MOF Chapter 93
by VolareNangong Yue stared at the Ascension Platform for a long time, finally stepping onto it.
Traces of the lightning and rainstorm from that day were still visible on both sides of the Ascension Platform, but this did not affect the ascension.
Golden light gradually lit up from beneath the platform, and Nangong Yue sat cross-legged in the center, closing his eyes to calm his mind.
He remained like this for three consecutive days.
During this time, the spiritual power within him gradually flourished, as if the spiritual power had transformed into a celestial body, floating in his mind.
Eventually, a voice filled with Zen meaning sounded from the celestial body:
“Are you willing to join the ranks of immortals and save all living beings?”
“Are you willing to endure the pain of severed tendons and veins, and be reborn?”
Nangong Yue’s heart was like still water, and he silently agreed.
The celestial body continued to ask:
“In this life, are there any things you regret?”
Nangong Yue frowned slightly, his heart skipping a beat.
“In this life, are there any things you regret?”
“In this life, can you truly ask yourself without shame?”
“In this life, are there any people you have wronged?”
Nangong Yue’s eyes remained tightly closed, and fine beads of cold sweat began to appear on his forehead.
He opened his mouth, the word “no” was on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
Was there really nothing?
Nangong Yue asked himself, and the answer was a childish face flashing through his mind.
The owner of that face was kneeling by the side of the street, holding a broken bowl in his hands. When he looked up at Nangong Yue, the eyes on his face were extremely bright.
At that time, Nangong Yue thought he had found a genius in cultivation, so he brought him back to Southern Return Heavenly Pavilion. Hearing the praise from the Sect Leader, he couldn’t help but feel a little vain.
Later, he placed his hopes on that child, hoping that he would abide by the immortal rules, be steady and motivated, so he became even stricter with him.
If others practiced for one hour, he had to practice for two.
Before others had even mastered wielding a sword, he had to be leading the charge in slaying evil spirits.
But gradually, Nangong Yue found that things were not as smooth as he had imagined.
That child was playful, unruly, and unmotivated. He spent his days climbing on roofs, fighting and playing with the other disciples.
Nangong Yue repeatedly reminded him, but to little avail.
Nangong Yue considered himself superior. If someone were to say in the future: “So, this is the disciple Nangong Yue brought up.” Wouldn’t he lose all face?
Therefore, he said to that disciple: “You are truly incorrigible, a disgrace to the Immortal Sect!”
These words truly dealt a heavy blow to that disciple, and he was no longer active for a long time.
Later, Nangong Ci must have said something to him, because he regained his spirit.
After completely losing hope in that disciple, Nangong Yue gave up on nurturing him. In fact, his abilities were among the best of the Southern Return Heavenly Pavilion disciples. He had diligently practiced immortal techniques and swordsmanship for a long time.
But Nangong Yue felt that he should work harder, be more outstanding, more amazing, and not be complacent too early, so that he could stand taller and more firmly for longer.
But later, that disciple shattered his bones in that heavenly fire for the sake of so-called Heavenly Secrets.
So, was he wrong?
A burst of suffocating pain in his chest made Nangong Yue suddenly open his eyes, blood spilling from his mouth.
He hurriedly tried to regulate his spiritual power, but found that the energy within him was already chaotic. As soon as he tried to circulate his power, he spat out another mouthful of crimson.
Nangong Yue’s eyes widened slightly as he looked down at his abdomen.
His golden core had actually shattered.
For cultivators, a shattered golden core can be reforged. If it were just the golden core, it would be the best-case scenario.
But judging from the complete shattering of his spiritual veins and his fading aura, he probably wouldn’t be able to make it off the Ascension Platform.
Nangong Yue struggled to get up, but was overwhelmed by the excruciating pain, and fell backward onto the Ascension Platform. As his spiritual consciousness faded, he saw a wandering soul discover him.
“Oh dear, another failed ascension,” the wandering soul clicked its tongue and shook its head. “Why does everyone want to become an immortal? Becoming an immortal and making a mistake is like me, becoming a wandering soul? But now it seems, you should be about to die, not even able to become a wandering soul.”
Nangong Yue squinted, watching this wandering soul float around him, and suddenly thought to himself: If he died like this, he wondered if Nangong Ci would blame him.
“What? You want to give me your body?” The wandering soul floated away in surprise. “I don’t want to pretend to be someone else and live a lifetime, that’s too tiring.”
“… Begging me?” The wandering soul was a little embarrassed. “Then I’ll take a look at your memories first, to see if you’ve left me any messes to clean up.”
“… Sigh, alright, alright.” The wandering soul moved closer to him. “I can’t save your life, so I’ll help you with one thing. To meet means that there is a connection between you and me.”
Nangong Yue curled his lips and smiled with some difficulty. His appearance was three parts similar to Nangong Ci’s. When he smiled, he was actually very handsome, but he had smiled very few times in his short life.
Only now did he understand what he had missed.
The wandering soul possessed him the moment he closed his eyes.
*
Nangong Yue’s ascension failed, and he recuperated in Huai Feng Pavilion for half a month.
Many disciples went to visit him, and Nangong Ci also went several times. He examined Nangong Yue’s spiritual veins and found nothing wrong, but he always saw a strange feeling in Nangong Yue.
“A-Ling, what’s wrong?” Nangong Yue said with a light smile from the bed.
Nangong Ci shook his head: “It’s nothing. Senior Brother, take good care of yourself. It’s fortunate that this failed ascension didn’t harm your life.”
Nangong Yue nodded: “Don’t worry, I will take good care of myself.”
Walking out of Huai Feng Pavilion, Nangong Ci looked back with some suspicion and suddenly thought of something. He seemed to have never seen Nangong Yue smile before.
In addition to Nangong Yue’s abnormality, Si Wumian also seemed to be a little strange recently.
One day, he mentioned Xie Yiling to Si Wumian, and the other party didn’t know who he was talking about at first. It wasn’t until he reminded him that he suddenly remembered, and said with a sad expression: “During the time when Senior Brother Xie had just left, I would dream of him and A Si every night. Although they rarely come into my dreams now, I will never forget.”
When discussing matters with Nangong Yue, Nangong Ci also intentionally mentioned it once. He carefully observed the other person’s expression and saw Nangong Yue frown first, then relax after a few seconds, smile slightly, and say earnestly: “A-Ling, life is like flowing water, water passes through thousands of mountains and does not return. Let the past be the past.”
Nangong Ci didn’t say yes or no, and after a moment of silence, he took his leave.
Unwilling to believe it, he went to the Sect Leader and asked if he remembered Xie Ci.
The Sect Leader said in confusion: “Xie Ci? Is he a new disciple? Fu Feng, aren’t the disciples of Southern Return Heavenly Pavilion all under your and Huai Feng’s management? Why are you suddenly asking me?”
Nangong Ci left in a panic. It turned out that the name of Xie Yiling was gradually no longer mentioned up and down the sect, and his deeds were no longer discussed. It wasn’t that time was playing tricks, but an invisible force was erasing his traces.
Nangong Ci realized something in a panic. Everyone, including himself, was gradually forgetting Xie Ci.
Time passed like a white horse glimpsed through a crack, and summer ended without hearing the cicadas.
An unnamed tombstone had been erected in the back mountain at some point. Nangong Ci had gone to see it once and asked the other disciples, but they all said they didn’t remember who it was.
Perhaps it was a disciple who had passed away, or perhaps it was a mortal brought back by Southern Return Heavenly Pavilion and resting here.
This day, Nangong Ci woke up at dawn and felt relaxed all over. For some reason, he felt that he hadn’t been so energetic for a long time, as if he had lost or forgotten some annoying things.
He hung his sword on his waist and was about to go out when he heard the sound of a bird pecking at the window on the windowsill.
Nangong Ci went over and opened the window, only to see a snow-white sparrow with a newly opened golden osmanthus branch in its mouth, standing outside.
“Chirp chirp.” Seeing someone open the window, the sparrow dropped the flower branch, spread its wings, and flew away.
The fragrance of the flowers was rich, and Nangong Ci had an unspeakable emotion in his heart. He reached out and slowly picked up the flower branch, suddenly feeling a little blocked in his chest.
Without thinking any further, he put the flower branch in the vase on the table and left Fu Feng Pavilion.
Today was the day to examine the disciples’ practice results in recent times. Nangong Ci and Nangong Yue went together to welcome the Sect Leader.
Arriving at the main hall, Nangong Yue and Nangong Ci saluted at the same time and said, “Greetings, Sect Leader.”
“No need to be so polite.” Nangong Fu smiled and looked at the two of them. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had an examination. Have the disciples been practicing diligently during this time? Although we can’t be negligent, don’t work yourselves to exhaustion. Don’t be too hasty.”
Nangong Yue said: “Sect Leader, rest assured, the disciples are all well.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a disciple’s exclamation suddenly came from not far outside the hall.
“Someone come, something has happened!”
Nangong Yue’s expression changed slightly, and he glanced at Nangong Fu’s expression: “Sect Leader, I’ll go see what’s going on.”
Nangong Fu said: “Why don’t we go take a look together?”
The one who screamed was the disciple who was going to be punished in the Purification Cave today. He rolled and crawled all the way back from the Purification Cave. His face, which had already lost most of its color due to fright, instantly turned pale when he saw the Sect Leader and Nangong Yue and Nangong Ci.
Nangong Yue said sternly: “The Sect Leader is here, what kind of behavior is this to shout so loudly?”
The disciple’s legs went weak and he knelt on the ground: “Please, Sect Leader, Young Master Yue, and Daoist Fufeng, forgive me. I, the disciple, did not intentionally disturb you. Yesterday, I committed a crime, and Young Master Yue told me to practice morning exercises today before going to the Purification Cave to reflect on my mistakes for half a day. Who would have thought that when I entered the Purification Cave, I found that inside, inside…”
He trembled and couldn’t explain what was in the Purification Cave for a long time.
Nangong Yue was about to lose his temper when Nangong Ci comforted him from the side: “Don’t worry, take your time. Are there any monsters in the Purification Cave?”
The disciple shook his head and glanced at Nangong Ci quickly: “I, I don’t dare to say.”
Nangong Fu said: “It’s okay to say it, you won’t be punished this time.”
With a “thump,” the disciple kowtowed on the ground: “Please, Sect Leader, Young Master Yue, and Daoist Fufeng, go and see for yourselves!”
“Then let’s go take a look.” Nangong Ci looked at Nangong Fu, “The disciples are cautious in their words, and there is no fault.”
The surrounding disciples were all confused by this scene and couldn’t help but be curious, so they followed.
Arriving outside the Purification Cave, the three Nangongs in front carefully and calmly walked in, and a few bold disciples behind them slowly followed in, while the rest waited at the entrance of the cave.
The light inside the cave was dim, but not so dark that they couldn’t see clearly. As soon as Nangong Ci and the others entered, they were stunned in place.
What they saw were tall, smooth walls, like a huge cage, trapping people at the very bottom.
And now, in this cage, someone had painstakingly carved three words that stretched as far as the eye could see:
Nangong Ci.
Dense and numerous, like stars.
Nangong Yue’s expression was ugly, and he asked the disciples in a deep voice, “Who did this?”
“I, I don’t know.”
The disciples behind him were terrified and shook their heads one after another.
Nangong Fu stroked his beard, saw the two brothers, one with a gloomy expression and the other frozen in place, and persuaded: “I see that these handwriting are neat and orderly, and contain hidden admiration. It seems that the person who carved the words has no malicious intent. If it is a disciple of Southern Return Heavenly Pavilion, then issue an order that it must not happen again in the future.”
Everyone else present was slowed down in thought by the momentary shock. And no one noticed that Nangong Ci in the front had not said a word from beginning to end.
Each stroke and stroke was done with a sword. The name of the lord is carved on ten thousand walls in the Purification Cave.
That person’s handwriting has always been scribbled, but now the walls are full of names, all neat and beautiful. Was it deliberately practiced, or was it due to sincerity?
How could he have forgotten?
His chest was like an empty valley, leaving bursts of wailing when the wind passed through. Nangong Ci’s heart was filled with grief and despair.
From the falling of the crabapple blossoms to the opening of the golden osmanthus flowers, he had forgotten Xie Yiling for a full ninety-two days.