Mo Ran swept past the rolling corpse tide, heading straight to the foot of the mountain. After exiting the boundary, his gaze immediately fell on Nangong Si.

     By now, Nangong Si’s imprisonment had already been lifted. Ye Wangxi knelt down on one knee to the side, bandaging his wounds. Mei Hanxue, on the other hand, sat quietly between Jiangdong Hall and Nangong Si, with a cold expression on his face. In front of him was a zither, his fingertips moving lightly with the sound of flowing water.

     Mei Hanxue was the da-shixiong of Taxue Palace in Mount Kunlun. It was said that this person was extremely strange and unpredictable, his character changing from one moment to the next. He could go from the most serious, to the most unrestrained.

     But thanks to him, although Jiangdong Hall wanted to tear Nangong Si to pieces, they still couldn’t do anything. They had no choice but to sit obediently on the rocks at the side and glare at them.

     Seeing that Mo Ran had come down, Mei Hanxue’s playing came to an abrupt stop. He put away his zither, rising to his feet with a slight nod.

     A style that was very dignified and proper.

     “What happened on the mountain?”

     “It’s all fake,” Mo Ran replied.

     “Fake?” Mei Hanxue frowned slightly. When the disciples of Jiangdong Hall heard this, they also gathered around.

     Huang Xiaoyue was still lying down in a gazebo next to them, having his legs and shoulders massaged by some disciples. He feigned a weak appearance, but upon hearing this, he narrowed his eyes and perked up his ears to listen.

     Mo Ran explained, “Xu Shuanglin is not on this mountain. I’m afraid he’s on Mount Jiao. I—”

     Before he could finish, Nangong Si’s face had already turned pale. He stared at Mo Ran and asked, “He’s on Mount Jiao?”

     “Maybe. I’m not completely sure,” Mo Ran said.

     Nangong Si was stunned for a moment, and muttered, “...That’s impossible. Mount Jiao only obeys the orders of the Nangong family. Xu Shuanglin, he…”

     He suddenly remembered something, and was suddenly at a loss for words. Then, the last bit of blood drained from his face and his pair of bright black eyes found Mo Ran’s face.

     For a moment, he had actually forgotten that Xu Shuanglin’s true surname was also Nangong.

     The Nangong family once had two young heroes, one Liu and the other Xu. They were once the most celebrated young men in the cultivation world. Everyone felt that Rufeng Sect would once again rise to glory in the hands of the pair of brothers, like the sun at high noon. Who would have thought that these two brothers of Rufeng Sect would end up like this?

     Nangong Si silently lowered his eyes, no longer speaking.

     At this moment, the others had also come down from Mount Huang one after another. The thousand-some people were like a school of migrating fish, squeezing their way back to the foot of the mountain.

     Chu Wanning walked over, with Xue Meng and Shi Mei following behind him. He looked at Nangong Si and asked, “How did your hand get injured?”

     “It’s not a big deal. I did it myself.” Nangong Si lowered his head, “Thank you for your kindness, zongshi.”

     Xue Meng sighed, “Call him Shizun, not zongshi… Really, Shizun is giving you face, and you still don’t want it. You…”

     “I’ve never had a Shizun.” Nangong Si’s dry lips opened slightly, “I never studied or learned from a Shizun. My mother asked you when I was young, zongshi doesn’t need to take it to heart.”

     Chu Wanning: “...”

     “I’m sorry. But I can’t even remember those three kotows back then.”

     Before Chu Wanning could say anything, he saw Jiang Xi and the other sect leaders walking towards them, followed by seven or eight people. He didn’t want to have a private conversation in front of so many people, so he only pursed his lips and didn’t say anything else. He handed over a small bottle of medicine from his qiankun pouch, “Apply it externally every day, and it will heal in three days.”

     By the time he finished speaking, the others had already arrived.

     Huang Xiaoyue was being supported by others as he walked over shakily from the gazebo. This cup of soup was something that Jiangdong Hall would definitely not miss.

     Now that Jiang Xi was the Head Sect Leader of the various sects, it was only right for him to speak first. But Jiang Xi looked at Nangong Si, unsure of what attitude was most suitable to take towards him…

     Rufeng Sect had been domineering and tyrannical for so many years that they had accumulated enmity with many other sects and clans. Those with enmity had nowhere to vent, so in the end, it all fell on Nangong Si alone.

     But what had Nangong Si done wrong? He didn’t take away Bitan Manor’s sword scrolls, nor was he the one demanding such an exorbitant price. He didn’t even have the time to figure out where the sword manual was…

     His father, Nangong Liu, had committed countless crimes, and his death was a good thing. But now, everyone said that the son should repay his father’s debts. But if he were to do this, how many people present would remain clean and innocent?

     Moreover, this young man was currently the only descendant of the Nangong family line. He was the key to opening Mount Jiao.

     Jiang Xi spoke with deliberation, “You…”

     But just as he started speaking, someone beside him said in a trembling voice, “Nangong-shizhu, you have to come with us. As the saying goes, the one who tied the bell should be the one to untie it. You must not ignore the mess left behind by Rufeng Sect.”

     When Jiang Xi saw that it was the Abbot of Wubei Temple, Master Xuan Jing, he couldn’t help but sneer in his heart, This bald old donkey isn’t pure at all, he’s even trying to pick a fight.

     But this was fine. He wasn’t good at socializing anyway, so he lazily shut his mouth and stood to the side, watching Master Xuan Jing lean on his staff as he preached to Nangong Si.

     Nangong Si listened for a while and said, “Yes, I’ll go with you to Mount Jiao.”

     Master Xuan Jing didn’t expect him to so readily agree to help open the boundary on Mount Jiao. He was stunned for a moment before closing his eyes, “Amitabha, shizhu is wise, and the gods and buddhas are aware. Your sins will be reduced.”

     For a moment, Nangong Si seemed to want to say something, but he didn’t. Naobaijin whimpered in his quiver and wanted to climb out, but was pressed back in quietly by Nangong Si.

     “I’m going to Mount Jiao because I don’t want the heroes of Rufeng Sect to become puppets and turn into accomplices to the tiger,” Nangong Si said. “But I thank Master for your kind intentions in guiding me on the way.”

     They had the key to open Mount Jiao.

     However, each of the four great evil mountains were different. If one wanted to go to Mount Jiao, whether it was a member of the Nangong family, or an outsider brought inside by the Nangong family, they had to do two things—

     First, they had to fast for ten days.

     Second, when they reached the mountain range of Mount Jiao, they must walk on foot. They couldn’t ride a horse, or a sword. They had to cross the first three mountains on foot to express their sincerity.

     Xue Zhengyong counted the days and said, “It’ll take us about ten days to travel from here to the mountain range on horseback, just in time to complete the fasting. I think, if you don’t have any urgent matters to attend to, there’s no need to return to your sects first. Let’s just go together now.”

     The Palace Master of Taxue Palace said, “That’s fine. If we go together, we can discuss our next steps.”

     Xue Zhengyong said, “But there are at least three thousand people here, so it’s going to be difficult to find horses…”

     At this moment, a weak voice suddenly came from the crowd. A haggard man wearing a large red brocade robe raised his hand shakily. The edge of the robe was embroidered with the totem of a black cat. He said, “I have some in my manor. It should be enough.”

     “Villa Master Ma?” Jiang Xi raised his eyebrows.

     This person was the Sect Leader of one of the nine great sects of the upper cultivation world, the Taobao Mountain Sect. He was the third richest person in the book Xue Meng had bought. However, now that Nangong Liu was dead, it could be said that he was now second in terms of wealth.

     Compared to Jiang Xi, Ma Yun was much more down to earth, and even looked more like a businessman. After all, the ways in which the two amassed wealth were different. Jiang Xi was ferocious; he had a lot of connections and got his hands on countless treasures. And with these treasures, he ran the black market.

     Villa Master Ma, on the other hand, had set up many large and small courier stations in the cultivation world to accept all kinds of package delivery, as well as leases of immortal horses, boats, and spiritual carriages. His villa specialized in making all sorts of spiritual carriages, and kept a wide expanse of oxen and horses. Therefore, Villa Master Ma had a nickname—“Reception Horse.”

     Facing the cold-faced god Jiang Xi, the reception horse, seemed to be a little scared. He shrank his neck and said, “Or… why don’t we go to Rainbell Isle? Sect Leader Jiang surely has more steeds than me, haha.”

     Everyone was speechless.

     Jiang Xi looked at his smile full of wrinkles, and was speechless for a moment. Then, he said, “I am just grateful for Villa Master Ma’s generous help, I don’t have any other intentions. This place is close to Taobao Mountain, so it’s good that Villa Master Ma is willing to lend us his steeds.”

     When Villa Master Ma heard this, he sighed in relief, and said with a smile, “Then, please go to my villa. It’s already late, why don’t we stay in the villa for a night, then depart together tomorrow?”

     The Taobao Mountain Sect was built at the edge of west lake, on the summit of Lonely Mountain. However, even though this Lonely Mountain was called a mountain, it was actually just a small hill. It only took half an hour to climb to the top.

     “We’re here!” Villa Master Ma stood in front of the massive crimson mountain gate and lifted his hand to remove the protective barrier, “Please come in, come in.”

     During the journey, the sect leaders were all anxious and worried. Only Villa Master Ma was able to act as if nothing had happened, and even managed to put on a warm smile. Everyone looked at each other and smiled bitterly, but they didn’t say anything. The sect leaders entered first, followed by the elders, then the disciples. One by one, they entered the gate to Taobao Mountain.

     Xue Meng muttered to Mo Ran, “What the hell is this reception horse doing? He’s laughing so much that I’m getting goosebumps. Could it be that he’s with Xu Shuanglin? Is he trying to lure us into a trap?”

     “...No.”

     “Why are you so sure?”

     Mo Ran sighed, “The sect leaders and elders of the nine great sects are all here. If he’s really in cahoots with Xu Shuanglin, everyone is well armed, so he won’t be able to do anything. Instead, he’d just expose himself.”

     “Then why is he so happy?” Xue Meng asked.

     Mo Ran sighed and said, “He’s happy to make money.”

     “What money? He’s clearly taking a loss...” Xue Meng was dumbfounded. He was the same as his father—he didn’t have any business awareness.

     It was said that when he was young, Madam Wang gave him a silver leaf and told him to go to a peddler to exchange it. In the end, he exchanged it for a small kite and three oily copper coins. He was miserably cheated, however, he still thought that the kite was really pretty, and felt that it was worth it.

     How could someone like him know the thoughts of the reception horse?

     So, after thinking about it for a long time, he still said in a daze, “Did you hear it wrong? He just said he was going to lend us horses, not rent them. He doesn’t want a single cent, he—”

     At this moment, the lower-level disciples in charge of receiving guests came to greet them. Mo Ran waved his hand, gesturing for Xue Meng to stop talking. The disciple in a peach colored robe smiled and led them to the courtyard they would be staying in for the night.

     This set of courtyards were all located near the edge of a mountain, each one able to accommodate six people. At dusk, Mo Ran stood in front of the window of his room, gazing out at the cold mountains and the mist of the west lake.

     Ever since they had come down from Mount Huang, Mo Ran had been very anxious and restless. Now that he had closed his door, he finally brought his feelings to the surface. He placed one hand against the window frame, while his other hand subconsciously played with a warm object in his hand.

     The scenery of Jiangnan was always beautiful, but at this moment, he wasn’t in the mood to appreciate it. The sun was setting, the light becoming dim, but if someone were to see his face at this moment, they wouldn’t believe that he was really that righteous and honest Mo-zongshi.

     This was a face that belonged to Emperor Taxian-Jun.

     Gloomy.

     The setting sun pierced his dark eyes.

     In the twilight, Mo Weiyu’s face changed.

     The reborn person behind Xu Shuanglin caused him to tremble in fear. He felt as if there was a blade against his neck, already slicing his skin and piercing through his flesh, blood seeping out.

     That person didn’t cut him with force, yet he couldn’t turn his head. He couldn’t see clearly who was standing behind him, but at any moment, they could take his life.

     His mind was in turmoil. He had a feeling that he wouldn’t be able to hide his rebirth for long.

     If the day of the final battle was the day the truth was revealed, what should he do?

     What would his aunt and uncle think of him? What would Shi Mei think of him? What would Xue Meng think of him?

     There was also Chu Wanning.

     Chu Wanning…

     If his past life was revealed, how much would Chu Wanning hate him? Would he be unwilling to even glance at him from then on?

     The more he thought about it, the colder he felt—

     Clatter.

     Suddenly, the object in his hand fell to the floor.

     He picked it up in a daze and glanced at it indifferently.

     There was a bit of dust on it. It seemed like this side of the villa's courtyard hadn’t been occupied for a long time. It wasn’t tidied diligently, and the floor was covered in dust…

     He paused.

     Mo Ran’s face suddenly turned pale.

     He suddenly realized what he had been playing with.

     Lying in his palm was a warm, pitch-black chess piece.

     A Zhenlong chess piece!

     Mo Ran’s expression changed.

     In his previous life, he had developed a habit in the last two years before his death. Every time his emotions grew overwhelmingly complicated and aggravating, he couldn’t help but gather spiritual energy in his palm and condense it into a small black chess piece, turning it over and over in his hands.

     This habit made many attendants in the palace frightened. Mo Ran had overheard the servants discussing this matter. They all thought that he must have been angry, angry enough to create a pawn. They said he wanted to kill, to make puppets out of the living.

     “I’m so afraid that His Majesty will throw that chess piece out at any moment.”

     “Honestly, I’d rather see him play with a dead man’s skull.”

     “What do you have to fear? I’m His Majesty’s personal servant. Heaven knows how many times my legs have turned to jelly. How much spiritual energy does it take for His Majesty to make a pawn? He can’t be playing around, right? He must have a purpose, or maybe he wants to vent… If he vents on me, what should I do…?”

     Mo Ran was speechless, but at the same time he also found it funny. He didn’t understand what these gossiping palace servants were thinking. What gave them the confidence to speculate on his heart?

     In reality, there was no meaning in making these chess pieces. It was just one of Emperor Taxian-Jun’s personal hobbies. It was as simple as that. But ever since he heard that discussion between the palace servants, his twisted humor was secretly amused.

     Sometimes, he pretended to throw the Zhenlong chess pieces at the servant girls, frightening them to the point where their legs went stiff as they begged for mercy. His face was as cold as ever, but in his heart he was secretly amused.

     It was the only fun he had in the last two years of his life.

     He hadn’t refined a chess piece since.

     It was as if he wanted to break away from his past self. Ever since his rebirth, he had never used this technique again.

     In the blink of an eye, seven or eight years had passed, and he thought he would soon be able to forget about the forbidden techniques, his habits, himself.

     But it turned out that he couldn’t escape at all.

     Sin was planted in his soul.

     As Mo Ran stared at the black chess piece, his hands began to tremble…

     Suddenly, he felt desperate.

     Suddenly, he didn’t know who he was… Was he Emperor Taxian-Jun? Or was he Mo-zongshi?

     Suddenly, he didn’t know where he was… Was he by west lake? Or was he in front of Wushan Palace?

     Suddenly, he could no longer distinguish between dream and reality. He was trembling, shaking uncontrollably. The tiny black chess piece reflected in his eyes like a heavy nightmare, like a dark stain of blood. There was a sinister voice in his head that laughed madly, roaring at the top of its lungs:

     “Mo Ran! Mo Weiyu! You can’t escape! You can’t escape! You can only ever be a malevolent ghost! You beast! Beast!”

     The voice was loud and clear.

     Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

     Mo Ran jolted back to himself with a start, cold sweat dripping down his back. He held the chess piece tightly in his hand and asked sternly, “Who is it?”

     “It’s me,” the person outside answered. “Xue Meng.”