Chapter 69: I'll Learn From You!

Was it a coincidence? Or...

Now, there was no way he could casually look at his Master's chest. He could only rely on memory to recall the injury - a faint crescent moon shape, which was undoubtedly just a slash from a blade, unlike Chu Xun, whose chest had a hideous hole left by five fingers digging in.

They were still different, after all.

With this thought, Mo Ran felt a slight relief. Although Chu Xun and Chu Wanning were vastly different in personality, they shared too many similarities – from their appearance, to their philosophy of "putting others before oneself," to that scar on their chests. The coincidences piled up, making it hard not to suspect something.

But for some reason, perhaps because Chu Xun was too gentle, completely unlike Chu Wanning's tyrannical nature, or maybe because Chu Xun was a family man with a wife and child, Mo Ran felt he would be unable to bear it, would break down, if Chu Xun were Chu Wanning reincarnated, or even if Chu Xun was Chu Wanning himself.

Fortunately, that wasn't the case.

The calamity that would befall Linan City without Chu Xun's protection was self-evident.

Of course, the Ghost King didn't keep his promise. As night fell, a blood rain swept through, staining the world crimson and filling the air with a stench of death. The city's moat ran red with blood, while the mindless screams of the living echoed throughout the night.

Zombies roamed the streets, feasting on fresh blood sausages and devouring brains.

Mo Ran led Chu Wanning to seek shelter in a dilapidated cottage, whose owner had long passed away, and its furniture was covered in a thick layer of dust.

Mo Ran firmly shut the door, sealing all entrances except for a small kitchen window through which they could monitor the outside situation.

Sharp screams and ominous devouring sounds periodically echoed from beyond.

Mo Ran placed Chu Wanning on a pile of firewood in the corner and stroked his head. "As Miss Eighteen said, if we defeat the Ghost King, we can leave. So, stay here obediently and don't move around."

Upon hearing this, Chu Wanning lifted his head abruptly. "You're going out?"

"I'll leave only after the Ghost King appears, not now."

"But it's very dangerous outside. The Void Realm has materialized; how can you resist alone?"

"I can't take a child along to fight, either."

Chu Wanning shook his head. "I'll go with you."

"Hahaha, little Junior Brother, you're so adorable, but you're still young. You'd only slow me down. When you're older, I won't stop you from stepping up in situations like these, but for now, listen to your Senior Brother."

"I won't hold you back."

"Those who drag others down usually say that," Mo Ran replied. "Promise me you'll behave and not cause trouble, alright?"

"..."

Seeing Chu Wanning finally fall silent, Mo Ran breathed a small sigh of relief. He gazed through the wooden window's lattice, his expression gradually turning solemn.

Why had the illusory realm, initially meant for trials, suddenly become tangible? His junior apprentice brother was right; someone was trying to harm him. There were countless people in his previous life who wanted him dead, but in this lifetime, he hadn't offended any formidable characters. Thinking it over, the only one who might want his life was the fake Gouchen he had encountered at Jincheng Lake.

But who was that fake Gouchen's true identity? To be able to skillfully manipulate the Jincheng Chess Game to such an extent, why hadn't they shown their abilities in his previous life?

Could it be that there was more than one person who had been reborn in this world...

This thought sent shivers down his spine, even causing a fierce glint to flash in his eyes.

After being reborn, all he had wanted was to bury his past. If there was a second reincarnated individual, things would become much more complicated.

His brows knitted tighter, but then he heard Chu Wanning say, "...Mo Ran, I..."

"What's the matter?"

Chu Wanning gritted his teeth secretly, weighed the pros and cons, and decided to reveal the truth to him.

"Listen to me, actually I can help you. I am..."

But when Mo Ran heard "I can help you," he assumed that his junior disciple was trying to resist again, so he interrupted, "Alright, alright, I said you can't go out, and you won't. Stop pretending to be tough, just listen."

"No, let me explain..."

Mo Ran, in a foul mood, replied, "Not listening, not listening, like a turtle reading scriptures."

"..."

Seeing the displeased look on Chu Wanning's face, Mo Ran realized he might have been too harsh, so he poked the space between Chu Wanning's eyebrows and chuckled. "You're so young, why do you carry such bitterness and refuse to listen to elders? Well, let me tell you, since you call me Senior Apprentice Brother, we're from the same master. When we encounter danger like this, it's my duty to protect you. Do you understand?"

Chu Wanning closed his eyes slightly and whispered, "...I understand."

"Good, then you—"

"But I'm worried about you."

Mo Ran was taken aback. The tip of his finger, hovering just above Chu Wanning's forehead, trembled slightly, leaving him momentarily speechless. Having lived two lives, he had never heard anyone express concern for him with those exact words. Even Shi Mo, who treated him tenderly, had never been so straightforward in showing his care.

He gazed blankly at the small child before him, a jumble of emotions swirling within him.

After a long while, his gaze softened. He gently brushed his fingertip across Chu Wanning's, then caressed the top of his soft hair.

"Don't worry. Senior Apprentice Brother promises to come back lively and kicking."

"Mo Ran, can you let me finish what I have to say first…?"

Mo Ran smiled warmly. "Alright, what do you want to say?"

"I actually am—"

"Bang!" The door burst open.

A wild-haired man, screaming, rushed in, covered in blood. One of his thighs was mangled and torn apart, while a horde of zombies followed, drawn by the scent of blood.

A man stumbled into the room on a broken leg, rolling and grabbing anything within reach to throw at the snarling zombies. "Get away! Don't come here! Go away! Stay back!"

Mo Ran cursed inwardly, shielding Chu Wanning behind him. A red glow appeared in his hand as he summoned Ghost-Defying Blade to protect them, turning his face slightly aside and saying,

"Younger Martial Brother, hide well and don't come over!"

With that, he rushed forward with the vine, engaging the undead horde invading the house. Although Ghost-Defying Blade resembled Heaven's Inquiry, Chu Wanning hadn't fully taught Mo Ran his techniques, and Mo Ran's weapon of choice in his previous life had been a blade, not a flexible one like this. Thus, while he initially held his own, he gradually began to struggle.

In the midst of his chaotic dance with the weapon, he suddenly heard a child's voice behind him, clear and cold. "Three strikes to the left wrist, then jump up and swing it around your back."

Without time to think, Mo Ran followed the instructions, striking the vine against a zombie on his left. With just one blow, the zombie's arm was shattered, exposing its bones. Normally, no one would bother attacking it twice more. But since Younger Martial Brother had given the order, Mo Ran decided to try it out. He struck the zombie twice more, then leaped into the air, relaxing his waist and flipping to swing the vine backward—

Whoosh!

At that precise moment, just as another wave of zombies approached, Ghost-Defying Blade, imbued with threefold power, burst into a blazing inferno. It charged towards the undead, slicing through their ranks with explosive force. The zombies were decapitated, their heads tumbling to the ground in a cloud of black smoke.

Mo Ran was stunned, glancing at his younger martial brother, seated calmly amidst the stack of firewood, with a hint of surprise.

This guy... impressive?

"How do we proceed?" Mo Ran grew excited, his spirits lifted.

Chu Wanning's face remained expressionless. "Next... take your left hand and pat your right sleeve."

"Oh, oh, this move is profound and mysterious. What kind of technique is it?"

Chu Wanning replied coolly, "There's nothing profound about it. You were just too eager with your swing, and your sleeve accidentally caught fire from your weapon."

Mo Ran let out an "ah" and looked down, realizing it was true. He hurriedly smothered the flames that had ignited on his sleeve. Yet, this person had an incredibly thick skin; he didn't seem embarrassed at all. Instead, he looked up with a grin and said to the other, "My junior disciple is truly impressive. I like him."

Chu Wanning coughed softly and turned away, facing the barren wall. His ears had a slight flush to them.

At this point, only six moving zombies remained in the room. Chu Wanning didn't want to look at Mo Ran anymore, so he kept his head turned and instructed the wall, "Relax your wrist, swing the vine towards the ceiling, and rotate it six times to build up power. Then execute the One-Stroke Slash."

Mo Ran followed the instructions, but as he swung for the fifth time, he suddenly remembered, "How do you perform the One-Stroke Slash?"

"... Swing it just as you would with a sword in normal circumstances."

"Oh, I see!" Mo Ran exclaimed, enlightened. With one swift strike, flames blazed, and the supple vine seemed to instantly transform into an unbreakable blade. It slashed through the six zombies in a single stroke!

"Woah-"

This time, Mo Ran's eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Where did you learn this? Why do I feel like your proficiency with the vine whip is as skillful as my master's? No, wait, maybe you're even better. You taught me things he never bothered to share."

"..."

A grin spread across Mo Ran's face. "Great, great, fantastic! I won't have to worry about my master's disapproving looks anymore. Learning from you would be so much more enjoyable, wouldn't it?"

Chu Wanning shot him a glare. "You don't like Elder Yu Heng's expressions? How about mine then?"

Mo Ran put away the vine whip and blocked the door again, dragging a table to block the entrance. He chuckled. "Your expressions are for my own good. We've been through adversity together, and I appreciate your care, Senior Brother. Even if you give me the cold shoulder or hit me when you're upset, I won't hold it against you."

Chu Wanning's face darkened. "Who wants to be your younger brother?"

With that, he jumped down from the stack of firewood, ignoring Mo Ran, and went to inspect the injured man who had intruded.

To his surprise, Chu Wanning's eyes widened slightly. "...Why is it him?"

"Who is it?"

Mo Ran leaned over for a closer look and was equally stunned. "That... That Xiaoman?"

It was indeed Xiaoman, lying in a pool of blood, groaning and sobbing intermittently. He had sustained severe injuries. After Chu Wanning examined him, he shook his head. "Humans and ghosts can never coexist peacefully. The Ghost King must have used him and then abandoned him. This person truly is..."

Mo Ran said, "He deserves it."

Chu Wanning glanced at him. Mo Ran chuckled nervously, suddenly feeling a twinge of guilt. Shouldn't he, himself, be the one to suffer the consequences for his misdeeds?

Changing the subject, Mo Ran inquired, "Oh right, what did you want to tell me just now? What exactly are you?"

Chu Wanning lowered his eyelashes, paused, and whispered, "Actually, I am—"

Mid-sentence, a sudden gust of wind stirred behind him. Startled, Chu Wanning whirled around to counterattack. But with his child's body, his strength was far from that of an adult, and he found himself unable to break free—his throat was firmly gripped by the other party!

Xiaoman, not knowing when, struggled with all his might, relying on a single breath to crawl out of the pool of blood!

With a veined hand clamped fiercely around Chu Wanning's throat, the other hand restrained his arms behind his back. His disheveled face was consumed by an insane blaze of desperation, causing his entire being to contort in a grotesque manner, like a wax statue melting under scorching flames.

His eyes were bloodshot as he hissed at Mo Ran, "Take me... away from here..."

"Let him go!"

"Take me away from here!!" Xiaoman roared in fury, veins bulging in his temples, "Or I'll take his life! Leave!"

"You want me to save you, and I will, but why do you bear a grudge against a child? Let him go first—"

"If you say another word, I'll kill him right now!! I've already committed countless evils, what's one more? Will you or will you not leave?"

Chu Wanning was choked to the point of being unable to make a sound, his delicate face flushed bright red. Mo Ran panicked at the sight. Although he could easily end Xiaoman's life with a single strike, in this realm where illusions became reality, if Xiaoman were to truly fly into a rage, there was a chance that his junior disciple would be severely injured before Mo Ran could act.

Mo Ran said, "Alright, alright, I'll listen to you. Don't get agitated, just loosen your grip a bit. I'll…."

Before he could finish speaking, blood splattered everywhere!

Author has something to say: Mo Ran: My little junior disciple is so kind to me, clever and adorable *^o^* He's completely different from my master!

Chu Wanning: Huh. Blind.