WJ Chapter 28

Che Lín (5)

“That’s how it was…”

Guan Wujue sighed softly, his eyes slowly closing as if sealing away a tragic chapter from the annals of history.

“Emotional agitation triggers the Fengchun Sheng poison, and conversely, when the Fengchun Sheng poison strikes, it can also shake one’s mental state. That’s why the old Sect Leader required you from childhood to restrain your joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, to avoid meeting strangers, to stay away from worldly troubles—all to minimize the violent energy stirred up by the Fengchun Sheng.”

“…Of course, you may no longer remember these things clearly.”

Yun Changliu took a long time to react, feeling only as if his body and soul had separated, drifting without anchor. After a long while, he finally spoke with difficulty, “Impossible. In the past… no one ever told me this. You—could you be making this up to deceive me? Besides, after this recent episode, there hasn’t been—”

—No, that’s not right.

Only at this point did Yun Changliu suddenly realize. Thinking carefully, there actually had been something.

He rarely dreamed, and nightmares were almost unheard of for him. Yet in that nightmare of shifting seasons after the poison struck, it had been filled with despair so thick it was suffocating, clear to a terrifying degree.

Yun Changliu’s mind went blank for a moment, and even Guan Wujue’s voice beside his ear seemed veiled. “Sect Leader! Think carefully—you can no longer remember events before you were fifteen clearly, and after fifteen, how many times has your Fengchun Sheng poison struck?”

“Not counting this recent time, wasn’t it only a year ago? When the poison was dormant, even my old man thought the Fengchun Sheng had been completely removed. Who would specifically tell you about this?”

“A year ago, you were unconscious for an entire day after the poison struck. This time, I carried you back to Yangxin Hall and you woke up in just this short while—how can these be compared?”

Yun Changliu remained silent, his expression making it difficult to discern what he was thinking. But as Guan Wujue continued speaking, his tone grew increasingly agitated. He was already trying to suppress it, but some emotions still threatened to break through.

“Previously, Wujue never dared speak of this, only because I didn’t know what you thought in your heart, afraid you truly bore a grudge against this subordinate. Wen Feng and the others who know the truth must have felt the same…”

“But now,” he took a deep breath, his voice hoarse, “if you feel that… something was beyond your control at that time… you cannot be blamed for it.”

“Stop talking.” At some point, Yun Changliu had half-closed his eyes and said softly, “…No matter what, what was done is done. If I instead need you to console me, what kind of person would this lord be?”

“Besides, at that time this lord was indeed extremely angry. Even now, I cannot say I’ve completely forgiven you, only… never mind.”

The Sect Leader lifted his hand slightly. “Enough, this matter ends here. Sleep.”

“No, Sect Leader, you must listen to me…” Guan Wujue lowered his head in anguish, his gaze somewhat unfocused, his voice trembling. “About Young Master Danjing’s matter, Wujue has no regrets… but I…”

—I did certain things, deceived you, made you sad.

But I cannot speak of it now, cannot apologize, cannot even show my guilt.

“I don’t…”

The Four Directions Protector had rarely been driven to such incoherence. Unable to continue, he simply began to plead. “…In any case… believe Wujue in this one thing—even if there were a thousand or ten thousand wrongs, under no circumstances could they be your fault.”

“Wujue has never blamed you and never will in the future. Please don’t be troubled by this anymore, not at all. I beg you.”

Suddenly, Guan Wujue felt a hand press against his cheek.

Yun Changliu turned his face upward, his long eyes holding a penetrating, sharp light.

“Who is at fault—that’s not important,” Yun Changliu said indifferently.

The Sect Leader frowned and without warning posed a question. “But why do you… know this so clearly?”

The topic shifted too abruptly. Guan Wujue’s emotions hadn’t yet settled, and he was somewhat dazed. “What?”

Yun Changliu enunciated each word. “Fengchun Sheng.”

“Even this lord doesn’t know these things—why do you know them so clearly?”

Guan Wujue was even more stunned upon hearing this and asked in return, “Sect Leader, you jest. Wujue’s adoptive father treated your Fengchun Sheng for over twenty years—how could I not know?”

Yun Changliu said, “You only began following this lord five years ago. At that time, if even Guan Muyan thought the Fengchun Sheng had been removed, who would specifically tell you about this?”

Guan Wujue hadn’t expected that the Sect Leader would turn his own words back on him intact. He tried to lower his head, but Yun Changliu more forcefully lifted his chin. The Sect Leader’s hand slowly moved down from the Protector’s cheek, tracing the contour of his jaw. “You’re hiding something from me.”

Guan Wujue: “I’m not…”

Yun Changliu: “You certainly are.”

“Sect Leader! Don’t overthink this…”

Guan Wujue groaned inwardly. He had unconsciously lost his composure just now, and the Sect Leader was precisely the one most skilled at reading people’s thoughts…

He could only try his best to explain, “Everything Wujue knows, I learned from going through my old man’s things when I had nothing better to do. If you don’t believe me, you can also search the Medicine Gate—everything is there. The origins of Fengchun Sheng, the grudge between the Zhuyin Sect and Wanci Manor, and also you and Ah Ku…”

Yun Changliu was half-convinced. Suddenly, he reached out to grasp the Protector’s wrist, his gaze burning as he pressed. “That’s right—why exactly did you bring Ah Ku back to the Sect?”

“—Sect Leader,” Guan Wujue suddenly pushed Yun Changliu down onto the bed and said very earnestly, “Sect Leader, let’s just sleep, all right? I beg you.”

Yun Changliu hadn’t been prepared for Guan Wujue to make a move on him and was actually pushed into lying on his back on the bed. The Sect Leader’s refined brow arched as he said coldly, “Is the Protector trying to rebel against heaven itself?”

He turned the tables, his arms encircling Guan Wujue’s waist and pulling forcefully. When the poison wasn’t active, the Sect Leader, relying purely on his strength, flipped the Protector to the inner side of the bed.

Guan Wujue let out a soft “ah” of surprise. Sect Leader Yun propped one hand beside the Protector’s pillow, looking down at him from above. “Really unwilling to speak?”

Guan Wujue blinked and said, “There truly is nothing. I beg you to stop asking.”

In this one day, this was already the nth time Guan Wujue had said the word “beg.”

More than he had said in the previous several years combined.

“…”

Yun Changliu grabbed the blanket from the side and covered him from head to body. “Sleep first. Tomorrow, you’ll explain properly to this lord.”

Outside the window, the moonlight was clear as water.

The town’s night was ultimately not as silent as Yangxin Hall, but it was peaceful and warm.

Yun Changliu discovered that he too had somehow become peaceful.

If Guan Wujue’s words were meant to comfort him, the effect was evident.

Guan Wujue emerged from under the blanket. His hair, which had just been casually tied with a ribbon, had come loose. He gazed at Yun Changliu, the corners of his lips curving softly, his eyes burning:

“Sect Leader… Fengchun Sheng is a curse, an evil fate. But there is no one in this world more worthy of living than you.”

Yun Changliu said indifferently, “After this lord’s death, who does the Protector think the position of Zhuyin Sect Leader should be passed to? Do you want it?”

“…” There was no longer any way to communicate.

The Protector desperately closed his eyes. “Sect Leader, let’s just sleep!”

Yun Changliu chuckled softly and closed his eyes.

He listened to the regular, shallow breathing of the person beside him.

He fell asleep in peace.

…

—A very, very long time later, so long that everything had settled like dust, when all karmic destiny and love-hate had fallen and taken root, Yun Changliu would still occasionally recall this night of sharing a bed at the inn.

And then he would feel somewhat angry.

He had clearly sensed something was wrong. If only he had been ruthless enough to press the interrogation.

It was just that he was accustomed to Guan Wujue always playing little tricks on him, thinking this person would never harm him, so he often indulged him. He had thought this time too was nothing more than being tricked into asking the innkeeper for a single room…

If only he had pressed the interrogation.

Though given Wujue’s nature, the likelihood of getting an answer was actually quite low—after all, he couldn’t resort to torture, so how else could he force it out? If the Four Directions Protector put on his stubborn front, there would be nothing he could do.

And thinking of this, the Sect Leader would feel even more frustrated.

How could this person be like this?

….

The next day, the two rose early, each leading their own horse to continue south.

Yun Changliu didn’t continue pursuing questions.

Guan Wujue also acted as if nothing had happened that night.

Only when leading Feixue out from the inn’s stable did Sect Leader Yun seemingly casually mention, “After returning to the Sect… you should stop making trouble between this lord and Ah Ku.”

Guan Wujue couldn’t help but smile, both amused and somewhat helpless. “So the Sect Leader doesn’t want your lover from youth anymore.”

Yun Changliu stroked a tuft of hair on Liuhuo’s head, then turned to mount his own Feixue, actually opening his lips quite calmly, “It’s only that this heart has already been given to a beloved.”

As he said this, he suddenly remembered that last time at Yuan Lai Tavern, he had stuffed a candied date into Guan Wujue’s mouth.

It seemed that time he had said it was the last indulgence of this life… How was it that after just one night, they had already done all manner of hugging and embracing?

Forget it, forget it. Who cares? the Sect Leader thought. What’s wrong with indulging a little more, just two more times?

…Really just two more times. This time for real.

Guan Wujue also mounted his horse, the morning sun shooting against his back. The red-robed Protector smiled at the Sect Leader. “Ah, that person is truly fortunate—who knows how many lifetimes of merit they cultivated.”

Yun Changliu’s eyes brightened, and upon hearing this, his heart suddenly leapt with joy. Regardless of whether the Four Directions Protector’s words actually carried that meaning, he could happily assume Wujue had accepted his feelings.

But the Sect Leader soon felt regret… If not for the deadly poison in his body, right now he could pull the man down from his horse and into his arms for a kiss. What a pity.

“The pity is that this lord has shallow fortune.”

Yun Changliu’s voice remained its customary coolness like ice and jade, yet it had thoroughly softened.

“Since this body cannot last long, naturally I dare not burden my heart’s beloved. I only wish that person lives this life in peace, free and joyful, and in the future does not remain attached to the departed.”

“This is this lord’s dying wish. Can the Protector accomplish this for this lord?”

Guan Wujue nodded. “The Sect Leader speaks rightly. Among all those in the mortal world whose feelings run deep, even if their body cannot last long, to be able to leave behind one beloved person to view the red dust in their stead is the greatest of fortunes.”

As he spoke, his expression suddenly became extremely solemn. “—If two people’s hearts are as one, their feelings mutual, the other should accompany their beloved to the very end, and afterward follow the deceased’s wishes, making up for a double portion of peace and joy on behalf of the departed.”

“Really?” Having received this promise, Yun Changliu felt even more joyful than before. He imitated Guan Wujue’s tone from that day, “Agreed?”

Guan Wujue said, “Agreed, agreed.”

Then he smiled to himself again, pursing his lips.

The two horses once more rode side by side, treading on the thin layer of snow on the road, leaving far behind this small town along their journey, this inn so ordinary it couldn’t be more ordinary.