Ch74 - Hidden Intentions

Translator: transcendentwings

When Xu Xingzhi was escorted out of the palace under guard, he felt as if the blood in his mouth and on his face were as sharp as barbs, prickling him until his entire body was on fire. Yet his gaze that swept over the crowd gradually gathering in front of him was blank and resigned, as if he were mired in a dream.

He took in each of these familiar faces as well as the hesitant figures closing in from all directions. He saw Yuan Ruzhou’s shocked and teary eyes, saw Qu Chi, Zhou Xian and Wen Xuechen, he even caught sight of Xu Pingsheng.

Xu Pingsheng struggled to lunge over in an attempt to grab the hem of Guangfu-jun’s robes, but was kicked aside. When he tumbled away, Xu Xingzhi clearly saw that his knees were encased in hardened dry mud from kneeling in the mud after rain for a long time.

Xu Xingzhi thought he was seeing hallucinations.

His hearing also seemed to have problems, he could only hear the long and short chirping of the morning cicadas, the sound of the clouds drifting across the sky, but he couldn’t hear the disciples’ exclamations and sobs when they found out that Qingjing-junhad died so abruptly, nor did he know what Zhou Beinan was roaring and demanding over there.

Xu Xingzhi thought in a daze that his miserable and sorry appearance would be enough to make Zhou Beinan laugh for an entire year.

He was barely able to lift his head, yet just so happened to catch sight of Zhou Beinan, who was about to charge over, get knocked down in the crowd by a flash of light thrown out by Guangfu-jun.

“Impossible, he wouldn’t!” Zhou Beinan staggered to his feet and cried out in distress, “Guangfu-jun, there must be some sort of misunderstanding! Xingzhi wouldn’t kill Qingjing-jun!”

His expression was a hundred times more anguished than Xu Xingzhi’s, at least at this time, Xu Xingzhi’s eyes were still dry and not even a single tear was shed.

. . . Beinan still protected him as always, but this time he was wrong.

He had killedShifu, there was no mistakeah.

His heart felt as if boiling water had been poured over it slowly, completely numb. Xu Xingzhi couldn’t feel any pain. He could only search in vain in the space between the heavens and earth, hoping that a thunderbolt would come down from the sky and kill him immediately.

Guangfu-junstood behind Xu Xingzhi, his expression as hard as a stone, his complexion ashen. He couldn’t stop the onslaught of his tears, but even that still couldn’t extinguish the raging fire burning in his gut.

The rising flames burned his singularly devoted and unswerving cultivation path into ashes.

At this moment, he was no longer Guangfu-junof Fengling, he just wanted to take Xu Xingzhi apart with his sword, separate the other’s head from his body and have him die without a burial place!

BeforeShixiongpassed away, he kept repeating that he asked Xu Xingzhi to kill him, but that didn’t make any sense at all!

He clearly sawShixiongsummon Xu Xingzhi into the hall alone, and only the two of them were there, and there was the broken wine jar on the ground, blood dying the jade fragments, along with the fresh blood at the corner of Xu Xingzhi’s lips that has yet to dry, all of this pointed to Xu Xingzhi as the murderer!

Motive, evidence, everything was there, so why didShixiongcontinue to protect him even until he breathed his last!

Why?! Whyah!

Just now, when he rushed into the hall and saw hisShixiongwho had bled out lying in Xu Xingzhi’s arms, in that moment despite feeling as if the sky collapsed and the earth split apart, he still harbored a glimmer of hope.

For all Nascent Soul stage cultivators, as long as the nascent soul wasn’t dead, they could still survive by switching bodies and nourishing their spiritual energy.

Yet when Guangfu-junused his spiritual consciousness to probe into Qingjing-jun’s sea of consciousness, he saw a field of shattered nascent soul pieces, scattered and fragmented, it was difficult to piece together the original appearance.

Confronted with such a scene, if he didn’t hold onto a trace of reason, knowing that if he didn’t run a public trial then hisShixiongwould’ve been considered to have died dubiously and that it would’ve definitely made Fengling Mountain the object of gossip among the other three sects, he would’ve wanted to tear Xu Xingzhi up into pieces immediately!

Facing the increasing number of disciples from various sects, Guangfu-junpersonally kicked Xu Xingzhi over until he toppled to the ground. Drawing his sword, he shouted in his rage: “Xu Xingzhi, you killed your master and betrayed your cultivation path, you disregarded thefive relations, committed treasonous acts that are too numerous to list! Do you plead guilty?!”

Wen Xuechen’s fingers dug into the armrest of his wheelchair producing a crackingkachasound: “Guangfu-jun!”

Qu Chi, who was standing in front of all the disciples, gripped the hilt of his sword that was at his waist with one hand as he gritted his teeth and focused his mind, secretly calculating whether the sword energy and spiritual pressure that would be released after he drew his weapon could successfully defend Xu Xingzhi in time if Guangfu-junreally struck him down.

Guangfu-jun’s sharp and brilliant blade was pointed straight at Xu Xingzhi’s heart.

However, Xu Xingzhi, whose eyes had lost all sparks of vitality, seemingly half dead, abruptly moved at this moment.

His left hand wrapped around the tip of the sword as he stared directly at Guangfu-jun, declaring in a thunderous manner: “This disciple has never betrayed the cultivation path!”

The body of Guangfu-jun’s blade shook.

Taking a direct hit by the ferocity in Xu Xingzhi eyes that glinted with a wolfish glare, Guangfu-junwas unsettled in his heart, as if the secret he had been desperately trying to conceal from Xu Xingzhi had been exposed by him.

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The quaking spiritual power that spread out violently, made the disciples standing on the high platform in Qingzhu Hall collapse onto the ground while screaming, even Guangfu-junwas shaken until he tumbled down the steps before the hall and the sword in his hand rotated in the air like a wooden staff as it flew outwards, splintering into dregs in midair.

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Today, when Qingjing-junused his spiritual pressure to suppress Xu Xingzhi on the platform, Qu Chi could still move a little, but this spiritual pressure made Qu Chi feel long-standing suffocation and panic.

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The terrifying spiritual pressure spared only Xu Xingzhi.

Xu Xingzhi wanted to identify the person who came, so he opened his eyes slightly, but only saw a pair of lips covering his own, feeding a round pill filled with a sandalwood fragrance and the familiar refreshing taste of fresh flora, into his mouth.

Strangely enough, as soon as the other embraced him, a sea of peace and fatigue suddenly washed over him, rendering Xu Xingzhi drowsy.

He raised his right arm in a trance, wanting to grip onto that hand: “. . . You’re back?”

The voice of the person who showed up was as gentle as water, as if fearing that if his voice was too loud, it would scare the pale person in his arms: “Shixiong, I’m back, Chongguang has returned home.”

Xu Xingzhi laughed.

Meng Chongguang wanted to grab the “right hand” that was offered to him, but only gripped onto a thin, empty sleeve stained with blood before Xu Xingzhi completely lost consciousness and the sleeve that was held loosely in the palm of Meng Chongguang’s hand, slipped out, falling onto the ground.

All the disciples present who were still able to maintain consciousness witnessed the scene of Meng Chongguang and Xu Xingzhi pressing their lips together.

This scene was too shocking and the sound of a breath of cold air being sucked in came one after another.

Wen Xuechen was so shocked that he didn’t have the mind to pay attention to the pain in his chest. He tried his best to gather the blocked spiritual energy in his chest, gritted his teeth and squeezed out: “Meng—”

Meng Chongguang raised his head when he heard the voice.

The moment his tender gaze left Xu Xingzhi, they burst into endless malice. Bright like fire, he looked down at the group of cultivators below him who were suppressed by him until they couldn’t even lift a finger with arrogance.

Xu Xingzhi’s right wrist was hidden in the wide sleeves of his robes, his left hand also newly wounded by a blade. The blood dyed his cuffs crimson and stained Meng Chongguang’s Fengling common robe.

The long robe fluttered in the wind, like the petals of peach blossoms on flowing water.

Xu Xingzhi collapsed into Meng Chongguang’s arms and lost all consciousness, so he couldn’t see the strange scarlet color spreading into the corner of Meng Chongguang’s eyes inch by inch and the cinnabar mole that flared to life between the other’s brows.

The eyes of the lords who were currently present, as well as the eyes of Zhou Beinan, Wen Xuechen, and Qu Chi, were all taken over by alarm as they watched his usual well-behaved shell being shed, revealing his extremely ostentatious true identity as a heavenly sprite.

Wen Xuechen felt his breathing stagnant: “A heavenly demon. . .”

Guangfu-junwas so taken aback by this revelation that he felt tongue-tied: “Meng Chongguang, you—”

Before he could finish his words, Guangfu-junfelt a weight being lifted from his waist and the spirit pouch that contained the hastily gathered fragments of hisShixiong’s nascent soul flew through the air as it landed into Meng Chongguang’s palm.

Guangfu-junwas immediately stirred up with fury as he struggled to rise to his feet, yet was still unable to do so. His eyes turned red as he roared: “Meng Chongguang!”

Meng Chongguang sneered, folded the spirit pouch, tucking the jade tassel away, then stuffed it into Xu Xingzhi’s arms.

. . . At this moment, whether he wanted to take Guangfu-jun’s head or heart, it was all up to his preference only.

However, what he took away was more painful than removing Guangfu-jun’s heart, liver, spleen, or lungs.

He carefully supported Xu Xingzhi’s injured arm, clasped the other’s thin waist, wrapping his fingers around to the other’s abdomen, and brought the unconscious man up horizontally into his embrace in a move that implied that he was going to bring the other away.

Qu Chi drew his sword out a little more, but he could only stop there and was unable to proceed even an inch further.

Even Fuyao-jun, Guangfu-jun, and the other lords present were unable to move.

Qu Chi’sShifuascended to the heavens, then between Qingjing-junand Xu Xingzhi, one was dead and the other was injured, of everyone present, no one could restrain such an abundance of surging spiritual energy.

Seeing that Xu Xingzhi was about to be taken away by Meng Chongguang, Wen Xuechen felt a chill in his heart as he tried his best to shout: “If you take him away, Xingzhi will never be able to prove his innocence again!”

“Prove?” Meng Chongguang shot him a frigid look, “What have you all proved this day? I only saw myShixiongget seriously injured, become slandered. Could it be that you all have to wait untilShixiong‘s body turns cold before you point at him and declare that he was wronged?”

He looked towards Guangfu-junand stated word after word: “How you viewShixiongis none of my business, but you all better be aware that howShixiongview you all is what’s most important.”

He stretched out his hand, “Xianbi” seemed to have sensed something and flew out from the palace doors that were left wide open and landed onto his palm.

Meng Chongguang smiled coldly: “Shishu, for the wellbeing of Fengling Mountain and the other three sects,you’d better try to proveShixiong’s innocence.”

“You dare threaten the four sects?”

Meng Chongguang carried Xu Xingzhi in his arms and stood up: “I’m not issuing a threat, but a notice. Ten days from now, I need Fengling Mountain to give me an account, an explanation of whyShixiongwas harmed to such an extent. Otherwise,Shishu, forgive me for being presumptuous, butyou’re life, I will take it as consolation.”

“But before that. . .” Ignoring Guangfu-jun’s ferocious expression, Meng Chongguang lifted his hand and touched a spot before Xu Xingzhi’s chest, his expression becoming slightly complicated, “. . .Shifu’s spirit, I will hold onto it for you temporarily.”

The color of Guangfu-jun’s expression turned dark.

Only a long time after Meng Chongguang rode the wind away with Xu Xingzhi did everyone feel relieved.

Qu Chi and Guangfu-jungathered the air beneath them to chase after Meng Chongguang almost at the exact moment they were released.

As it involved Qingjing-jun’s soul, nearly all the disciples of the four sects who could move, followed after Guangfu-jun, even Yuan Ruzhou had fiercely scrubbed the tears from her face as she stepped onto her sword in pursuit with her sleeves bound.

The remaining disciples of Fengling entered Qingzhu Hall in tacit understanding, shut the doors that were allowing the sanguine scent to escape and started to clean up silently.

Qingjing-jun’s remains were not a pretty sight. The incident happened suddenly, so they could only try their best to maintain some dignity for Qingjing-junin his final moments in front of the other lords of the various sects and their disciples.

Wen Xuechen was suppressed too much by Meng Chongguang just now and his chest was in great pain. Zhou Xian, who had been waiting on him, hurriedly poured out a few pills and pressed them under his tongue for him.

Zhou Beinan sat down on the wet steps in front of Qingzhu Hall, his elbows resting on his knees, a few strands of slightly messy black hair hung down before his forehead.

Today’s turn of events were so abrupt that he was still trapped in a dense and widespreading fog.

What was and wasn’t, he was completely confused.

After getting his breath back, Wen Xuechen pushed his wheelchair and rolled over to where Zhou Beinan was: “After Xingzhi woke up, I went to seeShifu. Beinan, what happened after I left?”

Zhou Beinan didn’t know why Wen Xuechen asked this question, He brushed his tangled hair back again and again in pain and disarray as he responded: “Qu Chi and I chatted with Xingzhi for a while.”

“How was Xingzhi’s state at that time?”

“Okay.” Zhou Beinan answered, “Qu Chi and I didn’t want to pursue the topic about how the ghost clan mark on his body came to be, so we only discussed his hand injury. Xingzhi wasn’t in good spirits and after answering a few sentences, he leaned against the head of the bed to rest.”

“What happened next?”

“Then after that? . . . Guangfu-junsent a disciple to pass on a message, asking Qu Chi to take Xingzhi to see him. I thought that if I returned to the palace where the Yingtianchuan disciples were staying, my father would definitely summon me to scold me, so I simply stayed in Xingzhi’s palace. And then, Meng Chongguang returned.”

Wen Xuechen frowned: “When did he show up?”

Zhou Beinan raked a hand through his hair in annoyance: “How could I remember this?”

Zhou Xian answered for him: “Xushion the dot.”

Wen Xuechen abruptly remembered that when he was called away by hisShifu, Zhou Xian and Yuan Ruzhou remained in his palace together to take care of Xu Xingzhi.

He turned to Zhou Xian, speaking in a much warmer tone: “How did he look when he came back?”

Zhou Xian frowned as she recalled: “He was initially very unhappy to see me and Elder Brother at first, and demanded where Xu-shixiongwas.”

“Did he know that Xingzhi was in dire straits when he came back?”

“He wasn’t aware at the time.”

Even now, Zhou Xian could still clearly recall that when she told him that Xu-shixiongwas suspected of being a ghostly practitioner and was seriously injured, Meng Chongguang’s face suddenly blanched, adopting the same color as a dead person’s.

“. . . And then?”

“After I recounted the whole story, he asked whereShixiongwas taken. At that time, Guangfu-junsent his disciples to retrieveShixiongin order to interrogate him, so I thoughtShixiongwas sent to Miaofa Hall. After telling Meng-shidithis, he hurriedly left.”

Wen Xuechen pondered for a moment and continued: “In other words, after Meng Chongguang departed from this palace, no one followed him?”

Zhou Xian was surprised: “Chen-ge?”

Zhou Beinan still couldn’t pick up on what Wen Xuechen was implying: “Xuechen, what are you trying to say?”

Wen Xuechen pressed the tip of his finger against the yin-yang band, but didn’t rotate it: “I believe Xingzhi, Xingzhi would never kill Qingjing-jun. However, that may not necessarily be true with Meng Chongguang.”

“Meng Chongguang wasn’t followed by anyone during that period, so the suspicion cast on him is the greatest.” He is obviously a celestial sprite, yet he pretended to be a mortal and hid undercover in Fengling for so many years, he must harbor other intentions. He has the ability to kill Qingjing-junand has taken Xingzhi away at this time which will cement Xingzhi’s crime of magistricide and will also conveniently be able to shut Xingzhi up.”

Zhou Beinan thought about the surging spiritual pressure emanating from Meng Chongguang and felt a chill travel down his spine.

He couldn’t imagine how that youth who only possessed a pretty face had such thick spiritual power, yet pretended to have low spiritual energy and insufficient talent, even maintaining this farce for more than ten years.

He murmured: “What is he after?”

Wen Xuechen speculated: “By lying low in Fengling, what he’s after is probably the Shijie Book right?”

Zhou Beinan’s mind was in chaos as he hummed dully in response to Wen Xuechen while continuing to press the tangled mess of hair on his forehead against his palm in distress, slowly rubbing it, as if he was going to use his head to drill a hole into his hand.

Zhou Xian understood Chen-ge, knew that he would never hesitate to speculate the motives of a cultivator who didn’t follow the righteous path with the greatest malice, but she disagreed with his hypothesis.

Xu Xingzhi’s expression when he was escorted out of the hall, Zhou Xian saw it clearly.

The desperation in his expression, as if he wanted to gouge his heart out of his chest like pulling off a glove, had already made Zhou Xian have some guesses of what truly happened in the hall.

She stared off in the direction where Meng Chongguang and the other cultivators had left, unspeakable melancholy in her gaze.

—Xu-shixiong, if you’re really determined to leave, then don’t return to this place of sorrows ever again.

The lights flickered, thepathwaysswept by rain.

Without the drunken young man carving words into the sky-reaching pillar before the mountain, bereft of the tinkling sound of the hexagonal bell shaking back and forth, the night in Fengling Mountain had never been so silent.

Author’s Chapter Summary: Threats, departing the mountain, place of sorrows.

The translator has something to say: to be fair to WXC, he has never trusted MCG and always thought there was more to him than meets the eye, coupled with this soft spot for XXZ and his obvious bias due to his personal history, it isn’t a big shock as to what conclusion he came to, but I do feel bad for MCG about the accusations towards him as well as sorrow for the fact that no one will probably be able to discover the truth (though what actually happened was also very ludicrous and nearly impossible to guess), and I think ZX has at least figured out that XXZ did in fact kill QJJ under extenuating circumstances, if this was a more cultivation heavy novel I would think that XXZ would’ve qi-deviated by now

P.S. I nearly wasn’t going to post this chapter today because as I finished editing and was hitting update, the stupid website logged me out for some reason and erased all my progress, but I already stayed up late to do it so I guess my stubbornness outweighed my irritation

P.P.S. I WAS going to post this last week but accidentally forgot to change access. . . whoops, sorry everyone, but good news is that everyone gets a double chappie this week