Chapter 76: Twilight—Part One

Inside the largest Treasure Pavilion in Lanling City.

Within the neatly arranged treasure shelves, countless spiritual jades and high-quality weapons were stored. Many cultivators browsed the shelves, comparing prices and skills. Those with free time would come over to chat for a while.

One of them asked, “Chief Cultivator? It seems like the major sects have been debating this for some time now. Have they reached a conclusion?”

“What’s there to argue about? We can’t be a pile of loose sand, a group without a leader forever, can we? Appointing a cultivator to oversee all the sects—I don’t see anything wrong with that.”

“Not that good, right? What about the other QishanWen Sect…”

“How can they be the same? The Head Cultivator is chosen by all the sects. They are different, they are different.”

“Huh, they say it’s an election, but everyone knows it deep down. After all, it’s just the same handful of people running, right? Is there room for anyone else?”

“ChiFeng-Zun is quite against it, isn’t he? He’s tried to stop Jin GuangShan many times, both implicitly and implicitly. I think it’ll be a long time before they figure it out.”

“And there’s only one person who can hold the position of Chief Cultivator. If it’s actually ratified, who the right person is for that position will probably be up for debate for a few more years, I think.”

“Besides, that’s the business of those at the top. It’s none of our business. Even small fry like us can’t control it, even if we wanted to.”

Suddenly, someone changed the topic, “Did any of you attend the inauguration ceremony of the Cloud Recesses Library Pavilion? Okay, I went. I stood there and looked, and it was exactly the same as before. What a hard job.”

“Yes, it’s very difficult. It’s a huge cultivation abode, a spiritual realm that’s hundreds of years old—how could it possibly be rebuilt in such a short time?”

“By the way, there have been a lot of happy moments lately, haven’t there?”

You mean Jin ZiXuan’s son’s seventh birthday celebration? There were so many colorful things, and the kid didn’t like any of them. He cried so hard that the roof of the Glamor Hall nearly collapsed. It was so cute how he laughed like that every time he saw his father’s Suihua. His parents were so happy. They all said he would be a great swordsman when he grew up.

Not far away, a man in white was holding a jade tassel pendant in his hand, examining it intently. Hearing this, he smiled.

A female cultivator’s voice rang out, “Lady Jin is so lucky… She must have given up on achieving immortality in her previous life for her to have such good fortune in this life.”

His colleague replied, “I guess it’s true, whatever your skills are, it’s all good as long as you have a good background. He’s clearly just average…”

The man in white frowned slightly. Fortunately, his sour remark was quickly dismissed by a louder voice, “The LanlingJin Sect truly deserves its reputation. Even a baby just a few days old is already receiving such a grand display.”

“You don’t remember who the baby’s parents are? Could they really be careless? It’s not just that Young Madam Jin’s husband refuses to be careless. If the display were a little smaller, her mother-in-law, her younger brother—which of them would allow it? At the month-long celebration a few days later, it would definitely be even more extravagant.”

“By the way, have you heard that someone has been invited to this full moon celebration?”

“Who’s that?”

“Wei WuXian!”

A moment of silence suddenly enveloped the Treasure Pavilion.

Someone exclaimed, “Really… I thought it was just a rumor. Was he really invited?!”

“Yes! It’s been confirmed for the past few days. Wei WuXian will be leaving.”

Another person expressed shock, “What exactly is the LanlingJin Sect thinking? Have they forgotten about the number of innocent people Wei WuXian killed on Qiongqi Pass?”

“Who would dare come to Jin Ling’s month-long celebration now that someone like that has been invited? Anyway, I definitely won’t go no matter what.”

After that, many people in the audience secretly mocked,  You are not qualified to be invited, and now you are worried about whether to go or not?

The man in white raised his eyebrows. After making his choice, he walked out of the Treasure Pavilion.

A few steps later, he entered a small alley. A figure dressed in black appeared. “Young Master, are you done shopping?”

Wei WuXian tossed the delicate sandalwood box he was holding to the ground. Wen Ning caught it and opened it, revealing a tassel pendant that held a piece of white jade. The jade was translucent. Within it, a soft light flowed as if it were alive.

He smiled broadly, “How beautiful!”

Wei WuXian, “That pretty little thing isn’t cheap at all. Your sister barely has enough money to buy this after buying new clothes. Besides, I don’t have a penny left. I’ll just wait for her to scold me when we get back.”

Wen Ning hurriedly said, “No, no. Young Master is buying a gift for Miss Jiang’s child. Big Brother won’t scold you.”

Wei WuXian, “Remember your words. When he scolds me, remember to help out a little.”

Wen Ning nodded before adding, “Young Master Jin Ling will definitely like this gift very much.”

However, Wei WuXian replied, “This isn’t a gift I gave her. It’s just a small accessory. Those things in the Treasure Pavilion—what else do they have besides looks?”

Wen Ning paused for a moment in surprise, “Then Young Master, what gift did you prepare?”

Wei WuXian, “Heaven’s will will not be understood by humans.”

Wen Ning, “Oh.”

He actually stopped asking. However, after holding it in for a while, Wei WuXian couldn’t take it anymore. “Wen Ning, shouldn’t you be asking with such curiosity and persistence? How could you actually stop asking after just saying ‘oh’? Don’t you want to know what this gift is???”

Wen Ning stared at him blankly. Finally, he realized, “…I do! Young Master! What gift have you prepared?”

Wei WuXian finally took out a small wooden box from his sleeve. He waved it in front of Wen Ning and smiled. Wen Ning took it and opened it before exclaiming, “What a wonderful bell!”

The word “impressive” didn’t refer to the intricacy of its craftsmanship, although the purity of the silver and the striking nine-petal lotus carvings on its body could almost be considered the pinnacle of perfection. However, what made Wen Ning exclaim was the immense power contained within such a small bell.

Wen Ning, “Young Master, is this what you have been doing for the past month, when you have been locked up in the Cave for days?”

Wei WuXian, “That’s right. As long as my nephew carries this bell, no creature of even the slightest level will dare to approach it. You mustn’t touch it. You might even be affected for a while if you touch it.”

Wen Ning nodded, “I can feel it.”

Wei WuXian took the tassel pendant and hung it on the silver bell. The two, when put together, looked quite beautiful. He was quite satisfied with the result. 

Wen Ning, “However, since Young Master will be attending Young Master Jin Ling’s month-long celebration, Young Master, you should restrain yourself when meeting Miss Jiang’s husband. Don’t get into a dispute with him…”

Wei WuXian waved his hand, “Don’t worry. I know what to do and what not to do. For the sake of Jin ZiXuan inviting me, I won’t badmouth him all year round.”

Wen Ning scratched his head, embarrassed. “Last time, when Young Master Jin had people deliver the invitation to you at the bottom of Burial Mound, I thought it must be a trap. And then it turned out to be just a misunderstanding. It was really unfair to him. I didn’t know it before, but in reality, Young Master Jin is also a good person…”

In the afternoon, the two passed through Qiongqi Pass on their way.

After being rebuilt, Qiongqi Pass hadn’t changed its name for a long time. Wei WuXian didn’t know its current name either. It seemed like the others didn’t remember either, so most of the time it was still called Qiongqi Pass. At first, the two didn’t notice anything different. However, when they reached the center of the valley, Wei WuXian began to feel something was wrong.

There should be quite a few people passing by.

Wei WuXian, “Is something wrong?”

Wen Ning rolled his eyes. A moment later, he lowered his pupils again, “No. It’s so quiet.”

Wei WuXian, “This is really a bit too quiet.”

He couldn’t even catch a hint of the inhuman sound he could always hear.

Wei WuXian was immediately worried and whispered, “Let’s go!”

Just as he turned around, Wen Ning raised his hand to catch something.

It was a feathered arrow that aimed right at the center of Wei WuXian’s chest!

Wei WuXian suddenly looked up. A multitude of people had emerged from countless hiding places on both sides of the valley. There were over three hundred of them. Most wore Snow Spark robes, though some also wore other uniforms. They all carried bows on their backs and swords at their waists, clad in armor and brimming with vigilance. With the mountains and the other people as defense, the tips of all the swords and arrows were pointed at him. The first arrow to hit Wei WuXian was fired by the man leading the crowd. The man was large and dark-skinned, and his handsome face looked somewhat familiar.

Wei WuXian, “Who are you?”

The man had originally intended to say a few words after shooting the arrow. However, after that question, he immediately forgot everything and said angrily, “How dare you ask who I am? I’m Jin ZiXun!”

Wei WuXian immediately remembered. This was Jin ZiXuan’s cousin. He had seen him a few times before.

His heart had been in turmoil for a long time. Initially, he had been filled with joy at the prospect of attending Jiang YanLi’s son’s month-long celebration. But now, all that joy had vanished, overshadowed by a shadow. However, he refused to dwell on it, refusing to speculate on why these people had ambushed him here.

Jin ZiXun raised his voice, “Wei WuXian, I’m warning you—remove the evil curse you placed on me right now, and I can pretend like nothing happened and let you go.”

Wei WuXian froze in shock. Even though he knew it would be considered a denial, he still had to explain everything, “What curse?”

As expected, Jin Zixun thought he was asking even though he knew, “Are you still pretending not to know anything?” He tore off his collar, roaring, “Fine. I’ll show you how evil that curse is!”

Jin ZiXun’s chest was completely covered with holes of various sizes!

The smaller holes were the size of sesame seeds, while the larger ones were the size of soybeans. They were evenly distributed across his body, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

Wei WuXian only glanced at him, “A Hundred Holes?”

Jin ZiXun, “Absolutely! It’s really a Hundred Holes!”

‘Hundred Holes’ is a very brutal curse.

Back when Wei WuXian was exploring the GusuLan Sect’s Library Pavilion while supposedly copying scriptures, he had come across an ancient book. In the section where this kind of curse was described, an illustration had been added to the text. The person on the page appeared quite calm, as if feeling no pain, but numerous coin-sized holes had grown on his body.

Initially, victims of the curse don’t feel anything. At most, they might think their pores have become coarser. However, soon, the holes will grow to the size of sesame seeds. As time goes on, they become larger and more numerous. This continues until their entire body is covered in holes of various sizes, almost like a terrifying human sieve. Worse still, once the surface of their skin has holes, the curse will begin to spread to their internal organs. This can lead to persistent stomach pain or even the decay of entire organs!

Because Jin ZiXun had fallen victim to such a disgusting yet indestructible curse, Wei WuXian felt a tinge of sympathy for him. However, despite his sympathy, he still thought that Jin ZiXun might be insane. “You’re cursed with the Hundred Holes, but why did you come to block my way? What does that have to do with me?”

Jin ZiXun glanced at her chest as if he were disgusted himself. He folded his collar, “Other than a villain who is used to underhanded methods like you, who else could do such a barbaric thing to me?”

Wei WuXian thought to himself, many people would do that. Could it be that Jin ZiXun really felt popular with others?

However, he didn’t want to say it directly and provoke Jin Zixun, which would only make things worse, “Jin Zixun, I don’t like such underhanded tricks. If I wanted to kill someone, I would tell everyone that they died by my hands. And, if I really wanted you dead, you would be a thousand times worse off than you are now.”

Jin ZiXun, “You’ve always been so arrogant, haven’t you? And now you don’t dare admit what you did?”

Wei WuXian, “I didn’t do it; why should I admit it?”

Killing intent flashed in Jin ZiXun’s eyes, “Politeness takes precedence over violence—if you don’t take this opportunity to turn around, I won’t let you get away with it either!”

Wei WuXian stopped in his tracks, “Oh, really?”

What is meant by ‘letting it get away with it’ is actually quite clear.

There are two ways to lift the Hundred Holes curse. Besides asking the person who cast the curse to cut down their own cultivation and lift the curse themselves, there is one more absolute method:

To kill the person who put the curse!

Wei WuXian sneered, “Not letting me off the hook? You? With just a few hundred men?”

Jin Zixun waved his hand. All the disciples nocked their arrows, aiming at Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning, who were at the bottom of the valley. Wei Wuxian also raised Chenqing to his lips. The shrill sound of a flute shattered the silence of the valley.

However, a moment later, there was no reply. Jin Zixun, “We’ve been cleaning this entire area for a long time, waiting for you to come. You won’t get any help, no matter how much you play. This is a grave we’ve prepared especially for you!”

Wei WuXian laughed coldly, “You’re seeking your own death!”

As he finished speaking, Wen Ning raised his hand and tore off the red string that hung the talisman around his neck.

After the rope broke, his body trembled, and his facial muscles began to tense. Black cracks spread from his neck to his cheeks. Suddenly, he raised his head and let out a long, inhuman roar!

Many cultivators skilled at night hunting were present among the three hundred people participating in the ambush. None of them had ever encountered a ferocious corpse that could make such a terrifying sound. They all felt their knees go weak. Jin ZiXun could also feel his scalp tingling. He raised his arm and ordered, “Let go!”

A rain of arrows fell!

Wen Ning broke a boulder with his bare hands and raised it high into the air, deflecting as many arrows as possible. After the rain of arrows ended, around a hundred cultivators jumped down the wall and attacked the two men standing on the battlefield. Wei WuXian took a few steps back. With a sidestep, he dodged the sudden attack from the sword.

As Wen Ning faced the hundred men, Jin Zixun seized the opportunity to attack. Seeing that Wei Wuxian was swordless and only had a temporarily useless flute, he laughed, “This is the price you pay for your arrogance. Without a sword, let’s see how you fare.”

With a flick of his hand, Wei WuXian produced a series of talismans that burned with green flames, diminishing the glare of Jin ZiXun’s sword as they clashed. With such an attack right after his laughter, Jin ZiXun immediately focused on the fight. The two had been fighting for quite some time when something suddenly flew out of Wei WuXian’s sleeve. His gaze froze as he realized what had happened.

It was a gift he had prepared for Jin Ling. Because he cared too much, was afraid of accidentally breaking it, and wanted to occasionally take it out and admire it, he had simply tucked it into his sleeve. However, during the fight, the gift accidentally slipped out, flying toward Jin ZiXun. Jin ZiXun thought it was some kind of hidden weapon or mysterious poison. He was about to dodge when he saw the change in expression on Wei WuXian’s face. Changing his mind, he immediately caught it. It was a small, beautiful wooden box with a series of small carvings—Jin Ling’s name and birthdate. Jin ZiXun was stunned for a moment before coming to his senses, laughing out loud.

Wei WuXian’s face darkened, he said one word at a time, “Give it back.”

Jin ZiXun lifted the wooden box as he mocked, “A gift for A-Ling?”

Wen Ning stood not far away. Alone, alongside over a hundred soldiers, he fought amidst the chaos. Jin Zixun, “You didn’t expect to be able to attend A-Ling’s month-long celebration, did you?”

That sentence made Wei WuXian’s hands tremble slightly.

At this point, a voice shouted, “Stop!”

A figure in white leaped lightly down the valley, blocking Wei WuXian and Jin ZiXun’s path. Seeing who it was, Jin ZiXun exclaimed, “ZiXuan? Why are you here?!”

Jin ZiXuan placed one hand on the hilt of his sword, furious, “Why do you think I’m here?!”

Jin ZiXun, “Di mana A-Yao?”

Jin ZiXuan was the assistant who was supposed to be here to help him. Last year, he still hated Jin GuangYao deeply. However, after their relationship improved, he began to address him more familiarly. Jin ZiXuan, “I stopped him at Koi Tower. If it weren’t for me exposing it after seeing how strange it looked, would you two have continued like this? Why didn’t you tell me at all that you were cursed with the Hundred Holes and instead came to do this without saying anything?!”

The fact that Jin ZiXun had been cursed with the Hundred Holes was truly indescribable. Firstly, he had a good appearance and physique. He had always considered himself handsome and couldn’t bear for others to know that he was under such a hideous and disgusting curse. Secondly, being cursed meant that his cultivation level wasn’t high enough, as his spiritual energy was too weak to withstand the curse. This made it even more difficult to explain to others. Thus, he only told Jin GuangShan about the curse, begging him to find him a healer and a curse expert. However, neither of them could do anything. 

The Jin Ling Month-long Festival was just around the corner, and Jin ZiXuan invited Wei WuXian. Jin GuangShan wasn’t too keen on this idea at first, so he suggested that Jin ZiXun take this opportunity to assassinate Wei WuXian on his way to the banquet. That way, he wouldn’t have to come to Koi Tower. 

Wei WuXian was Jiang Yanli’s younger brother, and the couple was very affectionate. Jin ZiXuan told his wife everything, no matter how small. Some people were worried that he would reveal his plans, causing Wei WuXian to not come, so they kept Jin ZiXuan’s plans a secret. This was indeed a bit unfair. 

Seeing everything in disarray, Jin ZiXun couldn’t help but feel guilty. However, no matter what, his life was the most important thing. “ZiXuan, just hide it from Sister-in-Law for now. I’ll formally apologize to you two after I get rid of these things!”

The last time Wei WuXian saw Jin ZiXuan, he still had the pride of his youth. Now that he was married, he seemed much more mature. His voice was calm, though his face looked grim. “It’s still possible to turn things around. All of you, stop for a while.”

Jin Zixun was both angry and impatient, “What can be changed now that things have come to this? Can’t you see all this on me?!”

He looked like he was about to lift his shirt again to reveal his hole-riddled chest. Jin ZiXuan immediately stopped him, “No need! I already heard it from Jin GuangYao!”

Jin ZiXun, “Since you’ve heard it from him, you should know that I’m impatient. Don’t tell me you’re going to disregard your brother’s life for Brother-in-law’s shidi?!”

Jin ZiXuan, “You clearly know I’m not that kind of person! He’s not necessarily the one who cursed you with the Hundred Holes. Why are you being so rash? I was the one who invited Wei WuXian to A-Ling’s month-long celebration, after all. If this is the case, what about me? What about my wife?”

Jin ZiXun raised his voice, “It’s better that he doesn’t attend! What does Wei WuXian think he is—is he worthy of attending our sect’s banquet? Anyone who touches him will only get black splattered! ZiXuan, when you invited him, weren’t you worried that you, Sis-in-law, and A-Ling would receive an indelible stain for life?!”

Jin ZiXuan shouted, “Shut up right now!”

In a fit of rage, Jin Zixun clenched his fists. The wooden box containing the bell and jade tassel instantly shattered into pieces!

Wei WuXian witnessed the object shatter into pieces with his own eyes. His pupils constricted, and he lunged at Jin ZiXun. However, Jin ZiXuan didn’t yet know what was inside the box. He raised his hand and blocked the attack, shouting, “Wei WuXian! Have you had enough?!”

Wei WuXian’s chest heaved. His eyes were red. Jin ZiXuan and Jin ZiXun were cousins ​​who had known each other since childhood. With an age difference of almost twenty years, it was indeed difficult for him to defend an outsider right now. And, frankly, he didn’t like Wei WuXian personally either. 

After calming down, he said, “Tell Wen Ning to stop first. Don’t let him continue to rage and make things worse.”

Wei WuXian’s voice was rough, “…Why didn’t you stop them first?”

Non-stop shouts and roars rang out from all around them. Jin ZiXuan raged, “Why are you still so stubborn at a time like this? Once everyone has calmed down, you can come with me back to Koi Tower to explain everything and answer some questions. Once everything is clear, if you’re not the culprit, you’ll naturally be fine!”

Wei WuXian, “Tell him to stop? As soon as I tell Wen Ning to stop now, that arrow will shoot straight through my heart, and I won’t even be able to die in one piece! And you think I can explain everything at Koi Tower?”

Jin ZiXuan, “They won’t!”

Wei WuXian laughed, “They won’t? How can you be sure? Jin ZiXuan, I have a question—when you first invited me, did you really not know about their plan to kill me?!”

Jin ZiXuan was silent for a moment before he raged, “You! Wei WuXian, are… are you crazy?!”

Wei WuXian was holding back the flames of hatred that were blazing. His voice was cold, “Jin ZiXuan, move aside right now. I won’t touch you, but you won’t provoke me either.”

Seeing him still refusing to give in, Jin ZiXuan suddenly lunged forward, as if trying to hold him back, “Why can’t you just back down for once?! A-Li is still…”

Just as he was about to approach Wei WuXian, he heard a strange, deep voice.

The voice was almost too close. Jin ZiXuan stopped in surprise. He looked down and finally saw the hand that was stabbing his chest.

Unbeknownst to them, Wen Ning had already joined them. On the half of his expressionless face, a few drops of blood splattered, scorching and dazzling.

Jin ZiXuan’s lips moved. His expression was somewhat blank. However, he continued the sentence he hadn’t finished:

“…still waiting for you to go to Koi Tower and attend the month-long A-Ling festival…”

The same blankness was etched across Wei WuXian’s face. In that brief moment, Wei WuXian hadn’t yet realized what had happened.

What happened?

Why did things become like this in just a matter of seconds?

NO.

It shouldn’t be like that.

Something must be wrong somewhere.

Wen Ning pulled out the hand he had used to stab Jin ZiXuan in the chest, leaving a gaping hole.

Jin ZiXuan’s face twitched in pain, as if he felt that his injuries weren’t too severe and he could still stand. However, his legs eventually gave out as he knelt on the ground.

Screams of terror were heard from all around him.

“The… The Ghost General has gone mad!”

“He killed him, he killed him. Wei WuXian made the Ghost General kill Jin ZiXuan!”

Jin Zixun shouted, “Let go! What are you waiting for?! Let go of the arrow!”

However, as he turned around, a black silhouette approached him stealthily like an inhuman being. He felt his throat tighten as a large, pale, blue-veined hand gripped his neck.

“Ahhhhhhh…!!!”

Wei WuXian stood helplessly in place, not moving.

NO.

Not that.

He clearly had Wen Ning under control.

Even if he activates Wen Ning’s berserk mode, he should still be able to control it.

He was clearly always able to control it perfectly.

He didn’t want to kill Jin ZiXuan at all.

He had absolutely no intention of killing Jin ZiXuan! It was just that at that moment. He didn’t know why, but suddenly he couldn’t control it… He suddenly lost control!

Jin ZiXuan’s body finally couldn’t hold on any longer, and he fell forward. With a loud thud, he fell to the ground.

Throughout his life, he had been arrogant and self-satisfied, placing great importance on his appearance and demeanor. He was so obsessed with cleanliness that he was almost mysophobic. However, now, with the side of his face touching the ground, he had fallen to the ground in a very undignified manner. The bloodstains on his face and the bright red mark between his eyebrows were the same color.

Staring at the light slowly fading from his eyes, Wei WuXian’s mind was completely chaotic. Everything around him had turned into a sea of ​​blood and screams, but he could no longer hear anything.

The only thing he could hear was a voice inside him constantly asking him:

Didn’t you say you know what you should and shouldn’t do?

Didn’t you say you could control it?

Didn’t you say that there couldn’t be any problems, that nothing could happen?!!

Wei WuXian’s head was blank. It wasn’t clear how long it had been before his eyes finally opened again.

What he saw was the dark ceiling of the Demon Slaying Cave.

Wen Qing and Wen Ning were both inside.

Wen Ning’s pupils dipped back down to the whites of his eyes. He was no longer furious, and he seemed to be talking to Wen Qing in a low voice. Seeing Wei WuXian open his eyes, he knelt on the ground silently. Wen Qing, on the other hand, remained silent, her eyes red.

Wei WuXian duduk.

After a moment of silence, a wave of hatred suddenly swirled in his heart.

He stepped on Wen Ning’s chest and kicked him to the ground.

Wen Qing gasped. She clenched her fists, but kept her head down, her mouth tightly shut.

Wei WuXian roared, “Who did you kill? Do you know who you killed?!”

At this moment, with a grass butterfly on his head, Wen Yuan ran in from outside, smiling broadly, “Brother Xian…”

She had originally wanted to show Wei WuXian the butterfly she had painted with new colors. However, when she entered, she saw the demonic figures—which turned out to be Wei WuXian and Wen Ning—huddled on the ground. Instantly, she was shocked and speechless. Wei WuXian spun around. He couldn’t contain his emotions, his gaze almost frightening. Wen Yuan was so frightened that her entire body jerked. The butterfly fell from above her head to the ground. She immediately burst into tears. Uncle Four bent down and rushed in to carry her away.

After being kicked, Wen Ning got back up and knelt properly, without saying a word. Wei WuXian grabbed his collar and lifted him up, shouting, “You could have killed anyone—why did you have to kill Jin ZiXuan?!”

Wen Qing watched from the side. She looked like she wanted to rush over and protect her sister, but she held back. Tears of sadness and fear streamed down her cheeks.

Wei WuXian, “After he dies, what should Shijie do? What should Shijie’s son do?! What should I do?! What about me?!”

Her screams echoed throughout the cave, spreading outside. Wen Yuan cried even harder.

With the cries of children heard in the distance and his brothers, terrified and at a loss for what to do, in his eyes, Wei WuXian felt his heart grow darker. He asked himself,  Why did I shut myself in Burial Mound for so many years? Why did I have to go through all this? Why did I choose this path in the first place? Why did I make myself like this? How do others see me? What have I gained? Have I gone mad? Have I gone mad? Have I gone mad?!

If only he hadn’t chosen this path in the first place.

Suddenly, Wen Ning whispered, “… I… am sorry.”

This was a corpse, expressionless, its eyes unable to feel warmth, its tears unable to fall. Yet, at this very moment, on its face, there was a palpable expression of pain.

He repeated, “I’m sorry… I-It’s all my fault… I’m sorry…”

Listening to him stammer as he apologized over and over again, Wei WuXian suddenly felt extremely ridiculous.

It wasn’t Wen Ning’s fault at all.

It was his own fault.

When he goes berserk, Wen Ning is nothing more than a weapon. The weapon’s creator is himself. Whatever the weapon listens to is also his command.

At that time, with all the tension and the overwhelming desire to kill, plus Wei WuXian who never hesitated to show his hostility towards Jin ZiXuan in front of Wen Ning, when Jin ZiXuan was unconscious, Wen Ning recognized Jin ZiXuan as the ‘enemy’ when he attacked, and carried out the ‘destroy’ order without thinking twice.

He was the one who couldn’t control such a weapon. He was the one who grew confident in his own abilities. He was also the one who ignored all the bad omens that had occurred thus far, believing he could suppress the loss of control.

Wen Ning is a weapon, but did he become a weapon of his own free will?

Could such a timid and stuttering person be so happy to kill everyone on Wei WuXian’s orders?

At that time, he had received a bowl of lotus root soup from Jiang Yanli. He drank it all the way to Burial Mound, not spilling a single drop. Although he couldn’t drink it himself, he had watched others finish it with satisfaction, even wondering what it would taste like in his imagination. Could it be that he felt fine after killing Jiang Yanli’s husband with his own hands?

He not only considered all the mistakes as his own fault, but also apologized to her.

Gripping Wen Ning’s collar, Wei WuXian stared at his pale, lifeless face. Jin ZiXuan’s face, covered in blood and dirt, suddenly appeared before him. Their faces were equally pale, equally lifeless.

He also remembered Jiang Yanli, who had finally married the person she loved after so many hardships. He remembered Jin Zixuan and Jiang Yanli’s son, A-ling, the child who had received his honorary title from him. He was still very young. Just seven days after his birth, he knew how to laugh every time he saw his father’s sword. His parents were overjoyed. His month-long celebration was just a few days later.

As he thought and thought about it, Wei WuXian suddenly burst into tears.

Her voice was drowned in deep helplessness, “…Can someone tell me… what I should do now?”