The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 18: This Seat Once Begged You

Heaven's Query had an unstoppable killing move with a simple name: "Wind." Once unleashed, everything within its reach would be utterly destroyed.

Mo Ran was well aware of the power of "Wind," and he knew Chu Wanning's strength as well, so there was no need to worry. With a glance at the man in blood-red wedding attire, whose face was pale, Mo Ran discarded the remaining exorcism talismans to buy Chu Wanning some time. Then, he leapt into action, scooping up Shi Mo in one arm and Lady Chen in the other. Carrying the two unconscious individuals, he darted away into the distance.

Despite excruciating pain, Chu Wanning managed to move his other hand. In that instant, Heaven's Query burst forth with blinding golden light. With a sudden yank, Chu Wanning pulled the sword back.

The Ghost Host, now free from control, sprang up and lunged at Chu Wanning with a twisted visage.

Chu Wanning's robe billowed like flames in a tempest, fluttering wildly. His brows furrowed in anger, half of his shoulder soaked in blood. He suddenly raised his hand, and the golden light of Heaven's Query grew even more intense, swirling around him.

The willow vines shot out, stretching several feet, forming a golden vortex that swept up the surrounding ghosts, corpses, golden boys, and jade girls, along with the enraged, contorted Ghost Host, all drawn into the heart of the "Wind." Heaven's Query, moving with devastating force, instantly shredded them to pieces!

"Wind" ravaged everything in its path, uprooting grass and trees, sparing nothing.

A massive storm centered on Chu Wanning shone with dazzling golden light, temporarily plunging the world into darkness, sand and debris flying everywhere. The coffins and corpses became mere trifles, tossed about by the wind.

Drawn into the maelstrom, they were subjected to the swift rotation of Heaven's Query, being sliced apart by its relentless blade.

Reduced to countless fragments...

When all had settled, not a blade of grass was left around Chu Wanning; the area was barren and desolate.

Aside from him standing alone, resplendent in his festive attire like a freshly bloomed red lotus or fallen hawthorn blossom, there was only a ground strewn with shattered white bones and the terrifying "Heaven's Question" that hissed with golden light.

Considering this display, Chu Wanning was indeed quite restrained when disciplining his disciples on regular days.

With the momentum he had shown today, if he so desired, it wouldn't be impossible for him to instantly grind all the disciples on the Virtue and Vice Platform into dust...

The golden light gradually faded.

Heaven's Question transformed into shimmering stardust, merging into Chu Wanning's palm.

He caught his breath, frowned, and endured the searing pain in his shoulder as he slowly walked towards his disciples in the distance.

"How is Shi Mo doing?"

Arriving beside them, Chu Wanning asked through gritted teeth.

Mo Ran looked down at the unconscious Shi Mo in his arms, still not awake with weak breaths and cold cheeks. This scene was all too familiar, a nightmare that Mo Ran had once been unable to escape.

Back then, Shi Mo had lain in his embrace just like this, gradually losing his breath...

Chu Wanning leaned over to check the carotid arteries of both Mrs. Chen and Shi Mo, his voice low in surprise, "Huh? How could they be so deeply poisoned?"

Mo Ran shot up, "Poisoned? Didn't you say they were fine? Didn't you say they were just bewitched?"

Chu Wanning frowned, "The Ghost Conductor's incense powder is a kind of poison. I originally thought they'd only been slightly affected, but I didn't expect them to have ingested such a deep dose."

"..."

"Take them back to the Chen residence first," Chu Wanning said. "Extracting the poison isn't difficult as long as they're still alive."

His tone was cold and composed, without much emotion, which was how Chu Wanning usually spoke. However, in this moment, it made him sound indifferent and uncaring.

Suddenly, Mo Ran recalled the snowy day when he knelt in the snow with life slipping away from Shi Mo in his arms. Tears streaming down his face, he begged Chu Wanning to turn around and look at his disciple, imploring him to lift a hand to save his disciple's life.

But what had Chu Wanning said back then?

It was with such casual tone, such tranquil inflection.

And with that, he dismissed the one and only time Mo Ran had ever knelt before him, begging.

In the midst of the heavy snowfall, the person in his arms gradually grew as cold as the snowflakes settling on his shoulders and brows.

On that day, Chu Wanning took the lives of two of his disciples.

One was Shi Mingjing, whom he could have saved but chose not to.

The other was Mo Weiyu, kneeling in the snow with a despair that surpassed all else.

Suddenly, a surge of panic, savagery, and a venomous, serpent-like resentment swelled within him, accompanied by a wild fury.

For an instant, he imagined leaping up to strangle Chu Wanning, shedding all pretenses of warmth and amiability, revealing his demonic visage. As a vengeful ghost from a past life, he would fiercely tear into him, confront him, and demand retribution.

Demand the lives of those two helpless disciples in the snow.

But when he lifted his eyelids, his gaze fell abruptly upon Chu Wanning's blood-soaked shoulder.

The beast's roar was suddenly muffled.

It didn't make another sound, only staring at Chu Wanning's face with an almost hateful gaze, but Chu Wanning didn't notice. After a while, it lowered its head to gaze at Shi Mo's haggard countenance.

Its mind gradually went blank.

If something happened to Shi Mo again this time...

"Cough, cough, cough!!"

The person in its arms suddenly broke into a fit of rapid coughing. Mo Ran was startled, his heart trembling... Shi Mo slowly opened his eyes, his voice raspy and weak.

"A... Ran...?"

"Yes! It's me!" Overjoyed, all gloom dissipated, and Mo Ran widened his eyes, pressing his palm against Shi Mo's slightly cold cheek, his eyes shimmering with emotion, "Shi Mo, how do you feel? Is there anything that doesn't feel right?"

Shi Mo smiled gently, still with those tender eyes, then turned his head to look around, "Why... are we here... How did I pass out... Ah! Master... cough, cough, this disciple is incompetent... this disciple..."

Chu Wanning said, "Don't speak."

He fed Shi Mo a pill and said, "Now that you're awake, hold this detoxification powder in your mouth. Don't swallow it directly."

As Shi Mo held the medicine in his mouth, he suddenly froze. His already pale face became even more translucent. "Master, how did you get hurt? You're covered in blood..."

Chu Wanning's voice remained calm and indifferent, as if it could infuriate anyone who heard it. "It's nothing."

He stood up and glanced at Mo Ran.

"You, find a way to bring both of them back to the Chen residence."

With Shi Mo now conscious, Mo Ran's gloominess dissipated. He nodded hastily. "Okay!"

"I'll go first. I have questions for the Chen family."

As Chu Wanning turned and left, he couldn't help but frown at the vast expanse of darkness and withered grass around him. The pain on his face was undeniable.

His entire shoulder had been pierced by five fingers, his veins torn apart. The spirit claws of the Ghost Conductor had even pierced deep into his flesh and bones. No matter how composed he pretended to be or how he sealed his veins to prevent excessive bleeding and loss of consciousness, he was still human.

And humans felt pain...

But what of the pain?

He moved forward step by step, the train of his wedding attire billowing behind him.

For so many years, people had revered and feared him, but none dared stand by his side. No one cared for him. He had long grown accustomed to it.

Yueheng at night, the Venerated Immortal of the Northern Dipper.

Unloved from head to toe, with no concern for his life, illness, or suffering.

It was as if he had been born without the need for anyone's support, no reliance, no companionship.

So there was no point in crying out in pain, let alone weeping. He could tend to his wounds himself, cut away the festering flesh, and apply medicine. That would suffice.

It didn't matter if nobody cared about him.

After all, he had managed just fine on his own all these years. Everything had been fine. He could take care of himself.

Arriving at Chen's residence, before even entering the courtyard, he heard a piercing, heart-wrenching scream coming from inside.

Chu Wanning, disregarding the reopening of his wounds, rushed inside immediately — only to witness Old Madam Chen with disheveled hair and closed eyes, chasing her son and husband around the room in a frenzied state. The Chen family's youngest daughter was ignored, standing fearfully by the side, huddled into a small ball and trembling uncontrollably.

Upon seeing Chu Wanning enter, Magistrate Chen and his youngest son screamed and flung themselves at him, "Master Daoist! Save us, Master Daoist!"

Chu Wanning positioned himself protectively in front of them, casting a glance at Madam Chen's shut eyes before angrily stating, "Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on her and not let her fall asleep?"

"We couldn't manage it! My wife isn't in good health; she usually goes to bed early. After you left, she tried to hold out for a while, but then she started dozing off, and then she just went mad! She was shouting... shouting..."

Magistrate Chen, shivering behind Chu Wanning, failed to notice that the Daoist was dressed in festive attire, nor did he pay attention to the gruesome wound on Chu Wanning's shoulder.

Chu Wanning frowned. "What was she shouting?"

Before Magistrate Chen could respond, the crazed woman lunged forward, baring her teeth and wailing in a shrill, young woman's voice,

"Unfaithful and heartless! Unfaithful and heartless! I'll make you all pay with your lives! I want you all to die for me!"

Chu Wanning: "..." He turned to Magistrate Chen and sternly asked, "Do you recognize this voice?"

Magistrate Chen's lips quivered, his eyes rolling as he swallowed nervously, "No, I don't know it, unfamiliar, I've never heard it before! Please, Master Daoist, save us! Exorcise this evil spirit!"

At this moment, Mrs. Chen had already rushed over. Chu Wanning raised his uninjured arm and pointed at her in mid-air. A bolt of lightning struck down, trapping her within an enchantment.

Chu Wanning turned his head and glanced coldly sideways. "Really don't recognize me?"

Mr. Chen repeated anxiously, "I really don't know! I really don't recognize you!"

Chu Wanning didn't say anything more. He threw out Tianwen, binding the elderly Mrs. Chen within the barrier.

He should have bound Mr. Chen, who would be easier and more convenient to interrogate. However, Chu Wanning had his own principles. He didn't casually use Tianwen to question ordinary people. Thus, he abandoned the easy target and instead interrogated the vengeful spirit inside the old lady.

Questioning ghosts was different from questioning humans.

When Tianwen questioned a human, they couldn't withstand it and would speak up.

When Tianwen questioned a ghost, it created a boundary where only Chu Wanning and the ghost existed. The ghost would reveal its original form within the boundary and convey information to Chu Wanning.

Tianwen suddenly ignited with a burst of flames, burning straight from Chu Wanning's end to Mrs. Chen along the vine.

The old lady let out a scream and began convulsing. Suddenly, the originally crimson flames on the vine turned into eerie blue ghost fire. It then burned back from Mrs. Chen's side to Chu Wanning.

With his eyes closed, Chu Wanning endured the blazing inferno that seared along the willow vine up to his palm. Yet, the ghostly flames couldn't harm him; they continued burning up his arm and into his chest before eventually extinguishing.

"..."

The Chen family watched in a mix of horror and bewilderment, unsure of what exactly Chu Wanning was doing.

Chu Wanning's eyelashes quivered slightly, yet his eyes remained shut. Gradually, a beam of white light appeared before him. Then, he saw a delicate, jade-like foot step out from within the light, followed by a girl of about seventeen or eighteen years old entering his field of vision.

Author's Note: Mo Ran: Chu Wanning, if you're so capable, save someone! Don't just turn away and pretend not to hear me! I know you're listening!

Chu Wanning: ...

Mo Ran: If you can be all high and mighty, then save someone! You won't save your own disciple, but when my uncle comes for his end-of-term inspection, I'll give you a zero!

Chu Wanning: ...

Mo Ran: If you're so capable...

Chu Wanning: Enough! Mind your own business! It's none of your concern whether I save someone or not! I'm not saving anyone! That's just how shameless I am! If you don't like it, keep it to yourself!

Mo Ran: QAQ