The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 204: Master Protects Me

On the other side, Xue Meng had already dashed into the chaotic battlefield, raising his arms to shout, "Stop! Everyone stop! Don't fight anymore! It's useless!"

Actually, before he arrived, these people already felt that something was amiss.

A thousand elites fighting against tens of thousands of mindless undead in a seemingly grand and heroic scene, but everyone was becoming more and more confused as they fought because it didn't feel like an intense battle was about to unfold.

As they slaughtered their way here, apart from two minor injuries, the other cultivators were unscathed. Hence, when Xue Meng called out, everyone stopped and turned to look at him.

"I... "

For the first time, being stared at by so many people, including many influential figures and elders, Xue Meng was momentarily at a loss for words.

Chu Wanning asked, "What's wrong?"

Upon hearing his master's voice, Xue Meng calmed down slightly. He pointed at where Mo Ran was battling the Mantle Vine Willows and said, "It seems like Mo Ran already knows what's going on here. Fighting these zombies probably won't do anything."

Everyone exchanged glances. The sect leaders weren't pushovers; they weren't willing to listen to a junior's advice, so their expressions turned ugly. Jiang Xi's expression was the darkest as he said, "Mo Ran is just a young man in his twenties. What could he possibly know?"

If anyone else had spoken those words, Xue Meng might have been more polite. But it was Jiang Xi, and the mere sight of him riled Xue Meng up. He immediately retorted, "Just because you were still drinking milk at twenty doesn't mean everyone else should be the same! Your narrow-mindedness is stifling!"

This was intolerable. Jiang Xi's humiliation in public stirred the Solitary Moon Night Sect's disciples to anger, and they rebuked Xue Meng one after another.

"What are you saying?!"

"Xue Meng, watch your tongue!"

Feeling uncomfortable under their silent stares, Xue Meng found himself more at ease in this situation. He and Mo Ran had bickered for years, so he was well-versed in both provoking and being provoked. He raised his handsome brows and shot back, "What's wrong with what I said? It's your Sect Leader Jiang who can't distinguish priorities in critical matters. At a time like this, he's still using age as an excuse for seniority!"

Jiang Xi had a fiery temper too. As the respected leader of a sect and a celestial master, he narrowed his eyes and engaged in a verbal sparring match with a junior right before everyone's eyes.

"Age and seniority are inherently linked. When you reach your father's age, you'll understand the importance of respecting elders."

Xue Meng angrily countered, "With Sect Leader Jiang's mindset, how can you even call yourself an elder?"

"Enough, Meng'er," Xue Zhengyong frowned. "Don't say anymore. Where's Ran'er? Lead us there quickly."

Although Xue Zhengyong promptly stopped Xue Meng, Jiang Xi couldn't pursue the matter further. He simply brushed off his sleeves and threw out a parting remark, "Xue Zhengyong, you truly know how to raise your children."

Xue Zhengyong's face was ashen, seemingly wanting to say something, but he ultimately held his tongue, likely out of respect for the world's most esteemed Master. He followed the others in rushing up the mountain slope.

Upon reaching the halfway point, they saw Mo Ran floating towards them in a black robe, half of his sleeve drenched in blood. Clutched tightly in his hand was that chess piece, while the vines behind him had been burnt away and hadn't yet regrown.

Upon seeing his injury, both Chu Wanning and Xue Zhengyong's expressions changed. Xue Zhengyong hurriedly said, "Ran'er, how are you? Healing... healing, someone come help! Shi Mo! Come lend a hand!"

Shi Mo seemed startled, his complexion turning pale as he gazed at Mo Ran's bloody arm. For a moment, he stood frozen in place, not moving.

It was Solitary Moon Night's Frost Scale Holy Hand who took the initiative, stepping forward with a gentle sweep of his sleeve. The scorching pain in Mo Ran's wound subsided, and he nodded to Hua Binan, saying, "Thank you, Holy Hand."

"You're welcome," Hua Binan replied coolly. "May I ask, Grandmaster Mo, if you have any discoveries to share with us all?"

Mo Ran was already at the end of his rope emotionally. He knew full well that revealing the "Shared Heart Formation" at this moment would inevitably invite suspicion and conjecture from some people.

But he couldn't afford to worry about that now. He was all too aware of the bloodbath that would ensue if the Jolting Wisdom Chess Game were to appear en masse in the martial world – a scenario neither he nor Chu Wanning wished to witness.

"Look at this," he said, opening his palm to display the black chess piece to everyone.

Jiang Xi scoffed. "The Jiumo Chess? Didn't we already know about that? Could Grandmaster Mo's discovery be nothing more than this? If they hadn't been affected by the Jiumo Chess, how could these corpses be manipulated at will?"

Mo Ran pressed his lips together and replied, "It's not the Jiumo Chess itself; it's the soul-devouring worm on the chess pieces."

He pointed for everyone to see. "Right here."

Jiang Xi stood with his hands behind his back, not saying much, only looking at him coldly.

Xue Zhengyong leaned in to examine the worm but after staring at it for a while, he couldn't figure anything out. He asked, "What's wrong with this worm? Is there something amiss?"

"Each chess piece has one," Mo Ran said. "This Jiumo Chess game is not as straightforward as you think."

All eyes were on him, and he glanced back at each pair in turn.

Of course, he knew what he was doing.

By revealing everything he knew to everyone, he aimed to prevent a catastrophe.

But he was well aware of the price he would pay –

This was precisely the brilliance of that mastermind behind the scenes. If that person was unsure if Mo Ran was a reincarnated soul, the Shared Heart Array would undoubtedly be the best bait.

Unless Mo Ran could bear to remain silent and let calamity descend, as long as he opened his mouth to give guidance, it would inevitably expose a message to that hidden figure.

The Immortal Trampling Sovereign must have been reborn.

But Mo Ran had no choice; he had to choose his words carefully: "I wonder if any of you have seen a puppet show."

Someone replied, "…Of course we have. But why are you asking this?"

"I've seen them too," Mo Ran said, "but when I was young, I was short, so I couldn't squeeze to the front row. I could only stand behind the stage cabinet and listen from behind the scenes. So the puppet shows I saw might be a bit different from what you all saw. You all watched stories played out on stage, with a few cloth puppets in makeup, fighting and singing."

Jiang Xi interrupted impatiently, "What exactly are you trying to say? Can you be more concise?"

"I can't," Mo Ran replied. "Not everyone's comprehension speed is as fast as Sect Leader Jiang's. I want everyone to understand."

"…"

Seeing Jiang Xi's darkened expression and silence, Mo Ran continued, "Do the cloth puppets on stage move by themselves?"

Xue Zhengyong replied, "Of course not."

"So how do they move? Is it with people crouching under the table curtains, holding wooden sticks and strings to control them?"

"Exactly right."

"Okay," Mo Ran said. "I have an idea... I'm not sure if Xu Shuanglin thought this way, but I think it's quite close. The 'Phoenix Mountain' we're on now is like the area beneath a stage. These squishy zombies are like the puppeteers hiding beneath the stage — they don't need much skill, just enough to lift and move the puppets."

Jiang Xi said, "...Go on."

"If that's true, then Phoenix Mountain is just the backstage. The real performance won't happen here; it'll be on the stage," Mo Ran continued. "Xu Shuanglin is like the leader of this theater troupe. When he gives an order, who does he give it to?"

Xue Zhengyong answered, "The ones crouching behind the curtain, holding the strings."

Mo Ran nodded. "That's it. Those on Phoenix Mountain are the string holders. Xu Shuanglin gives them orders, and they make the puppets in their hands stand up and perform."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xi narrowed his eyes. "You mean there's another place besides Phoenix Mountain where corpses pile up like mountains, and that place is the so-called 'stage'. Those corpses are the 'puppets'?"

"Master Jiang has sharp insight."

"You don't need to flatter me," Jiang Xi said. "I just want to know that your words sound elaborate and logical, but in reality, they're wildly imaginative and outlandish. Grandmaster Mo, without any evidence, what basis do these statements of yours have?"

"I don't have much evidence," Mo Ran replied. "The reason I could think of this is because I accidentally found this chess piece with the Soul Devouring Bug inside a corpse."

The black chess piece in his hand was still stained with blood, very dirty. The Soul Devouring Bug, having recently left its host, was still alive, limply clinging to the surface.

Mo Ran fell silent for a moment before lifting his gaze. However, he didn't look at Jiang Xi but instead at Cold Scale Holy Hand Hua Binan behind him. "The Holy Hand should be most aware of the adaptability of the Soul Devouring Bug."

"What specific adaptability does this insect possess, Grandmaster Mo?"

Mo Ran answered, "Imitation."

Hua Binan replied, "Of course, I'm well aware of that. The Soul Devouring Bug's larvae are incredibly skilled at mimicry. Connected by mind with the male, they imitate every move of the male until adulthood."

Mo Ran continued, "Alright, if I were to implant the larva corresponding to this chess piece into another person's body, what would happen?"

Hua Binan's expression shifted slightly as he said, "Whatever is done to the corpse here, the body there will replicate it."

"How can this be resolved?"

"There's no solution other than killing the insects."

Mo Ran nodded and said, "Everyone, spread out and be cautious. Watch closely."

As he spoke, a chill flickered in his eyes, and he suddenly lashed out to attack the Soul Devouring Bug on the chess piece. At that moment, the ground trembled, and the thin vines that had previously emerged abruptly shot upward once more, lunging at Mo Ran. Everyone was startled, but Mo Ran quickly reined in his killing intent and evaded the barrage of vines.

He caught his breath, standing with one hand behind his back, and said, "Did you see that? Phoenix Mountain is deliberately protecting these Soul Devouring Bugs, preventing them from being easily killed. If anyone still insists that the appearance of these bugs on the Precious Chessboard is just a coincidence... or merely decoration, then I have nothing more to say."

Silence fell as almost everyone pondered Mo Ran's conjecture, digesting its implications.

It was a bold, almost absurd assumption.

But for some reason, they could not find any holes in it.

Mo Ran's idea was outrageous, but he spoke with certainty, his gaze unwavering.

It was as if he had complete confidence in understanding Xu Shuanglin's thoughts and actions. He was trying his best to convince them.

Yet, this conviction was unsettling. Even Chu Wanning felt a slight unease among the crowd. Frowning, he gazed at Mo Ran's pale face from a distance. Suddenly, he felt a jolt of anxiety, sensing that something was revealing a hint, a glimpse of its fangs.

It was as if they were going to tear it apart.

Perhaps only someone like Xue Zhengyong, with his straightforward thinking, didn't pay too much attention to why Mo Ran could come up with such an odd and eerie "puppet control method" in such a short time. He pondered for a moment before suddenly slapping his forehead.

"So you're saying Xu Shuanglin isn't even here?!"

Mo Ran: "I believe he's not."

Elder Xuan Ji's concerns differed from the rest. He frowned and said, "We've killed thousands of zombies, if not ten thousand, on our way here. Where did he get so many corpses from? If there had been such a sudden mass death somewhere, there would be no reason for the Ten Great Sects not to have noticed."

Mo Ran sighed. "They just died. Did you forget?"

"Where just died?"

Seeing everyone's confusion, Mo Ran tersely gave them two words.

"Lin Yi."

"It's impossible!"

Someone immediately contradicted him.

"The city of Lin Yi was engulfed in flames, a sea of fire that turned everything to ashes. How could there still be corpses remaining?"

"Because of spatial rifts," Mo Ran said. "Aside from Xu Shuanglin, he had another companion who could manipulate them."

This time, no one dared to refute him.

Not because they believed it, but because the idea was too absurd, too ridiculous.

After a moment, Jiang Xi spoke. "That's the long-lost greatest taboo spell..."

"The greatest taboo spell is the Rend of Time and Space," Mo Ran corrected. "Not just space."

"There are thousands of people here, not just Xu Shuanglin," Jiang Xi's expression was icy. "What kind of power does it take to transport over a thousand people to Phoenix Mountain before the flames consumed them?"

" Sect Leader Jiang, perhaps you should consider a different perspective," Mo Ran suggested. "I believe these people weren't sent here while they were alive, but after they were burned to death, before they turned to ashes. It would be much easier to use such a teleportation technique on the deceased than the living."

Jiang Xi disliked being led by a junior and looked rather displeased. He narrowed his eyes, but before he could speak, a pale, slender hand pressed against him. The Holy Hand of Frost Scales, Hua Binan, smiled slightly as he looked at Mo Ran. "Grandmaster Mo, you're so certain, as if you saw it with your own eyes. What proof do you have?"

Mo Ran was surprised that the Medicine Sect would speak up. He paused for a moment before saying, "No one knows better than Grandmaster Hua whether these zombies' flesh is burned or rotten."

Hua Binan glanced at the few zombies lying on the ground with their legs severed, unable to get back up. Then he turned his gaze back and said coolly, "Even if they're burned, how can you be sure they're the corpses from the Lin Yi disaster?"

Mo Ran's dark eyes met his without flinching. "It's just a speculation. If Grandmaster Hua finds it absurd, then by all means propose another way for Xu Shuanglin to secretly transport a thousand corpses under the noses of all the sects to Phoenix Mountain."

Hua Binan smiled. "I'm not skilled in dark magic, so I can't guess that."

"..."

For a moment, no one else spoke.

The Cold-Scaled Sage's words had struck a chord with everyone.

Ever since Mo Ran had speculated about the purpose of the Soul Devouring Mother and Child Bugs, many people had felt a chill run down their spines.

There was a saying: You see what you are.

Many of the people present were far from innocent, and they could easily grasp the crucial point: why could Mo Ran come up with such a terrifying and meticulous conjecture in such a short time?

Of course, he was not one of Xu Shuanglin's cronies. If he were, he would never have dared to voice such suspicions.

Does this imply that the esteemed Grandmaster Mo, who has always appeared righteous and upright, secretly delved into these sinister techniques or perhaps studied them in secret?

Hua Binan's veil fluttered softly as he smiled. "After all, when it comes to guessing Xu Shuanglin's intentions, I admit I can't hold a candle to Grandmaster Mo."

For a moment, Mo Ran considered refuting Hua Binan's words, but then he realized how weak his own stance was. He couldn't confidently say, "It was just a speculation on my part, and I'm no expert in dark magic either."

Suddenly, a chilly voice interrupted. "Master Hua, why resort to veiled insults?"

"Ah," Hua Binan chuckled. "Master Chu."

Chu Wanning stood in the moonlight, his snowy white robes contrasting starkly against the night. His expression was devoid of emotion as he spoke. "One's perspective changes with their position, and thus, their thoughts will differ. Those seated can only see the puppet show on stage, while others must watch from behind, seeing only ordinary people crouching behind tables. Do you understand my meaning, Master Hua?"

Hua Binan smiled politely. "Please forgive my lack of comprehension."

"Mo Ran has his own insights," Chu Wanning said coolly. "He is my disciple, and I hope you will be cautious with your words and refrain from idle speculation."

Such trust left Mo Ran with an aching throat. He muttered, "Shifu..."

Hua Binan gazed at Chu Wanning for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only smiled and retreated back into Solitary Moon Night's formation.

Jiang Xi regained his composure, though his expression remained grim.

He said coldly, "Regardless, we'll discuss further once we reach the summit."

Upon reaching the mountaintop, they found it barren except for an enormous array of magical runes. A steady stream of red light spheres emerged from the array's focal point.

At the sight of this formation, Mo Ran's heart sank, and his fingertips turned icy cold.

Sure enough, it was a Shared Heart Array... the kind used to refine the Shared Heart Chess piece and fuse the Soul Devouring Bug into the Precious Chess Game.

The Treading Snow Palace's Palace Master frowned, studying the enigmatic array patterns. "What kind of formation is this? I've never seen anything like it. Sect Leader Xue, with your vast knowledge, have you seen this before?"

Xue Zhengyong examined it closely and shook his head. "No."

A faint glow flickered in Jiang Xi's dark brown eyes. He examined the array's core for a while before slowly reaching out to probe it. As an expert in alchemy arrays, he closed his eyes and sensed it for about a stick of incense's time. Suddenly, he withdrew his hand and turned to Mo Ran. "Do you have any other theories?"

His reaction effectively conveyed to everyone that Mo Ran's earlier speculation was most likely correct!

Mo Ran replied, "…Yes."

Jiang Xi said, "Explain."

"Since they're parent and child worms, just as I mentioned earlier, one is on stage and the other is off. Hence, wherever Xu Shuanglin has set up his Precious Chess Games here, there will be corresponding corpses that obey his commands." Pausing, Mo Ran revealed the crucial point, "But in that place, the pile won't consist of ordinary, powerless zombies. They'll likely be the remains of people who were extremely powerful in their lifetimes."

Xue Meng exclaimed, "So this is why Xu Shuanglin killed so many ordinary people? To make it easier to control the corpses of his cultivator subordinates?"

"It seems so."

"…"

Xue Meng glanced back at the mountain below, where the sea of corpses and blood stretched out endlessly. His face instantly drained of all color. Perhaps it was because he found it too disgusting or too shocking, or perhaps he was thinking about the equally numerous cultivator corpses they would have to face elsewhere. It could have been both, for Xue Meng looked a little unsteady.

Someone suddenly shouted, "Look here! There's a corpse!"

There were no tall structures left on the mountaintop, only a shrub. Those with sharp eyes noticed what appeared to be a piece of white clothing peeking out from it.

Author's Note:

Hehe~ Are there still any readers who are unclear about the principle of the Shared Mind Array? Let me explain it more simply and straightforwardly:

Imagine 'a' as an object that is easy to control, and 'b' as one that is extremely difficult to manipulate. The spellcaster can then establish a connection between 'a' and 'b' through the Soul Devouring Worm.

The function of the Soul Devouring Worm is mimicry.

When the spellcaster gives a command to 'a,' 'b,' which is bound by the Soul Devouring Worm, will also follow suit.

Short Play: "What Matters Most in Front of Others?"

Jiang Xi: The Sect Leader's Reputation

Chu Wanning: The Grandmaster's Dignity

Mo Ran: The Master's Face

Hua Binan: The Saintly Healer's Esteem

Xue Meng: The Face of the Young Master

Xu Shuanglin: Can't you all stop worrying about saving face? Talking like this is making me forget what "face" even means. Just hurry up and attack me, I'm ready to wrap things up and go home to wash my feet. I haven't washed them yet today, damn it.