The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 95: This Seat's Calamity from a Past Life

The veil between the realms of Yin and Yang was no longer as steadfast as it was in ancient times. Small breaches were not uncommon and usually wouldn't provoke great alarm among cultivators.

But now, a blood-red eye stretched across the sky, instantly altering the colors of heaven and earth, sending sand and stones flying.

It was a cataclysmic Heavenly Rift that occurred once every hundred years!

None among those present, except for Mo Ran, had truly experienced such an unforeseen calamity. Hence, whether it was the bearded and white-haired Li Wuxin, the seasoned warrior Xue Zhengyong, the Confucian Wind Sect of the Upper Realm, or the Summit of Life and Death in the Lower Realm, the thousands of people present were all flabbergasted and at a loss on how to react.

And Mo Ran was struck as if by lightning, a thick, bloody scent seemingly surging from his past life – a life filled with ferocious fangs bared and countless lives taken without mercy.

It was this very Heaven's Rift!

In his previous life, Shi Mo had perished within this cataclysm. Back then, he and Chu Wanning had joined forces to mend the barrier, but due to depletion of their spiritual energy, they were overwhelmed by the horde of ghosts that burst forth, plummeting from the heavens...

But this was supposed to happen three years later! Mo Ran vividly remembered that snowy night, when New Year's Eve had just passed, leaving a faint smell of gunpowder in the air. The ground was still scattered with the remnants of firecrackers. The night before, he had celebrated the New Year with everyone, sipping on Tusu wine.

Mo Ran, slightly tipsy, lifted his eyes.

Beneath the warm glow of flickering candles, Shi Mo's eyes shimmered like rippling spring water, filled with emotion from every angle.

The Summit of Life and Death was bustling with activity, filled with clinking cups and laughter.

Back then, he thought it was perfect—just to watch and accompany the person he liked from afar for a lifetime, without disturbing them.

As the grand feast came to an end, the disciples returned home arm in arm. He walked back to the Meng Po Hall with Shi Mo. The moonlight illuminated the snowy ground like a flowing river. Noticing that Shi Mo seemed cold, he took off his outer robe and draped it over him without hesitation, under the influence of a slight buzz from the wine. Taking advantage of this moment, he dared to steal a few more cautious glances at him.

Beautiful as freshly fallen snow, the man was untouchable.

"Aran."

"Hmm?"

"You've had a bit too much to drink today."

"Haha, have I?" Mo Ran chuckled, but soon found himself unable to continue laughing.

With his slightly cool hands, Shi Mo gently cradled Mo Ran's face, causing his flushed cheeks to grow even hotter. Mo Ran's eyes widened, and he trembled for an instant.

Shi Mo smiled and said to him, "How can there not be? Look at you, after just three cups of warm wine, your face is already flushed."

"It's... it's because of the warmth, right?"

Mo Ran scratched his head awkwardly, but his cheeks only grew warmer.

Back then, he was so easily content. To like someone, he didn't need to possess them, nor did he dare to indulge in extravagant hopes.

Just a gentle touch on his face from that person made him feel as if he had been blessed by heaven, leaving him speechless with awe, staring blankly.

His dark, limpid eyes brimmed with both surprise and gratitude.

They parted ways in front of their living quarters. As Shi Mo donned his cloak and left, he turned his face back towards Mo Ran, smiling against the shimmering snowlight that illuminated the ground.

"Aran."

He was about to leave when he heard his name, spinning around hastily like a top, afraid of missing anything.

"I'm here, I'm here!"

"Thank you for the clothing."

"No problem! I was hot anyway!"

"And one more thing." Shi Mo's gaze softened, almost melting the coldest of winters. "Aran, actually, I..."

Bang.

In the distance, a firework blossomed in the sky.

Mo Ran didn't catch what he said, or perhaps Shi Mo hadn't continued at all.

When silence returned, Shi Mo had already pushed open the door to his quarters.

Mo Ran panicked and hurried to call after him, "Wait, what did you just say?"

But this time, Shi Mo playfully teased with a wink, "Nice words are only spoken once."

"Shi Mo—"

Yet that captivating figure did not fulfill Mo Ran's wish, leaving behind only half of their exquisite face beneath the warm curtain.

And that fleeting smile that Mo Ran would never forget in his lifetime.

"I believe it's late. I'll retire for the night. If I still wish to speak with you tomorrow morning when I wake up..."

He paused, his soft lashes drooping like bashful grass.

"...I will tell you then..."

Little did he know that the heavens would rend and dawn would break in quick succession.

Mo Ran never got to hear Shi Mo's words. That tenderest dream of his life was stained crimson red.

Countless times, he awoke in the middle of the night, still remembering Shi Mo's smile behind the half-drawn curtain – so beautiful, so gentle. He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt an infinite depth of affection in that smile.

In the endless cycle of his painful existence, he continued to dream on.

In his dreams, Shi Mo confessed his love, and Mo Ran woke up smiling, overjoyed. So much so that he momentarily forgot Shi Mo was gone, that the past could never be revisited.

He smiled happily, contemplating all the delicious things he could cook for his beloved from now on. Such an important matter was worth worrying over delightfully.

But often, as he laughed, tears would roll down his cheeks.

He buried his face in his palms.

The words spoken that snowy New Year's Eve night were forever lost to him amidst the wind.

A breach tore through the layers of heavy clouds, and the gates of hell cracked open. Countless malevolent spirits and demons poured forth like an army of a thousand charging through the land. The screams around him abruptly pulled Mo Ran out of his memories.

He shouted frantically amidst the chaotic, swirling crowd, his voice filled with despair and anxiety—

"Shi Mo!!"

"Shi Mo—!! Shi Mingjing!!"

"Where are you? Where are you?"

I had no idea why the Heavenly Rift would suddenly occur three years ahead of schedule.

I didn't know if I could still protect you now.

But I couldn't bear to see you hurt again, to see you die once more...

Please, just stay alive...

It was my fault. I wasn't strong enough to shield you right away, and I was too foolish to consider everything thoroughly. Where are you...

"Aran..."

Amidst clashing weapons, a faint voice echoed distantly.

"Shi Mo!!"

He spotted him, standing beside Xue Meng, using his water spirit as a barrier against the onslaught of malevolent ghosts. Mo Ran rushed towards him recklessly, his voice choking with emotion, his eyes reddened.

"You damn thing, come help me!" Xue Meng fought off a horde of zombies single-handedly, but they kept coming like an endless stream. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and he gritted his teeth. "Hurry up!"

Before he could finish, Mo Ran leapt into action, a flash of red light signaling the arrival of spirits at his command.

With a swing of his divine weapon, a row of ghosts before him were reduced to soulless dust, instantly shattered into fragments. Mo Ran turned to Shi Mo and shouted, "Don't wander off, come stand behind me!"

"I want to help Master..."

"Stay where you are!!" Mo Ran's voice quivered with alarm upon hearing this.

He couldn't allow Shi Mo to get close to Chu Wanning amidst this chaotic battle.

Memories of his past life kept intertwining with the present scene.

—It was the same phrase back then.

"I want to help Master..."

"Alright, hurry over there. Master will be safer, but don't leave his side. Let him protect you."

How absurd...

Let him protect you.

Chu Wanning, Chu Wanning! Mo Ran had calculated everything, but he overlooked the fact that it was Chu Wanning!

Heartless and devoid of affection, cold-blooded to the extreme.

Filling his heart and mind with the well-being of the world, yet ignoring the death of his own disciple!

"Don't go to him! He can handle it himself!"

The overlapping of two lifetimes made his scalp tingle. With bloodshot eyes, Mo Ran fiercely yelled at Shi Mo, "Stay here! Don't move!"

"But just now, Master expended so much spiritual energy..."

"He won't die! Mind your own safety!"

With his brows furrowed in anger, he lashed out again at the oncoming horde of zombies with a vicious whip. Instantly, flesh flew and brains splattered.

Though his spiritual power was far from what it once was, every move was executed with expertise. This body, seasoned from countless battles, had faced off against masters like Ye Wangxi and Chu Wanning. Even against a million fierce corpses, he was not afraid.

The rift in the sky grew wider and wider.

Like a sandstorm of ghosts and spirits, those who had been trapped in the Abyss of No Return for a century poured into the mortal world. Among them were also the zombies from Butterfly Town, who had taken advantage of the surge in Yin energy to break free from their willow bindings. The chaos became more frenzied and terrifying by the moment, resembling oil boiling over with water splashing about, or a swarm of locusts descending upon a field of grain, while malevolent ghosts clutched at living humans to devour. Those on the edge between life and death, having experienced many small-scale battles before, were still able to cope. However, the Confucian Wind Sect and the Jade Lake Manor suffered catastrophic losses. Cries of agony echoed as blood spurted high into the air.

Chu Wanning was farther away, so Mo Ran couldn't see his situation just yet.

By chance, he spotted Ye Wangxi and Nan Gongsi amidst the surging crowd. Although the two didn't get along, their fighting styles were eerily similar.

Ye Wangxi discarded his long sword and summoned a bow with a blue glow. Nan Gongsi's arm curved like a crescent moon. After exchanging a glance, they passed each other and headed towards opposite sides of the densest zombie horde, drawing their bows and aiming their arrows.

Whoosh!

Almost simultaneously, their arrows pierced the air, splitting the sky like the cries of geese.

Enchanted with spiritual energy, the arrows released gusts of wind that shredded and slaughtered the evil spirits in their path...

Nan Gongsi wore a smug expression, reaching back to his quiver for another arrow.

But to his surprise, it was empty.

"Is that it?"

"There."

Before he could get angry, Ye Wangxi had already thrown a bundle of white feather arrows at him.

"You always refuse to carry more."

"Hmph!"

Nan Gongsi scoffed but, with the urgency of the situation, he didn't have the energy to argue with Ye Wangxi. He caught the arrows, and the two of them resumed their individual battles.

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. Although they had managed to fend off many malevolent spirits, even more were surging forth from the Netherworld.

After slaying over a dozen souls, Li Wuxin turned to yell at Xue Zhengyong, "This isn't going to work; we can't keep this up. Someone needs to reinforce the barrier!"

Xue Zhengyong glanced at the distant Butterfly Town, where four golden light arrays were situated in each cardinal direction.

He took a breath and exclaimed angrily, "Easy for you to say. Can you reinforce the barrier? Do you still have anyone here who can do it?"

"I-" Li Wuxin's face darkened as he said, "Boundary seals aren't our sect's specialty."

"Then shut the hell up! How many Yu Hengs do you think there are? Chu Wanning is holding down four corners of the formation. If these damned ghosts break through, they'll slaughter everyone in Shu within no time. Even cultivators wouldn't be able to withstand them, let alone non-cultivators. Do you want the world to end right now?"

"Fending off the chaos in Shu is better than causing a widespread disaster in the cultivation world. If you don't let someone seal this rift soon, it'll be impossible to control the situation!"

Xue Zhengyong flew into a rage, flinging his iron fan and sending a gale slicing through the ghosts while also seemingly accidentally grazing Li Wuxin's cheek. "Is it only the Upper Realm that matters, and the Lower Realm exists solely to sacrifice for your benefit?"

"Don't spout nonsense! I'm talking about sacrificing pawns to protect the king! If this crack in the sky happened at my Jade Balance Manor, I'd sacrifice my entire sect to preserve peace in the world!"

"What an audacious claim, Lord Li. You speak without a care since you're not the one in danger," Xue Zhengyong's eyes widened like a tiger's, his anger turning into a mocking laugh. "The entrance to the Ghost Realm will never move from my Shu region to your Jade Pool Manor for all eternity. It seems that the Peak of Life and Death can be destroyed countless times to ensure a peaceful world! Lord Li, you truly know how to speak."

As the two continued their intense battle, locked in a deadlock, a streak of snowy radiance suddenly swept across the western horizon.

Before they could discern whether the newcomer was friend or foe, a rapid, intricate interweaving of zither notes echoed through the clouds, like a downpour of rain and a flurry of arrows piercing through a forest. No weapons were visible, yet the illusion of clashing blades and galloping iron horses filled the air, as if a war was igniting across cities.

"Kunlun Treading Snow Palace!"

Xue Zhengyong looked up abruptly, gazing at the surging wave of snow-colored figures. As they drew closer, he saw a group of immortals arriving on flying swords, draped in misty snow robes with cherry blossom petals swirling around them. Regardless of gender, each had strikingly delicate features, frozen at the age of twenty due to their cultivation techniques.

Amidst the Treading Snow Palace, figures stood or sat, half of them cradling pipas in their arms, while the other half had ancient zithers laid before their knees. The melodious, intertwining sounds, both crisp and serene, descended from the heavens, causing even the horde of malevolent ghosts and zombies on the ground to wail in agony. Yet, they were ensnared, unable to escape the web of this divine music.

A man led the group, his hair a light golden hue, and his eyes like lapis lazuli, his features strikingly defined. He wore a snowy silk robe adorned with a droplet-shaped forehead ornament, and a delicate neck peeked out from its collar, resembling a blossom in a porcelain vase. To counter the chill of Kunlun's snow, he draped a fox fur cloak over his plain attire, adding an air of serene elegance.

In his embrace, he held a delicate and translucent pipa, his frowned brows adding a touch of melancholy. His slender, elongated fingers plucked the strings, and countless blooming peach blossoms danced around him in response to his melody.

"Imperial winds blow across the four seas, virtue's waters have cleansed a thousand years. No more martial attire adorns me, for today, my lofty accomplishments have been achieved."

The melody softened slightly. Lowering his gaze, he saw Xue Zhengyong and the others. He was just about to address them when a furious cry echoed from afar, "Mei Hanxue! How could it be you, you damn creature!"

The one who shouted was none other than Xue Meng. As he bellowed in anger, he swooped in under Mei Hanxue's flying sword, looking up and scolding, "Why did Kunlun's Treading Snow Palace send such an unreliable person to help?"

Ye Wangxi turned at the sound of the voice and saw the man playing the zither amidst drifting flowers and snowflakes. A thin veil of irritation appeared on his face.

"…Is it him?"

Nan Gongsi asked, "What? You know this guy too?"

"I wouldn't say I know him," Ye Wangxi replied, feeling displeased upon seeing Mei Hanxue. Unlike Xue Meng, who rushed forward to berate him, Ye Wangxi simply turned and walked away, leaving behind a single sentence, "We've just crossed paths in a fight before."

Nan Gongsi's interest piqued. "Oh, how skilled is he in combat?"

Ye Wangxi sneered. "He relies on women to fight for him. What do you think of that?"

Nan Gongsi was left speechless.

The author has something to say: Here we go!

In the previous life, the battle that turned the innocent puppy into Heaven-Stepping Lord – the Sky Splitting War – the puppy stuck his head out and met the blade!