Chapter 28
Chapter Summary: [Wei Wuxian, clutching his sword tassel and his eyes gleaming, strode into the street lined with taverns. Immediately, five or six waiters from different taverns surrounded him, offering enthusiastic greetings…]
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Wei Wuxian, clutching his sword tassel and his eyes gleaming, strode into the street lined with taverns. Immediately, five or six waiters from different taverns surrounded him, each more enthusiastic than the last: "Want to try some? The famous He Family Brew from the area!"
"Young master, try this. It's free just to try it. If you enjoy it, come back and patronize our shop."
"This liquor doesn't smell strong, but it's quite potent once you drink it!"
"If you can still stand after drinking, I'll take your surname!!!"
Upon hearing this, Wei Wuxian immediately said, "Alright!" He took the wine bowl from the short, loud-voiced waiter, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp. He then smiled and showed the empty bowl to him, saying, "Want to take my surname?"
The waiter raised his head and said, "I meant finishing the whole jar!"
Wei Wuxian said, "Then give me three jars."
The shop assistant was overjoyed and rushed back to the shop. Wei Wuxian said to Lan Wangji, "When doing business, do business first, then talk about other things. Once the business is done, it will be easier to open up."
Lan Wangji took out his money to pay the bill.
The two entered the shop, where wooden tables and chairs were provided for customers to rest and chat. Another waiter, impressed by Lan Wangji's extraordinary appearance and demeanor, dared not neglect him and diligently wiped the tables and chairs for a while before daring to suggest a seat. Wei Wuxian had two jars at his feet and was holding one in his hand. After a brief, friendly exchange with the waiter, he got to the point, still asking about the strange occurrences in the area. The waiter, also quite talkative, rubbed his hands and asked, "What strange things?"
"Haunted houses, abandoned graves, dismembered bodies, and the like."
The guy's eyes darted around: "Oh... what do you guys do? You and him?"
Wei Wuxian said, "Didn't you already guess it?"
The waiter said knowingly, "That's right. I can guess. You two must be from some kind of aristocratic family that flies around and rides the clouds. Especially the one next to you, I've never seen anyone so...so..."
Wei Wuxian laughed and said, "Such a beautiful person."
The waiter chuckled and said, “If this young master doesn’t like what you’re saying, then there’s something strange, isn’t there? But it wasn’t today; it was ten years ago. Walk this way, out of the city, and walk another two or three miles. You’ll see a beautifully built house, the Chang Residence, that’s it.”
"What happened to that house?"
"A family massacre!" the waiter said. "Since you asked, I'll naturally tell you the strangest of the strange. The whole family was dead. I heard they were all scared to death!"
A family massacre...
Most of those present had heard about it to some extent, and now that they knew the truth behind such a shocking event, some of the younger generation were even excited.
but……
What was supposed to be a serious matter just didn't feel right after seeing the face and mouth of the Yiling Patriarch.
and……
Asking questions is fine, but why the self-praise? Doesn't Lan Wangji care?
Forget it, I can't control it.
Upon hearing this, Lan Wangji seemed lost in thought, as if recalling something. Wei Wuxian, however, had no time to pay attention; a ghost capable of scaring an entire family to death was an extremely cruel and terrifying vengeful spirit.
Xue Yang's face immediately darkened.
They were tortured to death by me!!
I'm not a vengeful ghost or evil spirit!! I'm a human being!!
But it seems like he's neither human nor ghost now?
Not every family has the same unavoidable difficulties as the Nie family of Qinghe. Ordinary cultivation families would not tolerate such a thing appearing in their territory. He asked, "Are there any cultivation families stationed in this area?"
"some."
How did they respond?
"Deal with it?" The waiter draped a rag over his shoulder and sat down. "Young master, do you know what the surname of the immortal cultivation family that was stationed in Liyang before was? It was Chang. The family that died was theirs! Now that everyone's dead, who's left to deal with it?"
The Chang family, who were wiped out, were actually a powerful family of cultivators stationed in this area?!
Although Wei Wuxian had never heard of the Chang family of Liyang, and it certainly wasn't a prominent cultivation clan, the annihilation of a cultivation family was undoubtedly a momentous and shocking event. He immediately pressed on, "How was the Chang family wiped out?"
The waiter said, "I heard about it too. One night, there was a knocking sound coming from the Chang family's house."
Wei Wuxian: "Knocking on the door?"
"Yes! They were banging on the door loudly. There were shouts and cries from inside, as if everyone was trapped inside and couldn't get out. Isn't that strange? The door is bolted from the inside. If the people inside want to get out, they can just open it. Why are they banging on the door? The people outside can't do anything about it. Besides, if they can't get out, can't they climb over the wall?"
"The people outside were filled with unease. Everyone in this area knew that the Chang family was a prominent local clan, skilled in cultivation. Their patriarch, Chang Ping, I think, possessed a sword that could fly, allowing him to stand on it and soar! If something were to happen inside, even the Chang family couldn't handle it, let alone ordinary people venturing in – wouldn't that be suicide? So no one dared to build a ladder or climb over the wall to look inside."
"The night passed like this, and the wailing inside gradually subsided. The next day, as soon as the sun rose, the Chang family's gate opened by itself."
"The entire house, with more than a dozen men and women and more than fifty servants, some sitting, some lying down, vomiting bile, were all scared to death."
The liquor store owner turned around and cursed, "Are you trying to die! Why are you talking about old stories about dying when you're not working?"
Wei Wuxian said, "Five more jars, please." Lan Wangji paid for ten jars, and the shopkeeper turned around with a beaming smile, instructing his waiter, "Keep the guests company and don't wander off!"
Wei Wuxian said, "Go on."
With his worries gone, the waiter used all his skills and said, "For quite some time after that, if pedestrians walked near the Chang residence at night, they could hear knocking coming from inside."
"Think about it, these people who cultivate immortality by flying through the clouds and fighting monsters have seen all sorts of ghosts and demons. The fact that they were all scared to death means that they must have been terrified. If you walk on the dark road too often, you're bound to encounter a ghost! Even after burial, you can still hear the sound of banging on the coffin in the cemetery! Only their master, Chang Ping, was away and didn't come back, so she escaped this ordeal."
Wei Wuxian listened attentively to every word and remembered them clearly. He immediately said, "Wait. Didn't you say, 'The whole family is dead'?"
The waiter said, "They're all dead. What I meant by escaping death was only temporary. A few years later, the master, Chang Ping, and the few people he took with him when he went out, all died. This time, their deaths were even more horrific; they were slowly sliced to death with a sword! What is slow slicing? It's when someone takes a knife or sword and cuts the flesh away, one slice at a time, until all the flesh is gone and only bones remain..."
Wei Wuxian certainly knew what slow slicing was. If he were to write a book called "A Thousand Ways to Die Tragically," no one would be more qualified than him to put pen to paper. He raised his hand and said, "I understand. Then, brother, do you know why the Chang family was wiped out?"
The group of cultivators were engrossed in listening to ghost stories when Wei Wuxian suddenly uttered a remark that reminded many of the terrifying scenes from the various Wen Clan Supervisory Offices back in the day.
Then everyone swallowed hard.
Looking at this guy's silly appearance to this day, how can we forget that he was once a killing god?
Yes, yes, your methods of torture are unmatched, and no one dares to do them.
Wei Wuxian didn't think too much about it. He clicked his tongue and thought to himself: This waiter has the talent of a storyteller. He told the story in a thrilling and dangerous way.
However, Jiang Yanli noticed a fleeting glimpse of malice in Wei Wuxian's eyes in the Heavenly Shadow and a hint of hostility hidden in Jiang Cheng's eyes despite his speechless expression in the current space.
She didn't know whether to worry or feel heartbroken. Two kind-hearted boys were about to learn to kill in order to seek revenge...
Her eyes welled up with tears again.
The waiter said, "I heard it's because they offended someone they shouldn't have, and they were deliberately framed. That's for sure! Otherwise, how could a group of living people, especially those who can cultivate immortality, not be able to escape? They must be trapped inside by something or someone."
The wine shop owner, fearing they might not enjoy their conversation, brought over two small dishes of peanuts and melon seeds. Wei Wuxian nodded his thanks and continued, "Have you found out what or who it is?"
The waiter laughed and said, "Young master, are you joking? How would we, who are just trying to make a living, know about the affairs of those old men who fly around in the sky? You are all cultivators, so you should know more than I do. I only vaguely heard that they offended someone they shouldn't have! Anyway, since then, no one has been able to control the demons and monsters in this area of Liyang."
"People we shouldn't have offended..."
"Not bad, not bad." The waiter ate two peanuts. "The grudges and feuds among these aristocratic families and sects are quite complicated! I'm guessing the Chang family was definitely targeted by other cultivators for revenge. Killing and robbing are common occurrences, as storytellers and legends always say. However, although I don't know exactly who it is, it seems to be related to a very famous demon."
Wei Wuxian smiled and brought the wine bowl to his lips: "I bet you're going to say you don't know who this great demon is, right?"
The waiter chuckled: "You're mistaken. I know this one, I think his name is... Old Monster... Oh, Ancestor, Yiling Ancestor!"
Wei Wuxian choked, then spit out a string of bubbles into the wine bowl: "...What?"
It's him again?!
puff
cough cough cough
It choked a lot of people again.
Xue Yang sat up, displeased, and pouted, saying:
"The Yiling Patriarch truly lives up to his name; even after disappearing for so long, he is still remembered by people."
It was clearly me who did it!!!
Wei Wuxian glanced at him sideways: "You little rascal, I'm taking the blame for you and you're not happy about it? Otherwise, do you think you could have been living a carefree life in Yicheng for so long?"
Xue Yang: ...Hmph
The waiter confirmed, "Yes, that's right! His surname is Wei, I think his name is Wei Wuqian. The tone when he's mentioned is a mixture of hatred and fear!"
Lan Sizhui silently turned around: "Senior Wei, just how many people know you're short of money?"
Wei Wuxian: ...
"..." Wei Wuxian pondered repeatedly and became certain of two things: first, he had never been to Liyang before his death; second, none of the people he killed were killed by him through slow slicing. He found it absurd and turned to look at Lan Wangji, as if to demand an explanation.
Lan Wangji had been waiting for this glance for a long time, and finally said, "Let's go."
What do you mean by "waiting a long time for this one glance"?!
Wei Wuxian: Miss Niangui, do you know how guilty I feel about this?
Seeing Lan Wangji's expression, Wei Wuxian immediately understood that Lan Wangji had something to say, something that was inconvenient to say in front of others at the tavern. He stood up and said, "Then let's go first, settle the bill... you've settled it, right? Young man, we'll leave these wines here with you for now, and come back to drink them later." He half-jokingly said, "You can't go back on your word."
The waiter had already finished most of the plate of peanuts: "How could that be! Our shop is honest and fair to all, young and old. You can leave them here without worry; we won't close until you return. Hey, gentlemen, are you going to the Chang residence now? Wow, that's impressive! Even I, a local, have never been there! I only dared to peek from afar. Are you two going in? What are your plans?"
Wei Wuxian said, "We only peeked at it from afar."
This young man was outgoing and very sociable. After chatting for a while, he acted like one of them, leaning over to put his arm around Wei Wuxian's shoulder: "Do you two work hard? Do you earn a lot? You must earn a lot! It's so respectable..."
He was rambling on and on, then suddenly stopped, looked over there with alarm, and whispered, "Young master, why is that person next to you glaring at me?"
Wei Wuxian followed his gaze and saw Lan Wangji turn and stand up, walking towards the exit of the tavern. He said, "Oh, well, he's been raised with strict discipline and doesn't like seeing people putting their arms around each other in front of him. Isn't that a bit strange?"
The waiter reluctantly withdrew his hand and muttered, "Strange. The way he looked at me, it was like I was putting my arm around his wife..."
With Lan Wangji's hearing, there was absolutely no way he could have missed it by lowering his voice. Wei Wuxian suppressed his laughter so hard he almost hurt himself, and hurriedly told the waiter, "I've finished a whole jar."
Waiter: "Huh?"
Wei Wuxian pointed to himself: "Standing."
The waiter then remembered his words, "If you can still stand after drinking, I'll take your surname," and hurriedly said, "Oh...oh! This...impressive! I'm not bragging, but this is the first time I've ever seen someone finish a whole jar of wine and still stand perfectly still without slurring their words. What's your surname, sir?"
Wei Wuxian said, "I..." Then, remembering what the waiter had just said about "Wei Wuqian," he twitched his lips and calmly replied, "My surname is Lan."
The waiter was shameless; without batting an eye, he loudly proclaimed, "That's right, from today onwards, my surname is Lan!"
Beneath the bright red wine cup, Lan Wangji's back seemed to falter for a moment. Wei Wuxian, a mischievous grin on his face, walked up to him, hands behind his back, and patted him on the shoulder: "Thank you for settling the bill, Hanguang-jun. I'll let him take your surname."
puff!
cough cough cough cough cough
Jiang Cheng swallowed a mouthful of blood, turned around and shouted, "Wei Wuxian, do you have no shame at all?!"
Wei Wuxian looked completely innocent: Don't I have the surname Lan now?
However, he dared not say this to Jiang Cheng's face, because Jiang Cheng could kill him without using his spiritual power later.
Once outside the city, the two headed in the direction the shopkeeper had pointed. Fewer pedestrians and more trees appeared. Wei Wuxian said, "Why didn't you let me continue asking questions earlier?"
Lan Wangji said, "I suddenly remembered that I have heard about the Chang family of Liyang. So there is no need to ask again."
Wei Wuxian said, "Before you tell me, let me ask you something first. Um, I didn't do the massacre of the Chang family, did I?"
It's not like he would forget if he went to someone's house and wiped out their entire family!
Fortunately, Lan Wangji said, "No."
That's just hearsay and misinformation. Wei Wuxian felt slightly depressed, as if he had returned to a period in his life when everyone hated him and he was worse than a rat in the gutter. Every bad thing could be attributed to him, and a smear could be thrown on his head. It was no exaggeration to say that the old man next door's grandson lost two pounds because he was scared by the story of the Yiling Patriarch instigating the Ghost General to kill people.
Unexpectedly, Lan Wangji added, "You didn't kill him, but it's related to you."
Wei Wuxian asked, "What's the connection?"
Lan Wangji said, "There are two connections. First, there is a person involved in this matter who has a close relationship with your mother."
Wei Wuxian stopped in his tracks.
He was filled with mixed feelings, his face unreadable, and he hesitated before asking, "...My mother?"
Wei Wuxian was the son of Wei Changze, a servant of the Yunmeng Jiang Clan, and the wandering Daoist Cangse Sanren. Jiang Fengmian and his wife were acquainted with his parents, but Jiang Fengmian rarely reminisced about old friends with him. His wife, Yu Ziyuan, would never speak to him kindly; it was considered a favor if she didn't whip him, order him to kneel down, or keep him away from Jiang Cheng. Much of what he knew about his parents came from others. In reality, he knew far less than those outside the family.
Lan Wangji also stopped, turned around and looked at him: "Have you ever heard of the name Xiao Xingchen?"
No.
"That's right. This person became famous twelve years ago. Now no one mentions him anymore."
Twelve years ago, exactly one year after the great siege of the Burial Mound in Yiling, they just missed it. No wonder he had never heard of this name in his lifetime. Wei Wuxian asked, "What mountain is it, and who is your master?"
Lan Wangji said, "I don't know which mountain it is. I am a disciple of the Daoist sect, and Xiao Xingchen is a disciple of Baoshan Sanren."
Wei Wuxian then understood why this person was said to have a close relationship with his mother.
Cangse Sanren was also a disciple of Baoshan Sanren.
Wei Wuxian turned around and bowed to Xiao Xingchen:
"Junior Uncle, I apologize for arriving in such a hurry."
Xiao Xingchen smiled slightly and returned the greeting:
"It's alright. If I could meet my junior disciple soon, it would be a joyful thing."
Wei Wuxian calmly sat down, but thought to himself: Is my little junior uncle praising my high level of enlightenment, or is he making fun of me for being too silly?
He said, "So, this Xiao Xingchen is my martial uncle."
This hermit of Baoshan is a reclusive Taoist who is said to have started his career around the same time as Wen Mao, Lan An, and others.
At that time, led by Wen Mao, families prospered while sects declined, and cultivation forces bound by blood ties sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Every cultivator with even a little fame established their own sect and ancestor. But this master chose to retreat into seclusion in the mountains, taking the Daoist name Baoshan. Which mountain he embraced, however, remained a mystery. In fact, it was precisely because no one knew that he had gone into seclusion. If he could be easily found after retiring, it wouldn't be seclusion; it would be waiting for a high price to go.
Those prominent figures of that generation have long since vanished, except for the Hermit of Baoshan, who is rumored to still be alive. If that's true, he must be several hundred years old, which speaks volumes about his cultivation.
This reclusive master lived on an unnamed sacred mountain, often taking in orphaned and destitute children as his disciples. But all his disciples had to swear an oath: they must dedicate their lives to cultivating the Tao and never leave the mountain. If they did leave, for whatever reason, they could never return. They would become self-reliant, struggling and struggling in the mortal world, with no further connection to it.
Everyone says that Baoshan Sanren truly deserves her reputation as a highly accomplished sage, and the rule she established was incredibly prescient. For in the past few hundred years, only three of her disciples have left the mountain: Yanling Daoren, Cangse Sanren, and Xiaoxingchen.
As for his three disciples, none of them met a good end.
Wei Wuxian was already familiar with the fates of his first two disciples from a young age, so he didn't need to hear them again. Therefore, Lan Wangji succinctly told him the story of the last one.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Fengmian and Lan Qiren sighed softly, while Wei Wuxian also looked somewhat dazed.
Seeing this, Lan Wangji grasped Wei Wuxian's hand and said softly, "After we return, I will ask my uncle to bestow upon me a painting."
Wei Wuxian's eyes suddenly lit up: "Elder Lan... has he seen my mother?"
Lan Xichen, who was standing nearby, heard this and smiled slightly:
"Yes, my uncle and Senior Zangse once studied together, back then..."
He paused, then said, "Uncle's beard must have taken a lot of effort to grow."
Wei Wuxian: ...Hehehehe...
Lan Qiren: ...
Oh no, my nephew is going to be corrupted too.
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