The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 90: There's Nothing Wrong with This Master's Interpretation of Idioms

When Chu Wanning finally woke up, it was already noon.

The Dream-eating Incense was indeed an excellent thing. After a peaceful night without any nightmares bothering him, he yawned and slowly sat up.

"Mo Ran?"

Surprised to find his usually lazy disciple not in the spot where he had slept the previous night, Chu Wanning called out to him.

No response.

He got up, straightened his clothes, and as he tied up his mist-like long hair, he walked towards the partition in the side room. Behind the intricately embroidered screen depicting cloud-dotted mountains and valleys, there was a faint mist rising, suggesting that someone was taking a bath.

"…Mo Ran."

Standing outside, Chu Wanning called again.

Still no answer.

Suspicions arose, and Chu Wanning tapped on the screen's wooden frame. After several attempts with no response, he furrowed his brow and moved around to the back of the screen.

This was a dedicated area for bathing and grooming within the room, featuring a large, fragrant camphor wood tub in the center. Chu Wanning glanced over and saw that the water was hot and full, scattered with medicinal herbs and flowers prepared by the innkeeper. However, there was no sign of the bather.

Peering left and right, he noticed that Mo Ran had indeed removed his clothes and neatly folded them on a wooden rack.

Could it be that after bathing, he had run out without putting his clothes back on?

Chu Wanning's forehead twitched as he suppressed this terrifying thought. He pursed his lips, his expression rather grim.

Just as he turned to leave, he heard two gurgling sounds from behind him.

Chu Wanning spun around to see bubbles emerging from beneath the floating petals and herbs in the large wooden tub.

—Was someone inside?

As this thought crossed his mind, he heard a splash, and a naked young man shot out of the water like a dragon rising from the depths, startling Chu Wanning into taking two steps back.

The youth seemed to have been holding his breath underwater and thus hadn't heard Chu Wanning calling him from outside. When he could no longer bear it, he stood up, revealing the upper half of his body, vigorously shaking off the water droplets from his hair like a dog coming ashore, splashing them all over Chu Wanning's clothing.

"Mo Ran!"

"Ah!" The person shaking their head was startled and suddenly widened their eyes, clearly not expecting to see him right away. They were extremely surprised. "Master!"

"You..."

His gaze swept over the young man's well-proportioned figure. His broadening shoulders and smooth, toned lines exuded youthful vitality. Water droplets gathered on his muscular chest, trickling down slowly, shimmering in the sunlight with an enchanting glow.

He resembled those incredibly beautiful mermaids, half submerged in the water, with damp hair and eyes. There were even a few petals stuck in his hair.

Mo Ran wiped the water from his face and swam towards Chu Wanning with a smile, placing his hands on the edge of the bucket. His shoulder blades spread like a leopard's, and he looked up at Chu Wanning with a bright smile.

Chu Wanning felt dizzy and his face flushed. He asked subconsciously, "What are you doing?"

"Bathing."

"In the morning?"

"Hehe." A little guilty. Initially, he had wanted to take a cold shower to suppress that wicked fire within him. Later, although he had managed to quell the fire, he figured he might as well have a proper bath since he was already undressed. As he enjoyed himself, he submerged underwater to practice holding his breath, only to be caught off guard by Chu Wanning.

"What are you smiling about?" Chu Wanning frowned, his tone turning colder as he tried to conceal his flushed state. "You didn't even wake me up when you got up early, just messing around here by yourself. Throwing your clothes everywhere, making a mess—"

"Shifu. You... there's water here."

He swiftly raised his hand, wiping the side of Chu Wanning's face.

"Splish."

Mo Ran smiled, having forgotten that his hand was already wet, and thus only succeeded in making Chu Wanning's face wetter.

Chu Wanning stood frozen, the air around him cool. His expression was taut, lips barely pursed, with only his eyelashes quivering occasionally.

The sensation was like scolding a hunting hound, only to have the cunning pup lift its head and nuzzle against him, seeking affection.

"...Put on your clothes and get out here. We need to prepare to return to our sect."

In the end, Chu Wanning left with a cold expression, his sleeves flapping behind him.

But where Mo Ran couldn't see, the tips of his ears had turned red.

As if unseen, a pair of moist, complicated eyes, still tinged with longing, had involuntarily searched for him until he vanished from sight around the corner.

The adorable smile on Mo Ran's face vanished, replaced by frustration.

He angrily slapped the water and splashed a handful harshly across his face.

Damn it.

What was going on today?

It was just seeing him in the bath, just reaching out to touch his face.

The desire that had been barely suppressed was stirring again...

"Why did it take you so long to get dressed?"

Beside the window, Chu Wanning turned his head, his sleeves billowing softly. His delicate hair brushed against his jade-like cheeks as he chided impatiently.

Mo Ran coughed a few times and mumbled an excuse, "I used magic to dry my hair, but I wasn't... wasn't very proficient, so it took longer. Please forgive me, Master."

It was rare to see him speak so properly, so Chu Wanning looked at him with some surprise before saying, "Since you're done grooming yourself, go pack your things. We'll rent a celestial boat in a bit to head back. I don't want to fly on my sword, and I'm tired of riding horses. Traveling by waterway will give us some peace and quiet."

"Oh, alright." Mo Ran didn't dare look at him too much and coughed a few times as a cover-up.

Chu Wanning frowned. "What's wrong with your throat?"

"… Nothing."

After turning around to pack their belongings, the two bought some snacks at the shop and headed to the dock to rent a boat.

The wooden boat sailed along the Yangtze River, using wooden wings and spells to soar through the skies when the waterway was impassable. Though they weren't traveling quickly, the journey was comfortable and peaceful.

Eight days later, the duo reached the Peak of Life and Death. The wooden boat stopped at the mountain entrance.

Mo Ran lifted the bamboo curtain and allowed Chu Wanning to exit the cabin first, following behind him. It was the middle of the night, with the bright moon hanging high in the sky. Elder Yu Heng had instructed Xue Zhengyong in his letter not to send anyone to welcome them, so the two ascended the steps alone. They only encountered four gate-guarding disciples when they reached the main entrance.

"Elder Yu Heng!"

"Young Master Mo!"

Upon seeing the two of them, the four disciples wore an inexplicable look of panic. Before Chu Wanning and Mo Ran could react, they fell to their knees and urgently reported, "Elder, Lord, someone from the Upper Realm is currently searching for the two of you for revenge! The Venerated Master sent a message by homing pigeon asking you to temporarily hide, but it seems this fat pigeon was too slow and didn't deliver the message in time! Elder, Lord, quickly go to Impermanence Town to avoid any trouble. Don't go in there!"

Chu Wanning narrowed his eyes and asked, "What's going on that has caused such panic?"

"It's someone from the Upper Realm who says Elder wants to cultivate an evil technique. They want to take you to the Heavenly Sound Pavilion for interrogation!"

"Ah, the Heavenly Sound Pavilion?" Mo Ran exclaimed. "Isn't that the prison established by the Ten Great Sects to interrogate those who commit heinous crimes?"

"Yes! They've come because of what happened in Butterfly Town!" One of the female disciples said anxiously. "Do you remember, Elder? That time when you were flogged!"

"That was at most an abuse of immortal magic, affecting mortals. Our Master has already been punished. Why have they suddenly brought up the past and even involved the Heavenly Sound Pavilion?" Mo Ran frowned. "And what about this 'evil technique'? What's that about?"

"We're not entirely sure, but according to the people who came, all the residents of Butterfly Town died overnight. It was done by something half-immortal, half-ghost, seemingly under someone's orders. This ghostly immortal is very powerful; ordinary wandering cultivators couldn't possibly control her. So the people from the Upper Realm suspect...suspect that Elder Yu Heng is responsible!"

Chu Wanning: "..."

"Ha." Mo Ran laughed. "I thought it was something more serious. It's just a misunderstanding. They can clear it up with a simple explanation. There's no need to hide." He then turned to Chu Wanning with a grin. "Master, look at how their minds work. You kill a minor monster, and they say you're showing off to your junior. You slay a great demon, and they suspect you of cultivating an evil technique and using a ghostly immortal to harm others. Let's just not do anything then. It'd be better to follow their example and meditate at home to cultivate immortality."

But Chu Wanning didn't smile. His expression was grim. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Are all the people of Butterfly Town dead?"

"It's said to be exactly like that – not a single survivor."

"..."

Chu Wanning closed his eyes for a moment.

Noticing his unusual expression, the female disciple asked anxiously, "Elder?"

"This may not have been my doing, but it could be a result of my incomplete demon-slaying. I bear responsibility and cannot shy away from it." Chu Wanning opened his eyes slowly. "Mo Ran, come with me inside."

Within the Wu Shan Hall, twelve entwined bronze lamps stood on either side, each towering at ten feet tall. Their nine tiers of copper branches unfurled downward, with candles of varying lengths illuminating the grand hall as bright as day, casting away the shadows of life and death.

On the dais, Xue Zhengyong stood resolutely in military attire, his eyes like rings of a leopard, resembling an iron statue as he fixated on those below him.

"Lord Li, let me make this clear to you one last time. Elder Yu Heng is currently not within the sect, and I, Xue, am willing to stake my own head to vouch that the incident in Butterfly Town was not premeditated by him. Do not spout baseless... that..."

Madame Wang, standing by, discreetly covered her mouth and softly prompted, "yellow."

"Cough, do not spout baseless accusations about that yellow!" Xue Zhengyong waved his hand, his demeanor authoritative.

Madame Wang: "........."

Aside from the disciples guarding the peak of Death and Life, over thirty people stood below the hall, nearly all dressed in emerald green silk robes with sleeves adorned with whiskers, and wearing celestial silkworm hats for scholars. They were disciples of the emerging sect in the Upper Realm, the "Green Pond Manor." The leader, a man around fifty, had whiskers resembling catfish, swaying gently in the wind. Who else could it be but Li Wuxin, the master of Green Pond Manor?

Li Wuxin stroked his beard and sneered. " Sect Leader Xue, I respect your esteemed sect as part of the righteous path, hence my attempt to reason with you. The incident in Butterfly Town occurred after Elder Yu Heng and his disciple eliminated the demon. Besides those three, the Chen family had no interaction with any cultivators. There is both human testimony and physical evidence. You can either admit it or not, but you will have to face the truth."

Beside his father, Xue Meng couldn't hold back his anger and cursed, "How dare you still have the audacity to speak? When have you ever cared about Lower Realm affairs? Usually, you all focus on your own ascension, but when something goes wrong, you blame it on my master. Where's the justice in that?"

"Master Xue," Li Wuxin remained unperturbed, casting a meaningful glance at him before smiling. "I've heard tales of your virtuous reputation, being called a fledgling phoenix. Seeing you today, huh, your composure truly surprises me, opening my old eyes."

"You—!"

Li Wuxin lifted his eyelids slowly, fixing his gaze on Xue Zhengyong. "Venerable Headmaster Xue, the rules in the Upper Realm of cultivation are strict. Once I become involved, I will see this matter through to the end. If you persist in withholding Yu Heng, Mo Ran, and others from justice, I shall have no choice but to summon the foremost sect in the world, the Confucian Wind Sect, to uphold righteousness!"

Xue Zhengyong was notorious for his fiery temper, and he scorned such pleading. "Nonsense. I'm aware of the amicable relationship between your Jade Wave Manor and the Confucian Wind Sect, but even if Nan Gongliu himself were standing right in front of me today, my answer remains the same – I won't hand him over, and this matter has nothing to do with Yu Heng."

Xue Meng also said, "Master Li, please return. Farewell without seeing you off."

"See it now? Do you all see it? This is how they behave, how they harbor the wicked!" A man's quivering voice pierced through the crowd. "Back then, that fellow surnamed Mo stole from my friend. We came up the mountain politely, seeking justice, and they dismissed us with brute force! Headmaster Li, did you witness it? If the Peak of Life and Death continues its lawlessness, the Lower Realm will be doomed!"

Hardly had he finished speaking when a soft laughter echoed from the entrance hall.

Everyone turned to see a young man dressed in a light blue armor leaning against a vermilion lacquered door in the shadows, watching the scene in the hall with an indolent expression.

The youth was strikingly handsome, his skin still taut and delicate under the candlelight, seemingly luminous.

"Young Master Chang," the youth said with a gentle, endearing smile, "when did I steal something from your friend? Do tell me, was it Rong San... no, perhaps it was Rong Jiu, I can't quite recall. In any case, that delightful person, is he your friend or your lover? You're not being very honest, and he might be heartbroken."

It was none other than the wealthy merchant from Yi Zhou, the one who earlier vowed revenge against the Peak of Life and Death, sobbing over there.

Young Master Chang spun around, startled, and saw that Mo Ran had actually appeared. His expression shifted, then a glint flashed in his eyes, followed by a mournful howl:

"Mo Weiyu, you beast! Rong Jiu and I were as close as a mallet and mortar; our relationship was pure. Now, he has been poisoned and tragically killed by your band of demons, and yet you – you dare to slander him with false accusations!"

"What?" Mo Ran's eyes widened slightly. "Rong Jiu is dead?"

Anger flickered across Young Master Chang's tear-streaked face. "His parents are also from Butterfly Town. They returned home for a visit and fell victim to this calamity. If not for his death, how would I have known about the wicked deeds you and your master have committed? Or gone to demand justice from Lord Li?"

But Mo Ran held no affection for Rong Jiu. After his initial surprise, he impatiently waved a hand. "What's this 'mallet and mortar friendship'? Are you the mallet, and he the mortar? You grind against each other, so where is the purity in that?"

"Mo, Mo Ran!" Young Master Chang was taken aback by his words and said in anger, "Y-You, you illiterate ruffian! Y-You—"

"Cough…" Madame Wang's face also fell.

Xue Zhengyong blinked silently, not saying a word. He knew that 'chui ju' wasn't a good term, but he found his nephew's argument reasonable and without fault.

A sigh echoed in the darkness, like the shattering of jade on Kun Mountain or the melting of ice on a lake, deep and enchantingly beautiful. Then, a long and elegantly shaped hand...

Lashed out and slapped Mo Ran across the face without any hesitation.

"For using filthy language and misinterpreting the phrase 'chui ju,' which refers to the friendship between Gongsan Mu Wuyou regardless of social status," Chu Wanning appeared at the door with a darkened face, "All you do is embarrass me. Why are you standing there? Get inside!"

"Shifu!"

"Shifu!"

Xue Meng and Shi Mo, caught off guard by his sudden appearance, were both surprised and delighted as they rushed forward to greet him.

Xue Zhengyong, on the other hand, widened his eyes, a mix of frustration and helplessness. "Yu Heng, why did you suddenly come back?"

"Should I not return, how long do you intend to carry on alone?" Chu Wanning strode into the Wu Mountain Palace, his handsome features appearing even more ethereally refined in the flickering candlelight. He stood before the golden throne, nodded at Xue Zhengyong, and then gracefully turned around, his wide sleeves gently brushing aside.

"As the Peak Lord of Death and Life, Chu Wanning, who holds the position of Elder Yu Heng, I humbly accept your request for counsel," he said, his phoenix-like eyes meeting Li Wuxin's astonished gaze with a fleeting, enigmatic glance. "I am here to hear your insights."

The author has something to say: Those who missed the boat yesterday can board it today. Follow "Meatballish Devil King" on Weibo, and the boarding pass will be deleted tomorrow morning.

Just in case anyone forgot, Rong Jiu and Young Master Chang are the ones who bullied the courtesan after he was reincarnated as a fish, and his lover.

Short Scene: "Seeking Advice from Various Characters"

Chu Wanning: I've heard some say I'm not dominant enough. Well, I'm here to seek your opinion.

Feeding Fish: I've heard people think my skills aren't up to par. So, I'm here to ask for advice.

Xue Meng: It's been mentioned that I'm not manly enough. I'm curious, what do you think?

Shi Mo: Some say I'm a sinister lotus. I'd love to hear your thoughts on that.

Ye Wangxi: I've heard that some believe me to be a girl. Well, I'd love to hear your insightful opinions.

Mei Hanxue: Rumor has it that people think I've already made an appearance. Hmm, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this.

Meat Bun: As for that brother with the last name Mei, no one actually thinks you're already here, hehe. If you disagree, hit me up.