Cheese and Mengmeng were replaced, forcing him to save these two comedians. It was categorically impossible to go back after Faceless exposed his identity in front of so many witnesses. Obviously, the King of Nine Provinces had long learned of his existence. The man was already broody four years ago when he and Mu He had a teeny bit of feelings between them. Now that Mu He was defying his father for his sakeâŠthe king would rather have him dead, so he had to stay hidden.
Xie Zhiwei sighed. Thatâs not the worst of it. He still couldnât forget the look in the protagonistâs eyes before he left. It was like an awl nailed firmly against his heart.
Strangely, heâs clearly a character in a novel, so a transmigrator like me should be fine just following the plot. Why do I have to get my feelings involved too?
But honestly speaking, it was his own appearance that changed the hero, which then affected the plot. His successive actions werenât âgoing with the flowâ at all, and even his earliest pledge to steal scenes and act had long fallen to the wayside.
For the first time, Xie Zhiwei realized he hadnât transmigrated. He was reborn into a completely separate world. The bustling scenes of the capital city outside the window showed crowds weaving through the marketplace as the fragrance of fried sugar dough reached his nostrils. There were children playing under the windows while hunchbacked old men sunbathed against the wall. Everything was so real. Even these ordinary passerby were living their lives earnestly, so what excuse did he have to see this as a fictional world?
Tsk. The more I think, the more philosophical it becomes.
Xie Zhiwei forced his thoughts to a halt as his gaze drifted over to see Old Du sneaking out of the inn. These two grave robbers confessed that theyâd been caught in the black markets by the King of Nine Provincesâ men while peddling spiritual spring water. The king was adamant about his own health and spiritual spring water was an excellent supplement but in scarce supply. He had captured Old Du and Maozi to ask about the origins of their water, but somehow elicited Mu Heâs interest. Under severe torture, they confessed to Mu He all about Xie Zhiweiâs nonsensical pretensions in the past.
Ascension.
Xie Zhiweiâs mouth twitched. Gallant Outlawâs novel counted among the low-end upgrade xianxia texts, so there werenât particularly high-level settings. In other words, gods and immortals didnât exist, nor had any human managed to ascend. Things like fairies and demons were the stuff of ancient legends. The entire reason the book explored immortal cultivation in the first place was to let the hero get stronger step by step and stand even higher than before. In the end, the protagonist was still unsatisfied and vowed to become the first person in the world to ascend.
By the end of the novel, the hero had lands of ten-thousand li and a harem 3,000 strong, but still couldnât calm his restless heart. He wanted to fight his way into a different world and continue pursuing the mystery of ascension.
Meanwhile, Xie Zhiwei had just blurted out âascensionâ on the fly. Anyone else would sound like an idiot if they said it, but it was different coming from the mouth of Xie Zhiwei. No wonder Mu He had never asked him how he revived. The kid probably believed heâd actually ascended for real.
How could an ascended immortal care about the matters of the mortal realm? Much less have anything to do with trifling matters like love and affection? Thus, Mu He grew insecure and plagued with illusions in front of him. It was a conflicting problem: he wanted to keep Xie Zhiwei by his side, but couldnât believe that heâd truly stay put. Even if he did, itâd only be temporary at best.
Xie Zhiwei kept thinking. Ascension was a good excuse. If there was a chance to spread the news across the lands, heâd be a uniquely powerful presence in the world. But I still canât deal beat the hero after ascension (scratch that out).
Maozi entered the rooms with his head hanging. âXie zhenren, I couldnât stop Old Du.â
âWhere did he go?â Xie Zhiwei asked as he turned.
âHe went to dig up the silver we earned selling spiritual spring water, saying that heâd drink himself drunk todayâŠâ Maozi pouted. âHeâs been bewitched ever since last night when he found out we were next door to Fragrant Pavilion.â
Fragrant PavilionâŠwhat a straightforward name. You know the kind of place it is as soon as you hear it. Xie Zhiwei cleared his throat and put on a righteous expression. âLet him do as he wants. But things are tense in the capital right now, so itâll be best if he doesnât get into trouble.â
Maozi nodded, his expression filled with gratitude. âI really have to thank you. If not for that coffin full of spring water, Old Du and I would still be digging graves in the mountains to make a living.â
âIf not for the spring water, neither of you wouldâve ended up in jail,â Xie Zhiwei sighed before realizing something. âYou said the King of Nine Provinces was adamant about his health and so seeks the spiritual spring waterâŠthen, doesnât that mean the water in my coffin isâŠâ
âRight, ah, he used it all,â Maozi raised his fingers to count. âThe King of Nine Provinces is a first-class power who found lots of spring water, so he probably used it to soak in a bath. The slightly lower quality water was used to steep medicinal wine to drink. Xie zhenren, itâs likely half the medicinal wine in this capital has traces of your coffinâs spring waterâŠâ
Xie Zhiwei held up his hand to stop him. âI understand.â
F**k me, I just gave the coffin of water away on a whim and forgot about it. How was I supposed to know the capitalâs nobles started a fad of drinking my bathwaterâŠ
The mental images were incredible.
It was also inspirational to think of the two tomb robbers making a fortune by selling the same coffin bathwater.
Abruptly, Xie Zhiwei asked, âBut Summit City has always been very poor. Why did you think of digging up my grave? There werenât any burial goods in the tomb.â
âWe wouldnât dare have designs on your tomb, ah,â Maozi was a little embarrassed. âOld Du and I work on commission and our client wanted Xie zhenrenâs corpse.â
Xie Zhiwei sucked in a breath. My corpse?
ThatâsâŠthose tastes are too heavy. Did they want my corpse as a specimen? Or to crush my bones into ashes? OrâŠ
Bad guesses aside, Xie Zhiwei finally came to his senses. When his poison broke out at Ascension City, he claimed heâd destroyed Black and White Lotus in his divine consciousness before death. Did the client want his corpse for those things?
Maozi added, âBut you didnât die, so Old Du and I hid for our lives, afraid our sponsor would ask questions.â
âWho was your sponsor?â
âDonât know, ah. Old Du and I could only meet with him while blindfolded, so we didnât see a thing.â
What sounded nitpicky and extremist at first took on fearful implications upon careful thought. This random tangent and never-before-seen sponsor werenât part of the plotline at all. Did a bug show up in one of the NPCs?
Maozi saw Xie Zhiwei retreat into thought and asked carefully, âXie zhenren, why not ask Old Du when heâs back? He took the job, so he definitely knows more than me.â
Xie Zhiwei nodded but felt differently in his heart. Even if Old Du had proactively accepted the task, that sponsor wouldnât have stepped out personally. Still, there might be traces or clues, such as a middleman.
â
The setting sun shone in the sky. Below them, the crowds gradually thinned above and below the bridge. In the distance was a building adorned in red flowers and green willows, its railings flocked with similar flowery and willowy females. They waved their handkerchiefs at the throngs of people below, faces full of solicitous attention.
Xie Zhiwei was unfamiliar with such scenes and felt a bit astonished. While waiting at the end of the lane for Old Du to return, he grew sleepy and leaned against the chair for a short dozeâcurrently, this was a dream.
Logically speaking, someone at his cultivation level had strong mental strength and rarely dreamed. Even stranger, the location of this dream was somewhere heâd never been before.
A low voice called out, âShizun.â
Xie Zhiwei twisted back to stare at a corner of the bridge. The weather was dry in autumn as people walked back and forth nonstop. The air was filled with fine dust and smoke, but the lone, white-robed figure standing still in the corner looked very out of place with the fall scenery.
Xie Zhiwei hadnât decided what to say when Mu He brushed away the yellowing willow branches over his head and strode over slowly. âShizunâs heart is so cruel.â His tone was calm, but his gaze couldnât wait to eat Xie Zhiwei up.
Heheh. If I was really cruel, youâd be dead multiple times by now. Messing up peopleâs dreams is the same way you deal with Bai Jianzhu. Do you really take your master to be some pansy?
Xie Zhiweiâs expression chilled. âDo you think Master will allow you to run rampant in dreams like you did with Fourth Martial Uncle Bai Jianzhu?â
Mu He stopped with an inexplicable look. âNaturally not. Shizun is much more powerful than him.â No matter whether it was his cultivation orâŠhis methods.
Xie Zhiwei could hear his meaning between the lines and felt stifled in his heart. Admittedly, feeding him ice carp was a bit underhanded. But Mu He was so strong now that things like restriction spells were ineffective against him. Nor could he take back the spiritual energy he channeled to him. That was too risky and could cost him his life.
What other choice did he have under the circumstances?
Xie Zhiwei remained calm. âMaster shouldnât have treated you that way, butâŠâ
âShizun doesnât have to explain,â The corners of Mu Heâs mouth pulled up. âDisciple understands everything.â
Xie Zhiwei was startled. âWhat have you understood?â
Mu He brushed fallen leaves off the hem of his robes and remarked, âNo matter how well shizun speaks in front of this disciple, heâll still leave without turning a headâŠin the end, shizun still faults me for being too ruthless, but Iâm used to it.â
Used to it my ass! If you were really used to it, you wouldnât be using such a resentful tone.
Xie Zhiwei said, âWhatever the case, your youngest martial uncle and Tantai Meng have already suffered enough. Why force them again and again?â
Mu He hung his head and said nothing. Xie Zhiwei was incensed by his attitude and pressed on, âWhy arenât you answering?â
âThree days,â Mu He said suddenly.
âWhat three days?â Xie Zhiwei found it random.
Mu He gave him a deep look before rushing forward to pull Xie Zhiwei into his arms. After recovering from his shock, Xie Zhiwei raised a hand to smack him.
You must be joking. Do you think Iâll let you bully me in my dreams?
Even in a dream, hitting his head would hurt, but Mu He ignored it to press his lips against Xie Zhiweiâs for a kiss. With a cold laugh, Xie Zhiwei simply bit down hard until he got Mu Heâs tongueâthe latter gave a grunt, feeling actual pain this time. Their surroundings shook before Xie Zhiwei opened his eyes and stood up.
Maozi was spooked and gave a jump. âXie zhenren, you woke up so soon?â
Xie Zhiwei nodded. âRight, ah.â More like I woke up slow enough!
Maozi said, âXie zhenren, you look really sleepy. You might as well have a proper rest. Old Du might be a while before he returns.â
Xie Zhiwei felt energized as soon as he heard the word âsleep.â Even so, he felt that wasnât enough and went to gulp down mouthfuls of tea from the table. As Maozi gaped, he asked, âWhat, heâs still not back?â
âHe is, but then he went straight to Fragrant Pavilion,â Maozi pointed next door. âXie zhenren definitely wouldnât like those kinds of dirty places. When that guy comes back, Iâll make him wash up before seeing you.â
Xie Zhiwei was about to nod when a commotion broke out downstairs.
â
Translatorâs Note: At last, some hints to an overarching mystery weâve yet to solve. (=u=) That aside, whatâs a breakup without a breakup song? Lol, I translated one for fun to fit the vibes~