Only Chu Wanning could say something so earth-shatteringly astonishing like that in such a matter-of-factly calm manner. The three disciples each had their own thoughts on the matter.
Xue Meng's were the simplest, just a single exclamation: Ah!
Mo Ran's were a little more complicated as he stroked his chin with a hand and recalled some certain things from the previous lifetime, he thought that he definitely never wants to see Chu Wanning's third weapon in this lifetime.
As for Shi Mei, he tilted his head, a faint light flickering in that pair of hazy peach blossom eyes, as if in reverence or fascination.
"Did you get Tianwen from Jincheng Lake?"
Chu Wanning: "Mn."
"Then the other two..."
Chu Wanning: "One was also from here, but not the other. Weapon temperaments don't tend to be too fierce, so it should be manageable. There is no need to worry."
Xue Meng sighed with admiration: "Wish I could see Shizun's other holy weapons too."
Chu Wanning said: "Tianwen is more than enough for most purposes. As for the other two, it would be best if I never have to use them."
Xue Meng reluctantly made a noise of agreement, but a light still danced in his eyes. Chu Wanning noticed; he knew that Xue Meng was combative by nature, and that such things were not so easily suppressed, but luckily his heart was in the right place, so with some guidance there should be little reason for concern.
Mo Ran, standing to the side, was still stroking his chin, expression smiling yet not.
The purpose of a weapon was to take the life of another; a righteous man would only resort to such if there was truly no other option. Chu Wanning…..be it this life or the last, this righteousness of his was his downfall.
All that bullshit about justice always triumphing over evil was just words in books, but this idiot insisted on taking that stuff seriously. For all his exceptional talent and martial prowess, it served him right to end up as a mere prisoner beneath the steps, bones in the dirt.
"Shizun." Shi Mei's voice cut off his musing.
"This disciple heard that hundreds, if not thousands climb Dawning Peak every year in search of a weapon, but only one or two are able to thaw Jincheng Lake. On top of that, no one had managed to at all in the last few years. This disciple's cultivation is weak…...there really…...isn't any chance at all. A-Ran and the young master are both outstanding, but maybe I should just stay behind and practice my basics."
Chu Wanning: "......"
He did not speak, face like fine porcelain layered with a faint mist, as if deep in thought.
In the last life, Shi Mei also turned down the chance to go to Dawning Peak due to low self-confidence. Seeing this, Mo Ran immediately put on a grin: "There's no harm in trying. Even if it doesn't work out, just think of it as taking a trip. Better than staying cooped up at Sisheng Peak all day, why not go out and see the world instead."
Shi Mei only became even more nervous: "No but, I really am too weak, and there are so many people at Dawning Peak, if disciples from another sect challenged me to a fight, I'll definitely lose and embarrass Shizun..."
Chu Wanning lifted his eyes: "Is that what you were afraid of?"
The words were strange, as if questioning, yet also as if merely rhetorical. The other two didn't sense anything off, but Shi Mei felt a creeping chill in his heart, and when he looked up, his eyes met Chu Wanning's cold, biting gaze.
"Shizun..."
Chu Wanning's expression remained still as he spoke: "You specialize in healing; fights are not your forte to begin with. If someone bothers you about it, simply refuse, there is no shame in that."
Mo Ran grinned: "Don't worry Shi Mei, you have me."
And so the three of them packed for the trip and set off.
The destination this time was quite far, all the way in the upper cultivation realm. Riding horses there would be too exhausting, and Chu Wanning still didn't want to travel by sword, so they went by carriage at a relaxed pace for more than ten days before finally arriving at a city by the foot of Dawning Peak.
The three disciples had already climbed out of the carriage, but Chu Wanning still didn't feel like moving just yet. He lifted up the carriage's bamboo screen and said: "We'll stay the night here. A little more travelling tomorrow and we'll be at Dawning Peak."
Their rest stop was called Dai City; not an overly large city, but affluent and bustling. The women wore silks and jades, and the men were dressed in expensive brocades. It was easily more opulent than even the richest locales of the lower cultivation realm.
Xue Meng clicked his tongue: "Look at these upper cultivation realm mutts, the scent of meat and wine wafting out of the doors of the rich while the poor starve and freeze to death in the streets."
Mo Ran disliked it as well, and so didn't quibble with Xue Meng for once. Instead, he made fun of the scene before him with a sweet smile on his face: "No kidding, I'm so jealous. No wonder so many people are so desperate to move to the upper cultivation realm. Even being a common person and not a cultivator here is still a much better life than down there."
Chu Wanning took out and donned a silver mask before leisurely getting out of the carriage. He looked around at the hustle and bustle, thinking about something or another.
Xue Meng was puzzled: "Why is Shizun wearing a mask?"
Chu Wanning replied: "This is Linyi Rufeng Sect's area. It's best if I don't show my face here."
Seeing the lingering confusion in Xue Meng's expression, Mo Ran sighed: "The lil phoenix must have left his head back home, to forget that Shizun used to be Linyi Rufeng Sect's guest master."
His words jolted Xue Meng's memory, but the darling of the heavens wasn't about to admit that he really did forget. So, face red, he rolled his eyes instead: "O-of course I knew that! But Shizun was only a guest master there, it's not like they bought him or anything, there's no reason he can't just up and leave. Even if the Rufeng Sect people do see him, what're they gonna do, drag him back?"
Mo Ran said: "You blockhead, have you seriously never heard? Ever since Shizun left Rufeng Sect, basically no one from the upper cultivation realm even knows where he went. Whenever we get asked who we're apprenticed under while out on exorcism missions, haven't we always just said Sisheng Peak without specifying our teacher?"
Xue Meng was taken aback for a moment before comprehension dawned on him: "Oh so Shizun's whereabouts is a secret here? But Shizun is so strong, why the need to hide?"
"It's not that I'm carefully hiding, I just don't want to be bothered." Chu Wanning said, "Let's go find an inn."
"Welcome, will the good sirs be staying with us?" The inn's attendant jogged over, greasy face gleaming.
Xue Meng said: "Four rooms."
The attendant forced a smile while twisting his hands: "So sorry sir, all the inns in the city have been pretty full recently, so I'm afraid we don't have four rooms to spare, would the good sirs be ok with two?"
There's nothing to be done about it, they'll just have to share.
But a small problem came up when it came to assigning rooms.
——
"I'm gonna room with Shi Mei." Mo Ran stated firmly where the three disciples were gathered while Chu Wanning paid the bill.
Xue Meng wasn't having it: "Like hell you are."
Mo Ran feigned shock: "Eh? I thought you liked sticking to Shizun?"
"Th-that doesn't mean I want to——"
He felt the utmost respect for Chu Wanning, but he was also afraid of him. Truth be told, even he couldn't say if he felt more adoration or fear toward the man.
Looking at Xue Meng's reddened face, Mo Ran grinned smugly: "Lil bro, why do I get the feeling that it's not that you don't want to sleep with Shizun, but that you're too scared to?"
Xue Meng's eyes were round as orbs: "It's not like Shizun's gonna eat me, why would I be scared!"
"Oh." Mo Ran's shit-eating grin only widened, "But Shizun hits people in his sleep, did you know that?"
Xue Meng: "..."
Xue Meng stammered, face going from pale to blue and back again, before he suddenly realized something and shot back in a rage: "How do you know what Shizun's like in his sleep! Have you slept with him before?"
That was a bit ambiguous, even though Xue Meng definitely didn't mean it that way. Mo Ran sneered to himself, not only had this venerable one slept with him before, this venerable one had slept with him before.
But real men don't flaunt past conquests, so he only continued grinning: "If you don't believe me, go ahead and see for yourself tonight. Oh yeah, don't forget to bring a bottle of salve, you're gonna need it."
Xue Meng was just about to rage when Chu Wanning finished paying and came over.
He glanced mildly at them and said: "Let's go."
The three youths followed Shizun upstairs like three little tails. Standing in front of the rooms, all three of them looked down meekly and waited for Chu Wanning to speak, despite the bickering just now.
Their bickering didn't actually carry any weight at all. When it came time to actually assign the rooms, they all shut up and waited for Chu Wanning to decide.
Chu Wanning paused before saying: "There are only two rooms, which of you..."
He hesitated, feeling a little self-conscious.
How to say——"which of you wants to be with me?"
It sounds a bit cautious and pitiful even to him, far too unbefitting of Yuheng Elder's style.
How should he say it then?
"Mo Weiyu, you're coming with me." Like that?
…...Forget it. Add a spiked club and a tiger pelt, and he'd be no different from some shady bandit stealing a family's young daughter. He was a respected cultivation master, he had to save his face.
Besides, ever since that one night at Red Lotus Pavilion, both of them felt awkward and avoided being alone together.
Chu Wanning's face remained impassive, but a thousand thoughts barreled through his mind. A good while passed before he, calm and collected, lifted his chin and nodded slightly toward Xue Meng.
"Xue Meng will room with me."
Xue Meng: "......"
Mo Ran's smile dropped off his face, dumbfounded.
He did indeed hope for Xue Meng to be with Chu Wanning so that he could be with Shi Mei. But to hear this choice come out of Chu Wanning's mouth somehow made him very irate.
He was utterly unaware of this, but he was just like a stray pup that didn't know how tall the sky was. The stray pup met a man. That person wasn't exactly the nicest to him, but would at least toss him some bone to gnaw on for each meal of the day.
But the stray pup disliked this mean guy. He chewed the bone, and, when done, would only lick his paw and bark endlessly at him. He didn't see this guy as his owner at all.
For some reason unknown to the pup, one day when this man came out with a bowl in hand, it no longer held the bone he was familiar with, but millet seeds instead. A beautiful bird with bright plumage flew down and perched on his shoulder, beady eyes staring at him as it rubbed its beak affectionately against his cheek.
The man turned to look to the side, patting the bird while patiently feeding it.
The stray pup was dumbfounded.
After all, he was so certain that Chu Wanning would choose himself…...