Chapter 30
Chapter Summary: [They had passed the Chang residence and arrived near a cemetery not far away. Wei Wuxian saw the dark red character "Chang" on the memorial archway!]
-------------------------------------
They had passed the Chang residence and arrived near a cemetery not far away. Wei Wuxian saw the dark red character "Chang" on the memorial archway and asked, "Why did Chang Ping die later? Who executed the surviving members of his family by slow slicing?"
Before Lan Wangji could answer, a series of loud knocks came from the bluish twilight.
The sound was exactly like knocking on a door, but it wasn't. It was forceful, rapid, and continuous. It was muffled, as if there was something blocking the sound.
More than fifty members of the Chang family from Liyang lay in their coffins, pounding on the lids from the inside. Just like the night they were scared to death, they frantically pounded on the door, but no one ever came to open it.
This is what the shop assistant at the liquor store was talking about—the sound of coffins being struck at the Chang family cemetery!
The guy said the haunting started ten years ago, and they rarely hear the coffin-beating sound anymore. How come they happened to hear it as soon as they arrived?
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji simultaneously concealed their presence and approached silently, leaning against the pillars of the archway.
They all saw it: in the center of the cemetery, among a row of tombstones... there was a hole.
It was a very deep hole, with piles of soil around it, indicating it had just been dug. Soft sounds came from inside the hole.
Someone dug up the grave.
The two held their breath and waited for the person in the cave to come out on their own. Less than half an incense stick later, two people lightly leaped out of the dug-out grave.
Fortunately, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji had sharp eyesight and were able to tell that there were two people. Because the two were like conjoined twins, one carrying the other on his back, tightly connected, and both were dressed in black, making them extremely difficult to distinguish.
The person who jumped up stood with his back to them, with long arms and legs. The person he was carrying had his head and limbs drooping, lifeless.
That makes sense. Since it was dug out of a grave, it must have been a dead person, lifeless, which is normal.
Just as he was thinking this, the gravedigger suddenly turned his head and saw them.
This person's face was shrouded in a thick black mist, making it impossible to see his features or face at all!
Wei Wuxian knew that he must have used some strange magic to conceal his face. Lan Wangji had already summoned Bichen and rushed into the cemetery to engage him in battle. The gravedigger reacted extremely quickly. Seeing the blue sword light of Bichen approaching, he made a sword incantation and also summoned a sword light. However, this sword light, like his face, was shrouded in billowing black mist, making it impossible to discern its color or aura.
The gravedigger carried a corpse on his back, and his fighting posture was bizarre. The two sword beams clashed several times. Lan Wangji summoned Bichen, held it in his hand, and his face quickly became covered with a layer of frost.
Wei Wuxian knew why his expression had suddenly turned so stern. It was because, even to an outsider like himself, it was clear just now that this gravedigger was extremely familiar with Lan Wangji's swordsmanship!
Familiar with Lan Wangji's swordsmanship!
Upon hearing this, almost everyone subconsciously glanced at the disciples of the Gusu Lan Clan.
Seeing Lan Qiren's face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, they all turned back.
Lan Qiren: ...
Wei Wuxian peeked out from Lan Wangji's arms and searched around.
Hmm, very good. Miss Niangui didn't let Su She come back.
Suddenly, a sense of foreboding flashed through my mind, but I couldn't quite grasp what it was.
Wei Wuxian scratched his head and continued looking at Tianying.
But he soon found out.
Lan Wangji remained silent, his sword Bichen thrusting even harder, the sword intent like a tidal wave. The gravedigger retreated repeatedly, seemingly knowing he was no match for Lan Wangji and would surely be captured alive if the fight continued. Suddenly, he pulled out a dark blue talisman from his waist.
Teleportation Scroll!
This talisman can teleport a person thousands of miles away in an instant, but it also consumes a large amount of spiritual energy. The user needs a long time to recover their energy, and those whose spiritual energy is not strong enough are not qualified to use it. Therefore, although it is a top-grade treasure, very few people use it. Seeing that he was about to escape, Wei Wuxian quickly clapped his hands twice, knelt on one knee, and punched the ground.
The force of that punch pierced through layers of soil, reaching deep into the earth and penetrating the thick coffin lid, giving the trapped deceased an almost frenzied shock. With a cracking sound, four bloodied arms rose from the ground and fiercely grabbed the gravedigger's left and right legs!
The gravedigger paid no heed, channeling his spiritual energy into the soles of his feet, sending the four corpse hands flying. Wei Wuxian drew his bamboo flute, its sharp and mournful melody tearing through the descending night. Two heads burst from the grave, their bodies following suit, climbing up the gravedigger's legs and coiling around him like snakes, their mouths snapping at his neck and arms.
The gravedigger snorted disdainfully, as if to say, "A mere trick." He channeled his spiritual energy throughout his body, but this time, after he unleashed the power, he suddenly realized he had been tricked.
He even sent the corpse he was carrying on his back flying!
Wei Wuxian slammed his fist on the tombstone and laughed wildly. Lan Wangji caught the limp corpse with one hand and thrust his Bichen dagger forward with the other. The gravedigger, seeing that what he had just unearthed had been stolen, and realizing he couldn't defeat Lan Wangji in a one-on-one fight, not to mention the other person causing trouble, dared not linger. He threw the teleportation talisman at his feet, and with a loud bang, billowing blue flames shot into the sky, his figure disappearing into the flames.
Wei Wuxian already knew that the gravedigger possessed a teleportation talisman, so even if he were captured, he could find a chance to escape. Leaving behind the corpse he dug up was already a clue, so he didn't feel it was a pity. He said to Lan Wangji, "Let's see who he dug up."
He was slightly startled upon seeing this. The corpse's head had been broken open. And what was exposed was not flesh and brain matter, but clumps of slightly blackened cotton wool.
Wei Wuxian ripped the corpse's head off with a single pull, holding the exquisitely crafted dummy head, and said, "What's going on here? Is there a fake corpse made of cotton and rags buried in the Chang family's cemetery?"
Lan Wangji had just taken the corpse, weighed it in his hand, and realized something was amiss. He said, "It's not entirely fake."
Wei Wuxian examined the corpse thoroughly and found that its limbs were limp, with only the chest and abdomen feeling firm and solid. Upon tearing off its clothes, he confirmed that the torso was real, but the rest of the body was entirely fake.
The head and limbs made of cotton were used to "deceive" the torso, making it believe it was still attached to its owner. Judging by the skin color and the fractured area on the left shoulder, this must be the torso of their beloved brother. The gravedigger from earlier had actually come to dig it up.
Wei Wuxian stood up and said, "It seems the person who hid the corpse has noticed that we are investigating this matter. Unfortunately, we ran into him just as he was transferring the body. But—why is that masked gravedigger so familiar with the swordsmanship of your Gusu Lan Clan?"
Clearly, Lan Wangji was also thinking about this matter, and the frosty look on his face had not yet faded.
Wei Wuxian said, "He cast spells on both his face and his sword. Casting spells on the face is understandable, but ordinary wandering cultivators or unknown cultivators have no need to cast spells on their swords to conceal their true intentions."
"Unless his sword is somewhat famous, or even extremely famous, in the cultivation world, and many people recognize its gleam, then he would be exposed as soon as he unleashes it, so he has no choice but to conceal it."
"Moreover, this person's cultivation level is very high, high enough to support the consumption of using a teleportation talisman."
Wei Wuxian tentatively asked, "Hanguang-jun, you just fought with him. Do you think he's someone you know very well?"
For example, Lan Xichen, or Lan Qiren.
Lan Wangji knew who he was referring to and said definitively, "No."
Wei Wuxian was confident in Lan Wangji's answer. He believed that Lan Zhan wasn't the type to cover up the truth or be afraid to face it. If he said it wasn't true, then it definitely wasn't. Lan Wangji also disliked lying; if forced to lie, he'd rather remain silent. Therefore, Wei Wuxian immediately ruled out those two people, commenting, "Then this matter becomes even more complicated."
Lan Qiren: ...
Lan Xichen: ……
Wei Wuxian: ...I knew I had a bad feeling...
Lan Xichen patted his uncle to calm him down, then turned helplessly to Wei Wuxian:
"Wuxian, what makes you think we would do such a thing?"
Wei Wuxian: ...
Oh no, what kind of seal has been broken on Brother Xichen?
He gave an awkward smile and quickly shook his head.
Unexpectedly, Lan Jingyi added insult to injury: "Senior Wei, why do you believe everything Hanguang-jun says?"
We don't want to eat this dog food! Not even a little bit!!!
Wei Wuxian: ...has passed away.
"Actually, this whole thing had nothing to do with Wei Wuxian. The reason he and Lan Wangji are now collecting the dismembered body parts is partly to completely remove the curse mark, but more so out of gratitude for Lan Wangji's previous protection. He paused, then said, 'Don't be so worried, Hanguang-jun. Since they've started sending people to move the body parts, it means they're getting impatient. They'll definitely make further moves. Even if we don't go looking for them, they'll come looking for us. They'll eventually slip up. Besides, our good brother's hand will point us in the right direction. However, we probably need to act quickly. This time we just happened to be there and managed to snatch it back; next time we must find the remaining body before them. With only a right hand and a head left, we'll know the truth.'"
After carefully storing the torso in another double-layered Qiankun bag, the two leisurely strolled back to the street lined with restaurants, as if nothing had happened.
The waiter kept his word. While seven or eight out of ten other restaurants on the street were closed, theirs was still up, its signboard still open and its lights on. The waiter, who was eating from a large bowl at the door, greeted them with delight, "You're back! How was it? We kept our word, didn't we? Did you two see anything?"
Wei Wuxian smiled and responded a few words, then sat back down with Lan Wangji in the same seats they had taken during the day.
The table at his feet was piled high with wine jars. He said, "By the way, where were we? We were interrupted by that grave-digging guy who suddenly jumped out. I still don't know how Chang Ping died."
Lan Wangji then continued to describe him in a very concise and straightforward manner.
Xue Yang, Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and others left one after another, some disappearing, some dying. Several years after the incident was resolved, one day, Chang Ping and his remaining younger brother were all executed by slow slicing overnight. Moreover, Chang Ping's eyes were gouged out.
This time, no one can find out who the murderer is. After all, all those involved have disappeared without a trace. However, one thing is certain.
The sword used to execute them by slow slicing, upon examination of the wounds, was identified as Xiao Xingchen's sword—Shuanghua.
Xiao Xingchen suddenly turned to look at Xue Yang, his clear eyes filled with a complex expression.
Looking into his clear, handsome eyes, Xue Yang instinctively looked away.
He only realized what had happened after he dodged it:
Damn it, I haven't done anything wrong, why am I hiding?
Wei Wuxian paused, a sip of wine lingering at his lips, stunned by the follow-up: "He was slowly sliced to death by Xiao Xingchen's sword? Was he the one who did it?"
Lan Wangji said, "We cannot find this person, so the matter is still unresolved."
Wei Wuxian asked, "If we can't find the person, have we tried summoning their spirit?"
Lan Wangji said, "We tried. It didn't work."
If it's fruitless, then either he's not dead, or his soul has dissipated and his body has vanished. Wei Wuxian said, "Summoning a soul isn't something you can be absolutely certain of. The right time, place, and people are all indispensable; sometimes things can go wrong. I guess many people think it's Xiao Xingchen's revenge, right? Hanguang-jun, what do you think?"
Lan Wangji slowly shook his head: "Without knowing the whole story, I cannot comment. What do you think?"
Lingchi (death by a thousand cuts) is a form of punishment, implying "punishment." The act of gouging out eyes inevitably evokes the image of Xiao Xingchen, who also had his eyes gouged out.
Wei Wuxian thought for a moment, considering his words, and said, "I believe that in the beginning, Xiao Xingchen didn't intervene in this matter because he wanted Chang Ping's gratitude. I..."
Before he could figure out what "I" was supposed to do, the waiter eagerly brought over two plates of peanuts. Wei Wuxian was interrupted, which was good, as he didn't have to continue. He looked up at Lan Wangji and laughed, "Hanguang-jun, why are you looking at me like that? I haven't done anything wrong. I don't know the whole story either, so I won't comment. You're right, before understanding all the inside stories and the whole story, no one can refrain from making any rash judgments. I only ordered five jars, but you bought me five more. I'm afraid I can't finish them all by myself. How about you drink with me? This isn't Cloud Recesses, so it's not against the rules, is it?"
He was prepared to be refused outright, but to his surprise, Lan Wangji said, "Drink."
Wei Wuxian clicked his tongue and said, "Hanguang-jun, you've really changed. Before, if I drank a small jar of Emperor's Smile in front of you, you would be furious and threaten to throw me over the wall. Now you still hide Emperor's Smile in your room and drink it secretly."
Lan Wangji straightened his clothes and said calmly, "I haven't touched a single jar of Emperor's Laughing Tea."
Wei Wuxian said, "If you're not going to drink, why are you hiding it? You could have given it to me. Alright, alright, if you didn't touch it, you didn't touch it. I trust you, okay? I won't bring it up anymore. Come on. I'm going to see just how many cups it takes for this teetotaler from the Gusu Lan Clan to pass out!"
He poured a bowl for Lan Wangji, who took it without thinking and drank it down.
Wei Wuxian was incredibly excited, staring at his face, waiting to see when he would blush.
To everyone's surprise, after staring at him for a while, Lan Wangji's expression and demeanor remained completely unchanged, his light-colored eyes calmly observing him—without any change whatsoever!
Wei Wuxian was greatly disappointed and was about to urge him to drink another jar when suddenly, Lan Wangji frowned, gently rubbed his temples, propped one hand on his forehead, and closed his eyes.
...Asleep?
...Asleep!
Most people, after drinking this much alcohol, would get drunk first and then fall asleep. How could Lan Wangji skip getting drunk and go straight to sleep?!
What he wanted to see was the "drunken" section!
Wei Wuxian waved to Lan Wangji, who remained serious and upright even in his sleep, and clapped his hands near his ear. There was no response.
It turned out to be a case of "one bowl and you're out".
Wei Wuxian hadn't expected this situation. He patted his leg, pondered for a moment, then wrapped Lan Wangji's right arm around his neck and dragged him away from the tavern.
Lan Wangji: ...
Lan Qiren: ...
Lan Xichen: ……
Wei Wuxian: ...Pfft cough cough cough
Lan Wangji quickly patted Wei Wuxian's back reassuringly.
Wei Wuxian waved his hand and quickly looked up at the sky, shouting, "Miss Niangui, give Lan Zhan some face!! Don't release any more of these!!"
Lan Wangji was taken aback; to be honest, he knew nothing about it.
Wei Wuxian glanced at Lan Wangji furtively: Lan Zhan, I'm saving face for you, so remember to forgive me if I do anything wrong later!
Just as I was thinking this, Xiao Niangui's voice rang out: "Don't worry, it won't ruin Hanguang-jun's image."
Everyone: ...Unhappy...
We want to see Lan Wangji drunk!
Wei Wuxian: ...No, you don't want to...
He was already extremely skilled at touching what was inside Lan Wangji's chest. He found an inn, asked for two rooms, put Lan Wangji in one of them, took off his boots, covered him with a blanket, and went out under the cover of night.
Arriving at a remote and desolate place, he took out a bamboo flute from his waist, brought it to his lips, and played a tune. Then, he waited quietly.
During this period, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were together every day, with no time alone together. Therefore, he was unable to summon Wen Ning. Besides the fact that his identity had been partially concealed, there were other reasons as well.
Wen Ning has the lives of people from the Gusu Lan Clan on his hands. Even though Lan Wangji treats him very well, Wei Wuxian cannot simply summon Wen Ning in front of him. Or rather, it is precisely because Lan Wangji treats him so well that Wei Wuxian is too ashamed to summon Wen Ning in front of him. No matter how thick-skinned he is, he isn't thick enough for this kind of thing, and he wouldn't do such a thing.
When I came to my senses, I could already hear that familiar "clanging" sound.
Wen Ning's figure, with her head down, appeared in the shadows ahead.
He was dressed entirely in black, blending into the darkness around him, except for his eyes, which were blindingly white and menacingly white, devoid of pupils.
Wei Wuxian put his hands behind his back and slowly walked around him once.
Wen Ning shifted, seemingly wanting to follow his steps and spin around, but Wei Wuxian said, "Stand still."
He then remained still. His handsome face seemed even more melancholy.
Wei Wuxian said, "Hand."
Wen Ning extended his right hand. Wei Wuxian grabbed his wrist and lifted him up, carefully examining the iron rings and chains locked to his wrist.
This is no ordinary iron chain. When Wen Ning goes berserk, he is extremely violent and can twist steel into mud with his bare hands; he would never let this drag on his body like this. It is probably an iron chain specially made to restrain Wen Ning.
Crushed to ashes?
Even the fragments of the Yin Tiger Tally had to be painstakingly restored. Of course, some powerful families also coveted the Ghost General. How could they bear to grind him to dust?
Only then did Wei Wuxian realize it was all a lie. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he let out a cold laugh, unsure whether it was sorrow or hatred. He hated that he hadn't known it was a deception, and he was sorrowful that even if he had known, the outcome wouldn't have changed.
The space, which had just been buzzing with excitement because of Lan Wangji, fell silent once again.
Yes, starting from that incident at Dafan Mountain, they knew that the plan to grind bones to dust back then was a joke.
But as Wei Wuxian said, if we really knew the truth, would the ending have changed?
Will everything that has already happened change?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
