Read Novel Full Chapter 24: A Cold War Between Us
Chapter 24: A Cold War Between Us
For a moment, the hall was silent except for Chen Yuanwai's sobs.
Shi Mo lowered his head, covering his face, and when he looked up at Chu Wanning again, his eyes were filled with earnestness. "Master, please stop. If you continue like this, it will be the Peak of Life and Death that bears the blame…"
Mo Ran was even more terrified. Although he was wayward, he had an obstinate affection for Shi Mo. In this lifetime, he vowed to cherish and protect him. But after only a few days, Shi Mo was severely injured and whipped by the liu vines. What kind of situation was this!
He couldn't afford to settle scores with Chu Wanning just yet; he hurried to Shi Mo's side to examine the wounds on his face.
Shi Mo whispered softly, "I'm fine..."
"Let me see."
"It really doesn't matter."
Despite his resistance, Mo Ran pulled down the hand that was covering the wound.
His pupils constricted abruptly.
A deep, vicious gash marred the flesh, skin turned inside out as blood flowed relentlessly, extending all the way to the neck...
Mo Ran's eyes reddened, his lips clenched as he glared for a long while before abruptly turning to roar at Chu Wanning, "Are you done hitting?"
Chu Wanning's face was dark and somber, not uttering a word. He stood stiffly in place, still holding Tianwen, the sword without any spiritual energy coursing through it.
Silence.
Countless demons seemed to be churning wildly within Mo Ran's chest.
Who could endure seeing their beloved, who had died once before, suffer such indignities repeatedly?
Their eyes locked, neither of them budging or giving in. Veins began to pulse visibly in Mo Ran's eyes; he had hated Chu Wanning for so many years, deep into his bones. Why did this man always have to oppose him?
Back when he first joined the sect and made mistakes, Chu Wanning had beaten him mercilessly. Then, when Shi Mo was injured, despite having only three disciples, Chu Wanning had stood by idly, refusing to help. After Shi Mo's death, with the Death Peak in ruins, Mo Weiyu became the unrivaled overlord of the cultivation world. Who dared defy him amidst the bustling mortal realm? Only Chu Wanning stood against him, thwarting his grand ambitions, pricking his conscience—constantly reminding him that even the Immortal Emperor was but a deranged madman, abandoned by all.
Chu Wanning.
Chu Wanning...
In life and death, it's always been him!
Both still wore matching festive attire, their red garments facing each other from a distance, as if separated by an unbridgeable abyss.
Chu Wanning finally retracted his Heaven-Questioning Sword.
Chen the Magistrate heaved a huge sigh of relief and knelt before Shi Mo, continuously kowtowing. "Benevolent heart, benevolent heart! Immortal Lord is a living Bodhisattva who saves those in distress. Thank you, Immortal Lord, for saving my entire family. Thank you, thank you."
It was always like this.
He had quelled the demonic presence, but he had also dealt that vicious whip made of willow vine. Chu Wanning had done his duty thoroughly, breaking through all restrictions, but in the end, he was the villain while others were the compassionate ones.
It had always been so.
He acknowledged that his temper wasn't good.
And he didn't regret it.
But that one slip with the vine whip, striking his own disciple, still weighed heavily on his heart. However, being too proud to offer comforting words, he left without a word and approached Chen's youngest daughter.
The young girl couldn't help but take two steps back in fear, trembling uncontrollably.
Among the Chen family, only she remained kind. Chu Wanning's tone softened slightly as he said, "Your mother has been possessed by a vengeful spirit, shortening her lifespan by over twenty years. If she still refuses to repent and harbors malicious intentions, she might die even sooner in the future. When she wakes up, have her personally make a spirit tablet for Miss Luo with a red peach wood. The tablet must acknowledge Miss Luo's identity. Luo Xianxian was lawfully wed to Chen Bohuan; you've concealed the truth for many years, so it's time to reveal it and fulfill her life's wishes."
Pausing, he handed her a scripture and continued,
"Additionally, your entire family must kneel three times daily, prostrating nine times each, reciting the 'Sending Passage Spell' to help Miss Luo's soul transcend and to dispel the vengeful spirit haunting your home. This spell must be recited for ten consecutive years without interruption. If you abandon it halfway, Miss Luo will return to seek revenge."
The young girl stammered, "…Yes, thank you very much, Daoist…."
Chu Wanning swiftly turned back, his gaze sharp as a blade covered in snow. It swept across the youngest son and the wealthy merchant, as he sternly warned, "After Madam Chen Yao wakes up, the two of you must disclose the hidden truth to her. Whether she stays or leaves is her decision. If you conceal anything, I'll sever your tongues!"
The two, already cowards at heart, dared not refuse and quickly pledged their obedience by kowtowing.
"As for the Hundred Butterfly Fragrance Powder, it was formulated by Scholar Luo, yet you shamelessly claimed it as your own recipe. You know what to do; there's no need for me to elaborate further," Chu Wanning concluded, brushing his sleeves dismissively.
"We, we will definitely correct this at the shop, clarify the truth, and inform our fellow villagers that the fragrance powder belongs to Mister… Mister Luo…"
After everything was settled, Chu Wanning asked Mo Ran to support Madam Chen Yao back to her room, where he would work on detoxifying her blood.
Despite his hatred, Mo Ran knew that in his youth, he had respected his master more than defied him. Thus, he remained silent, gently squeezing Shi Mo's hand and whispering, "Go take a look at your face and stop the bleeding. I'll help her to the room."
The bedroom of Chen Bohuan, the eldest son of the family, still displayed large red double happiness stickers, perhaps forgotten in the chaos of the sudden turn of events. Now that Chen Bohuan was nothing but dust, it seemed like a cruel irony.
Madam Chen Yao had become a victim to her own greed in this absurd drama. One could only wonder what choices she would make when she awoke.
Unlike Shi Mo, her body was that of an ordinary person. Chu Wanning silently helped her circulate her blood and fed her a medicinal pill. Throughout this process, Mo Ran stood by, offering water and towels. Neither spoke nor did they glance at each other.
As they were leaving, Chu Wanning glanced casually at the wall, his gaze drifting past before something caught his attention, causing him to turn back. He fixated on a hanging scroll of calligraphy.
It was a few lines of neat and precise regular script, seemingly written recently as the ink had yet to fade the edges of the paper.
It read:
Red, soft hands, yellow wine, the city blooms with spring colors by the palace walls.
The east wind is harsh, love fleeting. A cup of sorrow, years of solitude. Mistake, mistake, mistake.
Spring remains the same, but the person is hollowed, tears staining the crimson silk with sorrow.
Peach blossoms fall, idle pavilions stand, vows remain though love letters are lost. Alas, alas, alas.
Chu Wanning felt a sudden pang in his heart. The calligraphy was meticulous and upright, each character revealing the pain behind them. The signature, Chen Bohuan, pierced his eyes relentlessly.
Was that Chen young master, who had married against his heart into the Yao family, doomed to spend his last days by the window, dipping his pen in ink to transcribe this sorrowful Farewell Phoenix Hairpin?
No longer desiring to stay in the Chen residence, he endured the searing pain in his shoulder and turned away.
Both Chu Wanning and Shi Mo were injured and couldn't immediately ride back to the Peak of Life and Death. Moreover, Chu Wanning particularly disliked flying on a sword, so they sought shelter at an inn in town. This way, they could also assess the aftermath at the Ghost Rites Temple the following day.
Despite the ghosts and corpses being reduced to dust by Chu Wanning's "Wind," their spirits remained unscathed, as they were only controlled by the Ghost Conductor. It was best to leave them for a few more days to ensure no malevolent spirits had escaped detection.
Chu Wanning walked silently ahead, followed by his two disciples.
Seemingly remembering something, Shi Mo asked, "Ran, what's with the clothes you and Master are wearing...?"
Mo Ran was taken aback. Only then did he recall that he and Chu Wanning were still dressed in their wedding attire. Worried that Shi Mo might misunderstand, he quickly tried to remove it.
"Actually... this was from the illusion earlier. Please don't read too much into it, I..."
Mid-sentence, he noticed that Shi Mo had also been involved in the ghost wedding ceremony, for he was wearing a similar garment, albeit with a different design. The tattered condition made it difficult to discern its original appearance.
Nonetheless, it was still a wedding attire.
Standing beside Shi Mo, he could imagine holding his hand, as they bowed to the heavens and shared a cup of nuptial wine under the illusion of the ghost officiant.
For a moment, he couldn't bear to take it off, only staring blankly at Shi Mo.
Shi Mo smiled warmly, "What's wrong? You stopped talking."
Mo Ran mumbled, "…Nothing."
A few steps ahead, Chu Wanning had presumably overheard snippets of their conversation. He halted and turned around.
Dawn was breaking after a night of turmoil. As the dusk receded, a sliver of dawn's first light illuminated the horizon, like a bleeding heart rising from the depths of darkness, painting the sky with vibrant splendor.
Chu Wanning stood against the light, at the end of the increasingly bright night, bathed in the nascent sun's pervasive glow.
His bridal robe was blood-red, and he stood sideways, the sun casting an indistinct golden outline on his face, obscuring any expression.
Suddenly, spiritual energy erupted, and the exquisite robe was shattered by an immense force.
The scattered fragments of red fabric resembled the withered petals of a flowering crabapple tree, swirling in the wind before dispersing in all directions.
With the robe torn apart, a white garment underneath was revealed, billowing dynamically in the breeze, entwining with his jet-black tresses.
Blood stained his shoulder.
Amidst the wind, remnants of the robe lingered.
The scattered bloodstains, left from protecting Mo Ran, were strikingly vivid against the white robe.
For a long while, Chu Wanning sneered mockingly, "Mo Weiyu, what could there possibly be between us to cause misunderstanding?"
When he was angry, he would call Mo Ran by his courtesy name, Mo Weiyu, in a cold and distant manner, devoid of any warmth.
Caught off guard, Mo Ran choked on his words, unable to respond.
After Chu Wanning finished laughing, he swept his sleeves and left.
Amidst the deserted wilderness, he walked alone, as if he were the sole entity amidst an endless expanse.
That mocking face that infuriated both heaven and man could no longer be maintained once he reached the inn and shut the door behind him.
Chu Wanning gritted his teeth, a pained expression crossing his face as he reached up to touch his shoulder.
The Ghost Conductor's razor-sharp claws, being of celestial spirit essence, were no less formidable than Tianwen, both being extraordinary weapons. His entire shoulder had been torn and ripped apart, but in his haste to exterminate the demonic forces, he hadn't tended to it promptly. Now, it had become infected and was festering, causing him unbearable agony.
Standing in the room, he caught his breath and attempted to remove his robe. However, the blood on his shoulder had already dried and adhered the fabric to his flesh, making any attempt to pull it off excruciatingly painful.
Next door was Mo Ran's chamber, and the inn had poor sound insulation. He refused to let anyone know what was happening, so he gritted his teeth and forcefully tore off the cloth that was stuck to his flesh and blood!
"Uh...!!"
With a muffled groan, Chu Wanning gradually released his hold on the lips, now stained with blood between his teeth. He panted heavily, his face devoid of any color, beads of cold sweat covering his body.
With his long and lush eyelashes drooping, he trembled slightly as he examined his injuries.
Fortunately.
He managed to handle it...
Supporting himself on the table, he sat down slowly. Using the water and handkerchief brought by the waiter, he endured the pain and carefully wiped his wound with his uninjured hand.
With a sharp knife, he dug into the wound, cutting away the rotten flesh.
Then, he applied the medicinal ointment made by Madame Wang.
After that, he struggled and painstakingly wrapped the bandage around his wound alone.
He wasn't accustomed to revealing weakness in front of others. He had experienced such pain many times, always enduring it on his own.
When animals were injured, they would hide to lick their wounds. Sometimes, he felt no different from those beasts. Perhaps he would continue to live his life in solitude.
He knew he wasn't likable, so he didn't want to beg for sympathy from anyone. He held onto an inexplicable sense of pride.
However, when he removed his clothes, a silk pouch fell to the ground.
Embroidered with a design of entwined lovers, he picked it up with his trembling fingers and opened it slowly. Inside were two strands of intertwined black hair.
For a moment, Chu Wanning was lost in thought. He wanted to bring the silk pouch close to the candle flame and burn it along with the absurdly sentimental hair tie. Yet, in the end, he couldn't bring himself to do it.
Bound by hair as husband and wife, our love and trust remain unwavering.
The soft laughter of the golden boy and jade girl seemed to echo in his ears once more.
He despised himself for the stirrings in his heart, which only deepened his self-loathing. Gripping the soft pouch tightly, he slowly closed his eyes.
His feelings towards Mo Ran were something he could not even accept himself. He wished he could dig out his own heart and slice away those vile thoughts, cutting them into pieces and discarding them.
What was he thinking?
Could he really be harboring such sentiments towards Mo Weiyu? Was this how a master should behave? Truly, he was no better than a beast!
"Knock, knock, knock."
The sound of someone knocking on the door startled Chu Wanning, who was in the midst of berating himself. He quickly lifted his eyelids, hid the pouch in his wide sleeves, and pulled a stern face, his tone sour.
"Who's there?"
"...Shifu, it's me," came Mo Ran's voice from outside, causing Chu Wanning's heartbeat to quicken abruptly. "Open the door."
Author's Note: Starting from this chapter until Chapter 73, the story will be in a reverse V format. Let me explain: earlier chapters were free, but now they're VIP chapters. There's no way around it; with low early subscriptions, the V line was delayed, and editors often request a reverse V. This means there's a word count ratio, and with so many chapters due to the late entry into the V status (around 300,000 words, almost the length of many completed novels), I apologize. To subscribe to Chapters 24 to 73 on the mobile app would roughly cost 6 yuan. If you think that's too much, searching for pirated versions is understandable... But I still hope you won't resort to that. After all, these 300,000 daily updated words were written with some effort and dedication, haha.
Well, that's about it for those new to the story. Thank you to those who have subscribed officially.