Capítulo 115: Chapter 115: Shizun Is Already Married
"Let's go let's go," Mo Ran responded, then suddenly looked worried as he thought of something. "Shizun, I killed so many ghost soldiers, the Underworld's probably not gonna let us off easy." "It's fine," Chu Wanning said. "That technique just now doesn't actually scatter the opponent's soul, only shatters it. They'll piece themselves back together in a couple of days." Mo Ran took a closer look, and sure enough there were specks of souls floating about the smoldering, charred remains, glowing like fireflies. But before he could investigate further, he was already being pulled along by Chu Wanning with a, "Run." Another wave of furious soldiers was rushing in from behind the crumpled walls like a horde of rampaging beasts. Chu Wanning and Mo Ran sped along the tiled rooftops, Mo Ran asking while running, "Shizun, since they don't even die, we won't really offend the Underworld that much, so why not just let me pour in more spiritual energy and beat them all back?" Chu Wanning replied sardonically, "Why don't you try using it again." Mo Ran had no idea what for, but tried it nonetheless. To his surprise, all that came out this time was a tiny wisp of smoke; Jiangui seemed extremely worn out, with none of that impressive sun-swallowing, mountain-crushing might from earlier.
"The more spiritual energy you use, the longer the recovery time," Chu Wanning instructed. "So refrain from excess, understood?" "Got it." Mo Ran paused before speaking again.
"Shizun. I suddenly remembered something, wanna guess what it is?"
"What?" "I remembered back at the Peach Blossom Springs, in the illusion, when you taught me how to use the willow vine, just like this. You were really short back then." Mo Ran grinned toothily and gestured with his hand. "Didn't even reach my waist." Chu Wanning stumbled.
"Careful!" "Get lost." Chu Wanning's ears would've turned red by now if he was still alive. He snapped in an anger born of embarrassment, "Comparing heights with Xia Sini? Why don't you pick on someone your own size, like me?" Mo Ran grinned and didn't take the bait. He was taller now, no longer visibly shorter than Shizun like he had been back at Butterfly Town, but he was still only about even with him.
He stole a sidelong glance toward his Shizun and made a mental note to go compare heights with Chu Wanning in a couple more years, once this body of his was done growing.
While Emperor Taxian-Jun schemed away over here, Yuheng of the Night Sky was feeling rather complicated over there.
Although he was already pretty sure that Mo Ran knew that Xia Sini was him at this point, actually hearing him say that was still a humiliating ordeal for his thin face.
After all… he had looked up at Mo Ran and called him "shi-ge".
The more he thought about it, the more mortified and incensed he felt; Chu Wanning ran faster and faster, leaving Mo Ran to catch up.
Knowing what was going through his head, Mo Ran let him run ahead,
keeping a half pace behind. Fleeing from the pursuers with the wind blowing in their face, he looked at the man in front of him, just within reach, red robes fluttering like the drifting leaves of maple and the ember clouds at dusk, with golden embroidered butterflies that look almost alive as they glimmered.
He suddenly felt a bittersweet contentment.
In that moment, he was grateful. Grateful that he could still see Chu Wanning, grateful that he could still receive his guidance as before.
And in a few more years, if everything goes smoothly, he'd be able to lo his head with a smile and tease Chu Wanning, "This disciple has come to compare heights with Shizun—this disciple will stand right here, Shizun can stand on tiptoe if he wants." His heart felt warm; the Heavens were truly kind to him.
Not everyone had the chance to redo things after committing wrongs, and not everyone could forgive and let go after being hurt.
His Shizun was so warm beneath that cold exterior, but it had taken him so long to see that.
They fended off two more waves of pursuers. The main gate of the palace was within sight now.
Glancing back, he saw the pursuing soldiers far back in the dust with no chance to catch up. Mo Ran exhaled in relief, but he hadn't even finished letting out the breath when there was a sudden clap of thunder in front.
A massive sedan chair appeared from within the fiery lightning, carried evenly upon the shoulders of eight big, brawny men kneeling on the ground.
Reclining languidly on the sedan chair was a man, rather on the plump side of things, wrapped in snowy beast furs with his long hair draping loosely and a beauty on each arm, one massaging his shoulder while the other fed him cherries.
This big-bellied man might be a soul, but he had already cultivated a corporeal form, so the fruits were actually being consumed, rather than just passing through for a taste.
Licking his lips, the man grabbed one of the beauties by the jaw and planted a big sloppy kiss before leisurely glancing up at Chu Wanning and Mo Ran with a sneer.
"Is some hooligan actually trying to steal this king's little darling? Well now,
this simply won't do." He said, leisurely.
"Aren't you quite the bold little cultivator, hm?" Chu Wanning's expression was dark and his face so pale it was blue.
To have gotten called "little darling" by this greasy lecher ghost right in front of Mo Ran… if he still had his powers, Tianwen would've already turned this bastard into mince by now.
Mo Ran's expression didn't look much better, but he was well aware that he couldn't protect Chu Wanning while facing off against a ghost king at his current level of cultivation, so he could only try for diplomacy.
He stepped up and cupped his fist respectfully as he said, "My lord,
apologies for all the damage to your palace, but I will be taking this person.' "Oho, is that up to you, now?" The Fourth Ghost King smirked. "What do you think that is that he's wearing? I'll tell you, that's called a ghost marriage gown,
so in other words, the ceremonial robes of the Underworld. Now that he's been clothed in my ceremonial robes, he belongs to me and won't be able to set so much as a foot outside the gates of this palace. Go on and try it if you don't believe me." He paused, then added, "And if you try to forcibly bring him out anyway, the spiritual energy on those robes will shatter your souls at the gate. Don't say I didn't warn you." Mo Ran suddenly realized why Chu Wanning wasn't restrained despite Rong Jiu saying that everyone at the main palace was tied up. So these red robes on him…
Hands clenching into fists, Mo Ran said, "Of course I'll make it up to you for taking him. Whatever my lord wants, I'll do my utmost to provide." "This king only wants beauties—not the gentle, obedient kind; those have gotten rather boring as of late. This king likes exactly the type standing right there next to you, all icey and standoffish, got more flavor that way." "..." Intrigued by the look on Mo Ran and Chu Wanning's faces, the Fourth King sat up leisurely and said, "To be honest with you though, this is the first time in all my years here in the Underworld that someone's busted into my palace to raise havoc like this, so I'm pretty curious—just who are you to him?" Mo Ran answered, "He's my Shizun."
"Oh, that's it?" The Ghost King laid his hand out with an amused grin. "And here I thought it was some kind of life or death relation." Mo Ran said, "...What's the point in forcibly keeping him when he doesn't like you." The ghost king gave a lazy wave of his hand. "Foolish child, liking or not liking is irrelevant. It's his body that this king is after, not his heart." "..." "And besides," the ghost king continued with a sneer, "so what if he doesn't like me? It's not like he likes you. If you two were already wedded though, then it'd be a different story. This king fancies beauties, but has no interest in secondhand goods. But too bad for you, he's only your Shizun." Mo Ran was stunned at first, but then suddenly smiled.
"My lord means it?" "This king is the master of the Fourth Level of Hell, what would be the point in lying to a little no-name ghost like you?" "Then let me ask this: if my Shizun was indeed already married, then would the ceremonial robes still have any effect?" "Of course not. This king never cared to play with other people's husbands and wives." The Fourth Ghost King furrowed his brows. "Why do you ask?
Is your Shizun already married?" Chu Wanning cared about face. "No." Mo Ran didn't care about face. "Yup." Fourth Ghost King: "..." Before Chu Wanning could say anything else, Mo Ran had already grabbed his hand, pulling him along toward the gate. He looked over his shoulder toward the Fourth Ghost King as he walked, saying, "Don't mind him, my lord, Shizun's memory is bad. Anyway, like you just said, the ceremonial robes won't do anything if he's already married, so let's not waste any breath over it, I'll just go ahead and take him outside. If we successfully walk out, then please let us go. If I lied, then I'll get what's coming." Chu Wanning protested, "Mo Ran——have you lost your mind? That was just an act, back at Butterfly Town, it doesn't count——" "Why wouldn't it count," Mo Ran said confidently without the slightest hint of hesitation. "We drank the wine and did the bows, with ancestors above and the earth below, why wouldn't it count." "Mo Ran…!" To suddenly bear witness to such a quarrel after thousands of dull,
monotonous years here in the Underworld, the ghost king was rather amused,
settling into his chair and propping his cheek in one hand to watch with interest.
He patted the thigh of the beauty next to him for her to feed him more fruit, chewing as he said, "Sure thing, go ahead. I won't keep you guys if you make it out fine, and if you die, that's on you."
Mo Ran said, "Many thanks."
There was a barrier over the main gate of the palace that flickered with a faint purple light, clearly for keeping the souls inside. The closer Chu Wanning got to that barrier, the more unwilling he grew. There was no way some halfbaked ghost marriage like that would count…
But Mo Ran leaned in close just then, saying in a quiet voice, "Don't worry,
Shizun, our marriage is definitely valid." "Valid how?!" "Just listen to me this one time, I know what I'm doing here." He laced their fingers and squeezed, though his own palm was covered in sweat.
"And even if luck is not on our side, I'll be right here with Shizun." Chu Wanning flinched and opened his phoenix eyes wide, staring at him in astonishment like he'd never seen him before.
Mo Ran beamed brightly at him, dimples deep and warm. "I owe Shizun far too much already. This time, I won't leave Shizun by himself." "..." Chu Wanning was silent for a long moment before softly muttering,
"Why do all that." "Then what about Shizun? Why did you do all that?" Chu Wanning's eyelashes drooped, then he let out a quiet sigh and stopped fighting it. They stood hand in hand before the crackling purple barrier, with a mass of ghosts gathering behind to watch the show.
"Let's go?" "Let's go." There was no telling who tightened the grip first, squeezing so firmly, the freezing cold over the scalding warmth, the clammy wrapping around the dry, the pale white against the wheat-colored.
Blazing inferno and roaring thunder surged before them.
The barrier was like an enormous flood, a gigantic waterfall. They stepped in at practically the same time, and the tremendous current of firey lightning surged towards them, crashing down with a might that could swallow mountains and rend rivers, threatening to tear apart this pair of people so bold as to step outside the gate of life and death in the very next second, rip them into shreds, burn them into dust.
The firey lightning flared with a light so blindingly bright it was practically white.
It was but a split second away from striking the two of them. Mo Ran had already made up his mind before to respect and love his Shizun, to never again disobey him, much less sully him with any untoward thoughts.
But in that moment, in the uncertainty of life or death, he suddenly whipped his head around, wanting to get one more look at Chu Wanning's face.
Only to be met with Chu Wanning's gaze on him as well, amidst the deluge of sparks that rained down all around them.
Those phoenix eyes had once been fierce, resolute, pained, resentful,
enduring… but in this moment, they held a tranquility before the end.
And—he wasn't sure if he was imagining it—.
And deep affection.
Mo Ran had never seen such a look in Chu Wanning's eyes before; there was a loud rumbling in his head like countless cities collapsing at once, and his chest was suddenly flooded with burning affection, bursting forth to emerge from a thick layer of ashen black earth. He didn't even have the time to contemplate just what kind of feeling this was, overwhelmed as he was by the searing heat in his heart and the boiling of his blood.
Between the flashes of lightning and crashing of thunder, he reached out without thinking and pulled Chu Wanning into a tight embrace.
Frenzied heartbeats against quivering soul.
Chest to chest.
Truth be told, before coming down here to the Underworld, something like dying together with Chu Wanning had never crossed his mind. He had always thought that the one he loved was Shi Mei, so if he were to die together with someone, it would be with Shi Mei.
But, when truly faced with the prospect of dying.
He had instinctively pulled him into his arms, as if trying to merge his flesh into his own, hide his soul within his own.
Chu Wanning. I'm with you.
I…
"Aiyah, who would've thought, you two really are star-crossed lovers." An amused voice drifted languidly over. "This king actually got the wrong ghost?
This xianjun really is already married?" Mo Ran's eyes snapped open.
The lightning and thunder that had been hellbent on tearing them into pieces mere moments ago had turned into countless dandelions while he wasn't looking, dancing and drifting lightly all around them like so many snowflakes.
The Fourth Ghost King stood up with a smile, clapping slow and leisurely where he stood near the palace gate. "It's been hundreds of humdrum years,
and that was a good show." Chu Wanning: "..." Mo Ran was still in a stupor, feeling dazed as he looked at the Fourth Ghost King then turned to look at the person in his arms, before being hit with a sudden realization about the impropriety of holding his Shizun like this and hurriedly withdrawing his hands. Chu Wanning also seemed to jolt back to reality, turning his face away with an unreadable expression.
A moment passed, then he straightened out his robes and stood silently at the side.
Trying to ease the awkwardness, Mo Ran lifted his head toward the Fourth Ghost King to say, "See, I didn't lie to my lord, right?" "You certainly did not." The Fourth Ghost King shook his head with something that's almost a smile but not quite.
"Day after day, it's been a long time since I've been so entertained. Alright, I'll let you two go, if only for the amusing spectacle you provided. This king has no shortage of beauties anyway, I won't miss an already-married soul." Mo Ran is delighted to hear that, thinking to himself that this Fourth Ghost King was much more magnanimous than the Fifth Ghost King that Chu Xun had encountered. Sure he's a lecher, but at least he keeps his word, got some of that lordly air.
Thinking thus, he turned to leave with Chu Wanning in tow.
But just then, the clouds above scattered and the light of the moon shone on Mo Ran, silently casting a dark shadow at his feet.
The Fourth Ghost King didn't react right away, still grinning and quite pleased with the rare diversion he had just been treated to. He turned and gestured to the beauty at his side to feed him a grape.
The beauty peeled the fruit of its dark purple skin and held the succulent,
translucent flesh to the Fourth Ghost King's lips. The Fourth Ghost King was just about to open his mouth when he suddenly realized that something was off, and his head whipped back around with a fierce, "HOLD IT!" He stared at the shadow on the ground, then his gaze moved up slowly, inch by inch, until it was fixed on Mo Ran's face.
"...Why don't you take a look at what that is on the ground?" Looking down, Mo Ran abruptly discovered that there was actually a blurry shadow at his feet!
The Fourth Ghost King's lax, whimsical expression disappeared at once and his already long and narrow eyes narrowed further, flickering with something like that of a vulture just about to swoop toward its prey.
"How exactly did a living person like yourself get into Hell?"
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder