The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 274: Heavenly Sound Pavilion's Critical Moment

Perhaps people are bound to change; even if they are the same person at first, various encounters and circumstances can alter their paths. After ten or twenty years, their personalities and situations will no longer be identical.

In truth, when Shi Mo had cast the curse upon Mo Ran, he was also an iron-hearted and resolute individual.

His eyes held nothing but his own vengeance and pursuits.

But at that time, as he observed the actions of his other self in the mortal world, he asked himself introspectively and suddenly yearned to know if Hua Binan had ever felt the slightest discomfort or disdain for a moment.

Despite everything he had sacrificed, he found himself trapped and unable to turn back.

He knew clearly that personal feelings could undermine a greater cause. Nothing was more crucial than keeping Mo Ran stable and preserving his own life.

Having acted out his role for so long, wearing a mask for years, he had become numb to the disgust deep within him. Hypocrisy and pretense were all part of the game; even Chu Wanning's death could not alter that fact.

Yet, standing by the Bridge of Helplessness with the Soul Guiding Lamp given to him by Master Huaiwei, he couldn't help but feel envious. He didn't go anywhere, nor did he bravely rush into danger for the one he loved with unwavering determination.

How wonderful it would be if he could take control of his own life like Xue Meng or Mo Ran, or at least believe that he could.

Yet fate was never in his control. Like a humble actor in a traditional theater, he silently and reluctantly played out his own solitary role, a tragicomic opera that only he could complete.

Initially, he seduced Mo Ran.

Mo Ran smiled at him and said, "Shi Mo, I really like you."

Later, he exploited Xu Shuanglin.

Xu Shuanglin tossed an orange nonchalantly, his eyes slanted with amusement. "I've wandered my whole life, yet I never expected to meet a friend like you. Thank you for teaching me the forbidden art of resurrection. When that good-for-nothing Luo Fenghua comes back to life, I'll make sure he cooks you a bowl of tangyuan—he makes the best ones. It's because I respect you that I'm willing to let you taste them."

In the end, his true intentions were revealed.

Just as he and Hua Binan had discussed, he was forced to sacrifice a part of himself to provoke their emotions, ensuring the portal through time would open at the crucial moment.

He was once the one holding the chess pieces.

But with the arrival of his future self, he too became a pawn in his own game.

Being manipulated wasn't a pleasant feeling; he did harbor resentment, but his obsession was too strong, his desires too deep. He refused to give up easily.

Yet.

He truly, truly didn't know that the "small sacrifice" his past self in the mortal world referred to was the lives of hundreds of thousands, the collapse of an entire earthly realm.

It was only after he opened the Gate of Time, Space, Life, and Death that he witnessed such a cruel truth.

This Shi Mingjing was ultimately not that Shi Mingjing. He hadn't experienced those ten years, hadn't gone through day by day of decline.

At this point, he truly could no longer comprehend his future self after a decade.

Yet there was no turning back now.

He was but a discarded pawn, just like the orderly array of black and white pieces on a chessboard, dull and useless.

"Master," the soft glow of lamplight illuminated his exquisite features, yet he remained serene and gentle, "I've actually been thinking about this for a long time... I wondered if Mo Ran could start anew, become someone different. I thought, if everything could be undone, would I have made a different choice because of a fleeting thought?"

The room was quiet, filled only with his voice.

"But it's too late now," Shi Mo said. "I know that Master despises me utterly, and Mo Ran hates me as well. The young master will no longer consider me a friend... Regardless of whether I hesitated along the way, I've ultimately become his reflection."

His hand rested against Chu Wanning's feverish cheek, silently sharing his healing spirit energy with him.

"I'm sorry, I still ended up disappointing you," he said. "The only solace is that I am blind, so I won't have to witness your hatred for me."

Pausing, Shi Mo smiled, and in that instant, the room seemed to bloom with springtime.

"The last thing I saw was all of you grieving for me. That's enough."

He untied the Immortal Binding Rope from Chu Wanning's wrists, dispelled the enchantment on the bed, and then extinguished the magical seal on the stone door.

Having completed these tasks, Shi Mo turned around and, with a gentle touch, slowly exited the chamber.

As he ventured far away, he was engulfed by an abyss of darkness.

Simultaneously, in the territory under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion.

Mr. Ma, the pedantic scholar who taught at a private school, had just returned home. He entered his dwelling, rubbing his aching shoulders, and as usual, intended to first prepare a cup of Eight Treasures Tea in the kitchen.

Pushing the door open, he found himself in pitch darkness.

Mr. Ma couldn't help but frown as he rubbed the lantern stand while calling out, "Madam? Why haven't you lit a candle even at this late hour? What are you doing...?"

With a spark, the flint and steel ignited.

Mr. Ma was struck speechless, standing motionless in the center of the room with horror – he had seen that all his servants were already strangled, hanging like rows of swinging wind chimes from the rafters. His mistress had been disemboweled, her intestines spilling onto the ground, her eyes and mouth wide open, her head turned towards the door.

"Ahh..." Mr. Ma wanted to cry out, but what emerged was a barely audible, quivering groan of weakness. After a moment, he let out a spine-chilling scream, his bowels releasing uncontrollably, "AHHHHH!!"

"Tsk. What's all the noise about?" A man emerged from an inner room, holding a scroll of the Book of Documents. He used the scroll to scratch an itch on the back of his neck and yawned, "Never seen a dead body before?"

"You... You... You!!! Mo- Mo...!!"

The man snapped his fingers and lazily explained, "Mute Spell."

"What... What spell?"

"Mute Spell, don't you know?" The man rolled his eyes, "I was just engrossed in reading the classics in your study when I realized it's not good to disturb the neighbors at night. Go ahead. Shout now. If anyone can hear you, feel free to blame me, sir."

Mr. Ma's face turned ghostly pale, his legs wobbling. Normally, he would only use literary expressions, never having witnessed such a gruesome scene. Already scared to the point of losing control, he was drenched in sweat as he stammered, "Mo... You... You monster... You... Aren't you supposed to be at the Heavenly Sound Pavilion's execution ground... You... You...?"

"Heavenly Sound Pavilion execution ground?"

The man lifted his dark, almost purple eyes and smiled.

"Not bad. That's where I was. Otherwise, how could I have heard your insightful remarks from the other day?"

As he spoke, he casually tossed the book aside, straightening his tall, dignified frame, and strolled leisurely towards the teacher.

The candlelight illuminated his exceptionally handsome face—could it be anyone but Heaven-Stepping Lord?

With a dazzling smile that revealed his teeth and deep dimples, Heaven-Stepping Lord bowed respectfully to the teacher. "I've always admired scholars the most in my life. It was truly impolite of me to barge in and kill your entire family. Greetings, sir."

That eerie, ambiguous tone, coupled with the haphazard deaths around them, was more than enough to terrify even someone as brave as the man named Ma. He fell to the ground with a thud, panting heavily. "What... What do you want...!!"

Heaven-Stepping Lord merely chuckled, swiping his hand to reveal a broadsword in his palm.

Turning his face towards the teacher, he asked, "Can you guess?"

"Don't kill me!!!" Mr. Ma screamed, backing away relentlessly. "Don't kill me!!!"

As he retreated, he bumped into something. Turning his head, he found himself staring at his wife's open, unseeing eyes, and he wailed in despair, "No, no, no!!! Please... don't... Ahhhhhh!!! AAAAAAAAAH!!"

In response, a blade pierced through his thigh, straight down to the ground.

"AHHH!!!"

Heaven-Stepping Lord narrowed his eyes, his smile warm and sugary. "May I ask, sir... what is the difference between a musician and a prostitute?"

"What...?" Mr. Ma was stunned, his mind numbed by pain. He could only weep, "What...?"

"You said it yourself," Heaven-Stepping Lord drawled. "You spoke those words in front of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion. Musicians and prostitutes, both are people without self-respect or honor. It surprises me that someone would actually defend a covert prostitute in this day and age. I never thought that our great Upper cultivation realm would sink to such moral lows."

He mimicked the tone of a scholarly teacher, his voice rising and falling with calculated ease.

After a brief pause, he chuckled and turned his handsome face aside. "You still remember it well, sir?"

Mr. Ma, amidst his terror, finally regained some hazy consciousness. Recalling that these were the words he had used when criticizing Mo Weiyu's mother, he hurriedly sobbed and sniffled, "No, no, no, I was confused! I was utterly confused! This... this..." He swallowed hard, his face drenched in sweat, "Courtesans are courtesans, and musician entertainers are musician entertainers... No, they're not the same, not at all... not the same..."

"Why would it be any different? This seat finds that your words hold great merit." Heaven-Stepping Lord approached with a wry smile, raising his strange blade once more. "Speaking of which, this seat's mind isn't the sharpest, and I often need someone to guide me. With your eloquent tongue, why not bestow it upon this seat, hmm?"

"No... No, no, no!! Spare me, Grandmaster!! Forgive me, Daoist Master!!" Mr. Ma stammered, drenched in sweat. "Please, I beg of you, your great kindness, your immense benevolence..."

Heaven-Stepping Lord smiled warmly, "What Master Daoist this or that. Do you have ears? You should address me as Your Majesty."

"Your... Majesty?" Mr. Ma was taken aback, but at this point, he didn't care. As long as he could live, he would even call the emperor 'dad.' He then quickly pleaded, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty! Pardon me, Your Majesty! Show mercy, Your Majesty!"

Heaven-Stepping Lord squatted down, pinching his chin with a smile as he asked, "Ah, moral paragon, let me ask you, is it this seat that lacks morals and shame, or is it you, sir, who lacks them?"

"I, I, I! It's me, it's me! It's… it's…"

But what use was begging for mercy?

With a exertion of strength in his palm, Heaven-Stepping Lord crushed the man's throat amidst his pleading and cries, smiling brightly all the while.

Having finished his deed, the black-robed man surveyed the room, content that no one remained alive. Only then did he rise, wipe the blood from his hands, and push open the door to exit the courtyard.

Outside, Hua Binan was waiting for him.

"Finished venting?"

"Almost."

"Ready to return to the Heavenly Sound Pavilion with me and prepare?"

Heaven-Stepping Lord gave him a glance. "Fine, then."

Hua Binan shook his head. "I really can't do anything with you. You're holding a grudge over such a small matter. It was just a few words about your mother; did I really have to—"

"Well, how about I say a few words about your mother, then?"

"..."

Hua Binan's expression subtly changed before he turned his face away, not responding any further.

"Come on. Didn't you say that once you retrieve Grandmaster Mo's heart tomorrow, you'll put it back into my body? So why are you still standing there? I'm already eager to get this over with."

Heaven-Stepping Lord spoke, then swept his robe aside and strode grandly towards the Heavenly Sound Pavilion.

Golden light spread, and dawn's first rays pierced through the clouds. The day had arrived.

Accompanied by a horrified scream, Mr. Ma's entire family was discovered, their corpses found by early-rising neighbors. Such a gruesome crime should have sparked a great uproar in the Qi region, but alas, it did not.

For at that very moment, a far more captivating judgment was unfolding.

On the execution platform of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, torches burned fiercely. Beeswax dripped, releasing a scent of pine and cypress, as two attendants of the pavilion, clad in glistening golden robes, gently lit the lanterns on either side of the platform with their delicate jade arms.

It was peculiar how strikingly attractive every member of the Heavenly Sound Pavilion's guard detachment was - handsome males and beautiful females. Perhaps it was due to the cultivation method practiced within the pavilion, or perhaps it was because Mu Yanli placed immense importance on appearance when taking disciples.

"Nature has its own wisdom, and good deeds or evil will always receive their just desserts."

One by one, the wild beast-shaped bronze lanterns flared to life, their flames like vivid scarlet ribbons dancing in the air.

People were everywhere.

On the platform, below it, in all four cardinal directions.

The execution platform was packed with people, and Xue Meng trembled incessantly in his seat at the Peak of Life and Death.

For the past three days, Xue Zhengyong had pleaded with others for help, to no avail. The cultivators believed in the fairness and impartiality of the Divine Martial Scales, and they feared Mo Weiyu, who held the power of the Precious Chess Game.

"He saved us," the people on the Peak of Life and Death tirelessly tried to explain to anyone who might listen. "It was him who scattered his spirit nucleus to save us that day. If he had ulterior motives, why would he go so far?"

However, there were too many uncertainties surrounding Mo Ran, so no sect was willing to stand with them. Even Solitary Moon Night and Treading Snow Palace remained neutral, maintaining a silence.

——

A long-lost forbidden art reemerges after thousands of years, pitted against the time-honored hall of public judgment that has stood for just as long. Only a fool would put their trust in the former.

Thus, Xue Zhengyong's frantic efforts appear foolish, and his defense on the precipice of life and death seems hopelessly feeble.

Xue Meng had once vaguely entertained the idea of breaking into prison.

Yet he also knew it was impossible.

The place was swarming with guards from the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, and other sect leaders and disciples were present as well. Below the stands lay an ocean of common folk.

Countless pairs of eyes were watching; there was no escape.

Thus, in the end, Mo Ran's fate was to have his spirit core dug out alive.

"Three days of public notice by the Heavenly Sound Pavilion. The sentence has been decided," Mu Yanli declared solemnly, gazing down at the endless sea of people below while tolling a set of chimes. "Bring the convicted criminal, Mo Ran."

From the Penance Platform to the Execution Platform, Mo Ran was escorted, a man with a shattered spirit core, yet under the watchful gaze of dozens of the Pavilion's highest-ranking disciples.

They were vultures, and he was headed for death. Few survived the extraction of their spirit cores, and these vultures could already scent the blood, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Mo Ran, guilty of grave offenses, will be subjected to the punishment of spirit core removal at noon today," Mu Yanli's voice was cold and clear. "There are ten charges against him, which I shall now read aloud to heaven and earth."

Though the rain had ceased, the ground remained damp. Standing in a puddle, Mo Ran lifted his gaze, searching through the crowd for Ye Wangxi.

His dark eyes fixated on her, as if asking a question. Asking if she had followed his instructions to warn the Summit of Life and Death. Asking if she understood the matters he could not let go of before his death.

Ye Wangxi nodded at him, and a bright, gentle smile bloomed on Mo Ran's lips, his eyes shimmering with radiance.

What a lovely day it was.

The rain had ceased.

"Charge one: Massacre of innocent civilians, disregard for human life."

Mu Yanli's voice echoed through the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, solemn and dignified.

"Charge two: Setting fire to buildings out of personal vendetta."

Incense burned before Buddha, divine beings in the heavens queried from above, wrathful or compassionate, gazing down upon the endless sea of mortals. Over the years, Mo Ran had avoided looking up at the sky; if there were deities up there, he feared they would perceive the sins concealed within his gaze, the seeds of calamity buried deep.

But in that moment, he finally let himself relax. He gazed upward at the sky, which seemed washed clean by sunlight, turning his dark purple eyes into a translucent light brown, pure and clear.

He looked at the heavens, where the clouds were sparse and faint.

Mu Yanli's voice sounded distant, and he closed his eyes.

I shall not cast my gaze upon the Summit of Life and Death, nor will I seek out the familiar faces of old acquaintances anymore.

"Offense six, secretly studying forbidden arts, violating major taboos."

Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and a hint of regret and longing appeared in the arch of his brows.

Originally, this life was meant to be spent cherishing Chu Wanning properly, alas, it was never within my grasp. Even the long-awaited, promised moment of intimate connection ended in ruins.

Concluded in failure.

Indeed, he was far from an upright man; he was a harbinger of calamity, a bringer of misfortune, a laughable figure.

In this two lifetimes.

He had failed to protect his mother as he intended.

His desire to repay a kindness remained unfulfilled.

As a child, he dreamed of being a hero. Later, he aspired to spend his life as Sect Leader Xue's fictive nephew, stealing the heavens and replacing them. In his final desperate moments, he offered his heart to become the most ruthless and heartless Empyrean, Trampling Immortal.

And yet, nothing came of it.

"Heaven-Stepping Lord, Mo Weiyu, Grandmaster Mo…" His eyelashes quivered, and his Adam's apple rolled as he let out a soft laugh and sigh that only he could hear, filled with irony and wistfulness.

"You truly are the most ridiculous person in this world."

After his sigh, he looked up at the sky, the wind playing with his wispy forelock. Squinting, he wondered where Chu Wanning might be now.

Perhaps it was because he had been given too much in the past, exhausting all their fated encounters, that he would not see the man again in this final journey of his life.

That was fine. He curved his eyes into a smile, chuckling on the execution platform.

At least, Wanning wouldn't have to witness his pathetic state.

"The hour has come! Prepare the punishment—!"

A solemn proclamation echoed, accompanied by the blaring of horns.

It was like a nightmare casting its shadow, as if the words "prepare the punishment" traveled across thousands of miles to reach his eardrums. In the hidden chamber of Dragon Mountain, Chu Wanning suddenly snapped awake from his stupor, sitting upright with a jolt.

"Mo Ran!"

The candlelight flickered as he gasped for air, his heavy robe soaked with sweat.

He trembled slightly, almost instinctively uttering the name that had haunted him across two lifetimes. Then, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his gaze grew unfocused.

Just now, it seemed he had glimpsed a shadow of a blade, causing a deep sense of dread to grip his heart, pounding like a drum without reason.

Silence...

Sitting on the bed, he scrubbed his face with a firm hand. As his sweat cooled, he gradually regained his composure.

Memories kept flashing before his eyes, but they were not his own – half of his Earth Soul had been inside Mo Ran for too long, and upon its return, it brought along many memories that belonged to Mo Ran. Memories that had been devoured by the Eight Sorrows Longing Flower, discarded.

Even memories that Mo Ran himself no longer recalled.

Chu Wanning saw them all...