Ch75 - The Instigator

Translator: transcendentwings

Update 2/2~

When Xu Xingzhi woke up, the first thing that he saw were the curtains in the room that were buffeted by a breeze, fluttering about like butterflies.

There should be a Buddhist temple or Taoist temple in the distance as the sound of the wind knocking against the evening bell traveled into the room, clearing Xu Xingzhi’s mind a bit.

He struggled to get up from the soft and unfamiliar bed, only to feel his sitting position wasn’t stable as if the left side was slightly heavier than the right.

His body was like a beam scale with too many heavy objects hanging on it and he couldn’t help but tilt to his left.

Xu Xingzhi instinctively wanted to stretch out his right hand to support his body, but the result was that he fell off the bed after a hoarse groan of pain.

. . . Fortunately, a pair of arms clasped his waist in time.

Xu Xingzhi’s ears were buzzing like a cricket’s nest and he grabbed the collar of the visitor with one hand. He was in so much pain that he shoved his head directly into the other’s arms, thankfully, he at least didn’t cry out shamefully.

There were tears falling onto his face in big, fat drops. Xu Xingzhi rubbed his eyes doubtfully and only felt that they were so dry that it was practically radiating heat.

He opened his eyes, then after clearly seeing the person in front of him, he smiled unconsciously.

The smile tugged on his entire face, and a large patch of cold liquid slipped off: “. . . Crying again. What are you crying for?”

Meng Chongguang whispered in a quiet sob: “Shixiong, I really should’ve killed them all!”

His voice was very low and it sounded like a little puppy unleashing its anger.

However, only the heavens knew how he felt when he brought hisShixiongover here, when he rolled up the other’s blood-soaked sleeves, wanting to check on his injuries and was only met with a bloody, wrecked mass of bones.

He wept bitterly while cradling the broken arm and his eyes were still swollen even now.

At that time, he wanted to immediately slaughter his way back to Fengling and cut off Guangfu-jun’s head in order to vent his anger onShixiong’s behalf.

But he already felt afraid.

He was fearful that if he left hisShixiong’s side, some peril would fall uponShixiongagain, at that point he might as well commit suicide for the sake of a quicker and more painless end.

In the past two days, he never leftShixiong’s side. Who would have thought that in the time he took to ask the waiter to boil a pot of hot water and send it to the room, hisShixiongwould almost get into trouble.

After recovering a little, Xu Xingzhi was lifted back onto the bed by Meng Chongguang.

Xu Xingzhi couldn’t say what he was feeling now.

He clearly remembered everything that happened before he fainted, he recalled the taste ofShifu’s blood as it splashed into his mouth, yet he only felt numb in his heart, he couldn’t feel anything, no pain, no tingling, which was quite amazing.

Meng Chongguang, with a reddened nose, looked a little silly so Xu Xingzhi smiled naturally in response: “You’re not angry with me anymore?”

As soon as this matter was mentioned, Meng Chongguang’s face instantly blanched a few shades.

If he hadn’t been stubbornly throwing a tantrum withShixiong, if he had returned earlier. . .

Watching as the rims of Meng Chongguang’s eyes suddenly redden, his face ashen, looking as if he were about to burst into tears on the spot, Xu Xingzhi backtracked and habitually wanted to hug the other to comfort him, but didn’t expect Meng Chongguang to actually be a step faster than him and reach out a hand to pull him into his embrace. The two arms that were caging him within were shaking slightly.

But Meng Chongguang didn’t dare to use any strength with Xu Xingzhi, while the muscles in his arm, which were as tense as iron, fought against themselves, as if he wasn’t holding Xu Xingzhi within his arms, but a precious and fragile piece of porcelain.

Xu Xingzhi was always the one opening his arms to others so how could he stand being the one hugged like a child. He felt his whole body tingle with numbness, but was also especially weak and powerless to push the other off: “Chongguang. . .”

Meng Chongguang whispered: “Shixiongdon’t move. Be careful of your wounds.”

At the moment, if Xu Xingzhi were to even shift a little, a vast white fog would drift over his eyes. In order to make himself feel better, he simply gave up struggling and rested his head on Meng Chongguang’s shoulder.

He asked: “How long have I been asleep?”

Meng Chongguang replied in a soft voice: “Two days.”

. . . But in his eyes, it seemed as if two years had passed.

“How is Fengling?”

“Yue Xiyun is searching everywhere for our whereabouts.” Meng Chongguang was apprehensive that Xu Xingzhi would feel discomfited after hearing this and leaned over carefully to touch Xu Xingzhi’s soft lips, “Shixiong, don’t worry, we are thousands of miles away from Fengling, there’s no way they’ll be able to find us.”

After Xu Xingzhi heard this, he felt his consciousness gradually slip away from him.

In the next few days, he cycled in and out of consciousness, was confused and dazed, plagued by a high fever on and off, caught in a dream where he was rolling back and forth between a flaming stove and ice bath all day long.

When he regained a clear and complete consciousness, it was already night of the seventh day.

Meng Chongguang had been guarding by his side without even spending the time to change clothes. When he saw Xu Xingzhi open his eyes, he thought the other was just temporarily awake this time as well and merely helped him up to drink some water before silently supporting him to lay down once again.

Who would’ve thought that after a while, Xu Xingzhi actually uttered a word with a hoarse voice: “Hand.”

VJyq kCOyqqDNyq’I gNhX mJyIJz NI CJ IhtNogLJz DR: “. . . bOJI fm CDtm?”

Xu Xingzhi’s eyes regained some spirit, he tilted his head to look at him: “. . . A hand has to be madeba. Otherwise, it’ll look quite ugly, the area bare like that.”

Meng Chongguang gently cupped Xu Xingzhi’s head and rubbed against it twice: “En.”

“PIEGS Qt EJJ aIGAN, GwH QE’SS GEEbGvE QwtIvEt EJJ IGtQSN QY QE’t LJJH.” Xk XQwVRaQ vJwEIhrSGEIH tJYESN, “sISr hI ibGQwtEJbh GiJkE LaQva hGEIbQGS Qt iIEEIb.”

sI CJ IROXJ, CJ oOFJz CfI gOze, gDm NhhfzJymNLLe IhtNRJz mCJ EODyz mCNm ENI hOFJtJz EfmC N mCfy LNeJt OA RfyX IhNg, hNDIfyq N IoNLL qNIR OA RNfy mO ILfR ODm.

Meng Chongguang was so nervous that even his voice changed: “Shixiong!”

Xk XQwVRaQ VbQwwIH LQHISN: “ZJ jkhrN. zE’t hI LaJ Qt Qw rGQw, wJE NJk.”

Meng Chongguang’s face turned pale and he grabbed Xu Xingzhi’s left hand, letting the cold palm make direct contact with his chest, as he replied softly: “Nonsense. Seeing thatShixiongis in pain, Chongguang feels terribly hurt here.”

xD xfyqpCf tNfIJz CfI CNyz EJNXLe Nyz RfyhCJz mCJ OmCJt’I ENto yJhX: “. . . YfLLe.”

PIwV KaJwVVkGwV SJLIbIH aQt aIGH GwH SIE aQh bki QE JiIHQIwESN.

After being intimate for a while, the two continued to lie side by side peacefully as if they were still resting in the bedroom of Fengling Mountain and nothing had happened.

After a while, Xu Xingzhi asked Meng Chongguang the same question he had asked a few days ago: “How is Fengling?”

Meng Chongguang pursed his lips and stated truthfully: “When I broughtShixiongaway from Fengling that day, I had already made an agreement with Yue Xiyun that if he didn’t investigate the cause and effect of the matter and clear your name in ten days, I would take his life.”

He didn’t intend to ask Xu Xingzhi how Qingjing-jundied.

In his opinion,ShixiongandShifuhad a deep relationship,Shixiongwould never commit magistride, thus he must’ve been wrongly accused.

After hearing Meng Chongguang’s words, Xu Xingzhi felt calmer than ever before in his heart.

When he was falsely accused of being a ghostly cultivator, he still had the urge to defend himself, but now that he had murderedShifuin cold blood with his own hands, what innocence could still be provenne.

Thinking of this, Xu Xingzhi still felt very tranquil, so serene that he couldn’t even shed a tear.

He could even tease Meng Chongguang peacefully: “Chongguang, can you even engage Guangfu-junin combat?”

As expected, Meng Chongguang knew he had forgotten to mind his words and froze immediately, haltingly answered: “I. . .”

Xu Xingzhi continued to question: “At that time in front of Qingzhu Hall, what did you feed me?”

Meng Chongguang panicked.

Before Qingzhu Hall, he sawShixiongbleeding profusely and fearing that he was seriously injured, he directly passed hisdemonic coreinto Xu Xingzhi’s mouth to help him maintain his life energy, but he had completely forgotten that in his way, he had utterly exposed his identity as a heavenly sprite to Xu Xingzhi.

At this point, it was useless to deny it, Meng Chongguang had to lower his head and admit: “Shixiong, I didn’t mean to lie to you on purpose. . .”

Yet he didn’t have the conviction to back his words.

Over the past ten years, he had never revealed his true nature, allowingShixiongto pamper him, feigning inferiority in cultivation. He just happily lavished inShixiong’s kindness to him, saying that he hadn’t deliberately concealed it, only ghosts would believe such a lie.

Under Xu Xingzhi’s unblinking gaze, Meng Chongguang felt very flustered and twisted Xu Xingzhi’s left sleeve, refusing to let go: “Shixiong, don’t ignore me. . .”

Xu Xingzhi turned sideways, borrowing the moonlight to assess the other. His pale lips were slightly raised as he pulled his sleeve out of the other’s grasping hands.

Before Meng Chongguang could beg for mercy, Xu Xingzhi leaned in close to his ear and whispered: “Tell me, how should I punish you?”

Xu Xingzhi’s hoarse voice was so teasing that Meng Chongguang felt relieved. He knew that Xu Xingzhi wasn’t really cross with him and instantly pressed his body against the other: “Chongguang is willing to be beaten or punished, as long asShixiongisn’t angry with me, whatever is fine.”

“Then I will just punish you to be my hand from now onba.” Xu Xingzhi bit his ear and softly entreated, “. . . Also, don’t make things difficult for the people of Fengling Mountain.”

“I don’t mind dirtying my hands by killing. I just wantShixiongto be happy.” Meng Chongguang nuzzled his head into Xu Xingzhi’s arms like a child, gently pressing his lips to the other’s chest on the left side as if kissing the beating heart within, “IfShixiongfeels unhappy, I will go back and kill them all immediately; ifShixiongdoesn’t want to fuss over it, then why should I be concerned about themne.”

Xu Xingzhi appraised the highly spirited young man before him, stretched out his left hand to stroke the other’s forehead with his fingertips, and then continued to brush along until he touched his back.

This was the first time that Meng Chongguang showed his sharp fangs before him without any scruples, yet he still couldn’t find it in himself to be angry with him.

He had known for a long time that Meng Chongguang was a heavenly sprite, but he hadn’t been aware that the other had been hiding his strength.

It stood to reason that he should question Meng Chongguang, but before Xu Xingzhi opened his mouth, he abruptly recalled the time that he and Meng Chongguang had fallen into a cave in the mountains when he had forcibly pushed himself to overcome the nascent soul thunder tribulation.

After returning, he’d boasted to Zhou Beinan that he had overcome it after a single strike and didn’t actually suffer much, that he’d basically obtained his nascent soul physique like it was nothing.

However, that time. . . it was likely that Chongguang had actually blocked the remaining forty-eight thunder tribulations for him.

Thinking of this, how would Xu Xingzhi even have the mind to be cross, he merely embraced the other, reveling in the infinite warmth he felt.

He thought, if the other was to be separated from him, he wasn’t sure what this little beast would grow up to be like.

. . . Luckily, he still had me.

. . . Fortunately, I still had him.

After a while, Xu Xingzhi suggested: “Chongguang, when I am well, let’s travel around the world.”

Meng Chongguang was overjoyed at first, but then he looked glum and asked cautiously: “Shixiong, are you just going to ignore the grievances against you?”

Xu Xingzhi didn’t answer.

Meng Chongguang found that Xu Xingzhi’s expression was off, thus he kept his mouth shut and didn’t mention it any further.

Xu Xingzhi pondered for a moment and asked, “Chongguang, where is the spirit pouch containing the fragments ofShifu’s nascent soul?”

Seeing Meng Chongguang’s stupefied expression, Xu Xingzhi revealed: “The day I woke up, I saw you wearing Guangfu-jun’s soul-locking spirit pouch.”

Since Xu Xingzhi found out then Meng Chongguang had no choice but to hand over the spirit pouch.

Xu Xingzhi took a deep breath before he drew open the spirit pouch. The breath of aura that rushed at his face was a deeply entangled mix of spiritual and demonic, which made Xu Xingzhi frown.

The demonic energy was hidden very well and those with lower cultivation wouldn’t be able to detect it at all. However, after the nascent soul was shattered, the nascent soul fragments of Sa Luo and Qingjing-junbecame mixed together. Even Xu Xingzhi couldn’t tell which of the pieces were hisShifu’s and which were that malevolent evil’s, who had secretly occupiedShifu’s body.

Xu Xingzhi clenched the spirit pouch, lay on his back against the bed and woodenly stared up at the ceiling.

The sorrowful cries of the Fengling disciples as well as the tear-choked curses of Guangfu-junechoed in his ears, yet he was surprisingly at peace and could even continue to think clearly.

Shifuwas taken over by a demonic cultivator, among them, how many could invadeShifu’s body without alerting anyone? And how did he enter Fengling Mountain? Was he targetingShifuor truthfully had he been after himself?

Watching Xu Xingzhi squeezing the spirit pouch in a trance, Meng Chongguang felt distressed once again and held Xu Xingzhi’s hand: “Shixiong, I have checked the fragments and know thatShifu’s body had been taken over by a demonic practitioner. . . . Regarding the culprit, doesShixionghave anyone he suspects?”

Xu Xingzhi peered at him.

After considering his words, Meng Chongguang tentatively probed: “Over these past free years, the only intersection between Fengling and those of the demonic path is. . .”

Xu Xingzhi decisively cut in: “Xiao-Deng wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Hearing that even now, Xu Xingzhi would stand by Jiu Zhideng’s side, after a moment of shock, a nameless anger flared up within Meng Chongguang: “Shixiong! Are you still unwilling to admit it at this time? If he hadn’t had a hand in this, how could this person from the demonic path enter Fengling? Besides, except for me and him, who else was aware that you had a wound on your back that couldn’t be revealed to others? Who else would allow this matter to blow up?!”

Xu Xingzhi repeated wearily and gently: “. . . Chongguang,Xiao-Deng isn’t such a person.”

. . . Meng Chongguang held his tongue.

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Xu Xingzhi’s words, rather he had finally realized that Xu Xingzhi was overly calm to the extent of abnormality.

Qingjing-junwas just a nominalShifuto Meng Chongguang. The other had treated him well, but he wasn’t close to him.

However, it could be said that if one were to scour all of Fengling Mountain, the only person that Qingjing-junmade an effort to dote on wholeheartedly was Xu Xingzhi. Apart from him, Qingjing-junhardly asked after anyone else.

Qingjing-juntreatedShixionglike he was a father, a sibling andShixiongwas also a person who valued relationships highly. Now that Qingjing-jundied under suspicious circumstances and with Xu Xingzhi adopting this kind of attitude, it really made Meng Chongguang puzzled and uneasy.

He would rather seeShixiongcry bitterly and loudly than internalize everything and hide his hurts and pains like this.

Yet, in the following ten days, Xu Xingzhi behaved normally, rested in bed, occasionally practicing hold chopsticks and writing with his left hand, and other than that, he didn’t inquire about worldly affairs, seeming as if he wanted to continue living in seclusion just like this.

Meng Chongguang felt his heart shatter from seeing such a scene, and he didn’t know how to help Xu Xingzhi get rid of his inner demons, so he was vexed and frustrated.

Perhaps because he was in such a pensive mood during the day that one day, Meng Chongguang had a dream during the night. He dreamt that Qingjing-junandShifuwere drinking together, then after waking up, he couldn’t help falling into a daze, and was subsequently caught in this state by Xu Xingzhi.

The other asked: “What did you dream about?”

Meng Chongguang originally just wanted to pass this matter over, yet who knew why, but he suddenly changed his mind and divulged truthfully: “I dreamt ofShifu.”

Xu Xingzhi paused: “Dreamt what ofShifuah?”

Meng Chongguang answered: “He was drinking withShixiong.”

Xu Xingzhi thought of the last time he drank withShifu. In that small pavilion, the wind was like a fan and the rain was hitting the lotus leaves. He heldShifu’s jar of wine in his hand, daringly pressed downShifu’s hand, not allowing him to drink another sip.

Xu Xingzhi raised his left hand and it seemed as if he could still feel the residual warmth on it.

After a long time, he asked softly: “. . . WasShifuhappy?”

Meng Chongguang was rendered speechless for a while.

Not able to get an answer out of the other, Xu Xingzhi stared back up at the ceiling from the bed in a stupor as usual, muttering to himself: “Being able to drink,Shifuwould naturally be pleased.”

The tone was still calm like the placid waters of an ancient well.

Meng Chongguang felt distressed and looped an arm around Xu Xingzhi’s waist from behind, trying his best to pass on the heat of his whole body to warm the other’s frigidly cold heart.

However, Xu Xingzhi seemed to be able to live well without his warmth.

After more than ten days, he felt that his bones and muscles were loose from lying down, so he started to alight from bed to move around. At first, he just roamed around the room, then later he began to drag Meng Chongguang outside to wander.

Xu Xingzhi looked no different from usual as he fanned himself with his left hand, his new green clothes were as unflappable as a god’s, as if losing a hand meant nothing to him. He could even touch Meng Chongguang’s shoulder and make a few jokes along the way.

This spring was quite rainy and not long after the two set out, a light drizzle began to fall from the sky.

Umbrellas were held up on the street, and people were brushing shoulders against each other, making quite an elegant scene.

Xu Xingzhi had just recovered from a serious injury, Meng Chongguang was afraid that he would catch a cold, so he bought an umbrella and took off his outer robe and draped it around Xu Xingzhi. His pure eyes like that of a puppy followed after Xu Xingzhi doggedly.

The two walked to an alley, and Xu Xingzhi, who had been talking about his experiences in the past few years, suddenly stopped.

There were blasts of a strong aroma of wine coming from the end of the alley. Any wine connoisseur would recognize it as a local specialty.

Noticing Xu Xingzhi’s thoughtful look, Meng Chonggugan nudged Xu Xingzhi affectionately and cautioned: “Shixiong, your wound has not healed completely, so you can’t drink.”

Xu Xingzhi was attracted by the aroma and blurted aloud, “It’s also good to take some back toShifu ah.Shifuwould definitely. . .”

His words terminated there and Xu Xingzhi could no longer utter anything further.

He blankly lowered his head and gazed at his right hand.

It was no longer empty there. Meng Chongguang fashioned a hand for him from Bodhi wood and attached it to his severed wrist in a natural way, yet it still invoked a sense of abnormality after all.

Xu Xingzhi stood there for a while, then walked straight ahead, breaking out from underneath the protection of the oil-paper umbrella.

The expression on Meng Chongguang’s face changed: “Shixiong!”

Xu Xingzhi took staggering, stumbling steps into the rain and strode towards the wine shop.

Meng Chongguang didn’t dare to use his spiritual power and attract the attention of others, he could only chase after him. After more than ten steps, he seized Xu Xingzhi’s left hand: “Shixiong, you—”

The moment he was caught, Xu Xingzhi, who always had a straight back and infinite spirit fell forward suddenly likeMount Buzhou that was hit by Gonggong.

In the heavy rain and the strong aroma of wine, Xu Xingzhi curled himself up and had his first experience of crying until he lost his voice for the first time.

He never felt as far from Fengling as he did now,far removed from the mountains and seas, yet they may never be leveled.

The umbrellas on the road remained high and low, the sound of the rain covered the sobbing. No one knew what the young man collapsed in the deep alley was mournful about.

People in the world continued to be joyful, busy, sad, or heartbroken, their feelings and worries were like watching the sky from the sea, like watching the water from the clouds. They could only be viewed from a distance and could never communicate.

Naturally Fengling Mountain and the four sects were embroiled in chaos, even the demonic sect’s main hall was also a picture of solemnity.

A jackdaw landed on the pine branches in front of the main hall, then a short moment later, it released a miserable cry and flew away, the call seemingly clawing at people’s hearts.

Jiu Zhideng, who sat on the high platform of the main hall, sported a dark expression on his face. He had not slept all night, and the look in his eyes was so sharp that it was like the edge of a blade: “Haven’t you foundShixiongyet?”

The disciples of the demonic sect who were sent out to search for Xu Xingzhi’s whereabouts didn’t dare to say anything, they only trembled with fear frozen in place.

Jiu Zhideng nearly gnashed his teeth and swept the table to the ground with one palm: “Bring him up here!”

All the disciples of the demonic sect could not withstand the spreading pressure from a nascent soul level cultivator and quickly stood up, backing away in a disheveled manner.

Liu Yunhe was dragged up by someone.

At the moment when the matter was exposed, his knees were broken by Jiu Zhideng immediately.

What compromises, what restraints, what complicated forces were involved, at the moment he didn’t care about any of them, all he wanted was for Liu Yunhe to die without a burial place.

But even if the other was cast down into such a sorry state, Liu Yunhe obviously didn’t think Jiu Zhideng would dare to do anything to him. When he was thrown in front of the hall like a slab of worthless mud, he still had the mood to tidy up his slightly messy hair before raising his head.

Jiu Zhideng clenched his fists until they crackled with a dull snap: “Speak, why did you secretly attackShixiong?!”

Since a month ago, all sorts of news that rode the winds have made Jiu Zhideng incomparably anxious and confused.

Qingjing-jun’s sudden death, Xu Xingzhi’s severed hand, magistride accusation, and fleeing Fengling Mountain with Meng Chongguang, the heavenly sprite, then disappearing. . .

Each and every piece of news could drive Jiu Zhideng crazy.

These days, he tried his best to endure. He sent people everywhere to inquire about the whereabouts of hisShixiongand dozens of letters to Fengling Mountain in succession, pleading to go to Fengling Mountain for an in depth discussion, but all of it fell on deaf ears; He went to visit in person, yet was turned away with a few words.

WithoutShifuandShixiong, Jiu Zhideng would never have a chance to return to Fengling Mountain anymore.

Just yesterday, he finally found out who was the culprit who caused all of these disasters based on his own guesses and the miniscule clues he gathered.

None of the disciples stayed, leaving Liu Yunhe and Jiu Zhideng alone in the hall.

Hearing the question, Liu Yunhe raised his eyes contemptuously and sneered: “Great leader of the Demonic Sects, why are you so angry with mene. Initially, wasn’t it you who divulged to me that Xu Xingzhi was the vessel for the Shijie Book?”

The author has something to say:

Henrik: “Crying bitterly seems easy / but it is actually very difficult.”

Author’s Chapter Summary: Suspicions, bitter cries, deep within the drink-filled alley

The translator has something to say: I think the silently brooding XXZ is even scarier and I worry for his mental state, even after his crying jag