REVIVING SHIZUN (10)

Chu Wanning heaved a sigh before he turned around and started walking again. His heart was not made of stone. He did not draw pleasure from torturing Mo Ran. He just truly wanted to never see or think about Mo Ran ever again. Mo Ran needed to understand that Chu Wanning had the freedom to decide what to do.

Mo Ran did look genuinely hurt, but Chu Wanning knew that he would recover as soon as he's back in the living world and started to spend time with Shi Mei. Chu Wanning knew that for sure. As for the Hatred Flower, he already explained everything that he knew about the Hatred Flower in his testament for Master Huaizui.

Chu Wanning's greatest regret at the moment was asking Master Huaizui to do him so many favors without being able to keep his part of the bargain. He threw Mo Ran a side glance.

"Mo Ran," Chu Wanning called softly.

Behind him, Mo Ran who looked like a ghost who lost half his soul perked up when hearing Chu Wanning call his name.

"Yes, Shizun?"

Chu Wanning waited for him to catch up so that they could walk side-by-side.

"Did Master Huaizui tell you that he is going to take you back with him to Wubei Temple?"

Mo Ran had to think for a while before he finally recalled. Master Huaizui did speak about such a thing. Mo Ran was so engrossed in the quest to revive Chu Wanning that he completely forgot about it.

"Yes, he did."

"I need you to do exactly as he said. He will take good care of you."

-And hopefully, manage to dispel the Hatred Flower inside of your body. Shizun, this disciple owes you too much.

"Shizun, I do not want to leave Sisheng Peak," Mo Ran said indignantly.

Chu Wanning sighed.

He of course knew why. Mo Ran simply did not want to part with Shi Mei.

"Only until you reach adulthood," he told his disciple in a coaxing tone. "You are free to visit Sisheng Peak anytime, and Shi Mei is also free to come and visit you."

For some unknown reason, Mo Ran was deeply unhappy to hear the words "Shi Mei" come from Chu Wanning's lips again and again in relation to him. Indignantly, he thus replied, "I am not staying in Sisheng Peak for Shi Mei only."

Chu Wanning raised an eyebrow at Mo Ran.

"It's fine. Anyone from Sisheng Peak can come to visit you."

"…"

That was not what Mo Ran meant at all.

When did it all start? The grouping of Mo Ran and Shi Mei against Xue Meng and Chu Wanning? Who initiated it? How did it go that far? When did the ravine between the two groups become so wide and deep that no one could cross over? When did his relationship with Chu Wanning after rebirth start to become sour? Was it him? Was it Chu Wanning? Was it both of them?

Master Huaizui's soft chanting flowed incessantly from within the Soul-Guiding Lantern to prompt both of them to go back, but it was of no use.

Chu Wanning simply did not want to come with him.

"Shizun," he called out to Chu Wanning again.

"Hm?" Chu Wanning responded without looking at Mo Ran. His eyes were trained to the path in front of them.

Mo Ran rubbed at his reddened eyes.

"Shizun, we are not going to meet again. Will you please listen to this disciple one last time?"

Chu Wanning finally stopped walking and turned to look at Mo Ran. The determination in his eyes was as strong as before, without the slightest bit of hesitation. Mo Ran had exhausted all methods to persuade Chu Wanning without any result. He infused the Soul-Guiding Lantern in his hand with more spiritual energy, filling it to the brim one last time before handing it over to Chu Wanning. The latter looked mildly surprised.

"Shizun, your Human Soul is inside this lantern. Since you do not wish to come back and choose to be reincarnated instead, please take this lantern with you."

Chu Wanning narrowed his eyes at Mo Ran incredulously, as if Mo Ran was trying to trick him. He still took the lantern from Mo Ran and eyed him full of distrust. But this time it was no trick. Mo Ran was on the verge of giving up.

Mo Ran dropped to his knees and prostrated himself before Chu Wanning. Chu Wanning had once told him that he disliked hearing Mo Ran apologize. So Mo Ran did not apologize anymore but thanked him instead.

"Thank you Shizun for accepting us as your disciples."

"Thank you Shizun for teaching us everything you know."

"Thank you Shizun for protecting us over and over again."

"Thank you Shizun for saving all of our lives."

Chu Wanning's fingers rubbed against the Lantern's handle. He cast his eyes downward, avoiding to look at Mo Ran.

"Mn," he said in response. He was not used to having someone thank him. Not even his own disciples.

Mo Ran reached out and grabbed the end of Chu Wanning's bloodstained robe.

"Shizun, we will all miss you very much," Mo Ran said with a trembling voice. "Does Shizun have any last words to say to us?"

Chu Wanning moved his lips slightly. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but after a few minutes had passed, he still did not manage to bring the words over his lips. In the end, he simply said, "There is no more."

There was no more left to say. Mo Ran was close to shedding tears again.

What did he expect? Did he expect Chu Wanning to tell him that he forgave him?

Yes.

But how likely was that to happen? Chu Wanning was not going to casually forgive him over the accumulating pain over two lifetimes. He had exhausted Chu Wanning's patience for him.

They continued walking in silence, and then Chu Wanning stopped in his track and said, "You should all continue growing up and living properly. Be righteous cultivators. Do not disappoint me."

"…"

That was all?

That was such a shizunlike thing to say.

Mo Ran was not sure how Xue Meng would react if he heard those words coming out of Chu Wanning's mouth. Then again, better a speech than nothing.

Xue Meng…

Mo Ran's throat went dry. A crazy idea manifested in his head.

No.

No.

No, he should not.

He should forget about it.

He must not be selfish. Chu Wanning wanted to reincarnate. Mo Ran should let him reincarnate. Mo Ran must not try to change Chu Wanning's mind again.

But if these few words could change Chu Wanning's mind… if Chu Wanning willingly came back with him… Mo Ran curled his fingers into fists as the image of a revived Chu Wanning slowly penetrated his mind and wrapped itself around his head.

"Time to return… Time to return…"

It was now or never.

Mo Ran straightened himself up and spoke up.

"Shizun, the truth is that Xue Meng is not doing well at all."

Mo Ran watched as Chu Wanning's impassive expression slowly chipped off like wall painting during the rainy season. His eyes did not leave Chu Wanning's face, taking in every subtle sign and preparing to feed Chu Wanning with lies.

"What do you mean?" Chu Wanning asked.

Mo Ran took a deep breath before answering, "Xue Meng cried non-stop on the day Shizun died, then he almost drank himself to death at night. He kept having fever, he kept screaming that he was in pain."

Chu Wanning shot Mo Ran a glare but said nothing. Mo Ran gathered all the courage he had and continued lying.

"Xue Meng said that he could not live with the excruciating pain."

"..."

"His screams could be heard night after night."

"..."

"Xue Meng tried to take his own life."

"!!!"

Xue Meng tried to kill himself? Impossible. Can't be. Xue Meng is not that kind of boy. Xue Meng is…

Chu Wanning swallowed hard.

The last thing he saw before he died was Xue Meng's crying face, begging him to please not die. To please not leave. Of course Xue Meng would be sad about Chu Wanning's death, but he would not go as far as committing suicide, would he? Would he?

"You are lying," Chu Wanning decided as he pierced Mo Ran with a glare that was as sharp as Huaisha.

Mo Ran shook his head. He mercilessly continued.

"If Shizun doesn't believe me, Shizun can wait here for a few days and he will arrive to the Underworld. We are doing everything that we can, but once someone has set his mind to leave, he will leave."

-After all, was that not what you said, Wanning? When you want to stay, you stay. When you want to leave, no one can stop you.

Cold sweat drenched Mo Ran's palms. He resisted the urge to rub his palms off his shirt, out of fear that Chu Wanning would not buy his lies. It was only natural if Chu Wanning did not want to go back to the living world for Mo Ran's sake. But what about Xue Meng? Xue Meng loved Chu Wanning and Chu Wanning loved Xue Meng. Mo Ran knew that. For Xue Meng, Chu Wanning could do anything, including letting Taxian-Jun toy with him endlessly. He endured all the torture and humiliation for eight years. All in exchange for Xue Meng's life.

Angrily, Chu Wanning grabbed at Mo Ran's collar and pulled him up from his kneeling position.

"You…!!!" he gnashed his teeth at Mo Ran, who refused to back down. "If I ever find out that you lie to me, you…!!!"

Mo Ran withstood Chu Wanning's glare with every cell of his body.

"This disciple did not lie," he lied through his teeth.

What will you do, Chu Wanning? You cannot use Tianwen to interrogate me. You either believe me and go back with me, or you stay in the Underworld and wait for Xue Meng to come and find you.

"Hmph!"

Chu Wanning pushed Mo Ran hard to the ground. Mo Ran winced from the pain. He bit into his lower lip and looked up at Chu Wanning, waiting. Waiting for the result of the biggest bet in his life. Which one was stronger, Chu Wanning's disgust for him or Chu Wanning's love for Xue Meng? Even if Chu Wanning would hate him thousand times more after he came back to life, Mo Ran was willing to bear it. He owed Chu Wanning that much.

Chu Wanning's grip on the lantern handle tightened as he slowly made his decision.

"Promise me," he said slowly with an oppressive tone, "that you will forever keep a good relationship with Shi Mei."

Mo Ran nodded.

"I promise."

Chu Wanning was not done. His lips were trembling when he continued.

"Promise me that you will never again lay a hand on me without my consent."

Mo Ran nodded again. "I promise, Shizun."

Chu Wanning wordlessly handed over the Soul-Guiding Lantern to Mo Ran, who silently took the lantern from him and waited for Chu Wanning's instruction.

"Do what you need to do," Chu Wanning said after he calmed down.

Relief washed over Mo Ran, but he knew that he must not show it to Chu Wanning, for fear that the latter changed his mind. Mo Ran slowly chanted the incantation to let Chu Wanning's Earth Soul enter the lantern. The last thing that Chu Wanning remembered before his soul slowly dissipated into thin smoke and disappeared into the lantern was his promise to Xue Meng before he died. He promised to protect Xue Meng for a lifetime. And that was the only reason he was willing to come back. There was no other reason.

Once everything was done, Mo Ran's knees went weak and he dropped to the ground, the lantern tightly clutched in his hands. His lips were pulled into a smile but tears could not stop flowing from his eyes.

Finally.

Finally.

He finally managed to persuade Chu Wanning. It did not matter why Chu Wanning decided to come back. The only thing that mattered was that he was going to be revived. Mo Ran's tears dropped onto the lantern as he hugged the lantern just like how he would like to hug Chu Wanning.

Shizun, I am sorry I lied to you.

You can hate me, I will take it.

I promise you that I will give you a life that is more beautiful than any reincarnation that you can have on the mortal realm.

I will dedicate the rest of my life to pamper you, to indulge you in everything.

I will listen to you, I will never argue with you again.

I will cherish you, I will love you.

I will be the best disciple that any grandmaster can have.

I will make you proud.

In life and death, I will forever be devoted to you.

But then Mo Ran noticed that something was amiss. All of Chu Wanning's souls had been safely retrieved and contained inside the lantern but why was he not going back? Panic started to creep into Mo Ran's heart. Were they too late? Had the seventh day passed?

"Master Huaizui?" He softly whispered into the lantern. "Master Huaizui, can you hear me…?"

No answer came from Master Huaizui but from Chu Xun, who looked so angry that he might just explode. With a sword in his hand, he approached a terrified Mo Ran who was still sitting on the ground. A group of ghost soldiers stood with spears in their hands behind him, ready to pounce at Mo Ran.

"I knew that Little Gongzi had something up his sleeves," he said. "Please release Chu Wanning's soul right away before I lose my patience."