The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 46: This Seat Has Awakened

When Mo Ran regained consciousness, he found himself still within the Divine Martial Repository.

He seemed to have slept for a long time, but when he opened his eyes, it felt as if only a moment had passed. It was as if he had blinked and woken up.

Perhaps due to the successful dispelling of the spell, he discovered that he was lying on the ground, yet unscathed from head to toe. The gruesome wounds and flowing blood were like a nightmare that hadn't left any traces on his body.

Mo Ran was both startled and overjoyed. Looking at Shi Mo, he realized that the latter had also passed out at some point but, surprisingly, remained unharmed.

Could it be that after passing the trial in the Upper Palace of Chongxu, not only did Chongxu remove the illusion, but also healed the injuries they sustained within it?

...

Though logically, the Upper Palace of Chongxu didn't intend to harm them, and this outcome aligned with the purpose of the trial, Mo Ran still couldn't believe it. He felt as if he had survived a disaster.

Out of the four of them, he was the first to awaken.

Then came Shi Mo. Seeing Shi Mo's eyelashes slowly part, Mo Ran was overjoyed and exclaimed repeatedly, "Shi Mo! We're alright! Alright! Look at me!"

In Shi Mo's eyes, there was a fleeting moment of confusion before they gradually cleared up. He suddenly widened his eyes. "Aran?! You—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Mo Ran hugged him tightly.

Shi Mo was taken aback but still patted his shoulder gently. "What's wrong with you...?"

"I'm sorry, I made you suffer so much."

Shi Mo was puzzled. "Actually, it wasn't that big of a deal. I just had a dream."

Mo Ran said, "But the pain was real!"

Shi Mo: "...What real pain?"

Just then, Xue Meng woke up as well. Not knowing what he had dreamed about, he yelled, "Impudent scoundrel! How dare you molest me!" He abruptly sat up.

Seeing that he was awake, Shi Mo approached him. "Young Master."

"Ahh... Why are you here? How did you get here?" Xue Meng thought he was still in his dream.

Mo Ran was in high spirits, and his expression toward Xue Meng was particularly gentle as he chuckled while recounting the events to him. Only then did Xue Meng regain his composure.

"It was just a dream… I thought that…."

To cover his embarrassment, Xue Meng coughed lightly. Suddenly, he noticed that Chu Wanning, who was usually the most resilient, was still asleep and hadn't woken up. He was astounded.

"Why hasn't Shifu woken up?"

They approached to examine Chu Wanning's wounds. Since Chu Wanning had been injured before the illusion started, according to the design of the Upper Palace of Dipper, only injuries within the illusion could be healed. As such, Chu Wanning's shoulder was still soaked with blood, a ghastly sight.

Mo Ran sighed and said, "Let's wait a bit longer and see."

After about an incense stick's worth of time, Chu Wanning finally stirred awake.

He slowly opened his phoenix eyes, and upon regaining consciousness, his gaze was empty and cold, like after a heavy snowfall. It took a long while before his eyes shifted, landing on Mo Ran.

However, just like Xue Meng, he didn't seem fully awake yet. He looked at Mo Ran and reached out slowly, his voice hoarse as he said, "You…."

Mo Ran replied, "Shifu."

Hearing his name spoken, Chu Wanning's hand froze mid-air. A hint of color returned to his pale face, and his eyes suddenly sparkled. "Mm..."

"SHIFU!!"

Xue Meng rushed over, pushing Mo Ran aside, and seized Chu Wanning's hand. "How are you? Are you feeling better? Shifu, you were out for so long; I was almost dying from worry."

Chu Wanning saw Xue Meng and paused slightly, the mist in his eyes gradually dissipating. Taking another careful look at Mo Ran, he noticed that although the latter was looking at him, he still held tightly onto Shi Mo's hand without letting go.

"..."

Chu Wanning fully awoke, his expression turning cold. Then, like a fish in a dried-up pond, he finally succumbed to death thoroughly.

Shi Mo asked with concern, "Shifu, are you alright? Does your shoulder hurt?"

Chu Wanning replied calmly, "I'm fine, it doesn't hurt."

With Xue Meng's assistance, he slowly stood up. Mo Ran was momentarily perplexed. If Chu Wanning's injury was on his shoulder, why did he stagger as if his feet were injured when standing?

Assuming that Chu Wanning was unaware of what had transpired in the illusion, Mo Ran briefly recounted the events again.

Shi Mo had already found it peculiar when he first heard it, and now, listening to it again, he found it even more strange. He couldn't help but say, "Ran, you're saying that I saved you?"

"Yes."

There was a moment of silence from Shi Mo before he spoke slowly, "But I... just now, I was dreaming the whole time and never woke up."

Mo Ran was startled at first, but then he chuckled, "Don't joke around."

Shi Mo replied, "I'm not joking. I dreamed about... my parents, they were both still alive. That dream felt so real, I seemed to... seem to not have been able to bear leaving them behind. I really—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Chu Wanning interjected coolly, "There's nothing strange about it. It was probably Guichuan's illusion that erased your memory of saving him. In any case, neither Xue Meng nor I saved him. Since he says it was you who saved him, then it must have been you."

Shi Mo: "..."

"How else? Could Guichuan possibly have a way to swap people's minds?" Chu Wanning said coldly.

He didn't want to be the one to make another person look good. He had originally planned to tell Mo Ran the truth, hoping that Mo Ran would realize it on his own and understand that the person in the illusion wasn't Shi Mo but Chu Wanning with Shi Mo's heart.

However, Mo Ran's confession to Shi Mo was too humiliating for Chu Wanning.

Awakening, Chu Wanning gazed into Mo Ran's shimmering black eyes. For a fleeting moment, he thought that perhaps there was a trace of concern for him hidden within Mo Ran's heart.

It was a meager hope, one that he dared to entertain only after so much time had passed.

Yet, it was nothing but his own self-delusion.

The blood he shed and the wounds he bore—none of these would be known to Mo Ran, nor were they necessary for him to know.

Mo Ran wasn't foolish. Though he didn't speak of it, he had long sensed how cherished that gentle and beautiful person was to him. How could he not notice Chu Wanning standing in the corner, like a dusty puppet forgotten by time?

Still, when Mo Ran confessed, "I've always loved you," Chu Wanning felt utterly defeated, humiliated beyond measure.

That embrace in the illusion had appeared to Mo Ran as a favor bestowed by Shi Mo.

But Mo Ran would never know that the embrace was, in fact, a pitying gesture from himself towards another pitiful soul.

Chu Wanning had never believed that Mo Ran could love him. Thus, he had diligently suppressed those feelings, refraining from imposing, intruding, or even gently touching upon them.

Those impetuous expressions of love and fervent attachments were the fruits of youthful passion. In his younger days, he had hoped for someone to stay by his side, sharing moonlit drinks. Yet, he waited and waited, but that person never came. As the days went by, his reputation and status in the cultivation world soared, and people began to regard him with reverence, labeling him aloof and distant. Eventually, he accepted this image of being revered yet unapproachable.

He seemed to be enclosed in a cocoon, where time wove its threads upon his shelter. Initially, he could still glimpse some faint light seeping through the cocoon, but as the years passed, the silk multiplied and the cocoon grew thicker, until he could no longer see any light. Inside the cocoon, there was only himself and darkness.

He didn't believe in love or divine intervention, nor did he have any desire to pursue anything. If he struggled with all his might, tore through the cocoon with wounds covering his body, only to crawl out and find nobody waiting for him, what would he do then?

Though he liked Mo Ran, this person was too young, too distant, and too intense. Chu Wanning didn't dare approach, fearing that one day he would be consumed by such a blazing flame.

Thus, he retreated from every path he could take.

He didn't know what he had done wrong.

To the point where the mere sliver of foolish hope he held onto was about to be drowned by the overwhelming downpour of cold rain.

"Shifu, look over there!" Xue Meng's startled cry pulled Chu Wanning back to reality. Following the sound, he saw the smelting pool churning with molten lava once more, flames engulfing the ancient tree spirit as it emerged from the water. However, the spirit's eyes were rolled up, indicating a state of confusion. In its hands was the gleaming silver sword of the Palace of the Northern Dipper.

Chu Wanning exclaimed, "Run! Quickly!"

His disciples didn't need a second reminder; they immediately dashed towards the exit.

The controlled tree spirit howled at the sky, its chains clanking loudly. Though no one was speaking, all four of them heard a voice in their minds, unspoken yet clear:

"Stop them all, not one must escape!"

Xue Meng exclaimed in shock, "Someone is talking in my ear!"

Chu Wanning replied, "Ignore it, it's the Bewitching Heart Technique of the Heart-Plucking Willow! Focus on running!"

His words reminded the others that the Heart-Plucking Willow had previously warned them. The Bewitching Heart Technique lured people with their own desires, making them turn against each other.

Sure enough, the voice in Chu Wanning's ear hissed, "Chu Wanning, are you never tired?

"A great master, Yu Heng of the Night and Dawn. Such a figure, yet you can only secretly pine for your disciple. You've sacrificed so much for him, but he takes you for granted, never seeing you, only loving that gentle and charming senior apprentice brother. How pitiful are you?"

Chu Wanning's face turned ashen, ignoring the nagging voice as he darted towards the exit.

"Come to me, take this Ancestral Sword, and kill Shi Mo. Then no one will stand between you two. Come to me, and I can help you fulfill your desires, making the one you love fall for you. Come to me..."

Chu Wanning raged, "Vile creature, leave now!"

The others had clearly heard the different propositions the voice offered. Though their pace slowed, they still resisted the temptation. As they drew closer to the exit, the Heart-Plucking Willow seemed to grow more frenzied, its hissing in their ears becoming twisted and distorted.

"Think it through! Once you step out that door, there'll be no turning back!"

Each voice rang differently in their ears, howling mournfully.

"Chu Wanning, Chu Wanning, do you truly wish to spend your life alone?"

"Mo Weiyu, only I know the whereabouts of the elixir of resurrection. Come to me, and I'll reveal its secret."

"Shi Mingjing, I'm aware of the desire hidden deep within you. Only I can lend you a helping hand!"

"Xue Ziming, the divine weapon you chose is a fake! Jin Chengchi has but one remaining weapon forged by the Palace of the Dipper God. Return, and this ancestral sword will be yours! Don't you crave an unparalleled divine weapon? Don't you aspire to be the pride of heaven? Without a divine weapon, you'll forever fall short of others! Come to my side..."

"Xue Meng!" Mo Ran suddenly realized his cousin was no longer running beside him.

Glancing back, he saw Xue Meng's pace gradually slowing until he came to a halt, gazing at the silver-blue sword floating in the sword-forging pool.

Alarm struck Mo Ran's heart.

He knew how deeply Xue Meng was obsessed with divine weapons. The boy must be devastated upon learning his own weapon was a counterfeit. Heart-Plucking Willow had chosen the perfect moment to dangle the ancestral sword as bait before him.

"Xue Meng, don't believe him! Don't go over there!"

Shi Mo also urged, "Young Master, hurry up and leave! We're almost at the exit!"

Xue Meng turned back at them, his gaze blank, while the voice in his ears grew more persuasive, "They're envious of you and don't want you to obtain divine weapons. Think about Mo Weiyu; he's already acquired his weapon, and he'd love for you to have nothing. You two are brothers, but if you're not as capable as he is, the prestigious position of the Supreme Ruler at the Peak of Life and Death will naturally be his."

Xue Meng muttered, "Be quiet."

Mo Ran seemed to be urgently calling out to him, but Xue Meng couldn't make out a word. He only kept his hands on his head, repeating, "Shut up! Be quiet!"

"Xue Ziming, there's no weapon in the Divine Armory that suits you anymore. If you miss the Ancestral Sword, you'll have to submit to Mo Weiyu in the future. He'll become your supreme ruler, and you'll kneel before him, obeying his every whim! Think about it, killing him is nothing! Sibling rivalry has been common throughout history, and he's just your cousin! What are you hesitating for? Come here — let me give you the sword..."

"Xue Meng!"

"Young Master!!"

Suddenly, Xue Meng stopped struggling. He snapped open his eyes, which were now a fiery red.

"Come to my side... You're the pride of heaven... Destined to wield the honor of all weapons..."

Chu Wanning thundered, "Xue Meng!"

"Come here... Only if you ascend to the position of the Sovereign of Death's Peak will the Lower cultivation world find peace and tranquility... Think about those who suffer, think about the injustices you've both endured... Xue Ziming, let me aid you..."

Unwittingly, Xue Meng found himself at the boiling sword-forging pool, the Spirit of the Heart-Plucking Willow holding the Ancestor Sword of the Northern Dipper Palace with its inverted, bloodshot eyes.

"Very well, take this sword and hold them all off!"

Xue Meng slowly raised his hand, trembling as he received the silver-blue treasured sword.

"Annihilate them."

"Eliminate Mo Weiyu."

"Quickly go... Ahhhhhh!!!"

Suddenly, Xue Meng drew forth his longsword, deftly weaving it into a resplendent sword flower in his grasp. In one fluid motion, he reversed his grip to thrust backhandedly, causing the primordial essence of the blade to gush forth like a stream of divine light. This luminance cast the countenance of the Heir of Heaven, with his peerless handsomeness, in stark brilliance. Under the gleam of the sword's edge, there was no hint of bloodlust clouding his eyes; rather, they shone with an even greater clarity and purity than on any ordinary day.

That sword didn't aim for Mo Ran, but instead pierced directly towards the Heartplucking Willow's core, slashing through its vitals!

In an instant, the earth shook and ancient willows swayed violently.

The Bewitching Heart Formula was abruptly shattered, causing the Divine Martial Repository to crumble as if the heavens and earth were collapsing.

Xue Meng gasped for air, his breathing labored after exerting all his strength to break free from the enchantment. He gazed at the Heart-Plucking Willow, his youthful face filled with the obstinacy and purity of a young man. Pride and innocence could be easily seen in his glowing, unwavering eyes.

Being a fledgling phoenix was not just about martial prowess.

"You won't be able to charm me, nor will you succeed in harming anyone else," Xue Meng panted, then abruptly drew his long sword!

Heart-Plucking Willow instantly spewed a putrid stream of blood. On the verge of death, its divine consciousness returned to its original form, and the malevolence within it vanished abruptly.

Clutching his chest, it barely managed to steady its tottering body. Lifting its face, it opened its mouth, though no sound emerged, its lips clearly formed the words.

"Tha…nk…you…for…stopp…ing…me…"

Heart-Plucking Willow's true form was an ancient spirit, equal in power to the Primordial Sword. The collision left both severely wounded. The Primordial Sword in Xue Meng's hand also lost its divine radiance, fading into dullness in an instant.

In the meantime, the ten-thousand-year-old Tree Spirit exploded into fragments.

In an instant, countless specks of light scattered into the water, resembling fireflies as they circled around everyone, their glow flowing and shimmering, eventually fading away until they were no more.

Shi Mo said, "Young Master, come here quickly! This place is collapsing!"

The ground trembled, making it impossible to stay.

Xue Meng turned his head, giving the Divine Martial Repository one last glance. With a clatter, he discarded the damaged Ancestor Sword and left, leaving behind crumbling bricks and tiles like an avalanche.

Author's Note:

Yesterday's update made many brothers think about swapping the protagonist's love interest and abandoning the story to tear apart steamed buns (hey, hey, hey)… I'm really sorry. But I have a few things I want to say to you all… I hope you won't find me too tedious…

Firstly, we're not swapping the love interest. To be precise, in all my future works, there won't be any swapping of love interests. It's due to my limitations; I can't write that type of story well, even if the character is a jerk. I prefer for him to redeem himself. Of course, this doesn't apply to stories with a pre-established love triangle from the start… Moreover, since the entire plot has already been outlined, many things are still hidden beneath the surface. I still want to tell the complete story at the originally planned pace. Actually, we can't see the full picture of the characters yet, so please be patient, little darlings. Neither Shifu nor Mo Ran are people who would easily change themselves. So let's just upgrade the jerk's system but not uninstall him like trash, okay? 233

I can't guarantee that the transformation process won't be too cruel, but at least I can ensure that most girls won't find the plot twists abrupt or the emotional changes sudden. The happy ending won't be forced either. Let me explain further, and please rest assured, my dear brothers~ Bowing~ Bowing~

As for Fei Yu, the jerk. For now, this can't be completely changed. He's always been a very persistent person, stubborn and unyielding, walking a single path until there's nowhere else to go, which is why he ended up with no way out, forcing himself to his death. I also wish for him to improve immediately, but it can't happen now. As mentioned in the text, here's a summary of the reasons:

Firstly, his obsession with Shi Mo has yet to fade. Just like in reality, some people chase after another for years, and it becomes a habit. This infatuation only ends when faced with a clear rejection or a significant upheaval. As long as Shi Mo continues to tease him with affection, Mo Ran will continue to throw himself into the fire, until he's burned to death or all hope is extinguished.

Secondly, Mo Ran hates his Master for more than just the cold treatment and being called "inherently wicked." It's because his Master chose to stand by and do nothing when he could have saved Shi Mo. In his past life, Mo Ran cherished Shi Mo the most, and it was in his arms that Shi Mo died. Throughout the process, Mo Ran pleaded with Chu Wanning to save him, willing to sacrifice anything just to see his beloved survive. But Chu Wanning didn't oblige. Though he didn't kill Shi Mo directly, and Chu Wanning had no obligation to save him, Mo Ran's hatred for him grew from this understandable human sentiment.

Some little darlings have asked when Mo Ran will reform. Actually, it's quite simple: once he can let go of these two burdens, he'll turn over a new leaf.

Of course, if you're not satisfied and want to vent by calling me names, that's perfectly fine! You can criticize the Master too! Muah~ But if the journey becomes unbearable and you decide to drop the story, I have a small request... if you can't endure it, please don't tell me. Twiddles thumbs... I really am embarrassed...

I write because I love it, and because there's a story I want to share. After work, I strive to pen down a few words, determined to keep the essence of the story intact. Relationships should unfold naturally, and mysteries should be revealed at the right time. I don't wish to alter it, so thank you for the support so far. If it doesn't resonate with you anymore and you choose to leave, please do it gently. If possible, just... don't tell me, hahaha.

Well, the author is quite... sensitive... and seeing such comments would still be quite hurtful (collapses like a lifeless corpse)... Many thanks, indeed.