TFOD Chapter 90

Many people held talismans, testing if they could ignite them with their spiritual power, and one after another, the talismans in their hands flickered weakly. Hearing the question, they all answered, “I’ve recovered twenty percent.”

“I have ten percent…”

“The recovery is so slow!”

When they set out, they all felt that this battle would be more tragic and could be recorded in history compared to the first siege of the Burial Mounds thirteen years ago. However, the number of people who went up the mountain was about the same as the number of people who came down. This second “siege” could indeed be recorded in history, but not because of its tragic and heroic nature. Instead, it was because this was absolutely the most comical, ridiculous, and inexplicable action taken by the cultivation sects.

Some were thankful for surviving the disaster, while others lamented the changing times. After a brief discussion, the dozens of clan leaders agreed unanimously to first find a safe place to rest and recover their spiritual power to over eighty percent before returning home, in order to avoid any complications or unforeseen events along the way.

Wei Wuxian immediately knew that the closest “safe place” to Yiling was naturally within the territory of the Yunmeng Jiang Sect. He said, “So you’re planning to go to Lotus Pier next?”

Lan Qiren asked vigilantly, “What are you asking that for?”

Wei Wuxian said, “It’s nothing. I’m just asking if it would be possible to go together.”

Sect Leader Yao said vigilantly, “Wei Wuxian! Although you did something good today, one thing is one thing, please be clear that it is absolutely impossible for us to associate with you.”

Wei Wuxian was speechless for a moment and said, “Don’t worry, no one is forcing you to associate with me. However, we can be considered on the same side now, right? The big figure who plotted to kill you today has the Yin Tiger Seal in his hands, can you handle him?”

The clan leaders looked at each other. It was true that what Wei Wuxian said was not false, and if he were willing to join them, it would be of great assistance. However, everyone had been shouting to kill the Yi Ling Patriarch for so many years, and it would be too embarrassing for them to cooperate with him suddenly.

Lan Wangji then said to Lan Qiren, “Uncle, do you have any news about my brother?”

After a moment of silence, Lan Qiren said, “No.”

Wei Wuxian said, “Ze Wu-Jun might still be controlled by Jin Guangyao. Mr. Lan, more people means more help. Even if you can’t trust me, at least let Hanguang-Jun participate in your next plan. That is his brother.”

“…” Lan Qiren, looking very tired, said to Lan Wangji, “You can come if you want.”

The rest of the people immediately looked at Jiang Cheng. Among the three most prominent clan leaders present, Lan Qiren had stated his position, Nie Huaisang’s statement would be useless, and now it all depended on Jiang Cheng. On the other side, Jiang Cheng was re-circulating his spiritual power, testing the Purple Lightning Whip. Although it flickered on and off, it had at least stopped going out entirely. Jiang Cheng’s face was reflected in a purple light, making him seem treacherous. Everyone knew that this Sect Leader Jiang, who had turned against Wei Wuxian, couldn’t stand him, and thought that things would probably break down. Who knew, he just scoffed and said, “You dare to return to Lotus Pier?”

After throwing out this nonsensical sentence, he didn’t say anything else. Everyone was confused, unsure if he had agreed or opposed it. However, when the group set off, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji followed the team. He didn’t even look at them, acting as if he had neither agreed nor opposed it.

It was already night when everyone went down the mountain. Back in town, the lights were out, and everything was quiet. Everyone was physically and mentally exhausted, and they were a disheveled mess. Even the formation they stood in was crooked and uneven. Fortunately, they managed to muster some energy and count the number of people, and found that there were almost no changes. Because most people hadn’t recovered their spiritual power, they couldn’t use their swords to fly, and the waterway was the fastest route to reach Lotus Pier. This team of several thousand people set off again, travel-worn, toward the docks near Yiling. However, the decision had been made in a hurry, and they couldn’t gather that many ships in the vicinity in a short amount of time. The clan leaders had to charter all the boats, big and small, including the fishing boats at the docks. They were packed with disciples from each family, and they went down the river with the current.

A dozen disciples from various sects were crammed into the same fishing boat. These youths were usually pampered and had never been squeezed into such a dark, old, run-down fishing boat, which was piled high with dirty fishing nets and wooden buckets, smelled of fish, and whose wooden planks creaked. The wind was strong at night, and the boat swayed and rocked. Several youths from the north became severely seasick. After enduring it for a while, they finally couldn’t hold it in anymore, rushed out of the cabin, and vomited. They then sat weakly on the deck, dizzy and disoriented.

One youth said, “Oh my god, I feel like my stomach is churning! Hey, Sizhui, are you throwing up too? Aren’t you from Gusu? You’re not from the north, why are you throwing up more than I am?”

Lan Sizhui waved his hand, his face pale, and said, “I… I don’t know why. I’ve been like this since I was four or five when I was on a boat… Maybe I’m just born like this.”

As he spoke, the nausea returned. He leaned against the side of the boat, stood up, and was about to throw up again when he suddenly saw a dark figure clinging to the hull of the boat below the deck, with half of its body submerged in the river, staring straight at him.

In an instant, Lan Sizhui was so frightened that he swallowed back what he was about to throw up. His hand just went to the hilt of his sword. He focused, looked carefully, and whispered, “Ghost…”

Jin Ling, hearing this from inside the cabin, rushed out with his sword in hand and said, “There’s a ghost? Where? I’ll help you kill it!”

Lan Sizhui said, “It’s not a ghost, it’s the Ghost General!”

The youths all rushed to the side of the deck and looked in the direction Lan Sizhui was pointing. Sure enough, the black figure clinging to the side of the boat, looking up from below, was none other than the Ghost General, Wen Ning.

After they left the Burial Mounds, Wen Ning had disappeared without a trace. Who would have thought that he would silently cling to this fishing boat, and they had no idea how long he had been there.

Although Wen Ning had fought alongside them in the Burial Mounds just now, there were many people and many elders around them. However, now it was the middle of the night, and they were on the water. Wen Ning’s sudden appearance was in such a strange way. The youths were still startled. They stared at each other with wide eyes. Ouyang Zizhen was the first to shrink back and sit on the deck, saying, “Why did the Ghost General come looking for us alone?”

One person muttered, “No wonder I felt that this boat was going so slow, it turned out that there was an extra person clinging on, it’s so heavy.”

“What… what is he doing there?”

“He’s definitely not here to harm us, otherwise, he wouldn’t have protected us in the Burial Mounds during the day.”

“But there’s no danger now, why is he looking for us again…”

“Pfft!”

“Jingyi, what are you laughing at?”

Lan Jingyi said, “Look at him, he’s clinging to the side of the boat and not moving, he looks like a silly sea turtle!”

Once he said that, some people did find it funny. However, before they could laugh, Ouyang Zizhen exclaimed, “He’s coming up!”

Indeed, Wen Ning’s body emerged from the water. With both hands grasping a thick hemp rope that had been lowered from the deck, he began to slowly climb up. Several youths scattered, and the cowardly ones ran around in a panic, making loud thumping sounds, saying haphazardly, “He’s coming up! The Ghost General is coming up!”

Lan Jingyi said, “What’s there to be afraid of? We’ve seen him before!”

“What should we do, should we call someone over?!”

When Wen Ning, dripping wet, flipped over the side of the boat and landed heavily on the deck, the entire fishing boat seemed to sway as he landed. The youths were extremely nervous, wishing they could all squeeze to the other side of the deck, their hearts pounding wildly. Yet, they were embarrassed to draw their swords. Wen Ning stared at Lan Sizhui’s face and walked towards him. Lan Sizhui realized that he was coming towards him, calmed himself, and Wen Ning asked him, “What, what is your name?”

Lan Sizhui was slightly stunned, stood straight and answered, “This junior is a disciple of the Gusu Lan Sect, my name is Lan Yuan.”

Wen Ning said, “Lan Yuan?”

Lan Sizhui nodded. Wen Ning said, “Do you… do you know, who gave you this name?”

Although the dead usually had no expression or emotion, Lan Sizhui had the illusion that Wen Ning’s eyes seemed to light up.

He also felt that Wen Ning’s heart was very excited at that moment, so excited that even his words were stumbling, and even he was feeling vaguely excited, as if they were about to reveal a secret that had been buried for many years.

Lan Sizhui carefully replied, “My parents naturally gave me my name.”

Wen Ning said, “Then, are your parents still alive?”

Lan Sizhui said, “My parents passed away when I was very young.”

One of the youths next to him tugged his sleeve and said in a low voice, “Sizhui, don’t say too much, be careful, there might be something strange.”

Wen Ning paused and said, “Sizhui? Is Sizhui your courtesy name?”

Lan Sizhui said, “Exactly.”

Wen Ning said, “Who gave it to you?”

Lan Sizhui said, “Hanguang-Jun.”

Wen Ning lowered his head and silently repeated the two words “Sizhui” twice. Seeing him seem to realize something, Lan Sizhui said, “Gen…” He originally wanted to call him General, but felt that it was weird, so he changed his words to, “Mr. Wen? What’s wrong with my name?”

“Oh.” Wen Ning raised his head, stared at his face, and said, answering a different question, “You, you look very much like, very much like a distant relative of mine…”

These words sounded like an inferior cultivator, a disciple from another clan, trying to get close to a disciple from their own clan. The youths were increasingly confused, not knowing what was going on. Lan Sizhui also didn’t know how to answer, and had no choice but to say, “Re, really?”

Wen Ning said, “Really!”

He tried his best to lift the muscles at the corners of his mouth. It looked like he was trying to squeeze out a smile. For some reason, looking at the “Ghost General” in this state, Lan Sizhui suddenly felt a strong sense of closeness mixed with a pang of sadness, and a vague idea: he seemed to have seen this face somewhere. There was a form of address, that seemed to be breaking through an obstacle and about to come out. As long as that form of address was spoken, many other things would immediately come to the surface, enlightening him.

But just then, Lan Sizhui saw Jin Ling on the side.

Jin Ling’s face was dark, extremely ugly, and the hand holding his sword was sometimes tight and sometimes loose. The blue veins on the back of his hand were also sometimes visible and sometimes not. Only then did he remember that the seemingly harmless Ghost General, Wen Ning, was Jin Ling’s father’s killer.

Following his gaze, Wen Ning’s “smile” gradually disappeared. He slowly turned to Jin Ling and said, “Young Master Jin Rulan?”

Jin Ling said coldly, “Who’s that?”

After a moment of silence, Wen Ning changed his words and said, “Young Master Jin Ling.”

Jin Ling stared at him, while the other youths nervously stared at Jin Ling, afraid that he might act impulsively. Lan Sizhui said, “Young Master Jin…”

Jin Ling said, “You step aside, it’s none of your business.”

However, Lan Sizhui vaguely felt that it definitely wasn’t none of his business. He stepped in front of Jin Ling and said, “Jin Ling, you should put your sword away first…”

Jin Ling was already on edge, and his vision was blocked. He couldn’t help but yell, “Don’t stop me!”

He pushed him out of the way. Lan Sizhui was already seasick, and his legs were weak. When he was pushed, he bumped into the side of the boat and nearly fell into the dark river. Fortunately, Wen Ning grabbed him and pulled him back. A group of youths immediately went to support him, saying, “Sizhui!”

“Young Master Lan, are you alright? Are you still dizzy?”

Seeing Lan Sizhui’s pale face, Wen Ning was anxious and said, “Young Master Jin, you come at me, Wen Ning won’t fight back, but Ah… Young Master Lan Yuan…”

Lan Jingyi was furious and blamed him, “Jin Ling, why are you like that! Did Sizhui offend you?”

“Sizhui was doing it for your own good, it’s fine if you don’t appreciate it, but why are you pushing people?”

Jin Ling originally thought that he had overreacted and was also shocked. However, seeing that his peers were all going to support him and were criticizing him, this scene overlapped with countless scenes from the past. In these years, because he had no father or mother, everyone said he was spoiled and undisciplined. He had a bad temper and was difficult to get along with. Whether in the Golden Carp Tower or in Lotus Pier, he had no close friends of the same age. Although his status was noble, his situation was so awkward. When he was little, no disciples from the noble families wanted to play with him. When he was older, no disciples from the noble families wanted to follow him. The more he thought, the redder his eyes became. He suddenly shouted loudly, “Yes! It’s all my fault! I’m just such a bad person! What about it?!”

The other youths were all stunned by his shouting. After a moment of silence, some people were unconvinced and muttered, “What’s wrong? You were the one who made the first move… Why are you getting mad now?”

Jin Ling said fiercely, “It’s none of your business?! Who do you think you are to lecture me?!”

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji were originally on a boat nearby. After this shout, Wei Wuxian paused inside the cabin, rushed out, and looked at the boat from a distance, seeing Jin Ling holding his sword against the others, and said, “What’s going on?”

As soon as Lan Sizhui saw these two people, he felt that any difficult situation could be resolved. He was overjoyed and said, “Hanguang-Jun! Senior Wei! Please come over here!”