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    Chapter 162: Master, Fighting Alongside You

    "I knew about her words, Master, long before I reached Peach Blossom Spring."

    In truth, he had known in his previous life, but he couldn't reveal the truth to Chu Wanning. Mo Ran smiled and said, "I heard Mei Hanxue and the people from Treading Snow Palace discussing her while we were on the road. That's when I believed in Mei Hanxue's judgment, and later, after paying close attention, I became even more certain that Miss Ye was not a man."

    "Why?"

    "Didn't Master notice that she always pulls up the collars of her clothes very high? They cover her neck completely, and it's quite an unusual style. It might be acceptable for someone to have one or two such garments, but she wears them all like that."

    "I... didn't notice."

    With his free hand, Mo Ran gestured toward Chu Wanning. "It goes up to here, something like this."

    As he spoke, his finger inadvertently brushed against Chu Wanning's Adam's apple. The slight protrusion felt delicate, and he couldn't help rubbing against it for a moment. He thought, His Master is so fierce and untamed, yet he exposes this vulnerable part of his throat to my fingers, allowing me to hold sway over him. This feeling is too thrilling.

    Lost in his thoughts, he forgot to watch where they were going. The sword was swift, and by the time he heard Chu Wanning cry out, "Be careful!" it was too late to stop. The heavy sword rammed straight into a towering tree.

    There was a loud "bang!"

    Completely dazed, Mo Ran only remembered to hold onto Chu Wanning's hand tightly. In his anxiety, he called out "Wanning" softly, but his urgency and the chaotic sound of breaking branches in his ears prevented Chu Wanning from hearing him clearly.

    Chu Wanning was furious. Flying on swords, flying on swords! Why not just run along the rooftops? Must they show off so much?

    Both of them landed hard on the ground. Mo Ran hit first, his back slamming against the rocky forest floor. Though he wasn't injured, it certainly hurt. But as he lay there, staring up at the twinkling stars filtering through the branches, he suddenly felt incredibly happy—

    Haha, he was glad it was him lying on the ground instead of Chu Wanning.

    He couldn't help but laugh. Despite the pain in his ribs from Chu Wanning's impact, he still found himself smiling. His eyes curved, his mouth widened, revealing deep dimples as he gazed with an infatuated expression.

    When Chu Wanning lifted his head and saw this, he couldn't help but erupt in anger. "What are you laughing at?! Did you fall and hit your head?"

    Taking advantage of the situation, Mo Ran embraced him, pressing Chu Wanning against his chest. Though inappropriate, in that moment, he couldn't resist reaching out to touch Chu Wanning's hair.

    Thinking it, he did it.

    Chu Wanning had been right – he must have really fallen and lost his senses.

    "Shifu..."

    He gently stroked Chu Wanning's hair. The darkness seemed to have given him a key, unlocking the box that contained their intimate desires. His affectionate words overflowed, unable to be contained.

    The way he called out was so sweet and tender that Chu Wanning froze at first, then felt a sudden panic. He hastily gathered his fierce dignity, saying, "What are you calling for? You can't even fly a sword properly, how impressive."

    Mo Ran let out a soft sigh and touched his hair one last time, clearing his throat with a bitter smile. "Master is right to scold me. Please get off me quickly, Master."

    Although what he really wanted to say was, 'Please stay in my arms a little longer, Master.'

    But such words could not be spoken aloud.

    Chu Wanning's face darkened as he got up swiftly, pulling Mo Ran up with him.

    "How are you?" he asked stiffly, "Did you hurt anywhere?"

    "I'm fine," Mo Ran smiled, "My skin is thick, I can withstand a fall."

    Just as Chu Wanning was about to say something, he noticed a wilted flower on Mo Ran's head, probably knocked loose during the fall and landing on his crown. He couldn't help but narrow his phoenix eyes slightly, "Your head..."

    "Is there an injury?"

    Mo Ran lifted his hand to touch it but found nothing amiss.

    "No, it bloomed."

    Chu Wanning casually plucked the flower and expressionlessly handed it over to him. Mo Ran felt a bit embarrassed, rubbing the back of his head rather bashfully, his smile brightening.

    "…" Chu Wanning turned his head away and coughed softly. "Since you're fine, let's move forward."

    Mo Ran said, "Fly—"

    "No flying." Chu Wanning angrily turned back, glaring at him. "Lightfootedness!"

    "…Fine, lightfootedness then." Mo Ran waved his hand, reluctantly sheathing his heavy sword into his Qiankun Pouch.

    But the deeper they went into the grove, the denser the trees became. Flying on a sword was actually slower than using lightfootedness. Chu Wanning was skilled in footwork, skimming over the water as he moved swiftly.

    A cool breeze brushed against Mo Ran's face, calming his restless heart.

    Chu Wanning's voice suddenly sounded from ahead, speaking in an indifferent tone as he asked, "How would you know that Song Qiutong has a mole on his leg?"

    Mo Ran was taken aback and, unprepared, crashed into a pine tree once more with a loud "bang."

    Chu Wanning: "… Are you night-blind?"

    "Uh, no," Mo Ran replied. "Sorry, my mind's not really here today."

    Chu Wanning frowned slightly, then seemed to have a sudden realization, and burst into a rage. "Was Song Qiutong's mole on her leg so distracting to you? As cultivators, it's most important to keep our hearts pure and desires minimal. If your thoughts can be swayed so easily by beauty, what's the point of cultivating?"

    Mo Ran was momentarily at a loss for words, but he had to admit that Chu Wanning's argument made sense. However, Chu Wanning had the wrong person; the beauty he lusted after was not Song Qiutong, but the furious man in front of him, whose temperament was as fierce as a snow leopard's growl.

    He sighed, gazing at Chu Wanning's features with tenderness. "Shifu, I don't find Miss Song attractive like that. You're overthinking it. I only heard from someone at the Xuan Yuan Pavilion auction house about the mole on her leg. I didn't see it myself, so please don't be angry, Shifu."

    "Why should I be angry? … Never mind, let me ask you this. Since Ye Wangxi is a woman, how did the cinnabar mark on Song Qiutong's hand disappear? That can't be a coincidence."

    "No, it wasn't a coincidence, Shifu. Do you remember the bracelet I gave Song Qiutong before?"

    "Mm."

    "There was a spell on that bracelet, one that I created," Mo Ran paused. "It took me four days, and it's not very well-made, but for a short time, as long as Song Qiutong wore that bracelet, it would conceal the cinnabar mark left by the Cold Scale Sacred Hand on her hand."

    "..." Chu Wanning fell silent, his expression turning somewhat grim.

    He felt that Mo Ran was hiding something from him.

    Mo Ran had changed a lot over the years, adopting seventy percent of his nosiness. But his meddling usually involved righting wrongs and lending a helping hand. To go to such lengths, even inventing a small spell to reveal someone's true identity and prevent her from marrying into the Confucian Wind Sect, seemed excessive.

    Unless there was a deep-seated grudge between Song Qiutong and Mo Ran, or a significant connection between Ye Wangxi and Mo Ran, this behavior wouldn't make sense.

    Amidst the silence, Mo Ran sensed Chu Wanning's unease.

    He flew just a few feet behind Chu Wanning, saying, "Shifu."

    "What?" Chu Wanning replied coolly.

    Of course, he couldn't divulge the events of their past lives. However, Mo Ran didn't want to upset Chu Wanning unnecessarily. After some thought, he decided to share half of his true feelings with his shifu: "Shifu, Ye Wangxi is an exceptional person. You know she spent a fortune at the Xuan Yuan Pavilion to save an unknown woman."

    "Mm."

    "But does Shifu notice that Ye Wangxi has feelings for Nan Gongsi?"

    "...It's alright. I've noticed tonight."

    "It's good that you did, Master. Since I knew Miss Ye's true identity from the start, I understood her intentions. Besides, Song Qiutong didn't know that Ye Wangxi was a woman, so her feelings towards her were only those of reverence, not malice. But if she marries Nan Gongsi, the Confucian Wind Sect might no longer keep this secret from her. Given Song Qiutong's personality, she would surely view any other women who love Nan Gongsi as a thorn in her side."

    Mo Ran paused, recalling his past life. Song Qiutong had discovered his and Chu Wanning's secret love and, filled with jealousy, had viciously plucked out Chu Wanning's fingernails while he was away from the palace.

    What would happen to Ye Wangxi in the hands of such a woman? The answer was clear.

    Like pulling out fingernails, all of Song Qiutong's misdeeds were subtle but cruel enough for her to hide behind the more heinous acts of others, allowing her to survive amidst their malevolence.

    In this world, both doing good and committing evil were like being crushed under a falling sky. The most virtuous, like Chu Xun, were pushed out by weaker hands to bear the brunt first. The most wicked, like Heaven-Stepping Lord, were hunted down and killed by countless others.

    But without the accumulation of small evils, without those not-quite-despicable villains carving scars on Mo Ran one by one throughout the years, would the world have given birth to Heaven-Stepping Lord Mo Weiyu?

    Chu Wanning asked, "Aren't you afraid of burning yourself by getting involved in this?"

    Mo Ran knew that he had revealed too much of himself this time.

    Yet Ye Wangxi was the one he had dragged down into the abyss in his past life. In this lifetime, even if the Confucian Wind Sect's prosperity or decline held no bearing on him, he still owed Ye Wangxi a life. Thus, even if it was unconventional and might arouse suspicion, he would still go forward with it without hesitation.

    Not just for Chu Wanning, but he wished for all those he had wronged in his previous life to have a better life. He still harbored the vain hope of atoning for his sins.

    "Slightly afraid, yes," Mo Ran admitted. "But now that I know the truth, I feel compelled to seek peace of mind."

    Though Chu Wanning still considered Mo Ran's actions too reckless, hearing his explanation, he didn't press the matter further. At that moment, a strong, sweet scent tinged with blood wafted through the wind, accompanied by an abrupt surge of powerful spiritual energy ahead.

    Before Chu Wanning could react, Mo Ran's expression changed. He whispered, "This isn't good. It's the Zhennong Chess Game!"

    "In that direction."

    Amidst the dense darkness, a putrid wind swirled as malevolent spirits emerged from the fissure in the sky. Five pillars of light shot up into the heavens, representing the elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, identical to the upheaval in Butterfly Town.

    Chu Wanning's gaze was icy as he said, "It's him."

    Mo Ran knew full well who he referred to: Jin Chengchi, Peach Blossom Spring, Butterfly Town... five years of silence, only to reemerge now. It was that person who had been pulling the strings all along, the impostor Gouchen!

    Yet, Mo Ran sensed a subtle difference in this current game of Xuanji Chess. There was no concealment, no disguise... It seemed that person believed victory was already within their grasp, that nothing could stand in their way.

    Birds and small creatures in the forest startled, fluttering their wings as they scattered in all directions. Mo Ran sprinted forward, followed closely by Chu Wanning, both heading towards the tear in the sky.

    As they drew nearer, they saw an endless stream of malevolent spirits pouring out from the fissure. Mo Ran muttered, "The Realm of Unending Torment…"

    It was the same as five years ago in Butterfly Town – it was still the Realm of Unending Torment!

    Mo Ran turned back almost frantically, grabbing hold of Chu Wanning's wrist. "Master, don't go near!"

    "…Don't say foolish things."

    Mo Ran was also aware that it was foolish talk, but having lived two lifetimes and witnessed the terrifying tear in the heavens twice, the aftermath of those events remained like nightmares haunting him. Now, seeing it for the third time, how could he not be worried?

    But what good would "don't go" achieve?

    A person's nature was incredibly difficult to alter. Someone like Chu Wanning, even given a thousand or ten thousand chances to choose differently, would never turn his back on calamity. Thus, when Mo Ran looked at Chu Wanning, he found himself at a loss for words.

    Chu Wanning glanced at him and said, "Rest assured, I'll proceed with caution."

    With that, he raised his hand to summon Heavenly Inquiry. The golden radiance shimmered and danced along his slender fingers, sparks blossoming like fireworks.

    Mo Ran's gaze remained fixed on Chu Wanning, and he finally let out a sigh. A brilliant light emerged from his hand, and Ghostbane pierced through the air to rest at the tip of Mo Ran's finger. Its fiery red glow intertwined with the golden radiance of Heaven's Question, as the two weapons, separated by time, met with a steadfast and irresistible power.

    "…Alright, I understand. I won't persuade you. Whatever Master wants to do, I'll be right there with you."

    Dazzling spirit light illuminated their eyes, with blazing red burning against molten gold, and gold blending into the intense red.

    "I'm with Master," Mo Ran declared.

    Looking at Mo Ran's earnest determination to fight alongside him, Chu Wanning felt both warmth and helplessness. There was too much emotion in Mo Ran's eyes, some of which seemed to transcend the boundaries of a master-disciple relationship. However, he was unsure what these extra feelings entailed.

    So, Chu Wanning raised his hand and poked Mo Ran's forehead, saying, "No rewards for this."

    Mo Ran froze for a moment before gently pulling Chu Wanning's hand down. Holding it in his own, he restrained himself from pressing it against his lips. He smiled and said, "Mm, that's fine. Let's go then."

    The divine martial spirit light resembled an ethereal figure in the night, its golden-red hues blending as it swiftly reached the heart of the hunting forest.

    Sweet Spring Lake.

    Chu Wanning and Mo Ran concealed themselves among the orange groves, observing the scene. The spiritual flow sustaining the lake had been severed. In the harsh cold of the night, the surface of the water was frozen solid, encircled by four distinct arrays, each with a weapon shimmering with vibrant light inserted within them.

    Chu Wanning whispered, "Four divine weapons with different attributes?"

    Mo Ran was taken aback at first, then he said, "Sure enough, the thefts of divine weapons over the past five years were related to him."

    "But when we were in Butterfly Town, he was still using a living human heart. How did he suddenly switch to an array?"

    Before Mo Ran could say anything, Chu Wanning's raised finger silenced him. "Hush, look over there."

    Following Chu Wanning's gaze, Mo Ran saw a group of Confucian Wind Sect guards slowly walking across the distant lake. Among them were the young cultivators who had gone hunting in the forest earlier. A continuous stream of spiritual energy emerged from their chests, converging towards the divine weapons of different attributes. These potent and pure spiritual energies illuminated the weapons, causing their radiance to pierce through the heavens. Then, a massive rift tore open in the night sky, ruthlessly ripping apart the entrance to the Realm of Endless Torment.

    Mo Ran's eyes widened. "What are they doing?"

    "It seems that these guards have lost their minds and are being controlled by the Precious Chess Game," Chu Wanning's brows knitted together, his expression gloomy. His gaze swept across the crowd, then suddenly paused. His face paled, and unusually, he clutched Mo Ran's shoulder tightly, his fingers trembling.

    "..."

    "What's wrong?" Mo Ran turned his head. After a moment, he spotted a familiar figure among the people and exclaimed in horror, "Xue Meng?!!"

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