Chapter 86

The news of Xu Zhi Nan's death has caused an uproar in the immortal world. Zhao Wen took on the position of Sect leader at a time of crisis. The first thing he did was to give the order to arrest Yun Xiang Yi and Hua Xiang Rong, and at the same time, he sent his first disciple to Mount Shu to ask Li Bu Yu to put pressure on the Cangyu Sect in the name of the Immortal Alliance to hand over the two people who killed Xu Zhi Nan and stole the Seven Star Life-Sustaining Lamp.

The Immortal Alliance has its own rules, and since such a big thing has happened to the Chunyang Sect, the other sects cannot just sit back and watch. If this turns out to be true, all sects must unite to crusade against the Cangyu Sect.

The two female cultivators were worthy of the successors personally trained by Qi Meng Sheng, and their cultivation was so good that they escaped silently from Chunyang Sect’s Chu land with one hand hiding the sky*, and it would be almost impossible to catch them once they were out of the gate.

The whole of Jingzhou was silent with grief, and the people spontaneously wore mourning and kept vigil for Xu Zhi Nan, filling the city with white linen and thousands of candle lanterns in a spectacular display.

Within three days, people from all the major sects arrived to offer their condolences. Li Bu Yu, claiming to be old, sent his son, and the pavilion Master of the Xianyue Pavilion brought Lan Chui Han to come personally.

Lan Chui Han had cultivated in the Chunyang Sect when he was young. Although Xu Zhi Nan was in seclusion for eighteen years, he only met the sect leader when he was very young and did not have much of an impression, but his experience in the Chunyang Sect had benefited him throughout his life. This time, he kept vigil for 3 nights as an outside disciple of the Chunyang Sect to perform the funeral rites.

Before the funeral procession, Zhong Kui returned. Xie Bi An had a belly full of questions to ask, but before he could open his mouth, he was stopped by a gesture from Zhong Kui: "We’ll talk when we go back."

Xie Bi An's heart felt even more uneasy.

After Xu Zhi Nan's funeral procession, Zhong Kui was in a hurry to leave and instructed Xie Bi An to pack his luggage.

"Master, where are we going?"

"To the Cangyu Sect."

"Ah?" Xie Bi An said in surprise, "To the Cangyu Sect? To catch those two female cultivators?"

"No, there is something very important that requires me to meet Qi Meng Sheng in person."

Fan Wu She said, "Is it Xu Zhi Nan's dying request?" Xu Zhi Nan and Qi Meng Sheng were both figures who had stirred up the clouds during the time of Emperor Zong. Xu Zhi Nan had mentioned Emperor Kong Hua to Zhong Kui with a manner of entrusting him before death, so it is definitely not a small matter. What exactly is the connection between this series of treacherous events from Mount Shu to Jingzhou and Zong Zi Heng? What is the karma that has not yet ended across a hundred years of time?

"Yeah." Zhong Kui said, "I was supposed to go to the Wuliang Sect and ask Li Bu Yu to explain about Zong Ming He, but now ... there’s no time to lose, let's go."

"Master, aren't we going to say goodbye to Elder Zhao Wen?"

"He's so busy that his feet are not touching the ground*. I've already informed him."

"... Alright." Xie Bi An always felt as if he was running away from something by leaving in such a hurry. He thought Zhong Kui might be afraid that Zhou Wen and the others would ask him about Xu Zhi Nan's last words after they take a breather.

As the three of them left, Xie Bi An slapped his head and remembered something else: "I haven't had time to say a word to Brother Lan these past few days. I’ll at least go and say goodbye."

Fan Wu She dragged him back, "Can't you see that master is in a hurry? Let's go."

"Is it too urgent for a moment or two?"

"Yes." Fan Wu She pulled him out of the mountain gate of Luojinwu without a word.

It was a long way to Kunlun, so they could not keep flying on their swords, thus they rode on horses.

It was just the beginning of spring and the climate was slightly chilly, but the further they went northwest, the colder it became, as if walking backwards into winter.

While on the way, Zhong Kui was mostly silent and did not say anything when asked. A complete change from his usual appearance.

A few days later, they arrived at Shazhou. This was the largest border post in the northwest. After Shazhou, it was beyond the Pass. After the Pass, there will be no more post stations for horses and vehicles, so travelers had to resupply here.

Although Xie Bi An had traveled extensively, this was the first time he had been this far away. Many of the things sold in the city were things he hadn't seen before, and he took the opportunity to have a good browse while he was resupplying.

When he passed a bookstall, the vendor was enthusiastically selling a book to a pair of young men.

"At a glance, this book is suitable for the two of you. This ‘The Treasure of Flower Tasting’ is informative, new and interesting, and this edition comes with drawings."

Fan Wu She raised his sword eyebrows, and there was a mischievous gleam in his eyes as he turned around and walked over to the stall: "What book is it? Is it really that good?"

The vendor's voice was so loud that Xie Bi An also heard him, and he was trying to leave quickly, but he didn't keep an eye on Fan Wu She, and his head felt a little swollen at that moment.

The pair of young men looked at each other flirtatiously and laughed.

The vendor looked at Fan Wu She, and his eyes lit up as he picked up another book and shoved it at him, "Aye, this gentleman is so handsome. You are a man of vision. This book is excellent, you will know it once you look at it."

Fan Wu She took it and was about to read it, but Xie Bi An grabbed the book with his hands and said, "What are you reading? This kind of boring and wild book will not improve you, so you don't need to read it."

One of the men gave a charming smile, "This gentleman is also a cultivator, right? Then you are narrow-minded. Such things, if they are interesting, are also very beneficial to cultivation."

Xie Bi An was a little embarrassed, but he was very open and generous, smiling and explaining, "Fellow Daoist misunderstood. This is my junior brother." He had previously heard people say that people from beyond the Pass were unconventional and unrestrained. Seeing that this pair of youths were absolutely not refraining from being intimate in front of people, it seemed to be true.

Fan Wu She pretended to be confused and said, "Senior brother, what are you guys talking about? Last time when I was at home, you wouldn't let me read this book. You like flowers, I'm also interested, so why don't I delve into it and help you raise flowers together."

The pair of youths and the vendor laughed together.

Xie Bi An really wanted to take Fan Wu She and burrow into the soil. He coughed lightly and said with a straight face, "This book is not about raising flowers. Let's go, senior brother will explain it to you later."

"Little mister, your senior brother is not pure. This kind of good stuff he's kept it privately to himself, yet will not let you read it." The vendor was laughing and gestured with 5 fingers as he watched the fun unfold, "Just five copper coins, and you won't regret it."

Xie Bi An gave the vendor a sidelong glance and threw the book back to him, holding Fan Wu She's wrist and dragging him away.

But Fan Wu She refused to go, "Senior brother, I want to read it." He really loved to see Xie Bi An's current expression. He had done all sorts of indecent things to this man, made this man embarrassed countless times, but it was all humiliation and shame, and there was always a sadness between his brows that could not be melted. There had never been such a fresh and adorable look, he did not want to miss a single glimpse of it.

The pair of youths laughed so hard that they trembled.

"Wu She!" Xie Bi An feigned anger, "If I say don’t read it then don’t read it."

"This ‘The Treasure of Flower Tasting’ is about love affairs between men." The youth sniggered, "Could it be that you two are not on the same path?"

Fan Wu She looked at Xie Bi An in surprise, "Senior brother, this book ..."

Xie Bi An used brute force to drag Fan Wu She away.

"Senior brother, is what they said true? Why do you have that book?"

"At that time, the owner of the bookstall said that it was cheaper to buy five copies, so I didn't know what kind of book it was and bought it casually." After explaining, Xie Bi An stole a glance at Fan Wu She, and to his surprise, he saw his face of disbelief and said in an aggravated tone, "Really!"

"Then the two people just now, could it be that they are companions in dual cultivation?"

"Probably. It's not unusual outside the Pass."

"I've heard that this cultivation method does work."

Xie Bi An just wanted to get this topic out of the way as quickly as possible, "Uh, hmm."

"Have you ever thought about dual cultivation?" Fan Wu She looked askance at Xie Bi An.

"Naturally not. There are no shortcuts on the path to the Dao. It's better to keep your feet on the ground ..."

"I have thought about it."

Xie Bi An was frozen.

Fan Wu She gently tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a flirtatious smile. His gaze so deep it was frightening: "I’ve thought about it."

Xie Bi An’s heart trembled. He seemed to have seen such a look before, but this was clearly not like his usual junior brother. He had never been looked at by someone with such an aggressive hunter's look, but vaguely it felt familiar.

Images and words flashed through his mind. He couldn't tell anything apart, but he could feel it. He felt confused, violent, ashamed, unbearable. Ever since he had fainted on the Eight Trigrams Platform and had that messy dream, things had flashed through his mind from time to time. He had grown up watching the cycle of life and death and had no hesitation in assuming that these were memories from his previous life.

As to why it was the Eight Trigrams Platform that triggered the memories deep in his soul, who was Xiao Jiu in the dream, and why he was entangled with that man, he was curious but didn't really want to know the answer. He had seen too many people who could not let go of their past lives and refused to drink Meng Po soup, and all of them sank forever in their memories and could not be freed. If one could not let go of the past, one would not be able to move on to the future. As a general of the underworld, he could not fail to understand this truth, so he did not want to know the karma of his past lives. He just wants to live well in this lifetime.

Seeing him in a daze, Fan Wu She frowned: "Will senior brother look down on me?"

Xie Bi An shook his head helplessly, revealing his usual gentle and frank smile, "Why would I? If one day you really meet the one you love, senior brother will bless you both."

The Adam’s apple in Fan Wu She's throat slid, the longing in his heart crying out. He knew very well that this life was different from their previous one, and he had to be calm. What he wanted was Xie Bi An's willingness, but he’s used to plundering, used to being in control, used to making unlimited demands. He's dying to cross these trivial details and relieve a hundred years of longing.

"Come on, let's go back to the inn."

The two of them returned to the inn with the things they had bought, and as soon as they entered they saw Zhong Kui drinking wine with a flamboyant man in blue clothes.

"Brother Lan?" Xie Bi An said in pleasant surprise.

Fan Wu She's face instantly sank and he said nonchalantly, "Why has the spirits not dissipated*?"

"Bi An." Lan Chui Han stood up and laughed, "I was fast and furious and finally caught up with you."

"You've come to find us? Why?"

"I want to go to Cangyu Sect with you guys."

 

 ----

one hand hiding the sky*[一手遮天]--- to hide the truth from the masses

feet are not touching the ground*[脚不沾地]----busy running here and there; run like the wind

Why has the spirits not dissipated*[怎么阴魂不散]----Wu She was indicating Chui Han is a spirit who keeps following them

 

Edited on 5 Apr. 21 (Emzie)

 

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