MOF Chapter 43

Chapter 43: Liu and Mo Temporarily Meet in Cang Ling Du; the Fixed Abyss Cracks, and the Gate of Ghosts Opens…

The Fixed Abyss was sealed by an Immortal Sect barrier, beneath which was scalding magma, with crimson waves surging and beating against the deep abyss’s sides.

Wen Liangchen stood above the barrier, with countless Yin Butterflies behind him, resembling black clouds. Suddenly, they dispersed, spreading out in a large area.

The fire illuminated the sky, like enormous wings connected to Wen Liangchen’s shoulders and back.

Xie Yiling said, “Wen Liangchen wants to forcefully open the barrier and release the evil ghosts!”

As he spoke, Nangong Ci controlled his sword with spiritual power, white light reflecting off the mountain, piercing countless Yin Butterflies and turning them to ashes.

But immediately, endless Yin Butterflies appeared, impossible to kill or eliminate completely. The others each used their own techniques to stop Wen Liangchen from opening the barrier.

“The barrier absolutely cannot be opened!” Gui Wenxin fiercely circulated his spiritual power, large beads of sweat dripping from his forehead.

He didn’t voice the rest, but once the Fixed Abyss’s barrier was opened, someone had to reseal it with their own body; there was no other way.

Listening to Gui Wenxin’s solemn tone, Xie Yiling guessed that the consequences of the Fixed Abyss opening would be more serious than they imagined. He bit his lip, and suddenly leaped up, onto the barrier.

“Xie Ci!” Nangong Ci called out, following him without hesitation.

“Daoist Fufeng, Senior Brother Xie, you!” Seeing this, Gu Huanzhi also wanted to go up, but was pulled back by Gu Ziyan.

“A-Xuan, don’t be impulsive! Since Daoist Fufeng has already gone, why add to the chaos? Do you think you’re more powerful than Daoist Fufeng?”

“Second Brother, what do you mean?” Gu Huanzhi looked at Gu Ziyan in surprise, disagreeing with his words. “As a member of the Immortal Sect, protecting the world and eliminating evil is our duty. Why talk about ability when facing such a matter? If that’s the case, what Dao am I cultivating?”

“You!” Gu Ziyan was silenced by his words, unable to retort for a moment, and could only watch him ascend the barrier.

The Fixed Abyss’s barrier was incredibly hot. Xie Yiling’s clothes were quickly soaked with sweat, his whole body sweltering. He glanced at Nangong Ci, seeing that he was the same, fine sweat soaking his brow.

The two simultaneously exerted their power, white and red spiritual energy interweaving, striking fiercely towards Wen Liangchen.

Yin Butterflies fluttered towards them, a heatwave searing their faces.

A deafening roar shook the Fixed Abyss, cracks spreading across the barrier like a spiderweb. Three thousand evil ghosts were about to be born, the world darkening, seemingly foreshadowing a bloody storm.

The Immortal Sect members below the barrier tried their best, but could only watch as the gap grew larger and larger.

Evil ghosts emerged from the Fixed Abyss one after another, wading through the magma, and began climbing up the steep walls of the abyss.

Gui Wenxin was anxious, shouting, “Not good! The barrier is broken!”

The Fixed Abyss shattered, the Gate of Ghosts opened, and chaos threatened the human realm.

Within Shuo Cheng, two men hurried along, none other than Si Wumian and Mo Wuchou.

The cleaned streets of Shuo Cheng still carried a stench. Si Wumian fanned himself as he walked, trying to dispel the unpleasant smell from his nose.

The two arrived at an inn, seeing two or three commoners exiting, each with a joyful expression.

Si Wumian couldn’t help but wonder, “Is there something good happening at this inn? Young Master Mo, shall we take a look?”

Mo Wuchou gazed at the inn, a faint premonition arising in his heart. In the depths of his being, something seemed to be drawing him in. He nodded, and stepped into the inn with Si Wumian.

Liu Weiyuan had barely rested that day. The disciples sent by Cang Ling Du specifically to grind medicine for him hadn’t stopped for a moment either.

Although it strained his mind and energy, fortunately, fewer and fewer commoners were being poisoned. He had heard about Nangong Ci using his blood to activate a spirit array and understood that Nangong Ci’s approach was effective because his blood contained Huanling leaves. Because of this, Liu Weiyuan was now much more at ease.

He only needed to treat injuries, not detoxify.

He watched the last commoner, tearfully thanking him, and stood up, saying, “No need for thanks. It’s late, old man; you should return home early.”

As the commoner exited the inn, a person brushed past him from the outside. This person wore the Southern Return Immortal Sect robes that Liu Weiyuan had seen not long ago, and even looked around upon entering the inn.

When he realized that his actions had been noticed by Liu Weiyuan, he was visibly startled, then offered a friendly smile: “This gentleman, I saw commoners exiting here with joy from time to time, and wondered why, so I came to see.”

Just as Liu Weiyuan was about to reply, another man walked in behind him. This man was slightly taller than the speaking man, and seemed taciturn and dull.

The two men’s gazes were drawn to each other like magnets, and they both froze on the spot.

Si Wumian was puzzled by the strange expressions on their faces.

Just then, Qian Tong came out carrying tea. Seeing two more customers, his smile deepened. He was about to ask if they wanted a meal or a room, but noticing that the group seemed to want to talk, he placed the tea and retreated to the other side, continuing to tidy up the shop.

Mo Wuchou couldn’t describe what he was feeling. Acquaintances and true blood relatives were ultimately different. He looked at his uncle, who wasn’t exactly unapproachable, but neither was he warm, and his emotions were complex.

“You, are you Mo Yao?” Liu Weiyuan asked softly.

Only then did Mo Wuchou regain his heartbeat. He called out “Uncle,” his voice trembling.

Si Wumian’s eyes widened, and he looked closely, realizing that the two men indeed shared some resemblance.

Liu Weiyuan nodded stiffly. He stepped forward, couldn’t help but open his mouth, but found that he couldn’t say a word.

Si Wumian broke the delicate atmosphere: “Young Master Mo, is this your uncle?”

The other disciples packed their things, took out their payment and gave it to Qian Tong. The two sides exchanged a few quiet pleasantries, then went outside to wait.

Mo Wuchou nodded to Si Wumian, and said softly, “This is my uncle, Liu Weiyuan.”

“Young Master Liu,” Si Wumian said, uncharacteristically flustered, “I am Si Yuan, courtesy name Wumian, a disciple of the Southern Return Heavenly Pavilion, and a friend of Young Master Mo.”

Hearing the surname, Liu Weiyuan remembered something: “Are you from the Si family?”

“Yes,” Si Wumian hurriedly nodded. “Is Young Master Liu acquainted with my family?”

“Indeed,” Liu Weiyuan nodded. “I’ve met your elder sister.”

With this exchange, the atmosphere improved significantly.

Liu Weiyuan refocused his gaze on his own nephew: “Mo Yao, you…”

He didn’t know what to say for a long time, and finally only raised a hand to Mo Wuchou’s shoulder, gently patting it.

Mo Wuchou’s emotions stabilized, and he asked, “Why is Uncle here?”

Liu Weiyuan said, “Shuo Cheng was besieged by Yin corpses, and many commoners were poisoned. I came down the mountain to take a look. What about you?”

Si Wumian replied, “We are…” He suddenly stopped, looking at Mo Wuchou beside him.

“Uncle,” Mo Wuchou’s eyes were slightly red, “have you seen Linyuan?”

Liu Weiyuan’s expression froze: “Not yet. He’s in Cang Ling Du, but… he has now been refined into an Yin corpse by Wen Liangchen and them.”

Mo Wuchou’s face paled upon hearing this. Suppressing the dull pain in his chest, he said in a low voice, “Then we’ll go to Cang Ling Du now to see Linyuan.”

The three men went out the door. The disciples from Cang Ling Du were still waiting, so the group hurriedly headed up the mountain.

Cang Ling Du was quiet and solemn at this time.

Nangong Yue and Shen Heshuang were in the forbidden chamber, using their spiritual power to dissolve the evil energy in Mo Linyuan’s body. Mo Linyuan’s emotions had recently become extremely unstable, constantly on the verge of going mad.

“Young Master Mo’s golden core has been lost, and the evil energy in his body is instead a force supporting him to live,” Nangong Yue said, stopping halfway.

Seeing this, Shen Heshuang also withdrew his spiritual power. Taking a closer look at Mo Linyuan’s expression, he found that his eyes had begun to scatter and lose their luster.

“What can we do?” he said worriedly. “The Mo family has few descendants left in the world; we must not let it end like this.”

Nangong Yue was at a loss for a moment: “Young Master Mo is now living by relying on evil energy, but he is also generating evil thoughts because of it, making it difficult to distinguish right from wrong. We can only try to extract the evil energy from his body, but we cannot ensure that we will not harm his life.”

As they were discussing, they suddenly heard a disciple outside reporting: “Sect Leader, the disciples who went to grind medicine have returned with Qingyi Sanren, along with Immortal Lord Wumian from Southern Return and Second Young Master Mo.”

The two men looked over almost simultaneously. Shen Heshuang raised his hand to the disciple and said, “Go, quickly invite them in.”

Si Wumian, Mo Wuchou, and Liu Weiyuan followed the disciple to the forbidden chamber, seeing Nangong Ci and Shen Heshuang already waiting at the door.

“Young Master Yue, Sect Leader Shen,” Si Wumian saluted. “Second Young Master Mo and Qingyi Sanren wish to see how Young Master Mo is doing.”

Shen Heshuang looked at them and said, “Linyuan, he, has suffered greatly, he is no longer in human form. You may be…”

Mo Wuchou’s body trembled: “I can bear it.”

He glanced at Liu Weiyuan, and the two men slowly walked into the forbidden chamber.

The moment the door opened, a stench poured out from inside. The man was trying to break free from the chains on his body in a frenzy, but instead caused the festering wounds to flow with foul blood.

Mo Wuchou froze in place, his gaze stuck to Mo Linyuan like spider silk, watching him pull at the chains helplessly, his handsome face no longer recognizable. Mo Linyuan tried to break free with his teeth, blood and saliva splashing out.

“A-Yao!” Mo Wuchou called out, “Do you still recognize me?”

“Aaaah—” Sensing his approach, Mo Linyuan instinctively waved his claws, trying to scratch the person in front of him.

Liu Weiyuan quickly pulled Mo Wuchou back: “Be careful, Linyuan’s mind is unclear right now. Approaching rashly may harm you.”

“What do we do?” Mo Wuchou looked at Liu Weiyuan, a hint of hope in his eyes, “Uncle, is there any way to save A-Yao?”

When Mo City was destroyed, Liu Weiyuan secluded himself in the mountains, unaware of the events. By the time he found out, it was too late. His elder sister’s family, along with everyone in Mo City, had been killed. Liu Weiyuan often woke up in fright in the middle of the night, feeling guilty every time he thought about it.

His elder sister had always been kind to him, and never grew distant, even though she knew he didn’t want to enter the world. Her three nephews were always polite whenever they met, and although they weren’t close, their eyes always held respect.

Blood ties were an invisible thread, unbreakable, unseverable, indestructible, and ever multiplying.

“Perhaps, I can try,” Liu Weiyuan said after a long time.

Mo Wuchou’s eyes lit up, but he quickly suppressed his joy: “Uncle, what are you going to do? I can help.”

“No need,” Liu Weiyuan shook his head. “I alone am enough.”

Mo Wuchou suddenly felt uneasy: “Uncle, the fact that Linyuan is still alive is already lucky; don’t push yourself.”

Liu Weiyuan paused, then smiled: “A-Yao is more considerate than before.”

“In the past, my elder brother always handled many matters of the sect, so I was inevitably a little slow. Now…” Mo Wuchou turned his head, deeply looking at Mo Linyuan, “Fortunately, there’s still A-Yao.”

“Aaaah—” Mo Linyuan suddenly went mad again, and the three men outside walked in upon hearing the sound.

Nangong Yue said, “Young Master Mo seems to be disturbed by the zither music again; we must calm him down as soon as possible.”

After hearing this, the others quickly channeled their spiritual power to purify his mind. However, Mo Linyuan had no intention of quieting down; he screamed and kept lunging forward.

However, to be on the safe side, the chains on his body had already been fixed to the wall. At this time, he naturally couldn’t touch anyone outside the range of the chains.

The bleak zither music came from Mo Linyuan’s heart, and no matter how others tried to suppress it, they couldn’t stop the zither music from controlling him.