6 Chapter 6 - This Venerable One’s Shizun..

Xue Meng had grown up on Sisheng Peak, and knew all of its ins and outs and shortcuts, and so in the end he still managed to capture Mo Ran.

After arresting him, he dragged him to the back of the mountain. The entire back mountain of Sisheng Peak was the closest place the mortal realm was to the ghost realm. Between the two realms lay a barrier, and beyond that barrier was the underworld.

Taking a look at the appalling state of the barrier, Mo Ran immediately knew why even though that person was home, it was still Madam Wang who had appeared in the main hall to greet and receive the audience.

It wasn't that that person didn't want to help, it was that he really couldn't step away——

The barrier of the ghost realm had ruptured.

At this very moment, the entire back of the mountain was permeated with the essence of evil. Spirits that had yet to form a solid body swirled in the air, wailing in despair, their howling full of rancor. At the entrance to the mountain gates a giant breach could be seen, ripped open in the sky. Behind the breach lay the ghost realm, with a long, bluestone staircase, thousands of steps high, extending from the fissure of the barrier. Menacing ghosts that had already cultivated a flesh-form crawled down in great numbers, creeping from the ghost realm to the mortal realm.

If it were a normal person seeing this sight, they would no doubt freak out, terrified. Mo Ran had been soaked with the cold sweat of fear, the first time he'd seen something like this, but he'd long since gotten used to it.

The barrier between the mortal and the ghost realms had been first built by Emperor Fuxi in ancient times. It had become thin and weakened through the passage of time, often cracking and breaking in various places, needing the repair of cultivated immortals. However, a task like this not only did not elevate one's cultivation by much, but it was also incredibly taxing on one's spiritual power. To work so hard for nothing was an arduous chore, and so not many cultivators in the cultivation world were willing to pick up the burden.

When menacing spirits entered the world, the ones they attacked first were the common people of the lower cultivation world. As the protectors of the lower cultivation world, Sisheng Peak thus took on the job of repairing barriers. The mountains at the back of their sect faced the weakest point of the barrier, all for the sake of being able to do such repairs in time.

This ragged barrier would fail at least four or five times a year, just like a leaky, second hand pot: useless.

A man stood at the entrance to the ghost realm, atop the bluestone staircase. His snow white robes fluttered, his expansive sleeves flew in the wind, and the aura of his blade enveloped him, its golden light shimmering. By his powers alone, he was sweeping up those menacing spirits, cleaning those evil ghosts away, repairing the breach in the barrier.

That man was slender in form and elegant in appearance, with an aura of transcendent holiness and a face that was exceedingly handsome and beautiful. From afar, it would be easy to imagine him as a scholar of dignity, standing beneath a blossoming tree, studying a scroll with an otherworldly, studious air. But up close, his expression was as sharp as a blade; his phoenix eyes slanted upwards, his nose was straight and narrow. He had the very appearance of sophistication and refined manners, but there was something acerbic to his gaze, giving him a particularly cold and cruel look.

Mo Ran watched him from a distance. Although he'd thought himself prepared, if he were to be honest, to see that person appear once more before him, healthy and well, made him tremble down to the smallest fragments of his bones.

Half dread, half…thrill.

His Shizun.

Chu Wanning.

The person that Xue Meng had cried and begged to see when he'd come to Wushan Palace in the previous life.

It had been this man who'd ruined Mo Ran's grand plans. He'd ruined Mo Ran's ambitious ideals and had, in the end, been imprisoned and tortured to death by Mo Ran.

Technically, Mo Ran should have been glad, to defeat an opponent and get the chance to avenge himself.

The ocean was free for fish to swim, the sky open for birds to fly, and no longer could anyone stop him. Originally, Mo Ran had thought he would think this way.

However, things did not turn out that way.

After Shizun's death, something else seemed to have been buried, together with Mo Ran's hatred.

Mo Ran wasn't a man of culture, and did not recognize that something else as the feeling of being evenly matched with a worthy opponent.

He only knew that, from then, he had no more arch enemies in this world.

When Shizun had been alive, Mo Ran had been scared, afraid, anxious. The moment he saw the willow vine in Shizun's hands, his entire body would break out in goosebumps, just like how the mere sound of a wooden club's knocking would make an oft-beaten dog shrink back, teeth aching and legs giving way, drool leaking from the corner of its lips. Even the muscles of his calves would spasm from nervousness.

With Shizun's death, the person Mo Ran feared the most had passed away. Mo Ran felt like he'd grown up, matured, that he was finally able to commit this sin of murdering his mentor.

After that, when his eyes swept through the mortal world, there was no longer anyone who dared force him to kneel, no longer anyone who dared slap him in the face.

To celebrate, he opened a pot of pear blossom white wine, and sat on the rooftops drinking for an entire night.

That night, under the influence of alcohol, the scars on his back from being whipped by Shizun in his youth felt like they were brand new, burning once more with fresh pain.

At this very moment, seeing with his own eyes his Shizun standing once more before him, Mo Ran couldn't help but stare, feeling both fear and resentment but also the faintest trace of a twisted sort of ecstasy.

To have regained such an opponent after having lost him, how could he not be delighted?

Chu Wanning was completely focused on fighting the scattered souls of the dead, ignoring the two disciples who had intruded the back of the mountains.

He had an elegant face; his brows were long and even, and his phoenix eyes were cast downwards, his demeanor graceful, dignified, and otherworldly. His expression was unchanged, cool and distant even in the face of demonic air and bloody rain; it would not have looked strange or out of place if he were to sit down on the spot to light incense and play the guqin.

However, this graceful and somber man was currently wielding a chilling long exorcist sword that dripped with blood. With a single flick of his expansive sleeve, the force of his blade sliced through the verdant stone steps with an explosion. Rubble and debris tumbled down, and a rift of indiscernible depth split into that staircase with its thousands of steps, from from the mountain gates at the top all the way down to the bottom of the mountain.

Such brutal ferocity.

How many years had it been since he'd last witnessed Shizun's strength?

That familiar valiant, overbearing force made Mo Ran's legs weak out of habit. Unsteady, he dropped to his knees onto the ground.

It didn't take Chu Wanning too much time to annihilate all the ghosts and neatly fill the leaking hole to the ghost realm. After completing his task, he descended from the sky lightly and languidly, landing before Mo Ran and Xue Meng.

He first glanced at Mo Ran, kneeling on the ground, before looking up to Xue Meng, his phoenix eyes somewhat icy.

"Caused trouble again?"

Mo Ran had to concede.

Shizun possessed an ability, one that let him assess a situation and come immediately to the most accurate judgment.

"Shizun, Mo Ran went down the mountain and committed the crimes of thievery and debauchery. Shizun, please deal out his punishment," Xue Meng said.

Chu Wanning was silent for a moment, expression completely blank, and then he said coldly, "I see."

Mo Ran: "......"

Xue Meng: "......"

Both of them were a little taken aback. And then? Was that it?

Yet just as Mo Ran was starting to think he'd gotten off lucky, he stole a glimpse at Chu Wanning, and was caught entirely off his guard as he saw a flash of sharp golden light, slashing through the air violently. A lightning-like crackle whipped directly onto Mo Ran's cheek!!!

Splatters of blood blossomed everywhere!

The speed of that golden light was too shocking. Never mind dodging, Mo Ran didn't even have the time to close his eyes before the flesh of his face was slashed open, the wound burning painfully.

Chu Wanning stood coldly in the deadly breeze of the deep night with his hands clasped behind his back. The air was still filthy and thick with the stench of menacing spirits; with the addition of the smell of freshly spilt human blood, it made the forbidden grounds of the back mountain even more eerie and horrifying.

The thing that had whipped Mo Ran was a willow vine, which had appeared from out of nowhere into Chu Wanning's hand. The vine hung all the way down to Chu Wanning's boots, and was long and thin, with tender green leaves sprouting along it.

The vine was undoubtedly an elegant object, one that would have called to mind verses of poetry, like "Pliant is the willow branch I gift to my beloved"[9].

Unfortunately, Chu Wanning was neither pliant, nor in possession of a beloved.

The willow vine in his hand was actually a holy weapon called "Tianwen". At this very moment, Tianwen was sparking with bright gold and crimson light, illuminating the darkness all around, as well as the bottomless depths of Chu Wanning's eyes, bringing them to life.

Chu Wanning's lips pressed thin as he said, voice chilly, "Mo Weiyu, you sure are brazen. Did you really think I wouldn't discipline you?"

If this was really the sixteen year old Mo Ran, he might not have taken Chu Wanning's words seriously, thinking that Shizun was only bluffing to scare him.

However, the Mo Weiyu who had been reborn had long since in his previous life paid the blood price to learn just what his Shizun's discipline was like. Immediately, he could feel the roots of his teeth aching and blood rushing to his head. His mouth was already running, aggressively denying everything, hoping to clear his name.

"Shizun…" Cheek still bleeding, Mo Ran raised his eyes, letting them fill with a sheen of tears. He knew that his current disposition was exceedingly pathetic and pitiful. "This disciple has never stolen…has never committed debauchery…how come Shizun hits me purely on the basis of Xue Meng's word, without even having asked my side of the story?"

"......"

Against his uncle, Mo Ran had two ultimate tricks. Number one: act cute. Number two: act pitiful. He now turned both moves onto Chu Wanning, looking so aggrieved that tears threatened to spill. "Is this disciple really so worthless in your eyes? How come Shizun won't even give me a chance to explain?"

Next to them, Xue Meng was so incensed that he stomped his foot. "Mo Ran!!! You, you piece of dog's leg! You, you're shameless! Shizun, don't listen to him! Don't let this bastard confuse you! He really did steal! All the stolen property is still here!"

Chu Wanning lowered his eyes, his expression cool and distant. "Mo Ran, have you really never committed theft?

"Never."

"…You should know what the consequences of lying to me are."

Mo Ran's entire body broke out in gooseflesh. How could he not know? Still, he remained stubborn as a mule. "Shizun, please investigate!"

Chu Wanning raised his hand. That shimmering vine came sweeping again, this time not to whip Mo Ran's face. Instead, it bound itself tightly around Mo Ran.

This sensation was way too familiar. Other than whipping people on the daily, the willow vine 'Tianwen' had another use——

Chu Wanning stared at Mo Ran, who was held in Tianwen's death grip, and asked once more, "Have you never committed theft?"

Suddenly, all Mo Ran could feel was a familiar agony piercing straight into his heart, as if a sharp fanged little snake had suddenly slithered its way into his chest and was causing havoc amidst his organs.

Accompanying the stabbing pain was an irresistible temptation. Mo Ran's mouth opened in spite of himself and he said hoarsely, "I…have…never…AH…!!"

Tianwen's golden light went berserk, as if it could sense he was lying. But though the pain was enough to drench Mo Ran in cold sweat, he still resisted this torture with all he had.

After whipping, this was Tianwen's second function——interrogation.

Once bound by Tianwen, none could lie before it. No matter whether they were human or ghost, alive or dead, Tianwen had the ability to force them to speak, giving Chu Wanning the answers he demanded.

There was only one person in the previous life who had, relying on his strong cultivation, finally managed to achieve the feat of keeping a secret from Tianwen.

And that person was the one who had become the emperor of the mortal world, Mo Weiyu.

The freshly reborn Mo Ran had high hopes, and thought that he should still be able to fight against Tianwen's forceful interrogation like he'd once been able to. But after what felt like an eternity of biting down on his lips, giant beads of sweat dripping down his inky dark brows, and full-body shivers wracking through him, in the end, he was left prostrate from pain, kneeling at Chu Wanning's feet, gasping out heaving breaths.

"I… I… did steal…"

The pain disappeared abruptly.

Mo Ran hadn't even caught his breath before Chu Wanning's next question came, his voice sounding colder than before.

"Did you commit debauchery?"

Clever men don't do stupid deeds. Since he hadn't been able to hold on earlier, then it was even more impossible now. This time, Mo Ran didn't even bother to object; the moment the pain came he cried, "I have I have I have I have!!! Shizun please! No more"

At the side, Xue Meng's face was just about turning blue, and he said, shocked, "How, how could you…that Rong Jiu is a man, and yet you…..."

He went ignored as Tianwen's golden light slowly dimmed. Mo Ran sucked in large mouthfuls of air, his entire body drenched like he'd just been fished up from water. His face was white as a sheet, and his lips trembled uncontrollably as he lay on the ground, unable to move.

Through his sweat drenched lashes, he could see Chu Wanning's blurry yet elegant silhouette, with its green jade crown and expansive sleeves that draped to the ground.

A wave of powerful hatred suddenly coursed through his heart—— Chu Wanning! This Venerable One hadn't been wrong in treating you the way he had in the previous life!! Even coming back to life, the very sight of you is enough to annoy me! Fuck all eighteen generations of your ancestors!!

Chu Wanning was not aware that his beast of a disciple was going to fuck all eighteen generations of his ancestors. He stood where he was for the moment, face gloomy. Then, he said, "Xue Meng."

Even though Xue Meng knew that currently it was trendy for wealthy houses to find pleasure in the male form, that many enjoyed playing with boy prostitutes because it was refreshing, that it didn't mean they actually liked men, he still found that fact rather difficult to swallow. It took him a moment to reply. "Shizun, this disciple is present."

"Mo Ran has transgressed the three mandates against greedy thievery, debauchery, and deception. Take him to Yanluo Hall for penance. Bring him to the Platform of Sin and Virtue first thing tomorrow morning to be punished before all."

Xue Meng was shocked. "W-what? To be punished before all?"

To be punished before all meant that the disciple that had committed grave sins would be dragged before all the disciples of the sect to be sentenced and punished in front of everyone. Even the grannies in the cafeteria would be brought over.

Completely disgraceful.

It should be known that Mo Ran was a young master of Sisheng Peak! Although the rules of the sect could be said to be strict, because Mo Ran's status was special — his uncle felt sorry that he'd lost his parents since young and that he had been stranded outside for a whole fourteen years — he would always defend Mo Ran out of indulgence. Even if Mo Ran made mistakes, he would still only lecture privately, and had never once beaten him.

But Shizun would not save even the sect leader's face, and would actually drag his precious nephew to the Platform of Sin and Virtue, would punish and shame Mo-Gongzi before the entire sect. This was something Xue Meng had never expected.

Mo Ran, on the other hand, wasn't surprised at all.

He lay on the ground, his lips curling into a sneer.

Look how righteous his Shizun was, so full of justice.

Chu Wanning was a cold-blooded person. In the previous life, Shi Mei had died before his very eyes. Mo Ran had cried and pleaded, tugged at the hem of his robes, knelt on the ground, begged for his help.

But Chu Wanning had turned a deaf ear.

And so his disciple had breathed his last breath before him. And next to him, Mo Ran had cried his heart out. And still, Chu Wanning had watched on without lifting a finger.

Right now it was nothing more than being dragged to the Platform of Sin and Virtue to be sentenced in public. There was nothing out of the ordinary about this.

Mo Ran could only resent his current self's weak cultivation. He resented that he couldn't peel off Chu Wanning's skin, pull out his nerves, drink his blood. Resented that he couldn't yank Chu Wanning's hair back, couldn't violate and corrupt him to his heart's content, couldn't torment him, destroy his dignity, make him live a life worse than death…

The beast-like savagery in his eyes let slip for a moment, and Chu Wanning caught a glimpse of it.

He glanced lightly across Mo Ran's face, his own graceful, scholarly face completely devoid of expression.

"What are you thinking about?"

Shit!

Tianwen hadn't been withdrawn yet!

Mo Ran could once again feel the vine that bound him squeeze and twist, his organs feeling like they were going to wrench into mush. He screamed in agony, letting loose the thoughts in his mind——

"CHU WANNING! THINK YOU'RE SO TOUGH?! WATCH ME FUCK YOU TO DEATH!"

All was silent.

Chu Wanning: "........."

Even Xue Meng was dumbfounded, "............"

Tianwen suddenly returned to Chu Wanning's palm, transforming into specks of golden light before eventually disappearing out of sight. Tianwen was made from Chu Wanning's bones and blood, and could appear when summoned and disappeared at will.

Xue Meng's face was pale as he stammered, "Sh-Sh-Shizun…..."

Chu Wanning didn't speak. His long, inky, delicate lashes were lowered as he looked at his own palm for a long moment. Then he raised his eyes, face unmoved other than his expression being slightly icier than before. He pinned Mo Ran with a glare that said "this beastly disciple deserves death" for a long moment before speaking, voice low as he said:

"Tianwen is broken. I'm going to fix it."

After throwing out such words, Chu Wanning turned around and left.

Xue Meng wasn't a bright child, "H-How can a holy weapon like Tianwen be broken?"

Chu Wanning heard him. He turned and once again used that "this beastly disciple deserves death" gaze to glance back at him. Xue Meng felt a chill run down his spine.

Mo Ran lay on the ground, half dead, his expression lifeless.

Earlier he really had been thinking about finding a chance to fuck Chu Wanning to death. He was well aware that this Chu-zongshi, with his titles like "Yuheng of the Night Sky, Beidou Immortal"[10] was someone who always paid attention to refined, elegant manners and dignity. What he really couldn't bear was to be quashed beneath someone's foot, to be sullied and oppressed.

But how could he let Chu Wanning find something like this out!

Mo Ran howled pathetically like an abandoned dog, covering his face.

Recalling Chu Wanning's eyes as he'd left, Mo Ran felt that he probably didn't have long to live.