Chapter Text
It was dusk.
The Venerated Triad halted their discussion regarding the upcoming Baifeng Mountain Hunt.
If it were before, the meeting between the three sworn brothers would have lasted until at least a few days later; a month wasn't even an exaggeration. The discussion would be lighthearted yet serious, but wouldn't be as direct as a formal meeting. At night, Lan Xichen would have a lot of things to chat about with both Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue.
While Nie Mingjue could discuss Sect Official matters, he couldn't share his personal interests, since the man had no proficiency in Arts. However, with Jin Guangyao, he could discuss the visions of their cultivation world and share his interest in Arts. In addition, they were both similar in nature. Both were mild-tempered, with reserved gentlemanly vibes.
Today, while they maintained a congenial chat, it couldn't be as genuine as it would have been before.
What issues to talk about?
Envisioning the cultivation world together?
Or was it inquiring about the Jin Sect's future target of framing to be exact?
Without pleasantries and friendly chatting by candlelight, the discussion time was significantly reduced, and a large part of the topics were resolved in a day.
Since it was dusk, the meeting was adjourned temporarily. Nie Mingjue ushered the 2 sworn brothers to have their dinner. Their guest quarters had also been arranged in the Unclean Realm. Unexpectedly, Lan Xichen politely refused both hospitality.
"Let's have a banquet another time, DaGe. I won't spend the night in Qinghe either. I need to go to a nighthunt."
"Nighthunt?" Nie Mingjue was surprised. "What kind of difficult case do you need to hurry? Xichen, you're not bitten by a snake once and getting startled by ropes for the rest of your life, are you?" He gave a side-eye to a certain Third Brother.
Jin Guangyao, who was cued, didn't seem angry but merely wore a helpless, penitent look.
"Don't worry, our Nie Clan will respect their guests to the utmost discretion. If you're worried, we can re-inspect the quarter carefully once again." Nie Mingjue offered his guarantee.
Lan Xichen laughed instead. "Rest assured, there is no such thing, DaGe. The nighthunt is not a difficult case either, it's just that Wei-Gongzi is there, so I will come and accompany him."
Nie Mingjue was even more surprised. "Isn't there Wei Ying? Why do you have to hurry then?"
Lan Xichen, "Uhh..."
Jin Guangyao, "..."
Nie Huaisang, who had just returned and had accidentally overheard the conversation, "..."
'DaGe, it is exactly because there is Wei Wuxian that he wants to hurry!'
Lan Xichen could only smile modestly and replied, "Indeed. There is Wei-Gongzi, so I will have no worries. But one more person is one more person to help, after all. There isn't anything wrong with better preparation."
Nie Mingjue thought what he said made sense. So he could only nod and bid him farewell.
Left behind with only the bad-tempered Nie Mingjue, Jin Guangyao had also cleverly made his way to approach the Nie Second Young Master. Starting to give him the fan he had as a gift, and talking about his other interests.
After Shuoyue could no longer be seen on the horizon, Nie Huaisang finally snickered from the side.
"Tsk, married men are indeed different. When single, they can drink with their brothers all night, but after marriage, they can't wait to hurry home every night. Don't you think so, San-Ge?"
Jin Guangyao smiled. "Is that so? I don't know about that."
In his life, he was more familiar with married men who hurried to the Brothel every night instead of going home.
His eyes flickered slightly. "But it's indeed a surprise. I didn't expect ErGe to be so smitten with Wei-Gongzi."
Nie Huaisang nodded in agreement. "That never had been in my imagination either."
Until today, Nie Huaisang still couldn't accept the reality that Xichen-Gege, who was like another elder brother to him, had actually married his former classmate, with whom he used to mess around in his teens.
Or to be more honest, he thought the one who would end up bagging that classmate of his should be Hanguang-Jun. Who would have thought the pitiful young man was intercepted by the older brother instead?
Thinking about it, Nie Huaisang couldn't help but lament in his heart, 'It's really a Double Jade. Even their taste in person is identical!'
"A married man is indeed different."
Lan Xichen let out a quiet sigh and guided Shuoyue toward the village he had visited that morning.
They had only been apart for a single day, yet his thoughts drifted back to a certain young man time and again.
It wasn't as if they had never spent a day apart before. During their time in the Cloud Recesses, such occasions had not been uncommon. But this was the first time they had gone their separate ways while staying in different places.
During the discussion earlier, his attention had remained on the matters at hand, though once the meeting ended and the conversation turned to lighter subjects, his thoughts inevitably began to wander.
When he drank the tea:
A scene had flashed by in his mind. It was from another pleasant night he'd spent in the Hanshi. Back then, Wei Wuxian had excitedly offered, "Zewu-Jun, let me brew the tea for you! I'll show you the tea-brewing skill I've hidden from the rest of the world!"
Of course, the end product from the hidden skill tasted the same as the commonly found Pu'erh Tea should. Though Lan Xichen had praised him with a smile, "It is indeed a tea brewed by a hidden skill. Extraordinarily fragrant and exceptionally sweet."
The fragrance, he said, was from the young man's, and the sweetness was coming from his own heart.
When eating the prepared meals, his attention was immediately attracted to a pot of Dongpo Pork. The meat was coated in a thick savory sauce with a rich aroma, looking juicy and tender. He thought that, with this kind of food, Wei Wuxian would have joyfully devoured them at sight.
So he shamelessly raised his request, "DaGe, may I trouble the Cook here to pack me some portion of Dongpo Pork to bring home?"
Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao, who were in the middle of their meals, almost dropped their chopsticks from the shock.
Since when did Lan Xichen become so uninhibited, asking to pack meals from another Sect's feast!
Lan Xichen was either unaware or uncaring of their astonished gaze, but he kept eating his own bland lunch consisting of pickles, tofu soup, and other stir-fried vegetables.
He was still wondering in his mind, 'It is noon, has Wei-Gongzi eaten his lunch yet? Is there a nearby tavern or the like where they can buy meals in the Village? I forgot to check before. Alas... perhaps next time I should pack some snacks or fruit before he goes nighthunting. In case there isn't any place to eat in the location.'
After lunch that day, when they were presented with confectionery in the afternoon:
Lan Xichen's focus had yet again been attracted to something else. Among the refreshments delivered to their tables were colorful glutinous rice balls. His attention was directed to a scarlet ball mixed with roses. Its translucent skin and chewy texture instantly reminded him of another crimson, moist, and chewy texture...in a sensual context.
Seeing Lan Xichen looking so intently at the glutinous rice balls, Nie Mingjue thought he would ask to pack some to take home again.
So he considerately asked first, "Does the glutinous rice cakes taste good? If you wish, I will tell the Cooks to pack them along with the dish before."
Lan Xichen took the scarlet-colored ball and nibbled on it carefully. He nodded and responded, "Yes. It is really...delectable." His eyelids were lowered slightly, gazing at the half-chewed scarlet glutinous cake.
"If you may please, I would like to have some packed."
Nie Mingjue, "..."
It was truly a mess.
Standing upon Shuoyue, Lan Xichen silently covered his face in his mind.
Perhaps his Uncle had been right.
He truly ought to exercise greater restraint and stop indulging his own desires.
Well.
He would definitely try to restrain himself.
Later.
For now, let's meet Wei-Gongzi first.
It was evening.
The GusuLan disciples stood with their muscles tensed. They were prepared to guard this Wei-Gongzi from being stolen by any wild cat outside while Zewu-Jun wasn't here.
However,
"Ahhhhhhh!"
The disciples jumped in fright.
Before they even realized what they were doing, they had all rushed toward Wei Wuxian.
One clung to his waist. Another wrapped both arms around his. Someone hugged his leg, while the rest grabbed whatever part of him they could, hiding behind the twenty-year-old cultivator.
"Amitabha...Amitabha...Buddha, DaoZu, any DaluoJinxian up there, please provide us with your blessing..." They murmured while closing their eyes tightly.
What pretty lady?
That was clearly a monster!
Even with their eyes tightly closed, they could still hear the steady sound of water dripping...and something heavy dragging itself across the ground.
Wei Wuxian was stunned to find every part of himself occupied by human ornaments. It was an open area. These disciples had nowhere to hide. At this time, they regarded Wei Wuxian as a tall mountain that could protect them from wind and rain.
"Hey, what are you all doing?" He tried shaking them off. "Let go."
The disciples didn't budge.
Instead, they held on even tighter, shaking their heads furiously.
Wei Wuxian clicked his tongue. "What kind of decency is this while facing a lady tsk tsk tsk...children."
Looking toward the figure ahead, he smiled apologetically. "My apologies for my family's children. They're just... somewhat timid."
There was no sound to reply for a while.
Until finally, a muffled, hoarse, and scratching voice was heard. "iT Is aLRigHT...ThEY mUSt HAve bEEn afRAId..."
The disciples tightened their hold even more.
"Hey..." Wei Wuxian sighed.
He flexed his muscles slightly, and in another second, he swung his arms and legs with unprecedented strength, swatting the disciples into the air.
"Alright, children." He clapped his hands. "Time for your nighthunt. Open your eyes properly and act like a man!"
"Who are your children!" They subconsciously retorted.
Someone in the group even grumbled softly, "I don't want to be a man, I am a fragile maiden now."
Even after being swatted aside, they still instinctively trotted back closer, about to surround Wei Wuxian again. However, looking at the half-smiling and half-threatening gaze of the senior, they stopped wisely at an appropriate distance. A few inches away from him.
After gaining their assurance, they finally braved themselves to face their visitor once again.
It was...probably a lady, as Wei Wuxian had said.
The body was bloated beyond recognition. The eyeball was about to burst out. Forget it, one of them already burst out and dangled on the supposed-to-be cheek. The hair was like seaweed and exuded a very fishy smell. The black veins underneath the skin were protruding and wriggling as if they were a creature on their own, crawling all over the place.
That's it.
The disciples couldn't bear to savor the image any longer and looked down, pretending to be obedient children.
"Wei-Gongzi, this lady is..." Instead of asking who this monster was, they followed the way Wei Wuxian had regarded her before.
Wei Wuxian smiled. "Why don't we let the lady introduce herself? Though I know who you are, but I still don't know the Lady's name."
The creature shifted slightly. "mY NAme iS...SOnG yi...dAUgHtER oF SonG JuREN..."
The disciples suddenly looked up. "The daughter of Song Juren? Wasn't that the other twin flowers of Xiao Ming's grandmother?"
"tWIn fLOWers? EhehehHEehHeheheHh..." The creature laughed strangely.
Wei Wuxian just smiled.
During the day, when he first saw the grandmother, he was surprised that he had to take a second look.
Because he saw this "lady" hovering around the grandmother, looking as if she were about to wrap tightly around her neck, but unable to get any closer. Indeed, like twin flowers.
Being entangled by a ferocious ghost, if such a thing happened normally, a human would definitely fall sick and be depleted of their Yang Qi. But Wei Wuxian also noticed some kind of protective charm on the Grandma's body. Protecting her from the evil ghost.
That's why he later told Xiao Ming, "Your grandfather must have treated her well."
Such an efficacious charm could only be provided by at least a second-rate Sect if not a Major Sect. To be able to equip his wife with such a precious tool from a Cultivator, but still unwilling to call a Cultivator to solve the River God, what else could it be called?
Must be true love.
I love you more than the other unimportant villagers.
The disciples turned their heads to look at Wei Wuxian and questioned, "Wei-Gongzi, you've seen her during the day? But why haven't we seen her?"
Wei Wuxian gave a cursory glance at them and replied, "Lady Song here is a Resentful Ghost. She is a resentful soul sustained by resentful energy. She has no real entities, unlike Fierce Corpses, Ghoul, or Yao. If she doesn't want to show herself, she won't be seen."
The disciples, "Then why can you see her?"
"Hmm? Are you sure you want to hear my answer?" Wei Wuxian curled his lip in a strange grin instead.
"Uh..."
The disciples inadvertently caught a glimpse of the jet-black Dizi hanging at his waist and were suddenly reminded of who this Senior in front of them was.
These past months, they had been interacting with Wei Wuxian normally. This Senior was even chattier and more approachable than others. They were able to converse with him casually like friends. So much so that they forgot what he was infamous for.
Wei Wuxian didn't mind the disciples' sudden awkwardness and began his queries instead.
"Is she the one who killed you?"
"YeS..."
Wei Wuxian asked her again, "Why did she kill you?"
"...jEAloUSy."
Song Yi then began to tell her story.
It was simply a cliche yet still tragic tale.
There had once been two maidens in the village, raised together like sisters.
One was Xiao Mei, the daughter of the wealthy Xiao Family. The other was Song Yi, daughter of the village's respected scholar, Song Juren. Both were renowned for their beauty and were accomplished in the Four Arts.
Many young men in the village had studied under Song Juren in hopes of one day passing the imperial examinations. Among them, the most outstanding was Wang Di. He was handsome, upright, and gentle by nature. His peers respected him, the younger generation admired him, and the village elders praised him without reservation. Naturally, he was also favored by countless young ladies.
As Song Juren's most trusted disciple, Wang Di frequently visited the Song residence. It was only natural that he became acquainted with the inseparable pair, Xiao Mei and Song Yi. In the beginning, they treated one another as elder brother and younger sisters. Whenever Wang Di returned from town, he would bring small gifts for the two girls and look after them with great kindness.
Seeing this, Song Juren became increasingly satisfied. He gradually decided that Wang Di would make an excellent husband for his daughter. Only Song Yi knew that Xiao Mei had long harbored feelings for him.
She tried repeatedly to persuade her father otherwise, but Song Juren refused to change his mind. Wang Di himself voiced no objection, and before long, the engagement was arranged. Unable to bear watching everything unfold, Song Yi finally sought Xiao Mei out.
As they often did, the two girls walked together along the riverside.
As usual, the two girls walked side by side along the riverside. However, whether out of a moment of anger or overwhelming sorrow, Xiao Mei suddenly shoved Song Yi with great force. She stumbled against the sharp stone embankment and collapsed. Before Xiao Mei realized what had happened, blood was already flowing from beneath the girl's body.
Song Yi died just like that.
However, that was not the end.
Overwhelmed by panic after accidentally killing someone, Xiao Mei no longer knew what to do. The only person she could think to turn to was Wang Di. When Wang Di arrived at the riverside and saw the already cold body of his betrothed, he let out a sorrowful sigh. Looking at Xiao Mei, who was weeping uncontrollably beside the corpse, he lamented,
"You are like this... what am I supposed to do? Song Yi is as important to me as you are... the two of you are like my younger sisters... and now you've accidentally caused her to..."
If news of the accidental killing spread, Xiao Mei's reputation would be utterly ruined.
After a long silence, Wang Di finally said, "Song Yi cherished you like a younger sister. She would understand that you never intended to harm her. If she knew you were suffering under everyone's condemnation, she would be saddened even in the Underworld. Listen to me. I have a way to preserve both your reputations."
Thus, Wang Di cleaned up the scene of the murder. He tied heavy stones to Song Yi's body and sank her into the deepest part of the river. The poor maiden never received a proper burial. Instead, she was mercilessly abandoned beneath the cold, murky waters, where resentment gradually took root.
There had long been a legend in the village about the River God.
Wang Di himself never believed such a deity truly existed.
Thus, he conceived an idea.
Perhaps Heaven itself favored them that day. Heavy rain poured down, and fierce winds swept across the river—a most fitting spectacle for the descent of a god.
The following day, word spread throughout the village that the River God had demanded a new kind of sacrifice. A beautiful virgin maiden. Song Yi, the daughter of Song Juren, had become the River God's first offering.
Wang Di concluded, "This way, your reputation will remain intact. No one will gossip about Song Yi's death, nor will her name be tarnished. The only villain will be the River God."
Thus, the murder was concealed.
Several years later, Wang Di passed the Scholar Examination. Although he failed to become a Jinshi, he still earned the title of Juren. When he returned to the village in celebration, Xiao Mei had yet to marry. She was deeply shaken by the guilt of taking a life.
Having always been close like brother and sister, Wang Di could not bear to watch the once lively girl waste away from illness, confined to her bed day after day. His years of care and kindness gradually gave Xiao Mei the courage to continue living. In time, the affection between brother and sister quietly transformed into that between a man and a woman.
In the end, Wang Di married into the Xiao Family.
He loved only one wife, Xiao Mei, until the end of his life. Their marriage was blessed with great fortune. A humble scholar married the daughter of a wealthy family, and even their third son later attained the rank of Jinshi and was honored with a position in the Hanlin Academy.
For decades, they buried that secret deep within their hearts.
And for decades, the tradition of offering human sacrifices to the River God continued.
GusuLan disciples, "..."
I have an urge to curse, but I lack vocabulary for cursing...what should I do?
One of them let out a derisive snort. "How touching. Their love was so deep that countless innocent young maidens had to be sacrificed to become the foundation of it. Even the innocent River God had to shoulder the crime without ever knowing."
If this were one of those cheap romance stories, the readers would probably wipe away tears and sigh:
"Ah... Wang Di must have suffered so much. On one side were Xiao Mei and Song Yi, the two girls he cherished like younger sisters. On the other, Xiao Mei had accidentally killed Song Yi..."
"His heart must have been torn between guilt and affection. In the end, he chose to protect both of their reputations and bury the truth forever."
"Xiao Mei wasn't at fault. She never meant to kill Song Yi. She only pushed her in a moment of anger. Who could have expected the rocks by the riverbank to be so sharp?"
"Xiao Mei was so overcome with remorse that she fell gravely ill. Song Yi was already dead. The living still had to live. Rather than ruin everyone's reputation, Wang Di simply found the best solution."
"Besides, the River God had accepted offerings for centuries without ever appearing. If the River God truly existed, shouldn't he have shown himself and stopped the sacrifices? Since he never did, perhaps it was his own fault. Maybe he even enjoyed the offerings."
"Poor Wang Di... Every year he had to watch another innocent girl die, while that irresponsible River God remained silent, as though acquiescing to the slaughter."
"Bound by guilt and grief, Wang Di and Xiao Mei gradually became each other's solace. Compassion turned into love."
"'Let me carry this sin to my grave alone...' he said, placing a protective talisman upon his beloved wife."
"What a tragic love story..."
Covering up the murder would be seen as a sign of helplessness.
Continuing the human sacrifice with a guilty conscience would be seen as deep love laced with guilt and sorrow.
The resuming barbaric tradition and the unjust death of 50 maidens would be blamed entirely on the River God, who failed to react adequately upon being framed.
Wei Wuxian commented blandly, "What a pair of Scumbags."
'That's it! That's right!'
The other disciples nodded vigorously.
The creature, Song Yi, laughed in a strange gurgling voice.
It immediately brought the disciples back to their senses and drew them closer to Wei Wuxian once again.
They asked carefully, "Then...then, Lady Song...you are here, do you want to get revenge on that grandma, Xiao Mei?"
Wei Wuxian shook his head. "You don't want her to die, do you?"
The disciples were surprised. "Huh? She...has been killed like this, why did she not want revenge?"
Wei Wuxian glanced at them. "Have you seen any Xiao family members lacking hands and feet?"
The disciples tried to recall. "...No? But what's the relation?"
"Oh!" One of the disciples finally realized. "The mons, cough, Lady Song could not harm Grandma Xiao due to the protective charm, but she could have harmed other Xiao family members! Yet none of them had any accident throughout these years..."
"Correct." Wei Wuxian nodded and turned his attention back to Song Yi. "Tell me, what is your wish?"
The expression on the monster's face contorted slightly. She should be sad right now. But for the disciples, her face just became even more frightening.
Song Yi uttered quietly, "...i...I oNCe REAd a bOOk. tHE CAse tOld iN the BooK is SiMIlar to MIne. ThEY SAid if tHE ghOSt dECIded tO hARm thE HUman, wHEN tHe ImMortAl CUltivaToRs cOMe, tHEY wiLL StILL bLAMe thE GhOST anD eXcusE the HuMAns."
The disciples fell silent.
It was indeed true.
No matter which cultivator came, if they found out an Evil Ghost had harmed the Xiao Family, their first reaction was to get rid of this ghost.
Lan-Xiansheng, Lan Qiren, had taught the disciples that the order of exorcism was Liberation-Suppression-Elimination.
Elimination was chosen when the crime of Evil Spirits was unpardonable. Their resentment couldn't be liberated or suppressed except by shedding blood. Therefore, elimination.
However, Cultivators would rarely follow this route. As long as they found out there was an Evil Spirit, it was immediately their target of elimination. So what if the Evil Spirit harmed the human because the human was in the wrong? Cultivators would subconsciously side with their fellow humans.
The disciples sighed in respect.
This young lady, Song Yi, was really virtuous. Even after becoming an Evil Spirit, she still retained her awareness. She knew how to restrain herself.
"...iF I HArmeD theM tHEY wiLL bE eXcUSEd aNd PItiEd iNSteaD..."
The disciples nodded. That was most likely the case.
"——I wANt tHeIr PrEDecessOr's CriMe tO BE knOWn aND LET thEIr dEsCendAnts BeAR the ConsEQuences, AtOnIng to ThOse 50 sACrifICed maIdens!"
The disciples were also nodding. Naturally, the perpetrator should bear the consequences.
"——I waNT thEIR xIAO famILY to bE oVErturNEd aND faLL fROm GrACe coMplETely!!"
The disciples, "??"
The Resentful Ghost Lady Song finally bared her already hideous mouth.
"——sInCe XiAO Mei RELied oN her STaTus to cOMMit murDER jusTIFiably, ThEn I wANt her XIAO FamiLy to NeVer be ReCovered Ever AGain!!!"
The disciples, "..."
Fine, the respect from before should be revised.
This lady, Song Yi, was indeed a very AWARE, vengeful ghost!
Very much aware of the current affair, she knew how to lie and wait like a gentleman who planned for revenge for decades!
Wei Wuxian still had a smile on his face.
"I understand." He said. "We will try our best to reveal the case and let the perpetrator bear the sin as they should. Of course, they must also compensate the families whose daughters were cruelly killed under the falsified sacrifice."
Song Yi studied him closely, as though trying to determine whether this cultivator was merely comforting her or genuinely speaking the truth.
Then she remembered why she had come to greet this group of cultivators that night.
It was because she had a hunch they were exactly the people she had been waiting for.
Earlier that day, she had seen the group's leader notice her immediately. To her surprise, he had merely smiled before walking away, never mentioning that Grandma Xiao was being haunted by an evil ghost. Later, she had even heard him remark, "The other flower of the twin flowers must have been a beautiful young lady herself."
Song Yi had been stunned.
After all, whether in life or in death, what woman would not be delighted to hear someone sincerely call her beautiful?
And so, on impulse, she seized this chance to reveal herself before him and the other cultivators.
"Will you wait until the case is solved," Wei Wuxian asked, "or are you willing to enter reincarnation today?"
"...mAY I waIT unTiL I SeE tHe rESult?" Song Yi replied.
Wei Wuxian nodded. "Of course. Your existence itself is proof of the Xiao Family's crimes. Later, another cultivator proficient in Inquiry will investigate the matter thoroughly. Before such a technique, no soul can lie. Your testimony will carry far greater weight."
The monster-like lady curled its body in a gruesome posture. She was actually bowing in gratitude. "This lady, Song Yi, thanks these esteemed Cultivators immensely."
The disciples, "!!?"
"So you can speak normally!"
Song Yi giggled at their surprised faces. The monster-like body trembled in a spine-chilling sight.
Wei Wuxian snickered. "Lady Song is obviously teasing you, children. That's why I told you not to be so frightened."
Song Yi was, after all, a Resentful Ghost. As a ghost, it was her nature to frighten humans who seemed to be terrified by her. The more scared humans were, the stronger the Evil Ghost's influence would be. The more depleted their Yang Qi would be. Consequently, even the Three Flames on their head and shoulders might get snuffed out. Hence, the death through evil haunting.
That's the reason why people shouldn't show their fear in front of evil spirits.
They fed on negative emotions, like fear, from human hearts, after all.
Wei Wuxian decided afterward, "When Zewu-Jun arrives later, I'll suggest adding a new lesson—all of you should have training to get acquainted with pretty ladies and handsome brothers from several tombs. Be prepared to have this course in the near future."
The disciples wailed in their hearts.
They absolutely refused to grace their presence in front of what Wei Wuxian referred to as "Pretty Ladies" and "Handsome Brothers".
It was very much obvious that their sense of aesthetics was completely different.
They tried to retort, "How do you know Zewu-Jun will come later? Doesn't he have an important discussion in Qinghe?"
Wei Wuxian just smiled meaningfully. "It is an instinct. Only married men would understand."
The disciples, "..."
But they still tried to struggle,
"Wei-Gongzi, even if you tell Zewu-Jun, how can it be easy to decide on a strange course all of a sudden? Lan-Xiansheng will not agree."
Wei Wuxian smirked. "Oh? Is that so? Then I'll simply tell Zewu-Jun that his juniors were so frightened they clung all over me for protection. Surely he wouldn't want the gallant disciples of Gusu Lan to behave like frightened little chicks."
The disciples, "..."
Ah.
Zewu-Jun would definitely agree then.
Due to a completely different reason.
That night, the Xiao Family slept in contentment for the last time.
As tomorrow, their family would be pulled down entirely from their decades of glory.
After resolving the real sickening reason behind the sacrificial offerings, the disciples suddenly smacked their thighs as they realized,
"Judging from the facts before us, this so-called River God never existed. No wonder the Evil Compass detected nothing."
"Tsk." One of the disciples sighed in disappointment. "And here I was getting excited about hunting a Dragon with Wei-Gongzi."
They had thought that, since Wei Wuxian had once slain the Xuanwu of Slaughter alongside Hanguang-Jun, perhaps today they would have the chance to fight another legendary beast at his side.
Back then, Hanguang-Jun had only been seventeen when he slew the Xuanwu. Today, they were also seventeen. Unable to help themselves, they had secretly indulged in a bit of wishful thinking.
Alas, it turned out, no Dragon caught in sight, but a pair of Scumbags were uprooted instead.
Wei Wuxian suddenly said, "Who said there is no River God?"
"Huh? But, weren't all these sacrifices just man-made lies?"
"Oh!" The disciples recalled something. "Wait a minute, the flood punishment and the drought that happened in the past decades!"
They looked at Wei Wuxian as if confirming their conjecture, "There certainly exists a River God! Wait, doesn't that mean the human sacrifice really was received by the River God?"
If this were the case, then the River God would also be considered problematic.
Even though it didn't start asking for sacrifice, it became the recipient and enjoyed the benefits of the lies.
Wei Wuxian still shook his head at this. "The flood and drought are just natural disasters. There's a climate cycle that occurs every few years, resulting in either heavy rains or long droughts. If you look at the map, you will see this village is located in a hundred-year floodplain. The ground is suitable for rice paddies because it's formed from the sedimentation of materials brought by thousands of years of floods. Isn't this why I brought you to walk around the village before?"
"Oh..." The disciples recalled their leisurely strolling around the village in the day.
They exclaimed, "So it wasn't just you playing around to tire us out? Or finding a new target to get snacks from?"
"Of course not!" Wei Wuxian laughed in exasperation.
"I brought you all here so you could examine the local geography!" Wei Wuxian smacked each of them on the back in turn. "That's why I keep telling you, GusuLan disciples—stop burying your heads in tedious theories and memorizing the Hundred Family Surnames. Read something actually useful for your nighthunts instead!"
The disciples bent forward, feigning an exaggerated impact from the smack, while grumbling, "If we don't memorize them, how are we supposed to pass Lan-Xiansheng's monthly exam?"
In the end, they still curiously asked Wei Wuxian again, "If the flood and drought are just natural disasters. Then, why did you say there really is a River God?"
Wei Wuxian raised his brows. "Haven't the Xiao Family told us?"
The disciples, "Weren't they lying?"
Wei Wuxian, "What the Family Head said may not be a lie."
Recalling what the family head, Xiao Junqi, had said before, they exclaimed, "The Snake Demon!"
"Half correct!" Wei Wuxian snapped his finger. "It may indeed have a silhouette similar to a snake, but it should not be a Snake Demon. Okay, why don't you tell me what creature it may be?"
The disciples looked at each other and shouted in unison again, "JiaoLong!"
"Well done! Correct answer." Wei Wuxian clapped and grinned in praise.
JiaoLong was both a Dragon and not a real Dragon(Long). Dragons were divine creatures just like the Mythical Beasts of the 4 Directions, Xuanwu, QiongQi, BaiHu, and Taowu. The difference lay in the body shape. JiaoLong had the appearance of both a fish and a snake. A tiger-like head, a fish-like scaly body, and a snake tail, with four legs and 2 pairs of claws. Unlike the Divine Dragons, who had horns on their heads, Jiaolong had no horns.
They usually lived in seclusion underwater, either in caves beneath ponds, creeks, or rivers.
If they succeeded in their cultivation, they would soar to the Sky or float through the rivers to the Sea, finally turning into real Dragons.
The disciples exclaimed, "What the 1st generation of the Village Head told in the legend was true all along! He saw a fish leaping through the Dragon Gate and turned into a Dragon. It was the JiaoLong's first transformation hundreds of years ago!"
Another also said, "And what Xiao Junqi saw, a snake-like creature lingering in the clouds above the river, was also true. It should be the JiaoLong coming out from its seclusion every once in a while, and was accidentally seen by him!"
Wei Wuxian nodded. "That's right. And if you look at the map once again, this village is located in the northern part of Gusu. Upward there will be Lanling. But before Lanling, there is also a small but old Temple upstream of this river's tributaries."
The disciples recalled the nearby Temple and understood. "Ah! BaiXue Temple."
"From ancient times to the present, the chance for JiaoLong to gain enlightenment can either be from an Immortal's blessing, accidentally consumed, or occupying a precious Spiritual Treasure of Heaven and Earth, or..." Wei Wuxian deliberately halted his words.
The disciples had their eyes brightened as they caught the clue. "——Or being enlightened by Taoist or Buddhist Scriptures reading!"
"So that's it..." They sighed with wonder.
One of them also thought out loud, "Oh...so Mr. JiaoLong here might be a Buddhist Dragon..."
Wei Wuxian started to nag them in a chastising manner, "Correct! Now, Mr. JiaoLong has been pitifully framed and may be burdened by a karma he doesn't even know about. Even you, Children, almost accused him wrongly before! Why don't you apologize to him?"
The Disciples looked down with a guilty conscience.
Almost, the innocent JiaoLong, who knew nothing, was almost implicated by a sin other Scumbags had put on his head.
There was another characteristic of a JiaoLong. While this creature lived mostly in seclusion, it had a very bad temper! If humans or other creatures disturbed its tranquility, they would retaliate with terrifying ferocity.
Had some righteous cultivators arrived instead, the moment they encountered the resentful ghost Song Yi, they would likely have exorcised her without a second thought, never learning the true chain of cause and effect. Afterward, following the clues to the river, they would have sought justice by surrounding the unsuspecting—yet ill-tempered—Jiaolong. The innocent Jiaolong would then be branded a bloodthirsty monster and condemned to death.
The Jiaolong had secluded itself within the river for centuries. Though powerful and fierce by nature, it had never harmed a single human. Yet one day, a band of self-proclaimed heroes would come knocking at its door, determined to slay the Dragon.
All because a pair of scumbags had plastered the title of "evil demon" upon its head.
How unjust would that Jiaolong have felt?
If it were truly slain in the end, just how much undeserved grievance would it carry into death?
The disciples couldn't help but feel culpable. They looked at Wei Wuxian again, seeking advice. "Then...what should we do to apologize and compensate Mr. JiaoLong?"
Wei Wuxian suddenly grinned widely. "Since Mr. JiaoLong got enlightened through Buddhist Scriptures, then you all should recite scriptures here for him!"
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This was exactly the scene that Lan Xichen saw when he arrived here at Haishi.
Lan Xichen, "???"
What happened?
The young disciples were kneeling, seriously facing the calm river. In their hands were the Buddhist Scriptures.
Under the clear Sky of July, with the millions of stars sprinkled throughout the night sky,
The sound of their chanting carried on the soft summer breeze, creating a scene of tranquility...
——If only there was no Wei Wuxian cracking the boiled peanuts in the background, that is.