The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 47: Something Feels Off

Injured, Chu Wanning and the other three were exhausted. After running into the tunnel outside the Divine Martial Repository, Chu Wanning instructed them to take a brief rest. For a moment, no one spoke. Each of them stood or sat, examining their own or others' wounds, conserving their strength.

Only Xue Meng was in a daze, his head hanging low, lost in thought about something unknown.

Mo Ran murmured, "Xue Meng..."

Xue Meng ignored everyone and approached Chu Wanning stiffly. He lifted his head, his voice cracking as he spoke.

"Master."

Chu Wanning looked at him, wanting to reach out and smooth his disheveled hair but ultimately held back.

"Were the divine weapons I picked earlier fake?"

Chu Wanning remained silent.

Xue Meng's eyes reddened even more. Veins spiderwebbed across his black-and-white irises. If not for his stubbornness and pride, he might have shed tears right then and there.

"Am I destined to never obtain the weapon from that pond again?"

Chu Wanning finally closed his eyes, a sigh softly fading away.

The corridor was tranquil, with only the crisp and detached voice of Chu Wanning echoing within.

"...Silly child."

A single utterance brimming with sighs and resignation— "silly child" —was the final straw that shattered Xue Meng's last vestiges of composure. He could bear it no longer, flinging himself into Chu Wanning's embrace and clutching Wanning's waist as he burst into heart-wrenching sobs.

"Master... Master..."

Missing out on Jin Chengchi's Divine Martial Arts is almost equivalent to forfeiting the chance to reach the pinnacle of the Immortal Realm. This is a fact well understood by all. Mortals have limited magical powers, and without divine weapons to aid them, even the strongest are but flesh and blood.

The young masters of the Upper cultivation realms usually inherit divine weapons passed down by their ancestors, which, even if not perfectly attuned to their spiritual energy, still possess formidable power. However, Xue Meng was an exception, for he and his brother, Xue Zhengyong, had built their foundation from scratch and never received any weapon from Jin Chengchi.

Hence, when he chose to meet his end alongside the Ancestral Sword and Heartplucking Willow, he was, in essence, renouncing his past prestige and glory.

Chu Wanning asked nothing, said no more, but held the weeping Xue Meng in his arms, soothingly stroking his hair. Xue Meng had been indulged since childhood and had never known hardship or injustice, so he had never shed a tear since he could remember, always strutting around with an air of invincibility.

In that very moment, tears streaked down his youthful face, each word spoken shattering like the divine weapon he was fated to never possess again, like the heroic dreams he once believed were within his grasp – all reduced to pieces.

"Xue Meng," Chu Wanning held his disciple in his arms, comforting him.

The ripples in the lake's depths stirred Chu Wanning's white cloak and long, black hair. Mo Ran could only catch a glimpse of his delicate eyelashes drooping, beneath which glimmered a gentle light. Then, as the water swirled more fiercely, the cloak and hair became disheveled, obscuring Wanning's profile in the dimness.

He heard him say, "Don't cry anymore. You've done well."

His voice wasn't particularly gentle, but coming from Chu Wanning, it was the softest thing he could have said.

In the secret passage, the four of them were lost in their own thoughts, no one daring to speak another word.

Mo Ran leaned against the cold stone wall, watching Chu Wanning hold Xue Meng, patting his shoulder. A bitter feeling suddenly rose in his heart.

Their journey to Jinchi.

Arriving in vibrant attire, riding on magnificent steeds.

Leaving with the sorrow of a prodigy lost.

Xue Meng had been a celebrated prodigy for fifteen years.

His glory knew no bounds, his spirit soaring high.

And then one day, the crimson tower crumbled.

Henceforth, he would spend a long lifetime erasing the sharp edges of those fifteen years from his memory.

As they rushed out of the Divine Martial Repository, they witnessed the Heart-Plucking Willows leaning slowly into the water, as if a mighty giant from ancient times had grown weary, resembling the death of Chi You or the woe of the golden sun. The remaining Jiaoren, startled by the upheaval, scattered in all directions.

Millions of years ago, the divine arsenal was utterly destroyed in a single night.

The divine tree crashed down into Jin Chengchi, stirring up a furious whirlpool. The flood dragons transformed back into their massive original forms to withstand the raging waves. In an instant, Jin Chengchi was filled with surging scales and leaping creatures, rendering it impossible for mortals to stand their ground.

Mo Ran shouted, "It's no use! We can't get out!"

As he spoke, a thick flood dragon's tail swung toward him. Mo Ran dodged swiftly, barely avoiding it.

Just then, a black azure dragon swooped in swiftly. Its form was larger than the others, its jet-black scales shimmering with cold golden radiance.

Mo Ran exclaimed, "Wang Yue?!!"

Wang Yue let out a long roar. He was originally a mute dragon but now suddenly spoke with a voice like a bell, bellowing, "Grab onto my back! The Heart-Plucking Willow is destroyed, Jin Chengchi's doom is imminent! Hurry! I'll take you all out of here!"

There was no other choice at this point, and they couldn't afford to question whether Wang Yue was friend or foe. They followed his instructions without hesitation. With Wang Yue carrying the four of them, they swam swiftly through the turbulent waves, parting the water as they went.

"Hold on tight!"

No sooner had he spoken when the old dragon burst through the surface, soaring into the air. Mo Ran and the others felt an immense rush of water pounding against their faces, like a horde of galloping horses trampling through their bones and organs. They couldn't open their eyes or catch their breath, gripping the dragon's spine with all their might to avoid being thrown back into the lake.

When they could finally open their eyes, they found themselves soaring on the dragon's back, high above Jin Chengchi, atop the summit of Xun Ying Peak. The misty vapor from the water transformed into countless shimmering points of light, scattering from the giant, mirror-like dragon scales. In an instant, the clouds turned to fog, and a rainbow formed. Wang Yue raised his head and let out a piercing cry, changing the colors of the world around them.

Mo Ran heard Xue Meng's voice from behind, excited and distant amidst the howling wind. After all, he was still young at heart and easily forgot his troubles for a moment—

"My god! I'm flying! Riding on a dragon!"

Wang Yue circled a few times over Xun Ying Peak, gradually shrinking in size before gently lowering himself to land. When he came to rest by the shores of Jin Chengchi, he was less than half his original size, avoiding crushing too many surrounding rocks and plants. He curled up in place, quietly allowing Mo Ran and the others to dismount.

As they looked back at Jin Chengchi, they saw that the towering ice had melted, giving way to surging waves that shattered the ice. Dawn had broken, and the sun's rays illuminated the landscape, casting a glittering sheen across the waters of Jin Chengchi.

Shi Mo suddenly exclaimed, "Look at those serpents in the pond!"

The writhing dragons swayed with the surging waves, gradually coming to a standstill before shattering one by one into tiny ashes. Black chess pieces rose from the lake and gathered in midair.

Mo Ran muttered, "The Junchen Chess Game..."

All the serpents, living creatures, even the Heart-Plucking Willows in this pond, had fallen victim to the Junchen Chess Game's enchantment. This entire pond, this elaborate scheme, was all set up by someone lurking in the shadows!

Mo Ran suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

He realized that something was amiss in this reincarnated world. Some events had inexplicably been accelerated.

In his previous life, no one at the age of sixteen could have mastered the Junchen Chess Game to such an extent. Just who was this fake Lord Junchen?

Xue Meng said, "Moon Gazer!"

Mo Ran turned around to see Moon Gazer lying motionless. No black chess pieces appeared on him, but he looked extremely weak with half-closed eyes.

"You... did well... The Golden Chengchi Pond of Lord Junchen must not be... must not fall into the hands of evil..."

Upon finishing his words, he suddenly radiated with golden light. When the glow faded, he transformed into a smaller human form.

"It's you?!"

Both Mo Ran and Xue Meng exclaimed simultaneously.

The Moon Gazer before them was none other than the white-haired old flood dragon who had led them to the Spirit Body in the Divine Armory. Moon Gazer lifted his head, a hint of remorse in his eyes.

"It is indeed I."

Xue Meng was astonished. "Y-You, why did you lead us to the Divine Martial Repository? Are you trying to save us or harm us? If you meant to harm us, why put us ashore at all? And if you aimed to save us, what if we can't overcome the Heart-Plucking Willow's calamity? Wouldn't that just…?"

Moon Gazing lowered his eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice, "I apologize. But under those circumstances, I had no other choice. False Gouchen lacked sufficient cultivation and relied entirely on the Heart-Plucking Willow's spiritual energy to cast his forbidden spell. Only by breaking the willow could his magic be rendered ineffective. I had no alternative but to guide you to attempt it."

Chu Wanning shook his head and walked over, waving his hand to heal Moon Gazing's injuries.

Moon Gazing sighed deeply. "Venerable Daoist, your benevolence is appreciated, but unnecessary. Like all creatures in this pond, my lifespan has reached its end, and I've been sustained by the Heart-Plucking Willow's meager spirit. Now that it has fallen, my days are numbered."

Chu Wanning: "…"

Gazing at the Moon said, "Life and death follow their natural order; it cannot be forcefully altered. To witness Jin Chengchi's nightmare come to an end before my eternal slumber, my wish has been fulfilled. However, I feel deeply guilty that your lives were affected by the upheaval in the lake."

Chu Wanning replied, "It's all right. ... Do you know who that impostor posing as Gouchen was, and what his intentions were?"

Gazing at the Moon answered, "I don't know his true identity. But his purpose seems to have been to gain access to the Heart-Plucking Willow's power in order to delve into the three forbidden arts."

Chu Wanning pondered, "The spiritual energy required to perform these forbidden arts is immense. Having the aid of an ancient spirit would indeed make the task much easier."

"Yes, that's what he said too. He mentioned that ancient spirits possess tremendous power but are incredibly difficult to find. The only trace of one recorded in ancient texts is the Heart-Plucking Willow."

"Gazing at the Moon continued, sighing with a somewhat vacant expression in his eyes.

Mo Ran felt a pang in his heart.

As expected... Jin Chengchi's fate had unfolded differently in this lifetime. These recent changes must have caused everything to diverge from its original path. What went wrong that led to such a shift?

"He lacked the ability to control living creatures, so he killed countless beings in the lake and attempted to manipulate the dead instead. This time, he succeeded. Within just a few dozen days, he slaughtered almost all the spirit beasts in the lake, turning them into chess pieces. Only a few were left for experimentation. I was one of them."

Mo Ran asked, "So when I was seeking the sword, and you surfaced, were you under the control of the fake Gou Chen?"

"No," Moon gazed upward, slowly closing his eyes. "He can manipulate others, control fox spirits, and command Heart-Plucking Willows, but he cannot control me. I am a spirit beast tamed by the Divine Lord Gou Chen at the creation of the world. Millions of years ago, when I willingly served the Divine Lord, his seal was branded onto my scales, ensuring my unwavering loyalty to my master until death."

"So then..."

"Out of necessity, it was a disguise," Moon sighed. "Although that intruder couldn't fully control me, Gou Chen's divine seal has been in place for millions of years and its power has waned. A part of my body was still influenced by the fake Gou Chen – when you saw me, I was mute because my voice had completely fallen under that person's control. It could no longer obey my own commands. Only when his magic wore off could I speak again."

Mo Ran queried, "Did the fake Gou Chen know you were pretending?"

"I don't think so," Moon replied, looking at Mo Ran. "According to his plan, he would have taken your spirit core today to prolong the life of the Heart-Plucking Willow. But he didn't expect me to bring you back to the Divine Armory and destroy the ancient willow. He wasn't prepared for my actions."

Chu Wanning interjected, "Perhaps he was prepared, but lacked the strength to act on it."

"How do you mean, Daoist Priest?"

Chu Wanning explained, "I have a vague feeling that there's something peculiar about this impostor, Gou Chen."

Author's Note:

Today's scene is a contemporary adaptation of a part of the story. As I typed, my imagination ran wild, feeling that Mo Ran lacked a certain flavor in this particular scenario. Upon reflection, it dawned on me that he was missing a cigarette – 2333.

Title: "After the Fall of Jin Chengchi, Modern Version" - Action!

In the secret tunnel, the four individuals were lost in their thoughts, no one spoke a word.

Mo Ran leaned against the cold stone wall, observing Chu Wanning comforting Xue Meng, patting his shoulder. A bitter sensation stirred within him.

Yet, Mo Ran said nothing. Instead, he dipped his head to retrieve a cigarette case, revealing the last remaining stick. He placed it between his lips, and the sound of a lighter flicked. A flicker of flame illuminated his eyes like a blooming poppy flower.

He took a deep drag and exhaled slowly, the addictive nicotine filling the air. With an indifferent yet nuanced gaze, he gave them another glance before turning away.

Leaning against the wall, he slipped his hands into his pockets.

Silence persisted. Rationality prompted Mo Ran to give them space, a moment, the duration of a cigarette. The peacock needed solace.

He was a heavy smoker, relishing the decayed taste of tar coating his lips and teeth.

But that day, his frustration grew. This cigarette seemed interminable. Damn it, he puffed relentlessly, yet it remained stubbornly half-full.

Mo Ran suddenly felt an inexplicable irritability, which he blamed on his unsatisfactory smoking experience. He crushed the half-smoked cigarette against the wall. Then, still with one hand in his pocket, he looked up and approached Chu Wanning as if it was entirely justified.

"Teacher Chu," he said, gazing at Chu Wanning's face. With a sudden tug, he pulled Xue Meng upright and drew him close, a lazy smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

"You shouldn't just be coddling my little brother here. I'm suffering too, you know. So, how about it? Why don't you show your kindness all the way..."

His voice had a smoky quality, low and hoarse, so he cleared his throat.

"And comfort me, big brother?"

Chu Wanning was momentarily at a loss for words.

It was absurd, but at that moment, he found himself wondering: did this punk mean 'big brother' in a lewd sense or was it meant literally, indicating a familial relationship where he was "an older male cousin or relative of the same generation"?