Chapter 83: Loyalty—Part Five

Many people took out their amulets to try to light them with their spiritual power. Slowly, the amulets in the hands of some people lit up dimly. Hearing the question, they replied, “Two-tenths back for me.”

“One tenth for me…”

“Their recovery is very slow!”

When they set out, they all thought that compared to the siege of Burial Mound thirteen years ago, this one would definitely be even more successful, so grand and tragic that it would go down in history. However, no one expected that the number of people descending the mountain would be almost the same as the number ascending. The second ‘siege’ could indeed go down in history. However, rather than its scale or the number of deaths, it was because it was the most insignificant and ridiculous event in the cultivation world.

Some rejoiced at escaping death, while others lamented the changing times. Dozens of sect leaders gathered. After discussion, they agreed to find a safe place to rest until their spiritual powers had recovered to eight-tenths, to avoid further incidents on their journey home.

Wei WuXian knew immediately. The closest ‘safe place’ to Yiling was the YunmengJiang Sect’s area. He asked, “So, you plan to go to Lotus Pier next?”

Lan QiRen was wary, “Why do you ask?”

Wei WuXian, “It’s okay. I just wanted to ask if I could come along.”

Sect Leader Yao warned, “Wei WuXian! You did a good deed today, but that’s two different things. Please understand, we can’t possibly associate with you.”

Wei WuXian paused, “Don’t worry, no one’s forcing you to associate with me. But right now, we’re on the same side, right? The one who planned your siege today holds the Stygian Tiger Seal. Can you handle it?”

The sect leaders looked at each other. Honestly, what Wei WuXian said was true. If he were willing to join, it would be a great help. However, people had been defaming the YiLing Patriarch for years. It would be rather embarrassing if he cooperated with all of them at once.

On the other hand, Lan WangJi turned to Lan QiRen, “Uncle, have you received any news about Big Brother?”

After a moment of silence, Lan QiRen replied, “No.”

Wei WuXian, “Perhaps ZeWu-Jun is still under Jin GuangYao’s control right now. Master Lan, the more people you have, the more help you can provide. Even if you’re worried about me, at least let HanGuang-Jun participate in your next plan. After all, he’s his brother.”

“…” Lan QiRen’s face was filled with exhaustion. He turned to Lan WangJi, “Go ahead if you want.”

The rest of the people immediately looked at Jiang Cheng. Among the three sect leaders with the highest status, Lan QiRen had already taken a stand, and it didn’t matter whether Nie HuaiSang did or not, so now everything depended on Jiang Cheng. Beside him, Jiang Cheng was testing his spiritual power on Zidian. Although the light was alternating between bright and dark, at least it wasn’t extinguished anymore. The purple light reflected off Jiang Cheng’s face, giving him a mysterious impression. Everyone knew that Sect Leader Jiang, the person Wei WuXian was opposing, hated him the most. They all thought their negotiations would fail. 

However, he just laughed bitterly, “So you dare to return to Lotus Pier?”

After that brief sentence, he stopped talking. No one knew what he meant, and no one was sure whether he had allowed it or not. However, when they set off, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi joined the group, and he didn’t even glance at them. They assumed he hadn’t allowed it, but he hadn’t.

By the time the group reached the foot of the mountain, it was already nightfall. By the time they returned to the city, the lights had gone out, and everything was silent. Everyone was exhausted, both physically and mentally. Even their square formation looked uneven and messy. Fortunately, when they mustered up the energy to count heads, they realized there wasn’t much difference. Since most people hadn’t recovered their spiritual strength and couldn’t lift swords, water was the quickest way to reach Lotus Pier. The group of over a thousand people then set off for the pier closest to Yiling. 

However, due to their hasty decision, they were unable to gather so many boats in such a short time. The sect leaders could only rent all the boats at the docks, regardless of size or purpose. Overcrowded with followers from all sects, the boats sailed away with the current.

About a dozen students were crammed into one boat. Almost all of these boys had grown up in comfortable surroundings. They had never been on such an old, dilapidated fishing boat before, its corners cluttered with dirty nets and barrels, emitting the stench of rotting fish as its wooden planks creaked. The wind was strong at night. The boats rocked back and forth. Some of the boys from the North were seasick. After a while, they simply couldn’t hold it in any longer. They rushed out of the cabin and vomited before finally collapsing, dizzy, on the deck.

One of the boys commented, “Gosh, it’s shaking like a storm in my stomach. Hey, SiZhui-xiong, are you throwing up too? You’re from Gusu, right? You’re not from the North. Why are you even more seasick than me?!”

Lan SiZhui waved his hand, his face as red as ash, “I… I don’t know why either. I’ve been like this when I ride boats since I was four or five… Maybe I was just born this way.”

As he spoke, he felt the disgust return. He stood, holding onto the railing. Just as he was about to vomit again, he suddenly saw a dark silhouette hanging from the boat under the railing, half submerged in the river water, staring straight at him.

Lan SiZhui was so frightened that he swallowed the saliva he was about to vomit. Just as he pressed down on the hilt of his sword, he took a closer look and exclaimed, “Ghost…”

In the cabin, as soon as Jin Ling heard this, he immediately rushed out carrying his sword, “Ghost? Where? I will kill it for you!”

Lan SiZhui, “Bukan hantu—Jenderal Hantu!”

All the boys rushed to the deck and looked in the direction Lan SiZhui was pointing. As expected, the silhouette clinging to the side of the boat, looking up from below, was none other than the Ghost General, Wen Ning.

Just after they left Burial Mound, Wen Ning disappeared. However, who would have thought he was still clinging to the fishing boat so calmly. They also had no idea how long he had been there.

Even though he had returned to Burial Mound, Wen Ning had fought alongside them. There were many people there, including many seniors. In the middle of the night, especially on the water, Wen Ning’s strange and sudden appearance still startled the boys. They stared at him for a moment. 

OuYang ZiZhen was the first to step back, sitting on the deck, “Why did the Ghost General come to see us alone?”

Someone muttered, “So that’s why I felt like the boat was going so slowly. There’s someone hanging from the bottom. It’s so heavy.”

“Why… Why is he stuck there?”

“Of course not to hurt us. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have protected us in the first place.”

“But there’s no danger anymore. Why did he come looking for us again?”

“Pfft!”

“JingYi, what are you laughing at?”

Lan JingYi, “Look at him. He’s clinging to the boat without moving at all, almost like a big sea turtle that doesn’t notice anything!”

After saying that, some people felt that he did indeed look like him. However, before they could laugh, OuYang ZiZhen exclaimed, “Here he comes!”

Just as he spoke, Wen Ning’s body emerged from the water. His hands gripped the hemp rope hanging from the deck, and he began to slowly crawl up. The boys immediately scattered. Some of the more timid ones ran around the deck in panic, chirping, “He’s coming up, he’s coming up! The Ghost General is coming up!”

Lan JingYi, “What’s there to be afraid of? Besides, you’ve never seen it before!”

“What should we do? Should we call someone?!”

As Wen Ning toppled over the railing, water splashing as he landed heavily on the deck, the entire boat seemed to shake violently. The boys, as nervous as they could be, were almost all pressed to the other side of the deck. Their hearts were pounding, but they were too timid to face him with their swords. 

Wen Ning stared at Lan SiZhui’s face as he walked towards him. Lan SiZhui realized that he was there for him. He calmed down when Wen Ning asked, “W-What’s your name?”

Lan SiZhui hesitated for a moment before standing up straight and answering, “I am a disciple of the GusuLan Sect. My name is Lan Yuan.”

Wen Ning, “Lan Yuan?” Lan SiZhui nodded. Wen Ning, “Do you know who g-gave you this name?”

Dead people don’t show any expression, but Lan SiZhui had the illusion that he thought he saw Wen Ning’s eyes light up.

He also thought Wen Ning was overjoyed, so excited that he was stuttering. He himself was starting to feel excited, as if they were about to reveal a secret they had kept hidden for years.

Lan SiZhui answered carefully, “My name was of course given to me by my parents.”

Wen Ning, “Then, are your parents still healthy?”

Lan SiZhui, “My parents died when I was very young.”

One of the boys beside him tugged at his sleeve, “SiZhui, don’t talk too much. Be careful.”

Wen Ning terdiam karena terkejut, “SiZhui? SiZhui nama panggilanmu?”

Lan SiZhui, “Benar sekali.”

Wen Ning, “Who gave it to you?”

Lan SiZhui, “HanGuang-Jun melakukannya.”

Wen Ning lowered his head, silently saying the word ‘SiZhui’ several times. Seeing him as if realizing something, Lan SiZhui said, “General-…” He was about to call him General, but felt something was off. He changed his words, “Mr. Wen? Is there something wrong with my name?”

“Oh,” Wen Ning looked up, staring at his face, not answering the question, “Y-you really r-really look like a distant relative of mine…”

These words sounded exactly like what low-level cultivators and outer disciples would say when they wanted to get to know inner disciples. The children were even more confused by what was happening. Lan SiZhui also didn’t know how to respond, “R-Really?”

Wen Ning, “Really!”

He tried his best to lift the muscles at the sides of his lips, as if he wanted to smile. For some reason, as he observed the ‘Ghost General’, a deep sense of familiarity arose in Lan SiZhui’s mind, accompanied by a vague thought—he seemed to have seen this face somewhere, some time ago. It was as if there was a name that was almost breaking through some kind of barrier. If he said it aloud, many other things would resurface, and he would understand everything.

But at this moment, Lan SiZhui saw Jin Ling, who was standing at the side.

Jin Ling’s face was grim, extremely grim. The grip on the sword hilt fluctuated between tight and loose. The veins on the back of his hand were also visible and disappearing. He finally remembered that Ghost General Wen Ning, who seemed so harmless at the moment, was the one who killed Jin Ling’s father.

Following his gaze, Wen Ning’s smile disappeared. He slowly turned to Jin Ling, “Young Master Jin RuLan?”

Jin Ling’s voice was cold, “Who is it?”

After a moment of silence, Wen Ning changed his words, “Young Master Jin Ling?”

Jin Ling glared at him, while the other children stared at Jin Ling, afraid that he would do something impulsively. Lan SiZhui, “Young Master Jin…”

Jin Ling, “Move aside. It’s none of your business.”

However, Lan SiZhui somehow felt that it was definitely none of his business. He approached and positioned himself between the two, “Jin Ling, put away your sword first—”

Jin Ling was already feeling tense. With his view blocked, he couldn’t help but shout, “Don’t stop me!”

He reached out and pushed. Lan SiZhui initially felt seasick, his legs feeling unsteady. The force of the push caused him to crash into the railing, nearly falling into the dark river. Luckily, Wen Ning managed to grab him and pull him back. The children immediately rushed over to help him, “SiZhui-xiong!”

“Young Master Lan, are you okay? Are you still dizzy?”

Wen Ning saw Lan SiZhui’s pale face. Anxiously, he called out, “Young Master Jin, attack me. Wen Ning won’t fight back. But L-Young Master Lan Yuan…”

Lan JingYi had a tolerant personality. He criticized, “Jin Ling, why are you like this?! What did SiZhui do to you!”

“SiZhui-xiong did it for your own good. Not only do you not appreciate it—why are you pushing him away?”

At first, Jin Ling also felt he was overexerting himself. He was shocked. However, when he saw everyone else go to Lan SiZhui’s aid, instead of blaming him, the incident brought back countless memories of his past. For years, because he had no parents, everyone said he was too spoiled and no one disciplined him. He was short-tempered and difficult to get along with. He had no close friends of his own age, neither at Koi Tower nor at Lotus Pier. His status should have been respected, but he ended up in such an awkward position. 

When he was young, no student liked to play with him; as he got older, no student liked to follow him. The more he thought about it, the redder his eyes became. Suddenly he raised his voice, “Yes! This is all my fault! I am indeed a very bad person! So why?!”

The other children shuddered in horror, startled by the roar. After a moment of silence, one of them muttered, “What do you mean? You started it, after all… Why are you the one scolding us now?”

Jin Ling said fiercely, “You’re the one who orders me around?! Since when is it your turn to order me around?!”

Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi were on a nearby boat. Hearing the shout, Wei WuXian stopped in his tracks in shock. He hurried out and looked across the water. Seeing Jin Ling pointing his sword at the others, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

Seeing the two of them, Lan SiZhui felt that whatever difficulties he faced, he would definitely be able to overcome them. He smiled broadly, “HanGuang-Jun! Senior Wei! Come here!”