Chapter 113#
An Wuxue was indeed a little torn.
But Jiang Qing had already spoken, and the man had just been offended by him and then helped him; for the sake of reason and politeness, it wouldn’t be good for him to say anything more.
He simply laughed it off.
But Xie Zhefeng’s face grew even more unsightly.
Immortal Venerable Chu Han rarely smiled to begin with. The Falling Moon Peak disciples guarding the secret prison had been standing with their backs straight ever since they saw him from a distance, afraid he might suddenly walk over—they didn’t even dare to move now.
With Xie Zhefeng looking so dark, those disciples were all trembling in fear.
An Wuxue frowned and quickly said to Jiang Qing: “Fellow Daoist Jiang, if there is urgent business, you can send me a sound transmission. I have matters to discuss with the Immortal Venerable regarding what I learned from Qu Wenxin, so I’ll be taking my leave first.”
When he mentioned sound transmission to Jiang Qing, Xie Zhefeng’s lips moved as if to speak, but hearing the next sentence about leaving with him, the man’s expression softened slightly.
In the next moment, Xie Zhefeng directly used his spiritual energy to pull him away.
The City Lord’s manor was vast, but for a Long-Life Immortal, it was only a few moments’ walk.
An Wuxue didn’t even have time to hear Jiang Qing’s farewell properly before the courtyard full of plum blossoms came into view.
Kun Kun was startled by their sudden appearance and immediately stood up, letting out a “Whine!”
In North Abyss, the deep winter snow wouldn’t melt until early summer. The thick snow on the ground was covered in Kun Kun’s paw prints.
The light was dim, and the lanterns in the courtyard swayed in the wind, illuminating the gloom on the Immortal Venerable’s face, making him look like the only dark cloud beneath a clear sky.
An Wuxue had clearly already landed and was standing still, yet the man still held his wrist, refusing to let go.
He felt more confused than displeased, so he didn’t immediately throw the man off.
He let out a long sigh and asked: “Was there something I did during the interrogation of Qu Wenxin today that overstepped my bounds or the rules, making Junior Brother unhappy?”
Xie Zhefeng was slightly stunned.
His eyes flickered, and the gloom instantly vanished. He said hurriedly: “I am happy as long as Senior Brother is not angry with me. How could I be angry with you? It’s because of that Jiang Qing—”
Because of that Jiang Qing what?
Xie Zhefeng didn’t know how to say it.
He felt an indescribable sense of suffocation and distress.
His stubborn inner demons were already seizing the opportunity, arrogantly tempting him in his sea of consciousness.
He finally managed to suppress the violence that shouldn’t belong to him and regained his reason, but as he opened his mouth, he realized he no longer had the standing or right to interfere in such matters.
He had been afraid before that An Wuxue would make him forget his love and push him away.
Now he was afraid that in An Wuxue’s long life, another person’s shadow would enter—and that person wouldn’t be him.
But if that person wasn’t him… what could he do?
He was his junior brother.
And only his junior brother.
Even the bond between fellow disciples was a hard-won relationship that had only been restored after a thousand years had flashed by.
Xie Zhefeng couldn’t continue.
But his eyes grew darker, and his grip on An Wuxue’s wrist grew tighter.
An Wuxue was even more confused.
For a moment, he thought Xie Zhefeng was feeling aggrieved.
But how could Xie Zhefeng be aggrieved?
His head was full of inexplicable questions, so he could only say: “I told you last night that I was taking Jiang Qing with me to interrogate Qu Wenxin.”
The person before him lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes a bit red.
Just then, Kun Kun trotted to An Wuxue’s feet and rubbed against his ankle.
An Wuxue pulled away from Xie Zhefeng and bent down to pick up the little creature, who was too lazy even to fly, from the snow, smoothing its fur.
He said calmly: “Junior Brother, follow me inside. I indeed have important matters to discuss with you.”
He turned, opened the door, and walked into the house with Kun Kun in his arms.
Just like back then.
The door left open instantly soothed Xie Zhefeng, and the words “follow me inside” knocked down the inner demon that had fought with him for eight hundred years in his sea of consciousness.
The hostility in his eyes vanished completely, and he silently followed him into the house.
The door closed.
With a wave of his hand, Xie Zhefeng summoned warm fire essences throughout the bedroom.
The light from the fire essences, combined with the natural light pouring in from the window, fell on An Wuxue’s profile, bringing light into Xie Zhefeng’s heart.
He suppressed the urge to keep questioning about Jiang Qing and said: “What did Qu Wenxin say?”
An Wuxue had intended to discuss this, but as he spoke, he hesitated.
Where should he begin?
He had originally intended to ask Qu Wenxin directly about the Heartless Curse, but before that, he had learned of Immortal Venerable Nan He’s identity before joining Falling Moon. The resulting information was completely beyond his expectations.
With a thousand tangled threads, he decided to give up on sorting them and instead asked Xie Zhefeng: “In the secret prison today, Jiang Qing told me quite a lot. He mentioned it briefly in front of you just now. Do you have anything you want to ask?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm?” An Wuxue was all ears.
“Does Senior Brother have someone he loves?”
“…?”
Kun Kun rolled over on the tea table, lying on its back, its round eyes turning first to An Wuxue on the left and then to Xie Zhefeng on the right.
“Whine…”
What is all this nonsense?
Under Xie Zhefeng’s gaze, An Wuxue said in both confusion and anger: “Immortal Venerable, what I have to tell you is an important matter concerning the two realms.”
Xie Zhefeng’s eyes flickered.
“I…”
An Wuxue realized.
In the past, he was the one whose heart and mind were full of the person before him.
Now that he was no longer willing to touch matters of love, this person had become his past self.
Fate truly knew how to tell a joke.
He gave a self-deprecating curl of his lips and ignored the man, continuing: “Do you recall that aside from the Immortal Venerables who take the throne, the names of all Falling Moon Peak disciples are in the records?”
The man seemed to be studying his expression, nodding cautiously: “Yes. My name in the records is my title and my sword’s name.”
—Chu Han.
“Centuries ago, Jiang Qing found a spiritual pouch from roughly a thousand years ago in the depths of the Black Sea. Inside were some Falling Moon and array path inheritances, as well as a shattered Falling Moon disciple jade plate. The name on the plate was—Qu Wendao.”
Xie Zhefeng snapped back to his senses, frowning: “There is no such name in the records… surnamed Qu?”
An Wuxue nodded: “Yes. So it can be confirmed that Qu Wendao was… Master. And from Qu Wenxin’s mouth, I learned about Master’s past in North Abyss when he was Qu Wendao. He…”
“…”
The sky grew darker and darker.
Another light breeze swept through the plum courtyard. At the moment it was plunged into darkness, several lanterns lit up.
A clear voice could be heard faintly from within the room, but it was trapped within the countless plum trees by the barrier, along with those past events, buried deep in the bone-chilling snow.
Kun Kun was bored inside and walked to the lantern shaped like itself hanging by An Wuxue’s bed, poking the lotus lantern beside it repeatedly.
An unknown amount of time passed.
An Wuxue informed Xie Zhefeng of everything, only omitting the matter of the Heartless Curse.
He hadn’t received a message from Qu Jizhi yet, and until the cure for the curse was certain, he didn’t intend to let Xie Zhefeng know of its existence on his soul, to avoid complications.
Xie Zhefeng listened throughout.
Initially, he had seemed somewhat distracted, repeatedly making indirect mentions of Jiang Qing. But as he heard about the broken sword and the myriad connections with the Qu clan, his expression grew increasingly serious.
Once An Wuxue finished, he asked: “The path to ascension was destroyed, but the mastermind told Qu Wenxin a thousand years ago—that you were an anomaly.”
Xie Zhefeng was indeed the only person to ascend after the four Heavenly Pillars collapsed.
“I recall you also telling me before, that your killing of me…”
His voice trailed off.
Xie Zhefeng’s expression tightened instantly.
They had actually already discussed the sword strike that had taken An Wuxue’s life force.
But ultimately, it remained a thorn in An Wuxue’s heart that could never be removed, and mentioning it always brought a sense of sorrow.
An Wuxue lowered his eyes, silent for a moment. Once he had calmed himself, he used a look to stop Xie Zhefeng from speaking and continued: “You said you killed me because you were controlled by an inner demon. I wanted to ask you more about it then, but so many things happened afterward that I forgot.”
“Since you already had an inner demon during your lightning tribulation, how did you ascend? Was there anything special about it?”
That he could ask this proved that he had truly begun to treat the person before him as his one and only junior brother again.
But after speaking, he still felt a hollow, aching pain in his chest.
It was as if the pain of that sword strike had transcended life and death and crossed the years; even with a new body, it remained engraved in his heart.
The reason he had been unwilling to mention it much was because discussing it meant laying bare his most pathetic moment.
Ultimately, he couldn’t be a saint who was untroubled by his past.
But with important business before him, An Wuxue knew the priorities and finally stopped avoiding it.
He wondered how Xie Zhefeng would mention that sentence, “deserved your fate.”
Inner demons and the Heartless Curse could influence his junior brother’s state of mind, but they couldn’t have swung that sword for him.
In this moment, he thought of many things for the first time in a while.
A jumble of thoughts flashed through his mind; it was only an instant, yet to him it felt as if an age had passed.
He could only wait.
But after waiting a long time, An Wuxue saw Xie Zhefeng look pained as he began to speak slowly and with difficulty: “I… was an inner demon…”
An Wuxue was startled. “You’ve said those words before—”
He cut himself off abruptly.
The snow lotus sword sigil on Xie Zhefeng’s brow suddenly flickered into existence, wreathed in swirling dark energy. It was an omen that his heart demon was growing overwhelmingly powerful!
An Wuxue quickly stood up, stepped around the tea table, and walked to Xie Zhefeng’s side.
“Shidi!?”
The man looked up at him in a daze, his eyes misty and tinged with red, his gaze filled with agony.
“Shixiong…” He suddenly grabbed An Wuxue’s wrist.
A cold chill surrounded them. An Wuxue had just been thinking about the icy coldness of that sword strike; now, he jumped in surprise and instinctively tried to pull his hand back.
Xie Zhefeng grew even more panicked and lunged forward, pulling him into a hug.
“Xie Zhefeng!”
An Wuxue stood before him, unable to retreat.
Xie Zhefeng remained seated by the tea table, leaning against him.
The man called out again: “Shixiong…”
“Let go.”
“Shixiong, I was wrong…”
Xie Zhefeng’s eyes brimmed with tears instantly.
The surrounding spiritual energy surged violently, sending the snow outside flying and plum blossoms falling. Even the barrier An Wuxue had set up began to crack.
The heart demon was surfacing; his spiritual power was out of control.
Yet, this chaotic immortal energy completely bypassed An Wuxue, the person closest to him.
Clearly, he was past the point of caring for anything, yet he still remembered not to hurt him.
Standing to the side, An Wuxue’s anger faded slightly.
He realized he was worried.
Merely discussing the past in detail was enough to make this man’s long-dormant heart demon spiral to this extent.
An Wuxue felt a sting in his nose. “I’ve already decided to face this calmly, so what are you doing? I’m the one who died, yet here I am, having to worry about you being sad over my death?”
“Xianzun,” he murmured, “I’m the one who was wronged…”
“Shixiong…” Xie Zhefeng had lost his senses, only able to call out to him with a sob.
An Wuxue looked away, no longer watching his shidi.
A moment passed.
The surrounding spiritual energy became increasingly turbulent.
An Wuxue composed himself, intending to call Kunkun over to help him enter Xie Zhefeng’s soul to see if he could help suppress the heart demon.
But the man’s breath suddenly hitched. He jerked his head away and spat out a mouthful of blood.
The rampaging energy finally steadied.
In an instant, the heart demon subsided.
Clarity gradually returned to Xie Zhefeng’s eyes, though he still seemed dazed.
He was still trapped in the memories of that year.
An Wuxue pressed two fingers together, gathering spiritual power and focusing his divine sense at his brow, ready to strike if Xie Zhefeng lost control again.
But the man only shook his head in pain.
“Don’t worry, I… I know what I’m doing…”
“That day, the day I ascended… it was… it was because of the heart demon, but not just because of it. I seemed to be…” His voice went hoarse instantly. “I ascended by slaying my heart demon to break the tribulation. Once the tribulation clouds dispersed, I… I only remembered that I had held my sword and killed… you. That I said you got what you deserved…”
His pupils trembled. He hurriedly looked up, clutching An Wuxue’s sleeve as he gazed at his shixiong in a panic. “I… I truly didn’t mean it. Everything is my fault, but I can’t explain it. It’s my fault… my fault for being controlled by the heart demon and losing my memories…”
“—You lost your memories?”
An Wuxue cut him off abruptly.
Xie Zhefeng froze and nodded. “Yes, I can’t remember clearly…”
The snow lotus sword sigil on his brow flickered, tinged with black.
“I remember the heart demon acting up during my ascension. I clearly severed it… Afterward, I eliminated it and came to find you, but you were already—”
Xie Zhefeng’s breathing began to quicken again.
Thinking back to that year, that day, that moment—it was like an avalanche on a high mountain; the heavy, crushing cold bore down on him.
The pain fed the heart demon. It had already nearly surfaced earlier because of Jiang Qing, and now, it was like adding fuel to the fire, spiraling completely out of control.
It hurts.
It hurts so much.
The snow in the courtyard swirled again.
Spiritual energy swept through the room, overturning the table and chairs.
Xie Zhefeng suddenly coughed up a mouthful of black blood.
In the moment his spiritual power surged—
An Wuxue’s expression sharpened, and he prepared to act.
But the man raised his own hand, rapidly tapping several major acupoints as he had done before.
His spiritual power was sealed. The chaos instantly ceased. Xie Zhefeng’s eyes grew vacant.
He gave An Wuxue one last look.
A look that still seemed to hold panic and helplessness.
But finally, he closed his eyes.
Knowing he was about to lose control, he sealed his own energy and consciousness, falling unconscious before An Wuxue, completely defenseless.
The door had been blown open by the spiritual surge. Moonlight poured into the room, illuminating An Wuxue’s gaze and falling upon Xie Zhefeng.
Just a moment ago, he looked like a demon on the verge of madness; now, in the blink of an eye, he was like a helpless young animal lying in the moonlight, as if anyone could reach out and throttle him.
An Wuxue really hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.
He looked down at the man’s pale face and raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth with his sleeve.
The blood stained the fabric. His movements stopped abruptly.
—What am I doing?
He quickly pulled his hand back.
“Wuu?” Kunkun tilted its head in confusion.
An Wuxue didn’t move.
He stood there silently for a long time.
Only when the night grew deeper did he use his spiritual power to move Xie Zhefeng onto the bed.
He stared at the man’s closed eyes and murmured, “Forgot? How could he…”
He had always thought Xie Zhefeng’s vague explanation—that the sword strike was due to the heart demon—was just because he had nothing to say.
Looking at it now… was it actually because Xie Zhefeng himself couldn’t remember the details?
An Wuxue frowned, lost in thought for a long time.
An unknown amount of time passed.
Whether by fate or simple coincidence, Qu Jizhi’s communication talisman floated into the courtyard and was carried to him in Kunkun’s mouth.
With a flick of his finger, he opened the charm.
Qu Jizhi’s voice came from within: “I found the pear tree Qu Wenxin mentioned. There is indeed a scroll beneath the tree, but it’s sealed with barriers and restrictions. Pei Qian and I will need another day to break them.”
“I’ve troubled Pei Qian and the young Master Qu.”
The talisman didn’t cut off.
On the other end, Qu Jizhi seemed to say something to Pei Qian, sending him away.
“Chief,” Qu Jizhi said leisurely, “Pei Qian kept asking me about what happened after I was cursed. I guessed you were the one who told him to ask. Today, seeing how much you care about the cure, let me take a reckless guess.”
“Is the Xianzun the other person who was cursed?”
An Wuxue’s face darkened instantly. “Why are you asking this?”
Qu Jizhi chuckled. “There’s no need for anger, Chief. I have no ill intent. You saved Pei Qian, and I believe in returning favors, so it’s better I don’t stay silent.
“The whole world knows of Immortal Chuhan’s ‘righteous’ act of killing his kin. Now that you’ve returned from the dead, your relationship with him… I can see some of it.
“I know my own feelings, yet when I was cursed, I forgot everything. It was only after the curse was broken that I remembered my love for Pei Qian. Since Immortal Xie is under the Heartless Curse yet remains so deeply devoted, it is impossible for him to have truly wanted to kill you. I certainly don’t know the specific reasons; logically, the Xianzun should have explained it to you. But since you two still seem to have such a deep rift, it seems he hasn’t explained things clearly.
“I have been under that curse. I can think of things you might not, and I know how difficult it is to maintain any affection while cursed.
“Therefore, let me offer a word of advice. His act of killing you was related to love. The hidden truth might have triggered the Heartless Curse, to the point where even the Xianzun himself cannot remember it clearly.
“What he tells you… you perhaps—cannot fully believe.”