The illusion would not disappear because of Nangong Si’s pain. It continued cruelly, revealing the bloody truth to everyone.

     Beside Jincheng Lake, Nangong Liu crushed the piranha's man-eating face and said, “Beast.”

     “The beast wanted the madam’s spiritual core, but Sect Leader did not have to give it,” Xu Shuanglin said. “Yet you still sold your wife off for the sake of your holy weapon.”

     “What do you mean by selling? Don’t make it sound so despicable. She was already ill; I even invited the best doctors to see her, but they all said she didn’t have much time left. If she was in good health, how would I be willing to give her up to this beast?”

     Xu Shuanglin raised a brow slightly, but said nothing.

     Nangong Liu stared at the piranha for a moment and suddenly became angry again. He mumbled, “Fate is unjust.”

     Xu Shuanglin hadn’t expected that such a person, with both fame and fortune, would criticize fate. Surprised, he couldn’t help but laugh, “What?”

     “I said fate is unjust.”

     “...”

     “Why is it that when other people ask for a holy weapon, those auspicious beasts always ask for things like broken flower branches and songs, but when it comes to me, I meet a vicious beast asking for my wife’s core? What can I do? What else can I choose?”

     Nangong Liu was clearly very angry.

     “Back then, when I was asking for a holy weapon at Jincheng Lake… that Chu Wanning… damn it, a fifteen year old brat really dared to offend me like that. He talks so much about benevolence and morality… It’s easy for him to say that! I don’t believe that if given the choice, he would choose a dying wife over a powerful holy weapon!”

     “That’s hard to say.” Xu Shuanglin laughed, “Don’t look at me like that, I’m serious. You can never guess what they’re thinking.”

     “What else can they think? They want nothing more than to make a name for themselves and go down in history. How could I not guess what they’re thinking?”

     The more Nangong Liu thought about it, the more he felt aggrieved. He cursed and kicked the piranha.

     “Ever since I became the Sect Leader, I have truly suffered. Not only do I have the curse, I even have to smile and greet people all day long… It’s fortunate that I was able to swallow my anger and endure the humiliation. Otherwise, I’m afraid I would have died at Chu Wanning’s hands the year I sought the holy weapon.”

     “You’re right.” Xu Shuanglin was actually still smiling, “I also think Chu Wanning really wanted to kill you back then. But I didn’t expect that you would actually be able to persuade him. Not only did you escape death from his Tianwen, you even sealed his mouth and made sure he wouldn't reveal what you did at Jincheng Lake to the public. When it comes to survival skills, I quite admire Sect Leader.”

     “He also knows that Rufeng Sect cannot fall into chaos,” Nangong Liu said. “No matter how angry he is, what can he do? Besides, I still have Si-er. Letting him think that his mother died from serious injuries inflicted by a demon is a lot less irritating than telling him the truth.”

     Xu Shuanglin sighed. Surprisingly, he nodded impartially, “No wonder he wanted to leave. If I were him, I would be sick to death of you too.”

     “Do you think I wanted to do it?! Did I have a choice?!” Nangong Liu raged. “I already said. Fate is unjust.”

     Seeing this, someone in the crowd quietly looked in Chu Wanning’s direction and muttered, “So Chu-zongshi was already aware of the incident with Madam Rong.”

     “He knew, and even helped Nangong Liu hide it. He actually didn’t tell the world.”

     “He was probably afraid of something. He was only fifteen at the time, if he really offended Rufeng Sect, he probably wouldn’t be able to bear the consequences.”

     Someone spoke up for Chu Wanning in a soft voice, “I don’t think so… he was just worried about the bigger picture. Didn’t Nangong Liu say that Chu-zongshi didn’t tell the truth because he was afraid of how it would affect Nangong Si?”

     “But he knew the severity of the matter. Is a child more important, or is the integrity of a Sect Leader more important? Alas, if he had told the truth earlier, Rufeng Sect wouldn’t be in this situation right now.”

     “You can’t say that. If he really told the truth back then, the upper cultivation world would be in chaos… In the end, people make their own choices. If you were in his shoes, you might not necessarily be willing to come forward.”

     “Heh, as if! If it were me, I would definitely expose Nangong Liu’s true colors. In this case, if you just stand by and watch from the sidelines, it would be equivalent to being an accomplice.”

     Although their voices were low, Mo Ran’s hearing was good. When these words reached his ears, he was immediately enraged. Just as he was about to argue, someone pulled at his sleeve.

     “Shizun!”

     Chu Wanning’s expression was indifferent as he shook his head, “There’s no need to say any more.”

     Mo Ran argued, “But it’s not like that at all! Don’t they understand? In that kind of situation, how could you make the matter public? They’re saying you can’t distinguish between priorities? Clearly—”

     Chu Wanning asked flatly, “Are you angry?”

     Mo Ran nodded.

     “Do you have to do something?” Chu Wanning asked.

     Mo Ran nodded again.

     “Okay, then help me cover my ears.”

     “...”

     “I have no intention of arguing, but I don’t really want to hear it either. You can help me cover my ears, and when they stop talking, you can let go,” Chu Wanning said.

     Mo Ran really walked up behind Chu Wanning and raised his hands to cover his ears. He lowered his eyes and looked at the person in front of him, feeling both resentful and pained. He couldn’t understand why there were still people who weren’t satisfied even when Chu Wanning had lived two lifetimes for the sake of others and had never been selfish for a single day. Why was it that as long as something was controversial, as long as something was not so black and white, he would be criticized by so many people behind his back?

     It seemed that things were always like this. People would be grateful for the good deeds of the wicked, while criticizing the slightest fault of the good.

     In his previous life, Emperor Taxian-Jun had killed countless people. One day, he bestowed ten thousand taels of gold to each of the masters of Wubei Temple. Because of this, he was praised, and the people said that he had become Buddha just for setting down his blade.

     As for Chu Wanning? Chu Wanning was undoubtedly a distinguished zongshi, the most benevolent cultivator in the world. If there was even the slightest hint of a mistake, he would be subject to malicious speculation.

     How many times had this been the case?

     When Chu Wanning did things ruthlessly, people would angrily scold him for being cold-blooded. 

     When Chu Wanning did things softly, people would say it was due to cowardice.

     During his five years of travel, Mo Ran even heard people talking about the incident with Landlord Chen in Butterfly Town. There was actually someone saying that Chu Wanning whipped his employer and injured a mortal to attract attention from the public.

     “He’s just a wooden person without a conscience. How can a normal person not have three to five good friends? Look at this Chu Wanning, he betrayed his Shizun at the age of fifteen and has been alone ever since. In this world, who would be willing to be his friend?”

     “That’s right. That year in Butterfly Town, that Landlord Chen, no matter how wrong he was, was still an employer. Chu Wanning was so arrogant; he didn’t care about the rules, or saving face for his sect. I think he’s been alone for so long that his heart has become twisted.”

     His heart was twisted?

     Who was really the twisted one?

     Didn’t this person give enough?

     Did he really have to be drained of blood, and sacrifice even his bones for the lives of others before he had done the right thing? Before he was worthy of the title Chu-zongshi?

     Mo Ran covered his ears. Chu Wanning’s figure was tall and slender, but in front of the current Mo Ran, the top of his head only reached his chin.

     Chu Wanning wasn't a weak person, but when Mo Ran looked at him with lowered lashes, he suddenly felt like he was very pitiful. He couldn’t help but feel an infinite amount of love and tenderness towards him.

     He wanted to hug this person more than ever before.

     There was no lust, just the simple desire to hold him, to warm him in this cruel world that wanted his flesh and blood. That was all.

     But compared to Mo Ran, Chu Wanning was used to this treatment, so he appeared very calm.

     At this point, Jincheng Lake’s memories also came to an end, the fragments of Xu Shuanglin’s memories starting to collapse and reform. Chu Wanning shifted his gaze to Nangong Si.

     Nangong Si had his back to him, still kneeling.

     Chu Wanning sighed softly. Although he and Nangong Si weren’t master and disciple in name, they truly were master and disciple at heart. If possible, he wished that Nangong Si would spend his entire life thinking his mother had died tragically while killing a demonic beast. However, things didn’t go as he wished. In Chu Wanning’s eyes, the kneeling Nangong Si, and the child kneeling in the mourning hall in his memories, suddenly overlapped.

     The boy had clumsily recited Wandering Free and Unfettered for the procession, but his words were very fumbled, and he could never get it right. As he wiped away his tears, he slowly recited to his mother.

     “There is a fish in the north sea. Its name is Kun. The Kun is so big that no one could know how many miles it is, but if it were to transform into a bird, its name would be Peng…” He fumbled. Every time he stopped, his young and tender face showed a pain that he should not have suffered at that age. “And… lift up the whole world… The world is wrong… without… without adding… it must be… it must be differentiated from the outside and the inside…”

     The child’s soft voice came to an abrupt stop. He didn’t turn around, but his small body trembled like a willow in the wind.

     In the end, he covered his face and could no longer hold back his tears, “Mother… I was wrong, I was wrong… Wake up, please wake up. Mother… I won't play anymore. Just please wake up and teach me again, okay?”

     Wandering Free and Unfettered became a text Nangong Si would transcribe in every morning class, accompanying him from when he was a young child to a high-spirited young master.

     Madam Rong had left, and could no longer teach him anymore. Not long after, Chu Wanning also left, never turning back.

     Nangong Si no longer had a teacher. He relied on the old patched-up arrow quiver and the words, “Greed, hatred, deceit, murder, rape, robbery, and plunder are the seven things a gentleman of Rufeng must not do.”

     In the end, he grew up in the world’s number one sect.

     He grew up to be a righteous hero who was completely different from his father. Now, it had been nearly fifteen years since Madam Rong’s death.

     The illusion gathered once again. This time, the scene that appeared before everyone was in Nangong Liu’s sleeping chamber.

     It was a full moon, and Nangong Liu was huddled on his bed. It was obviously summer, however, Nangong Liu was wrapped in several layers of thick bedding, shivering incessantly, and his lips were blue.

     Chu Wanning patted Mo Ran’s hands, “Let go, I want to continue watching.”

     Mo Ran said, “You can also choose not to watch, I’ll tell you what happens.” He still didn’t want to drop his hands from Chu Wanning’s ears, but after being patted again twice, he knew he couldn’t change his mind. He lowered his hands gloomily and scanned their surroundings.

     He decided that if anyone said anything more about Chu Wanning, he would secretly take note of it, then deal with them individually later.

     In the illusion, Xu Shuanglin walked in through the doorway and saluted in a crooked manner, not following the rules at all. However, Nangong Liu seemed used to it, and didn’t care. His eyes were bloodshot, and he trembled as he asked, “Shuanglin, where’s the medicine? Where’s the medicine?”

     “I failed.”

     Nangong Liu cried out. He was so distressed that his tears flowed down and covered his face, “How could it be… How could this be… You said you could make it. I can’t take it anymore, all the bones in my body are stabbing me like spikes! You, hurry up and shut the windows tightly for me! Don’t let even a speck of light in. Don’t let even a speck…”

     “They’re already shut. Today is a full moon, even if you don’t go out, you’ll still feel the pain,” Xu Shuanglin said. “It’s useless. You can’t escape.”

     “No-no! Where’s the medicine?!” Nangong Liu’s previously restrained desperation was instantly unleashed, “Where’s the medicine?! You said you could make it! I believe you! Where is it?!”

     “I’ve gone back through the sect scrolls. The curse on you is too vicious. You’re going to need something to break it.”

     Nangong Liu shouted, “What is it?! I can give you whatever you want! Just give me the medicine! Give me the medicine!”

     Xu Shuanglin said calmly, “I need the spiritual core of the spell caster.”

     Nangong Liu’s face instantly turned pale.

     “Spiritual core… you need… you need his spiritual core?”

     “Do you have it?”

     “How could I have it?!” Nangong Liu roared. His hair was in disarray and he started drooling uncontrollably from the pain, “You know who cursed me! My good Shizun! That trash, good-for-nothing… gentleman! Luo Fenghua, who usurped my position, and whose body was cut to pieces when I drove him from my throne! I even destroyed his ashes in the blood pond and sent his soul straight to hell, never to be reincarnated! Now, even his bones have rotted away! How can I still find his spiritual core?! How can I find it?! How can I find it?!”

     Xu Shuanglin was quiet for a while, gradually falling into despair, a lump building in his throat before he said slowly, “There is a way. But it is very difficult. Do you want to hear it?”

     Nangong Liu rasped, “Tell… tell me. Tell me quickly!”

     Xu Shuanglin explained, “Even though Luo Fenghua is dead, you should know that the Record of the Dead has recorded that ghosts that fall into the infernal hells, although they can never be reincarnated, they can combine their three souls and seven spirits to create flesh and bones, as if they were alive. They will become a malicious spirit that looks just like they did before death. The more miserable the death, the stronger the spirit becomes, and some will even form a giant skeleton to protect the souls from dissipating.”

     “So what? I can’t possibly go to the infinite hells to retrieve his corpse…” Nangong Liu said.

     “You can’t go, but he can come.” Xu Shuanglin’s expression in the candlelight was very serene, as if they were discussing which friend they would be having tea with tonight, “The ghost realm and the mortal realm are separated by a barrier, and as long as the five elemental spiritual essences are gathered into pure spiritual energy, they can tear open a Heavenly Rift to the infinite hells.”

     “We’re going to… open a Heavenly Rift?”

     Xu Shuanglin smiled, “That’s right. We’re going to open the Heavenly Rift and lure Luo Fenghua’s spirit out. His spirit will have the same physical body as when he was alive, and it will also have his spiritual core. Once you eat his flesh and take his spiritual core, you won’t have to worry about the curse anymore.” He paused for a moment, then continued, “However, the five elemental spiritual essences are incredibly difficult to gather. It’s best if you capture an elite spirit body of each elemental spiritual essence. But don’t worry, I can think of another way.”

     Nangong Liu opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but the only thing he could let out was a terrible wail. His tears and snot flowed as he lay on the bed trembling violently.

     “Is it really that painful?” Xu Shuanglin sighed, “That Shizun of yours must have hated you so much for killing him. He actually cast such a vicious curse on the ring. How pitiful.”

     “Ahh!”

     “Alright, just bear with it. It won’t hurt when the sun comes up.” As Xu Shuanglin spoke, he sat down on the edge of the bed and crossed his legs with one hand supporting his cheek, “I’ll accompany you. I’ll talk to you and distract you, so it won’t hurt so much.” 

     Nangong Liu’s whole body was buried in his blankets, gasping for breath uncontrollably.

     Xu Shuanglin said, “Ai, what should we talk about? How about Si-er? He is also a child who didn’t have it easy. He was born with a tyrannical spiritual core, making him more likely to suffer a qi deviation. This seems to be a disease passed down in the Nangong family. I heard that his great grandfather also had this illness?”

     Nangong Liu hid under the blanket and swallowed harshly before replying, “Mm.”

     “What are you going to do about it?” Xu Shuanglin asked.

     “What is there to do?” Nangong Liu struggled to get his words out, “His illness is better than mine, much easier to deal with. Later on, when he marries a wife, they’ll be able to suppress the spiritual flow through dual cultivation. You should be more worried about my curse…”

     “Haven’t I always been worried about your curse? But the more you think about it, the more it’ll hurt.” Xu Shuanglin changed the topic again, “However, wouldn’t this dual cultivation be dangerous to his companion’s body? I heard that Si-er’s great grandmother died at a very young age.”

     “Yes,” Nangong Liu spat.

     “Aiya, I was just casually asking. I didn’t think she actually died early because of dual cultivation.” Xu Shuanglin sighed, “Rufeng Sect truly is ruthless. The Sect Leader actually took his wife’s life to help himself get through his tribulation.”

     “A woman’s life… is… useless,” Nangong Liu said.

     Xu Shuanglin laughed, “Why do you look down on women so much?”

     “It’s not like you don’t understand the Grand Sect Leader’s teachings,” Nangong Liu replied.

     “I don’t understand. What did the master say?” Xu Shuanglin asked.

     “Rufeng Sect should be led by a gentleman.”

     “That’s right.”

     Nangong Liu continued, “What is a gentleman? It’s a man. Do you understand?”

     Xu Shuanglin laughed, “...Pfft, that’s quite disrespectful. Sect Leader, your misinterpretation might cause the Grand Sect Leader to come back to life from the Hero’s Tomb out of rage.”

     Nangong Liu shivered and said, “You have never married before, you don’t understand. Women… are useless. The only thing they can do is help carry on the family name. That is their responsibility. Grandmother gave herself up for my grandfather, and she did so willingly.”

     “Willingly?” Xu Shuanglin smiled, “Then do you also have to find a willing dual cultivation partner for the young master who will sacrifice her life for him?”

     “...I have already found one…” Nangong Liu said.

     Xu Shuanglin was stunned, “What? Who is it?” He seemed to be in a gossiping mood, and crawled farther onto the bed, almost wanting to pull Nangong Liu out of the sheets, “You even have a candidate in mind for the Young Master of Rufeng Sect? Tell me, tell me.”

     Nangong Liu wrapped himself deeper into the blanket and moved father into the bed. After enduring the pain for a while, he said hoarsely, “Your adopted daughter, Ye Wangxi.”

     “!!!”