Ch97 - Nightmare

In the middle of the night, the voice echoed loud and clear in the air.

“….” said Xie Zhiwei.

My heart’s exhausted. What happened to trusting each other?! Yin Cangshan, just you wait, I’ll see how the original protagonist dealt with you and your bratty daughter and laugh at you!

Yin Cangshan’s shout alerted everyone in the courtyard, but Mu He remained calm as he nodded. “I’m grateful for Uncle Yin’s care.” He looked at the closed doors and added, “There is someone in my rooms. Did uncle meet them?”

Yin Cangshan waved a hand. “I said I didn’t go in, so naturally I haven’t. I only heard some noises…”

Mu He smiled lightly. “Don’t worry, uncle. He’s a very important guest of mine. Because he came in a hurry, he’s staying here tonight.”

Yin Cangshan was astonished. “An important guest, but…” But why was he hiding under the bed?

“What, has uncle noticed something strange?”

“All’s well, all’s well,” Yin Cangshan coughed drily and made up an excuse. “Wushuang was clamoring to see you, but it’s so chilly and dark. Just then she tried again…so I stopped her. Since nephew is unharmed, I’ll have her come by tomorrow.”

“Wushuang indeed suffered a scare. Don’t worry uncle, I’ll find the culprit for her and get justice,” Mu He cupped his hands. “It’s getting late, may uncle please rest early.”

After watching Yin Cangshan leave, Mu He walked to the door and was about to push them open when he suddenly asked the guard on night duty nearby, “Did King Yin really not go in just then?”

“To reply Shizi, he did not.”

Hearing this, Xie Zhiwei couldn’t help fuming. The guards in this courtyard aren’t doing their jobs at all! First Yin Wushuang wanted them to pick flowers, so they left their posts without permission and gave me the chance to slip inside. Now they’re too blind to see a big, living human like Yin Cangshan.

But this was the remotest corner of the king’s manor, so the guards here probably didn’t treat it seriously. Otherwise, Mu He wouldn’t have arranged Xie Zhiwei to live here, either. For some reason, he took an extremely long time to push open the doors this time.

Xie Zhiwei just sighed. Since he couldn’t leave, he might as well play the part of a quiet beauty instead.

Ethereal white robes floated through the doors. Mu He entered the room and caught sight of an image that made his gaze shift immediately.

Xie Zhiwei stood along beneath the lamp, one hand wielding Qingping Sword while the other held onto the table. He had his back to Mu He, his crow-gray robes illuminated by the candlelight with a lawarmth. In a flash, Mu He seemed to have returned to Summit City of the past and its bamboo-scented breezes. He stared fixedly at the figure before murmuring under his breath, “The hues change colors akin to an ashen dog…”

This was a fitting verse. But who would have expected so many changes to happen since Dog first got its name? Back then, he had only lived for vengeance and wanted to recover everything that belonged to him. He never thought that his path, once so straight and clear, would ever become muddied. Xie Zhiwei’s death had added thorns to the mud that stabbed his heart for four straight years.

He was probably born to be greedy, right? Just one rebirth was enough to change him completely. Although he was delighted that shizun had returned from ascension, he still thirsted for more. He not only wanted shizun’s person for himself, but all of his heart, too.

Ming Kong’s trickery was a shortcut, but he disdained such tactics. Shen You and Ming King had less than one ten-thousandth of a chance to get together, but he and shizun had long changed their relationship. It was just that he didn’t dare to believe it, nor did shizun dared to admit it.

This was why he’d destroyed Heart Sway Arts without hesitation.

But, how long would it take before the day they became a pair arrived?

Mu He only laughed bitterly at the thought.

Xie Zhiwei turned and asked, “Why are you laughing?”

Under the lamp light, it could be seen he was slightly out of breath. Although all that jostling under the bed wasn’t enough to work up a sweat, his face was currently pale and bloodless. Alarmed, Mu He realized the situation and hurried forward.

“I thought shizun was suppressing your spiritual energy to hide from me on purpose. As it turned out, you’ve exhausted yourself for this disciple’s sake…” His face was wracked with distress as he moved to support Xie Zhiwei.

But Xie Zhiwei only put out an arm to push him away, indignation simmering in his eyes. “In other words, you knew the whole time that I was hiding…there?” It was better not to say “under the bed.” That would ruin his image too much! This wasn’t a case of fearing OOC, but fearing for his dignity!

Unfortunately, he couldn’t budge Mu He at all. Instead, the other moved closer and simply picked him up princess style.

Xie Zhiwei’s mind blanked before his lips shook. “What are you doing? Put, put me down! Do you hear me? Release me!”

He often picked up heroines like this while filming dramas. Those scenes always had comments scrolling across the screen: “Ahhhhhhh I want the hero to princess carry me too!” “Teacher Xie, release that heroine and come for me instead!” “I’m here as part of the Face Covering Team. You’re not allowed to watch my male god’s heavenly doting expression!”

The past was the past, and now those memories were like a cold wind blowing across his face…

Now this scene had both princess carrying and doting expression, giving him a sense of deja vu. But now the person carrying others was being carried instead. How was he supposed to accept this?

Mu He allowed him to scold and even whack him on the head with Qingping Sword a couple times without yielding an inch. He carefully set Xie Zhiwei on the bed and said in a gentle voice, “Shizun don’t be angry. Disciple thought it’d be difficult for shizun to see disciple in these conditions, so I had to wait until shizun showed himself… Don’t be afraid, shizun, disciple won’t do anything. It’s just that shizun will be tired if you keep standing.”

You’re pretty considerate ah, youngster. Laozi’s not afraid! Laozi’s just conflicted by physiological and psychological burdens, okay?!

Xie Zhiwei placed Qingping Sword between them and warned, “Master knows your filial heart, but I’m truly tired. You should get out.”

But Mu He didn’t listen to him this time. Instead, he leaned down to hold up Xie Zhiwei’s feet before taking off his shoes. Xie Zhiwei almost wanted to kick him, but that would only make him resemble some female victim who was powerless to fight off her molester instead.

Though it’s true that I’m currently powerless to fight back…

“It’s uncomfortable to sleep with shoes on, so disciple dares to offend…”

Xie Zhiwei endured a body full of goosebumps until Mu He finished taking off the shoes before quickly pulling his feet back and drawing up the covers. Wrapped up like a dumpling, he declared, “You’ve worked hard. Now you can get out…huh? What are you doing now?!”

It would’ve been better if he didn’t look, because now his hairs were standing on end. Mu He was currently taking off his own shoes and socks.

“Disciple will watch over shizun as he rests,” Mu He said simply, “Otherwise, disciple might not sleep at all tonight.”

“You won’t experience any illusions for now, so there’s no need to worry,” Xie Zhiwei wanted to struggle upright, but Mu He was pressing him down with one hand and his strength was too lacking to do anything but panic in place.

“Disciple knows,” Mu He could sense that Xie Zhiwei was very resistant to being held and simply laid down next to him. “It’s just…”

“Just what?” Xie Zhiwei felt their current distance and positions were barely acceptable and could only open one eye, close one eye to the situation.

Mu He’s voice dropped. “Disciple had a dream.”

Xie Zhiwei raised his eyes and looked at him indifferently. How could someone of the hero’s mental strength have random dreams? Did he think Black Lotus was just for steeping tea?

Mu He looked gloomy, but his gaze was extremely bright. “Shizun might not believe it, but disciple dreamed that I died. Yet before I passed away, disciple was nothing more than a nobody shizun met in passing.”

Xie Zhiwei gave a start. This sounds a little familiar, ah. After a while, he stammered, “You…you’re thinking nonsense again.”

Mu He’s mouth twitched before he went on. “Consider it disciple’s nonsensical thoughts. But this has been the most unforgettable nightmare in my heart. In the dream, disciple had nothing and no one. Mother committed suicide in despair while I fulfilled her wish to enter the daoist sect, where I was bullied and finally killed by a villain. The token I used to recognize my father was taken away, and my identity replaced…”

Although the story was serious, Mu He’s tone remained bland as if he was talking about someone else, or narrating a story from a long time ago. But Xie Zhiwei knew neither was the case. He couldn’t help but interrupt.

“Stop it.”

Mu He looked at him slowly but didn’t stop.

“Disciple has always been grateful that I pleaded with shizun a few more times after regaining consciousness four years ago. Otherwise, would my life end up like that dream, with such a miserable ending?”

Faced with this question, Xie Zhiwei couldn’t say a word. Actually, the hero of the original novel worked very hard to change his fate, such as begging the original Xie Zhiwei to take him in as a disciple. Avoiding the den of snakes and rats that was Bai Jianzhu’s Pill Furnace City would save him a lot of trouble. But the reality was that Mu He’s bitter pleas only troubled the original Xie Zhiwei without moving his heart. He still persisted in leaving him with Bai Jianzhu; of course, this was what the plot required.

What was worth considering was that if the original Xie Zhiwei had accepted Mu He as a disciple, would they still be at this point today? At any rate, he was the one who rolled up his sleeves and dove into acting as soon as he transmigrated. He reaped what he sowed.

Xie Zhiwei’s head hurt, so he raised a hand to massage his temples. Mu He quickly put on a smile and said, “Shizun is already troubled yet disciple was foolish enough to bother shizun with such tiresome topics.”

Xie Zhiwei suddenly brushed against Mu He’s ice-cold hands. The warm touch passed in the blink of an eye. This wasn’t Mu He’s first time touching hands with Xie Zhiwei—in fact, it couldn’t even count as a touch. But it was the first time in a long, long while that Xie Zhiwei had chosen to touch him first.

He was stunned. “Shizun…”

“Am I real?” Xie Zhiwei asked.

“Disciple…is too stupid to understand.”

Xie Zhiwei sighed. “The master before you now, is he real?”

He had made it so plain that someone of Mu He’s smarts should understand completely. Mu He nodded in a daze before his gaze grew firm. “Shizun is different from the one in the dream.”

Xie Zhiwei chuckled and shut his eyes. Unexpectedly, he didn’t shoo Mu He away or hide deeper in the bed this time. “Sleep now, don’t think nonsense. You can still see me tomorrow when you wake up.”

The candlelight was still flickering as the room fell silent. After four years of living in the king’s manor, everything was still the same, but Mu He’s eyes couldn’t help growing damp as he turned to take in the furnishings. Finally, he took a long, deep look at Xie Zhiwei, who was so tired that he’d fallen asleep as soon as he closed his eyes.

Mu He leaned forward to press a light kiss at the corner of his lips, committing his current feelings to memories, just like how he’d remembered those words in the past.

The night before they left Ashen Cloud Mountain, Xie Zhiwei had spoken to him with that same voice, same tone, and same sincerity to say, “You still have your Master.”

– Arc 2 – END –

Translator’s Note: It feels like just yesterday when we finished Arc 1, but now Arc 2 is done too! We’ve had our share of comedy and drama, so stay tuned for ahem, alternating doses of sugar and angst in our final story arc! You may want to review the trigger warnings on the novel page to prepare yourself.

Anyways, to celebrate the end of this arc I decided to translate an excerpt from the prologue of This Daoist is Just an Actor, which depicts original!novel Mu He just after he fulfills one part of his revenge.

🎼🎶🎵 BGM: “Burial of Immortals”

【 It was dark when the white-robed figure ascended One Step Cliff against a starry sky and looked south. As far as the eye could see, a thousand hectares of bamboo stretched on beneath the cover of night. This was the long-empty Summit City.

In the hush, blood dripped down from his sword to plop on the ground—he had finally gotten revenge, killing his enemies with such slow, brutal methods that even a shura would sigh at the sight.

He opened his mouth to wonder, “Xie zhenren, if you had taken me as your disciple, would you still be alive? Would I have become what I am today?”

The words were spoken into the void, but the tone was reverent and light as if the respected senior was standing right before him.

Yet there was nothing but silence.

Lips quirked into a smile as he stared at the bloodstained sword in his hands, gaze darkening once again. “No matter what, the fact that the Bai father and son died at my hands could also count as yours…and mine’s, revenge.”

The wind picked up, swaying the sea of bamboo as he turned to leave. When daylight broke, the Demonic Sect would launch its invasion through this terraneous land. Yujing Sect, the immortal holy realm that had discarded, tormented, and even killed him in the past—would be trampled beneath his foot.

When the nights were still, he would sometimes recall the man who saved him in the forest—back then the skies were clear, the sun was warm, and the bamboo formed a canopy of green leaves. The man in crow-gray robes had his brows relaxed as he strolled towards him like a god between Heaven and Earth. The image was etched in his heart and carved in his bones, because it was the last glimpse of light he saw before the darkness.

But so what?

He saved him, yet abandoned him. Mu He didn’t need such a small, fleeting light.

When he turned into his own source of light, one even stronger than Xie zhenren, he would finally erase the memory of that man completely from his heart. 】

The novel is still ongoing so it’s not on my list to translate (modernverse is also not my usual genre), but enjoy the snippet anyways!