24 Chapter 24: This Venerable One Declares a Cold War

For a moment, everyone was silent. The only sounds were Landlord Chen's sobs.

Shi Mei's head was lowered, his hand covering his cheek, but when he looked up at Chu Wanning, his gaze was earnest and sincere. "Shizun, please stop this. If you keep going, it'll be Sisheng Peak that bears the blame…"

Mo Ran's soul was about to fly out of his mouth. He might have been a reprobate, but he was a reprobate who was utterly devoted to Shi Mei. In this reborn life, he had sworn to himself to treat Shi Mei carefully and to protect him well, yet it had only been a couple of days and already Shi Mei had been injured and lashed. How could this be?!

He couldn't even be bothered to settle the score with Chu Wanning at present. Instead he hurried to Shi Mei's side to check the wound on his cheek.

"I'm okay…" Shi Mei said softly.

"Let me see anyway."

"It's really nothing."

Shi Mei tried to resist, but Mo Ran managed to pull away the hand covering his wound.

His pupils instantly contracted. It was a deep gash, raw and bloody, stretching all the way to his neck. Shi Mei's blood still ran from it.

Mo Ran saw red. He bit his lip and glared for a long time before whipping around to yell at Chu Wanning. "Are you quite done yet?!"

Chu Wanning, face dour, was silent. He did not apologize or approach, only stood there rooted to the same spot, holding Tianwen—though it remained dormant, no spiritual energy channeled into it.

Mo Ran felt like there were countless frenzied demons in his chest. Who could tolerate seeing their beloved person, who had died once in a past life, suffering time and again like this?

He and Chu Wanning stared each other down, neither backing down, neither giving in. Mo Ran's eyes began to grow bloodshot; he'd hated Chu Wanning for so many years that the hatred had seeped all the way into the marrow of his bones. Why was this person always in his way?!

Back when Mo Ran had first joined the sect, he had done something wrong and nearly been whipped to death by Chu Wanning. Later, when Shi Mei had been badly injured, even though he was one of only three disciples Chu Wanning had ever taken in his life, Chu Wanning had merely stood by without lifting a finger. Later still, after Shi Mei's death, after Sisheng Peak had been destroyed, Mo Weiyu had become the sole overlord of the cultivation world, and every person under the sun groveled before him.

Only Chu Wanning had stood against him, and he had done so at every turn, getting in his way left and right, stabbing him in the conscience—a constant reminder that no matter how mighty an emperor Taxian-jun became, underneath it all he was just a lunatic who had been abandoned by all those closest to him.

Chu Wanning. Chu Wanning… In life and in death, it was always him!

The two of them were still dressed in matching wedding robes, red and red, face-to-face, but it was as if the space between them was split by a gaping chasm.

Finally, Chu Wanning put Tianwen away.

Landlord Chen let out a massive sigh of relief and knelt in front of Shi Mei, kowtowing nonstop. "So kind, so kind. Xianjun is truly a living buddha, truly our savior. Thank you for saving my entire family, Xianjun. Thank you, Xianjun. Thank you, Xianjun."

It always ended like this.

Chu Wanning would be the one to take care of an evil spirit, but he would also be the one who dealt out vicious lashes thereafter. Chu Wanning did what he was supposed to, but also what he wasn't supposed to, and after everything, someone else would be the compassionate savior and he the villain. It had always been this way.

Chu Wanning knew that he was ill-tempered, so he was resigned to this. He didn't regret it either.

Of course he felt bad about having accidentally struck his own disciple, but he had a thin face and couldn't bring himself to go up and say some warm, gentle words. Instead he walked away and went to stand before the young daughter of the Chen family.

The little girl looked at him and subconsciously stepped back in fear, quivering.

Of the entire Chen family, she was the only one with any kindness. Chu Wanning softened his tone as he spoke. "Your mother suffered ghost possession, and her lifespan has been reduced by at least twenty years. If she doesn't repent and continues being immoral, she will be plagued by negative energy and die even sooner. When she wakes, tell her to handcraft a memorial tablet for Miss Luo using red peachwood and to clearly acknowledge her status from thereon. Luo Xianxian was Chen Bohuan's properly wedded wife; to fulfill her dying wish, the fact that your family has kept this hidden for years must also be made public."

He paused, then handed her a scripture book.

"Additionally, your whole family must kneel and recite the Incantation of Deliverance three times a day to help Miss Luo's soul find peace and purge the spirits haunting your family. This must be done for ten years without stop, or Miss Luo will return for vengeance."

"Yes." The little girl's voice shook. "Th-thank you, Daozhang…"

Chu Wanning turned to glare at Landlord Chen and his son, gaze sharp as a snow-covered dagger. "When Madam Chen-Yao awakens, the two of you must tell her everything and let her make her own decision. If you try to hide anything at all, I'll rip out both your tongues!"

These two were no more than posturing cowards who dared not put up any resistance now that things had come to this point. They prostrated themselves on the ground, swearing up and down to follow his every instruction.

"As for Hundred Butterfly Fragrance, it was created by Mr. Luo alone, but you shamelessly claimed it as your own formula. You know what you have to do; I will waste no more breath on you." Chu Wanning shook out his sleeves and made to leave.

"W-we'll definitely go make corrections to our store's claims and clarify that this fragrance was devised by…by Mr. Luo…"

After everything was taken care of, Chu Wanning instructed Mo Ran to take Madam Chen-Yao inside so as to draw out the poison within her.

Although Mo Ran held hatred in his heart, he knew well that in his youth he had been more respectful than defiant toward his shizun, so he didn't protest. He only squeezed Shi Mei's hand and whispered, "Go take care of your face and stop the bleeding. I'll take her inside."

There was still a big red Xi character hung in the eldest Chen son's room. Everything had happened so fast that they'd probably forgotten to take it down in their rush. At this time, with Chen Bohuan already nothing more than powder, it seemed like a profound mockery.

Madam Chen-Yao was collateral damage in this ridiculous, avarice-riddled farce. What would she choose to do when she woke?

As a commoner, she wasn't as tenacious as Shi Mei. Chu Wanning drew out the poisoned blood and fed her a pill in silence. The whole time, Mo Ran stood to the side holding a basin of water and handing over towels, but the two of them did not speak to one another—did not so much as look at one another.

As he was leaving, Chu Wanning's indifferent gaze swept past the wall before catching on something. He took a closer look at the poem hanging on it. The columns of letters were written in regular script, neat and upright; the ink hadn't been dry for long, and the edges of the paper had not yet begun to yellow.

Written on it was:

Pair of rosy soft hands, jug of wine sealed in yellow;

Verdant spring throughout the city, willow swaying behind the palace walls.

Harsh eastern gales, happiness short-lived;

One cup of melancholy, many years of solitude.

This is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Spring returns lovely still, figures wasting away;

Tear trails from reddened eyes, silken handkerchief soaked through.

Falling peach blossoms, empty pavilion upon the pond;

Vows of affection enduring, letters of love unsent.

All that remains is nothing, nothing, nothing.

Chu Wanning's heart felt suddenly heavy. The writing was neat and careful, and it was signed "Chen Bohuan." The three characters of his name were glaringly conspicuous.

Chen-gongzi had married the daughter of the Yao family against his own wishes, and he had been forced to keep the misery in his heart to himself. Had he spent the final days of his life standing by the window, brush in hand, helpless to do anything but transcribe Chai Tou Feng,16 an ode to loss and partings?

Chu Wanning didn't want to remain at the Chen Manor even a moment longer. Ignoring the searing pain in his shoulder, he turned and left.

Chu Wanning and Shi Mei were both injured and unfit to ride back to Sisheng Peak straightaway. Moreover, Chu Wanning especially disliked traveling by sword, and so they decided to spend the night at an inn. This way, they could also go take a look at the temple the next day, to ensure that things would be properly taken care of.

Even though the demons and corpses had been pulverized by Chu Wanning's Wind technique, it was only their bodies that had been destroyed, not their spirits. There was no harm in staying a few days to make sure that nothing had slipped off to continue causing trouble.

Chu Wanning walked ahead in silence, his two disciples following behind him.

Shi Mei seemed to have remembered something. "A-Ran, the clothes you and Shizun are wearing… What… What's going on?"

Mo Ran was taken aback before realizing that he and their shizun were still wearing wedding robes. He was deathly afraid that Shi Mei might misunderstand and hurriedly made to take them off. "This…um, the illusion from before—don't think too much of it, I…"

Halfway through his words, he took another look and realized that, since Shi Mei had also been dragged through the ghost wedding, he too was wearing wedding robes. It was just that his had a different design and didn't look too recognizable, due to the rips and tears. But no matter what, they were wedding robes.

Standing side by side with Shi Mei like this, he could imagine that it was Shi Mei whose hands he had held back in the ghost mistress's illusion, with whom he had bowed, with whom he had shared wine. Suddenly, he didn't want to take the robes off anymore, and he could only stare at Shi Mei in a daze.

Shi Mei smiled warmly. "What is it? You didn't finish your sentence."

"It's nothing," Mo Ran mumbled.

Chu Wanning was a few steps ahead of them. It was unclear how much he'd heard, but he stopped and turned around.

The sky was starting to brighten. After a night of commotion, the first light of daybreak emerged over the horizon, the sun crimson like a torn and bleeding heart struggling out from the dark abyss to paint the skies in splendid color.

Chu Wanning stood, backlit, as the end of the long night grew bright, as the rising sun lit the clouds. He stood in profile, his wedding robes red like blood. The sunrise cast a golden halo behind him, blurring the expression on his face.

Spiritual energy surged forth, ripping his wedding robes to pieces. Fragments of red fluttered like so many petals of wilting haitang blossoms. The wind picked up, scattering the pieces everywhere. The white robes beneath fluttered in the wind along with his inky black hair.

Blood on his shoulder. Pieces of fabric in the wind.

The bloodstain where he had been injured while he protected Mo Ran was all the more vivid and conspicuous on those white robes.

A long while passed before Chu Wanning sneered austerely, as if in ridicule. "Mo Weiyu, what is there between you and me to be misunderstood?"

"Mo Weiyu" was what he called Mo Ran when he was angry, the term of address cold and unfamiliar, distant with not a hint of warmth.

Mo Ran choked, caught unawares, and had nothing to say.

Chu Wanning turned and walked away. There was no one around at this hour; he walked ahead by himself as the earth and sky seemed to blur together.

His harsh, contemptuous look fell apart as soon as he arrived at the inn room and closed the door. Chu Wanning gritted his teeth, pain clear on his face as he lifted a hand to touch his shoulder.

The ghost mistress's body was a kind of celestial form, her claws no lesser than Tianwen; both were extremely powerful weapons. His entire shoulder was torn up, but there had been no time to take care of it during the demonic onslaught. By this point, it had become infected and was beginning to fester. The pain was unbearable.

As he stood in the room, Chu Wanning exhaled slowly and tried to take off his robes, but the fabric stuck to his skin where the blood had already dried. The tug sent bolts of pain through his body.

Mo Ran's room was right next door. The inn was hardly soundproof, and Chu Wanning didn't want anyone to know, so he bit down on his lip and ripped the cloth off in one ruthless motion.

"Ngh…!" Chu Wanning let out a stifled grunt, then slowly let go, blood on his teeth and lips where he had bitten too hard. He gasped for breath, his face completely devoid of color, his body covered in cold sweat.

He lowered his long lashes, which trembled slightly as he looked down to take in the damage. It wasn't too bad. Still manageable.

Holding on to the table for support, he slowly lowered himself into the chair. Bit by bit, swallowing the pain, he wiped the wound clean with his uninjured hand, using the water and towel he had instructed the inn's attendant to bring.

Then, with a sharp knife, he cut away the dead flesh. After that, he applied a salve made by Madam Wang. Finally, slowly, and with great difficulty, he wrapped the bandages around his shoulder by himself.

He wasn't used to showing weakness in front of others. He had gone through this kind of pain many times before, and every time he had gotten through it on his own.

An injured animal would find a place to hide and lick its wounds. Sometimes Chu Wanning felt like he was no different from those beasts, and that this solitary existence would probably continue into the future as well. He knew he was unlikable, so he didn't want to beg pitifully for anyone's help. He had his dignity.

But when he took off his robes, a brocade pouch fell to the floor. The red satin was embroidered with flowers of the silk tree. His fingers shook from the pain as he slowly opened it. Inside were two locks of hair, corded together.

His and Mo Ran's.

Chu Wanning's mind went blank for a moment. He wanted to hold the pouch to the candle flame and burn it, along with its ridiculous contents. But even after a time, he couldn't bear to do so.

Entwining their hair, new husband and wife / Ensure their love shall ne'er be unwound. He could almost hear the golden boy and jade maiden's quiet giggles.

Chu Wanning was aware of the throbbing deep in his own heart and loathed himself all the more for it. He clenched the soft pouch tightly in his hand and slowly closed his eyes.

He couldn't accept these feelings, which he had long held toward Mo Ran. His only wish was that he could dig out his own heart and cut out the despicable thoughts inside—tear, rend, and throw them away.

Where was his decency, his propriety? Was Mo Weiyu someone he ought to think about in such ways? What kind of a teacher was he? Truly he was worse than a beast!

Tap tap tap.

All of a sudden, several knocks came from the door. Chu Wanning was in the middle of berating himself and startled, his eyes opening wide as he hurriedly tucked the brocade pouch away in his sleeve. His face settled back into an ill-tempered cast.

"Who is it?"

"Shizun, it's me." Mo Ran's voice came from the outside, and Chu Wanning's heartbeat sped up a little. "Can I come in?"