Chapter 292: [Sisheng Peak] The Heart Is Like the Sea

Taxian-Jun turned his head and saw Song Qiutong dressed in gorgeous clothes, looking very beautiful and charming. She was leading her maid servants towards them.

He stretched out his hand to lift the curtain and stopped. Without batting an eyelid, he closed the bamboo curtain and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Since I have nothing better to do, I might as well take a walk and eat." Song Qiutong bowed slightly, her gaze soft as she looked at the carriage. "Is A-Ran going out?"

"Going to the night market of the Wuchang Town."

She smiled, submissively but affectionately: "It's such a short way to ride in a carriage. You're not alone, are you?"

His patience with her was not bad, so he smiled and said, "Not alone."

Song Qiutong gaze roamed about, her gaze falling upon the yellow rosewood pedals. The girl's thoughts were meticulous, she only needed a single turn to have the answer. Her expression was stiff at first, but then she revealed a happy look: "Ah, could it be that it's little sister consort Chu?"

"…"

One could almost imagine the expression on Chu Wanning's face when he heard the address, "Mmm. It's him."25

The expression on the woman's face became increasingly bright and gorgeous. It was to the extent that even the clouds in the sky seemed to be overshadowed. "This is great. We have stayed in the palace for three years yet we had only seen consort Chu on the day of the wedding, and she was still wearing her veil. What kind of good day is it today, to think that we would meet each other."

She smiled and said, "Do you wish to invite us two sisters to meet?"

Taxian-Jun shook his head: "He has an aloof personality, he doesn't feel comfortable seeing strangers. Still a mute. Don't bother."

Although Song Qiutong had always listened to Mo Ran's words, her heart was itching. What's more, she could be said to have accumulated resentment towards consort Chu for a long time, ever since the day of their marriage she was abandoned by her husband for no reason.

She was humiliated. Afterwards, she heard many gossip from the palace maids, saying that the Emperor's wedding night was left in consort Chu's room until almost dusk the next day before he came out.

"He didn't stop the whole night! That sound really took a person's life."

"I heard from the people on duty that they counted with their fingers at least seven or eight times. His Majesty is too capable."

There were even more court ladies who giggled. "Isn't the one who can do it esteemed Imperial Consort? Seven or eight times in a night. I'm afraid the little prince will be here very soon."

However, what made Song Qiutong most embarrassed were the whispers such as, "The empress is so beautiful, I didn't expect her to lose his favor on their wedding night." "This isn't etiquette at all. His Majesty really doesn't give face to the empress!"

She felt as if Imperial Consort Chu had slapped her face. The burning pain on her face has not abated in the past three years.

In the end, even her servant girl had a grudge in her heart as she gritted her teeth and ruthlessly complained, "I wonder which mountain's fox cultivated its quintessence to the point where His Majesty is confused and disoriented."

She then advised her, "Empress, don't be too sad. Although His Majesty sleeps with her almost every night, she is not pregnant. Her health is probably not too good, and she will not have a child for the rest of her life. His Majesty was just playing with her. Sooner or later, he will get tired of it."

Song Qiutong forced a smile. How could she have the face to say some words?

He had been extremely careful not to allow her to become pregnant in the few pleasures he had had with her. The only time he had vented his anger on her was not long ago. After he got drunk, he had a huge argument with consort Chu and came to visit her in the middle of the night.

She had been fast asleep by then, and when the curtain was suddenly lifted, she was met with a pair of scarlet eyes that had lost all sense of reason. She didn't even have time to react before he rolled her over and ripped her out of her clothes. In the midst of his reckless and crazy torment, her hair was gripped in a tight bun, and she heard him gasp in her ear: "Who are you writing to secretly behind my back? You care so much about him?"

When the sex became more frenzied, she was so agitated that her entire body went soft. However, she heard him muttering something behind her, "You can't see anyone… you can't go anywhere. You can only be my consort Chu… No matter how unwilling you are…"

Song Qiutong recovered from her shameful memories. She arranged her expression and smiled with her beautiful eyes. "Although Your Majesty doesn't mind the etiquette, she is still a sister. I always wanted to meet her and give her some gifts."

Taxian-Jun didn't seem to want to let go of the bamboo curtain. "He has everything. There's nothing lacking."

Since things had come to this point, Song Qiutong had no other choice. She could only speak warmly to the emperor before watching him board the carriage and walk away with the vixen.

Deep within the bamboo curtain, atop the soft seats, Taxian-Jun had endured the laughter until his lower abdomen hurt. He continued to speak with a serious tone, "As an Emperor, I am too free to be pampered by you. I'm afraid that's inappropriate."

"…"

Chu Wanning's face was gloomy as he looked at the window, not saying a word.

The golden rays of the sun shone through the thin curtains, casting layers of light and shadow across his thin, transparent face. Taxian-Jun stared at it for a moment, then leaned over and laid down on his lap.

Chu Wanning stiffened his spine, not looking at him, but asking, "Aren't you hot?"

"My beloved concubine's voice is so cold, it can cool me down in the summer."

"…" Chu Wanning finally lowered his head and looked at him; his gaze was colder than his voice.

He truly felt angry. No man would be willing to be a concubine to another man. Song Qiutong's call of "little sister consort Chu" made him feel like he was being choked. Even his eyes were red because of shame.

At the beginning, Taxian-Jun, the reason why he had given him the title, was to let him have a taste of what it was like to be inferior to a woman. Song Qiutong was his wife, and he, the exalted Beidou Immortal, had been reduced to being a concubine by a junior.

"Are you angry?"

"…"

"It's not like I let her see you, what are you feeling wronged about?"

Taxian-Jun wanted to tease this man, but dusk came and the last rays of the setting sun shone through the bamboo curtains, illuminating Chu Wanning's face. Taxian-Jun realized how cold and distant those eyes were, so he moved his lips but didn't say anything in the end.

He suddenly felt very bored.

Neither of them spoke again.

He came to the Wuchang Town and bought a lot of things. Sugar painting, flower cake, candied fruits, lanterns, he had bought everything he could buy and loaded himself into a carriage. However, Chu Wanning only looked at the lively scene outside the bamboo curtain, ignoring the dazzling scene behind the curtain.

Chu Wanning was not happy, so he couldn't help but feel a little irritated.

"Forget it, I'm not going back tonight." He suddenly said, "We'll live in the town."

The coachman found an inn and went in with Chu Wanning, who had put on his cloak and hat.

The waiter was yawning, seeing the guest's high spirits, he yawned and asked with a smile, "Guest, do you live here?"

"I would like a good room."

Although Chu Wanning's face was hidden under his hood, the waiter still looked at him curiously as he was obviously a man.

Chu Wanning said, "… Two rooms."

After hearing what he said, Taxian-Jun could not help but feel angry. "What is your relationship with me? Is there a need to open two rooms to deceive people?"

If the waiter's gaze from before was still filled with suspicion, at this moment, he suddenly came to a realization.

Taxian-Jun was quite satisfied with the waiter's gaze. He even felt some viciousness as he consoled him. After opening the door, he dragged Chu Wanning up by the arm. Before he even closed the door, he kissed him, his lips full of urgent and intense words.

Outside the window, the lights were still on, but none of them had anything to do with it. He pressed Chu Wanning onto the bed, and amidst the creaking sounds, he heard a soft sigh.

"Mo Ran, what's the point of doing this?"

"…"

"What's the point of doing this to us?"

The words were so sharp that even after thinking about it for so long, his heart still ached.

Taxian-Jun opened his eyes.

He was still standing in the Red Lotus Pavilion. Those memories were all gone.

But for some reason, there seemed to be an image flashing before his eyes, and he seemed to hear the sound of the pouring rain. He seemed to be a ghost of the dark night, peeking through the vine-striped windows of the inn.

He saw the same house, the same two people, but the rain outside the window was different, it was similar to the atmosphere of love in the bed.

He saw himself and Chu Wanning entwined together on the bed. The room was very dark, but he was sure that he could see Chu Wanning's face — misty desire, slightly closed eyes, entwined with his own, ashamed and passionate.

In this vision, he stared at the man beneath him with deep affection, pleading and determined, "Tonight, I just want to make you feel good."

He lowered his head and kissed the fragile part of Chu Wanning's body. As if he had heard the man's breathing, Chu Wanning's fingers dug into his black hair, "Ah…"

Taxian-Jun suddenly felt as if his skull was about to split open as he held onto his forehead.

These two memories intertwined and bit each other in an attempt to gain the upper hand. Which segment was real? Which part was a nightmare? He did not know, and did not dare to think further.

With great difficulty, he calmed his heart and then rushed away, leaving the Red Lotus Pavilion.

He arrived at the Sword Discourse Arena and stood in front of the white jade railings, gazing at the distant shadows of the mountains. His chest rose and fell slightly. What was that alluring memory?

Could it be that this was a life that Mo Ran of another world had experienced…

He could not help but think back to Chu Wanning's moist and gentle eyes. He raised his neck and panted on the couch.

Taxian-Jun suddenly tightened his grip on the fence.

Could it be that Chu Wanning was willing to go to bed with that lecher Mo-zongshi?

He didn't know why, but even though the two of them were the same person, Taxian-Jun's anger suddenly flared up, causing his eyes to turn bloodshot.

If this really was another memory of his own, then he suddenly felt incomparably resentful and unwilling.

Why? Why?

After he was resurrected by Hua Binan, he returned to this world as a walking corpse. What was left for him was the Wushan Hall that was riddled with wounds and a disgusting mess.

What did he see when he ran to the Red Lotus Pavilion in a panic? It was a house that had been devoid of any spiritual power, a flower that had fallen to the ground, and an empty house.

And the lotus pond where the deceased no longer existed.

He was dragged out of hell by Hua Binan, but Chu Wanning's body had turned into dust, and there was nothing left to be found.

He remembered walking slowly to the lotus pond, looking down at it expressionlessly for a moment, then bending over it, he dipped his finger into it and scooped up the water. The cold pond was deep and bone-chilling cold.

He shivered involuntarily. Water trickled through his fingers, and he slumped to the ground.

Thus, what was left for him after returning to his world?

Every day he hated living in this world more and more, but he wasn't in control of himself, and he had to obey Hua Binan's orders.

Later on, Hua Binan found a crack in the Gate of Life and Death but refused to tell him who left it there. That guy happily went to another mortal world and left him here to work hard. However, the only thing he was happy about was that in order to let him do things with a plan in his heart, Hua Binan would occasionally find a way to send him some news.

Thus, he found out that he still had a portion of his spirit souls that were reborn in that era. He found out about the news of Shi Mei, Xue Meng, Ye Wangxi, and the others who had died long ago.

He had also received news of Chu Wanning.

The letters Hua Binan sent him were always short, and he treasured words like gold. He also hated Hua Binan's handwriting. The brush tip was sharp like a scorpion's pincer.

However, these letters had become his biggest hope for the living dead, as if they were the breath of someone who had drowned in the depths of the ocean. He kept every letter, and when there was no new one, he reread the words that made him sick to death a few hundred times.

He thought he must be crazy.

At night, when the servants were having dinner, he loved the liveliness. Thus, like always since his rebirth, he ordered everyone to gather in front of the palace. He lolled in the soft seat, watching them eat, and asked them how they felt from time to time.

Taxian-Jun usually didn't like to read books, but in the past few years, he didn't have anyone by his side. There was nowhere for him to spend the night, so he could only flip through the bamboo slips to amuse himself. Reading and reading, thinking of a few words of pleasure.

For example, if he wanted someone to eat a fried guoba, he would say, "Here, have a taste of thunder for this one." He would want someone to chew on a spinach, and he would say, "You try the red-lipped green parrot in the bowl."

It was hard to make an illiterate read a book, and if the illiterate still enjoyed it, there was only one thing to be said: there was no other pleasure in his life.

At the feast, someone came to report, "Your Majesty, senior Sacred Hand has returned as well."

"Alone?"

"He brought the Tianyin Pavilion's master Mu with him. They said that they would first arrange for the sacrifice and then come back to meet with His Majesty."

Taxian-Jun, holding the purple grapes in his hand, said indifferently, "Then let them take their time. This Venerable One is happy."

The person added: "In addition, senior Sacred Hand said he has something to tell His Majesty."

"What?"

"You have to be careful in the near future. The world is chaotic, so 'he' will definitely come."

"…" After a while, he smiled and said, "I understand. I understand."

Of course he knew he would come.

The two worlds crossed each other, millions of victims fled, Mo-zongshi lost his life, and the Sisheng Peak fell. Chu Wanning was the same as him, he would probably come looking for him with a death wish.

Taxian-Jun didn't fear him. In fact, he even had some hidden expectations.

It was late in the night, and the palace was lit up by twinkling candles. There were 9,999 lampstands in the Wushan Palace alone, lighting up the darkness and making it an extremely bright day.

Taxian-Jun called Liu-gonggong over and said, "Go teach them to extinguish half of their candles."

The lights were too bright, so he lowered his guard for fear that Chu Wanning would find too difficult to sneak in.

Liu-gong did as he was told. He stood in his original spot and waited for Liu-gong to come over and tell him, "Your Majesty, half of the fire has gone out."

He looked at the dim yellow light in the courtyard and was still very dissatisfied. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I might as well extinguish it all."

Liu-gong: "…"

The candles in the Wushan Palace were extinguished one by one, but the heart of Taxian-Jun began to light up bit by bit. He had a feeling that Chu Wanning was about to arrive. That person was probably dressed in white, with a face full of resentment. His words were filled with the morals of the world, and he probably wanted to avenge Mo-zongshi.

He felt excited just thinking about it. He ran the tip of his tongue over his white teeth and lips. He only left the last bronze lamp in the depths of Wushan Palace, which was the fire he left for the despairing moth, telling him that he was here, waiting for him trush to death.

Late at night, the rain began to fall outside the window.

Taxian-Jun put on the most solemn golden silk robe he had ever seen. He tidied up the bed, made a soft bed and pillow, and then walked around the room. He still felt that there was something missing, and finally ordered someone to bring a jar of aged white pear blossoms.

The man, warm and well-dressed, was standing by the window, watching the rain come down. From the beginning to the end, he had not even summoned Bu'gui.

However, he was deceiving himself as well. While guarding the bed with the wine, he viciously thought to himself, "Hmph, when Chu Wanning comes, I'll let him know that the blade is ruthless!"