Chapter 149: Shizun, I Can’t Get Up

Chu Wanning scrambled to his feet, summoning hitherto unknown

reserves of strength. His lips quivered minutely, and his face cycled from

blue to white then bright, flushed red. He looked like he'd received the

shock of his life—he looked like he was absolutely terrified.

The mighty and powerful Yuheng Elder was actually, genuinely,

terrified? Mo Ran's thoughts tied themselves into anxious, uneasy knots as

he sat up, clutching his chest that was still throbbing from the earlier kick.

Tentatively, he said, "Shizun…"

Chu Wanning took a huge step backward, looking as if he'd just had

his tail stepped on. It was frankly impressive how his phoenix eyes were

now as round as saucers. It seemed he'd received the fright of his life.

Mo Ran smiled wryly. "Sorry, I wasn't… I…" But he didn't know

what to say either.

On the other hand, Chu Wanning's brain was awash with perilous

thoughts: I what? I wasn't what? Why would Mo Ran have that kind of

reaction? Or was that not a reaction? But if not, then is it normally that

hard and huge? Then how big… That blasted ranking booklet came

violently to mind once more. Specifically, two words. Absolute unit… Chu

Wanning's face flushed red to the roots of his hair. Seeing that Mo Ran was

about to speak again, he jerked his hand up to stop him. "Don't say any

more. Go back."

Fearing that he'd upset Chu Wanning, Mo Ran accepted the order. He

gritted his teeth in pain as he clambered to his feet. As he knelt, halfway to

standing, he paused and mumbled, "Shizun, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Chu Wanning stared at him, his expression unreadable. Anyone

would think he had much on his mind, but in truth it was one giant blank.

His brain was snagged on the words absolute unit and refused to process

anything else.

After Mo Ran left, Chu Wanning stood rooted to the spot for a long

time. All the hair on his arms stood on end, and he stared vacantly into the

distance, his body heavy as lead. An incident from when they'd gone to

seek weapons at Jincheng Lake unexpectedly flashed to mind. At the hot

springs there, Mo Ran had accidentally slipped, and a certain part of his

anatomy happened to brush Chu Wanning. But the contact had been brief,

and Chu Wanning had been left unsure as to whether or not he'd imagined

it.

But this time, Mo Ran had said I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Which

meant he'd really…gotten aroused… Chu Wanning hadn't imagined it.

Chu Wanning knew it was perfectly normal for men to become

aroused at certain sights, but he honestly didn't think there was anything

attractive about him. After all, plenty of good-looking people existed.

Surely Mo Ran hadn't found his current sweaty and disheveled state

appealing? What could be appealing about that?

Dazed as he was, that goosebump-inducing feeling of something

between his legs lingered on annoyingly. Even through clothing, that thing

had been so vigorous and frightening. An untimely thought emerged from

the tangled mess of his mind: such a ferocious beast… If it were unleashed,

who would be able to take it?

Chu Wanning ground his teeth, but the flush on his face refused to

subside, and his phoenix eyes were glazed and bewildered. He felt like he

was running a fever, burning up.

He stood there for a long interval before returning to his room. There,

he let down his hair, holding the ribbon between his lips, and raised his

hands to gather his long hair anew into a tight ponytail. He sighed, then

raised his eyes to his reflection in the mirror.

His eyes: sharp and narrow, radiating an impression of severity and

harshness when not smiling. Unlikable. His nose: bridge too flat, curve too

soft, profile unremarkable. Unlikable. His mouth… Forget it. This mouth

was too like the words that came out of it—thin, cold, and indifferent,

lacking any warmth whatsoever. Naturally, also unlikable. Mo Ran was out

of his mind being aroused by this sight.

Chu Wanning had always been stiff and conservative when it came to

affairs of the bedroom, and so knew very little. He avoided all kinds of lewd

material, imagining that even an inadvertent touch would sully his hands.

He mulled over his reflection for a long time but couldn't figure it out.

Whatever, no point worrying about it, decided the completely

inexperienced Yuheng Elder. After all, men's bodies might react even when

they weren't aroused. For all he knew it was just a great big coincidence.

The next day, Xue Zhengyong and Madam Wang stood before the

main gate bright and early, waiting for the others who would attend the

banquet.

The first to arrive was Xue Meng. His favored attire was the blue and

silver light armor of Sisheng Peak, in which he cut a dashing figure. Today,

however, he wore a solemn and elegant formal robe, and had his hair done

simply, adorned with only a jasper pin. He was the very image of an

elegant, respectable young man ready for travel, rather different from his

usual air.

When he caught sight of his parents, he was a little self-conscious. He

adjusted his sleeves before greeting them. "Dad, Mom."

Xue Zhengyong couldn't help himself. "Meng-er looks so good! You

and your mom are practically cast from the same mold."

Madam Wang's lashes swept low over her lovely eyes as she blushed

at her husband's compliments. She beckoned Xue Meng over. "Come,

Meng-er, come over here."

Xue Meng came before her, and she looked him over for a long

moment. Something seemed to pass through her gaze, as if reminiscing

about a bygone past. Eventually, she sighed softly and said, "This outfit

suits you, and it makes your complexion glow. Very handsome."

Xue Meng smiled. "My good looks are all from Mom."

"You're such a cheeky thing though, just like your dad." Madam

Wang continued wistfully, "Has it really been more than twenty years…?"

Sensing the direction of her thoughts, Xue Meng's smile froze, and he

unconsciously took a step back. But alas, when has a single step backward

ever helped one dodge motherly concern?

Sure enough, Madam Wang placed a hand on his arm and said

earnestly, "Meng-er, we set off for Rufeng Sect today to celebrate Nangonggongzi's wedding, but you're of a similar age, aren't you? Isn't it about

time for you to start thinking of marriage as well?"

"Mom, I don't want to settle down yet… I don't even have anybody I

like that way…" Xue Meng mumbled.

"Of course Mom knows you don't have anybody like that yet, so

make sure you take note of the young ladies at the wedding. She doesn't

have to be an heiress or a beauty; as long as she has a good personality and

you like her, Mom will take care of the rest and get you a matchmaker."

By now, Xue Meng's face was red. "Don't just jump straight to

matchmaking without even looking at birth chart compatibility!"10

"Your mom's just thinking about your future…"

"But I'm not interested in anyone. Take the girls that we've seen in

the upper cultivation realm for example, Mom. None of them are as goodlooking as I am. If I married one of them, wouldn't I be the one losing out?

Nope, no thank you. Not a chance." Xue Meng shook his head like a rattle

drum. Hit by sudden inspiration, he added, "Besides, why are you rushing

me? Mo Ran's a year older than I am; why don't you worry about him first?

And not to mention my shizun—"

"Are you really comparing yourself to the Yuheng Elder?" Madam

Wang chuckled in amusement. "All right, I won't make you do anything.

I'm just saying, maybe keep an eye out. But if there really isn't a girl who

catches your eye, that's fine too. It's not like I'm going to tie you up and

drag you to the altar."

Xue Zhengyong, however, gave this suggestion some thought.

"Meng-er has a point though. I did bring up the matter of finding a

cultivation partner with Yuheng the other day."

"Huh?" Xue Meng was shocked upon hearing this. "Dad, you said

that to Shizun? He didn't lose his temper?"

"Of course he did." Xue Zhengyong grinned wryly. "He kicked me

out."

Madam Wang had no words, but Xue Meng burst out laughing. "See?

My shizun is a transcendent being, not a god but even holier. A man like

him is beyond earthly desires; what would he need a cultivation partner

for?"

Xue Zhengyong sighed, obviously unconvinced. He was about to

continue making his point when Madam Wang whispered from behind a

raised sleeve, "Husband dear, not now. Yuheng Elder is here."

Chu Wanning emerged from the morning mist, walking slowly along

the dew-damp limestone path, long robes and wide sleeves trailing in his

wake. He wore a pale blue robe embroidered with flowers of the silk tree.

As he walked, the golden thread embroidered into the robe's hems glittered

as it caught the sunlight. His hair was done up with a white jade pin, inlaid

at the end with a ruby carved in the shape of a plum blossom. He was a

vision of elegance and dignity, aloof and unaffected.

Xue Zhengyong suddenly felt rather powerless. He opened his mouth,

then closed it. Maybe, he thought, Xue Meng is right after all. Was there any

living woman who could stand at his side and not be obscured by his

dazzling splendor? Who would not be overshadowed by his imposing

grandeur?

This god descended to the mortal realm and stopped before them at

the main gate, then turned to Xue Zhengyong with a frown. "Sect Leader."

"Ha ha, Yuheng, the clothes fit you well, eh?"

Chu Wanning raised a hand, and an intricately embroidered sachet

swung in midair. He said, "The scented sachet that came with the formal

outfit isn't quite the same as the usual ones."

"Ah, it's tied with Linyi-style knots, what about it?"

This lofty, incomparable god knit his sharp brows and said, "It's too

complicated; I don't know how to tie it. Sect Leader, can you show me

how?"

Xue Zhengyong was rather stunned, but nevertheless proceeded to

show Chu Wanning how to tie on the scented sachet. Yet even after three

rounds of explanation, Chu Wanning still couldn't get the hang of it and

gave up. Xue Meng, unable to bear it any longer, stepped forward and

volunteered his services. In a trice, the scented sachet was neatly hung at

Chu Wanning's waist. Chu Wanning looked on with some surprise and said

approvingly, "Not bad."

Watching this play out, Xue Zhengyong's thoughts did a full oneeighty. Goodness, he thought, will someone like him survive without a

partner? He can barely take care of himself!

Mo Ran arrived not long after. He looked rather green around the

gills; Chu Wanning had really kicked him pretty hard yesterday, but he'd

been too embarrassed to seek medical attention. He would definitely have

to explain how he'd gotten the injury, and he couldn't exactly say he got a

boot to the ribs for disrespecting the Yuheng Elder. All he could do was

patch himself up by meditating all night, and only now did he feel slightly

improved. At least the ache in his chest had subsided enough that he could

breathe.

His eyes alit on Chu Wanning, standing quietly beside Xue

Zhengyong, waiting for him. Dressed as he was in those pale blue robes

stitched with golden thread, with those lapels crossing high on his neck, he

looked so austere and dignified, the ideal of a handsome man. Mo Ran felt a

pang in his chest, and all the painstaking effort he'd put in last night to be

able to breathe went right out the window. Everything fell to pieces again,

and he choked out a cough.

This was awful. He'd fallen in love with a man who was absolutely

off-limits, a man he'd sworn never to touch again. In this moment, he—an

old ghost who'd already lived one whole lifetime—really was like a boy in

his early twenties, full of youthful impulsiveness and red-blooded vigor. A

single glance from the person he liked, a simple change of outfit, was more

than enough to flip his world upside down. Everything in the world was

connected to that person: his joy, his sorrow, his heartbeat, his breathing.

Even the moonlight pouring through the window, the ant crawling along the

windowsill, the flower that had attracted the ant, were indelibly tied up in

his existence. To Mo Ran, this love was an agonizing, suffocating torment.

Every single flower and leaf symbolized him, but he couldn't have them,

couldn't pluck them.

Fuck, the whole world really was out to get him.

After handing sect affairs to the Tanlang Elder to manage, Xue

Zhengyong set off with his wife and company. Any group that traveled with

Chu Wanning would always travel by carriage, so long as they weren't in a

hurry. This party was no exception. The group took the scenic route toward

Linyi, traveling along the main roads and taking the time to dispatch

whatever minor monsters and demons they encountered along the way.

Their path to Dai City took them nearly two weeks.

Dai City was known for cosmetics, and the moment they arrived, Xue

Zhengyong took Madam Wang shopping. Xue Meng, grossed out by the old

married couple acting all lovey-dovey, refused to go with them, crossing his

arms and rubbing at his gooseflesh. Instead, he followed Chu Wanning and

Mo Ran and sat at a tea stall to wait for his parents to finish their business.

The trio took the opportunity to reminisce about the last time they'd

visited. "Too bad Shi Mei isn't with us here," Xue Meng said, "or it'd be

just like when we came here for weapons six years ago. We could even

walk up to Dawning Peak again."

Mo Ran grinned. "Aren't you scared the fake Gouchen is still there,

and he'll pull you down to the bottom of the lake to have a nice chat?"

Chu Wanning frowned at the mention of their mysterious adversary.

"He doesn't seem to have done much these past five years."

"It's hard to say," Mo Ran replied. "There were several major

incidents that went unsolved, all of which involved holy weapons. I suspect

he was behind them, but I don't have proof."

Xue Meng toyed with the cup in his hands as he gazed at Mo Ran. "I

don't think those cases have anything to do with him. Think about it. Back

then, he was searching for a specific spiritual essence. The only reason he

kept going after you is because you're wood elemental. If you ask me, he's

looking for a person, not a weapon."

"Yet there haven't been any cases of people constantly going missing

these past five years," Chu Wanning pondered aloud.

Mo Ran propped his cheek in one hand. "I never encountered any

ambushes or traps over that period either. Then again, maybe it's because I

never stayed in one place for long, so he didn't know where to find me."

The three fell silent, lost in their own thoughts. They were interrupted

only by the tea stall's mistress arriving with the tea and candied fruit they'd

ordered. Xue Meng scratched his head. "Do you guys think that maybe,

when he was running around doing all that evil, he messed with something

he shouldn't have and did himself in?"

His theory was met with silence. "Don't look at me like that,"

Xue Meng grumbled. "Doesn't evil magic tend to rebound on the user and

stuff? Why else would he have done basically nothing these past five

years?"

Mo Ran thought and said, "There's one possibility."

"What?"

"Well, Shizun hasn't done anything these past five years—"

Xue Meng rapped him with his chopsticks. "What's that supposed to

mean! Are you implying Shizun is the fake Gouchen?"

"Can you let me finish my sentence?" Mo Ran said in exasperation. "I

was just giving an example. If it's true that those unsolved holy weapon

thefts have nothing to do with the fake Gouchen, then he really hasn't done

anything of note these past five years. Maybe he was like Shizun—for

whatever reason, maybe an injury or something similar, he needed to hole

up somewhere." But as he said this, something came to mind, and he

paused. "Shizun…"

"What is it?"

Mo Ran shook his head, as if unable to believe he was even

considering it. After a pause, he eventually mumbled: "Master Huaizui…"

He didn't know what any other powerful cultivators had been up to

these past five years, but he did know of one who had been stuck in the Red

Lotus Pavilion with Chu Wanning the whole time, never once leaving.

Master Huaizui.

The notion was preposterous. After all, Master Huaizui had once been

Chu Wanning's teacher. Mo Ran didn't know how his shizun truly felt

toward Huaizui, and he didn't dare say too much.

"You don't have to wonder. It's not him," Chu Wanning replied.

His tone was light and indifferent, but unhesitant. Mo Ran

immediately nodded. If Chu Wanning did not wish to discuss his past as

Huaizui's disciple, then Mo Ran wouldn't press the matter. He picked up his

line of thought from earlier: "In that case, are there any other powerful

cultivators who haven't shown themselves for the last five years?"

"Guyueye's sect leader, Jiang Xi," Xue Meng answered. "At the

Spiritual Mountain Competition, every sect leader attended except him; he

claimed sickness. He rarely shows himself."

Mo Ran laughed despite himself. "He's your mom's shixiong, isn't

he? You suspect him?" "Jiang Xi thinks highly of himself and has long been unhappy that

Guyueye ranks below Rufeng Sect," Chu Wanning said. "Ever since

Nangong Liu became the leader of the ten great sects, Jiang Xi stopped

attending the gatherings. It's not just for the past five years."

"Then there's no obvious candidate," Xue Meng said, then sighed.

"Whatever, forget it. Let's leave it if we can't figure it out. There aren't

enough leads; this makes my brain hurt."

At this juncture, Madam Wang and Xue Zhengyong returned from

their shopping. Since it was getting late, the five decided to find someplace

to settle for the night.

"I know an inn that's really good," Xue Meng said. "It even has hot

springs we can soak in."

Mo Ran froze. It was obvious which inn Xue Meng was talking about

—the one they'd stayed in as youths. Back then, when they were soaking in

the hot springs, Mo Ran had brainlessly slipped and fallen into Chu

Wanning's arms… At this thought, he cleared his throat and turned aside to

hide the gleam of embarrassed anticipation in his eyes. His heartbeat

quickened in spite of himself.

Xue Meng was the type who liked to exaggerate. If he liked

something, he'd praise it to no end, completely blind to its flaws. If he

didn't like something, he would kill it in one blow with no mercy. But

nobody understands a son better than his father. Xue Zhengyong knew

better than to take Xue Meng's words at face value and turned to Mo Ran.

"Ran-er, you've stayed at that inn before, haven't you? How was it?"

Mo Ran cleared his throat again, unable to meet his uncle's eyes.

"It's…indeed, not bad."

"Well, that settles it, then." Xue Zhengyong said decisively.

Mo Ran's palms grew sweaty with guilt, the tips of his fingers

twitching in time to the pounding in his chest. He bowed his head,

appearing docile and obedient as he hummed in agreement. But inside, he

thought: Maybe…I can go soak in the baths with Shizun again…just like

last time…

He couldn't help but recall Chu Wanning's slender, delicate body

standing within the steam rising from the baths: the taut, toned lines of his

figure, infixed with an allure that invited violation. If he really bathed with

Chu Wanning, could he hold himself back in that hazy steam?

Decision made, the group rose to leave. Xue Meng finished the

peanuts he was holding and dusted off his hands as he stood. He glanced

down at his cousin, who still sat with an unreadable look on his face.

"What's with you? Let's go."

Mo Ran's expression was cryptic, and his handsome face seemed a

little pink, although that might have been from the setting sun. Determined

to remain sitting, he reached out and poured himself another cup of tea as

he continued to linger awkwardly. He cleared his throat softly a couple

times, then said, "We ordered all this; it'd be a waste if no one finishes it.

You guys go ahead. I know the way; I'll join you once I finish this tea."