On the day Na Lian arrived at Rizhao Mountain, every disciple—regardless of their cultivation level or the size of their courage—hid inside Wujiu Hall, not daring to come out.
Gui He arrived early in the morning with his books for the morning lesson, only to be startled by the dense crowd packed into the hall.
With the Sect Leader away and the Eldest Senior Brother and the most formidable Fifth Senior Brother out as well, the young Martial Uncle Gui He was their only hope. Upon seeing him, the disciples’ eyes welled with tears as they clamored for him to save their "dog lives."
Gui He, who usually paid no mind to worldly affairs, was utterly bewildered. "Huh? What’s happened? Speak slowly."
A gloomy voice rose from the crowd: "Na Lian is coming to Rizhao Mountain."
Gui He followed the sound and saw Lu Qingkong and Shen Dian squeezed into the throng, their expressions full of resentment.
Gui He blinked. "Na Lian?" He thought for a moment. "Oh, A-Zhu’s friend."
The disciples stared at him with looks of sheer horror.
One disciple whispered a reminder: "Little Martial Uncle... he is also... the Lord of the Demon Cultivators... Have you forgotten?"
Gui He said slowly, "Oh."
The disciples immediately looked at him with apprehension, doubting whether this unreliable little Martial Uncle could actually protect them if Na Lian decided to attack.
Meanwhile, at the gates of Rizhao Mountain, the "ferocious" Na Lian, dressed in trailing white robes and looking like a celestial being, ascended the Three Thousand Steps. Ming Zhu, sitting on the disciples' steps, had nearly fallen asleep and was gently nudged awake by Shang Yanfeng.
Ming Zhu opened his bleary eyes and saw Na Lian walking over with an air of flamboyant grace. He let out a yawn. "You’re too slow."
Zhou Fuxue stood beside Ming Zhu, his gaze sharp as he watched Na Lian.
Na Lian completely ignored Zhou Fuxue’s hostility and spoke to Ming Zhu: "Leaving now?"
Ming Zhu sat up. "Let's go."
Zhou Fuxue and Shang Yanfeng both frowned. "Where are you going?"
Ming Zhu replied, "To Baijian Mountain. We’ll be back soon. Remember to save us some dinner."
Zhou Fuxue was dissatisfied. "Us?"
Na Lian smiled. "Yes, I plan to stay at Rizhao for a few days. You wouldn't mind, would you?"
*I mind to death,* Zhou Fuxue thought.
Ming Zhu waved at them. "We’re off."
Zhou Fuxue hurried forward. "Senior Brother, I want to go with you."
Na Lian looked at his sharp fingernails with boredom and said nonchalantly, "Any vengeful spirit in the Waste Sword Mound of Baijian Mountain could kill you. Are you coming along just to get in our way?"
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Zhou Fuxue glared at him coldly.
Ming Zhu "accidentally" stepped on Na Lian’s foot. "You talk too much."
After dealing with Na Lian, Ming Zhu turned around and lightly flicked Zhou Fuxue’s forehead with his fingertip. He smiled. " I’m just using him as free muscle. Don’t worry about me, I’ll be back soon."
Zhou Fuxue was still reluctant, but seeing Ming Zhu’s smiling face, he couldn't say much more and could only nod.
Only then did Ming Zhu and Na Lian depart.
One red and one white, they turned into streaks of light, vanishing instantly beneath the lush Three Thousand Steps.
For an ordinary person, no matter how high their cultivation, it would take half an hour to reach the summit of Baijian Mountain. But Ming Zhu and Na Lian had already reached the pinnacle of cultivation; they landed on the peak in a mere moment.
A wild wind whipped across the summit, sending their robes fluttering chaotically.
Ming Zhu raised a hand to brush back his white hair, the wind filling his wide sleeves.
Na Lian squinted down into the bottomless abyss. "Is it here?"
Ming Zhu said casually, "Mhm. But before we go down, we need to find someone."
Na Lian: "Hmm?"
The two walked inward as they spoke.
Ming Zhu said, "Back then, the Kua Yu sword formed a spirit in Baijian Mountain before it even recognized a master. It must have had some sort of fortuitous encounter. Come, get in there and give that stone tablet a beating for me."
They entered the heart of Baijian Mountain, where a massive stone tablet stood before them.
Na Lian raised an eyebrow. Without asking questions, he pointed a finger. Demonic energy surged forth, striking the giant tablet with a heavy thud.
A violent collision echoed, and the tablet trembled violently, yet it did not shatter.
Na Lian: "Oh?"
Ming Zhu remarked, "Tsk, useless."
Refusing to believe it, Na Lian swung his sleeve this time. The demonic energy, capable of pulverizing an entire mountain peak, left only a few scratches upon contact with the stone tablet.
Ming Zhu covered his mouth and yawned.
Na Lian said, "Why don't you try?"
Ming Zhu sneered. "Then what did I bring you here for?"
Na Lian: "..."
Na Lian struggled to maintain his smile and struck again with his palm. The entire Baijian Mountain shook, yet the stone tablet remained stubbornly undamaged.
Na Lian finally lowered his hand.
Ming Zhu said, "Use—"
Na Lian said calmly, "The 'fortuitous encounter' you mentioned."
Ming Zhu: "Hmm?"
Na Lian paced forward slowly, pressing his slender fingers against the character for "Hundred" (百) carved on the mountain. He suddenly blasted it with demonic energy.
The stone tablet let out a sharp shriek. Then, the "Hundred" character began to squirm and twist, quickly contorting into a bizarre human face.
The face was filled with terror, its mouth opening and closing: "De... Demon..."
Na Lian struck it again without blinking. "Too much nonsense."
Ming Zhu walked over with interest. Seeing Na Lian pinning the "Hundred" face and forcibly peeling it from the stone tablet, he asked, "What is this?"
Na Lian ripped the face off, causing it to let out a heart-wrenching scream.
Then, as if holding a mask, he dangled the face in front of Ming Zhu. "If you have questions, ask him directly."
The face: "Ah... Demon, Ghost... Fang..."
Ming Zhu looked at Na Lian with dissatisfaction. "You’ve beaten it so hard its mouth is crooked. How am I supposed to ask?"
Na Lian shifted the blame: "I didn't do that. It looked like it had a speech impediment to begin with. Stop wasting time and ask."
Ming Zhu leaned down slightly, looking at the ugly face with disgust. He got straight to the point: "Where is Kua Yu?"
The face: "Ka... Rizhao... person..."
Ming Zhu: "Ahem."
Na Lian understood immediately. With a slight shift in posture, he funneled demonic energy into his palm. The stone face screamed in agony once more.
Ming Zhu patiently waited for the screaming to stop before saying calmly, "Last time I came, I searched the entire Waste Sword Mound and couldn't find even a fragment of Kua Yu’s spirit. Thinking it over, even if a sword spirit’s soul is shattered, whatever remains will inevitably be drawn by the Great Sword of Baijian Mountain and return to the Waste Sword Mound. Not to mention, Kua Yu is no ordinary sword spirit."
The stone face: "Ka..."
Ming Zhu smiled softly. "Don't tell me this has nothing to do with you. I am only asking one question: where is my Kua Yu? You don't have to speak, but he has plenty of demonic energy. No matter how tough you are, he can eventually grind you into a handful of yellow dust."
The stone face stiffened.
After finishing his threat, Ming Zhu stood up. "Na Lian."
Na Lian, being used as a tool, said nothing. Just as he was about to use his demonic energy to teach the stone face a lesson in manners, the face sputtered and said with difficulty, "In... in the Great Sword’s barrier..."
Only then did Ming Zhu smile slightly. He patted the stone face gently and said, "Good. If you’d said so earlier, you wouldn't have had to suffer so much. Na Lian, put it back."
Na Lian gave a grunt and crudely shoved the stone face back into its original spot.
The stone face was furious but didn't dare speak. Terrified, it twisted itself back into the "Hundred" character and didn't dare move again.
Ming Zhu and Na Lian looked up at the giant sword standing in the center of Baijian Mountain. They exchanged a glance before turning into streaks of light and flying into it.
Inside the giant sword was another small world.
After Ming Zhu landed lightly, he felt the surrounding chaos. Looking around, he could see nothing.
"Kua Yu?" he called out tentatively, his voice echoing.
Not far away, Na Lian said, "Buhui, over here."
Ming Zhu walked over with a frown. Before he could even come to a halt, he froze in place.
Before him, a shattered longsword floated quietly within a barrier. The broken shards of the blade drifted slightly, yet they seemed held in place by some spiritual force, unable to fly apart.
Ming Zhu watched for a long time before stepping forward softly. He reached out and gathered the floating, broken shards into his embrace.
Ming Zhu whispered, "This is my Kua Yu."
***
At the gates of Rizhao Mountain.
Zhou Fuxue still stood where Ming Zhu had left him, stubbornly staring up at the Three Thousand Steps, seemingly waiting for Ming Zhu’s return.
Shang Yanfeng knew his temperament and didn't bother to persuade him further, leaving on his own. Instead, the disciples in Wujiu Hall, hearing that Na Lian had left, plucked up the courage to come and take a look.
Lu Qingkong and Shen Dian sat on the disciples' steps, whispering with a group of disciples about Zhou Fuxue, who stood there like a "husband-waiting stone."
"I think your Thirteenth Senior Brother is going to be furious again these next few days. Honestly, it’s quite rare to see him truly angry."
"Hey, hey, is Thirteenth Senior Brother really in *that* kind of relationship with the Eldest Senior Brother?"
Shen Dian turned around. "Shh, keep it down. If your Eldest Senior Brother hears you, watch out—he might have Na Lian come over and swallow you whole."
The young disciple immediately covered his mouth, eyes welling with tears as he shook his head frantically.
Lu Qingkong and Shen Dian weren't originally that afraid of Na Lian, but ever since the incident at Yueyue Tower, they had been terrified by Na Lian’s ferocious demon form. Even knowing that Na Lian wouldn't do anything to them with their Eldest Senior Brother around, they couldn't help their fear.
As they huddled together pointing and whispering at Zhou Fuxue, his cultivation had returned significantly, and his hearing was naturally sharp. Finally unable to endure it, he turned around, his gaze sweeping over them like a cold blade.
Everyone immediately looked at the sky, pretending they hadn't seen his look.
Zhou Fuxue said coldly, "If anyone says another word of nonsense, don't you dare run from the martial arts field tomorrow morning."
The group of disciples panicked, frantically covering their mouths and shaking their heads to show they wouldn't dare speak another word.
Just then, a voice filled with laughter came from the mountain gate.
"So lively. You’re all here."
Everyone followed the sound and saw Ming Zhu in his red robes standing behind Zhou Fuxue, seemingly having just arrived.
Zhou Fuxue immediately turned around. "Senior Brother..."
The moment he turned, his face went green.
Ming Zhu had returned alone, but for some reason, a nine-tailed white fox was perched on his shoulder. It was only the size of a palm, tilting its head as it watched them.
Zhou Fuxue asked with cold indifference, "Who is this?"
Ming Zhu looked innocent. "Nothing, just a fox I picked up on the road."
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Zhou Fuxue watched him pretend with a stony face.
Although Zhou Fuxue didn't believe it, the other disciples, who hadn't seen much of the world, gathered around with great joy, marveling at the nine-tailed fox.
"Those tails look so soft. Can I touch one?"
the disciples looked at Ming Zhu expectantly.
Ming Zhu looked at them with kind affection and said softly, "Silly children, do you really dare to touch Na Lian?"
The disciples: "..."
Everyone froze in place, staring at Ming Zhu in horror, their legs nearly giving way.
The nine-tailed fox jumped down from Ming Zhu’s shoulder and instantly transformed into his human form. He said helplessly, "Is this fun?"
Seeing everyone so terrified, Ming Zhu couldn't stop laughing. "Of course it’s fun."
A disciple nearby was on the verge of tears. "Eldest Senior Brother..."
They all crowded toward him, each one badly shaken.
Ming Zhu laughed. "What are you afraid of? I told you, demon cultivators aren't all wicked villains. Besides, with me here, would he dare touch you?"
Though they knew this, the young disciples were still frightened.
However, the fear wasn't as intense as before. Some even peeked at Na Lian from behind Ming Zhu; though their eyes held fear, there was also a hint of curiosity.
Seeing their expressions, Na Lian paused, finally understanding the intent behind Ming Zhu’s actions.
He let out a quiet sigh in his heart.
Unable to watch any longer, Zhou Fuxue coldly barked at the crowd to disperse. He then grabbed Ming Zhu’s hand and led him toward Buzhiya, intending to have a "deep conversation" with his Senior Brother, completely ignoring Na Lian behind them.
Na Lian called out, "Buhui?"
Ming Zhu turned back and said to him, "I won't be hosting you. Just find a cave to crawl into and stay there."
Na Lian: "..."
*This guy, choosing lust over friendship.*
***
The disciples of Rizhao Mountain had changed over the years. The newest batch of junior brothers and sisters had only heard legends of the beautiful Eldest Senior Brother, and both men and women were quite fascinated by him.
Since Ming Zhu’s return to Rizhao, it didn't take long for people to start lurking around Buzhiya, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Eldest Senior Brother’s grace.
But months had passed, and aside from that first time he arrived, he was nowhere to be seen, leaving countless people sighing in disappointment.
In truth, it wasn't entirely Ming Zhu’s fault. Even after being dormant for so many years, his personality still leaned toward being flamboyant. After arriving at Rizhao, he was initially unable to leave his bed for two days due to his dalliances with Zhou Fuxue. After that, he was constantly being fussed over by Shen Dian.
Shen Dian had never encountered a condition like Ming Zhu’s hypersensitivity to pain before, so he had to explore and experiment bit by bit, eventually deciding on a gradual approach.
In the beginning, Ming Zhu would wake up every day to have Shen Dian lightly prick him with a silver needle. Although the pain initially brought him to tears, he forced himself to endure it and eventually found it wasn't so bad.
Shen Dian then came up with all sorts of methods. The next day, he brought a string to tie around Ming Zhu’s wrist, leaving a red mark. He was nearly kicked out by Ming Zhu, but the treatment effect was excellent.
As his tolerance for pain grew, by the time Ming Zhu finally stepped out of his room three months later, he could endure someone biting him without changing his expression.
Shen Dian wept with joy, shaking Ming Zhu’s hand back and forth. "Congratulations, Eldest Senior Brother! Congratulations, Thirteenth Senior Brother!"
Ming Zhu: "..."
Ming Zhu asked with confusion, "Why are you congratulating him?"
Shen Dian winked at him. He wasn't as shameless as Na Lian and couldn't bring himself to say certain things aloud, so he could only hint frantically.
Ming Zhu didn't understand, but Zhou Fuxue, standing nearby, did. He committed an act of insubordination and kicked his Tenth Senior Brother right out of the room.
Ming Zhu looked at the sky outside. "What time is it?"
Zhou Fuxue said, "The hour of the Dragon."
Ming Zhu suddenly smiled. "Oh, it’s time for the morning lesson."
Zhou Fuxue looked at him strangely. Back in the day at Rizhao, Ming Zhu would rather die than attend morning lessons. Every time, Zhou Fuxue had to drag him to Wujiu Hall. Why was he suddenly bringing it up now?
Fearing he had some other mischievous idea, Zhou Fuxue quickly said, "There’s no need. You’re already in your seventies or eighties; you haven't needed to attend morning lessons for a long time. Now it’s just outer disciples. Besides, Master and Little Martial Uncle are both in seclusion, and only Master Dao is teaching. With your powerful cultivation, you don't need to go."
Ming Zhu said, "Oh, Little Martial Uncle isn't there. Then how will they learn the ways of the world?"
Zhou Fuxue suddenly stiffened, looking at Ming Zhu’s peculiar smile in disbelief as a thought dawned on him.
He said incredulously, "Senior Brother, you... you wouldn't, would you?"
Ming Zhu smiled at him. "I would."
Ming Zhu proved with action that he indeed would. He casually grabbed a book from the library and strolled leisurely toward Wujiu Hall.
Fearing he would cause trouble, Zhou Fuxue hurried after him.
Ming Zhu wandered into Wujiu Hall. Perhaps because it was so early, Master Dao hadn't arrived yet.
Inside the hall, groups of vibrant new disciples were huddled together whispering, the atmosphere incredibly lively. Ming Zhu walked up to the lectern with a smile, set his book down, and gave a heavy, dry cough.
Every disciple in Wujiu Hall looked toward him. Upon seeing Ming Zhu’s face, the entire room fell into an eerie silence. Zhou Fuxue arrived just in time to see a room full of blushing junior brothers and sisters.
Zhou Fuxue: "..."
Zhou Fuxue’s face turned so dark it looked like it might drip ink.
Ming Zhu didn't see him. He gave everyone a brilliant smile, which was met by a chorus of sharp intakes of breath. He said without missing a beat, "Little Martial Uncle is in seclusion. From now on, I will be teaching his morning lessons. Oh, I forgot to mention—I am your Eldest Senior Brother, named Ming Zhu."
As soon as he spoke, Wujiu Hall was silent for a heartbeat before erupting into cheers that nearly took the roof off.
Although most people didn't want to attend morning lessons, if such a beautiful Eldest Senior Brother was teaching, the hall would likely be packed in a few days.
Zhou Fuxue’s face was black, but seeing Ming Zhu so happy, he didn't want to spoil the mood. He found an empty seat and sat down with a heavy thud, watching Ming Zhu show off at the front with a cold expression. The disciples nearby, not expecting the usually cold and distant Thirteenth Senior Brother to attend morning lessons, were terrified by his aura of resentment and shrank away.
Ming Zhu picked up the book and flipped through it. After skimming a page, he realized he had brought the wrong book. He simply closed it and started talking nonsense: "This is my first time teaching, and I’m ill-prepared. Let’s just chat today. What do you want to hear?"
Ninety percent of the crowd was mesmerized by Ming Zhu’s beauty, but a few studious ones raised their hands eagerly.
Ming Zhu pointed to one. "You speak."
The disciple stood up abruptly and said loudly, "I want to know Eldest Senior Brother’s opinion on the return of the Guifang demon cultivators to the world."
Ming Zhu said, "Hmm..."
Zhou Fuxue’s expression grew even darker.
Ming Zhu didn't answer but asked instead, "How do you all see it?"
The disciple said firmly, "There are three thousand paths to the Great Dao, and they all lead to the same destination. I don't think Guifang is as cruel and bloodthirsty as the historical records say. What those seniors said at Wenfeng Tower is likely true."
As soon as he finished, a youth in the corner stood up, pressing his hands on the table to retort: "That’s not necessarily true. Who knows if those Guifang demons used their power to bully those seniors into saying those things?"
Despite so many powerful seniors vouching for Guifang, the bad reputation of demon cultivators had been rooted in the Five Continents for so many years; it couldn't be changed overnight. Conspiracy theories like this youth’s were as common as carp in a river.
The first disciple immediately snapped, "Shallow! Are you saying our respected seniors were threatened into vouching for Guifang? Heh, do you look down on Guifang, or do you look down on those seniors?"
"You!"
As the two went back and forth, others couldn't stay silent. They snapped out of their trance over the Eldest Senior Brother’s beauty and joined the argument. For a time, the entire Wujiu Hall was in an uproar.
Ming Zhu rested his chin on his hand, not bothering to intervene, watching them argue until they were red in the face.
Finally, a junior sister suddenly shrieked, "Everyone shut up! Have you no manners?"
Everyone froze.
The junior sister looked gentle, but her words were sharp and cold: "What’s the use of just talking here? If you think the Guifang demons are evil, why don't you go to Guifang and see for yourselves? Seeing is believing; listening to rumors and just repeating them... tsk, useless!"
Ming Zhu was startled, looking at her in surprise.
The room fell silent as the female cultivator continued, "If Guifang really was persecuted by human experts back then, don't you feel ashamed acting like this now?"
The room of disciples was stunned by her shouting. Finally, a youth couldn't help but say, "The Guifang demons are so powerful. How could they have been persecuted back then? If human cultivators really could drive them to extinction and force them to hide in Biri Cliff for centuries, why was there no movement at all this time?"
The female cultivator said coldly, "I think you’re missing a brain cell. Can't you even read plain text? Wenfeng Tower already released the news. The reason Guifang fled so quickly back then was because human cultivators used underhanded methods to destroy the ley lines they relied on for survival. Are you blind, deaf, or just stupid?"
The youth’s face turned bright red. He stammered, "Well, the news from Wenfeng Tower could also be..."
The girl’s gaze was one of pure disdain and mockery, making the group of youths who had spoken ill of Guifang flush with shame.
At this point, Ming Zhu spoke up slowly, "Um, I’d like to say something..."
Everyone stopped arguing and looked at him.
Ming Zhu twirled a lock of his white hair around his finger and said vaguely, "Everything has its right and wrong, black and white. But the human heart has no absolute sense of justice; it all depends on external factors for judgment. Such a view is inevitably too arbitrary and subjective. Everything you’ve said has its logic; you might all be right, or you might all be wrong."
The youth who had asked the first question said, "Then Eldest Senior Brother, how do *you* see it?"
Ming Zhu stopped twirling his hair. He sat up slightly and smiled at the crowd, answering with a question: "How do you think I see it?"
The crowd was confused. Then, they saw the beautiful Eldest Senior Brother’s dark eyes suddenly transform into golden snake pupils, looking at them with a half-smile.
Buhui was credited with indirectly settling the conflict between Guifang and the demon cultivators, so the Wenfeng Tower jade tokens included information about him. Months had passed, and everyone knew that the Guifang demon Buhui was a white-haired, white-robed demon with golden snake pupils and formidable spiritual power.
So, when Ming Zhu revealed his snake pupils, Wujiu Hall fell into a strange silence.
Ming Zhu looked at their stunned faces, seemingly finding it extremely amusing. He curled his lips and lowered his voice: "For those of you who think all demon cultivators are wicked villains... are you afraid I’ll suddenly go mad and kill you all?"
The disciples, who hadn't seen much of the world, were nearly scared out of their wits. They shook their heads frantically.
Seeing this, Zhou Fuxue gave a heavy cough and whispered, "Senior Brother!"
Only then did Ming Zhu pull back that eerie expression. His eyes curved into a smile. "Alright, alright, I’m done teasing. Look at how scared you are. I just wanted to tell you that Guifang demons aren't as deeply sinful as you imagine, but they aren't saints either. Demon cultivators are just like humans—there are good ones and bad ones. You can't generalize."
Seeing they were still terrified, Ming Zhu shook his head helplessly. Not wanting to scare them further, he turned and left.
Only after Ming Zhu had gone did the crowd, who hadn't dared to breathe, let out a collective sigh of relief, drenched in cold sweat. The disciples near Zhou Fuxue were no longer afraid of him and huddled close to him for a sense of security.
One disciple stammered, "Thirteenth Senior Brother... who... who exactly is that Eldest Senior Brother?"
The disciples behind him also leaned in, still shaken. "Is he... is he..."
The female cultivator from before frowned and asked the question everyone was afraid to ask: "Is he Buhui?"
Zhou Fuxue didn't understand why Ming Zhu had revealed this in front of so many people. He could only sigh. "Can't you see for yourselves?"
The crowd erupted into another uproar.
By the time Zhou Fuxue finished dealing with the noisy junior brothers and sisters and returned to Buzhiya, Ming Zhu was curled up in a rocking chair soaking up the sun. It was already autumn, and he had wrapped himself up like a ball, radiating a lazy and content aura.
Zhou Fuxue walked over and kissed him lightly.
Ming Zhu didn't even open his eyes. "Were they terrified?"
Zhou Fuxue laughed. "Why did you have to scare them?"
Ming Zhu opened his eyes, which were full of laughter. "I’m using myself as teaching material, letting them know that demon cultivators aren't all criminals. Another reason is that it’s fun."
Zhou Fuxue said helplessly, "What’s fun about it?"
Ming Zhu blinked. "Seeing them that scared is very fun."
Zhou Fuxue was utterly speechless at his Senior Brother’s wicked sense of humor and let out a long sigh.
After scaring them, Ming Zhu actually showed up on time the next day with his book, strolling leisurely into Wujiu Hall. Today, the number of people in the hall was less than half of yesterday’s. When they saw Ming Zhu arrive, they all showed looks of fear mixed with faint anticipation.
Ming Zhu didn't look left or right, completely unaffected, and taught what needed to be taught.
Whether it was because Ming Zhu’s face was too striking or because the discourse on demon cultivators was becoming more positive, gradually, more and more people came to Ming Zhu’s morning lessons. They also became less afraid, sometimes even making jokes about him being a demon cultivator during class.
By the time Gui He came out of seclusion, the disciples of Rizhao Mountain, regardless of gender, were all following the Eldest Senior Brother around, calling him "Eldest Senior Brother" with genuine sincerity.
Gui He watched Ming Zhu sitting on the grass weaving straw ropes for a few disciples. He seemed to see the scene from fifty years ago when Ming Zhu was still at Rizhao Mountain, and his eyes grew slightly warm.
"A-Zhu."
Ming Zhu, with his back turned, was startled. He turned his head and looked at him, his expression freezing instantly.
Gui He walked over slowly and called out softly again, "A-Zhu."
Ming Zhu stared at him blankly before standing up. His eyes curved, and he said softly, "Little Martial Uncle."
If Gui He weren't a ghost, his eyes would surely have filled with tears. He reached out and lightly touched Ming Zhu’s cheek, murmuring, "You still recognize me."
Ming Zhu laughed. "Of course. I just hope Little Martial Uncle won't kick me out, or I’ll have nowhere to go."
Gui He nodded repeatedly. "I won't, I won't. Why would I kick you out? Your Master..."
Ming Zhu’s smile stiffened.
Gui He sighed. "Your Master said you weren't allowed back, but he regretted it later. He just never had the chance to find you. It’s good that you’re back now."
As he spoke, he gave Ming Zhu a light hug. "It’s good to have you back."
Ming Zhu’s eyes trembled slightly, and he let out a breath.
"Yes."
He was cold-hearted yet soft-hearted. Just the phrase "he regretted it too" was enough to dissolve his old grudges. He didn't hold a grudge, but for Ming Zhu to rely on Gui Ning as he once had was something he could never do again.
After seeing Gui He, Ming Zhu decided the next day to go to Jianglou, and Zhou Fuxue naturally wanted to go with him.
Ming Zhu originally didn't want him to follow, but Zhou Fuxue said directly, "I know where Seventh Senior Brother is buried."
Ming Zhu was surprised. "How did you know I was going to..."
Zhou Fuxue said calmly, "I guessed."
Since Zhou Fuxue had put it that way, Ming Zhu couldn't refuse, so he left the mountain gate with him.
As they left, all the disciples of Rizhao Mountain came to see them off, weeping as if Ming Zhu were never coming back.
Ming Zhu and Zhou Fuxue walked down the Three Thousand Steps. Halfway down, Ming Zhu suddenly felt a wave of emotion and remarked, "It’s really good that I chose to live back then."
Zhou Fuxue looked at him in shock. This was the first time Ming Zhu had said such a thing since their reunion. Having learned from Na Lian what kind of suffering Ming Zhu had endured at Biri Cliff, he knew Ming Zhu had never had much interest in living. If it weren't for his soft heart and the many things he cared about, he might have truly ended his own life.
Zhou Fuxue murmured, "Senior Brother..."
Ming Zhu smiled, looking at the quiet stone steps stretching downward. He let out a long sigh.
"Let’s go."
With things to care for in one's heart, even at the end of the road, one can surely find a glimmer of hope.
***
**[Gui He and Gui Ning Extra]**
*Gui He, destined for an early death.*
Gui Ning gripped the divination slip, crumpled it into a ball, and threw it aside. He said calmly, "Nonsense."
Ming Zhao said with a grin, "This was calculated by Su Yan. His clan reads the mandate of heaven and acts on heaven’s will. As far as I know, they haven't missed a single divination in a thousand years."
The two were sitting in a small tavern in Shou'an City. The place was bustling with cultivators who had come for a drink.
Gui Ning still said, "I don't believe it."
Ming Zhao raised his hand and shouted, "Hey! Bring me another jar of wine over here!"
"Coming right up!"
After ordering the wine, Ming Zhao said, "It’s not up to you whether you believe it or not. Speaking of that little junior brother of yours... he’s frail and sickly; he doesn't look like someone who will live long... Hey, hey! You asked me to speak! I’m telling the truth, why are you hitting me?! Stop it, if you hit me again, I’m going to get angry!"
Gui Ning withdrew his hand, his face full of indifference. "With me protecting him, he won't die."
Ming Zhao grumbled, "That’s not a certainty. Aren't we going to besiege Guifang soon? He’ll definitely have to go. How can you guarantee you can protect him alone among so many people?"
Gui Ning said calmly, "He doesn't have to go."
Ming Zhao let out a "Hoh" and said, "Young hero, you’ve got backbone. Can you convince Zhou Mingzhong? Gui He has a unique spiritual pulse; without him, have you thought about how to open the Guifang formation?"
Gui Ning said, "Isn't there still Su Yan?"
Ming Zhao’s face stiffened. He looked left and right before leaning in and whispering to Gui Ning, "That kid is useless. Calculating such an important mandate of heaven destroyed his eyes, and he suffered a backlash. Whether he can even survive is uncertain. You’re counting on him? Heh, you’d better pray for yourself."
Gui Ning finally grew impatient. "And you? What use are you?"
Ming Zhao grinned. "This kind of mess doesn't need a great figure like me. I’m waiting to spar with Na Lian from Guifang. Hey, hey, hey, if I run into Na Lian, what are my chances of winning?"
Gui Ning didn't bother with this battle-hungry madman. He picked up his sword and turned to leave. Ming Zhao quickly called out, "Young hero! Young hero! Great hero! Great hero, did you pay?"
The great hero didn't look back, throwing a coin pouch that hit him right on the head.
Three days later, Gui Ning returned to Rizhao Mountain. Gui He received the news and waited at the mountain gate early. Seeing him come up the Three Thousand Steps, he hurried forward to meet him. "Senior Brother, you’re back."
The young Gui He had a youthful face, but because of his chronic illness, his complexion was a sickly pale, making him look like fragile glass.
Gui Ning looked at him and said calmly, "Why are you waiting here?"
Gui He was timid and seemed a bit afraid of Gui Ning’s cold face. He said cautiously, "I wanted to come and meet Senior Brother."
Gui Ning was taken aback. Only then did he reveal a rare, faint smile. He lightly patted Gui He’s head and instructed, "You don't have to come and meet me next time."
Gui He seemed a bit disappointed but still nodded. "Yes."
In the battle of Guifang, Gui Ning still didn't let Gui He go. Zhou Mingzhong was nearly driven mad with rage, but facing the expressionless Gui Ning, he had nowhere to vent his anger and had to find other ways.
That battle lasted a month, and Gui He waited at the Rizhao mountain gate for that entire month.
Gui Ning walked up from the bottom of Rizhao Mountain step by step. When he stepped onto the final stair, he saw Gui He fast asleep under the Linglong Tower.
In that instant, Gui Ning’s heart seemed to fill with boundless warmth. He looked at the other’s pale face and thought in a daze, *He’s still alive...*
He was still alive. All that talk of heavenly mandates and early deaths was nothing but nonsense.
At that time, Gui Ning was overjoyed.
They lived peacefully like this for several hundred years, until the seal on Biri Cliff loosened. The unsuspecting Gui Ning took Gui He with him, and it was on that cliff that Gui He lost his life.
An early death.
It was indeed so.
At that time, they had no choice. To seal the demon cultivators, they had to use the spiritual power and blood sacrifice of the six people present. When Gui Ning planned to sacrifice himself, he had already decided on his own end.
*If I can't protect Gui He, then I will die with him.*
But no one expected that Su Yan would take his place at the last moment, dragging him back from the gates of hell.
The road to the underworld was split in two. Gui He died, while he was left in the world of the living.
Separated by life and death.
He was kept outside, wanting to die but unable to, wanting to live but finding it too painful. In the end, he chose Symbiosis.
Symbiosis was a forbidden technique. Once used, even after the physical body died, the soul could never enter the cycle of reincarnation. This was something Gui Ning had accidentally seen while browsing the books in the library, never imagining there would be a place to use it.
Gui He came back to life, but because of Gui Ning’s selfish desire, he became a lonely ghost who could not see the light of day.
In the period right after his resurrection, Gui He’s soul was unstable and his memories were hazy. He couldn't even recognize people, yet he still remembered to run to the Rizhao mountain gate every day, staring blankly down the Three Thousand Steps.
Gui Ning had already given up on the idea of leaving the mountain, spending his days researching how to stabilize Gui He’s soul. And on those Three Thousand Steps, there was only a little Ming Zhu, hopping back and forth in an attempt to escape.
Ming Zhu ran to the Three Thousand Steps every day, trying to find an exit from Rizhao, but every time he would just run back and forth on those stairs for a whole day without finding an end.
After a few days, he gave up. He ran up the steps dejectedly and saw Gui He sitting under the Linglong Tower holding an umbrella.
Ming Zhu was extremely curious about this little Martial Uncle. He ran over and asked, "Little Martial Uncle, what are you doing here every day?"
Gui He’s grey eyes moved slightly. He stared at him blankly for a long time before stammering an answer: "Waiting... waiting for my... Senior Brother..."
Ming Zhu tilted his head. "Isn't your Senior Brother my Master? He’s in the courtyard, not here. What’s the use of waiting here?"
Gui He looked at him blankly. Ming Zhu wasn't afraid of him and simply grabbed his hand, leading him to find Gui Ning.
Gui Ning was attempting to peel the shadow off a long-boned snake he had caught in the Withered Wood Forest, but he couldn't get the hang of it. The snake was being tortured to within an inch of its life, its struggles becoming very weak.
There were two knocks on the door, and then Ming Zhu’s childish voice came from outside: "Master, Master! Little Martial Uncle and I have come to play with you! I’m coming in!"
Before Gui Ning could hide the bone snake, Ming Zhu pushed the door open on his tiptoes. Seeing the scene in the room, he froze for a moment and then fainted dead away.
Gui Ning: "..."
Gui Ning pressed his hand to his forehead and carried little Ming Zhu to the bed in the inner room. Only then did he come out to see Gui He.
Ever since Gui He’s resurrection, Gui Ning had felt a sense of guilt, feeling he was too selfish for turning him into this state—neither human nor ghost. Thus, he rarely spoke to him.
Gui Ning picked up the bone snake from the floor and shook it. Gui He suddenly spoke: "Senior Brother..."
Gui Ning was startled, looking at him in shock.
Gui He murmured, "Senior Brother, am I dead?"
Gui Ning was speechless for a moment.
Gui He was incredibly sad, but a ghost has no tears to shed.
Gui Ning seemed to want to say something, but his mouth opened and closed without making a sound. He couldn't bear to look at Gui He, so he turned his head and looked down at the bone snake in his hand, reaching out to grab the shadow on the steps.
Gui Ning’s hand passed through the formless black shadow again and again, yet he still couldn't catch anything.
Gui He murmured, "Senior Brother..."
Gui Ning’s hand kept missing, and he finally couldn't help but throw the skeletal snake onto the stone steps. The snake hit the hard stone, its bones scattering with a clatter, and it trembled uncontrollably.
Gui He seemed frightened and stared at him in shock.
Gui Ning slowly sat down on the steps, his long robes trailing over the cold stone, fallen flowers and flowing water covering the ground.
The two were silent.
Gui He stood there blankly. The setting sun spilled in through the window, and as time passed, it soon fell upon his robes. He looked down at his hem, which was slowly igniting with eerie ghost fire from the sunlight. His eyes widened instantly, and he stumbled forward a few steps, his face full of terror.
Gui Ning watched him expressionlessly.
Gui He stood trembling in the shadows, looking at him with panic and dismay. He whispered, "Se... Senior Brother... I..."
Gui Ning suddenly felt as if his heart had been violently squeezed.
"...I’m afraid..."
In the eyes of the world, Master Gui Ning was omnipotent, comparable to an immortal. He could even do things like change fate and bring the dead back to life; his methods were undeniably powerful.
Yet at this moment, Gui He’s tearful "I’m afraid" was like a world-shaking palm strike, shattering his entire being.
The cold indifference he had forced himself to maintain crumbled away.
*What am I doing?*
*What on earth am I doing?*
Gui Ning thought, nearly driven to madness.
*I turned him into such a monster, a monster that even he himself is afraid of. What was the point?* A flash of despair appeared in Gui Ning’s usually calm eyes. *To keep myself from being lonely?*
Gui Ning suddenly let out a low laugh. All that talk about not wanting Gui He to die alone, all that talk about protecting him for a lifetime—it was all just his own self-righteous wishful thinking.
Separated by life and death, the only one who suffers is the one left in the world of the living. He simply didn't want to suffer too much, so he had forcibly turned Gui He into this thing that was neither human nor ghost.
In the dim Rizhao Great Hall, the man who looked like an immortal sat on the stone steps, his head bowed low, his shoulders trembling. It was a long time before he let out an uncontrollable sob.
No matter how powerful or cold a man is, his heart is still soft.
A year later, Gui Ning had nearly plundered all the magical creatures in the Withered Wood Forest. He finally managed to peel a shadow from a fierce beast, ending Gui He’s state of being neither human nor ghost and freeing himself from that endless pain and regret.
Gui He had always been carefree; he treated Gui Ning the same as he always had, as if that year of torment had never happened. The look in his eyes when he watched Gui Ning was still full of admiration.
Gui Ning would often stare at his smiling face in a daze, wondering countless times in his heart: *Does he hate me?*
But though the words were on the tip of his tongue many times, he never dared to ask.
*Let it be,* Gui Ning thought, pressing his hand to his chest.
Whether there was hate or not, the dust had already settled.
For the rest of his life, Gui Ning never asked that question.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 夸玉 | Kua Yu | Ming Zhu's sword spirit. |
| 百剑山 | Baijian Mountain | Hundred Swords Mountain. |
| 废剑冢 | Waste Sword Mound | A place where broken or discarded swords are kept. |
| 宿晏 | Su Yan | A character mentioned in the flashback, a diviner. |
| 共生 | Symbiosis | A forbidden technique (Gong Sheng) used to bind souls. |
| 玲珑塔 | Linglong Tower | Exquisite Tower; a landmark on Rizhao Mountain. |
| 蔽日崖 | Biri Cliff | Sun-Blocking Cliff; the site of the great battle. |
| 闻风楼 | Wenfeng Tower | A news/intelligence organization in the novel's world. |
| 不讳 | Buhui | Ming Zhu's name/title in the demon realm. |
| 畏痛 | Hypersensitivity to pain | Ming Zhu's specific condition (Wei Tong). |
