute certainty.”
Nangong Si was stunned for a moment before muttering, “… That’s
impossible. Mount Jiao will only listen to the orders of the Nangong Family.
Xu Shuanglin, he…”
He thought of something and was suddenly at a loss for words. The last bit
of blood on his face faded, and his pair of bright eyes stared at Mo Ran face.
He had actually forgotten that Xu Shuanglin also wore the surname
Nangong.
The Nangong family had once had a young hero that was praised by
everyone. Everyone felt that the Rufeng Sect would once again rise to glory in
the hands of this pair of brothers, like the sun at high noon. Who would have
thought that these two brothers and the Rufeng Sect would end up like this?
Nangong Si silently lowered his eyelids and did not say another word.
At this time, the others had also successively descended from Mount
Huang. Several thousand people were like a migratory school of fish that
crowded as they returned to the front of the mountain.
Chu Wanning walked over with Xue Meng and Shi Mei following behind
him. He looked at Nangong Si, “How did your hand get injured?”
“It’s fine, I did it myself.” Nangong Si said. “Thank you for your kindness,
zongshi.”
Xue Meng sighed and said, “Call him shizun, call him zongshi… Seriously,
Shizun is giving you face, yet you don’t want it… you…”
“I’ve never taken a teacher before.” Nangong Si’s parched lips slightly
opened and closed, “What I have learnt, I have never learned from a zongshi.
When my mother asked for it when I was young, zongshi did not need to take
it to heart.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
“Sorry. But I can’t even remember the three kowtows back then.”
Before Chu Wanning could say anything, he saw Jiang Xi and the other
heads of the other sects walking towards them, with most of them hugging
each other. He was not used to speaking in private in front of so many people,
so he only pursed his lips and did not speak any further. He only handed a
small pot of medicine from his Qiankun bag to him.
“It will be used externally every day for three days.”
After he said this simple sentence, the others had already arrived.
Huang Xiaoyue was also being supported from the pavilion as he walked
over while trembling. This cup of soup was something that the Jiangdong Hall
would definitely not miss.
Now that Guyue’ye was the head of the various sects, Jiang Xi should be
the first one to speak in the face of such a big matter. However, Jiang Xi
looked at him and wasn’t sure what attitude he should take to be the most
suitable for him…
The Rufeng Sect had been domineering and tyrannical for so many years,
and they had accumulated a lot of enmity with other sects and clans. They
had nowhere to vent their hatred and hatred on, and in the end, it all fell to
Nangong Family alone.
But what was wrong with him? He didn’t take away the Bitan Manor’s
sword manual, nor did he sell it for a sky-high price. He didn’t even have time
to find out where the sword manual was… His father, Nangong Liu, had
committed countless crimes and died quite happily. Now, everyone said that
his father would repay the debts, but if his son were to repay the debts, how
many of those present would be able to remain clean and innocent?
Moreover, this young man was currently the only descendant of the
Nangong family, and he was the key to open the gates to Mount Jiao.
“You…”
Jiang Xi hesitated for a moment before speaking.
Just as he was speaking, he suddenly heard someone by his side say
shakily, “Benefactor Nangong, you have to come with us. To untie a bell you
need the person who tied it, it’s the Rufeng sect mess, we need you.”
When Jiang Xi saw that, he sneered in his heart as he knew it was master
Xuan Jing from the Wubei Temple. He thought to himself, “This old bald
donkey is dirty; I really want to pick a fight with him.”
But this was just right, since he was not good at socializing, he lazily closed
his mouth and stood to the side, watching Great master Xuan Jing leaning on
his magic staff.
After Nangong Si heard this, he said, “Sure, I will go with you to Mount
Jiao.”
Great master Xuan Jing did not expect him to so readily agree to help
unblock the Divine Barrier. He was stunned for a moment before closing his
eyes and said, “Amitabha, the benefactor is wise. Buddha has knowledge, and
sin should be reduced.”
For a moment, Nangong Si seemed to want to say something, but he did
not. Naobaijin in his quiver was whimpering and trying to climb out, but he
quietly pushed it back.
“I went to Mount Jiao because I did not want the elites of the Rufeng Sect,
who had existed for hundreds of years, to become the accomplices of a tiger”,
said Nangong Si. “However, I thank grandmaster for your kind intentions in
guiding me on the way.”
Thus, the key to Mount Jiao could be found.
It was different from Mount Huang. If they wanted to go to Mount Jiao,
whether it was the people from the Nangong Family or any outsiders brought
in by the Nangong Family, they had to do two things —
First, fast for ten days.
Second, when reaching the mountain range belonging to Mount Jiao, one
must walk on foot. One cannot ride a sword or ride a horse, and with just his
feet, he must cross the first three mountains to express his sincerity.
Xue Zhengyong calculated the time and said, “From here to the Panlong
Mountain Range, if I were to ride a horse, it would take me about ten days,
just after fasting. I think that if you do not have any urgent matters to attend
to, there is no need for you to return to your own sects.
The palace master of the Taxue Palace said: “That’s fine, if we go together,
we can discuss our next plans.”
Xue Zhengyong said, “We have at least three thousand men here, so it’s a
little difficult to find horses…”
At this moment, a weak voice suddenly came from the crowd. With one
hand raised, it was the head of a deer, a scoundrel, wearing a large red
brocade robe. The edge of the brocade robe was embroidered with the totem
of a black cat: “My Villa has some, it should be enough.”
“Palace Master Ma?” Jiang Xi raised his eyebrows.
This person was the Sect Leader of one of the nine great sects of the
Upper Cultivation World, the “Taobao Villa”, Ma Yun. He was the third
richest person on the « Cloud Ranking » that Xue Meng bought, but now that
Nangong Liu had died, he should be ranked second in terms of wealth.
Compared to Jiang Xi, Ma Yun was much more grounded and looked like
a businessman. However, the ways in which the two of them amassed wealth
were different. Jiang Xi was ferocious. He had a wide range of treasures.
What he did was on the black market.
Palace Master Ma, on the other hand, had set up many large and small
relay stations in the cultivation world to receive all kinds of parcels and
deliveries, as well as leases of immortal horses, immortal boats, and spiritual
energy carriages. His manor specialized in making all sorts of spirit carriages,
and kept a large number of powerful oxen and horses.
Facing the cold-faced Jiang Xi, the horse that received the guest seemed to
be a little scared. It shrank its neck and said, “How about… Or to Rinling
Island? Sect Leader Jiang’s mansion definitely has more horses than mine,
hehehe.”
Everyone: “…”
Jiang Xi looked at his smile which was full of wrinkles and was speechless
for a moment. He then said, “I am just moved by Palace Master Ma’s
generosity and have no other intentions. This place is very close to the
Taobao Villa. Since Palace Master Ma is willing to lend us all our mounts, it
naturally cannot be any better.”
When this Palace Master Ma heard this, he heaved a sigh of relief and
smiled, “Then I invite everyone to move to this lowly manor. It’s already late
in the night, why not stay in the manor for the night and depart together the
next day?”
Taobao Villa is located at the edge of the West Lake, built on the summit
of the Lonely Mountain. However, even though this Lonely Mountain was
called a mountain, it was actually just a small hill. Climbing to the peak of
the mountain would only take half an hour.
“We’re here!” Palace Master Ma excitedly stood in front of the massive
crimson mountain gate and lifted his hand to remove the protective barrier.
“Everyone, please come in, please come in.”
On the journey to Mount Huang, the various sect masters were either
anxious or worried. Only Palace Master Ma was able to quickly act as if
nothing had happened, and he was even able to bring out a steaming smile.
Everyone looked at each other and bitterly smiled, but they didn’t say
anything. The Sect Leader was first, the Elders were second, and the direct
disciples of the various sects followed. One by one, they entered the Spirit
Formation gate of the Taobao Villa.
Xue Meng whispered to Mo Ran, “What the hell is this receiving horse
doing? Laughing until my hair stood on end, could it be that he is also with
Xu Shuanglin? Is he inviting someone to join him?”
“… No.”
“Are you sure again?”
Mo Ran said, “The Sect Leaders and elites of the nine great sects are all
here. Now, everyone is well armed. If he is Xu Shuanglin’s partner, he won’t
be able to do anything, and will instead expose himself.”
“Then why is he so happy?”
Mo Ran sighed and said, “He’s happy to be rich.”
“What money? What he did was clearly a loss-making business.” Xue
Meng was stupefied. It was said that when he was young, Madam Wang had
given him a silver leaf and told him to go to the hawker to exchange it. In the
end, he got a small kite and three oily copper coins, which made him fall into
the pit to the point where he felt that the kite was very pretty.
How could someone like him know the thoughts of a guest horse.
So after thinking about it for a long time, he still said in a daze, “Did you
hear wrongly? He said he was going to lend our horses, not rent one. He
doesn’t take a dime, he —”
At this time, the lower level disciples of the Villa that were in charge of
receiving guests came to receive them. Mo Ran waved his hand, indicating
for them to stop talking.
This row of courtyards were all located at the edge of a mountain. A single
courtyard could accommodate six people. At dusk, Mo Ran stood at the
window of his own room, gazing out at the cold mountains and the smoke of
the West Lake.
Ever since he came down from Mount Huang, Mo Ran had been very
anxious and restless. Now that he had closed his door, he finally revealed his
complete restlessness. He ran one hand along the windowsill, the other
unconsciously playing with something warm in the palm of his hand.
The scenery in Jiangnan was always beautiful, but at this moment, he was
not in the mood to appreciate it. The setting sun was setting. If someone were
to see the expression on his face at this moment, they would definitely not
believe that he was the honest Mo-zongshi.
This was a face that belonged to the emperor Taxian-Jun from his previous
life.
Perverted.
The setting sun pierced his hazel eyes.
In the twilight, Mo Weiyu’s face changed.
The reincarnated person behind Xu Shuanglin caused him to shudder. He
felt as if there was a blade on his neck, the blade of the blade sticking to his
skin and piercing through his flesh. Blood was already seeping out.
But the man did not strike down, and he could not turn his head. He
couldn’t even see clearly who was standing behind him, as if they were going
to take his life at any moment.
His mind was in a mess. He had a feeling that he wouldn’t be able to hide
the matter of his rebirth for long.
If the day of the final battle was the day the truth was revealed, what
should he do?
What would his aunt and uncle think of him? How would Shi Mei see
him? How would Xue Meng view him?
And there was also Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning…
If his past life was exposed, how much hatred would Chu Wanning have
towards him? Would he be unwilling to even glance at him from now on?
The more he thought about it, the colder he felt —
… Plop.
Suddenly, the object in his hand fell to the floor.
He picked it up in a daze and glanced at it indifferently.
There was a bit of dust on that little toy. It seemed like no one had lived in
this courtyard for a long time. It was not tidied diligently and the floor was
covered in dust…
He stopped.
Mo Ran’s face suddenly turned pale.
He suddenly realized what he was playing.
Lying on his palm was a warm, pitch-black chess piece.
Zhenlong Chess!
The expression on Mo Ran’s face changed!
In his previous life, he’d formed a habit during the last two years before his
death. Every time his emotions became extremely complicated and irritable,
he would uncontrollably gather his spirit energy in his palm and condense it
into a tiny black dot, turning it over and over in his hands.
Mo Ran had overheard the people of the palace discussing this matter.
They all felt that he must be sulking, angry, and wanted to create a pawn. He
wanted to kill people, and he wanted to turn living people into puppets.
“I was so afraid that His Majesty would throw out that chess piece in his
hands at any moment.”
“To be honest, I’d rather see him play with a dead man’s skull.”
“What’s there to be afraid of? I am a servant of His Majesty. Heaven
knows how many times my legs have gone soft. How much spiritual power
would it cost for His Majesty to create a pawn? He can’t be playing around,
can he? He must have a purpose, or maybe he wanted to vent… What if I
vent on you, then what should I do…”
Mo Ran was speechless, but at the same time, he found it funny.
He did not understand what these jabbering court maids were thinking, and
why they were so confident to guess at his inner thoughts.
Actually, there was no meaning in making these chess pieces. They were
merely a personal hobby of Emperor Taxian-Jun’s. They were as simple as
that. However, ever since he had heard the discussion of the palace maids, he
would occasionally play with them and pretend that he wanted to throw the
Zhenlong chess piece in his hand at one of the servants, scaring those people
to the point that their legs were like sieve chaff. His expression was as cold as
ever, but he secretly felt amused in his heart.
Those were the only pleasures he had in the last two years of his life.
It had been a long time since he had used Zhenlong Chess.
It was as if he wanted to break away from his past self. Ever since he was
reborn, Mo Ran had never cast this spell again.
In the blink of an eye, seven or eight years had passed. He thought that he
would soon forget about the mantra and the mantra.
However, he could not escape at all.
Sin was planted in his soul.
As Mo Ran stared at the black piece, his hands began to tremble…
He was suddenly filled with despair.
He suddenly did not know who he was. Was it the Venerable Taxian-Jun?
Or was it Mo-zongshi?
He suddenly didn’t know where he was… Was it by the lakeside? Or was it
in front of Wushan Palace?
Suddenly, he was unable to distinguish between dream and reality. He was
trembling uncontrollably, and that small black dot appeared in his eyes like a
heavy nightmare, like a dark stain of blood.
“Mo Ran! Mo Weiyu! You can’t escape! You can’t escape! You can only
be an evil person forever, you can only be a malicious ghost! You scourge!
Scourge!”
The ground was shaking.
“Toc toc toc.” Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.
Mo Ran jolted awake, cold sweat pouring down his back. Gripping the
chess piece tightly in his hand, he turned around and sternly asked, “Who is
it?”
“It’s me.” The person outside replied, “Xue Meng.”
207. Shizun, I want to tell you something
Mo Ran opened the door.
It was not completely open, only a narrow gap. He saw Xue Meng bathed
in sunlight, beside him followed Shi Mei in green clothes.
“We brought you some medicine,” said Xue Meng. “What are you doing?
Open the door and let us in.”
Mo Ran was silent for a moment before he let go of the door frame. The
two entered the house. Xue Meng walked over to the window and peeked out
to look at the western red light. He withdrew his head and said, “Your house
has a nice scenery. There are several large camphor trees outside of mine. It’s
all blocked, and I can’t see anything.”
Mo Ran said absentmindedly, “If you like it, I’ll trade with you.”
“There’s no need, I’ve already put down the things, I’m just saying them
casually.” Xue Meng waved his hand and walked over to the table. “Let Shi
Mei apply the medicine on you. The wound on your shoulder that was cut by
the vine, if you don’t deal with the suppuration then you should.”
His dark brown eyes stared at Xue Meng — If Xue Meng knew about his
previous life and what kind of spirit soul was hidden under his cousin’s shell,
would he smile at him like this and give him medicine…
Xue Meng was somewhat afraid from his stare and asked, “What’s wrong?
Is there something on my face?”
Mo Ran shook his head, sat down at the table, and lowered his eyes.
Shi Mei stood aside and said, “Take off your shirt. Show me the wound.”
Mo Ran felt depressed, but he did not think too much about it. He lifted
his hand to take off his shirt and said, “I’ll have to trouble you.”
Shi Mei shook his head and sighed: “You, ah, don’t know how to pay
attention. If you follow your Shizun, you don’t have to learn from him. If
there’s any danger, you can always run to the front. In the end, you can always
cause yourself injuries.”
As he spoke, he took out the contents of the medicine box and carefully
wiped off the wounds, applied medicine, and wrapped the medicine in gauze.
After doing all this, Shi Mei said: “Don’t go into the water anymore and
don’t make too much of a move. There’s poison on the vine and the wound
won’t heal easily. Also, extend your hand and let me take a pulse.”
Mo Ran stretched out his arm.
Shi Mei’s ten fingers were as white as soft jade. After patting his pulse for
a while, a trace of worry flashed across his eyes.
The expression disappeared in a flash, only to be seen by Mo Ran, “What
happened?”
Shi Mei came back to his senses and said: “Nothing.”
“Is the poison serious?”
Shi Mei shook his head. After hesitating for a while, he smiled at him:
“Just a little bit. Remember to rest up a bit, otherwise it will cause trouble.”
As he spoke, he lowered his head and packed the medicine box, saying, “I
still have some medicine to clean up. I’ll be leaving first, you guys can
continue chatting.”
The door closed behind him.
Xue Meng looked at the place where he had disappeared and slightly
frowned. “Why do I feel that his mood has not been very good recently? It’s
strange, as if there’s something on his mind.”
Mo Ran was not in a good mood. He said, “I think after my pulse
examination, you discovered that my time was up. Do you feel sad for me?”
“Pei pei pei, crow’s beak.” Xue Meng stared at him. “How can you curse
yourself like this? Besides, I’m telling you seriously, Shi Mei has been very
low these past few days.”
Mo Ran started to care. He stopped what he was doing and asked, “Is
there?”
“Yes. Let me tell you, he was in a daze quite a few times. I called out to
him two or three times before he reacted. “Do you think he could be…”
“What is it?”
“He fell in love with someone?”
Mo Ran: “…”
Shi Mei fell in love with someone? If it was eight years ago, when Xue
Meng had told him this, he would probably be able to stand up and curse.
However, at this moment, he felt a bit surprised. He wanted to find some
clues, but he realized that he had paid too little attention to Shi Mei. It was
actually impossible to find any traces of Shi Mei.
“Don’t ask me. I’m not the one he likes anyway.” As he spoke, he pulled up
his open robes and put them on. “Besides, it’s not like you care about the
feelings of others, what do you have to do with so much?”
Xue Meng was a bit embarrassed. With a red face, he coughed and said,
“How am I supposed to care!? I was just casually saying it!”
He stared furiously at Mo Ran, at the guy with the perfect figure dressing
himself, staring at him, and suddenly felt that something was not right.
After looking carefully once more, his gaze landed on the tightly muscled
chest and stopped —
Mo Ran did not care and said casually, “Why are you staring at me? Like
me?”
“…” Xue Meng did not utter a single word.
Mo Ran said with the tone of someone about to die, “Stop looking, it’s
impossible for the two of us.”
Only then did Xue Meng turn around with a pale face. He pretended to be
calm and said, “Pfft, what a beautiful idea.”
However, his heart was pounding — he saw a crimson red crystal pendant
hanging near Mo Ran’s neck. It looked extremely familiar, as if he had seen
an identical pendant somewhere. He could not recall what had happened, but
for some reason, goosebumps appeared all over his body and his mind
buzzed.
Where have I seen it before?
After Mo Ran had put on his clothes, he suddenly noticed that there were a
few stains of medicinal liquid on the table. He asked Xue Meng, “Do you
have a handkerchief?”
“Hmm?…Oh, yes.” Xue Meng came back to his senses, took out a piece
and gave it to him. “You still don’t remember taking one with you.”
“I’m not used to it.”
Xue Meng said with a straight face, “Last time, I said that Shizun would
give you a piece, but this is not how you brag.”
Mo Ran then remembered that he had begged him to give him a haitang
handkerchief. He didn’t know if he had forgotten or not, but he had never
given it to him. He couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed. He cleared his
throat and said, “I have been busy recently. Shizun isn’t free…”
“Even if he has free time, he won’t make it for you alone.” Xue Meng
sneered, “I definitely have a share. Maybe that person… Nangong Si also has
a share.”
When it came to Nangong Si, the already bad mood of Mo Ran turned
even more cloudy.
“Did you see him?”
“No, I’ll go and see what he does.” Xue Meng said. “He and Ye Wangxi
are staying next to that old fogey. I wish I could be thousands of miles away
from them.”
Mo Ran nodded. “It’s good over there. Although Jiang Xi has a bad temper
and has a lot of problems, he can still be considered a reasonable person. He
shouldn’t make things difficult for them.”
Xue Meng angrily snorted, “Him? If that b * stard can be reasonable, then
I’ll be able to have his surname. I won’t be called Xue Meng, I’ll just call him
Jiang Meng.”
Mo Ran: “…”
Xue Meng always had this ability. He was always making a ruckus and was
always making a fuss about nothing. But perhaps it was also because of his
clamor that Mo Ran felt the warmth in the room.
Only then did the terrifying nightmares of his past life slowly fade away.
Xue Meng said, “Speaking of which, it can’t be that Shizun really wants to
accept Nangong Si as his disciple, right?”
“Shizun definitely wouldn’t have wanted to do it in the past. But now,
neither you nor I can stop him.”
Xue Meng was stunned. “Why?”
Mo Ran sighed, “Let me ask you, previously, Li Wuxin was adoring and
revering Nangong. He is obviously an elder, but he has never dared to
contradict or contradict Nangong. Why?”
“Because his dad is powerful, the number one Sect Leader in the
cultivation world. Is there even a need to say that?”
“Very well, let me ask you this again. Why would someone like Huang
Xiaoyue, as well as those people who do not even know their names, dare to
bully him?”
“… Because of enmity?”
Mo Ran was speechless. He thought to himself, only Xue Meng could say
such words.
He suddenly felt very envious. Even though Xue Meng was already over
twenty years old, he sometimes still thought like a child — “being like a
child” was a very subtle description, because the most obvious characteristic
of a child was innocence, simplicity, bluntness, but at the same time it also
meant that a person had not grown up, was immature, and was reckless.
However, for Mo Ran, he felt that even after living for twenty years, his
eyes were still extremely clean. It was a miracle.
He looked at the miracle in front of him and said with a wry smile:
“Where did all these enmity come from?”
“The Rufeng Sect has revealed so many matters regarding the cultivation
world…”
“It was Xu Shuanglin who shook it. How much does it have to do with
Nangong Si?” Besides, aren’t those secrets that were revealed by Nangong Si
one of the most injured people there? He learned that his mother had been
killed by his father, and that he was not the perpetrator at all, but a victim.”
Xue Meng opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but Mo Ran
did not say anything and waited for him to say something. In the end, Xue
Meng just opened his mouth wide for a long time before bitterly closing it
again.
He didn’t know how to respond.
After a long while, he reluctantly asked, “Then what do you think it is?”
“First, to watch the show.” “With regards to the matter of the Rufeng Sect,
it’s too late for everyone to get excited just by looking at it. It’s much more
satisfying to bully a Young Master in distress than to bully a little beggar.”
This was the same as in his previous life, Xue Meng. When the young
phoenix was in a difficult situation, what kind of exclusion did he suffer?
Xue Meng did not know, but Mo Ran saw it clearly.
In order to not offend Emperor Taxian-Jun, no sect was willing to take him
in, and no sect was willing to cooperate with him. He had gone through all
sorts of hardships, begging all the leaders of all sizes to join hands and
overthrow Mo Ran before he did anything even more crazy.
It was the first year of Mo Ran’s accession to the throne.
Xue Meng ran for nine years and lobbied for nine years, but no one
listened to him. In the end, the only person who was willing to give him a
place to stay was Taxue Palace on Mount Kunlun, and the only person who
was willing to help him was Mei Hanxue.
Mo Ran rejoiced that the Xue Meng of his life would no longer need to
suffer such humiliation.
Xue Meng was completely oblivious, so he asked, “Then what about the
second item?”
“The second thing is to think that he is acting on behalf of the heavens.”
“What do you mean?”
“Do you know what our descendant, the Tianyin Pavilion, will do when it
comes to dealing with felons in the cultivation world?”
“Let’s make it public for now, let’s hang ourselves for three days and three
nights.” Xue Meng muttered, “Why are you asking me this? It’s not like you
haven’t seen it before. When you just arrived at Sisheng Peak, there was
already a felon who was sentenced to death. You saw it during the execution,
but you were really timid then. After reading it, you were so scared that you
had a fever. It lasted for four to five days before it subsided…”
Mo Ran smiled, and after a while he said, “There’s nothing I can do about
it. That was the first time I saw someone digging for spiritual cores.”
“What are you afraid of? It’s not like someone will dig up your Spiritual
Core.”
Mo Ran said, “The world is unpredictable.”
Xue Meng was a little taken aback. He lifted his hand to probe Mo Ran’s
forehead. “There’s no fever. Why are you saying such silly things?”
“I dreamt that someone’s sword would pierce my chest, and a few more
inches and my heart and spirit core would be destroyed.”
“…” Xue Meng was speechless. He waved his hand and said, “Forget it.
Although you are quite annoying, you are still my cousin. I will be the first
one to unceremoniously dig out your spirit core.”
Mo Ran then laughed. His pitch-black pupils could not see the bottom.
There was light, there was shadow, light and shadow, his thoughts were
endless.
Why did he mention the past about Xue Meng’s Tianyin Pavilion?
Perhaps Xue Meng hadn’t noticed it at all, but those faces had left a rich
and colorful reflection in the heart of Mo Ran back then.
He remembered it was a woman, in her twenties, very young.
Men, women, elders, children, cultivators, commoners, everything was
gathered in front of the plaza of the Tianyin Pavilion. All of them raised their
heads and looked at the woman on the platform who was bound by the three
magical artifacts, Immortal-Binding Ropes, Soul Locking Lock, and Demon
Subduing Chain.
“Isn’t this Madam Lin?”
“She’s only just married into a famous family, what crime did she commit?
She actually alarmed the Tianyin Pavilion…”
“Don’t you know? She was the one who set the fire in the Zhao Family!
She killed her husband!”
“Ahh…” When the surrounding people heard this, they all sucked in a
breath of cold air. Someone asked, “Why is she so frustrated? I hear her
husband is very nice to her.”
Whispering amongst themselves, the Tianyin Pavilion’s master leisurely
walked onto the platform. He first greeted the audience with the sect scroll
and then unhurriedly opened the sect scroll to read out the crime of this
woman surnamed Lin.
The offense list was very long, and he read it for less than an hour.
In other words, this woman surnamed Lin was not the young miss of the
Zhao family that was going to marry him. She was just a substitute, a puppet
wearing a human mask. Her real purpose in approaching Young Master Zhao
was to commit murder for personal grievances. The lady who was originally
going to marry into the Zhao Family had long become Miss Lin’s target.
“What a great show, a leopard exchanging for a crown prince.” In the end,
the Tianyin Pavilion master commented righteously, “However, the Heaven’s
Net is always the same. Miss Lin, it is time for you to tear off your mask and
let everyone have a good look at your original appearance.”
The human skin mask was torn off in public and thrown to the ground like
a snake’s skin.
Under the messy hair of the woman on the stage, another pale and
flirtatious face could be seen. The disciples of the Tianyin Pavilion stroked
their chins, showing her off to them.
The audience immediately burst into an uproar. Someone shouted, “What a
vicious woman!”
“Killing an innocent young miss and causing the destruction of the Rong
family just because of her personal grudge?”
“Beat her to death!”
“Cut out her eyes!”
“Lingchi! Cut off her skin inch by inch!”
The crowd was made up of separate people, but in the end they grew the
same heads, like a slow, lackluster beast whose tail doesn’t grow, slobbering,
growling, and growling.
This ugly thing probably thought of itself as a auspicious beast. It could
represent the Azure Sun and the Moon, and it could represent the Emperor’s
afterlife. Standing in this world, it was fair and upright.
The screams became louder and louder as they scratched Mo Ran ears of
the youths. He was shocked by their anger, like a woman who had died in
vain, or a Young Master Zhao who had never lived in this world before, but
now they were all their own relatives, friends, sons, mistresses. They wished
that they could personally avenge their friends, family, and their sons, and
their mistresses, and that they could tear up that sinner with the surname Lin
alive.
Mo Ran blankly opened his eyes wide and said in a daze, “A conviction…
Isn’t it supposed to be decided by the Tianyin Pavilion?”
Xue Zhengyong then consoled him, “Don’t be afraid, Ran-er. It was
decided by the Tianyin Pavilion. Everyone just can’t stand watching it
happen. They were all speaking on the surface. In the end, the Tianyin
Pavilion would of course judge them according to the instructions of the
Divine Martial Realm. It will be fair, don’t worry.”
However, things did not go as Xue Zhengyong said. The crowd’s cheers
were getting more and more crazy and exaggerated.
“This bitch! Killing the innocent! How could he let her die so easily?
Pavilion master Mu! You are the Justice Division of the cultivation world, so
you must properly judge her, giving her ten times or even a hundred times the
pain! Let her have good results! and get what she deserve!”
“First, tear her mouth to pieces, pull out her teeth one by one, and cut her
tongue into countless pieces!”
“Spread mud on her! After it was dried, it was torn off, and a layer of skin
was attached to it! Now, if she were to pour chili concoction all over her
body, the pain would kill her! Kill her!”
The brothel’s bawd came to watch the commotion. He knocked on the
melon seeds and then giggled sweetly, “Aiya, tear off her clothes. Shouldn’t
this kind of person be naked? Put snakes in her groin, stuffed loaches in her
groin, and find a hundred men to take turns with her. That would be the right
thing to do.”
Were these people really angry because of their own righteousness?
When he was about to take Xue Zhengyong away from the grandstands,
there was a loud bang from the stage. No one knew where in the crowd, but
someone had thrown an detonator at the woman’s feet, which was against the
rules, but it was unknown if the people from the Tianyin Pavilion were able to
stop it in time or if they did not want to stop it at all. The detonator exploded
very quickly, causing the woman’s leg to explode into a mess of blood and
gore.
“Uncle!”
He was shaking too much, he was shaking too much…
“Alright!”
The crowd erupted into cheers and applause. The heroes were all clapping
their hands in glee.
“Well fought! Punishment for evil and good! Again!”
“Who threw it? Don’t throw things.” The Tianyin Pavilion disciples
shouted twice on the stage before they left with the crowd. All sorts of things
were thrown down on the stage, including vegetables, stones, eggs, knives,
and so on. Those people cast a barrier around themselves and stood to the
side to watch; as long as it didn’t immediately kill her, they wouldn’t stop her.
The Tianyin Pavilion had always been valiant, and would not go against the
masses.
As Mo Ran thought of this, he felt his heart stifled and didn’t want to think
about it anymore. He closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again.
“Just watch, Xue Meng.” If he insisted on not admitting that he was his
Shizun’s disciple, then he would completely lose his barrier in the cultivation
world. “When the trip to Mount Jiao is over, if they really did bring Nangong
Si to the Tianyin Pavilion for questioning, you will see exactly the same scene
as back then.”
Xue Meng said, “But that year when the Tianyin Pavilion interrogated
them, everyone was so angry because that woman had killed someone, so…”
“So with the knife in your hand, you can do whatever you want, right?” Mo
Ran’s mood turned increasingly heavier. There were still the latter half of the
sentence that he did not say out loud.
How many people in this world, by the banner of “justice”, are doing
malicious things, venting the resentment in their lives, the madness, the
shocking murderous intent in their chests, into such a place?
After finishing his tea, they chatted for a while. Seeing that the sun was
setting, Xue Meng left.
Mo Ran walked to the window and took out Zhenlong Chess that he had
stored in his sleeves. He stared at it for a moment, then exerted some strength
into his fingers and twisted them into ashes.
The wind had picked up, all the leaves were trembling, and so was the man
at the window. He slowly raised his hand to cover his face. He was almost
exhausted. After standing on the windowsill for a long time, he turned around
and left. He walked into the depths of the room and was engulfed by
darkness.
He sat in the dark room for a long time, thinking and thinking and thinking
and thinking until his whole body was broken and broken and he really didn’t
know what to do, and he felt that there were some things he should have said,
but they would have been even more disorderly and unmanageable.
What should he do?
He didn’t know…
The more he thought about it, the more unwilling he became. The more he
thought about it, the more confused he became.
He thought about the mastermind behind him.
He thought of the reverence and superstition the Tianyin Pavilion
possessed in the cultivation world.
He thought of the woman they interrogated, her legs mangled.
Mo Ran paced around the room like a trapped beast, like a lunatic. The
shadows of Taxian-Jun and Mo-zongshi appeared on his handsome face, one
after the other.
In the end, he could not hold it in any longer and stood up.
He pushed the door open and walked out.
It was late at night.
Just as Chu Wanning was about to fall asleep, he heard someone knocking
on the door. He opened the door and was stunned to see Mo Ran standing
outside.
“Why are you here?”
Mo Ran felt like he was going crazy. He was going to be driven mad by the
calamity that would descend at any moment. He summoned up his courage
and was about to open his mouth to explain all this nonsense. But when he
looked at Chu Wanning’s face, his courage was shattered into pieces, he
became a pile of mud, he became selfish and weak.
“… Shizun… I can’t sleep. Can I come in and take a seat?”
Chu Wanning stepped aside and Mo Ran entered the room, closing the
door behind him. Perhaps it was because his restless aura was too thick, so
thick that even if he didn’t say anything, Chu Wanning could feel the anxiety
in his heart. He asked, “Did something happen?”
Mo Ran didn’t say anything. He silently looked at him for a while, then
suddenly walked to the window and closed it with his hands.
“I…” The moment Mo Ran opened his mouth, his voice became hoarse
and fierce. Suddenly, his state of mind surged up, encouraging him to go
crazy. “I have something to tell you.”
“About Xu Shuanglin?”
Mo Ran shook his head, hesitated, nodded again, then shook his head
again.
The light from the lantern was reflected in his eyes, like snakes spitting out
their tongues, scarlet red tongues twisting and twisting. His expression was
too messy, and the light from his eyes was very sparse. Chu Wanning was
startled for a moment, then he raised his hand, wanting to touch his face.
But as soon as his fingertips touched his face, Mo Ran suddenly closed his
eyes. His eyelashes were trembling and his Adam’s apple was rolling as if he
had been stung by a scorpion. He turned around and mumbled, “I’m sorry.”
“…”
“Can you put out the lights?” Mo Ran said, “I can’t say it when I see you.”
Although Chu Wanning did not know what had happened, he had never
seen Mo Ran like this before. It made his hair stand on end, as if something
was about to fall and crush everyone below.
Chu Wanning did not say anything else and just stood there for a while
before nodding. Mo Ran walked over to the candlestick and stared at it for a
moment. Then, he raised his hand and extinguished the last bit of light.
The room was plunged into darkness.
However, Mo Ran had been staring at it for a long time. The shadow of a
candle flame was still flickering in front of his eyes. It changed from orange
yellow to colorful, from concrete to blurry.
He stood in place with his back facing Chu Wanning, but Chu Wanning
did not rush him and waited for him to speak.
208. Shizun, are you sure you want me to
hide under the bed?
Mo Ran tried to speak a few times, but all he could do was move his lips.
His temples were throbbing, his blood was flowing wildly, and he felt that his
blood was no longer hot, but cold, and icy.
As he struggled, even the tips of his fingers became a little cold.
“Shizun.”
“…”
“Actually… I…” He finally opened his mouth, and as soon as he opened it,
only three words came out before everything was thrown into chaos again.
Why did he say that?
That was all from his previous life. He had already killed himself at the
Wushan Palace. He had long since died. He was only carrying his memories
from his previous life… Why do you have to say it?
If he said it out loud, his conscience would be satisfied, but was this really
the right choice?
How great it was to be like this now, Xue Meng would smile at him, Chu
Wanning was his, his uncles and aunts were all alive, and so was Shi Mei…
Nothing is more important than to be a fugitive for the rest of your life, even
if you feel guilty for the rest of your life.
He did not want to destroy everything in front of him either.
But he felt that was what he should say.
Now, he was sure that the person behind the scenes must have experienced
a rebirth.
He was the only one who could give some pointers to everyone else, so that
they would all be prepared. This was his chance to atone for his sins. Perhaps
the heavens let him die once, but he still retained his memories for this very
moment. The reason was because at this very moment, there was someone
who could stand out and stop this storm.
Even at the cost of his life.
Mo Ran closed his eyes. He was trembling, and moisture could be seen
between his eyelashes.
He was not afraid of death. He had already died once, but there was
actually something more terrifying than death in this world. He had had
enough in his previous life, and that was why he chose to commit suicide in
order to escape from it. All these years, especially since his death in this life,
he had been running with all his might, trying to get rid of the invisible beast
behind him, but now he was forced to a dead end.
Its talons dangled from his throat.
People had left their families and were scolding them for generations.
He wouldn’t be able to escape… He wouldn’t be able to escape…
Mo Ran cried silently, but his tears flowed down onto the ground.
He suppressed the trembling in his voice and said, “I’m sorry. I… I don’t
know how to begin. Actually… I…”
Suddenly, a pair of strong yet well-proportioned arms surrounded him.
Mo Ran suddenly opened his eyes and realized that it was Chu Wanning
who had come over and hugged him from behind.
“If you don’t want to say it, then don’t say it.” Chu Wanning’s voice came
from his back, “Everyone has their own secrets… and they do things wrong.”
Mo Ran was stunned.
Chu Wanning understood.
He already understood… That’s right, how could Chu Wanning not see
through it? He had seen Mo Ran admit his mistake many times in fear,
sincerely, fakely, unwillingly, and sincerely.
Although he did not know what kind of mistake Mo Ran had committed,
he knew that Mo Ran must have wanted to confess something from the past,
something that he did not want to say.
“Shizun…”
“If it bothers you, if you want to tell me, then say it. I’m here. But if you
feel that it is very painful to say it out loud, then if you don’t open your
mouth, I won’t pursue the matter. I know you’ll never do the same thing
again.”
Mo Ran’s Heart felt like it was being stabbed by a knife.
He shook his head slightly. No.
It’s not as simple as you think. It’s not that simple…
I didn’t break a flower that I shouldn’t have broken. I killed people, bled to
death, and have ten thousand li of dried up bones. I destroyed half of the
cultivation world, I destroyed you.
He collapsed again.
I have destroyed you, Chu Wanning!
Why did you comfort an executioner. Why did you comfort the man who
stabbed himself in the heart, why did you ask me before you died to let
myself go?
Why didn’t you kill me back then?
He was trembling uncontrollably. Chu Wanning suddenly felt warm water
dripping onto the back of his hand. He murmured, “Mo Ran…”
“I want to say it.”
“Then tell me.”
Mo Ran was a mess. He shook his head and said, “I… I don’t know what to
say.”
His voice had been well controlled until now, when he finally choked up.
“Really… I really don’t know how to begin…”
“Then don’t say it.” Chu Wanning let go of him and turned him around. In
the dark night, he caressed his face, dodging Mo Ran. However, Chu
Wanning still resolutely touched him, grabbing his face. What was moist was
the tears that had flowed for a long time.
Chu Wanning said, “Don’t say anymore.”
“I…”
Suddenly, the fragrance of the haitangs came so close to him, Chu
Wanning kissed him. This seemed to be his first time taking the initiative to
kiss Mo Ran, raw and clumsy. He stuck close to his lips and bit by bit opened
his bitter mouth.
Chaos, uneasiness, madness.
Mo Ran didn’t know why, but perhaps love was like an escape from all
pain. After all, humans were similar to beasts. In intercourse, anything could
be thrown to the back of their minds. In this desire, only joy was real.
For the helpless.
For those in desperate straits, let them rest for a moment.
No one said anything more. They kissed until they came to a spot where
they could kiss. Chu Wanning could feel the desire of Mo Ran through his
clothes. He hesitated for a moment before reaching out to touch him, but Mo
Ran held his fingers tightly, turning them into ten interlaced fingers, “This is
enough.”
He held him in his arms. Only the person in front of him could suppress
his pain.
It could cleanse his soul.
“There’s no need to do anything else. This is sufficient…”
Chu Wanning raised his hand and caressed his face, feeling heartbroken for
no reason, “Why are you so silly.”
Mo Ran then grabbed his other hand, so both his hands were connected.
He pressed his forehead, “It would have been better if I had been that silly
earlier.”
Seeing that he was unable to persuade him, and didn’t know how to say
anything softer, he could only clumsily rub his cheeks, the tip of his nose and
finally lightly press against his lips.
When he was doing all this, even though his ears had turned red, he still
tried his best to appear very calm and at ease. He took the initiative to kiss
Mo Ran, to embrace him, to do things he was not used to doing in the past.
“Shizun…” Mo Ran dodged, but his breathing got heavier and heavier
from his kiss, “I don’t want it anymore… Don’t do that.”
“You’ve always been the one to do this.” Chu Wanning pulled his hand
away and put it around his neck, “Today you will listen to me.”
“Shizun…”
Chu Wanning looked at his watery eyes and patted the back of his head,
feeling relieved and gentle, “Be good.”
There were no lights, so they kissed and caressed against the wall, from
tenderness to intensity, from intensity to thirst, from thirst to death, full of
male lust and urgency.
“Shizun… Wanning…”
Mo Ran kept calling out his name, pitying, loving, demented, and guilty.
As long as Chu Wanning gave him even the slightest bit of love, it would
be the strongest love medicine in the world.
He finally stopped thinking about it. He pressed Chu Wanning against the
wall, fiercely kissing and rubbing him. In the end, both of them were gasping
for breath, their hearts pounding. He was in a frenzy, his eyes were red. Chu
Wanning frowned and said, “Lantern…”
“Isn’t it already gone?”
He continued to kiss him, kissing his earrings and neck. He heard Chu
Wanning whisper in his ear, “No, light it up…”
Mo Ran was stunned.
“I want to see you,” Chu Wanning said.
The lights lit up.
The darkness was gone.
Chu Wanning’s phoenix eyes were bright, clear, stubborn, and firm. His
face was covered with a layer of lust, as if there was a layer of frost on it.
However, his ears were red, filled with color.
He said, “I want to look at you.”
Mo Ran suddenly felt his heart ache so much that he was on the verge of
death. How could his dirty, battered and cold heart survive under such a
gaze?
He hugged him, kissed him, and pressed Chu Wanning’s hand against his
chest, where his heart was beating.
He said, “Remember this position.”
“…”
“If one day I am guilty of an unforgivable crime. Kill me, from here,” Mo
Ran muttered as he rubbed the tip of his nose against Chu Wanning’s nose.
Chu Wanning was shocked, he stared at him in disbelief, “Do you know
what you’re saying?”
Mo Ran smiled, which contained Mo-zongshi’s beauty and sincerity, as
well as the evil spirit and madness of Taxian-Jun.
“My spirit core was formed because of you, and my heart is yours. If one
day I have to die, both these things will belong to you, so that I can…”
He did not continue.
The shock and fear that had never appeared in Chu Wanning’s eyes made
him unable to continue speaking.
Mo Ran finally lowered his eyes and said with a wry smile, “I was just
teasing you. I just wanted to tell you.”
He hugged him tightly.
He didn’t know how many more opportunities he would get like this.
“Wanning…”
I love you, I want you, I can’t leave you.
There were many things that he wanted to tell him, but just like what had
happened in his previous life, he had no way to tell him.
Chu Wanning was still in a daze. He had no idea how much mistakes a
person had to make to be able to say such words.
But when Mo Ran kissed him, his consciousness fell apart in the chaos. He
wasn’t someone who had such poor mental fortitude, and perhaps this wasn’t
the fault of Mo Ran’s kiss. It was because he didn’t want to think too deeply
about it.
There was despair in passion, like a drop of boiling oil in a flame.
The entanglement later became primitive and crazy. Before he even
reached the bed, he had already taken off more than half of his clothes. Chu
Wanning was pressed down by Mo Ran on the bed.
His undergarments were quickly removed, Mo Ran buried himself in
kissing him, sucking on him, occasionally raising his eyes to look at Chu
Wanning who was lying under the light, slightly gasping for air with his head
raised.
How many times had they been stuck together like this?
Twice? Once?
He was about to go to Mount Jiao. Perhaps he could immediately meet the
person behind the scenes. If that person really used his Zhenlong chess piece,
then the only person who could quickly crack the formation would be him.
Then everything would come to an end.
However, while pestering him, he coaxed his Shizun and himself who was
on the verge of despair. He said that there would be many, many more
opportunities in the future.
They will always be together.
It was just like how, from night to day, he would bully him many times in
the course of a night, sleeping and entangling with each other in a posture
that was intertwined. At dawn, when the first rays of the morning sun shined,
he would wake up in his gentleness, make love in the daytime between the
beds, be filthy to the extreme, love to the extreme and reach the extreme.
Mo Ran held them together and stroked them and released them together.
Chu Wanning’s phoenix eyes were filled with desire and mist. As Mo Ran,
his mouth opened slightly to catch his breath, and his eyes gradually became
blurry.
While he was still engrossed in his thoughts, he suddenly heard a knock on
the door.
Chu Wanning snapped out of his daze, the color of his blood drained. Mo
Ran immediately covered his mouth, not allowing him to make a sound. The
room was quiet, but his other hand was still rolling around anxiously,
stimulating him and the person in his embrace.
Chu Wanning wanted to shake his head, but the power of Mo Ran was too
great. He could not move, and could only reveal a pair of phoenix eyes,
feeling comfortable, painful, and resentful.
“Shizun, are you there?”
Hearing that sound, Chu Wanning became angrier and angrier as he glared
at Mo Ran. He then lightly knocked on the bed.
Mo Ran swallowed his saliva, his Adam’s apple moved sexy, and his voice
was low and hoarse. “I know, Xue Meng.”
“Shizun?” After waiting for a while and seeing that no one agreed, Xue
Meng muttered, “Strange, the lights are obviously on… Shizun?”
From the looks of it, Mo Ran was not going to pay any attention to him.
He was still leaning on Chu Wanning, immersed in his love for him. It was
too dark in the room, he even mistook the angry look in Chu Wanning’s eyes
for a moist wave of emotion.
“Shizun?”
The disciple outside did not plan to leave, nor did the disciple on the bed
plan to stop. Chu Wanning was grind by the two of them, so he bit on Mo
Ran’s finger, causing it to hurt. Only then did he move his hand away, with a
trace of grievance in his eyes.
His voice was low, “You bit me so much…”
“Forget it.” Chu Wanning took a deep breath, glared at him, and said to the
door, “I’m already in bed, what’s the matter?”
“Ah, nothing, nothing.” Xue Meng said, “It’s me… I can’t sleep, but I have
something on my mind that I want to tell Shizun…”
His voice gradually grew softer, and one could almost imagine Phoenix’s
head drooping outside the door.
Chu Wanning: “…”
What was going on? How come one or two of them had something on their
minds tonight?
Chu Wanning was worried, he patted Mo Ran on his body and whispered,
“Get up, quickly get dressed.”
Mo Ran’s eyes opened wide, looking like a dog as he asked, “You want
him to come in?”
“His voice doesn’t sound right…”
“What about me?”
“…” Although Chu Wanning was embarrassed, he still said, “Put on your
clothes and hide under the bed.”
209. Shizun, isn’t it exciting?!
Mo Ran also choked. Xue Meng was really powerful. After such a ruckus,
how could he not talk about the haze from his previous life? His mind was
filled with rage and resentment.
He could not understand why Xue Meng would come to talk to Chu
Wanning at this time – was he that free?
However, he could not force Chu Wanning, so he pushed himself up and
looked under the bed, then stood up and kissed him, saying, “No.”
“You…”
“Don’t be angry, it’s not like I’m not going to listen to you. But the bed is
too low for me to go in.”
Chu Wanning: “…”
“There is no wardrobe in this room, and there is only one window facing
the door. I have nowhere else to go, so just let him go.”
Chu Wanning thought about it and agreed, “Whatever it is, we can talk
about it tomorrow. I’m about to go to sleep.”
“Just sit down for a while, okay?” Xue Meng’s voice was aggrieved and
moist, and seemed to have a faint voice. “Shizun, my mind is really a little
messy. There are some things that I want to ask you directly.”
“…”
“Otherwise I won’t be able to sleep until tomorrow.”
Mo Ran was extremely annoyed by his soft pleading. He also wanted to
know what exactly Xue Meng had to say tonight.
He stood up, looked around, and suddenly thought of a way. He whispered
to Chu Wanning, and Chu Wanning’s face immediately darkened by half,
“You… This is ridiculous.”
“Then let him go.”
Chu Wanning wanted to say something, but he stopped himself when he
heard the rustling sound of Xue Meng kicking leaves outside the door.
Thinking that it was very rare for Xue Meng to insist on pestering his like
this, Chu Wanning cursed under his breath. He pushed Mo Ran away and
said, “Next time… In addition, hide all the clothes on the ground and don’t
leak them out.”
Xue Meng waited outside for a while, but Chu Wanning did not agree.
Even though it was hard to bear, he still insisted on calling out, “Shizun?”
“… I heard it. Come in.”
The moment he entered, he frowned. This room seemed to have a faint,
indescribable smell, but it was too faint. He could not tell what exactly this
smell was. In short, he smelled somewhat familiar.
The thick curtain on his bed had been drawn down, covering the scene
inside. Hearing the sound of Xue Meng entering, he lifted up the curtain and
revealed a drowsy sleeping face. His eyes were half closed, as if he had just
woken up and were still sleepy.
Xue Meng was slightly embarrassed as he mumbled, “Shizun, I’m sorry to
disturb your sleep.”
“No problem, sit down.”
Xue Meng sat at the table.
Chu Wanning asked, “What do you want to tell me?”
“I…” Xue Meng seemed very conflicted. After he went back home, he
thought about it carefully and suddenly remembered why the necklace on Mo
Ran’s neck looked so familiar. On his way to the Rufeng Gate, Mo Ran had
bought one for Chu Wanning.
At that time, Mo Ran had personally told him that it was the last one.
The more he thought about it, the weirder it felt and the more uneasy he
became. He was someone who could not hide his thoughts, wandering
between words and suffering. In the end, he couldn’t hold it in anymore and
came to this place.
However, facing Chu Wanning’s gaze, Xue Meng hesitated. He really did
not know how to express his doubt.
After brewing for a long time, Xue Meng finally said in a muffled voice,
“Shizun, do you feel that Mo Ran… Is he a little weird?”
Upon hearing these words, both Chu Wanning and Mo Ran’s heart skipped
a beat.
Chu Wanning’s expression did not change as he asked, “…What’s wrong?”
“Did Shizun not feel it?” It was difficult for Xue Meng to say anything.
After hesitating for a while, he finally threw caution to the wind and bit the
bullet, “I feel like he is… Uh… he’s particularly interested in pleasing
Shizun.”
Xue Meng naturally did not dare to say “in pursuit of Shizun”, but he stole
a glance at Chu Wanning, his eyes were full of worry and fear.
Chu Wanning said, “… Why do you say that?”
“Actually, today I…” It was hard to get down from the tiger’s back, so Xue
Meng braced himself and said, “Today… I saw something on his neck.”
Mo Ran, who was hidden behind the bed curtains, was startled. He raised
his hand to touch the crystal pendant hanging around his neck, and his
expression slightly changed.
Chu Wanning didn’t have time to react when Xue Meng saw something.
He just frowned and looked at him, waiting for him to continue. He waited
for a while and before Xue Meng could say anything, a big, warm hand
touched his leg.
The color in Chu Wanning’s eyes suddenly changed. He thought that Mo
Ran was going to do something ridiculous, so he took advantage of Xue
Meng’s inattention and looked towards the depths of the bed which was
covered by the curtain. He saw Mo Ran pointing at his chain, using his mouth
to remind him.
Chu Wanning understood everything in an instant.
He thought for a moment and said, “Did you see the exact same chain as
me on Mo Ran?”
“No, no, no, I didn’t mean anything else!” Xue Meng was anxious and
embarrassed. He quickly waved his hand and said, “I just think it’s a little
strange, I…”
“It’s fine. I was the one who gave him that chain.”
“Ah, Shizun returned it to him?”
“If you don’t feel comfortable wearing it, you’ll return it.”
Xue Meng immediately let out a sigh of relief, his pale face finally had
some color to it. He smiled, “He already told me what happened. At that
time, he clearly told me that it was the last one. I thought he…”
He tossed and turned so many times that in the end, he simply slapped his
forehead and said dejectedly, “Shizun, pretend I didn’t say anything. My
mouth is so stupid I don’t know how to explain it. Ai, I am such a fool.”
Chu Wanning didn’t know how to lie, so he didn’t know how to answer
him. In fact, there were many things that went against one’s conscience. With
just a few casual words, he could completely forget about the relationship
between Mo Ran and himself. What Xue Meng had was just this one
sentence.
As long as Chu Wanning said “no”, even if the truth was out in front of
Xue Meng, he would still choose to believe in his Shizun. However, it was
this complete trust that made Chu Wanning unable to say anything, so he
could only silently watch Xue Meng deceived in front of him, scratching his
head and sighing.
He didn’t want to be too harsh with his words.
Looking at Xue Meng, he couldn’t stop apologizing. He couldn’t stop
saying that he was too stupid and had gone forward recklessly. Chu Wanning
suddenly felt pained and guilty. Although his expression did not change
much, it was still as calm as before. He said slowly, “Xue Meng…”
Xue Meng suddenly stopped talking, waiting for him to speak.
What should he say?
He couldn’t just say, “I’m sorry. I hope that you will not be disappointed
with me in the end, and that you will always be willing to acknowledge me as
your Shizun?” These words were too soft, too greasy, and too cruel.
What right did he have to ask Xue Meng to be willing to acknowledge him
no matter what happened? People would face separation, separation, growth
and transformation, just like bamboo shoots being pulled up high. Sooner or
later, the outer layer of bamboo shoot clothes would peel off, turning yellow
and turning into mud.
Xue Meng’s life still had many decades, and there weren’t many people
who could accompany another person through these decades. The past, the
old people, will become the snake slough, bamboo clothes.
Xue Meng, who was waiting left and right, could not wait for the next part.
He uneasily opened his round eyes and muttered, “Shizun?”
“Nothing.” Chu Wanning said flatly, “I felt that you were thinking too
much and wanted to ask Elder Tanlang for two bottles of Tapir Fragrance
dew.”
Xue Meng, “…”
“Anything else?”
Xue Meng thought for a moment, then said, “I do.”
“What?”
“Does Shizun really plan on taking Nangong Si in as a disciple?” Xue
Meng had been holding back this matter in his heart for a while. “Then, then
won’t he become my Eldest Senior Brother?”
“… You care about that?”
“Yes.” Xue Meng somewhat embarrassed rubbed the corner of his shirt. “I
was the first before. If you count him, then I…”
Seeing him like this, the haze in Chu Wanning’s heart lessened a bit, and
he couldn’t help but smile.
Xue Meng loved to act coquettishly with Madam Wang when he was
young, and after Mo Ran came, he also loved to play with Mo Ran in front of
his parents.
“There’s no difference, it’s all the same.”
“That’s no good. I don’t want him to be the eldest senior brother. Although
he was the first to be accepted, he was admitted by his Shizun the latest! I
don’t mind for him to enter the sect, but can you make him into the last
position to be a junior disciple or something?” Xue Meng was very serious
about this. “In the future, I will call him Nangong-shidi.”
“…As you wish.”
Xue Meng became even happier. Now that he was happy, he actually didn’t
want to leave anymore.
The more he waited on the bed, the more agitated he became. He thought
to himself, “Why is this guy still talking so much? Why isn’t he leaving?”
Xue Meng did not want to scram. Xue Meng said, “I also have something
that I want to ask Shizun.”
“Yes.” Chu Wanning, on the other hand, was indifferent. “Go ahead.”
Mo Ran: “…”
“It was Mo Ran who told me today that Shizun had promised to give him a
handkerchief…”
Chu Wanning asked, “About that… Yeah, but I haven’t done it yet. Do you
want it too?”
Xue Meng’s eyes immediately lit up. “Can I have one too?”
“I had intended to give each of you a side.” Chu Wanning said, “I was busy
all along, so I was delayed.”
Hearing this, Xue Meng was pleasantly surprised, while Mo Ran was
completely stunned.
No… He wasn’t the only one?
Mo Ran felt wronged at that moment. However, Chu Wanning had his face
turned to the side as he chatted with Xue Meng. He didn’t notice Mo Ran’s
unsettled expression at all.
The more Mo Ran thought about it, the more upset he felt. Even though he
knew there was nothing between the two of them, he still felt a lot of
unhappiness in his heart.
“Pollia is difficult to sew. If you want a pollia pattern, I’ll go ask Madam
Wang later.”
“Hard to sew?” Xue Meng was stunned for a moment. “Then it won’t be
troublesome. It’s good enough to hurt Shizun. What is Shizun good at
sewing?”
“… Actually, I’m not very good at all kinds of flower and bird ornaments.”
Chu Wanning felt a little awkward. He coughed lightly and said, “The best
way to sew something is through the Great Perception Scripture.”
“?”
Chu Wanning said, “When I was young, I was at the Wubei Temple, I…
Huaizui taught me. I…”
He hadn’t even finished speaking when his brows suddenly knit together.
His expression changed slightly as he suddenly pursed his lips.
Xue Meng was stunned. “Shizun, what’s wrong?”
“…” Chu Wanning seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying,
“Nothing, is there anything else?”
“Yeah, there’s one more, but I forgot it all of a sudden. Let me think…”
Xue Meng lowered his head and thought again. After he lowered his eyes,
Chu Wanning gasped for breath, unable to hold it in anymore. He glared at
the person in the depths of the bed with fury in his eyes.
Mo Ran’s original intention was for Chu Wanning to rush Xue Meng to
leave as soon as possible, but as he looked back, the corner of his eyes turned
red and he could not resist. Suddenly, a fire started burning in his heart.
He was a possessive person who was very barbaric and primitive in a
certain aspect. The only reason he restrained himself was because he loved
Chu Wanning too much, and felt too guilty. The love and guilt were like
shackles around his neck, preventing him from doing anything excessive on
his bed.
But at this moment, the shackles on his neck were broken off due to
frustration and jealousy. His moist black eyes silently and dangerously stared
at Chu Wanning for a while, then he suddenly did something rash.
He bent over and crawled into the blanket at a distance away from Xue
Meng’s sight. Then, he climbed up along Chu Wanning’s long and sturdy legs.
It was dark all around, and the bedclothes blotted out all the light, making
the senses all the more irritating. He could clearly feel that Chu Wanning was
trembling slightly. Suddenly, he stopped his shoulders with his hands. His
fingers were burning hot as he grabbed his sturdy shoulders and pushed him
to the side.
This was the only thing Chu Wanning could do to stop him from getting
out of bed.
On the contrary, Mo Ran had the desire to tear him apart.
Xue Meng was still talking, but whatever he said was not important. Mo
Ran only listened absentmindedly, and when he heard him say, “It doesn’t
matter what Shizun is working on, I’ll like it”. Mo Ran became even more
furious. His breath was already at the sensitive point of Chu Wanning, he
knew where his pitiful desire was, but he did not touch it.
He leaned over his face and his eyelashes moved. He kissed the skin on the
inside of Chu Wanning’s thigh, sucking and licking, leaving traces of kiss
marks that were destined to fade eventually.
Chu Wanning trembled even more. He must be regretting his decision to
leave Mo Ran behind. His fingernails dug deep into Mo Ran shoulder, but
they couldn’t stop the madman.
“Shizun, are you listening?”
“Hmm…”
Mo Ran was waiting. His lips were lingering near Chu Wanning’s desire,
his hot and humid breath stalking the other’s dick. He was waiting for a crazy
and exciting opportunity.
Xue Meng asked about something that didn’t matter to him, and Mo Ran
didn’t mind so he didn’t hear it clearly. However, Chu Wanning had to answer
him. The instant he opened his mouth, Mo Ran moved closer to him under
the blanket, almost greedily sucking him in.
“…!”
Chu Wanning was tightened in an instant. His Adam’s apple moved, his
fingers had grabbed onto Mo Ran’s flesh, but Mo Ran did not care. He was
excited by Chu Wanning’s reaction, excited by the feelings they shared in the
dark. He knew Chu Wanning was patient, and even if he pulled his pants
down and went inside, he would not make a sound, so Mo Ran did not care.
Of course, he also knows that although Chu Wanning was reluctant, his
pleasure was real, his dick was hard and hot, the full and round tip was right
against his throat. It wasn’t a pleasant taste, but when he took it this deep, he
sucked sweetly.
Chu Wanning was deeply stimulated. However, he could still answer Xue
Meng’s questions with patience and repression. His concentration, whether in
his life or in his previous life, was equally amazing.
He could actually suppress it very well, his voice was a only a little deeper
than usual, and his speech a little slower. As for the rest, if it wasn’t for the
fact that Mo Ran was currently on his bed, it would be simply impossible to
believe that this man was enjoying such extreme joy and excitement.
In the end, Xue Meng nodded and said, “I understand.”
“If you know, then go back quickly.” Chu Wanning said, “Don’t let your
imagination run wild, it’s not too late.”
Xue Meng stood up and said, “Then Shizun, I’m leaving… Right, should i
turn off the lights for Shizun?”
“… Alright.”
Coincidentally, it was a deep throat, so Chu Wanning opened his mouth
slightly but did not let out a sound. But he frowned, his eyelashes trembling,
his face slightly flushed.
Xue Meng hesitated. “Shizun, are you having a fever?”
“… No.”
“But why is your face a little red?” Worried, Xue Meng didn’t think too
much about it. He raised his hand to probe Chu Wanning’s forehead as he got
up.
This was something Chu Wanning had never expected. On one hand, he
was forced to do this sort of thing with Mo Ran, and on the other, his
forehead was touched by an unaware disciple. Xue Meng’s gaze was filled
with concern, but underneath the bed, he was sucked by Mo Ran, the warm
mouth was wrapped around him, imitating the action of penetration. The
pleasure was almost extinguished and the sense of humiliation almost
drowned him. He had to use every bone and inch of flesh to restrain himself
from letting out a gasp and a groan.
“It’s not that hot either…” Xue Meng muttered, “Shizun, do you feel
uncomfortable anywhere?”
Mo Ran thought, uncomfortable? How can he not feel good? Your Shizun is
probably going to die from the pleasure. It’s you who is standing here, I could
let him feel even better.
While his heart was heavy with gloom, Chu Wanning finally sent Xue
Meng away. Xue Meng was very diligent. He extinguished the lamp for his
Shizun and bid him farewell before walking out.
Hearing the sound of the door closing, Chu Wanning went mad with anger.
He threw aside the quilt that had been wrapped around his black hair and
forced his to come over. Then, he slapped him lightly in the face and scolded
in the dark in a low voice, “You bastard…Ugh!”
Mo Ran responded to his urgent gasps, his blurred black eyes. Most men
were beasts in front of desire, and when they went to bed with someone they
loved, they were beasts who had taken sexual medicine. Mo Ran felt no pain
from being hit by him, and instead grabbed his hand and pressed it to the bed,
then tore at his last clothes. Both of them could not help but groan as their
skin and skin came into contact.
Mo Ran didn’t say much, and his eyes looked somewhat crazy. His lower
body was hard to the point it hurt, and his horrible tip was permeated with
crystal liquid. He rubbed himself against Chu Wanning’s belly drunkenly. The
foul liquid made it wet and sticky.
Only then did he bully Chu Wanning as much as he wanted to when he was
under the blanket, the fire burned in him just as strongly. Only then did Chu
Wanning stop holding himself back from moaning and let out a sound. Only
then did Mo Ran stop holding back from letting himself lift Chu Wanning’s
legs and insert his cock inside him.
His muscles were tense, he kissed him fiercely, he rubbed around without
thinking. He just wanted to be inside him, he wanted to burn his heart. His
primitive nature drove him to get inside, he wanted to conquer him
thoroughly, tear him apart, make him bear him, accept him, huff him, be
done by him and become his man.
“Get up… Baobei, you get up…” He murmured, “Quick, I can’t stand it
any longer, my legs are tighter…”
While the last light of reason had not disappeared and Mo Ran kept
murmuring, he pulled Chu Wanning up and thrusted his hot sex between his
thighs as he did last time, striking fiercely and rubbing in.
He hit so hard that his chest was sweating and his eyes were bright with
lust.
He held Chu Wanning’s waist, and felt more desperate and dissatisfied
because of the itching of his boots, and he became more passionate. He didn’t
say too many dirty words, he just slammed into him hard and fast. His hot
cock rubbed against Chu Wanning’s, his pubic hair brushing against the top
of his thighs, heavy balls hitting his backside.
Chu Wanning was distracted by his bump, but his other hand was not
properly explored, holding the high tip in front of him, rubbing and moving.
“Ah…”
Mo Ran bit him on the shoulder and licked the mark left there. Then he
whispered, “Don’t shout, the walls here are not good, I’m afraid Xue Meng
didn’t go far.”
Chu Wanning didn’t say a word after that. His eyes were covered with mist.
He was pleasured by Mo Ran on the bed, and he was subjected to the vicious
impact of the knife edge repeatedly. The huge, tough and terrible thing came
in and out between his legs nonstop. He dared not imagine how it would feel
when it came inside. He trembled slightly…
In fact, Chu Wanning was tossed and came three times in the evening. In
the end, his consciousness was scattered. He remembered that he held the
man tightly, kissed and lingered, and felt heartache for no reason.
Chu Wanning kissed him, the gesture is still clumsy, but Mo Ran could not
withstand the stimulation. He let out a chaotic gasp: “Don’t touch me…”
Chu Wanning was shocked.
Not touch him?
Who induced him?
It was funny and helpless. Chu Wanning said, “Then I can’t do anything but
leave it to you?”
Mo Ran came over and kissed his ears. “Just let me do it.”
There was still a tinge of bitterness in his tone, and under his nose, a storm
was brewing. The room was very dark, but Chu Wanning raised his eyes and
clearly saw the constraint of Mo Ran’s burning eyes.
He didn’t know what to make of it. Chu Wanning suddenly had a fever in
his brain. Before Mo Ran could react, he turned over and sat on his solid
waist, holding Mo Ran’s hands and looking down at him.
Mo Ran was slightly startled: “Shizun, you…”
Chu Wanning did not say a word, phoenix eyes bright, earlobes burning
red: “Today I told you to listen to me, I have no intention of repeating this
sentence.”
Then he slowly rose and lowered down. Mo Ran watched his movements
closely. His scalp was numb and his blood was rushing around his body. He
said, “don’t mess around. If you… You won’t be able to make it tomorrow.”
But Chu Wanning pretended to be deaf. When this person is stubborn, he
really does his own thing, without taking other people’s words in mind.
On the one hand, he longed very much for Chu Wanning to ride on his
own initiative and sit on it. On the other hand, he was very unwilling for him
to do such a thing at this time. He knew that once he went in and endured it
for so long, it would never be possible to quit just once.
In fact, looking back, on his last life, either day and night lingering, has he
ever been able to withstand doing it only once? On the craziest night, the
night he gave Chu Wanning aphrodisiacs, he tortured the man who kept
moaning all night almost nonstop.
He didn’t come until the end, but he wasn’t satisfied and refused to quit, so
he stuffed himself into Chu Wanning’s inner walls, which were wet and
contracted.——
He was grinding with his legs, his lips and tongue lingering, he inserted
himself within him, and spoke in his ear a blush of heartbeat.
“Are you happy?”
“Shizun, you’re still sucking me down here.”
“Have you satisfied yourself with all that ejaculation?” At that time, he
even forced Chu Wanning to bow his head to see where they were connected.
Then he extended his hand gently to touch Chu Wanning’s tight lower
abdomen and said slowly and hoarsely, “You have all my semen in your
stomach. What should you do?”
He spoke those absurd words, his eyes full of lust, the breath of beasts.
“Will the shizun be pregnant with this one’s child? Hmm?”
He got hard inside again, and the sticky liquid he had released many times
before seeped out from the entrance where they were connected because of
this action.
The drug was still in effect. Mo Ran looked at the man in his arms, on his
shivering sour and soft, gently humming, and his eyes couldn’t help but look
darker. In the end, it was unbearable. He began to play tricks on him one by
one to please him.
At that time, he could not help but detest being emperor of the mortal
world.
His desire for Chu Wanning has always been so strong that he only wanted
to find a room to lock him up, do nothing every day, see no one, only
concentrate on making love with Chu Wanning. Let Wanning be fucked by
lying on his front, pressed against the wall and fucked by him, lying on the
bed, spreading his long legs and fucked by him, or riding on top of
him,repeatedly thrusting inside him.
It was good to see that Chu Wanning was fucked into murmuring aphasia,
crying and begging for mercy, and climaxing uncontrollably, his genitals
covered with their fluids. It was good not to come out of Chu Wanning’s body
at all in this life. That’s the ultimate joy in the world.
Mo Ran knows his heart’s lava-like animal desire. His throat was gathering
saliva and his black eyes kept staring at Chu Wanning. It was a warning and a
plea: “Shizun, don’t do this…”
“Then I’ll do something else.” Chu Wanning’s cheeks were hot, but his eyes
were stubborn.
Before Mo Ran had the time to think about what else he said, he bent
down and buried himself with him. He moved very fast. He did not give Mo
Ran the chance to refuse, nor did he give himself time to hesitate.
He held Mo Ran’s burning, ferocious cock.
“Ah…”
Mo Ran’s abdomen was tense and his spine was lightning-stricken. He
closed his eyes instinctively from pleasure, and then threaded his fingers into
Chu Wanning’s long hair curtain. His big, well-knit hands held the back of
Chu Wanning’s head tightly, and his muscular chest fluctuated violently.
“Wanning…”
Tears oozed from the corners of his eyes. Was it pleasure or gratitude?
Was it pain or pleasure?
It was not clear anymore.
His cock is uncontrollably swollen in the hands the beloved, and his
muscles are distinct, making him extremely brutal and aggressive.
Chu Wanning could not accommodate such a big thing at all, but he still
imitated what Mo Ran did to him, licking on the tip. Shame made him
tremble all over, but love made his chest warm again. He tried his best to take
the thick length inside, but after taking half the length it had already hit the
back of his throat. The faint smell and stinging almost made him retch.
Mo Ran was so distressed that he hurriedly said to Chu Wanning, “Baobei,
no need, just…”
Before he had finished, he could not help groaning.
Because Chu Wanning was stubborn and refused to admit defeat, even in
bed, he started to move, began to suck… Mo Ran was not inexperienced
before, and it was even more so when he was Taxian-Jun. Those men and
women had various tricks to serve him. They waited on him on all sort of
ways but he didn’t feel tempted by them easily.
But Chu Wanning getting down on his knees, lying between his hips,
kissing him, suckling him.
Before his eyes it was dull and darkness, now suddenly it was brilliantly
colorful.
And it was the most exciting thing for him.
Mo Ran uncontrollably tilted his head back slightly and gasped in a low
voice. His slender and symmetrical arms could not help touching Chu
Wanning’s long hair, making a sexy and blazing muffled groan.
His Wanning, his shizun…
Yuheng Beidou Xianzun.
The most beautiful man in the world…
Someone as innocent as Chu Wanning was willing to do such a thing for
him.
No aphrodisiacs, no coercion.
It’s all by his own will…
Mo Ran’s eyes were moist and his dark eyelashes trembled slightly.
It was a wish of the Sui Dynasty.
Chu Wanning’s skill wasn’t good, his technique wasn’t good, and
sometimes even his teeth didn’t pay attention to him, but he almost
uncontrollably surrendered to Chu Wanning’s stimulation. At last, when
came, there were tears in the corners of his eyes.
He held Chu Wanning in his arms and kissed him. He only felt so
heartbroken, but it’s so warm and painful.
“Wanning…” Over and over he whispered in his ear, “Wanning…”
Chu Wanning looked at him with a moist black phoenix glance because of
his desire, then drooped his eyelashes because of shame. After a while, he
asked in a husky voice, “Did you like it?”
A word of tenderness, into the flesh and blood.
The pain was especially deep.
Mo Ran hugged him tightly and said slowly, “I liked it.”
Chu Wanning’s ear became more and more red, he got approval, and no
longer spoke.
Mo Ran couldn’t help himself and stroked his hair. He whispered, “Just
like you… I love you the most… Wanning.”
No one in the world is better than you.
Nobody but you can touch my heart any more.
Shizun.
I love you so much.
210. Shizun’s handkerchief can only be
given to me
In the middle of the night, Chu Wanning woke up from a shallow dream.
Mo Ran had gotten out of bed, and his clothes were all properly dressed. He
was sitting at his desk, lighting a single lamp and looking down at a pile of
objects.
All the uneasiness and helplessness from before was replaced by the faint
afterglow of the lamp. Chu Wanning looked at him lazily for a while and then
said, “What are you doing?”
“Shizun is awake? Is the light too bright…”
“No.” Chu Wanning asked again, “What are you doing?”
Mo Ran pursed his lips and smiled embarrassedly.
Chu Wanning got up, put on his robe and walked barefoot to his side. He
leaned against the table and looked at him. It turned out that the handkerchief
on the table was his own. Mo Ran took the other three plain white
handkerchief and was sewing at the ornaments on it.
“You’re embroidering a handkerchief?”
“… I think that what Shizun has done, will be given to me alone.” Mo Ran
put down the needle and thread, put his arm around Chu Wanning’s waist,
leaned over and kissed his chest.
There was a scar on Chu Wanning’s heart.
Since Chu Wanning did not explain the origin of the scar, Mo Ran did not
ask further.
It was just that when they were touching, they would subconsciously and
often tenderly kiss here.
Mo Ran said, “I will just sew the other’s handkerchiefs. They don’t know
who did it anyway…” As he spoke, he picked up a piece of handkerchief that
he had already embroidered and asked with a smile, “Shizun, does the
needlepoint look similar to yours?”
Chu Wanning sighed, “You don’t even need to look to know it’s true.”
Why was this man so possessive?
Chu Wanning stroked Mo Ran’s hair, and Mo Ran smiled as he raised his
head to look at him.
The lamp was too dim. It burned so hard that it hurt his eyes. When he
lifted his eyes, there were traces of blood on them, but his face and smile
were both gentle and brilliant.
Chu Wanning asked, “Do you still want those that don’t exist?”
Mo Ran stared blankly for a moment and then softly said, “I don’t want
to.”
“Yes.” He said. “That’s good.”
“Let nature take its course…” This sentence seemed to be directed at him,
but also at Chu Wanning.
Let nature take its course.
Too few days like this.
He was no god. He was just a tiny duckweed in the endless red dust.
Everyone had their own selfish thoughts. They would give a person who was
about to die of thirst a cup of water, and then ask that person to voluntarily
pour out the cup of water. They would then choose to die of thirst — this was
too difficult, and almost no one in the world could do that.
Drink a little more of the sweet rain, he thought.
If he entered Purgatory again in the future, it wouldn’t hurt so much.
There is a clear past, enough to comfort a dry life.
On the second day, everyone gathered outside of the manor and left for
Mount Jiao together.
Palace Master Ma ordered his subordinates to prepare a strong steed for
each of them. In front of the black and gold saddle hung a Qiankun bag
embroidered with a cat design. Xue Meng sat on the horse’s back and picked
up the bag to take a look, immediately wrinkling his nose in disgust.
Suddenly, he heard someone beside him chuckling. “Palace Master Ma’s
taste is really terrible. Not only is there a big cat embroidered on the Qiankun
bag, but there’s also the word ‘horse’ embroidered on the back. Interesting.”
Xue Meng turned his head and saw Mei Hanxue riding on a tall white
horse, playing with the bag. He raised his light green eyes and looked at Xue
Meng with a smile that was not a smile. The droplet-shaped crystal hanging
between his forehead was exuding a warm luster. It swayed slightly, causing
his face to appear even more enchanting.
Xue Meng rolled his eyes and softly cursed, “Scum.”
The scum only smiled and squinted his eyes, not angry at all. Instead, he
said: “Looking at you today, Young Master Xue’s complexion is not too good.
Are you not full?”
“…”
“There’s a tinge of green in the eyes, and the Fate Palace is still dark. I
have some herbal ointment to calm the deities and help them sleep…”
“Mei Hanxue, are you very free?” After enduring for a while, Xue Meng
realized that he could not hold it in and turned around in anger. “The Taxue
Palace kicked you out of the sect? Why are you wandering around Sisheng
Peak?”
“My master told me to come here.” Mei Hanxue was still smiling. “Give
your father the concealed weapon he wanted yesterday.”
“Then hurry up and fuck off.”
Mei Hanxue actually did not get angry. He smiled and said, “En, I’m out of
here.”
“?”
The few times he saw him, he was either soft like a woman, or cold like a
stone. The last time he ran into him at the Rufeng Gate, he had beaten him
up, and today, he had changed to a good person’s face, “You hit my left
cheek, and I’ll also send my right face up.” Xue Meng couldn’t help but think
of this as he turned his horse around and stared at the extremely handsome
man on top of the horse.
“No, Mei Hanxue, I have no enmity with you, right?”
“Nope.”
“Then do I know you well?”
Mei Hanxue smiled. He didn’t answer him immediately, but his pale eyes
were filled with tiny bits of light. When the wind blew, his golden hair would
fall to the side. When the sun shined on it, it only served to soften the light.
Xue Meng didn’t really want to hear his answer. He frowned and said,
“Scram right after you send the concealed weapon. If you want to hook up
with someone from another sect, I don’t care. Don’t think of getting along
with me.”
“… Pfft.” Mei Hanxue couldn’t help but laugh out loud. However, his
hands immediately curled into fists. Covering his lips, he gave a light cough
and very interestingly sized up Xue Meng for a moment before saying,
“Okay.”
He took the reins, a silver bell tied to his white wrist, and the wind blew
and clanged.
Mei Hanxue smiled and cast a sidelong glance at him. “I’m leaving.”
Xue Meng stared at him. “Leaving so quickly? Do you want me to send
you off with firecrackers?”
Mei Hanxue really did leave. His horse’s hooves had taken two steps when
he suddenly remembered something. He turned his head and said, “Oh right,
there’s one more thing.”
Xue Meng did not want to hear it, but Xue Meng was curious, so he
snappily asked, “What?”
Mei Hanxue faintly smiled and pressed a slender white finger to his lips.
He spoke in a low voice, “You are really ruthless.”
Xue Meng’s face instantly turned green!
“You… You — you!” He was thoroughly disgusted. After a long time, he
still could not come out even half of the way. This was the order from the
Sect Leader at the front to assemble and prepare to leave. Mei Hanxue waved
at him with a smile and urged his horse to go further.
By the time Mo Ran rode his horse to Xue Meng’s side, Mei Hanxue had
already disappeared into the sea of people.
Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. “Did you eat something bad?”
“Owehh — don’t talk to me now, I’m so fucking early in the morning, and
I ate dog shit…”
Mo Ran: “… Although you are very hungry, no matter how hungry you
are, you shouldn’t eat dog shit…”
“Scram!” Xue Meng pushed Mo Ran’s chest away, pushing Mo Ran and
his horse away. He was simply angered to the point that he was about to
ascend to the heavens and reach the Second Nirvana Realm. He roared
towards the distance with a red face and a thick neck, “Ouch —! Bullshit!
You’re the fucking spicy one!”
After a period of clamor, thousands of people departed from the lone
mountain and headed in the direction of Mount Jiao. This scene was truly
rare. Normally, when everyone left the city, they would use the Imperial
Sword Technique. Even if a large group of people gathered, they would arrive
in an instant. It was rare for a group of cultivators to ride on horseback.
It was a good thing that on the first day many people had not ridden so
long, and it was not easy to bear it for a long time. Fortunately, Palace Master
Ma had everything in his Qiankun bag, such as refreshed pills, scented fans,
and even a few books made of silk with the prices and suitability of the new
products of the Valley of the Peach Blossom.
Xue Meng stared at the master of the horse farm, who was shouting in the
shade while he rested. The second richest man in the world was shouting with
all his might, “My lords, if you have any goods you want, just put them in the
booklet. When I return, I will return and deliver them to the mansion,
returning in seven days and exchanging them in fifteen days.
There were many people who had nothing to do, and Palace Master Ma
was definitely doing it on purpose. With such a huge Qiankun bag, there was
nothing else to look at but these booklets.
Even Xue Meng couldn’t help but draw a circle on the paper: “Young and
old, delicious, light tasting, good selection, greatly increased spiritual energy
— the Spirit Yan Yan Yan Nest Cake on the South Mountain.”
At last, he understood the method Mo Ran was referring to as “earning
money”.
After seven days of travelling, Palace Master Ma had made a huge profit,
causing everyone to feel a bit tired. On this evening, they finally arrived at the
mountain range of the Pan Long mountains.
“The dragon has a prideful backbone, I hope to see the Emperor.”
Xue Zhengyong looked at the huge boulder that stood in front of him and
recited the words on the boulder. He turned around and asked Nangong Si,
“Young Master Nangong, what do you mean by this?”
“The meaning is that we must walk on foot for the rest of the journey.
Moreover, from the moment we enter the mountain until the opening of the
Mount Jiao barrier, we must not speak dirty words or else we will be
punished.”
Since Nangong had warned them, the Sect Leaders immediately passed
down the message. Jiang Xi stood there unmoving, and it was Hua Binan who
had sent the message. Hua Binan waved his sleeves, and a ball of black smoke
surged out from his sleeves, and upon closer inspection, he realized that it was
not smoke, but hundreds of little flying insects, one by one, stopping at the
ears of the disciples of Lone Moon.
Xue Meng was extremely disgusted and said, “The Cold Scale Sacred
Hand is really abnormal, could it be that his entire body is filled with bugs?”
Then, he suddenly thought of something and turned to Shi Mei, “Speaking of
which, you’ve even gone to Rinling Island to study, but you haven’t had any
contact with Hua Binan, have you? Don’t try to play with bugs when the time
comes.
Shi Mei turned his head and smiled: “… The Young Lord is truly worried.”
At this time, the Sisheng Peak began to send out messages, the other sects
were more or less ready to show off their abilities.
“After entering the valley, do not use vulgarities! He couldn’t control
himself, so he used the Silencing Mantra to cover his mouth! Did you all hear
that?”
A loud and confident voice echoed through the forest, shaking the trees and
making the clouds tremble. The echoes lingered in the air —
“Did you hear that? Did you hear that? Have we arrived? “Is that so?”
All the cultivators were speechless.
211. Shizun, let’s enter Mount Jiao
Abandoning the horse and entering the mountain, he came out unscathed
on the first day. On the second night, when everyone was meditating and
resting, an accident occurred.
One of the cultivators went into the jungle in the middle of the night to
relieve himself. When he finished, he felt an itch in his leg. He looked down
and saw a huge poisonous mosquito sitting between his legs.
He was drinking blood and enjoying himself. That cultivator killed the bug
with a single slap, and in the end, he even chattered out of habit, “fuck your
mother, daring to bite your grandpa.”
In the end, as the sound of his voice faded, he heard strange sounds coming
from the surrounding trees. This cultivator was shocked and suddenly
remembered the words of Nangong Si in front of the mountain. He was so
scared that he did not even have the time to pull up his pants before he ran for
his life, shouting loudly, “Help!”
“Master! Help!”
It turned out that this person was a disciple of Jiangdong Hall who was
standing by Huang Xiaoyue’s side. He called out to his mother with a loud
voice, as if he was a giant boulder entering a lake.
It stirred a thousand ripples, and the people who were originally quietly
meditating all stood up one by one. They saw a Jiangdong Cultivator running
towards them from afar while urinating.
This person was bare-chested, shaking his head as he ran while crying.
Behind him were at least a hundred black skinned snakes, some of which
were already wrapped around his legs.
Huang Xiaoyue said in shock, “Disciple?”
“Don’t go over there!”
The disciple ran over while wailing, but more and more snakes climbed on
top of him. In the end, he fell to the ground and wailed, “Shizun! Shizun, save
me!”
Originally, Huang Xiaoyue was going to lend a helping hand, but Nangong
said, “This snake is made from the whiskers of a dragon. If you kill one
snake, he will kill another. The more you kill, the more you will kill. If Taoist
Huang is not afraid, then go and accept the challenge.”
When Huang Xiaoyue heard this, he immediately submitted and muttered,
“The bigger picture is important, the bigger picture is important.” He watched
helplessly as his disciple was engulfed by the tide like a black snake. That
person writhed and writhed in pain, and the snake tide had already
completely covered him, turning into a black mass of low hills. This mass of
low hills was denting at a speed visible to the naked eye, and when the tide
scattered, other than a pool of blood, not a single bone remained…
After this incident, no one spoke any more nonsense during the last day of
the journey.
Words cannot fail, this was a principle that everyone was well aware of.
Xue Zhengyong had even given himself and Xue Meng a Silencing Spell. It
was for no other reason but because the father and son duo usually talked too
freely. If they casually muttered a “dog thing”, they would become a food for
the snakes in the blink of an eye.
Finally, on the night of the third day, after passing through the mountains
of the Mount Jiao, they arrived at the tomb of the hero of the Rufeng Sect —
at the foot of Mount Jiao.
Mount Jiao’s barrier was different from Mount Huang. Flood Dragons were
detestable, so the barrier was transparent and one could clearly see the
scenery at the foot of the mountain from the outside without using any
obstructing techniques.
Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Xi asked, “Is this the burial ground
of the elites of the Rufeng Sect?”
The moonlight shone on Nangong’s face. After a moment of silence, he
said, “That’s right.”
Mount Jiao was created by a demonic dragon. After the first sect leader of
the Rufeng Sect subdued this dragon, he established a blood contract with it.
It turned it into a mountain to protect the spiritual soul and treasures of the
Rufeng Sect for generations, as well as the ancestral temple and ancestral hall.
This mountain, Nangong Si remembered, every winter solstice would come
here with his father to sweep the tomb. Previously, when he came here, he
could see a vast and endless stretch of white jade stone steps. The dark city
guards who were already waiting for him were guarding the two sides of the
mountain road.
“Welcome, Young Master.”
Rumbling sounds could still be heard as everyone fell to their knees. As he
walked up the mountain path, he would be able to see his father, who was
already preparing for the Rites of Sacrifice at the very top of the ancestral
hall.
“Young noble Nangong, it’s best to let go of the sad spring. The great battle
cannot be delayed, so you should open the barrier as soon as possible so that
we can enter. Demon Execution Squad.”
The person who spoke was Huang Xiaoyue.
During the golden age of the Rufeng Sect, even if this kind of person was
on a whim and gave him ten slaps without any reason, he would not dare to
retort.
Today, they could all brag and glare at him in front of his ancestral grave,
flaunting their might.
He had no choice but to endure.
He gritted his teeth in pain and tried his best to hold it in.
“All of you, step back a bit.” As he spoke, he arrived at the entrance by
himself.
On the left and right stood two tombstones made from Evil Spirit Stones.
Their toes alone were the size of a five-six year old child. Each of the two
deities held a magic tool in their hands, and their arms were wrapped around
the arm. Strangely, these deities were normally opened wide like leopards, but
their eyes were closed and they were frowning. They seemed to be somewhat
strange.
Without batting an eye, Nangong Si drew a spell on the Evil Spirit Stone
and said, “The seventh generation ancestor of the Rufeng Sect, Nangong Si,
pays his respects.”
“Rumble ~ ~ ~ ~”
The earth trembled.
Some of the less experienced people exclaimed, “He has opened his eyes!
That statue!”
Standing amongst the crowd, Mo Ran also raised his head to look.
If the situation had not been tense, he would have told the man: not the
statue, but the two statues.
One on the left and one on the right, the two Grave Gods both opened their
eyes. Their eyes were amber in color and their pupils were narrow like the
eyeballs of a snake.
The statue on the left slowly spoke out, his voice was like a loud bell,
buzzing loudly, “Nangong Si, do you remember it well, the Seven Edicts of
Rufeng Sect?”
Nangong Si said, “It is impossible for a gentleman like me to commit
crimes such as molesting.”
Behind him, Huang Xiaoyue sneered, “What you say sounds better than
what you’re singing.”
It was not only Huang Xiaoyue. Many people were muttering in their
hearts. These seven things could not be done. This was truly the greatest
mockery of the current Rufeng Sect.
The statue on the right opened its mouth as well. Its voice was distant, as if
it came from the past, “Nangong, there is a mirror hanging above, and below
it is the vast Yellow Springs.”
“I have no regrets.”
These two paragraphs were the questions and answers that he had
memorized since he was young. No matter who it was, as long as they
stepped into the Hero Tomb, they would have to go through these two
questions first and answer these two questions.
The reason why the ancestors of the Rufeng Sect had asked these two
questions was because they hoped that their descendants would be able to
remember the teachings of their ancestors and reflect on themselves when
they went up the mountain to pay their respects.
At this moment, Nangong couldn’t help but wonder if his father had ever
felt the slightest bit of emotion or guilt when he answered these two questions
by coming here every winter solstice to pay his respects.
He was truly going to answer this question one after another as if it were
the key to the key. He was going to use it as a body examination talisman to
open the Divine Seal of Mount Jiao. That would be it.
The barrier opened.
The two stone statues that were originally standing suddenly began to
vibrate slowly, changing their positions. In the end, one left and one right
knelt down.
“Master, please enter the mountain.”
Nangong had his back facing the crowd as he stood there for a while. No
one could see the expression on his face, not even Ye Wangxi.
Only Naobaijin whimpered in his quiver, and its white claws reached out
and clung to the edge of the quiver. “Meow, meow.”
“Come in.”
After saying those three simple words, he took the lead and stepped into
the Mount Jiao region.
Xue Zhengyong undid his Silencing Mantra and asked, “Do you still need
to be careful when you’re here?”
“No need.” Nangong Si said, “Caution is done in the vicinity of the
mountain range, but it is also done to prevent those who have ill intentions
towards the Rufeng Sect from entering the mountain. Now that the Flood
Dragon has determined that the person who has arrived should not be an
enemy, it will no longer use words.”
However, even though he said those words, many people still felt sad and
were unwilling to speak anymore. They could only silently follow Nangong Si
up the mountain. Every three hundred meters, there would be two totem
stones carved into the body. First it was male and female, then it was female
and mouse, then it was male and female, tiger and rabbit… From the middle
of the mountain, it was the burial ground for the Rufeng Sect’s heroes.
These heroes would go from the lowest to the highest in accordance with
the contributions they had made throughout their lives. They would rest at
Mount Jiao for a long time, one after the other.
The first place they came to was the lowest level, the Boneyard.
There was a white piece of jade about eight feet tall that was engraved with
the names of individuals. At the very top, there were four handwritten words,
“Soul of Loyalty”.
“I heard that the people buried here are the loyal servants of the Nangong
Family.” Xue Meng whispered to Mo Ran, “There’s always around a
thousand.”
What he said was right. This mountain region was densely packed with
graves, and there was no end in sight.
Shi Mei said worriedly: “What if all these thousands of servants get up?
The Nangong Family’s servants are not bad, I’m afraid that they will be able
to stall them for a while.”
Xue Meng hurriedly covered his mouth. “Shh, you’re crazy. Pah, pah, pah,
pah, don’t be a crow…”
Mo Ran gloomily said, “I’m afraid it really isn’t a jinx.”
“Hey, you dog, where are you going?”
Mo Ran did not pay any attention to Xue Meng. He directly left the group
and walked in front of a loyal soul tomb. He half knelt down and carefully
sized it up.
The Hero Tomb of the Rufeng Sect was different from an ordinary burial
ground. It did not have a tomb as it was made from a translucent jade coffin,
similar to the thick ice surface. Half of the coffin was buried underground
while the other half was exposed outside.
This kind of cold jade was similar to the coffin at the Sisheng Peak, the
Frosted Sky Hall. It could preserve the corpse without rotting away, just like
when one was alive. As a result, the surface of the jade coffin was covered
with a thick layer of dust. Mo Ran could only vaguely make out the outline of
the deceased person below, but his facial features could not be seen. From the
looks of it, he seemed to be a woman.
He stared at the woman for a while, then his gaze wandered around the
coffin —
He felt that there was something wrong with this coffin.
However, he did not know what exactly was wrong.
He looked around, and while no one was paying attention to him, he placed
his hand on the coffin surface, closed his eyes, and carefully probed around…
Suddenly, his palm trembled.
Mo Ran opened his eyes, his expression extremely ugly.
There was indeed an evil aura inside the coffin, but it was not thick enough.
The piece of jewelry was not inside… Could it be that he was wrong?
“Mo Ran!” Xue Meng and the others were already walking far away as
they yelled at him from afar.
Mo Ran muttered to himself, “Quick.”
His slender hands brushed the surface of the coffin inch by inch as he tried
to wipe off the thick dust on it. He wanted to see the woman’s face more
clearly if he couldn’t open the coffin.
He was wiping it when he caught a glimpse of a detail out of the corner of
his eye and stopped abruptly.
He knew what was wrong.
Ash.
There was something wrong with this coffin!
Besides the place he had just wiped, Mo Ran suddenly discovered that
there was another spot that was free of dust — on the side of the coffin, there
were four marks of varying lengths. He hesitated for a moment and then
extended his hand to compare them, only to discover that it was exactly the
place where a person climbed out from.
Mo Ran’s expression changed in shock. Just as he wanted to make
everyone stop their footsteps on the mountain, he suddenly felt a cold, wet air
in front of him.
He jerked his head up and caught a dead white face.
A woman in a shroud squatted behind the tombstone, staring at him.
Book III: Decisive Battle
212. [Mount Jiao] Founder of the sect
“Don’t go forward! Retreat! Retreat! Go to the foot of the mountain!”
With a sudden shout, everyone turned their heads and saw Mo Ran,
dressed in black, rushing towards them. Behind him, a female corpse was
chasing after him, letting out terrifying howls from its mouth.
Xue Zhengyong said in shock, “Mo Ran? Why… What’s going on?!”
“Step back! Go back!” Beneath his pitch black eyebrows, his gaze was like
a bayonet drawn from its scabbard. He called out to Nangong Si, “Nangong
Si! Drop the Soul-Resisting Stone in front of us!”
On the tombs of the loyal souls, there were tombs of the senior disciples of
the Rufeng Sect. In order to prevent future generations from intruding, a long
wall was built between the two tombs as a barrier.
He started to run with all his might, with Ye Wangxi following closely
behind him. However, before he could reach the Soul-Resisting Wall, he
suddenly stopped.
At the top of the mountain path, a group of people slowly walked down, all
of them were wearing green clothes and cranes, their silk ribbons fluttering.
At a glance, they looked just like a group of valiant and valiant disciples that
had just arrived.
But Nangong Si knew it was wrong.
Ye Wangxi was also clear about this.
There was a difference between these disciples of the Rufeng Sect and the
ones who they had been together with from morning to night. That was, each
of them had a green ribbon embroidered with the shadow of a crane
embroidered on their eyes.
It looked like an extremely small difference, but the people from the
Nangong family understood what it meant — a living person would never
wear this blindfolded ribbon. This was the funeral that the Rufeng Sect
disciples were given before they were buried. It meant that their eyes would
be covered by auspicious clouds, and they would be able to grow up
happily…
Those who went down the mountain were all dead people from the Rufeng
Sect!
Nangong Si took a step back and raised his hand to stop Ye Wangxi.
Without turning his head, he whispered, “You may leave.”
“…”
“Go down! Go tell Mo-zongshi that it’s too late.” Nangong Si took a deep
breath and spat out a quivering sentence, “All the high ranked disciples of the
Rufeng Sect have been exhumed and are now heading down the mountain.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll hold it off for a while, hurry up.” Mater Nangong Si turned his head to
the side and said to Ye Wangxi, “Let them try their best to retreat towards the
foot of the mountain. When they reach the foot of the mountain, ignite their
fumes and I will come down immediately.”
Ye Wangxi bit her lips. She knew very well that this matter had not yet
occurred and the last thing she could do was to untie her quiver, toss it to
Nangong Si, and say in a low voice, “Catch. You never remember to take
more.”
By the time he reached the side of the mountain, there was already a fierce
battle going on. The previously hidden corpses of the servants of the Rufeng
Sect were swarming out from the bushes and behind the rocks like locusts
from all possible hiding places, pouncing towards the enemy cultivators.
These corpses were all wearing burial coats and their entire bodies were pale
white. When mixed together with the various cultivators in different attires,
they looked like a snowstorm rolling over the land. From afar, it looked
extremely spectacular, but the price was simply too high.
Her foster father was like a crafty rabbit, leaving them with a peaceful
“tomb of loyalty”. In fact, he had already summoned the corpse of the corpse
inside the tomb and hid it in the darkness, just so that when they reached the
highest point, he could mobilize the “High Disciple Tomb” in front of them to
attack from the front and then attack from behind.
They were the fish in the net.
Ye Wangxi found Mo Ran in the free-for-all. “Mo-zongshi!”
Mo Ran was in the middle of fighting with the five corpses when he heard
Ye Wangxi’s voice. He raised his head abruptly and said anxiously, “What is
it?”
Before he could say anything, he saw Ye Wangxi’s face and knew the
answer.
Mo Ran cursed. At this moment, a zombie bit his arm, but he couldn’t get
rid of it. In his fury, he directly put his hand into the zombie’s mouth.
“Aooo!”
Black blood splattered everywhere. The zombie could no longer bite him.
It was hit in the chest with the back of its elbow and fell to the ground.
When he looked at Ye Wangxi once more, he couldn’t help but shiver.
However, she steadied herself and said, “A-Si told you to retreat as soon as
possible and wait for him at the foot of the mountain.”
Mo Ran nodded. Instantly, the sound amplifying technique spread
throughout the entire battle arena.
“Don’t keep fighting. Go to the foot of the mountain. All of you retreat to
the foot of the mountain.”
Huang Xiaoyue immediately became anxious, “We had originally prepared
to fight Xu Shuanglin to the death, but the scene in front of us is something
we had expected. How can we retreat now?”
He wanted to go to the top of the mountain with all his might to find the
treasure hidden in the Heavenly Palace of the Rufeng Sect. That was his own
business, he repeated in a stern voice, “Those that don’t want to die, go down
the mountain! Immediately! All of you, go down!”
Although the servants’ corpses were not powerful, they were not weak
commoners on Mount Huang. Furthermore, they numbered an astonishing
number and were not afraid of pain. One after another, servants rushed forth,
and by the time everyone retreated to the foot of the mountain, more than 10
cultivators had already died.
Huang Xiaoyue also retreated. He knew that with his own ability, it was
impossible for him to reach the peak by himself.
However, he blew his beard and sneered, “Mo-zongshi, that’s great. The
one who wanted to come to Mount Jiao was you, and the one who told us to
withdraw in the middle of the fight is also you? How about you take the lead
and we follow you out of the barrier?”
Even if he were to kill him, he would feel that his hands would be dirty. In
this lifetime, it was only because Mo Ran was no longer Taxian-Jun, and had
become a clean and upright Grandmaster that he could not be slapped in
public.
But Mo Ran could choose to ignore him completely.
Just as Huang Xiaoyue was about to say more, he suddenly saw a cloud of
smoke rise up in front of him. It was Nangong Si riding the re-transformed
demonic wolf, Naobaijin, and he rushed over like a gale, followed by a few
hundred high ranking disciples of the Rufeng Sect. Huang Xiaoyue looked
over and exclaimed: “Oh, that’s incredible! I’ve fallen into his trap!”
This old thing finally reacted. He knew that this was an ambush set up by
Xu Shuanglin, and it wasn’t too stupid after all.
However, the last part of Huang Xiaoyue’s words were, “Nangong Si! How
dare you! You actually gathered the remnants of the Rufeng Sect, and want to
fight against the other sects?”
Mo Ran: “…”
Nangong Si lowered himself above the demon wolf, running for the road.
Naobaijin was as fast as an arrow that had left the bowstring, leaving the
corpses chasing behind him further and further behind. At this moment,
Huang Xiaoyue realized that he had misunderstood him. However, he didn’t
feel the slightest bit of guilt. Instead, his eyes were wide open as he stared at
the zombies that were approaching them like a tide.
Nangong Si rushed into the crowd and jumped down from the demon wolf.
He stuffed the arrow quiver into Ye Wangxi’s arms and gasped, “There are
still some arrows left. I’ll return them to you first. Take everyone and retreat.”
When Ye Wangxi heard the first part of the sentence, she felt a little
relieved. However, the latter part made her suddenly raise her head and stare
into the face of Nangong Si. “What do you want to do?”
“A small matter.”
At the side, Huang Xiaoyue watched as the upper echelons of the Rufeng
Sect approached closer and closer. Seeing that he was about to fight with the
elites of the Rufeng Sect that was born a hundred years ago, he broke out into
a cold sweat and turned his head to scold, “Nangong Si! You’re a nuisance!
Like your father! Why did you lure these monsters to us? You want us to kill
the enemy for you?”
Seeing that Nangong Si did not look at him and did not utter a word,
Huang Xiaoyue became even more furious and said with a trembling voice,
“Alright, I finally know what your plan is now. You are afraid that if you do
not go up the mountain peak by yourself, you will not be able to obtain the
treasure that your father left for you. O Nangong! Such vicious thoughts!”
Seeing that his words were getting out of hand, Xue Zhengyong, who was
standing beside him, could not help but frown and say, “Alright, Taoist
Huang, stop talking.”
“Stop? Why should I stop?” Huang Xiaoyue did not even put the lower
cultivation world in his eyes. Normally, he would be a little more calm, taking
into account Xue Zhengyong’s face, but at this critical moment, how could he
still have any intentions of putting on an act? He pointed at Nangong Si and
scolded, “You really are the son of an evil creature, the heart of a tiger and
the wolf! You actually used such a famous hero to clear the barricade for you!
Where did you get your face from?”
Nangong Si was at a loss for words: “…”
Huang Xiaoyue was still not giving up, growling in anger, “People like you
should die to thank the heavens, but you actually escaped from the corpses,
and you even lured these beasts over to us, you…”
“Pah!”
An extremely resounding slap landed solidly on Huang Xiaoyue’s face.
The Noble Wind Ye Wangxi was still maintaining her position by slapping
Huang Xiaoyue on the face. She was slightly trembling, gasping for breath,
and her gaze was ruthless as she stared at the person in front of her.
“Bastard.” She said hoarsely.
“How can a man like you speak such foul language in front of the Hero
Tomb of the Rufeng Sect?!”
The crowd in the Jiangdong Hall drew their swords and pointed them at Ye
Wangxi. A middle-aged female cultivator sitting under Huang Xiaoyue raised
his eyebrows and shouted, “You are a man, not a woman, but a man! You
dare to make a move on an elder? You are the animal! You dog!”
She shouted and was about to rush over to take care of Ye Wangxi. Just as
Mo Ran was about to help, he suddenly heard the sound of a rattan whip
fiercely whipping away the air.
Chu Wanning walked out of the crowd, his hands held in the air as he
squinted his phoenix eyes.
With his back facing Ye Wangxi, he faced the east side of the river.
“I’ve said before.” He said, pausing after every word, “Nangong Si is my
disciple. Everyone, if you do not wish the Tianyin Pavilion to pass judgment
on him, then please bring anything you want to say to me first. No matter if it
comes to justice or to blows.”
He threw out the last phrase into dead silence.
“I’ll oblige to the end.”
The atmosphere was extremely tense.
Not only did he fail to advance to Jiangdong Hall, he failed to retreat as
well. Yet, he retreated and lost all face. He finally made it in… Would they
really be able to shake the Beidou Immortal? What’s more, should they have
formed a feud with Chu Wanning and become enemies from now on?
The corpses were still approaching, getting closer and closer…
Someone could not hold it in anymore and shouted loudly, “Stop fighting!
Let’s talk about it after we get out of here! Think of a way first! What should
I do!?”
“Fight?”
“Are we just going to fight like this? Then why did we retreat to the foot of
the mountain? What’s the difference between fighting on a mountain and
fighting on a mountain?”
Right, even Mo Ran couldn’t help but think, what’s the difference?
Even though he knew that Nangong Si’s actions were not without purpose,
as the last disciple of the Nangong Family, since Nangong Si wanted them to
retreat to the bottom of the mountain, he must have other plans in mind.
He couldn’t help but look at Nangong Si, who hadn’t said a word since the
beginning. However, he suddenly discovered that man’s eyes were flashing
with an indescribable light.
A light that made him shudder.
“Nangong!”
He shouted, but it was of no use. Nangong Si had been silently chanting a
forbidden spell ever since Huang Xiaoyue pointed at him and yelled at him.
He realized that it was already too late.
Countless vines burst out from the ground. Mo Ran, Ye Wangxi, Xue
Meng… Almost at the same time, everyone was caught by the vine and
thrown out of the boundary, out of the mountain range.
Ye Wangxi’s face changed in fright, “A-Si! What are you trying to do?!”
She wanted to charge in again, but Nangong Si raised his hand and swung
it fiercely. The two grave gods stood up with heavy steps, their bodies covered
in dust and stones, and they each lifted their left and right hands against each
other. In that instant, a new translucent barrier enveloped the entire mountain
entrance, blocking everyone’s path to the mountain.
Nangong Si stood alone in front of the barrier, facing the thousand over
corpse tide, his back facing the people behind the barrier.
He said: “Mount Jiao has rattan, is formed of dragon tendons, can pull
everything into the ground. But you can’t be inside. — As long as the
Nangong Family’s blood isn’t flowing through your bodies, once I use this
array, the Dragon Tendon Vine will drag everyone into the ground and bury
them alive, regardless of who they are.
Ye Wangxi was angered by grief and rage, she shouted angrily, “Honorable
Nangong! Do you know that you are alone!” She pounded her hammer but
could only call out to him from outside the enchantment: “Nangong!”
“Why is there only one person?” Nangong Si turned his face to the side and
said, “Don’t we still have you?”
“…”
Then, he seemed to have thought of something and grinned.
After the annihilation of the Rufeng Sect, that brilliant smile never
appeared on his face again. It was wild and unrestrained, as if years of high
spirits had returned to his face, and his eyes were bright and unrestrained.
It was the same situation as when he and Ye Wangxi first entered the
Mirage Realm. With his face turned sideways, he raised his sword and smiled
at her.
“However, you girls are truly useless. In the end, I will still have to protect
you.”
Finished speaking, he turned around and walked towards the rolling tide of
corpses.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
Stop.
Nangong kept his sword in the ground, opened the bandage on his hand
and slashed down fiercely along the sharp sword tip.
Blood flowed down along the bloody groove of the sword and flowed into
the moist earth of Mount Jiao.
He looked straight ahead without fear.
He did not know that at this moment, he was standing outside the barrier in
front of Mo Ran. His figure overlapped and overlapped with Ye Wangxi, who
had fought to the death in his previous life.
“Blood Sacrificing Azure Dragon, obtained tendons and bones. Open the
formation!”
Countless tree vines broke out from the ground that was already cracked,
and in a split-second, sand and mud began to fall. That tree vine was
completely different from the one that had bound them. It was a scarlet vine
without any leaves on it. It could even be said that the blood vessels rose up
from the ground one after another, instantly latching onto each and every
corpse under the control of the Exquisite Pagoda.
With just the power of a single person, over a thousand dragon tendons had
been pulled out and a huge amount of spirit energy had been consumed in an
instant. Beads of sweat seeped out of his forehead, and the hand holding the
sword trembled slightly.
“Immerse!”
His face was pale and trembling as he gave his final order.
The thousand dragon tendons began to pull the corpses down fiercely, but
the zombies obviously wouldn’t sit still and wait for their deaths. They all tried
their best to shout, roar, and struggle.
At this moment, Nangong Si was also working with his dragon tendon, so
he had to squeeze out more of his power to use more blood to sacrifice the
dragon tendon. He had to use more power to pull the corpses down.
Ankle, calf… thigh…
The zombies all over the mountains were howling, hissing and salivating.
Nangong gasped. Their legs. It was still their legs…
He could feel that his spiritual energy was almost exhausted, but he hadn’t
yet sunk those zombies into the ground. They were still furiously twisting
their bodies, using their hands to prop themselves up and try to break free.
More, to the waist. At least to the waist.
Only by doing this could they unravel the barrier and allow the people
outside to enter. This way, the zombies wouldn’t be able to break free and
turn the situation around in an instant.
At least…
A little more.
He exhausted his spirit energy and used up his spirit core.
Nangong Si only felt a dull pain in his heart. The spirit core that was prone
to cracking slightly trembled in his chest. He clenched his teeth, but blood
still flowed out from the corner of his lips.
A little more.
Back…
Very good, they were all extremely difficult to move, but they were still not
the most stable. The zombies’ strength was even greater than when they were
alive, and once buried here, they could still make a breakthrough.
A little more!
“Cough cough —!” He once again released the power of his spiritual core,
causing Nangong Si to feel a wave of dizziness. He could not hold on any
longer and knelt on the ground. He vomited a mouthful of blood, dripping
onto the black soil.
Nangong shakily raised his eyes. In the swaying shadow, he saw that the
corpses had been dragged deeper and deeper by the dragon tendon, almost
burying their chests.
The monsters were temporarily unable to move.
The corners of Nangong Si’s lips turned blood-red as he laughed.
He heard Ye Wangxi shouting outside, “Nangong Si! Enough! Open the
enchantment! Open the barrier!”
Xue Zhengyong was also shouting, “Open the enchantment, Nangong!
We’ll help you!”
“Nangong, quickly open the barrier! Open the enchantment!”
More and more people started shouting. In this world, not everyone was
heartless.
After the annihilation of the Rufeng Sect, he had not cried even after
suffering so many grievances, but at this moment, tears started to roll down
his face.
He choked with sobs and mumbled hoarsely, “… I know, it’s just… It
opened…”
He raised his trembling hand and prepared to remove the barrier that was
blocking the crowd. However, the ground suddenly shook and then began to
shake.
He was startled. Then he raised his head and looked at the scene before
him with an expression of disbelief.
The dragon tendons that had obeyed him just now and dragged the
zombies deep into the ground all of a sudden loosened, then wrapped around
the corpses’ chests and backs, pulling them out of the ground one by one…
“Impossible…” Nangong said blankly, “That’s impossible!”
How could Mount Jiao not listen to his master’s orders?
Even if Xu Shuanglin had given the order to the contrary, these dragon
tendons would not have been able to obey. To the Demon Dragon’s Evil Spirit
that was hibernating here, the Nangong Family’s descendants were all the
same.
If the two descendants of the Nangong clan gave the opposite order to the
Mount Jiao, then Mount Jiao would only stop what it was doing and not help
anyone, turning neutral.
Unless…
Nangong Si suddenly felt goosebumps all over his body. He thought of
someone.
This thought made him tremble all over, and the pain in his heart seemed
to be even more intense than before. He panted and slowly raised his head.
A tall and straight