Read Novel Full Chapter 225
Chapter 225: Dragon Mountain Mocks My Madness
Chu Wanning was the first to emerge from the tunnel. Unlike its narrow interior, stepping off the last stone step revealed an enormous open platform stretching out before him, vast and seemingly endless, as if floating in the heavens above.
The full moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie silence over the barren plateau. Not a blade of grass grew, only mournful winds and hazy clouds. At the very center of the platform sat a person.
Xu Shuanglin.
One by one, the others emerged from the tunnel, but they all fell into a stunned silence at the sight of Xu Shuanglin. Xue Zhengyong exclaimed, "How... How is this possible? What's going on?"
Another gasped, whispering, "Oh my God, how could this happen?"
"Is he alive or dead?"
Mo Ran walked toward him. The closer he got, the more chilling the scene became, sending shivers down his spine. Xu Shuanglin sat cross-legged on the ground with his eyes closed. The right half of his body had rotted away, leaving no semblance of humanity. A steady flow of pus, blood, and black water seeped from his body, reeking of putrefaction. Surrounding him were five weapons, each imbued with a malevolent aura.
Mo Ran's fingers involuntarily curled—there was no mistaking it. He saw None Returns.
None Returns pierced deeply into the ground, its pale green glow climbing upward until it merged with the radiance of the other four weapons, flowing into Xu Shuanglin's chest. The light illuminated Xu Shuanglin's gaunt face, flickering between shadows and brightness.
Behind Xu Shuanglin, a swirling mass of dark smoke hovered, seemingly on the verge of coalescing into some kind of ethereal boundary.
The others arrived one after another.
Huang Xiaoyue murmured in disbelief, "This is… this is the Art of Martial Souls?"
Xue Meng had no idea what the Art of Martial Souls was and was about to ask his father when he turned to see Xue Zhengyong's ashen face. It was clear that he did not believe anyone would actually use such a technique.
"What on earth is this?"
Xue Meng wasn't the only one ignorant of the Art of Martial Souls; another junior whispered the same question.
Staring at Xu Shuanglin's face, Chu Wanning explained, "The Art of Martial Souls is the act of offering one's own soul to a blood-stained Divine Warrior, making a pact with them, swearing that upon death, one's soul will be torn apart and devoured by the weapon spirit of the Divine Warrior, serving as a sacrificial offering to temper and strengthen the Divine Warrior."
"A living sacrifice for a weapon?" Xue Meng was astonished. "Why would anyone do that?"
"Because his spiritual energy isn't sufficient," Chu Wanning replied. "It's a way to rapidly and significantly boost one's strength. He offers his soul to the Divine Warrior, who in turn lends him their power."
As they spoke, a faint sigh echoed through the air.
Almost everyone involuntarily took a step back as Xue Meng unsheathed his Dragon City sword, his gaze fixated on Xu Shuanglin's face.
Xu Shuanglin slowly opened his eyes. Under the moonlight, he lifted his face, half of it still recognizable, while the other half had turned into a vile puddle of mud.
"Grandmaster Chu... All of you have finally found your way here."
He propped himself up on the ground, swaying unsteadily to his feet. His gaze swept across the faces of those who were either wary, disgusted, or fearful.
He seemed indifferent, his one remaining normal eye twirling with a malicious prankster's glint and an aura of malevolence. But after scanning the crowd twice and failing to find that person, the smirking malice on his face froze and vanished.
Xu Shuanglin growled fiercely, "Where is Ye Wangxi?!"
Xue Meng replied angrily, "You dare to mention her name?"
"What have you done to her?!"
Xue Meng's anger escalated, "That's none of your business. You, a heartless, soulless creature without blood or flesh, how dare you even think about Ye Wangxi?"
"Think about?" The term seemed to provoke Xu Shuanglin. He was taken aback at first, then narrowed his eyes, appearing to calm down gradually. "No, why would I worry? How laughable..."
Jiang Xi spoke coldly, "Why waste time with him? Kill him!"
He raised his right hand, and the Snow Phoenix Sword appeared in his palm, ready to strike at Xu Shuanglin. Suddenly, a black shadow darted out like lightning, intercepting Jiang Xi's attack.
Jiang Xi's eyebrows rose, and he gritted his teeth. "Why did Grandmaster Mo stop me?"
"I have something to ask him!" Mo Ran turned around, his eyes shimmering with a complicated light. He pressed his lips together, as if he had intended to say more, but in the end, only four words came out, "Where is your accomplice?"
Xu Shuanglin, surprisingly still leisurely despite the situation, rubbed his toe.
This caught Mo Ran's attention, noticing that Xu Shuanglin was, once again, not wearing shoes.
"I've already said they're my accomplice," Xu Shuanglin revealed his white teeth in a grin, his smile on that half of his face still bright, tinged with sarcasm. "So you should know I won't speak. I, Xu Shuanglin, still understand the code of honor in the pugilistic world. Heroes and gentlemen, there's no need for you to waste your efforts."
He glanced at the Ghost-Seeing Blade in Mo Ran's hand and continued, "Other interrogation methods are unnecessary. At worst, I'll slice off my own tongue—I'll always find a way to keep from telling the truth."
Xue Meng looked astonished. "You… You actually have the nerve to talk about the code of honor in the pugilistic world…?"
"What's so strange about that?" Xu Shuanglin asked. "Friends helping each other, brothers treating each other with respect, teachers showing kindness to their disciples, the virtuous enjoying peace, and the wicked being punished—this is how the world should be. Do you think only people like you understand this principle?"
Xue Meng was left speechless by Xu Shuanglin's thick skin, pointing at him and exclaiming, "Brotherly love and filial piety? A kind master and a respectful disciple? ... You?"
Xu Shuanglin replied calmly, "Yes, what of it?"
"Do you still have any shame? You're the one who turned against your own siblings, and you're also the one who goaded Nan Gongliu to devour Luo Fenghua's spirit core. You've done nothing but evil deeds, yet you still... You can still stand there so boldly and say that this is how the world should be?"
Faced with Xue Meng's barrage of questions, Xu Shuanglin smiled, not denying anything. Instead, he suddenly asked, "How old are you, young brother?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Xu Shuanglin sized him up and said, "I'd say you're around twenty. At twenty, one is full of passion, innocence, and arrogance, standing tall in the world, believing that nothing is beyond their reach."
He paused and laughed radiantly, "Truly, the best age there is."
The divine power on the ground continued to flow, replenishing his formidable spiritual energy, which he used to maintain control over the thousands of precious chess pieces, countering their backlash. Despite this, his flesh was visibly decaying.
Xu Shuanglin seemed unconcerned, as if he couldn't see his body being consumed by the malevolent aura. He paced back and forth in front of the coiling barrier behind him. "Twenty years old... Do you know what I was doing at about the same age as you?"
"What else could you have been doing?" Xue Meng spat indignantly, "Everyone knows your dirty deeds! You stole the sect leader's ring from your brother and took over as the head of the Confucian Wind Sect. Within just two months, you killed two Esteemed Lords of the Upper Realm. Later, when people came seeking an explanation, you gouged out their eyes – you monster! You're devoid of justice, compassion, and deaf to reason! If I had done those things at twenty, I'd rather have died at twelve!"
Xue Zhengyong, noticing his agitation, feared that Meng'er would draw Xu Shuanglin's attention and incur consequences, so he whispered a gentle reminder: "Meng'er, you should speak less."
"Please don't." Unbeknownst to them, Xu Shuanglin had overheard their conversation. He chuckled and waved dismissively. "Continue, why hold back on your words?"
Xue Meng observed his amused expression, as if he were watching a parrot flapping its wings and singing on a perch, filled with a sense of irony. Frustration and embarrassment boiled within him, and he retorted angrily, "You... You truly have no shame! There's no cure for your audacity!"
"What audacity do I lack? What you mentioned doesn't amount to much," Xu Shuanglin said. "You accuse me of seizing the ring of the sect leader—since ancient times, power has been held by those capable. My brother, that good-for-nothing, knows nothing but how to use his smooth tongue to get by. Those who haven't actually crossed paths with him think he's a top-notch figure, labeling us the Dual Scholars of Refined Style—equally matched in spiritual techniques. Don't you find that laughable?"
"I, with him?" Xu Shuanglin laughed, tapping his forehead. "Don't joke. Since childhood, I could defeat him with one hand while he was crawling on all fours. You want me to be on equal footing with him? While I was slaving away in my daily cultivation, he was nothing but a pampered child, cuddling in his mother's arms and peeling oranges! I trained through the freezing cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer, but for him, spring was not for studying, and summer was for napping! Then, when I sought rightful recognition at the Spirit Mountain Congress, he schemed behind my back to reap the rewards without effort! And after that? You accused the diligent ones of stealing credit, yet you bestowed upon him the title of the most handsome and accomplished hero in the world. Is that fair?"
Xue Meng hesitated but still insisted, "You didn't have to go this far, though..."
"Rubbish! It's easy to speak from a position of comfort and lecture others with high morals. But when it comes to yourself, you have a completely different attitude. Would you have tolerated something like the Spirit Mountain Congress?!"
Xue Meng was caught off guard by this unexpected counterattack and fell silent.
Could he have endured it if the roles were reversed?
"Hundreds of people pointing at you in the assembly, calling you shameless. All the glory and applause belong to him, while you're left with a stigma that will haunt you forever. Your hard work and dedication crumble in front of his eloquence—this is what you call fairness?"
"I..."
Seeing Xue Meng's stunned silence, Xu Shuanglin sneered, "Let's talk about me killing those two sect leaders. One of them was always tapping his wooden fish and chanting 'Namo Amitabha' better than anyone else. The other had a reputation as an upright and righteous gentleman known throughout the land. Yet, for their own selfish gains, they coldly pushed me into a bottomless abyss. I ask you all, why should I spare their wretched lives?"
Upon hearing this, the representatives of the two sects turned pale with alternating shades of red and blue. They wanted to refute, but couldn't find any coherent argument. Finally, Master Xuanjing from Wubei Temple sighed and closed his eyes, clasping his hands together. "Revenge begetting revenge, when will it ever end?"
"Indeed, when will it end? Everyone wants to settle their scores, but why should it be me?" Xu Shuanglin spoke with fury, yet his face remained smiling, serene and even mocking. "I slap you, then say revenge never ends, not allowing you to retaliate. Would you be okay with that, baldy?"
Someone angrily retorted, "Watch your mouth, Nan Gongxu! How dare you speak to our elders like that!"
"I'm your senior too," Xu Shuanglin chuckled. "Cut the crap, little darling. Mind your tongue."
"..."
Huang Xiaoyue stroked his beard. "Nan Gongxu..."
Before he could finish, the other person waved a hand, tugging at the corner of his half-intact, half-decayed lip. "Let's discuss something. Could you call me Xu Shuanglin? I don't like the name Nan Gongxu."
Huang Xiaoyue brushed off his sleeves. "Even if you sought justice, killing those two sect leaders should have settled the score. Why did you then proceed to pluck out so many eyes?"
Xu Shuanglin spoke with a composed air, "In the past, I tried to reason with you all, but no one listened."
He paused and chuckled, "Then, I became a madman, and now you want to debate right and wrong with me, you righteous gentlemen... How amusing." He clapped his hands, "Truly amusing."
Standing beside him, Mo Ran, who had been silent until now, suddenly asked, "So, you're seeking fairness for yourself, right?"
"..." Xu Shuanglin's gaze shifted up, landing on Mo Ran's face.
The two of them locked eyes on the chilly stone platform.
In Mo Ran's eyes, Xu Shuanglin's figure gradually blurred. He didn't see the decaying man before him gasping for breath.
Through Xu Shuanglin, he saw another shadow - a man adorned with a crown of pearls and wearing a black and gold robe. He saw the Heaven-Stepping Emperor, and his past self.
"We encountered Nan Gongliu on our way here. He addressed you as Your Majesty, and you declared yourself a god," Mo Ran said. "You've become the Emperor in this Heavenly Palace, wielding the power of judgment. What you say is right becomes right, and what you declare wrong is absurdly so. Life, death, and possessions are all under your control. This is your notion of fairness?"
Xu Shuanglin fell silent for a moment, then laughed coldly.
Thus, Mo Ran saw the sneer on the face of Heaven-Stepping Lord, his pale, handsome features twisted in mockery.
"And so what if it is? You've seen it for yourself. I once believed in you righteous gentlemen and the so-called fairness of this world, but what was the outcome?"
He paused, pacing back and forth in front of the Divine Martial Formation, his eyes gleaming with fervor. "It was you who worshiped cowards as heroes and trampled upon true heroes. It was you who treated effort as worthless and elevated toilets to sacred altars. It was you who considered flattery as friendship and viewed integrity as arrogance — you did all these wicked things to push me into the mud! Then you tell me that no matter how much suffering I endure, no matter how betrayed by my own kin, no matter how humiliated I am — it's my own business, and I shouldn't vent my anger on the innocent — ha, what a joke!"
Mo Ran watched as Heaven-Stepping Lord's sneer grew more exaggerated, turning into a menacing grin.
"You weren't the one pointed at by a thousand fingers, nor were you the one bearing false accusations. Of course, you can spout all the beautiful words in the world! But I, I'm just seeking a world with justice in my own way."
"...A world with justice?" Mo Ran stood opposite Emperor Heaven-Stepping, asking, "How many lives have you taken in the name of your own justice? You crowned yourself emperor, stepping over countless skeletons and rivers of blood. Haven't you ever felt the slightest remorse?"
"What remorse is there to feel? I killed them, but I will give them a chance to be reborn, to become pawns under my command. From then on, everything they do will be under my control, black and white will be clearly defined, good and evil will be distinguishable. That is the true justice of this world."
Mo Ran fell silent for a moment before saying, "So it seems you truly see yourself as the yardstick of humanity."
"I am that yardstick."
Xu Shuanglin stood tall in the wind.
To everyone else, he was Nan Gongxu.
It was the Heaven-Stepping Lord in Mo Ran's eyes.
He said, "Look at the main hall. Don't you find it beautiful? The virtuous live peacefully and happily, while the wicked are consumed by raging flames or boiled in cauldrons. Those who have stabbed others are made to bow their necks for retribution, with every debt settled in clear account, repaid in blood for blood. Is there anything wrong with that?"
Mo Ran replied, "You really think highly of yourself."
Then he heard the Heaven-Stepping Lord respond, "Why would I look down on myself? In my eyes, this is the finest manifestation of karma."
For a moment, no one else spoke.
Everyone was likely shocked by Xu Shuanglin's radical words.
Before they arrived, many had assumed Xu Shuanglin did all this for power, personal revenge, or similar reasons.
None of them had imagined that Xu Shuanglin genuinely believed he was doing the right thing, in the name of fairness and justice.
But in this world, who could be the most impartial ruler? Even the descendants of the divine, the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, might not be capable of it.
Mo Ran stood where he was. After a while, his heart regained some calm. He gazed at the Heaven-Stepping Lord standing across from him.
The imperial headdress vanished, and the handsome face sunken, turning charred black.
He blinked, realizing that the person before him was Xu Shuanglin, not the Emperor of Immortals. It was solely due to Xu Shuanglin's resemblance to his past self that he momentarily felt as if he were conversing with his former self across time and space.
"I see. So does that mean you want to preserve the consciousness of the chess pieces in the main hall, even if their spiritual energy is insufficient? You've established your own territory in this Celestial Palace. Henceforth, you'll be a god, a Buddha, an Emperor. You divide the world into two, sending the virtuous on the path of righteousness and the wicked to damnation. This is the fairness you seek?"
As he spoke, fragments of memories associated with Xu Shuanglin rapidly flashed through his mind like a blizzard of snow.
—In his previous life, Xu Shuanglin who had died at the sword's edge, all for the sake of saving Ye Wangxi.
Xu Shuanglin standing in the Courtyard of Three Lifetimes, barefoot and playfully teasing a parrot with a grin.
Xu Shuanglin by Jin Chengchi, asking his elder brother for a tangerine slice as a reward.
Nan Gongliu on Dragon Mountain, whose consciousness returned to his innocent childhood self; Luo Fenghua rescued from the Abyss of No Return… Each memory cascaded like a tidal wave, flooding his thoughts.
Mo Ran lifted his dark, solemn eyes, which held neither mockery nor disdain. He simply gazed at Nan Gongxu calmly. "Am I right, Nan Gongxu?"
"Call me Xu Shuang..."
"No, you should be called Nan Gongxu." Mo Ran stepped forward, his gaze fixed on the man with decaying flesh. He knew no one else present could understand Nan Gongxu's thoughts as intimately as he did. They had both been pushed to the brink, the former Heaven-Stepping Lord in his past life and Xu Shuanglin in this one, identical in their plight.
He observed keenly, not missing a single flicker of emotion on Xu Shuanglin's face.
Stopping in his tracks, he lowered his eyes suddenly.
"It's so cold up there, and the ground is so chilly," Mo Ran whispered. "Nan Gongxu, why aren't you wearing shoes?"
The smile on Xu Shuanglin's face froze, but his eyes quickly regained their icy composure. "I don't wear them out of my own free will—"
"Do you like it when Ye Wangxi asks you that?"
"..."
"When I first saw you at the Three Lives Courtyard, you weren't wearing shoes," Mo Ran continued. "She was the one who reminded you to put them on, and the look of contentment on your face—I doubt you even noticed it yourself."
Mo Ran's eyes locked onto Xu Shuanglin's face, studying every nuance.
That was the answer he had conjectured in his heart while on Fluttering Flower Island, gazing at the raging inferno and billowing smoke on the opposite shore where Lin Yi resided.
"Nan Gongxu, you've always wished for someone to notice your bare feet, to say to you—"
The ever-smiling Xu Shuanglin's face suddenly revealed a hint of fear. He took a step back, his nose wrinkling, and his expression turning sinister. "Be quiet."
Of course, Mo Ran wouldn't keep silent. Gazing at Xu Shuanglin, the suspicions he had previously harbored turned into concrete reality with the other's sudden intense reaction.
Looking at Xu Shuanglin, Mo Ran felt as if he was not seeing the man himself, but his former self, trapped and helpless in the darkness of his past life.
"Put on your shoes. The ground is cold."
With the agility of a leopard, shadows danced and divine might clashed as Xu Shuanglin suddenly sprang up in a fit of rage, grabbing Mo Ran's collar. His normal human hand and the stinking ghostly claw clasped onto him simultaneously. Red veins popped in Xu Shuanglin's eyes as he gritted his teeth, "Shut up! Just shut up!"
"Very well, before I do, let me say one more thing."
"Don't—!" Xu Shuanglin was almost desperate, like a dragon whose scales had been plucked, bleeding profusely. "Don't... say it..."
"Ye Wangxi truly resembles Luo Fenghua."
This casual remark drained away all of Xu Shuanglin's strength in an instant.
He fell silent, standing there in a daze.
Those around them who had seen both Luo Fenghua and Ye Wangxi were taken aback. They recalled the two vastly different individuals in their minds—no blood relation, one already deceased amidst the bustling world while the other had only just been born. But upon this reminder, they suddenly realized—yes, it was indeed so.
Every move, every gesture, even the personality and demeanor of Ye Wangxi were eerily similar to those of Xu Shuanglin's former mentor, Luo Fenghua.
Xu Shuanglin abruptly withdrew his hands from Mo Ran, claws contorted. He buried his face in his palms, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Xue Meng muttered, "Is… is he crying?"
Crying?
No way.
Buried in his hands, Xu Shuanglin remained still for a long moment. Then, his shoulder tremors grew more apparent, and a twisted, eerie chuckle seeped through his fingers. "Hah…" The smile spread like ripples, and he suddenly dropped his hands, laughing maniacally. "Hahaha, alike? What utter nonsense! Grandmaster Mo, have you ever met Luo Fenghua? You only saw his corpse when the Abyssal Hell opened. Based on that one glance, you say they resemble each other? You're being rather too confident."
"Since you brought up the Abyssal Hell and Luo Fenghua's remains," Mo Ran said, "then let me ask: where is he?"
Xu Shuanglin's gaze turned fierce, and his smile twisted. "What do you mean, where is he?"
"You hold the power to mete out justice or doom within your domain. Yet you didn't even have the heart to kill Nan Gongliu in the end, and you lifted the Lingzhi Gu curse from him—I don't know why, but since he's still alive, there's no reason for you to abandon Luo Fenghua. Your spiritual energy may be depleted, forcing you to offer your soul to the Divine Martial God, but you've clashed with Jin Chengchi in Peach Blossom Spring several times, so I know your strength hasn't dwindled to such a sorry state."
Xu Shuanglin: "…"
"There's another reason besides overusing the game of Go that's causing you to falter. It's that second forbidden technique you've been desperately cultivating all these years."
Mo Ran paused, then finally struck down with his blade. "Did your Rebirth Spell finally save Luo Fenghua from the Eighteen Hells?"
Before Xu Shuanglin could respond, his face had already paled like ash. Just as he was about to say something, a white smoke suddenly rose from the dark array that had been swirling behind him.
Xue Zhengyong, seasoned from countless battles, reacted quickest. "This isn't good, there's something behind that array!"
Author has something to say: Friends, I'm still on a business trip, feeling like a laborer at sea, but I read the comments every day! I noticed there's been a misunderstanding... When I said to pay attention earlier, it means that the supporting characters won't die (highlight this), but that doesn't apply to the bosses (also highlight this). In other words, if they're a boss, they won't survive even if listed as a supporting character. Facepalm, facepalm.