The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 280: On the Edge of Life and Death, Amidst Good and Evil Tongues

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the windows.

Chu Wanning opened his eyes to find the blankets warm, suffused with the heat of a single person that could warm two bodies. He gazed quietly at Mo Ran's face, considering him the most handsome and virtuous man in the world.

He didn't move, instead contemplating what kind of porridge to cook today.

They had finished yesterday's batch, as Mo Ran, like a hungry ghost reincarnated, had consumed four full bowls without leaving a drop behind.

Kissing Mo Ran's cheek, he asked, "Shall I make some more for you?"

The man slept soundly, his pitch-black eyelashes resting gently like two swaying cat tails, so tender it seemed he would open his eyes at any moment, smile warmly, and pull Chu Wanning closer, saying, "I'm hungry, Wanning. Cook a bowl of porridge for me."

Or perhaps he would say affectionately and earnestly, "Whatever Master makes is wonderful. I'll love it all."

The body was long cold, its cheek icy to the touch, devoid of any warmth.

Chu Wanning did not shed tears.

Rising from his seat, he carefully tucked the blanket around Mo Ran and then went out to the yard to gather firewood and start a flame. He cooked with meticulous attention, preparing a proper meal.

As the water boiled, mist rose up, and the rice porridge bubbled vigorously, releasing tiny bubbles. He used a skimmer to remove the foam, added some salt, and then replaced the wooden lid, letting it simmer.

For someone who had already been reborn once, resurrection magic could not save them a second time.

Lost in thought, Chu Wanning stood by the stove. In that fleeting moment of clarity, he realized something that almost took his life. Swiftly, he suppressed the trembling in his fingers and reached to lift the lid—

Someone would always drink the porridge when it was ready.

Now armed with fragments of Mo Ran's memories, he knew that Mo Ran had grown up in poverty, often hungry, and finding joy in just a steaming hot bun for an entire day.

Mo Ran wouldn't waste anything, so he would surely wake up.

After the porridge was done, he swept the snow in the courtyard and picked a fresh branch of winter jasmine. He trimmed its ends and placed it in a small earthen vase to nurture its fragrance.

The scent of the plum blossom would linger for miles, allowing Mo Ran to still smell the world as he walked.

No, his thoughts were becoming muddled again.

What about strolling on the path, sensing the scent of the mortal world... Mo Ran was still lying here, identical to yesterday, the day before, and several days prior, albeit with a more gaunt appearance and paler complexion.

He would still wake up.

In both their lifetimes, whether it was resentment, hatred, love, or pity, ever since they met, Mo Ran had never voluntarily left his side. Slowly, Mo Ran had seeped into his life, becoming the wind, the hours, the stream flowing through the gaps in his fingers, the light cascading over his long hair.

He was Wanning's dawn and dusk, his one lifetime amidst the mortal world.

Chu Wanning wandered through this world of mortals. The snow would still fall, cicadas would still chirp, autumn lotuses would wither, and summer flowers would bloom— everything remained unchanged. So how could Mo Ran possibly leave?

He was willing to stay by his side, accompany him day after day, waiting for the moment he would awaken. Just as in their previous life when Mo Ran had bound himself to Chu Wanning's lifeless body with a pact, in this life, with Yin and Yang reversed, Chu Wanning had done the same thing as Heaven-Stepping Lord.

"I will be the one to leave before you do."

Back then, standing within the Red Lotus Water Pavilion, Mo Ran, clad in black robes, had said this to Chu Wanning, who lay eternally at rest.

"Stay with me."

Now, in the deep valley of Nanping, Chu Wanning, dressed in white, eerily resembled the Divine Emperor of old.

He stretched out his hand, gently caressing Mo Ran's bloodless face. "…Stay with me."

Golden light emerged as his spiritual energy flowed into the lifeless body. From that moment on, whether in the depths of hell or the heights of heaven, as long as Chu Wanning existed in this world, Mo Weiyu's corpse would remain incorruptible. Only when Chu Wanning passed away, and the flow of spiritual energy ceased, would they both vanish together.

Reduced to ashes, scattered like dust, decomposing into soil.

They would depart side by side.

In the Heavenly Sound Pavilion's grand hall, flames from the charcoal fire flickered against the walls, casting shifting shadows. Mu Yanli stood alone in the center, hands clasped behind his back, eyes closed.

Suddenly, the temple doors opened, and someone entered.

Without turning around, Mu Yanli said coolly, "You're here?"

"I am," the person replied, removing their cloak hood to reveal a stunningly beautiful face—none other than Shi Mo. "Why doesn't Sister Mu take a look at the back chamber?"

"There's nothing worth seeing," Mu Yanli said. "It's just you opening people's chests and poking around their brains. The stench of blood is too much for me to bear."

"What can be done? That's just how it is in the Medicine Sect," Shi Mo smiled. "Even Solitary Moon Night's Jiang Xi wouldn't fill a room with pleasant scents while slicing into corpses."

Mu Yanli furrowed her brow, not intending to delve into the gruesome details of vivisecting corpses and living beings. Instead, she asked, "Speaking of which, you've been performing this ritual for a few days now. When will Heaven-Stepping Lord be fully resurrected?"

"He can't truly be resurrected; there's only a remnant soul within him. At best, he'll be a living corpse," Shi Mo replied.

Mu Yanli gazed at him with a sidelong glance. "That's precisely what we need—a compliant living corpse, the more obedient the better. ... How about those spirit core fragments? Are they still useful?"

"More or less. Though incomplete, their power is still terrifying," Shi Mo said. "Mo Ran truly deserves his title as the most talented cultivator. He'll suffice to pave our way."

Mu Yanli sighed. "I hope there won't be any more unexpected incidents this time."

"It's hard to say if there will be," Shi Mo said. "I'm still in the process of restoring the spirit core within Heaven-Stepping Lord. It'll take at least ten more days. During this period, I hope Sister Mu could do two things for me."

"Go on."

"First, after Heaven-Stepping Lord is fully restored, we'll proceed with our major plan. By then, even if these cultivators are foolish, they'll realize Mo Ran was telling the truth and might join forces to stop us," Shi Mo paused. "While minions are insignificant, a large group is always troublesome."

"So what do you propose?"

"The Upper Realm may have formidable strength, but lacks experience. The key lies in the Peak of Life and Death. I want Sister Mu to spread some news that would provoke a conflict between the Peak of Life and Death and the other sects, dismantling that sect beforehand."

Mu Yanli said, "Chu Wanning rescued a prisoner, while Mo Weiyu fled. Both of them were originally from the Peak of Life and Death; it wouldn't be difficult to make a scandal out of this. Besides, the Peak of Life and Death has already been under intense criticism, with many wanting to force them to disband. That's one issue settled. What about the second matter?"

"Second," Shi Mo sighed, as if expressing regret. "Kill someone for me."

"Who?"

"Myself."

Mu Yanli abruptly turned to glare at him. The flames illuminated Shi Mo's gentle features. "Your past self?"

"Mm."

"You're insane? You're serious? No matter what, he was still..."

She paused, not finishing her sentence. She saw Shi Mo lift his soft, dense eyelashes, revealing a pair of dark eyes filled with murderous intent.

"He was still me?" Shi Mo smiled. "That's true. But he was also a traitor."

"..."

"If he hadn't let Chu Wanning escape, would there have been anyone to rescue the prisoner?"

"..."

"If he hadn't later disturbed Heaven-Stepping Lord's mind, would Chu Wanning have been able to take away that half-dead Mo Ran?" Shi Mo's eyes flashed with a chill as he spoke. "It's fortunate that he learned some spells behind my back. A blind man, hiding his tracks and running so swiftly, he almost escaped being flayed alive by me."

Mu Yanli couldn't help but say, "I know what he did was wrong, but he is still one of our kin."

"He is me, and these two mortal lives will eventually converge. One of us is enough." Shi Mo stepped up the stairs and stood beside Mu Yanli. "Just like you—your previous self has already passed away. But with Sister Mu's help today, it's the same."

"But you don't have to kill him. Our clan has suffered enough." Mu Yanli looked at Shi Mo anxiously. "Nan, we made an oath. We should support each other, not turn against one another, especially within our own clan."

Shi Mo turned his gaze away. He didn't speak, staring at the dancing flames with snake-like serpents for a moment before saying, "I thought the same on Dragon Mountain. I never suspected him, which is why he had the chance to strike in the end. In the end, he is no longer the same as me."

"..."

"I am still Hua Binan and Shi Mingjing." Shi Mo closed his eyes softly, sighing. "But what about him? He only remembers being Shi Mingjing and has long forgotten who Hua Binan is."

The flames crackled, spitting out orange sparks.

Mu Yanli ultimately shook her head. "I can't fulfill your second condition. He's already lost both his eyes for us. Now that we no longer have room for him, Chu Wanning and the others won't accept him either—he has nowhere to go, nothing he can do. Why are you in such a hurry to eliminate him just because he betrayed you? Because he chose a different path than the one you did?"

Shi Mo fell silent for a long moment before smiling softly. "You've always been decisive in your actions. Why the sudden change of heart?"

Mu Yanli abruptly lifted her head, pain flickering in her eyes. "Because he's also my brother. He's also you."

Her face, which had always been cold as if carved from stone or ice, finally showed emotion from the mortal world.

"Nan, whether in our past life or this one, no matter what form you take, I can't bring myself to harm you. I can't do it."

The flames in the charcoal brazier danced up silently, weaving a pattern like intertwined red silk.

Shi Mo sighed. "…Forget it. It's a personal matter, so it's up to you if you don't want to. But the first task is crucial to our success. Please, Sister Mu, see to it properly."

Closing her eyes, Mu Yanli spoke just as the evening bell tolled solemnly from the corner tower atop the Heavenly Sound Pavilion. The old bell had been there since the sect's founding, its tone still resonant after centuries. Amidst the lingering chimes, she continued in a measured voice.

"I understand. …Don't worry."

On the second night following the conversation at the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, a series of gruesome murders occurred suddenly at the Blue Pond Manor in the Upper cultivation realm. Before the investigation could be concluded, similar cases began appearing at the Phoenix Fire Pavilion, the Temple of No Sorrow, and Solitary Moon Night, one after another.

Swiftly, isolated incidents became a cycle, and people soon discovered the crux of the problem—

The Precious Chess Game.

Precious Chess Games were everywhere.

In rural towns, bustling immortal sects, no place was spared.

More and more of these deranged chess pieces emerged, wreaking havoc and killing indiscriminately. The various cultivation sects were overwhelmed, unable to spare any effort to concern themselves with the plight of ordinary folk.

Day by day, rivers ran red with blood, city after city became deserted wastelands. This calamity surpassed any previous heaven-splitting disaster in horror.

For people were unsure who the mastermind behind it all was, or how to put an end to this sudden massacre. But most cultivators believed that the disaster was orchestrated by Chu Wanning and Mo Ran, whose whereabouts remained unknown. However, there were some skeptics, like the group of refugees gathered in a dilapidated temple, discussing, "If it's Mo Ran causing trouble, that could be believable. But why would Chu Wanning help him?"

"Who knows? Maybe he wants a share of the spoils?"

Another voice piped up, "I don't think it's just about sharing the spoils. You all saw the tribulation field that day. If they were just ordinary master and disciple, would they have reacted so emotionally? In my opinion, the relationship between Chu Wanning and Mo Ran isn't normal at all."

"Oh... you mean?"

"Intimate relations between men, a forbidden love between master and disciple."

Their lips brushed, spewing vile and profane words.

The circle of people sitting together wore expressions of both shock and disgust, muttering, "Surely not? He's the Immortal Venerated of the Northern Dipper..."

"Then don't forget when Chu Wanning patched the heavens and accidentally died. His disciple, Mo Ran, risked his life to save him from the Netherworld. Though master-disciple affection runs deep, that was a journey with a ninety-nine percent chance of death. Would you have done the same?"

The other party fell silent.

A bean pod in the bonfire split open with a crisp sound.

"And what about that incident on Dragon Mountain? Did you hear what Shi Mingjing said before he was captured?"

"What was it?"

"I don't quite recall. The situation was dire; many didn't ponder over his words carefully. But upon later reflection, there seemed to be an undercurrent of ambiguity in every sentence."

Someone furrowed their brow. "But rumor has it that Shi Mingjing is actually Hua Binan. Can we trust anything he says?"

"Nonsense!"

Everyone jumped at the angry outburst, turning to see a man with furious eyes. "How can you take such words seriously? It's obvious that Mo Ran is slandering Shi Mingjing!"

"Brother Li, there's no need to be so agitated..."

"Why shouldn't I be?" the man replied. "My life was saved by Shi Mingjing!"

"Oh..."

"At that time, I was on Dragon Mountain, and Hua Binan had inflicted us with a parasitic poison called Heart-Boring Worms. If not for Shi Mingjing using his Eye Healing Technique to save me, I would have died right there! If Shi Mingjing is truly Hua Binan, why would he bother to lift the curse for us?"

The burly man grew increasingly emotional, his eyes eventually welling up with tears.

"Our benefactor sacrificed his eyes to save us from Hua Binan, and now his fate is unknown. Yet, he's still being slandered by Mo Ran. I... I feel it's unjust for him."

With that, he broke down in sobs. The others in the dilapidated temple didn't know how to react, all exchanging uncertain glances.

On one side was Shi Mingjing and the Heavenly Sound Pavilion, while on the other were Mo Weiyu and Chu Wanning. Both sides had their suspicions, but clearly, the latter held more doubts and was more deserving of scrutiny.

In the midst of the crowd, a female cultivator gazed at the flickering fire pit and softly spoke, "Actually... when we were fighting Xu Shuanglin on Dragon Mountain that day, I was also part of the group. I saw what Shi Mingjing and Mo Ran did. Neither of them seemed like villains."

"But one of them must be lying, right?"

The female cultivator shook her head. "Determining who's lying is a serious matter. I dare not make assumptions. However, there's something I witnessed with my own eyes that I'd like to share."

Feeling somewhat embarrassed by everyone's attention, she cleared her throat and continued, "At that time, we were all injured, and Mo Ran and Chu Zong... Wanning's condition wasn't good either. They were resting beside each other. I accidentally caught sight of Mo Ran secretly reaching out... to touch Chu Wanning's face."