Chapter 113

Chapter 113: WangXian Part 23 (3)

The day after encountering Luo Qingyang and her husband, the two arrived at a small town in Guangling.

Wei Wuxian raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun and saw a wine shop's banner fluttering in the distance. He said, "Let's take a break up ahead."

Lan Wangji nodded, and the two walked side by side.

After that night at the Guanyin Temple in Yunmeng, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji traveled together, accompanied by Little Apple, continuing their practice of always showing up wherever there was trouble. Whenever they heard of evil spirits causing trouble and disturbing the people, they would go to investigate, resolve the issue, and take the opportunity to enjoy the scenery and experience the local customs. For three months, they lived carefree, completely detached from the affairs of the cultivator world.

Entering the wine shop, they sat at an inconspicuous corner table. The clerk approached to take their order. Noticing how they looked and carried themselves, and seeing the sword at Lan Wangji's waist and the flute at Wei Wuxian's, the clerk couldn't help but associate them with the two figures who had been the talk of the town recently. However, after staring for a while, he noticed that the white-clad guest wasn't wearing the Gusu Lan Family's forehead ribbon, so he ultimately didn't dare to confirm his suspicions.

Wei Wuxian ordered wine, while Lan Wangji listed the dishes. As Lan Wangji recited the dish names in his deep voice, Wei Wuxian rested his chin on one hand, his other hand under the table, fingers playing with a snow-white forehead ribbon, smiling. After the clerk left, he said, "Can you really eat all these spicy dishes?"

Lan Wangji picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said calmly, "Sit up straight."

Wei Wuxian said, "The cup is empty."

"..." Lan Wangji filled the cup and brought it back to his lips.

After a while, he said again, "...Sit up straight."

Wei Wuxian said, "Am I not sitting properly? I didn't put my legs on the table like I used to."

After a brief pause, Lan Wangji said, "Don't put them anywhere else either."

Wei Wuxian asked, confused, "Where did I put them?"

Lan Wangji: "..."

Wei Wuxian said, "Second Young Master Lan is so picky. Why don't you teach me how to sit properly?"

Lan Wangji put down the teacup, looked at him, adjusted his sleeves, and was about to stand up to properly teach him when a loud burst of laughter broke out from a table in the main hall.

One person at the table bragged, "I knew Jin Guangyao's methods would eventually lead to his downfall! I've been waiting for this day for so long, and it's finally been exposed. Hmph! Truly, good and evil will be repaid, and justice will be served!"

At first, Wei Wuxian found the tone and content of the rant oddly familiar, as if the target of the rant had simply been swapped out. He couldn't help but listen more closely. A cultivator, holding chopsticks, declared, "As the saying goes, the higher-ups are always the worst behind their fancy fronts!"

"Exactly, none of them are good. All this talk of 'honor' and 'gentlemanly behavior'—they're all just putting on a show for others."

Another person, drinking wine and eating meat, said with a mouthful of food, "Speaking of which, Sisi was once a famous courtesan, but she's so old now, I didn't even recognize her. What a letdown. Jin Guangshan's death was pretty gruesome, hahaha..."

"Jin Guangyao really went all out with that method of killing his father. A perfect match! Absolutely brilliant!"

"I wonder why Jin Guangyao didn't kill that old prostitute. Witnesses should be silenced. Is he an idiot?"

"How do you know he's an idiot? He's Jin Guangshan's son after all. Maybe he's just as much of a playboy, maybe he has some... unusual preferences, and had some unspeakable relationship with Sisi?"

"Haha, I was thinking the same thing, but isn't there also the rumor that Jin Guangyao was so scared after committing incest with his own sister that he developed some... condition? Even if he wanted to, he couldn't do a thing, hahaha..."

These rumors and slanders felt all too familiar. Wei Wuxian recalled how, back in the day, countless people had spread stories about him abducting thousands of virgins in the Burial Mounds to practice demonic cultivation. He found it absurdly amusing and thought, "Well, at least the rumors about me were better than the ones about Jin Guangyao."

The conversation grew increasingly vulgar, and Lan Wangji's brows furrowed. Fortunately, someone at the table who still had some sense couldn't take it anymore and said in a low voice, "Keep it down... this isn't something to be proud of."

The laughing men dismissed it, saying, "What's there to fear? No one here knows us."

"Exactly! And even if they did hear, so what? Who cares what we say?"

"Do you think the Jin family of Lanling is still as influential as it used to be? Can they control what people say? If they don't like it, they can just suck it up!"

One person changed the subject: "Alright, alright, why keep talking about this? Let's eat. No matter how much trouble Jin Guangyao caused in his lifetime, now he's just trapped in a coffin fighting with Nie Mingjue."

"I doubt it. Enemies meeting face to face, their eyes would be red with rage. Nie Mingjue would probably shatter his bones."

"Exactly! I attended the sealing ceremony, and the resentment around the coffin was so intense that not a single blade of grass grew within a mile radius! I seriously doubt that coffin can hold them for a hundred years."

"Whether it can or not, it's a problem for those families. Anyway, the Jin family of Lanling is done for, completely transformed."

"However, Lord Ze Wu looked awful at the sealing ceremony."

"How could he not? The coffin contains his two sworn brothers, and the younger generation of his family is running around with a fierce corpse, even needing the corpse's help during night hunts! No wonder he's always in retreat. If Lan Wangji doesn't return soon, I think Lan Qiren will start losing his temper..."

Lan Wangji: "..."

Wei Wuxian chuckled. The conversation continued: "Speaking of which, this sealing ceremony really impressed me. Nie Huaisang actually managed it quite well? When he volunteered, I thought it would definitely be a mess. After all, he's always clueless."

"Me too! Who knew he could oversee it as well as Lan Qiren?"

Hearing their surprise, Wei Wuxian thought, what's the big deal? In the coming decades, this head of the Nie family of Qinghe might gradually show his capabilities and continue to surprise the world.

The food arrived, and so did the wine. Wei Wuxian poured himself a cup and slowly drank it.

Suddenly, he heard a young voice ask: "Is the Yin Tiger Tally really in that coffin?"

The tavern fell silent for a brief moment, then someone said: "Who knows? Maybe it is. Where else would Jin Guangyao keep the Yin Tiger Tally if not with him?"

"But it's hard to say. Isn't it said that the Yin Tiger Tally is now just a useless piece of metal?"

The young man, sitting alone at a table with a sword in his arms, said: "Is that coffin really secure enough? What if someone wants to see if the Yin Tiger Tally is inside?"

Immediately, someone shouted: "Who would dare to be so bold!"

"The Nie family of Qinghe, the Gusu Lan Family, and the Yunmeng Jiang family have all stationed people to guard that cemetery. Who would be so bold?"

Everyone chimed in agreement. The young man said no more, picked up his tea bowl, and took a sip, seemingly discouraged. However, his expression remained unchanged.

Wei Wuxian had seen such looks on many faces before. And he knew it wouldn't be the last time.

After leaving the tavern, Wei Wuxian climbed onto Little Apple, while Lan Wangji led the way, holding the reins.

As he leisurely rode the small donkey, Wei Wuxian took out the flute from his waist and brought it to his lips. The clear, melodious sound of the flute soared into the sky like a bird in flight. Lan Wangji stopped and listened silently.

It was the same tune he had sung to Wei Wuxian when they were trapped at the bottom of the Tortoise of Slaughter's cave.

It was also the tune Wei Wuxian had inexplicably played on Dafan Mountain after his resurrection, which confirmed his identity to Lan Wangji.

When the tune ended, Wei Wuxian winked his left eye at Lan Wangji and said, "How was that? I played it well, right?"

Lan Wangji nodded slowly and said, "Rare."

Wei Wuxian knew that "rare" meant it was rare for him to have a good memory. He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Don't always get upset about this. I was wrong before, okay? Besides, my poor memory should be blamed on my mother."

Lan Wangji asked, "Why?"

Wei Wuxian rested his arm on Little Apple's head, spinning Chenqing in his hand, and said, "My mother said, you should remember the kindness others have shown you, not the kindness you've shown others. Don't carry too much in your heart; that's how you stay happy and free."

This was one of the few things he could remember about his parents.

His thoughts drifted for a moment, but Wei Wuxian quickly pulled himself back. Seeing Lan Wangji looking at him intently, he said, "My mother also said..."

Hearing him delay in finishing his sentence, Lan Wangji asked, "What are you saying?"

Wei Wuxian hooked his finger at him, with a serious expression, and Lan Wangji stepped closer. Wei Wuxian leaned down and whispered in his ear, "...that you're already my person."

Lan Wangji's eyebrows twitched slightly, and just as he was about to speak, Wei Wuxian quickly added, "Shameless, improper, boring, frivolous, spouting nonsense again, right? Alright, I've said it for you. The same old words, just like before, nothing has changed. I am yours too, so we're even, okay?"

When it came to quick wit, Lan Wangji could never match Wei Wuxian. He said softly, "If you say so, then it's fine."

Wei Wuxian tugged on the reins of Little Apple and said, "But seriously, I've thought of over eighty names for this tune, and you're not satisfied with any of them?"

Lan Wangji firmly replied, "No."

Wei Wuxian said, "Why not? I think 'Lan Zhan and Wei Ying's Love Song' is pretty good."

Lan Wangji remained silent. Wei Wuxian continued to ramble, "Or 'Hanguang Jun and Yiling's Everyday Song' is also good. It sounds like it has a story..."

Lan Wangji, as if he didn't want to hear any more new names, said, "There is one."

Wei Wuxian asked, "There is what?"

Lan Wangji said, "A name."

Wei Wuxian exclaimed in surprise, "There is? If there is, you should have told me earlier! What is it called? You kept it from me this whole time, making me waste my intelligence and creativity thinking of names for so long."

After a moment of silence, Lan Wangji said, "'WangXian.'"

Wei Wuxian said, "Huh?"

Lan Wangji repeated, "The tune is called 'WangXian.'"

Wei Wuxian's eyes widened.

After a moment, he burst into laughter, "Hahahahaha, no wonder you kept it from me! You secretly came up with such a name, your intentions are crystal clear. Nice one, Lan Zhan, when did you think of this? Hahahahahahaha..."

Lan Wangji seemed to have anticipated Wei Wuxian's reaction. Watching him laugh so hard on Little Apple, he could only shake his head slightly, his expression seemingly resigned, but the corners of his lips had already curved into a faint smile, and a soft ripple spread through his eyes.

He reached out to hold Wei Wuxian's waist, preventing him from falling off the donkey's back. Once Wei Wuxian finally calmed down, he said seriously, "'WangXian,' very good, excellent! I like it. Yes, it should be called that."

Lan Wangji said expressionlessly, "I like it too."

Wei Wuxian said, "It sounds very elegant, very much in the Gusu Lan Family style. I think it can be directly included in your family's music collection, making it mandatory for all Gusu Lan Family disciples to learn this tune. If they ask, 'Hanguang Jun, what does the tune's name mean?' you can tell them how this tune came to be."

Hearing him start to babble again, Lan Wangji directly took the reins of Little Apple, which carried Wei Wuxian, and tightly held the thin rope in his hand, continuing to walk forward. Wei Wuxian was still talking, "Where are we going next? It's been a long time since I had Tianzi Lao. How about we head back to Gusu and stop by Caiyi Town first?"

Lan Wangji said, "Okay."

Wei Wuxian said, "It's been so many years, the water demon there should have been dealt with by now, right? If your uncle can just about stand me, you can hide me and those jars of wine in your room; if he can't stand me, we can go visit Wen Ning. It sounds like he and Si Zhui are enjoying themselves night hunting."

Lan Wangji said, "Mm."

Wei Wuxian said, "But I heard the Gusu Lan Family's rules have been revised again? I mean, is there still enough room on that stone tablet in front of your family's gate..."

A gentle breeze stirred, making their robes ripple like spring water.

Wei Wuxian, facing the wind, looked at Lan Wangji's back, squinted his eyes, and crossed his legs, surprised to find he could maintain this odd posture on Little Apple without falling.

It was just a small thing, but he felt as if he had discovered something new and interesting, eager to show it to Lan Wangji, and called out, "Lan Zhan, look at me, quickly look at me!"

Just like old times, Wei Wuxian called out to him with a laugh, and he turned to look.

From that moment on, he couldn’t tear his eyes away.

－The End－

The revised edition's afterword is here:

[cp] "Mo Dao Zu Shi" Revised Edition Afterword

At last, the revision is complete.

It took a long time, but I’ve finally finished something significant. I thought about writing in an exaggerated, dramatic style, but in the end, I kept it simple.

The original full text was 520,000 words, and the revised full text is 570,000 words. For me, this was a massive undertaking. Both writing and revising took months, and I can’t decide which was more draining, but both were a mix of pain and joy.

During serialization, the daily updates and real-life pressures forced me to rush through parts I wanted to expand on, and some details and logical issues were left unaddressed. Now, I’ve finally written everything I wanted, adding the scenes and conflicts I initially envisioned. For instance, the passionate kiss during the previous life’s Hundred Families Hunting Conference, which I skipped because I didn’t have the energy to flesh out such a large event; Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao’s shift from mutual respect to hatred; Hanguang Jun following Wei Wuxian to the Burial Mounds, the chaos of the blood corpses later on—I skipped these because I didn’t want to write battle scenes; and recognizing Lan Sizhui, which I completely forgot...

These skipped parts were all added during revisions. In short, the revised edition is closer to how I originally envisioned the story. In other words, this is now the true "original" version of Mo Dao, at least in my eyes.

I know many readers are attached to the old version, and it’s hard to completely escape its influence. There will undoubtedly be many questioning voices. But I’ve faced plenty of criticism during Mo Dao’s serialization, and I’ve weathered it all. I know I can’t please everyone, so I focus on pleasing myself. So when I look back, I’ll know I wrote what I wanted, with few regrets.

They say writing an afterword means reflecting on the past, so here I go. I started conceiving the outline of this story in the final year of university. Every night, I’d walk around the sports field, listening to music and stressing over my thesis, while my imagination ran free.

What inspired me to write this story was a vague image that popped into my head: in a dark rainforest, a pale-faced, blood-stained man in black, with a cold and stern expression, broke something in his hand—whether it was a flute or an arrow, I don’t know.

I don’t remember how this image suddenly appeared, and there was no logical support for it. I didn’t know who this person was or why he had that expression, but I was struck by a strange emotion. Then, I became curious and started imagining what kind of person he might be, what his experiences were, and I tried to create specific plots and complete logic for him, turning it into words, and then trying to convey that emotion to others.

First, it was an emotion, then the characters, and finally the story. As the story evolved, some of its original energy was inevitably lost. However, for me at this stage, I’ve done my best.

In any case, there's still a lot to explore and learn (ง •̀_•́)ง

Writing scenes with chemistry or conflict—flirting and fighting—was incredibly rewarding. The former includes sneaking over the wall for Tianzi Lao, sitting together as classmates copying punishments in their youth, Caiyi Town (yes, I love every scene from their student days), the tugging and pulling at the bottom of the Tortoise of Slaughter cave, and various scenes of the domineering Hanguang Jun and his crazy, passionate little runaway wife (???), etc. The latter includes Lady Yu tearing apart Wang Lingjiao, the Yi Cheng group members fighting and stabbing each other, Jiang Cheng angrily scolding the shamelessness of the Wangxian couple in the Lotus Pier ancestral hall (hey), etc...

These are the greatest joys Mo Dao has given me—joys unlike anything else.

Mo Dao is definitely a story of extraordinary significance to me. I never imagined that so many people would read this story. Because of it, I've experienced many incredible things and met many wonderful people. Both inside and outside the story, there have been great joys and sorrows, shocks and surprises, and for a while, I felt like a lunatic every day. As an experimental work, it has many immature aspects, and some parts, no matter how hard I try to revise, are difficult to change to my complete satisfaction because the framework is already set. However, looking back in the future, it will also be one of the footprints of growth.

But I never want to write and revise again, not only because it doesn’t fit the reading habits of web novels, but also because it tortures me twice... So in the future, I’ll still complete the entire manuscript and revise it before publishing.

During the initial serialization period, my writing was very stiff and cautious, but the more I wrote, the deeper my emotional connection with the characters became. During serialization and revision, I felt exhausted, wondering when it would ever end, but when it really did end, and I hit a few enters at the last line of the Word document and wrote "The End," I felt very reluctant.

Even though I knew it was just the end of the main text, and there were still side stories, I was still reluctant.

On the day the main text serialization ended, to appear cultured, I originally planned to use a line of poetry as the ending. The line was, "The song ends, the people are gone, only the green peaks remain on the river," but in the end, I didn’t use it. Probably because although this line is beautiful, elegant, and full of lingering charm, it’s not the ending I envisioned. It’s too lonely and sad.

What I hoped for was, "The song of Wangxian fades into the distance, but the people remain together."

As the dust settles, we remain together.

——Mo Xiang Tong Xiu 20160812