Shen Kuo burst into laughter. "Of course, I am Shen Kuo. If this identity were fake, how could I fool someone so cunning like Su Yi Shui? He wants to use me? Well, I am also using him, aren't I?"
Ranran stared at him. "What is your connection with the Fan Tian Sect?"
Shen Kuo gave her a thumbs up. "You even figured that out?"
Ranran was just trying to bluff, but she didn't expect Shen Kuo to admit to it so readily.
She had previously asked Elder Jiu about the sinister skills used by those who had abducted him from Cuiwei Mountain, which seemed similar to the exterminated Fan Tian Sect.
And since then, the Fan Tian Sect had reappeared now and then, with intricate connections to the Demon King.
Shen Kuo's careful plotting to obtain the skull, made his connection to the Fan Tian Sect seem evident.
They had traveled far from West Mountain, leaving towns behind, and reached a remote area with no passersby. Shen Kuo felt that since Ranran had discovered him, there was no need to hide anymore, he might as well reveal his intentions and just kidnap her.
Even if Xue Ranran didn't speak up, Shen Kuo had already planned to move and take action after they have gone on a little further. Now that she had seen through him, it was still just going ahead with his original plan.
"I am indeed Shen Kuo, but also the Protector Elder of the Fan Tian Sect. Xue Ranran… no, I should call you Mu Qingge. You are also essential to the revival of our Fan Tian Sect. How about it? Since Xishan doesn't want you, why not come with me?"
His family had fallen, suppressed by Wei Jiu, and if he hadn't joined the Fan Tian Sect by chance, he would have been hunted down and killed by Wei Jiu's disciples long ago.
Now, only by reviving the Fan Tian Sect could he return to Red Flame Mountain and exact revenge on Wei Jiu.
Xue Ranran chuckled. "I didn't expect Xishan to have such talents, even a prominent Elder figure from a lost demonic sect. You sure brag shamelessly, asking me to leave with you without even telling me what you need me for?"
Shen Kuo waved his hand and conjured a creepy talisman with purple light. Smiling sinisterly, he said "In the grand revival of the Fan Tian Sect, both you and Su Yi Shui are indispensable. Since you won't cooperate willingly, don't blame me, your junior, for being offensive!"
His technique wasn't taught by Xishan. When the talisman advanced, it carried a sinister aura, chilling to the bone.
Ranran tried to use qi to control her swords to break his talisman, but found the purple light seemingly indestructible, like an impenetrable web closing in on her.
As she was enveloped, her spiritual energy seemed suppressed as well. Her swords fell from her control and clattered to the ground.
Shen Kuo could tell that Ranran had no strength left to defend herself and couldn't help but smirk. He had initially planned to take care of Su Yi Shui first, then deal with Xue Ranran.
But unexpectedly, after their bickering during the journey back to West Mountain, Su Yi Shui decided to expel Xue Ranran out of the sect.
It would seem that he wouldn't tolerate his former mentor for a moment longer.
Shen Kuo originally didn't want to act rashly, but seeing even the Rebirth Tree in Xue Ranran's courtyard uprooted, it seemed like those two had no room left for reconciliation.
This was a heaven-sent opportunity, too good to miss.
Now, Shen Kuo didn't want to waste any more time. He summoned the ancient long-lost Deity Killing Talisman. With Xue Ranran's current strength, she would not be able to withstand this ancient demonic array. Once subdued, she would soon lose consciousness and be easy to capture.
Shen Kuo felt he could carry her away soon.
Ranran collapsed very quickly. At this moment, he suddenly felt a cold wind come up from behind him. Without time to turn around, he quickly dodged sideways.
In spite of his quick reflexes, his spiritual shield was still shattered.
A sharp sword pierced his back. Shen Kuo could only move to let the blow narrowly miss his heart but still received a serious wound.
By the time he turned around, he saw the person controlling the sword swiftly advancing towards him.
The person with a solemn killing intent was none other than Su Yi Shui, who should have been in seclusion at West Mountain.
Shen Kuo's spiritual prowess was much higher than what he had shown at Xishan. If not for this sword strike, Su Yi Shui, whose spiritual energy had been depleting of late, might not have been his match.
Just then, Ranran, who had fallen to the ground, suddenly leaped up as well. Clearly, her previous display of weakness was a deception to catch him off guard.
What could lull someone into a sense of complacency than almost defeating your prey?
But unfortunately for him, these two was seamlessly in sync. Shen Kuo's carelessness allowed Su Yi Shui to gain the upper hand. When he finally reacted, Su Yi Shui's hand was already on his back, absorbing his spiritual energy without restraint.
Su Yi Shui's dantian was very empty, how could a starving person resist such a meal?
Shen Kuo was alarmed; at this rapid rate, he would soon be drained by Su Yi Shui.
So, he didn't care about Xue Ranran anymore and drew out his sword to turn and attack Su Yi Shui.
Its too bad that, Su Yi Shui was already prepared and quickly affixed an immobilizing charm drawn by Elder Jiu on Shen Kuo's forehead.
Although Elder Jiu was somewhat unreliable, his charms were still very effective. Shen Kuo was not only stabbed but also immobilized by the charm, leaving him with no other tricks.
Su Yi Shui then walked over with quick strides, took up Ranran's wrist to check her pulse, asking her, "How is it, are you alright?"
Ranran shook her head and then said, "Ask him quickly, what does the Fan Tian Sect intend to do by scheming against us like this?"
Su Yi Shui nodded and stood up, taking out a Truth-telling Charm and affixing onto Shen Kuo.
Shen Kuo knew he had fallen into a trap. Although trapped, he remained calm and collected, only sneering coldly as he stared at the couple who had conspired against him. But when he saw Su Yishui stick a Truth-telling Talisman on him, his eyes suddenly filled with desperate fear.
"Master, I was wrong, please don't ask me. I've already made a Soul Oath. If certain things are revealed, my soul will be destroyed and I'll never be reincarnated!"
Shen Kuo knew the power of the Truth-telling Talisman and suddenly cried and pleaded in fear.
But Su Yi Shui remained unmoved, speaking coldly, "Where is the skull of the Demon King now? Who is the mastermind behind all these? What are you planning to do after capturing Ranran?"
Although unwilling, under the effect of the Truth-telling Charm, he had to answer truthfully to any questions.
So, even though he was reluctant, he had to speak, "The skull was taken by Mu Ranwu's subordinates and sent to the Eternal Sea in the southeast. As for the mastermind behind this, we all in the Fan Tian Sect obey…"
When he reached this point, Shen Kuo, who was immobilized, suddenly widened his eyes, and his body spontaneously combusted, flames erupting from him…
He seemed to know he couldn't escape death and let out a mournful laugh, "Fan Tian descends, changes the world, aids in the revival of gods, even in death… there's life!"
In an instant, Shen Kuo had turned into a charred corpse, his burnt body dispersing and disappearing with the wind.
It seemed that what he had said before was indeed true. Someone had set a fatal seal on him; even if he wanted to reveal the mastermind behind the scenes, he would immediately be burnt to ashes, leaving nothing behind.
Ranran felt regretful. "Just who are these people, how can they have such great power? And where did this Fan Tian Sect come out from?"
Initially, back when she discovered the anomaly with the shoes by the stream, she had used voice channeling to secretly inform Su Yi Shui, whom she hadn't spoken to for a few days.
So, the two of them devised a plan, deciding not to *startle the snake and see what Shen Kuo was up to. *alert the enemy
Ranran had gone down the mountain with the intention to branch out their forces. She would pretend to leave but would hide in the shadows to track Shen Kuo and his accomplices.
However, she did not expect Shen Kuo to chase after her and insist on escorting her, so Ranran went along with it.
But when Ranran noticed he changed the route and headed to a remote area, where he may likely meet up with his accomplices, she realized she might not be able to handle it if they continued forward. So, she suddenly confronted him, exposing Shen Kuo's true intentions.
Now that Shen Kuo had been burnt to ashes, their only clue was lost again.
"You knew he was suspicious, yet you went with him? Are you trying to get yourself killed?" After taking Ranran's pulse and replenished her qi, Su Yi Shui asked her with a stern face.
Ranran also had not expected Shen Kuo's hidden strength to be so formidable. He claimed to be an Elder of the Fan Tian Sect. The two imposing individuals around Mu Ranwu also seemed to be members of the Fan Tian Sect.
It seemed that this resurgent Fan Tian Sect was not to be underestimated. Even if the righteous forces of the world united, they might not be a match for this demonic sect!
However, when they had devised the plan with Su Yi Shui earlier, they only said she would be going home to visit her family, and there was no mention of her being expelled from Xishan.
Ranran felt that Su Yi Shui had turned what begun as pretense into something real, under the guise of hoodwinking Shen Kuo, to accomplish what he had always wanted to do.
Since he was no longer her master now, it was inappropriate for him to reprimand her like a father.
"Of course it was because I had sensed that you were following us, so I revealed my cards to him… Since the traitor within Xishan has been successfully exposed, Shen Kuo is dead, there's no further need for me to covertly follow him. Although what I said in the study was an excuse, it was also half true. I do want to go back and see my parents."
As Ranran spoke, she withdrew her wrist from Su Yi Shui's large palm.
Su Yi Shui watched as her small hand quickly retracted in a split moment like a slippery fish, his expression turned even colder. "I know you were speaking from your heart, but right now, you are also a target of the Fan Tian Sect. Rushing to go to your parents may expose them to unnecessary risks…"
Ranran also knew this and said, "I'll find a way on my own. Mister Su, please go back soon."
This time, Su Yi Shui unceremoniously grabbed her wrist. "What? I expelled you, so you're upset?"
Ranran pretended to be light-hearted. "What's there to be upset about? Since we have no relationship now, you can also relax…"
Su Yi Shui droned on "Even though you're no longer my disciple, but I am still yours. We never dissolved our master-disciple relationship back then. As your disciple, how can I let my ill and weak Master wander the world?"
"Ah? Didn't you… defect from the sect back then?" Ranran gaped, recalling the proud tone with which her second uncle master had spoken about this.
Su Yi Shui now experienced firsthand how once this girl severed ties, she would immediately heartlessly rebuff people she once knew.
When he said he would expel her, he was only in jest. He just wanted to see the young girl's surprised expression when caught off guard.
But he didn't expect that this woman, even after her rebirth, *she still behaved like she didn't give a damn, and wouldn't take anything with her when she left!
*from poem 徐志摩的"再别康桥"
悄悄的我走了,正如我悄悄的来;我挥一挥衣袖,不带走一片云彩
So, he paused and said mildly, "Yutong said that although I had left back then, you never officially expelled me from Xishan. In the end, you even made me the sect master of West Mountain. The master-disciple relationship still stands, and you can't shake off our connection!"
Ranran blinked her eyes in disbelief; she never imagined that one day she would be able to stand above Su Yi Shui.
So does that mean, she could be his master?
Unable to contain her laughter, she said, "Are you serious? Then I won't stand on ceremony…"
When Ranran finally showed a sly smile like a mischievous child, Su Yi Shui felt a sense of relief in his heart. For some reason, he couldn't stand her with an indifferent expression, being uncaring about her own life or death.
Her white and tender face, still looked better with a smile, even though this brat was not above to take a yard after giving her an inch. After hearing his words, she actually changed her gaze and dragged out her words, "Shui'er… go, fetch some clean water for your master!"
This rascal, intentionally calling him "Shui'er," which she knew he hated the most.
A vindictive smile also gradually appeared on Su Yi Shui's handsome face. "…Master, have you ever heard of the term 'wayward' in this world? What a coincidence, I am just that kind of rebellious and unfilial disciple!"
Now Ranran also experienced the struggles of Mu Qingge. It was really likely to end up dying young after taking in an unruly disciple!
Now, although Xue Ranran had taken on the title of Su Yi Shui's master, she had none of the authority that came with being a master.
After they came out of the dense forest, they did not return to Xishan in a hurry. Stopping in a town to eat, Ranran saw some freshly made raw marinated large crabs in a small inn, full of golden yellow roe, and she really wanted to eat it.
But Su Yi Shui forbade her with a stern face, saying that she was weak now and eating something wrong might cause trouble for her stomach.
If Su Yi Shui had indulged her like a doting father in the past, trying to compensate and fulfill her desires as much as possible, now he was like a debtor from her past life, with a sour face and contradicting Ranran at every turn.
She could endure in other matters, but when it came to food, Ranran was as persistent as Elder Jiu. When he refused to let her eat it, Ranran became truly angry, suggesting politely once again that they should part ways.
Their bond between master and disciple was shallow, there was no need to force it. She could go through the formalities now and call it quits, each going their own merry way.
Su Yi Shui snorted coldly, "You want to part ways, but do you have the ability? Defeat me, then talk about severing our master-disciple ties!"
It turned out that this annoying bond between master and disciple was even harder to sever than a couple divorcing! And the key was there wasn't even a court to complain to, it truly left one speechless.
Ranran's face fell slightly as she poked dejectedly at her rice with her chopsticks. Su Yi Shui watched her coldly, perhaps feeling satisfaction over controlling his master…
They stayed in an inn temporarily. At night, Su Yi Shui knocked on her door carrying a small earthen pot.
It turned out Su Yi Shui had found the small shop unclean; there seemed to be something dirty in the nails of the person who prepared the crabs.
So, he gone back with live crabs he had bought, spending money to have the chef prepare a serving separately for him.
Customers are king and Su Yi Shui was generous with payment, so the chef obediently washed his hands, trimmed his nails, cleaned the crabs thoroughly, prepared the ingredients, and made this one pot, all clean and proper.
But Su Yi Shui still pulled a long face. He could not understand why he acted this way, and it felt preposterous to him that he did it. However, when he later saw Ranran holding the pot as if it were a precious treasure, his expression improved slightly.
The next morning, after the crabs had been fully marinated and sliced open, the rich yellow crab roe spread over steaming rice, drizzled with the marinate sauce, was incredibly delicious.
Su Yi Shui had not believed when Yutong told him, that he had once indulged this girl and taken her all over the streets of the capital to eat at different stalls.
But now, watching her satisfied expression and bright shining eyes as she ate, he couldn't help but think that he might really have been bewitched enough to travel around to indulge her love for food and drink.
After devouring a large crab, Ranran felt a bit embarrassed but smiled at her rebellious disciple. He may look cold, but he was still the same soft-hearted master.
So, she quickly put peeled crab legs and roe into Su Yi Shui's bowl.
"Shifu, eat while the rice is hot. If you're afraid of the cold-nature of the crab, you can drizzle some ginger juice."
Su Yi Shui accepted the bowl slowly. "Why are you calling me Shifu again? Weren't you planning not to acknowledge me, and not seeing me ever again?"
Ranran scooped a spoonful and brought it to Su Yi Shui's mouth, coaxing him like a child, "I'm so young, how can I be your master? Even if you have expelled me from West Mountain, I'm still used to calling you Shifu…"
She brought up her age, and Su Yi Shui's handsome face soured a bit more as he dragged his words, "Am I that old?"
Ranran quickly waved her hand "Not old, not old at all! Eating this mouthful of crab will help maintain your youthful appearance!"
The shallow soil inside the bead was said to be the *residual magical soil left behind by **Gun, the father of Dayu who controlled the flood waters. When exposed to wind, this soil would extend several miles, blocking river channels, making it very precious. The weak little tree was planted on this soil, and the Rebirth Tree was sealed within the bead, put on a silver chain, and placed around Ranran's neck.
*息壤 xirang is magical soil in chinese mythology, has the ability to self expand and grow
**鲧禹治水
In Su Yi Shui's words, this Rebirth Tree was no ordinary tree of the mortal realm, but had been held up here, slowly losing what's left of its spiritual energy.
He contemplated for a long time and finally came up with this method, planting the Rebirth Tree on the xirang soil to see if it could alleviate Ranran's debilitating symptoms.
After wearing this specially-made necklace, Ranran's complexion improved significantly over the next few days, and her fair skin finally regained a rosy hue like peach petals.
So during the day, Su Yi Shui accompanied her to explore mountains and sight-seeing and when the moonlight sprinkled over the river, she accompanied Su Yi Shui in meditation, absorbing the essence of the *sun and moon.
*moonlight is still reflected sunlight lol
Perhaps it was because Su Yi Shui had originally given her half of his golden core, so when they sat together in meditation, their vitality qi in their dantian connected. Circulating in harmony, their cultivation surpassing several times over compared to when they had practiced alone.
In the past, Su Yi Shui seemed to have a restraining fear due to Ranran's weak body. In the foundational cultivation, it was all about gradual progress, guiding her step by step into deeper realms.
But now with an unknown major enemy rapidly approaching, Su Yi Shui only hoped Ranran could become stronger, at least enough to protect herself. Therefore, his demands became even stricter than before.
Although Ranran had extraordinary talent in cultivation, her enlightenment far surpassing many peers, she was still far from meeting Su Yi Shui's demanding requirements.
For example, today, Su Yi Shui taught her the mantra of Thunderous Passage, requiring Qi to penetrate the meridians instantly while also unleashing a critical hit.
Ranran had no problem with the Qi penetrating the meridians, but unleashing a critical hit required using the power of *Gen and Shen.
*I don't know how to explain these, I suppose we can think of them as acupoints to channel power from?
She couldn't grasp this Gen and Shen power. Su Yishui only mentioned it was a tongue-root technique, combined with Dan Tian activation.
But as Ranran activated her Qi while silently moving her tongue, she couldn't grasp the technique.
The Thunderous Passage was a unique skill created by Su Yi Shui, just like the Qi cultivation method he had taught Gao Cang and the others before, both were breaking new ground and very profound.
Such techniques were often most difficult to master at the entry level. Once surpassed, they would be smooth and unobstructed, making rapid progress. This was also the crucial factor how Su Yi Shui had managed to surpass other powerful members of various sects in spite of his young age.
And now, Ranran was stuck at this entry step.
The two of them were now practicing a method similar to dual cultivation in sects, so they sat facing each other, very close.
When Ranran spoke with her eyes closed, the moonlight was clear and spilled on her fair face, and even the flutter of her eyelashes was illuminated by a small fishing lamp hanging on the boat, clearly seen by the man.
"Shifu, where are the Gen Shen? Why can't I find it?" Ranran didn't know that Su Yi Shui had been watching her attentively for a long while now. She half-tilted her head, pouting her pink lips slightly as she asked.
Her delicate chin was slightly raised, looking as if she was asking for a kiss…
Su Yi Shui didn't know what came over him; he suddenly felt a rush of heat and abruptly leaned over, pressing his lips against hers.
Ranran's eyes opened in shock, almost thinking that Su Yi Shui had regained his memories…
But after the passionate kiss ended, and her tongue was still tingling, Su Yi Shui lifted his head expressionlessly and said to her, "Now do you know where Gen Shen are?"