Chapter 154: Shizun, I'm going to look for Ye Wangxi

Now, this was very awkward. When Nangong Liu entered the room earlier, Madam Wang, Xue Meng, and Xue Zhengyong all immediately stood up politely and greeted him courteously.

However, Chu Wanning wasn't in the mood for it, so he just stood by the window.

As for Mo Ran, in his previous life, he had stepped on the Rufeng Sect, treating it as a ragged sect. No matter how bright and beautiful it was now, he knew that they would be reduced to a pile of ashes in the future, nothing worthy of awe. However, he wasn't intending on making Nangong Liu embarrassed. It's just that he was used to this and so didn't think of standing up.

This scene was just awkward.

For the Shizun and elders, Nangong Liu stood there with an amicable smile. He wasn't angry and his face was filled with the same warmth that everyone was acquainted with.

Mo Ran, who was a guest and a junior, was sitting languidly. He leaned against the taishi chair with his legs crossed and a cup of hot tea in his hand.

Xue Zhengyong didn't pay attention to Mo Ran's actions earlier. Now that he turned around, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

This Mo Ran was too unruly!

“And you must be… the Mo Zongshi, who has become famous during these recent years and is spoken about everywhere.”

He stopped drinking tea and covered the lid. He raised his eyes and said, “Yes.”

“Really such a gallant yo—”

Mo Ran interrupted him and said with a smile, “Nangong Liu Xianjun, you have already used the phrase “gallant youth” on my younger cousin. So might you not use it on me anymore?”

His tone was gentle and his smile was gentle as if he was very polite. However, what he was saying wasn't polite at all. He didn't even stand up. After saying this, he raised the teacup again, the celadon lid scraped the edge of the cup, and then blew away the misty mist that rose up.

He lowered his long and thick eyelashes along with his eyes and took a sip of tea at a leisurely pace.

He was young, handsome, tall, and calm. His demeanor made it seem as if he was the true owner of the Rufeng Sect, standing at the pinnacle of this entire cultivation world and Nangong Liu was just a dog under his seat.

“Haha, Mo-zongshi is right. I’m just a mere talent who was unable to think of a better way to put it, so—”

“Not at all.” Mo Ran set down his teacup and raised his eyes to smile, “Since Sect Leader Nangong Liu had entered this room, he had already spoken a bunch of good words. If the sect leader doesn't know how to speak, who would be able to speak?”

“Aiya, Mo-zongshi's praises, I don't dare to accept them for granted.”

“Who said I was praising you?” Mo Ran looked at him with a pair of black eyes, smiling, “Being able to speak too well is not always a good thing.”

Xue Zhengyong couldn't take it anymore, he lowered his voice and said, “Ran'er—!”

From his point of view, it was still justifiable for Chu Wanning and Nangong Liu to have a falling out. There was at least an antecedent. Chu Wanning also had this identity but Mo Ran...

Mo Ran did not pay attention to Xue Zhengyong and instead said to Nangong Liu, “Please leave these words of praise for the other juniors. I'm just a boor, I don't understand it and I don't want to hear it.”

Xue Zhengyong: “...”

Of course, Mo Ran knew that by doing this, he would make his uncle very unhappy, but he didn't regret it.

There were too many disgusting people in this world. Chu Wanning had a fiery temper and was willing to take the lead. Back when he was exterminating evil in Luo Xianxian's residence, Chu Wanning humiliated a weak old man of the Chen family and disregarding his own reputation, beat the hell out of his client.

Chu Wanning didn't do anything wrong but he was always condemned for being “cold-blooded”, “willful and reckless” and “inhuman”.

Mo Ran didn't want anyone to say that his Shizun was “disrespectful”.

As a result, he would rather go out of line so Chu Wanning wouldn't have to do it. He could only use such a stupid method to protect Chu Wanning behind him. Therefore, in this room, the three of them accepted Nangong Liu's flattery and kind intentions out of courtesy. However, Mo Ran didn't.

This wasn't anything to be excited about. Since he knew that it was Chu Wanning who had carried him on his back, crawling from the mountains of corpses and sea of blood. Ever since he saw his soul in Grandma Meng's Hall, that bowl of wonton in his hands. Ever since he went to the depths of hell to rescue Chu Wanning, he swore an oath —

As long as Chu Wanning was willing, he would stand by him forever.

Nangong Liu had bumped into his behaviour twice in a row. If it was any other sect leader, they would have flipped the table and chased him away in a fit of rage.

But Nangong Liu didn't, he just pretended as nothing had happened. He happily chatted with Xue Zhengyong for a while, making Xue Zhengyong feel very awkward. He pulled Nangong Liu to the side and apologized, saying that he didn't discipline his nephew.

Nangong Liu laughed and said, “Aiya, young people, who aren't this hot-blooded? I think that Mo-zongshi is really a man of good temperament.”

After meeting up with Nangong Liu, the disciples of the Rufeng Sect led the group to the guest courtyard.

Mo Ran kept sneezing along the way. Xue Meng turned around and looked at him, “Don't tell me that you were cursed by Sect Leader Nangong Liu for not keeping your mouth shut just now…”

“Go away, you're the one that's cursed.” Mo Ran's eyes filled with tears, “I… Achoo, I can't smell the heavy incense, that house just now — Achoo! The spicy scent is so… Ah—choo! It's too…”

“It smells too bad.”

“Ah, Shi— achoo— zun, ah.”

Chu Wanning passed his handkerchief to him, frowned, and said disdainfully, “Wipe, it's alright.”

With tears in his eyes, Mo Ran received the handkerchief embroidered with haitang blossoms with a smile. “Shizun still loves me dearly. Thank you, Shizun.”

Chu Wanning was a little embarrassed by his words, “Who cares about you?”

“Exactly!” Xue Meng was unconvinced. “Who cares about you? The one Shizun cares about the most is obviously me!”

Mo Ran was slightly contemptuous, “How old are you to compare yourself to someone else?” Then, he took the handkerchief in his hand and said seriously, “Look, Shizun promised to embroider me an identical piece, do you have it?”

“...” Chu Wanning grabbed the handkerchief and said sharply, “Mo Weiyu!”

When Xue Meng heard this, he was taken aback, and then angrily said: “Only a ghost would believe that Shizun will embroider a handkerchief for you. You shouldn't daydream like this. How shameless.”

As they talked, they arrived at the other courtyard Nangong Liu had arranged for them. The courtyard had four entrances. With Xue Zhengyong and his wife, the other three entered as well. The winding path in the courtyard was serene, the shadows of flowers were whirling in the breeze, and the sound of gurgling water was endless, it was elegant and classy.

However, Mo Ran was just fine until he saw that he was going to live in this courtyard. This whole person was stunned. He hesitated, and unconsciously cast a layer of gloominess in his eyes, waiting to follow everyone into the courtyard, seeing at those bricks and tiles, grasses, trees, and rocks, his mood became more and more gloomy.

This was the Rufeng Sect from his previous life, which left a deep impression on him.

At this time coming back to this old place, he could not help but think that if it weren’t for Chu Wanning’s life to replace him in this life, maybe he would still go the old way and become the immortal emperor Taxian Jun. Then by this time, he should also be leading millions of Zhenlong Chess pieces of generations of famous families razed to the scorched earth. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but break out in cold sweat. For a time, thousands of thoughts flooded his mind and chest.

Mo Ran closed his eyes. He was able to grasp his emotions. He was no longer a youth who was sharp in both joy and anger. Therefore, no one could see the haze trapped in his heart.

They all went back to their respective rooms to rest. Mo Ran stood in front of the courtyard he had for himself. He stood with his hands behind his back for a while, but he did not push open the door to enter.

The female attendant in the courtyard was a little uneasy as she cautiously asked, “Is the Young Master not satisfied with this room?”

“Ah, no.” Mo Ran came back to his senses and smiled. “I feel that this courtyard is very similar to the one I used to live in. It's just that the scenery is so touching.”

“What a coincidence. This maid thought it was because the young master didn't like this place. If Mo-zongshi has other requests, just tell this maid about them. This maid will do her best to fulfill the needs of the young master.”

Mo Ran smiled and said, “I'm fine. You can go back to your work.”

After he finished speaking, he raised his head and looked at the thick hundred-year-old laurel tree in the courtyard. The shade of the tree was like the ghost from his previous life brushing past his eyelashes.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, and his heart raced.

Suddenly, he turned around and called for the maid who was about to leave. “Wait a moment!”

“What else does Xianjun want to tell me?”

“... I want to ask you about someone.” Mo Ran paused, raising his eyes blazing, “Do you know if…”

“What?”

“Forget it, let's not ask about it. Let's ask about something else.” Mo Ran said, “Do you know where Ye Wangxi is?”

The maid said, “Ye Wangxi is Elder Xu's direct disciple. He lives in the same yard as Elder Xu. If the young master wants to see him, then you can just go there.”

Mo Ran felt secretly relieved. The last time he had met Ye Wangxi was in the restaurant. Ye Wangxi had begged Nangong Si to go back with him, but at that time, Nangong Si had refused. Ye Wangxi had said, “If it's because of me that you don't want to go back to the Rufeng Sect, then I will go away.”

In fact, he was missing Ye Wangxi a little bit. He felt that Ye Wangxi had suffered enough in his previous life. He was actually very similar to Chu Wanning. Both of them were gentlemen who would not regret their actions even if they died, but one introverted and one fierce. None of them got a good ending.

Mo Ran regretted what he had done in the past, so he hoped that Ye Wangxi could lead a better life this time. He could not help but rejoice. It was fortunate that Nangong Si had not been so unrelenting as to really drive Ye Wangxi away.

Elder Xu's courtyard was called “Sansheng Courtyard”. It was said that it had the meaning of “one drink of Grandma Meng's Water, and forgetting the events of the three lives”. Elder Xu wanted to show how long life can be, and forget the things that should be forgotten as soon as possible and shouldn't leave them in the heart to add to the worries; in any case, after one dies, he will not remember anymore once he reaches the Bridge of Naihe.

[TL/N: According to Chinese mythology, the road after we enter the underworld is called Huangquan Road 黄泉路. “Huang” means yellow and “Quan” means springs. I assume yellow springs represent underground water. There is a river called Wangchuan River 忘川河 at the end of the Huangquan Road. “Wang” means forgetting. There is a bridge over the river called Naihe Bridge 奈何桥. “Naihe” means unable to do anything with. When you walk through the Naihe Bridge, there is a lady giving soup to everyone passing by. The lady is called Mengpo 孟婆. “Meng” is her last name, “Po” means lady. The soup is called Mengpotang 孟婆汤, soup of forgetfulness. After drinking the soup, we would forget everything that happened and everyone we know in our past life and be ready to be reincarnated. If you want to know more about this, you can read it on https://chinesemythologypodcast.com/tag/afterlife/]

He sounded like a pessimistic person, no wonder he taught Ye Wangxi, a bored gourd who can't beat a fart with three sticks.

“Interesting, this parrot is really clever. Come on, take another ladle of wine, eat and drink, in the back alleyway…”

“Please report to the guards and inform them of your intentions.” Before he could get around the wall, he could hear a man's lazy laughter and talk coming from the courtyard.

Mo Ran took a few steps forward and saw a man in his early thirties standing in the sunlight. That person was dressed in plain clothes, and there were even a few patches at the corner of his robe. It was cold. He didn't wear a pair of shoes. He stood barefoot on the cold stone bricks, holding a handful of melon seeds in his hand, teasing a snow-white and blue-eyed parrot with long tail feathers.

The parrot flapped its wings from side to side, swaying back and forth on the shelf, seemingly proud, and chanted, “Ah~ a scoop of food~ a bit of drink~ in the back alley~”

“Mm, good, not bad. You're smarter than little Yezi. Little Yezi wasn't as good as you when he was young, so he can't even recite this part of the passage.” The man fed a handful of nuts to the parrot, “Come on, your father will reward you.”

[TL/N: Yezi is referred to Ye Wangxi.]

“...”

This person called himself a father to a bird.

Does that mean he's a birdman?

The man turned around and saw Mo Ran standing next to the wall. He first knocked a melon seed on the ground, then stubbed it off and suddenly laughed. His smile was bright, yet it also had a hint of malice to it. Under the shining sun, this whole person looked very elegant.

“Mo Ran, Mo-zongshi, right?” He laughed. “Nice to meet you.”

Thus, Mo Ran smiled and said, “It's a pleasure to meet you.”

After he smiled, he carefully looked at this man's face. It seemed to him that this man was kind. In his previous life when he massacred the Rufeng Sect, he seemed to have seen this man before. He was…

“Foster father, why are you running around without your shoes?”

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. It was clearly such a light sentence, but when it entered his ears, it was as if thunder had struck.

Mo Ran turned his head and saw Ye Wangxi coming out from behind the half-moon arch. He was still so slender and tall, with a warm expression and a pair of bright yellow satin shoes in his hands. He walked up to the young man and bent down to put them down.

Foster father?

Ye Wangxi's foster father...

The blood in his heart suddenly rushed in like wild wolves, and he could almost hear the cries of the past life, the clashing of swords, and the clamour of drums.

“Foster father!!!”

A blood-stained face suddenly appeared in his memory.

It was Ye Wangxi. He was crying and screaming… Back then when he massacred the Rufeng Sect, Nangong Liu secretly ran away, and there was no leader in the 72 cities, and there was sudden chaos. Later on, the first guardian of the Rufeng Sect, Elder Xu, stepped forward, scrupulously scattered the sand, and gathered the rebel soldiers that could have been destroyed by Mo Ran in an instant, and resisted with Ye Wangxi.

He clearly did not have the surname “Nangong”, but he did what the Sect Leader Nangong Liu was supposed to do. As an elder, he lived and died in the 72 cities of the Rufeng Sect.

He was clearly not Ye Wangxi's biological father, yet when the sharp blade filled with spiritual energy shot towards Ye Wangxi's back, he stood in front of Ye Wangxi, using his flesh and blood to protect the child he raised with his own hands, all in an instant.

At that time, Mo Ran was standing on top of the city wall looking down at the crowd. Seeing this scene, a twisted smile appeared on his face — only God knew how jealous he was at that time.

A person without any blood ties would actually be willing to die for another person in this world!

His heart was in shock, in pain. He was mad with jealousy, his eyes were blood red.

He was thinking, good, very good, Ye Wangxi was really lucky, and Mo Weiyu… If there was anyone in this vast world other than his mother who was willing to die for him, Mo Weiyu, then how could he have reached his current state?!

The heavens were good to anyone, but they were only so stingy and vicious to him!

He wanted to destroy all the people he envied, making all those who were hugging each other fall into hell. Why was he the only one who didn't have a day's worth of good days, didn't have a moment's warmth, and the only one who was gentle to him, was already long dead?!

He only had that little bit of warmth left, why was it taken away from him?!

He hated it!

“...”

Thinking about it later, Mo Ran felt that he was such a fool back then. There was clearly a person in the world who was willing to die for him. He had missed out on that person. He had failed, and he did not know that.

Mo Ran closed his eyes and calmed his surging heart. Only then did he raise his eyes again.

He now knew who this man was. He was Ye Wangxi's Shizun, and also his foster father — Xu Shuanglin.

On the second day after he left the sect, he had died in the flames of war in order to save Ye Wangxi.

Mo Ran turned around with bitterness in his heart. He could not bear to look at the smiling and handsome man in the sunlight any longer.

He went to greet Ye Wangxi.

“Young Master Ye.”

Only then did Ye Wangxi realize that Mo Ran was standing in the distance. He was taken aback for a moment before he smiled and said, “Ah, Mo-zongshi is here too. Long time no see.”

“Long time no see.”

In fact, Ye Wangxi had only met Mo Ran a few times in his life and was not very familiar with him. Hence, he continued to smile and said, “Are you here to find my foster father?”

“...” Mo Ran glanced at Xu Shuanglin, feeling somewhat embarrassed. Shaking his head, he said, “No, I came looking for you.”

“Little Yezi, how long has it been since anyone came to find you in this courtyard? It's not easy.” Xu Shuanglin smiled lazily and stuffed another melon seed into his mouth. “Where did you meet Mo-zongshi?”

“I met him at the Peach Blossom Springs.”

“That's good, that's good.” Xu Shuanglin smiled and threw the rest of the melon seeds into the birdseed bowl, saying, “You young people can continue chatting. I'll go somewhere else for now.”

Ye Wangxi pulled him back, “Father, why aren't you wearing shoes again?”

“Oh, I forgot.” smiling, Xu Shuanglin put on his shoes and said, “That's good enough.”

From the corner of his eye, Mo Ran saw the man slowly walk to the corner, then bend down to take off his shoes and then took his shoes into his arms and walked away leisurely.

“...”

The appearance and temperament of the father and son were really inconsistent. Because of this mentality, Xu Shuanglin was very young and his face did not age even in his thirties, he looked like Ye Wangxi's brother.

Judging by his temper, this person was a little headstrong and stubborn. He didn't seem like an older brother at all. He looked like Ye Wangxi's younger brother.

Therefore, was the solemn “Sansheng Courtyard” plaque outside the door for teasing?

Ye Wangxi and Mo Ran walked slowly along the boulevard, shoulder to shoulder.

There were many flower trees and fruit trees planted in this yard, but it was midwinter right now, the trees were withered, so only a few withered yellow leaves hung from the treetops. The wind blew, rustling in the air.

“I'm sorry, I let you down last time in the restaurant.”

“It’s nothing.” Mo Ran said, “How have you been these days?”

He felt a little regretful when he said it, because someone like Ye Wangxi would never say anything, no matter how bad his life was. Sure enough, Ye Wangxi smiled and said, “Not bad, what about you?”

“I'm fine.”

The two of them were actually not that close. The reason why Mo Ran came to find him was because he thought of the grievances from his previous life and felt uncomfortable in his heart. He wanted to see Ye Wangxi who was still alive. They would get along well but he did not know what to say when they were alone.

Mo Ran knew a lot of Ye Wangxi's secrets, but he couldn't tell him any of them. The two of them walked for a while in silence before Ye Wangxi asked, “How is Xia Sini?”

Mo Ran was taken aback for a moment and then laughed, “You still remember his name? Impressive.”

“His name is actually very easy to remember.”

“Haha, that's true. Xia Sini also came along this time. You'll be able to see him later.”

Ye Wangxi was surprised, “He is here too? The Sect Leader shouldn't have invited children…”

“You still don't know who Xia Sini is, right?” Mo Ran said with a smile, “Let me tell you, this is a long story.”

So he explained the causes and consequences of Chu Wanning and Xia Sini. Ye Wangxi was taken aback for a while after listening, and sighed: “How lucky is Young Master Mo to have this person as a teacher.”

Mo Ran said, “How lucky is the Rufeng Sect to have Young Master Ye as their disciple.”

Ye Wangxi was a little embarrassed, he smiled and said, “Mo-zongshi, you're flattering me.”

They arrived at a small pontoon bridge painted with mahogany. Along the way, it was filled with withered branches and withered leaves. Only the lush greenery could be seen, and the trees planted here were lofty, standing and facing the snowy wind. The water of the Rufeng Sect was imbued with spiritual energy, so it would not freeze over. Thus, when standing over the bridge, one could hear the gurgling stream of the water beneath their feet, surrounded by the blues at both ends.

Mo Ran turned around and saw Ye Wangxi staring at the crystal stream. His black eyes were filled with light. He was still the same person, but everyone could see the haggardness on his face.

Nangong Si's wedding, to him, was just too cruel.

Suddenly, he couldn't bear it anymore. It was as if he saw Chu Wanning, who had paid a great price, but couldn't make others look back at him for a moment, and asked, “Young Master Ye, why don't you come to Sisheng Peak?”

“What?”

“...” He felt that he had been too reckless when he spoke and also knew how Ye Wangxi would reply. Mo Ran sighed, “I was just casually asking. Young Master, you don't have to take it to heart.”

Ye Wangxi smiled. His smile had originally been filled with vigor, seven-points heroic spirit, and three-points beautiful. But now it was the same person, the same smile, but his cheekbones were slightly sunken, his seven-points heroic spirit was still present, but his three-points of beauty had been exhausted, leaving only two pools of desolation.

He wanted to hide it, but the sadness was too deep. He used all his strength, but he still could not hide it well.

He smiled and said, “So Mo-zongshi is here to steal me for Sisheng peak?”

“Haha, yes, yes. But I don't think Lord Ye will come. It was just a joke.”

“Well, since my foster father is still here, I won't leave.”

“What does Young Master plan to do in the future?”

“...” Ye Wangxi's expression seemed to be painful, but he couldn't answer immediately. What would he do in the future? He didn't know, he felt that he was a moth, and Nangongsi was a flame. He always wanted to follow the flame, even if the result would end as him being broken and fragmented.

But Nangong Si did not want him.

“I will still be doing what I should in the Rufeng Sect.” Ye Wangxi smiled, “Assisting the Sect Leader and my foster father. In the future, I will support the new young Sect Leader.”

He paused, his hand forming a fist, his knuckles as pale as jade.

Mo Ran was surprised that Ye Wangxi could actually calmly say the last half of the sentence calmly. He could really say it…

“And also assist… Young Madam.”

He finished speaking, and finally seemed to be no longer able to bear it. He lowered his eyes. But just after a while, he raised his head and looked at Mo Ran with a humble and elegant expression. His face was still smiling, but his body stood in the cold winter like a bamboo.

Suddenly, a wind rose up, blowing the accumulated snow between the bamboo forests, like reeds fluttering around in the wind.

In that instant, Mo Ran thought— he couldn't let Nangong Si marry Song Qiutong.