Mad as Xue Meng might be, the group from Sisheng Peak still
needed to be on their way. After bidding farewell to Mei Hanxue, they left
Dai City, heading north and traveling for an hour until they arrived at last at
the foremost sect in the world: Linyi Rufeng Sect.
Rufeng Sect, as its name implied, was situated within Linyi. Within
this vast city were seventy-two manors of varying sizes, built in a
continuous stretch. Each manor oversaw its own massive estate, so large
that it would take an hour to travel across it on horseback. In fact, each of
these manors was considered a city in its own right. The seventy-two cities
of Rufeng Sect each had their own duties and clear-cut rankings. It was
worlds apart from the hodge-podge melting pot that was Sisheng Peak; the
two were in different leagues. Even Xue Meng, who despised the people of
the upper cultivation realm, couldn't help his astonishment as he stood at
the entrance to the cities. Rufeng Sect was said to be the epitome of the
elite, privileged, and upper-class. It seemed truer words had never been
spoken.
The city they'd arrived in was the main city, which was also the
largest metropolis within Rufeng Sect. Its buildings, white-walled with
black-tiled roofs, extended toward the skies, and the gates on the cardinal
walls of the city were each flanked by towering, lofty watchtowers on each
side. The main city gate was painted red and adorned with gold, and its road
was at least fifteen feet wide, a grand thoroughfare that stretched into the
distance, and which was paved with qi-refinement stones. With this, one
could accumulate spiritual power by simply standing on the road. Although
the effect of each individual rock was minimal, enough grains of sand
would amass into a tower. Each one of these rocks cost over a thousand
gold.
"Must be nice being rich…" Xue Zhengyong marveled.
Madam Wang chuckled. "If you had the money, would you also pave
a qi-refinement road for Sisheng Peak?"
"Nah, I would pave a public square in every village in the lower
cultivation realm. These rocks are full of spiritual power and can ward off
minor ghosts and monsters. If every village had a square like this, its people
would have a safe place to shelter during an attack till our disciples could
get to them." Xue Zhengyong made some tallies on his fingers, then shook
his head. "Too bad we can't afford it."
"Sisheng Peak…" Xue Meng sighed along, "is a little poor."
"Mm-hmm." Xue Zhengyong nodded weightily. "We're all
cultivation sects, yet Rufeng Sect is so rich…"
At this point, Chu Wanning, who had kept silent until now, spoke up.
"Sect Leader, do you know how much Rufeng Sect charges to send out
regular disciples for an exorcism?"
"I've never asked. How much?"
Chu Wanning raised four fingers.
"Four hundred silver?" Xue Zhengyong's eyes were wide. "So
much?"
"Four thousand gold," Chu Wanning replied.
Xue Zhengyong gaped, speechless.
"The upper cultivation realm is full of wealthy merchants, so money
is easy to come by. How can you compete with them when you only charge
eighty silver per request? Not to mention the requests for which you don't
accept payment at all." Despite his blunt words, Chu Wanning's eyes were
gentle. "Come. Let us enter the city."
There was an accepted etiquette for prominent sects to receive guests,
and the reception committee for Rufeng Sect had been waiting at the city
gates for the past few days. Though they greeted all entrants with
welcoming smiles, they were well aware of the status and reputation of each
arriving party. For rogue travelers and small-time cultivators, the reception
committee would give them a tour of the city, then guide them to their
assigned rooms. Minor sects would be received directly by the warden who
was in charge of such things.
When it came to Sisheng Peak, which had recently risen to become
one of the ten great sects, Rufeng Sect's reception committee didn't bother
posturing. They were invited directly into a reception room to await the
arrival of Rufeng Sect's leader, Nangong Liu, who would come to
personally greet them as esteemed guests just as soon as he'd wrapped up
his business.
The air was thick with the fragrance of ambergris incense, the carpet
on the floor so plush their feet sank in deep, and the reception room was
abloom with tender, stunning camellias. One plant with eight blossoms,
each of a different color, was called "eight immortals crossing the sea."
Another, bearing white petals with flecks of red, was called "blushing
maiden clad in white." Yet another, with fine red veins spreading across the
petals and leaves, was called "delicate beauty reclining." Xue Zhengyong
knew nothing of such things, but Madam Wang was aware that every single
plant here was a cultivar of the highest quality.
11
Xue Meng was as clueless as his dad. He spotted a charming camellia
with a pair of black dots on its soft petals, and intrigued, he reached out to
touch it.
"Don't," Chu Wanning said.
"Why?"
Chu Wanning only shook his head. Madam Wang sighed and
answered, "Precious treasures are a delight to the eyes. A flower like this
sells for tens of thousands of gold."
Aghast, Xue Meng pulled his hand back, then dejectedly sat down in
the plump-cushioned taishi chair. He thought about the rankings book he'd
found at the book stall, and how furious he'd been when the list of the
hundred richest heroes had excluded him. Now he realized the book hadn't
lied. It was like his forehead was stamped with one giant, gloomy word:
POOR.
That reminded him—where had that book gotten to? He hadn't had
the chance to finish flipping through it before it was lost…
Before long, a curtain of red coral and freshwater pearls clacked as
two elegant and dignified lady cultivators from Rufeng Sect stepped in,
their snow-silk celestial robes aflutter. One stood to the left and one to the
right as they raised the beaded curtain. They lowered their eyes and
curtsied, announcing in voices songbird-sweet: "The esteemed sect leader
has arrived."
A man in his forties strode in with a broad smile. He had a plain,
somewhat bookish face, the kind easily forgotten in a crowd. Beyond the
fact that his skin was exceptionally fair, his appearance was unremarkable.
The instant he opened his mouth, however, Mo Ran almost spat out
the tea he'd been drinking.
"Aiya, Sect Leader Xue, Sect Leader Xue! This humble one has been
gazing at the stars, gazing at the moon, waiting for the moment your
esteemed selves would finally call on Rufeng Sect. Look at you, dashing
and spirited, mighty and magnificent, a hero of the world, matched by no
man! Excellent, fantastic, your mere presence illuminates my humble
abode. Good! Good! Good!"
Xue Meng and Mo Ran looked on, speechless.
Although he was the leader of the foremost sect in the world, and
although he was addressing the leader of the one ranked bottommost
amongst the ten great sects, here was Nangong Liu, obsequious and
effusive, crying out "Good!" thrice in a row, each more fervent than the last.
His liberal praise naturally pleased Xue Zhengyong a great deal. "No,
no, Sect Leader Nangong is too gracious," he beamed back.
"This humble one is not merely being polite. From the bottom of my
heart, I am truly envious of Sect Leader Xue. The sect leader is a hero of
our time, awe-inspiring, worthy of admiration. Look at this humble one,
I've become so lazy and flabby in my old age. I surely cannot compare."
Nangong Liu was so ecstatically warm that the peacock Xue
Zhengyong's tail feathers began to spread, despite his best efforts. "Oh no,
oh no, ha ha, ha ha ha, Sect Leader Nangong, you're too generous!"
Mo Ran had never crossed paths with Nangong Liu in his past life.
When Mo Ran had come to eradicate Rufeng Sect, the sect leader had fled.
Mo Ran cared nothing for such small fish and hadn't bothered to check if
the man had died in the crossfire or managed to escape with his life and
scrape out some further existence under a new name. Thus, this was the first
time he'd ever been in the same room as Nangong Liu, and he found him
distasteful just from his tone. He muttered under his breath, "Who knew the
sect leader of the number one sect in the world had such a silver tongue."
Xue Meng heard him and, in agreement with his cousin for once,
whispered back, "You're right, that's what you call a real silver tongue. Tsk,
his words are so flowery I can barely smell those expensive blooms over the
cloying sweetness."
Satisfied with his praise of the elder, Nangong Liu moved on to the
offspring. "Aiyo, is this not the darling of the heavens, little Xue-gongzi?"
Xue Meng might have been the Dirt-Poor Young Master, but he was
not lacking in spirit. He cupped his hands without much enthusiasm. "Sect
Leader Nangong."
"Truly a gallant youth, handsome! Incredible! Look at this nose, those
eyes, my my, the spirit! Truly, like father, like son!"
Xue Meng was struck speechless.
Nangong Liu turned back to Xue Zhengyong. "Xue-xiong, this
humble one is ever so envious of you. What house in the world has a scion
with half the mettle of your boy! I must say, there are so many outstanding
young people in this vast cultivation world, but vanishing few who can
match this son of yours!"
Xue Meng had held out at first, determined to detest him. But
Nangong Liu was completely oblivious to his cool attitude, catapulting so
much enthusiastic, effusive praise at him that it knocked poor Young Master
Xue right off his feet and sent him reeling, until he eventually cracked a
small smile. When he once more turned to whisper at Mo Ran, he said:
"Ahem. This Sect Leader Nangong might be exaggerating a bit, but he
speaks the truth."
"What truth?" Mo Ran looked sidelong at him in amusement. "That
there's few who can match you?"
"What? I'm telling you, at the Spiritual Mountain Competition, I was
—"
"That was just one competition; many of the rogue cultivators didn't
participate. Did you really think the world's greatest would be found in that
tiny scuffle of a competition?"
Xue Meng flushed and was silent for a long moment before
eventually grumbling indignantly, "Forget it, I know you're just jealous."
Were he younger, Mo Ran would have kept teasing him. Yet now that
the words were on his tongue, he felt there was no point in arguing with
Xue Meng and that competitive, narcissistic personality of his. So he
nodded with a grin. "Fine, fine, fine, I was jealous. You're the best."
However, when Mo Ran glanced back at Nangong Liu, the smile in
his eyes faded completely.
Many different types of villains walked this earth. Some were
heinously depraved, their sins so grievous that all the world would clamor
for their execution. Then there were those who were remarkable in another
way. With their silver tongues and peerless talent for bootlicking, they could
be rotten to the core and still not garner public scorn.
In Mo Ran's previous life, he was the former. Yet the ones he despised
most were not those righteous few who'd fought against him; he didn't hate
Mei Hanxue, he didn't hate Xue Meng, he didn't hate Ye Wangxi, and in the
case of the last, he even admired and pitied him.
The ones he despised most were those like Nangong Liu. An asskisser who would kneel on the ground and lick another's hemorrhoid so
long as there was something in it for him. Fuck. A hemorrhoid-sucker, even.
Chu Wanning had been standing by the window since Nangong Liu's
entrance, looking out at the organized rows of houses and splendid sights of
Rufeng Sect. The winds were brisk at this altitude, and the soft, scented
curtains that hung in the window drifted gently, obscuring Chu Wanning's
figure in their gauzy haze. The fervent friendliness on Nangong Liu's face
froze momentarily. But he quickly recovered and headed toward the
window. "Chu-zongshi…"
Chu Wanning did not turn. His expression was indifferent as he said,
"Sect Leader Nangong, surely we know each other well enough that there's
no need for introductions."
Caught on the easterly breeze, the silk curtains, as soft as spring
waters, brushed persistently against Chu Wanning's face. Irritated, he raised
a hand to block the offending curtain, then said mildly, "You can dispense
with the pleasantries."
Nangong Liu smiled. "This humble one only wanted to greet Chuzongshi since it has been so long since we last met. Zongshi, must we be so
distant?"
"I came for Nangong Si's sake." Chu Wanning still didn't turn his
head. "Not for yours."
"Si-er will be delighted to see you. Even if you didn't take him as
your disciple, you were his first teacher, after all. After you left, he often
told me how he missed you."
Chu Wanning made no reply.
Encouraged by the lack of pushback, Nangong Liu continued,
"Zongshi, your impassioned and righteous actions at Butterfly Town during
the events of the Heavenly Rift were inspirational. Though Master Huaizui
aided your return to the living world, I imagine you have yet to fully
recover? Rufeng Sect has specially prepared twenty soul-nourishing pills of
the highest quality for you to thank you on behalf of the entire cultivation
realm, so please do accept—"
"Nangong Liu."
Chu Wanning finally looked at him, but the way he addressed him
had changed as well. He released the silk curtain and turned, his straightbacked, slender silhouette bleeding into the light streaming in from the
window. His eyes were ablaze, his brows frigid, and his gaze terribly
threatening. "Do not place me on a pedestal. How can Rufeng Sect speak on
behalf of all the cultivators in the world? Quite some nerve you have."
The corners of Nangong Liu's mouth twitched, though he managed to
keep his smile in place. At length, he said, still smiling, "There's no need to
be like this…"
Xue Zhengyong knew there was bad blood between Chu Wanning
and Nangong Liu; in fact, this was something known to the whole of the
cultivation world.
When Chu Wanning was fifteen, Nangong Liu had invited him into
the sect as a guest master, provided the utmost hospitality, and treated him
like a god. Nevertheless, after only a few years, Chu Wanning had suddenly
had a very public falling-out with Nangong Liu right in the middle of
Rufeng Sect's grand hall.
The two had exchanged words, saying things like "Jincheng Lake,"
"holy weapons," "the lake monster's demand," "morality and justice," "ill
for a long time," "the madam," et cetera.
All who witnessed the argument were left at a loss. What they did
know was that at the end of it, an enraged Chu Wanning had slammed his
hands on the table as he got up to leave.
"He had a stipend of tens of thousands of gold and received thousands
of spiritual stones and talismans every month, but he refused to take so
much as a single copper piece. He stood in the hall right in front of
everybody and took off the qiankun pouch tied at his waist, returning all
those riches. Then, glowering and speaking not a single word, he removed
that fine jade headpiece Nangong Liu had given him to welcome him as
guest master, letting his hair fall, and returned the headpiece to the
reception official."
This was a tale many of the storytellers of the lower cultivation realm
told with relish.
"Nangong Liu was greatly upset, yet even then he tried to smooth
things over. He said to Chu-zongshi, 'You've served the sect for so long,
even if you must leave, at least let us compensate you properly. Rufeng Sect
has no wish to be known as a sect that doesn't pay its dues."
"But Chu-zongshi replied, 'I have served the sect all these years
solely to repay the madam's kindness of a meal. With her death, the
esteemed sect and I have come to a crossroads. We have chosen different
paths, and I have no intention of staying any longer. Keep your money—it
would shame me to take it.' Then he closed his eyes and turned to take his
leave of Rufeng Sect."
Xue Zhengyong had thought the storytellers were exaggerating, so
he'd once asked Chu Wanning what exactly Rufeng Sect had done to offend
him. However, Chu Wanning did not like speaking about others behind their
backs, so he'd only shaken his head and refused to give any details. But if
the scene unfolding before them was any indication, it would appear the
storytellers had uttered not a word of lie.
Seeing how tense the situation had become, Madam Wang stepped
forward to make peace. She said gently, "Yuheng Elder, please calm
yourself, it's not good for your health." She then turned and bowed
respectfully to Nangong Liu. "Nangong-xianjun, we appreciate your kind
gesture, but Sisheng Peak does not lack for spiritual stones and valuable
medicine. We cannot accept your soul-nourishing pills…"
Nangong Liu seized the chance to disengage and, after a beat,
chuckled and said, "Madam is right, I was thoughtless. Yuheng Elder,
forgive me, please don't take it to heart…"
Mo Ran watched all this and thought, Shizun totally flung cold water
in this guy's face and he still he smiles so easily. Amazing. He took a sip of
his Rizhao green tea.
Yet who would've thought? In the brief moment he looked down to
sip his tea, Nangong Liu had come before him, bearing a wide grin.