Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Wild and Unrestrained, Part Two

He had wanted to wash his face and pay his respects to the deceased owner of this body, but there was no water in the room, not even for drinking or washing.

The only basin-like object in the room, Wei Wuxian guessed, was probably meant for relieving oneself rather than for washing.

The door was latched from the outside, presumably to prevent him from running off.

Nothing about this situation made him feel the joy of rebirth!

He decided to meditate for a while to adjust to his new vessel. He sat for an entire day. When he opened his eyes, sunlight was seeping through the cracks in the door and windows. Although he could walk, he still felt dizzy and saw no improvement. Wei Wuxian found it strange, "Mo Xuanyu's cultivation is so low that his spiritual power is negligible. There's no reason I can't control this body. Why is it so unmanageable?"

It wasn't until his stomach growled that he realized it had nothing to do with cultivation or spiritual power. It was simply that this non-fasting body was hungry. If he didn't find food soon, he might become the first evil spirit in history to be starved to death right after being summoned.

Wei Wuxian gathered his energy to kick the door, but just as he was about to do so, footsteps approached. Someone kicked the door and impatiently said, "Eat!"

Although the words were spoken, there was no sign of the door opening. Wei Wuxian looked down to see a small door opened at the bottom, just large enough for a small bowl to be placed in front of him.

The servant outside added, "Hurry up! Finish eating and bring the bowl out!"

The small door was even smaller than a dog hole—too small for a person to pass through, but just right for bringing the bowl in. The two dishes and one rice were unappetizing in appearance. Wei Wuxian stirred the two chopsticks stuck in the rice and felt a little sad:

The Patriarch of the Yiling, just returned to the mortal world, was kicked and scolded. The first meal to welcome him back was these leftovers. Where was the storm of blood? The slaughter of chickens and dogs? The extermination of the entire family? No one would believe it if told. Truly, a tiger fallen to the ground is bullied by dogs, and a dragon in shallow water is mocked by shrimp. A plucked phoenix is not as good as a chicken.

At that moment, the servant outside spoke again, but this time with a playful tone as if they were a different person, "Ah Ding! Come here."

A crisp female voice responded from afar, "Ah Tong, are you delivering food to that person again?"

Ah Tong spat, "What else would I be doing in this cursed yard?"

Ah Ding's voice came closer, "You only deliver food to him once a day. If you're lazy sometimes, no one will say anything. With such an easy job, you still find it unlucky. Look at me; I have so much work that I can't even go out to play."

Ah Tong complained, "I don't just deliver food to him! Recently, there have been many zombies walking around. Who doesn't keep their doors tightly shut?"

Wei Wuxian squatted by the door, holding the bowl and stirring the two uneven chopsticks, eating and listening.

It seemed the Mo Family Manor had not been peaceful lately. Zombies, as the name suggests, are dead people walking, a low-level and quite common type of corpse transformation. They usually have dull eyes, move slowly, and aren't very deadly, but they are enough to scare ordinary people. The stench alone is enough to make one vomit.

However, for Wei Wuxian, they were the easiest to control and the most obedient puppets. Hearing about them suddenly made him feel a bit of nostalgia.

Ah Tong seemed to be making faces, "If you want to go out, you'll have to take me with you. I'll protect you..." Ah Ding said, "You? Protect me? Are you boasting? Can you really fight those things?" Ah Tong said dejectedly, "I can't fight them off, and neither can others." Ah Ding laughed, "How do you know others can't fight them off? Let me tell you, a cultivation clan's envoy has already arrived at our Mo Family Manor today. I heard it's a very prestigious and illustrious family! Lady Mo is entertaining them in the hall right now. The townspeople are all gathered around to watch the spectacle. Can you hear how noisy it is? I'm too busy to fool around with you. I might be called to do something again soon."

Wei Wuxian concentrated and indeed heard faint sounds of commotion from the east. After a moment of thought, he stood up and kicked the door. The latch cracked.

The two servants were startled by the suddenly swinging door and screamed in unison. Wei Wuxian threw aside the bowl and chopsticks and walked out. The sunlight was blinding, and it took him a moment to adjust. His skin tingled slightly from the exposure. He raised a hand to shield his eyes, closing them briefly.

Ah Tong had screamed even louder than Ah Ding. Upon seeing the madman who was usually bullied by everyone, Ah Tong regained courage and jumped over to shoo him away like a dog, waving his hands and scolding, "Go back! What are you doing out here?"

Even a beggar or a fly wouldn't have been treated worse. These servants must have treated Mo Xuanyu like this all the time, and since he never resisted, they had become so unrestrained. Wei Wuxian lightly kicked Ah Tong, sending him tumbling, and said with a smile, "Do you think you're humiliating someone?"

After the kick, he followed the noise towards the east. In the eastern courtyard, many people were gathered inside and outside. As Wei Wuxian stepped into the yard, a woman's voice, higher than the others, called out, "...There's a young member of our family who once had a connection to the cultivation world..."

Lady Mo was likely trying to establish connections with a prestigious cultivation clan. Wei Wuxian, not waiting for her to finish, hurriedly pushed through the crowd into the hall, waving enthusiastically, "Here, here! I'm here!"

Sitting in the hall was Lady Mo, well-preserved and richly dressed, with her husband seated below her. Opposite them were several white-robed youths with swords. A disheveled figure suddenly emerged from the crowd, causing all conversation to halt. Wei Wuxian, seemingly oblivious to the stunned silence, grinned and said, "Who called for someone with a connection to the cultivation world? That must be me!"

The thick layer of powder on his face cracked and flaked off as he smiled. One of the white-robed youths nearly burst into laughter but was immediately corrected with a glance from the leading youth, who then became serious.

These few youths had light, flowing sleeves and sashes, exuding an air of elegance and otherworldliness, making for a striking sight. Their school uniforms immediately marked them as members of the Gusu Lan Family. Moreover, they were direct descendants with Lan lineage, as evidenced by the finger-wide white headbands with the cloud emblem across their foreheads.

The Lan Family of Gusu is guided by the motto “Elegance and Rectitude.” The headband symbolizes “self-restraint,” and the cloud emblem is the family crest. Outsiders who are dependents or disciples of the clan, even if affiliated, wear headbands without the emblem. Wei Wuxian, who had always found the Lan family’s uniforms gave him a toothache—he used to mock them for “wearing funeral garb” in his previous life—never mistook them.

Madam Mo took a while to recognize her nephew, stunned by the sight. Once she recovered, irritation flared, but she couldn’t lose her composure and vent her anger immediately. Lowering her voice, she hissed at her husband, “Who let him out? Get him back inside!”

Before he could grab Wei Wuxian, Wei Wuxian had already thrown himself to the ground, clinging to it as if glued. No matter how hard Madam Mo’s husband pulled or called for the servants to help, they couldn’t budge him. Sweat beading on his forehead, he cursed, “You damned lunatic! If you don’t go back, I’ll teach you a lesson!”

Everyone in the Mo family knew there was a “mad” young master, Mo Xuan Yu, who had spent years holed up in his dark room, too afraid to see anyone. Now, seeing his clownish makeup and demonic behavior, whispers filled the air—it looked like there wouldn’t be any good show after all.

Wei Wuxian said, “Fine, I’ll go back.” He pointed directly at Mo Ziyuan. “But first, tell him to return what he stole from me.”

Mo Ziyuan hadn’t expected this lunatic to have the guts. His face turned pale as he retorted, “Nonsense! When did I ever steal from you? Why would I need to steal anything from you?”

Wei Wuxian replied, “Exactly! You didn’t steal—you just outright grabbed it!”

Madam Mo realized that Mo Xuan Yu had come prepared and was fully aware of what he was doing, deliberately trying to humiliate them. Furious and frustrated, she blurted out, “Are you here to cause trouble on purpose today?”

Wei Wuxian looked confused. “He stole from me, and I’m here to get it back. How is that causing trouble?”

Before Madam Mo could respond, Mo Ziyuan lost his temper and kicked out. One of the white-robed youths barely moved his finger, but it was enough to make Mo Ziyuan stumble and fall. Wei Wuxian rolled away, revealing the footprint from where Mo Ziyuan had kicked him the day before.

The townsfolk watched the spectacle with relish, whispering among themselves. That footprint couldn’t have been self-inflicted. No matter what, Mo Xuan Yu was still of Mo family blood. The treatment he received was far too harsh; it was likely he had been driven more and more mad over time. Regardless, as long as there was a show, they were happy—it was even better than the arrival of the cultivation family envoys!

With so many eyes watching, they couldn’t beat him or chase him away. Madam Mo’s anger was stuck in her throat, and she had no choice but to smooth things over. With a forced smile, she said, “What do you mean by ‘stealing’ and ‘grabbing’? Such ugly words. We’re family, after all. It was just borrowing. As your younger brother, what’s wrong with him taking a few things? As an older brother, should you be so petty? Making such a fuss over something small—it’s embarrassing.”

The white-robed youths exchanged glances. One of them, who had been drinking tea, nearly choked on it. Raised in the Gusu Lan Family, they had been surrounded by elegance and refinement their whole lives. They had likely never witnessed such a farce or heard such “wisdom” before. Wei Wuxian, suppressing his laughter, stretched out his hand. “Alright then, give it back.”

Of course, Mo Ziyuan couldn’t return what had already been thrown away or destroyed, even if he wanted to. His face turned ashen as he glared at his mother. *Are you just going to let him humiliate me like this?*

Madam Mo shot him a glance, warning him not to make the situation worse. But before she could say anything, Wei Wuxian added, “And by the way, not only should he not have stolen from me, but he also shouldn’t have done it in the middle of the night. Everyone knows I prefer men. Even if he doesn’t know shame, I still understand propriety.”

Madam Mo’s face flushed with embarrassment as she gasped. “What kind of talk is that in front of the villagers? Shameless! He’s your cousin!”

When it came to making a scene, Wei Wuxian was an expert. In the past, he would have been more restrained, careful not to appear uneducated or uncouth. But now, as a “madman,” he could throw caution to the wind. He stuck out his neck and argued defiantly, “If he knows we’re cousins, why wasn’t he more careful? Who’s the real shameless one?! You can throw away your own dignity, but don’t tarnish mine!”

Mo Ziyuan screamed, grabbed a chair, and swung it wildly. Wei Wuxian, having anticipated this, rolled out of the way just in time. The chair smashed into pieces on the ground, and the onlookers quickly scattered, afraid of getting caught in the chaos. Wei Wuxian darted toward the Lan youths, who had been stunned into silence. He shouted, “Did you see that? Did you see it? The thief is attacking me! How despicable!”

Mo Ziyuan tried to chase after him, but the leading white-robed youth blocked his path, saying, “Sir… please, let’s talk this out.”

Madam Mo, seeing that the youth intended to protect the lunatic, felt a twinge of wariness. She forced a smile and said, “This is my sister’s son. His mind isn’t quite… right. Everyone in Mo Village knows he’s mad and often says strange things. Don’t take it seriously, esteemed cultivation masters…” Before she could finish, Wei Wuxian poked his head out from behind the youth. “Who says my words aren’t to be taken seriously? Anyone who dares to steal from me again, just try it. Steal from me once, and I’ll chop off a hand!”

Mo Ziyuan, who had been held back by his father, was on the verge of exploding again. Wei Wuxian slipped away like a fish and ran off. The leading youth blocked the door, steering the conversation back to the matter at hand with a serious expression. “As I mentioned earlier, we will be using the west courtyard of your estate tonight. Please remember what I said: after sunset, keep your doors closed and do not go out or approach that courtyard.”

Madam Mo was trembling with anger but couldn’t push the youth away. She had no choice but to agree. “Yes, yes, thank you for your trouble…”

Mo Ziyuan couldn’t believe it. “Mom! Are we just going to let that lunatic humiliate me like this? You said he was just…”

Madam Mo snapped, “Shut up. Can’t you wait to say it somewhere else?”

Mo Ziyuan had never suffered such humiliation or been scolded so harshly by his mother. His heart seethed with resentment. “That lunatic is dead tonight!”

After causing a scene, Wei Wuxian left the Mo estate, parading through Mo Village and shocking many passersby. To his surprise, he found joy in the experience, even beginning to appreciate his ghostly makeup. He was reluctant to wash it off. *No water anyway,* he thought. *Might as well leave it on.* He adjusted his hair and glanced at his wrist. The scars showed no signs of fading or healing. Simply getting revenge on the Mo family by embarrassing them wasn’t enough. Was it really necessary to go that far?

As he wandered back to the Mo estate, Wei Wuxian tiptoed past the west courtyard, where the Lan youths stood on the rooftops and eaves, deep in discussion. He tiptoed back and looked up at them eagerly, waiting.

Although the Gusu aristocratic families who had besieged him included the Gusu Lan Family as a major party, the younger generation at that time had either not been born or were only a few years old, so it wasn’t really their concern. Wei Wuxian stopped to watch, curious how they would handle it. As he observed, he suddenly felt something was off.

Why did those black flags on the rooftops and eaves look so damn familiar?

These flags were called "Zhaoyin Flags," literally meaning 'Summoning Yin Flags.' If planted on a living person, they would attract vengeful spirits, evil spirits, and fierce corpses within a certain range, directing all attacks at that person. Thus, they were also called "Target Flags." They could also be planted on houses, but there had to be a living person inside, expanding the attack range to everyone inside. Because the area around the flags was always shrouded in yin energy, like swirling black winds, they were also known as "Black Wind Flags." These young men were setting up a flag formation in the west courtyard, keeping others away, undoubtedly intending to lure the walking corpses here for extermination.

And why did they look familiar? Of course they did. The creator of the Zhaoyin Flags was none other than the Yiling Patriarch!

It seemed that even though the righteous clans shouted for his head, they still used his creations without hesitation…

A disciple perched on the roof spotted him and called down, "You shouldn't be here. Go back."

Though it was a dismissal, it was well-meaning, the tone much different from the servants. Seizing the opportunity, Wei Wuxian jumped up and snatched a flag.

The disciple was startled and leaped down to chase him. "Don't mess around! That's not something you should take!"

Wei Wuxian ran, yelling and flailing, his hair wild, looking every bit the madman. "I'm not returning it! I'm not! I want this! I want it!"

The disciple caught up in two quick strides and grabbed his arm. "Are you returning it or not? If not, I'll hit you!"

Wei Wuxian clutched the flag tightly, refusing to let go. The leading young man, who had been setting up the flag formation, was alerted by the commotion and lightly jumped down from the roof. "Jingyi, let it go. Just take it back nicely. No need to argue with him."

Lan Jingyi protested, "Sizhui, I wasn't really going to hit him! But look what he's done to the flag formation!"

During the tug-of-war, Wei Wuxian had already quickly examined the Zhaoyin Flag in his hand. The patterns and spells were correctly drawn, without any mistakes, and would function perfectly. However, the person who drew the flag lacked experience, as the spells could only attract evil entities and walking corpses within a five-mile radius. Still, it was sufficient.

Lan Sizhui smiled at him. "Sir Mo, it's getting dark. We're about to catch some walking corpses. It's dangerous at night, so you should head back to your room."

Wei Wuxian sized up the young man, appreciating his refined and elegant demeanor, his subtle smile, a promising young talent worth applauding. This young man's flag formation was neatly arranged, a testament to his excellent upbringing. He couldn't help but wonder who in the strict, rigid Gusu Lan Family had raised such a promising young man.

Without waiting for Lan Sizhui to finish, Wei Wuxian tossed the Zhaoyin Flag to the ground with a snort. "It's just a broken flag! What's the big deal! I can draw much better ones than you!"

He ran off, and several young men still watching from the roof almost fell off the eaves laughing at his boastful claim. Lan Jingyi was also amused and picked up the Zhaoyin Flag, brushing off the dust. "What a lunatic!"

Lan Sizhui said, "Don't say that. Come back and help."

Wei Wuxian continued to wander around aimlessly for a while before returning to Mo Xuanyu's small courtyard that night. The door bolt was broken, and the place was a mess, but he ignored it, finding a relatively clean spot on the floor to meditate.

But he hadn't been meditating long when the commotion outside pulled him out of it.

Footsteps pounded, wails rose, and screams echoed as the chaos drew closer. Wei Wuxian heard repeated phrases: "Charge in and drag him out!" "Report to the authorities!" "What's the point of reporting? Just beat him to death!"

He opened his eyes just as several servants burst into the courtyard. The entire courtyard was lit up with torches, and someone shouted, "Drag this murderous madman to the hall for retribution!"