Xie Zhiwei had never done kidnapping for ransom or even acted such a role, so he was currently very nervous. But Gallant Outlaw’s bad idea was his last resort. For Mu He’s sake, he decided to risk a try, so after pretending to go to sleep he blew out the candles and listened until he heard the Buddhist sect retire before going to find Mengmeng in the rear mountains.
He took Tantai Meng captive and brought her to a depression about ten li from the Buddhist sect. There was a natural cave to serve as a hiding spot. Although he called it captivity, it was more like inviting her over to stay. Thanks to a guilty conscience, Xie Zhiwei used spiritual power to hold up the person, place her solidly on Qingping Sword, and fly politely to the cave without ever touching her once.
He used a boundary field to seal the cave entrance and undid the restriction spell as soon as he could. Tantai Meng couldn’t adapt for awhile and had to hold onto the wall to steady herself. Then she looked up with cold eyes.
Xie Zhiwei’s gaze flickered before he murmured, “Miss Tantai, this surnamed Xie took this step under urgent circumstances. May you forgive me.”
Tantai Meng took a step back without changing her expression. “Why go to such lengths? Xie zhenren should just speak directly.”
She didn’t look happy, so the matter was probably going to be difficult. Xie Zhiwei hesitated and finally spoke. “This surnamed Xie…wants to ask Miss for an item.”
“Golden Lotus?”
Xie Zhiwei nodded. “Precisely. I hope that Miss…”
“For your disciple?” Tantai Meng said before he finished.
Truthfully speaking, half the twists and turns in this girl’s life were caused by Mu He. If this was the old sweet and silly Mengmeng, she wouldn’t care at all. But this Mengmeng had strong ideas and a firm stance with plenty of dissatisfaction towards Mu He. She was cold and intelligent, so she’d never believe Xie Zhiwei’s denials.
Xie Zhiwei paused and sighed. “Only Miss can save him.”
His expression was utterly helpless, as was his tone, which both came from the bottom of his heart. But Tantai Meng’s face remained unmoved, her indifferent gaze like stars in the cold night sky. Xie Zhiwei could only brace himself and say, “My disciple has indeed made mischief and offended Miss plenty of times. But I hope that Miss can help him out of his current miserable state.”
Tantai Meng maintained her frigid silence. Xie Zhiwei was a bit anxious and took a step forward. “As long as Miss is willing to lend a hand, we Master and disciple will definitely remember your great kindness and repay you without fail even unto death.”
Tantai Meng’s lips curved inexplicably before she finally spoke. “Xie zhenren’s words are heavy. I am not someone who can’t distinguish between right and wrong.”
“Miss means to say…”
“Wasn’t today’s matters clear enough?” Tantai Meng said. “If your disciple gets Golden Lotus, the entire world’s safety will be at stake. Sorry, I can’t agree.”
Sure enough, she flat-out rejected me.
But Mengmeng was worthy of being the open-minded heroine. She didn’t refuse the request because of the abuse she suffered at Mu He’s hands, but to prevent him from gaining the means to opening up a separate world.
Xie Zhiwei explained, “They were falsely accusing him. My disciple has never had such thoughts. Miss doesn’t need to believe their words.”
“I only trust my own judgment. Xie zhenren tells me not to believe them, but why should I believe you?” Tantai Meng asked directly. “And what makes you believe your disciple? Wouldn’t he lie to you?”
Her aggressive questioning stunned Xie Zhiwei, who felt this sister wasn’t easy to fool.
…what makes me believe Mu He?
Xie Zhiwei felt that there was plenty of basis. There were all the things Mu He did in a crazed frenzy for his sake: leaving his hand broken for four years, building a separate courtyard in imitation of Suihan Lodge, copying his handwriting, breaking hundreds of qin strings to master the instrument, hiding himself to get revenge, refusing to return to the daoist sect until his vengeance was complete…each bit and piece was nothing a normal person could do.
More recently, Mu He had kept Heart Sway Arts for resolving future difficulties. He should know the significant of destroying such a thing, but did it without hesitation to put Xie Zhiwei at ease. Mu He protected him in public by shouldering all the blame and drew so much ire from the crowds that the daoist sect and half the cultivation world now viewed him with suspicion. He had been pierced through his collarbones tonight, but still soothed him with white lips as if nothing had happened.
Was his Mu He so self-confident that he didn’t fear Heaven or Earth? Was he, Xie Zhiwei, so spoiled and pampered?
Xie Zhiwei subconsciously shook his head.
Tantai Meng was full of doubt. “Xie zhenren, is this a very difficult question?”
Xie Zhiwei slowly raised his eyes. “I trust him.”
Before Tantai Meng could answer, he went on, “I once said a Master for a day is a Master for a lifetime. He did his part, so I too…” Although he didn’t finish, there was no need to end the sentence.
Tantai Meng fell back into silence.
Xie Zhiwei suddenly felt this was wrong. Why was the topic back to him again? He must have been so worried about Mu He that his thoughts were in disarray. Steadying himself, Xie Zhiwei said, “Miss Tantai, can the Golden Lotus be—”
“I can’t give you Golden Lotus,” Tantai Meng said despite their conversation.
“Why? Are you afraid that Great Master Du Sheng won’t agree?” Xie Zhiwei speculated, then added warmly, “Miss needn’t worry. After my disciple is out of danger, he will immediately return Golden Lotus. Even if you don’t trust him, you should trust me, right?”
“I can’t give it to you,” Tantai Meng kept her gaze lowered as she sat on the cave ground. “Xie zhenren doesn’t need to release me, it doesn’t matter what happens to me.”
Xie Zhiwei almost choked on his breath. “You…”
All their chatting with gossip mixed in was irrelevant to this girl!
Tantai Meng quietly closed her eyes like an old monk entering meditation. Xie Zhiwei called her a couple of times with no response. Panicking was useless too, so he too sat down with her. But at least he felt more at ease that Mengmeng hadn’t fallen into Yin Cangshan’s hands.
There was a slight crackling sound outside. Xie Zhiwei looked up and saw that it was snowing all around them mountains like the sound of frying beans in a microwave oven. Because of the boundary field, no cold entered their cave, but the stone walls weren’t comfortable for resting. Tantai Meng’s face was a bit haggard, her slightly thin body wrapped in a white dress. Xie Zhiwei had no idea whether she’d actually fallen asleep, but he took off his outer robes and draped it over her body. Tantai Meng didn’t stir, but her figure stiffened slightly.
Xie Zhiwei said, “You saved Daoyao just then, so your spiritual power is weak right now. It’s better to cover yourself in another layer.”
Tantai Meng’s eyelashes moved before she resumed being a human-shaped ice sculpture again. By now a hazy dawn was peeking through the night. Xie Zhiwei leaned against the stone wall and also shut his eyes before immediately entering a dream.
It was the same familiar bamboo forest and clear breeze. Mu He was standing by the fish pond in white robes, smiling slightly at him. “Shizun finally came.”
There were no bloodstains on his body nor the dark red light piercing his collarbones. His hair was neat as well, making him look as immaculate and immortal as always. Even if he was in a tough spot, he would always show his most perfect image before Xie Zhiwei. The latter had no leisure to appreciate it and said in a deep voice, “Nonsense! Raising spiritual energy while your collarbones are pierced, don’t you know how dangerous that is? Disperse this quickly!”
Mu He’s smile stiffened. “Disciple just wanted to see whether shizun was sleeping peacefully,” he murmured, “How did I know shizun would wait until now to sleep…I expect today’s matters bothered you.”
“Are you at ease now?” Xie Zhiwei asked.
Mu He thought it over, then said, “Shizun once told disciple to make sure I got eight hours of sleep a night. Now that it’s almost dawn, shizun needs to sleep until at least noon before disciple is at ease.”
Why is he worrying about my sleeping habits at a time like this!
Although he was criticizing him, Xie Zhiwei’s gaze still softened as his voice grew tender. “Did they make things hard for you? Did Yin Cangshan keep to his word?”
“Shizun don’t worry,” Mu He said hastily, “Although I’m at the Yin Estate, they locked me up in the guestroom. Besides a bit of pain from where I was stabbed, everything else is fine.”
“That’s good then,” Xie Zhiwei released a breath, then asked urgently, “What about your father? Where is he right now?”
“He went back home after reaching the capital,” Mu He said simply.
What a ruthless father. When he doted on Mu He he practically cradled him in his palm. Now that he doesn’t like him anymore, he kicks him aside and doesn’t get involved at all. Thank goodness Mu He already saw through him after seeing him cherish Bai Yu so much in the last life. The original Mu He only flattered him without much sincerity, while the current one didn’t even bother currying favors.
Xie Zhiwei reached out a hand and stroked Mu He’s head. The latter’s gaze shook before he abruptly tugged at Xie Zhiwei’s sleeve. “Shizun, would you be very sad if disciple died?”
Xie Zhiwei looked at him in surprise. Mu He’s eyes were full of expectation as if he was asking, “Would you be very happy if I got first place with my test?”
As a hero, you shouldn’t be considering your death, but ways to reach life’s peak in the most stylish way, okay. Xie Zhiwei found it laughable, but he still pulled back his sleeves and said, “What are you blabbering about? Don’t think nonsense thoughts, you’ll be fine.”
Mu He’s hand was left clutching air as he asked, stunned, “How could shizun be so certain?”
Yeah right! I know you better than anyone else!
Xie Zhiwei grinned. “Because you are an incomparable existence in this world.”
Mu He was even more floored. His eyes opened wide as he clearly understood another layer to the statement. A while later, he finally murmured, “An incomparable existence…shizun, has put it so well.”
Xie Zhiwei was still wondering why his eyes had suddenly gone red-rimmed when Mu He suddenly dove forward to cradle his face in his hands and kissed him on the lips. Xie Zhiwei wanted to ask why he’d gone crazy again or even struggle and push him away. But he suddenly discovered that compared to the realistic dreams of the past, this time’s Mu He was a bit cooler to the touch. Even the two lips against his own were too soft.
It was clearly a manifestation of his weakened spiritual power. Xie Zhiwei restrained his strength and allowed the kiss without resisting much this time. He even had a funny thought: Mu He’s lips feel better when he’s in a normal state.
Some time afterwards, Mu He finally let go and muttered, “I really want to see shizun outside my dreams.”
That’s all too easy, just hold on! Once this crappy plotline ends, you’ll not only see me outside your dreams, but all the mountains and rivers of the world!
Xie Zhiwei grinned and patted him on the shoulder. “You definitely will.”
The scenes in the dream drifted away. Xie Zhiwei didn’t know whether Mu He was too tired or simply at ease after seeing him again, but he really did wake up at noon. Sunlight had already illuminated half the cave while Tantai Meng sat against a wall to stare at him thoughtfully as if she had seen a madman.
Xie Zhiwei subconsciously touched his face. “Why is Miss Tantai looking at me like that?”
Tantai Meng withdrew her gaze. “Someone with Xie zhenren’s cultivation base actually dreams.”
“You can tell I was dreaming?”
Tantai Meng looked away. “You were smiling with such satisfaction that it must have been a good dream.”
Xie Zhiwei knew what that was about and covered it up with a few vague sentences. There was a thin layer of snow on the ground and they weren’t far from the capital city, so he decided to determine Mu He’s location and buy some things to please Tantai Meng. Mu He could only be rescued if this grandaunt was moved.
He had never thrown away his face mask and wore it now to cover everything but his eyes and stepped into the city. Soon enough, he was able to use the willow branch on Mu He’s wrist to track down the Yin Estate.
But the sight shocked him.
A layer of dark red light covered the entire Yin Estate like a large boundary field without a single gap. The soldiers stationed both inside and outside the compound walls made it seem like they were trapping some incredible person within.
No, Mu He is an incredible figure.
From a distance, the populace were all pointing at the place, obviously treating the estate and its strange light as a talking point. Xie Zhiwei shuffled over quietly to a teashop and hailed the waiter for a cup of tea as he listened in.
“In other words, the King of Nine Provinces doesn’t want his son anymore?”
“Can he afford to keep someone with the Demonic Sect’s bloodline? Can’t you see they’ve already stabbed through his collarbones? Tsk tsk, how miserable.”
“I have acquaintances who work in the Yin Estate. They say this spell formation was set up as soon as they came back last night. That’s the light we see outside!”
“What kind of spell formation is this, ah?”
“Didn’t you say he has three lotuses on him? He doesn’t want to hand them over, so it must be formation to refine those treasures.”
—
The Chinese commenters:
Translator’s Note: Eeeeek only 20 chapters to go until the end! It gets more interesting from here as we…delve deeper into the emotional lines. We kinda left them in the dust with all the humor and shenanigans, but now! Now there will be plenty of time to reflect and think. And maybe cry. : )
Edit: Also, we’re going to see a few behemoth chapters this arc (I’m talking 6-7k words in the raws). Would you guys prefer I split them up or keep it as one big chapter? Let me know with this strawpoll, thanks!