The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 233: This Seat Can Change the Title Whenever I Want! Being Capricious!

In an instant, the black-clothed cultivators with covered faces swooped down from the clouds like seagulls fighting for food, descending upon the heavily wounded group below.

Mo Ran had already realized the situation. As the Immortal Devouring Emperor from his previous life, he could clearly sense that these people were controlled by the Juenlon chess pieces. Their refinement, perfection, and strength were far beyond what Xu Shuanglin's half-hearted attempts could achieve.

They stood no chance against them.

Mo Ran turned back in alarm, shouting at those who had yet to experience the true power of the Juenlon chess, "RUN!!"

He tightly grabbed Chu Wanning's wrist beside him and pulled up the kneeling Jiang Xi, urging everyone forward as his pupils constricted.

"Run! Get out of here! Leave the Soul Summoning Platform! Don't stay! You can't win this fight!!"

Before he needed to repeat himself, everyone was already aware of the terrifying strength displayed by the first chess piece when it landed and drew its sword. They all rushed towards the tunnel entrance.

The timid Ma Zhuangzhuang, who had been in the lead, was the first to reach the stone door of the tunnel. But he stopped.

One after another, those behind him also came to a halt, crashing into each other as they stumbled. Someone shouted in anger, "What's going on?! Why are we stopping?!"

The voice of Lord Ma, tinged with fear and sobs, echoed from the depths of the dark tunnel.

"It's... It's shut!"

"What's shut?"

"When Hua Binan escaped, he closed the stone gate..." As Lord Ma spoke, his legs gave way, and he fell to the ground in despair, his face wet with tears and his body trembling violently. "This is the stone of Dragon Mountain. Once it seals, without the blood of the Nangong family, there's... no way to open it."

Someone anxiously interjected, "Although Nangong Si is gone, we still have Nangong Liu! Didn't his father, who was turned into a precious chess piece, remain on the mountain? Where is he?"

"In the main hall. I deemed him useless, so I didn't bring him along..."

Despair permeated the entire tunnel, as the aura of darkness seemed to seep into their bones.

"What do we do now?"

"Should we force our way out?"

Outside, some still unaware of the situation were pushing their way in, while those unable to enter were left with no choice but to bravely confront the mysterious chess pieces emerging from the tear in the sky.

In the gloom, Huang Xiaoyue suddenly roared, "Let me through! I can open this gate!"

He pushed his way through the crowd with the fierce determination of a salmon swimming upstream, reaching the stone door.

Master Ma lifted his tear-streaked face, confused. "Venerable Master Huang?"

"Move aside, let me do it!"

"But you're surnamed Huang, not Nan Gong..."

Huang Xiaoyue ignored him and charged forward with his golden saber, flinging back his wide sleeves. Fortunately, he still had a bit of Nan Gongsi's blood, which he'd secretly preserved for the purpose of unlocking the treasure chamber. He'd even cast a spell to prevent it from drying too quickly.

But that spell wouldn't last long. At this moment, he was grateful that all these sudden changes had happened so swiftly. Hopefully, the blood would still be effective.

With his bony old hand, Huang Xiaoyue pressed hard against the broken stone.

From within the passage, the ethereal voice of the Dark Dragon echoed, "Who approaches?"

His heart pounded.

Huang Xiaoyue said, "Nan Gongsi, the seventh-generation source blood relative of the Confucian Wind Sect, pays his respects."

There was a moment of pause.

The dragon's hoarse voice echoed, "Wangli... respectfully sending off... Master..."

"Boom!"

The stone gate descended, and Huang Xiaoyue was the first to exit the tunnel, followed by the disciples of the Jiangdong Sect. Master Ma scrambled to his feet and hurriedly raised his hands, exclaiming, "Wait for me! I'm coming out, I'm coming out, I—"

A sword was suddenly pressed against his chest.

Master Ma's face froze, and he looked up in astonishment. "Venerable Master Huang, what are you doing?"

Huang Xiaoyue sneered. "When I was infested with the Piercing Heart Bugs, my stance was already set against all of you. If I were to release you now, there would likely be countless people lining up to settle scores with me once the chaos is over. I'm too old for such turmoil."

Master Ma panicked. "No, no, no! What do you want? Don't do anything reckless! Let's talk this through! Ah, why seek revenge? We're all in the business world. Venerable Master Huang, please let us out. In the future, we'll give your sect half-price on all goods from Peach Bud Manor—no, half of half price!"

A hint of malevolence flickered across Huang Xiaoyue's withered old face. He taunted, "Half price? After obtaining the treasures of Dragon Mountain from the Confucian Wind Sect, how could the wealth of the world still catch my eye? A mere Peach Bud Manor is nothing but a trifle!"

With a declaration of defending the pass, he forcefully pushed the Sect Lord Ma to the ground.

Ma Yun fell, dragging down the cluster of people behind him into a disoriented heap.

As they struggled to rise, the last image they saw was Huang Xiaoyue and the Jiangdong Sect members standing outside. Huang Xiaoyue triggered the mechanism to seal the stone door, his face flickering with greed, longing, and schadenfreude...

The disciples of the Jiangdong Sect behind him appeared even more smug, with one of them openly saying, "Serves you right. You looked down on us all the way here."

"Our Director Yellow had done nothing wrong, yet he was insulted by your scoundrels throughout the journey. Why should his blood, shed at great personal risk, be used to aid any of you?"

Boom!

The stone door sealed once again.

This time, the tunnel was plunged into endless darkness and despair.

Silence reigned.

In the depths of hopelessness, a female cultivator finally broke down in tears, her sorrow contagious. Soon, most lost all motivation, their spirits crushed. Trapped within, they neither wanted to advance nor leave.

"Sis... I don't want to die yet..."

"Master..."

"Dad, let's go out and fight it out. It's better than being trapped here."

Voices echoed through the chamber.

Then, a voice that had been silent for a long while spoke up, quivering with determination.

"I'll do it."

The ashen-faced Horse Lord turned his head, staring in disbelief at the flare of light. "Grandmaster Mo?"

Mo Ran held the flame in his hand, its glow illuminating his handsome face in flickering shadows. He stepped up to the sealed stone.

"You, you also have Nan Gongsi's blood in you?"

Mo Ran didn't reply. He knew that although there were people holding back the enemy at the tunnel entrance, they wouldn't last much longer. The pawns would soon break through.

Ascending the mountain, he had felt the urge many times to intervene when Nan Gongsi was in peril, but each time he held back. He had believed himself favored by fate, that he could escape unscathed from this predicament as well. But now, cornered on all sides, he knew there was no alternative left.

"No way out," he murmured.

"Grandmaster Mo...?"

He ignored Ma Zhuangzhuang, drawing a silver dagger from his belt and slicing it across his palm with fierce determination. Blood instantly stained his hand.

Xue Meng and Xue Zhengyong, along with Chu Wanning, had arrived just in time, stopping behind Mo Ran. Confusion laced Xue Zhengyong's voice. "Ran'er, what are you doing? It's useless. Dragon Mountain only obeys the Nangong family. Your blood won't change a thing."

Mo Ran didn't turn around. His trembling, bleeding hand finally slammed onto the sealing stone with a resolute force.

The touch was icy cold, piercing through one's bones.

He closed his eyes.

The distant voice of the Dark Dragon Wulie echoed once more in the darkness.

"Who approaches?"

A lump formed in his throat.

Under the watchful gazes of all, Mo Ran, amidst an oppressive silence, answered slowly and deliberately,

"The Confucian Wind Sect... the seventh generation of the Bloodline Kinship."

Xue Meng's expression suddenly changed, and he stumbled backward, shaking his head persistently. "What...?"

Xue Zhengyong looked even worse. His tiger-like eyes widened as he stared at Mo Ran's tall and straight black silhouette, muttering, "How is that possible...?"

Each word was spoken with deliberate pauses, like sharp knives.

Despite the foreknowledge of spilling blood in rivers and an irreversible outcome, there were no other options left.

He softly finished his last sentence, "From Mo Ran and Mo Weiyu, we pay our respects."

Xue Meng's voice was hoarse as he screamed with tear-filled eyes, "Impossible!!"

But, the door inevitably creaked open.

Wangli's ethereal voice, like a thin veil of smoke, pierced through eardrums and hearts like a gleaming dagger.

"Wangli... bidding farewell... to our master..."

"Ran-er..."

Xue Zhengyong was utterly stunned, unable to utter a single word.

Chu Wanning, equally disoriented, managed to support Xue Zhengyong just in time, lifting his gaze forward.

The stone door groaned as it receded into the earth, inch by inch, two inches at a time. The orange glow from the Dragon Soul Pool outside seeped into the darkness, casting Mo Ran in silhouette against the light. The rays softened the edges of his figure, making him appear almost ephemeral.

"Mo Ran! Mo Ran!! How could you open it? What do you mean Seventh Generation Relative of the Confucian Wind Sect? How can this be?! How can this be?!" Xue Meng seemed to be in a state of panic and madness. "How can you have ties with the Nan Gong family? You were clearly... You were clearly..."

Mo Ran paused. In the flickering light, he softly said, "Everyone, leave first."

"Mo Ran!!"

His voice was strained.

For a moment, Mo Ran turned his face as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn't utter a word. He didn't stop or hesitate. He moved forward, and the shadows danced around his tall figure as he vanished at the end of the tunnel.

After him, the representatives from various sects scrambled to escape. They had come with fierce determination, unstoppable, but now they fled in a state of panic like fish that had slipped through the net.

Amidst the surging flood of people, Mo Ran walked alone, like one of the many fleeing fish crossing the river.

He didn't turn back; he dared not turn back.

He saw Ye Wangxi lying unconscious in the Dragon Soul Pool Hall. He went over, picked her up, and took her away.

In truth, the one who could have jumped into the Dragon Soul Pool to offer their life as a sacrifice wasn't limited to Nan Gong Si. It could have been him.

Although at that time, Mo Ran didn't know that his actions would ensure Dragon Mountain's safety, he was actually not confident in his own ability to do so.

If he had known, would he really have taken Nangong Si's place and gone to his death?

He had lived two lifetimes, burdened with sins yet still clinging to existence, but Nangong Si was only twenty, with half his life's journey yet to unfold before he was reduced to dust, leaving nothing behind.

Rationally, he knew that Nangong Si was far more deserving of staying alive than he was, but ultimately, humans still yearned for survival.

Suddenly, someone screamed from behind, "Those monsters, they're chasing us!!"

"How is that possible?!"

Mo Ran spun around abruptly.

The fallen boulders had already sealed the tunnel when the last group emerged. There was no way those chess pieces could break through, unless—

His face paled.

Unless, among those chess pieces, there was one who carried the blood of the Nangong lineage.

In the midst of a myriad thoughts, he recalled the mysterious black rift in the heavens that he had just witnessed. Suddenly, his mind drifted to the third forbidden technique: the Gate of Time, Space, and Requiem.

Mo Ran felt an intense chill surge from the soles of his feet, enveloping his entire body in an instant.

Could it be that the person who emerged from there was...?

No, it couldn't be.

Absolutely not.

It was preposterous, even in his past life, no one had ever achieved this... Who could have done it?!!

Just then, Mei Hanxue stepped back to his side. Mo Ran handed Ye Wangxi over to him, his eyes flashing with frenzied light as he hastily dashed in the opposite direction from the crowd.

"Mo Ran!"

"Ran-er!"

Amidst the tumultuous flow, Xue Meng and Xue Zhengyong saw him. They both called out to him, but Mo Ran paid them no heed. He truly didn't know how to face these two people right now.

Secrets can never be concealed forever.

It was no different in either lifetime.

Suddenly, his arm was tugged. Mo Ran turned his head. "…Shifu?!"

Chu Wanning said, "You can't go over there. I'll deal with those people. Since you're able to activate the Dragon Mountain array, for safety's sake, you should stay with the others and lead them away safely."

"…"

"Hurry up!"

As they spoke, the black-robed man at the front calmly stepped out of the tunnel entrance. Behind him, the masked cultivators in black robes emerged one by one.

Chu Wanning shouted fiercely, "Hurry up! Take them away!"

There was no other choice.

Even with all the uncertainty and restlessness in Mo Ran's heart, he could only retreat with everyone else. Xue Meng refused to leave and had to be dragged away by Xue Zhengyong. In the end, Chu Wanning was left alone in the Dragon Soul Pond Hall with the increasing number of enigmatic cultivators.

The Dragon Soul Pool boiled with molten currents, casting an orangish-yellow glow upon the cool stone walls.

Chu Wanning stood alone, his Tianwen Flame current surging, illuminating his razor-sharp, snow-white eyes.

He gazed at the enigmatic black-clad man in the lead.

And that man, through his heavy mask, stared back at him in silence.

The man stood motionless, while someone behind him, impatient, attempted to take the initiative, shouting, "How dare you block so many people's path alone? How arrogant! Come, let me taste your skills!"

Yet, before the person could cover a single pace, the black-clad man abruptly raised his hand to seize them.

The man cried out in shock, "Your Majesty?!"

The black-clad man ignored him, not even turning his head. He remained fixated on Chu Wanning's face, though the veins in his hand bulged visibly. With a sharp crack, he snapped the neck of the would-be vanguard and casually tossed the lifeless body aside.

Chu Wanning's expression changed slightly—

Did this man truly kill even his own comrades?

"What makes you think you're worthy of experiencing Master Chu's mastery?" The man spoke casually, slowly approaching Wanning.

No one behind him dared to move.

Wanning crossed his sword, Heaven's Questioning, and sternly asked, "Who are you, exactly?"

Hearing this, the man paused in his steps.

He stood at a distance that was neither too close nor too far from Wanning, with an indescribable, peculiar emotion flickering in his eyes. After a moment, he chuckled softly. "After so many years, I didn't expect our reunion to begin with such an indifferent remark."

"I've... never met you before, have I?"

"Oh, is that so? Chu Wanning, you're always so heartless." The man stepped forward again, this time without stopping. Wanning, known for his stubbornness, would never back down.

So the man walked straight up to him, their proximity dangerously intimate.

A chill radiated from Wanning's hand as he raised it to strike.

His exceptional skills were lightning-fast, but the man effortlessly caught his wrist with ease.

"In truth, I've experienced this move many times before," the man said, lowering his head to fix his gaze intently on Chu Wanning's face, committing every detail to memory with an almost obsessive look. "But it seems you've forgotten."

Feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, Chu Wanning couldn't help but feel uneasy under the man's stare.

He had never been one to fear the powerful, but there was something too intricate and menacing in the man's eyes, as if they held earth-shattering truths and secrets. "Who... exactly are you?!"

"Do you need me to remind you?" the man rumbled in a deep voice. The strength in his grip was immense, leaving Chu Wanning unable to break free.

"The first time you used this move, I was sixteen years old. You taught me close combat defense and said that although this strike appeared simple, mastering it would be challenging. You urged me to practice diligently and not become complacent."

Chu Wanning's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the man.

There was a hint of amusement in the man's eyes, along with a mysterious glint.

"The second time, you employed this move during our decisive battle years ago. I was caught off guard and suffered severe injuries from your blow."

With a firm grip on Chu Wanning's hand, the man pressed it against his own heart.

To Chu Wanning's astonishment, he realized that this man had no heartbeat at all.

As if he were a lifeless corpse.

"You... Who exactly are you?"

"Don't be hasty." The man savored each word on his lips before whispering it sweetly into Chu Wanning's ear, drawing even closer, almost touching his face.

He whispered in his ear, "The third time you used this trick was on my bed."

"..."

"I wanted to take you, but you said it was enough and refused to consent." He spoke casually, yet his grip was firm as he held onto Chu Wanning's wrist, forcefully guiding his hand down his chest toward an intimate spot.

Chu Wanning reacted as if stung by a venomous snake, his expression turning livid as he prepared to fight for his life.

But the man seemed to know every move of Chu Wanning's, effortlessly countering his attempt. Then, he embraced him entirely, murmuring with a hint of familiarity and sensuality, "What should I do now, Chu Wanning? I originally came to kill you, to destroy everything you hold dear. Yet, after all these years, we've both changed. But when I see you, smell your scent, I still get hard very quickly."

"Y-You let go of me!!" Chu Wanning never expected things to escalate like this. His face flushed red and then paled, as if he were about to faint from anger, yet he couldn't break free from the man's grasp.

He felt trapped like a fly in a spider's web, ensnared and held tightly by his embrace.

In full view of everyone, he embraced him entirely, forcefully, dominantly, fiercely, and wildly.

It was an intimate and sticky embrace.

"My hardness is painful, swollen with desire."

"I'll kill you!!"

The man seemed amused, suddenly laughing. He released his grip, and Chu Wanning's murderous intent flared. His actions became ruthless and swift, truly intending to end the man's life in one strike.

With his cloak billowing, he retreated hastily, floating like a kite against the blue brickstone surface.

However, his mask could not escape unscathed, being split in half by Chu Wanning's strike and shattering upon impact with the ground.

The man did not lift his head, his face concealed in the shadows of his hood.

In that shadow, he fell silent for a moment before sighing. "Your hot-headed nature, always ready to fight or kill, never changes, no matter where you are. But Chu Wanning, Master Chu..."

The black-clad man raised his hand, and a pitch-black gust of wind assaulted them from behind.

He caught it with grace and ease.

Chu Wanning caught a glimpse of it and realized it was none other than the divine weapon, the Mysterious Stranger Blade, which had appeared at the Xuan Yuan Association's auction before. It was also one of the five fearsome blades that Xu Shuanglin had collected.

The man caressed Beyond Return with an unhurried and sinister tone, filled to the brim with malicious intent.

"Can you truly bear to slay me?"

Upon finishing his statement, he suddenly lifted his head.

The hood fell.

To Chu Wanning, it felt like a basin of icy water had been poured over his head, chilling him to the bone as if he were submerged in frost and snow. His mind buzzed, numb with shock...

In the cold and gloomy palace hall, the man in black had striking features and a pale complexion. There was an aura of malevolence and allure lurking behind his smile. He was a calamity, a demon; he bared his sharp white teeth in a grin.

"Empyrean of Trampling Immortals, Mo Ran, Mo Weiyu."

Unsheathing Unreturning, its frosty gleam illuminated his dark, almost purple, eyes.

Heaven-Stepping Lord's smile was as chilling as a demon, as fierce as a tiger or wolf.

"Please, teach me your superior technique, Master."

Author's Note: Chapter 2.0 is the soul transmigration of 0.5 after death, always alone – there's nothing more to be said, otherwise, how could it be called a reincarnation story? So, no need to expect any dream-like plot twists. Don't rush to ask about other details, they will be explained later. Concerning the soul already being in 2.0's body, logically, 0.5, having lost his soul, shouldn't exist anymore. But why can he still appear, speak, and think? This isn't a bug, so no need to point it out. I like adding small thrilling elements without spoiling the story. Feel free to drop the novel if you wish; I've mentioned many times that I won't alter the plot based on anyone's preferences, except for suggestions that even I find interesting. I write what I enjoy, providing content for those who share the same passion. Hence, there's no need to tell me how to write something less inconsistent, more accurate, or how a character's actions should align with their persona. Thank you for understanding.