Su She finally realized what went wrong, immediately covering up his chest with his lapels. However, the people who'd been facing him had already seen with clarity the part of his chest that was revealed. The skin closest to his heart was thickly dotted with over a dozen hideous holes that varied in size.
Marks of the Hundred Holes curse!
And this definitely wasn't a curse mark left behind by the curse. If that were to be the case, judging from how spread-out these holes were, right now Su She's organs or even golden core should be covered in holes. He definitely wouldn't be able to use his spiritual powers. However, he could still use the transportation talisman repetitively, which drained spiritual energy. Then there could only be one explanation for where these marks came from—they had to be marks left after he cursed someone else and received a backlash!
Back then, it wasn't that Wei WuXian didn't try his hardest to find whom the culprit was in attempt to rectify his name, but there were just too many people. On top of that, finding the culprit wouldn't at all be able to sort out what happened afterward, and so he let go of the hope. Yet tonight, so long after the fruitless searching, it fell right into his lap!
Jin Ling didn't understand. Nie HuaiSang probably didn't understand either. But Lan XiChen had already looked to Jin GuangYao, "Sect Leader Jin, was this also part of the plan to attack Qiongqi Path?"
Jin GuangYao, "Why do you think so?"
Jiang Cheng's was cold, "Is it necessary to ask? If Jin ZiXun weren't cursed, nothing that happened afterwards would have to happen! The attack helped you remove Jin ZiXuan and Jin ZiXun, both of whom were of the same generation as you. It cleared away everything that obstructed your path to the LanlingJin Sect and the position of Chief Cultivator. Su She was behind the curse, and he's a trusted subordinate of yours. Is it really necessary to ask whose orders he followed?!"
Jin GuangYao refused to answer, as though he was focused on meditation. Wei WuXian laughed out of rage, staring at Su She, "Have I done anything to you? I held no enmity towards you—I didn't even know you!"
Jin GuangYao, "Young Master Wei, shouldn't you be the one who knows this the most? Could you be safe just because you hold no enmity? How could that be? In this world, everyone began without enmity. Someone would eventually lunge with the first stab."
Jiang Cheng's voice was drenched in hatred, "You insidious scum!!!"
Yet, Su She smiled coldly, "Stop thinking so highly of yourself. Who told you I cursed Jin ZiXun in order to frame you? Back then, I wasn't working for Sect Leader at all. I cursed him simply because I wanted to!"
Wei WuXian, "Then do you hold enmity towards Jin ZiXun?"
Su She, "Those as arrogant as him—I'll kill every single one who comes my way!"
Wei WuXian knew that the 'arrogant' person he hated the most had to be Lan WangJi. He couldn't help but ask, "What even happened between HanGuang-Jun and you? Just which part of him is arrogant?"
Su She, "Which part isn't? If Lan WangJi weren't born with such a good background, what right does he have to be so arrogant? Why do they always say I imitate him?! Everyone praises him for being so noble and pure—for a person like HanGuang-Jun to fool around and do such filthy deeds with the YiLing Patriarch whose immorality the entire world condemns? What a joke!"
Just as Wei WuXian was about to speak, he suddenly felt that the gloomy yet furious expression was somewhat familiar. He seemed to have seen it somewhere before.
He suddenly remembered, "It's you!"
Caiyi Town, Biling Lake, the waterborn abyss, the sword that vanished underwater, and the Xuanwu of Slaughter, the disciple who pushed MianMian out—Su She!
All of a sudden, Wei WuXian burst out in laughter.
He said, "I understand now."
Lan WangJi, "Understand what?"
Wei WuXian shook his head.
He knew what kind of person Jin ZiXun was. Back then, he often treated those from affiliated sects with disregard, thinking that they were the same as servants. He even thought that partaking in a banquet alongside them would be beneath his dignity. And as a part of one of the LanlingJin Sect's affiliated sects, Su She must travel to Koi Tower once in a while to attend banquets, and it was impossible for him not to run into Jin ZiXun. One was intolerant and unforgiving, while the other was conceited and arrogant—if something bad happened between the two, it wouldn't be strange at all for Su She to bear grudges on Jin ZiXun.
If so, the reason behind Jin ZiXun being cursed with a Hundred Holes had nothing to do with him. But in the end, he was the one who bore the charge.
The cause of the attack at the Qiongqi Path was that Jin ZiXun was cursed with a Hundred Holes. If this cause didn't exist, the LanlingJin Sect would've had no reason to attack him, Wen Ning wouldn't have lost control and gone on the rampage, Wei WuXian wouldn't have had to be responsible for a life as heavy as Jin ZiXuan's, and the things that happened later wouldn't have had to happen.
Yet now, he finally realized even the reason behind culprit's curse wasn't to frame him. Even the cause didn't have anything to do with him!
Such a fact was truly difficult to accept.
As he laughed, Wei WuXian's eyes reddened. He mocked, whether at himself or otherwise, "I can't believe it's because of someone like you… because of such a ridiculous reason!"
But Jin GuangYao seemed like he knew what he thought, "Young Master Wei, you really shouldn't think like this."
Wei WuXian, "Oh? You know what I think?"
Jin GuangYao, "Of course. It's quite easy. You're definitely thinking about how unfortunate you are. In reality, you're not. Even if Su She didn't curse Jin ZiXun, Mr. Wei, you'd receive a siege sooner or later, because of some other reason." He smiled, "Because that's what kind of a person you are. At best, you're the untamed hero; at worst, you offend people wherever you go. Unless all those whom you've offended lived their lives safely, as soon as something happened to them or someone did something to them, the first person they suspect would be you and the first person they seek revenge on would also you. And this is something you have no control over."
Somehow, Wei WuXian smiled, "What should I do? For some reason, I think you make a lot of sense."
Jin GuangYao, "And even if you didn't lose control at the Qiongqi Path, could you guarantee you didn't lose control sometime in the rest of your life? Thus, someone like you is destined to have a short life. You see? Doesn't it feel a lot better if you think about it this way?"
Jiang Cheng raged, "You're the one who's got a fucking short life!"
With no regard to his heavy injuries, he grabbed Sandu and was ready to charge. Immediately, blood gushed out. Jin Ling hurried to press him back down. Unable to move, Jiang Cheng was full of resentment, cursing, "You son of a prostitute, who bears no shame as long as you can rise! You weren't the one who told Su She to do it?! Who are you trying to fool?!"
Hearing the words 'son of a prostitute', Jin GuangYao's smile froze for an instant.
He looked toward Jiang Cheng. After some thought, he began in a lukewarm tone, "Sect Leader Jiang, calm down a bit, won't you? I understand what you're feeling right now. You're in such a terrible mood only because you know the truth behind your golden core. When you think back on what you did all these years, your proud heart feels a tinge of guilt, and so you're anxious to find a culprit for what happened to Young Master Wei in his past life, a villain onto whom you can push all liability. Then, you'd lash out at him, both in vengeance for Young Master Wei and to ease some of your burden.
"If being determined that everything from the Hundred Holes curse to the attack at the Qiongqi Path was part of my singlehanded scheme would ease your troubles, then feel free to think whatever you please. But what you have to understand is that, for what happened to Young Master Wei in the end, you are responsible too and in fact, you are very much so. Why did so many people crusade against the YiLing Patriarch? Why did they shout their support, no matter if they were involved or not? Why was he one-sidedly condemned by so many? Was it really their sense of justice? Of course not. A part of the reason is you."
Jiang Cheng laughed coldly. Lan XiChen knew Jin GuangYao was going to start calling white black again. He shouted in a hushed voice, "Sect Leader Jin!"
Jin GuangYao wasn't swayed, continuing with a smile, "… Back then, the LanlingJin Sect, the QingheNie Sect, and the GusuLan Sect had already finished fighting over the biggest share. The rest could only get some small shrimps. You, on the other hand, had just rebuilt Lotus Pier and behind you was the YiLing Patriarch, Wei WuXian, the danger of whom was immeasurable. Do you think the other sects would like to see a young sect leader who was so advantaged? Luckily, you didn't seem to be on good terms with your shixiong, and since everyone thought there was an opportunity, of course they'd add fuels to your fire if they could. No matter what, to weaken the YunmengJiang Sect was to strengthen themselves. Sect Leader Jiang, if only your attitude towards your shixiong was just a bit better, showing everyone that your bond was too strong to be broken for them to have a chance, or if you exhibited just a bit more tolerance after what happened, things wouldn't have become what they were. Oh, speaking of it, you were also a main force of the siege at Burial Mound…"
Wei WuXian, "Looks like being called the son of a prostitute is really Sect Leader Jin's weak spot. No wonder you killed ChiFeng-Zun."
With the mention of Nie MingJue, Lan XiChen's expression changed. Jin GuangYao's smile paused as well. Immediately afterwards, he stood up.
Now that he finished meditating, he tried the fingers of his left hand to find that they were finally able to move properly. He spoke at once, "Prepare to depart."
Su She, "Yes!"
Two monks held Lan XiChen, one on each side. Just as they were about to open the doors, Jin GuangYao suddenly spoke, "I almost forgot."
He turned to Lan XiChen, "Now that I think of it, ZeWu-Jun's sealed spiritual pathways should be restored soon."
Lan XiChen's cultivation was much higher than his. For Jin GuangYao to seal his spiritual pathways, he had to seal them once every two hours, or else Lan XiChen would be fight out of the seal on his own. He walked towards Lan XiChen, "Excuse me."
Just as he was about to reach out, something white and heavy suddenly plummeted to the ground before him. Alert, Jin GuangYao crossed over it. As his eyes focused, he saw that it was a pale body!
A completely bare woman crawled on the ground, face-down, twisting her body and limbs as though she wanted to go in the direction of Jin GuangYao. Su She lunged with his sword. The woman screamed, and fire erupted around her. She stood up, staggering as she reached out at Jin GuangYao again. Both her body and her face were burned black amid the flames, but the extreme hatred in her eyes remained. With another lunge, Su She slashed across her body, causing her to evaporate. Before Jin GuangYao could walk a few steps back, he tripped over something, turning around only to find two entangled bodies. One of them grabbed his ankle. At this point, a whistle came from behind. Su She seethed, "Wei WuXian!"
Without anyone realizing, on the Guanyin statue in the temple were painted in blood many jumbled talismans.
The eye of the array was right inside of the Guanyin Temple. And now, since it'd already been destroyed by Wei WuXian without anyone noticing, those that were sealed inside now surged out incessantly!
Suddenly, Jin Ling cried, "What is this?"
Jiang Cheng kept on using his hands to slap Jin Ling robes. The hems of his clothes had already begun to burn, all on its own. Jin Ling was already relatively fine. A few monks were already surrounded by flames, rolling on the ground screaming. Su She and Jin GuangYao knew they had to wipe off the blood Wei WuXian painted over the Guanyin statue, but they were obstructed by the cultivators rolling on the ground and the naked ghouls that kept on appearing. Under Wei WuXian's command, the ghouls didn't attack Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling, and the rest, but Jin Ling still crossed Suihua before himself, "What in the world are these things? I've never seen such…"
Such naked, shameless ghouls!
Rage burst from Jin GuangYao's eyes. With one strike, fire exploded. He finally reached the Guanyin Statue. Just as he was about to wipe at the talismans that Wei WuXian painted, he suddenly felt something cold at the back of his waist.
Lan XiChen's low voice sounded, "Do not move."
Jin GuangYao was about to counter the attack when Lan XiChen struck once on his back. Jin GuangYao, "ZeWu-Jun… your spiritual powers are back."
Before Lan XiChen could answer, on the other side, Su She's sword Nanping had already thrusted toward Wei WuXian. However, it came into contact with a sword the glare of which seemed similar but the glow of which was much more crystalline.
Bichen!
As the two swords hit, Nanping snapped into two!
Right then, Su She's palm tore. Blood dripped everywhere. All of the joints in his arm crackled. The sword felt to the ground, and he held his right arm with his left, face as pale as ash. On the other hand, Lan WangJi gripped Bichen in one hand as he grabbed Wei WuXian's waist with his other, pushing Wei WuXian behind him for better protection. In reality, Wei WuXian had no need for his protection, but he still leaned against his body with both comfort and compliance.
All of these happened in just a few seconds. After a few blinks, the LanlingJin Sect's cultivators finally realized what happened. Yet, Su She still held his bleeding right arm. The wound at his chest had already opened up. Bichen's blade was right against Jin GuangYao's throat.
Now that their main pillars were restricted, none of them dared do anything too rashly.
Just as Lan XiChen was about to speak, the expressions of everyone within the Guanyin Temple changed. Lan XiChen, "Young Master Wei, please… remove these things first."
Not only were these ghouls naked and filthy, they were even letting out embarrassing moans, making it rather clear what they were doing. Nobody had seen such indecent ghouls before. Lan XiChen turned his head to the side, Jiang Cheng's face was dark, while Jin Ling was between pale and flushed. Wei WuXian glanced at Lan WangJi, who stood beside him. He thought it'd be a bit too unreasonable to make someone who responded to pornography with extreme embarrassed rage when he was young view such a thing. He protested, "I only wanted to let out the ghouls he sealed at the Guanyin Temple so that we could delay them for as long as possible. I never thought I'd let out these things…"
Like Lan XiChen, Lan WangJi retracted his gaze after taking only one look at those ghouls. Turning to another direction, he said two words, "A fire."
Wei WuXian nodded immediately, continuing in all seriousness, "Yes. All of these ghouls were burned to death. It looks like a big fire once erupted here, burning quite a lot of people to death. And afterwards, to hide everything as well as to seal away these ghouls who formed because of their deaths, Sect Leader Jin decided to build a Guanyin Temple here."
Lan XiChen, "Sect Leader Jin, is the fire related to you?"
Jiang Cheng's voice was cold, "Those ghouls abhor him. Is it possible that it isn't?"