He wanted to wash his face, to see the true appearance of this body, but there was no water in the house, neither for drinking nor bathing.
The only basin appeared to be a chamber pot and was not suitable for was.h.i.+ng.
The door appeared to be bolted from the outside, presumably to prevent him from leaving the house.
There was nothing about this situation that made him happy to be reborn.
Wei Wu Xian meditated for a while, to adapt to his new home, and ended up sitting the whole day.
When his eyes opened again, sunlight was slipping through the gaps in the shutters and leaking into the house.
Although he was able to get up and walk, his dizziness had not improved.
Wei Wu Xian was baffled: “This Mo Xuan Yu’s cultivation is low and and his soul’s power is negligible, there’s no reason why I can’t manage this body. Why am I having problems?”
It was not until he heard the unusual noise coming from his belly that he realized it wasn’t an issue of spiritual power but that this body was hungry from not eating.
If he did not go foraging for food, perhaps he would become the first evil spirit who starved to death after being summoned.
Wei Wu Xian increased the Qi in his legs in preparation to break the door down when suddenly he heard approaching footsteps. There was kick to the door, and an impatient voice said: “Eat!”
The words were shouted but the door was not opened.
Wei Wu Xian looked down and saw at the bottom of the door a smaller door opened just enough for a small bowl to slide through.
The servant outside said: “Hurry up! Don’t dawdle! Eat the food in the bowl and push it back out!”
The door, smaller than a dog, was not large enough to fit a person, but was just enough to allow a bowl to fit.
Two servings of vegetables and one of rice, the quality looked bad.
Wei Wu Xian inserted his chopsticks into the rice feeling slightly sad.
Ancestor Yi Ling had just returned to earth and already had been trampled underfoot and mercilessly scolded.
His first dinner was cold leftovers.
What rein of terror? What ruthless ma.s.s slaughter? What extinguish the family line? No one would believe this.
Truly, the tiger is bullied by the dog, the dragon is tricked by the shrimp to swim in shallow water, and the plucked phoenix feather is worth less than chicken down.
At this time, the servant outside made another noise, this time switching to a happy voice: “A’Ding! You came.”
Another delicate female voice said softly: “A’Tong, you’ve come to deliver the meal?”
A’Tong spit out: “Would I otherwise come to this unlucky place?”
A’Ding’s voice came closer to the door: “You only bring one meal a day and from time to time you can goof off and no one scolds you. How is this leisurely task unlucky?”
“In return, I have to work so much that going out to play is out of the question.”
A’Tong grumbled: “Delivering his meal is not the only thing I do! At this time aren’t you also going out to play? There are so many zous.h.i.+ around, which house isn’t guarded and sealed up tight?”
Wei Wu Xian crouched near the door, picked up a bowl, and listened while he ate with chopsticks of two different lengths.
It seems that lately this Mo Village wasn’t very peaceful.
Zous.h.i.+, the meaning of the word being, the walking dead, one kind of commonly seen low cla.s.s evil dead.
Dull eyes, slow walking, weak power, but enough to alarm an ordinary person. The rotten smell alone is enough to make you vomit.
However, to Wei Wu Xian, they are the easiest to use and most obedient puppets so he had good feelings towards them.
A’Tong seemed to wink (at A’Ding): “If you want to go, you can take me with you, I’ll protect you… …” A’Ding: “You? Protect me? You overestimate yourself, don’t tell me you think you can beat those things?” A’Tong responded bitterly: “I can’t fight them off, no one else can either.”
A’Ding said with a smile voice: “How do you know no one else can beat them? I tell you, today an emissary from one of the immortal sects arrived at our Mo Clan Village. I hear that he was from a celebrated n.o.ble family! The Madame greeted him in the main hall. Many townspeople were present to see it.
Listen, isn’t it noisy? I don’t have any free time to spend with you, perhaps later I’ll receive more orders.”
Wei Wu Xian carefully listened and could faintly hear clamoring sounds of people from the east.
Thinking for a moment, he stood up, raised his foot, and kicked. The door bolt went “crack” and split apart.
The two flirting servants screamed at the door suddenly bursting open.
Wei Wu Xian threw away the bowl and chopsticks and walked out without saying a word. Unexpectedly blinded by the sunlight, he felt a tingling sensation on his skin. He placed his hand on his brow and closed his eyes for a moment.
A’Tong then shouted. More quick-witted than A’Ding he had quickly regained his bearings. Seeing only a weak lunatic, his courage returned. Realizing the opportunity to save the lost face of a moment ago, he jumped over to reprimand, waving his hands as if scolding a dog: “Go, go! Go back! What are you doing coming out!”
This treatment was no better than if he were facing a beggar or a fly.
In the past, these servants had always treated Mo Xuan Yu the same way. He had never attempted to resist and so they had become brazen in their behavior.
With one foot, Wei Wu Xian kicked Ah Tong down and said with a smile: “Who do you think you’re mistreating.”
The kick finished, he walked towards the east following the clamor.
The eastern courtyard of the east hall was surrounded inside and out by many people. As Wei Wu Xian stepped into the courtyard, he could hear the voice of a woman above the crowd: “… … our family’s younger generation, we already have an immortal karmic affinity… …”
It seems Madame Mo was doing everything possible to build ties with the aristocratic immortal families again.
Before she could finish, Wei Wu Xian quickly pushed his way through the crowd into the hall and waved warmly while saying: “Come come, here here!”
Sitting in the hall was a well maintained middle aged woman wearing expensive clothes, Madame Mo. Sitting next to her was her husband who had married into the family.
Sitting opposite were several white clothed youths with swords on their backs.
From amongst the crowd suddenly emerged an unkempt weirdo. All sounds stopped short. Wei Wu Xian, seemingly oblivious of the crowds reaction shamelessly said: “Just now who called for me? Having an immortal karmic affinity, that would me.”
The heavy powder on his face cracked as he smiled and fell to the floor.
One of the white clothed youths, “Pff” almost laughed out loud while their leader didn’t seem to approve and gave him a stern look.
Wei Wu Xian, following the sound with his eyes was slightly surprised.
He had thought the family servants were exaggerating but unexpectedly these juniors really seemed to be from a prominent family.
These youngsters with graceful sleeves, relaxed and floating movements full of xianqi, were very pleasing to the eye. The blue school uniforms appeared to be from Gu Su Lan.
These youths all appeared to have blue blood owing to the fact that they all wore a finger wide cloud patterned band on their foreheads.
The Gu Su Lan motto was “Righteous”. The forehead band stood for “Self Discipline” and was marked with the cloud pattern of the family.
Visiting officials or even disciples would not have the family markings.
Wei Wu Xian saw the Lan family’s people immediately looked like they had developed toothaches. The older generation wore unspoken criticism like a suit of mourning clothes, they would never acknowledge a mistake.
Madame Mo had not seen her nephew for a long time. Stunned, she slowly recognized the person wearing heavy makeup. Internally enraged and attempting to avoid the appearance of rudeness she lowered her voice to her husband and said: “Who released him, send him back where he came from!”
Her husband hurriedly returned an apologetic smile and with a wretched look on his face got up to grab him. Wei Wu Xian suddenly threw himself down and with his arms and legs firmly clung to the ground. He couldn’t be dragged even with the a.s.sistance of several servants. If it were not for the outsiders he would have already attempted to kick him with his feet.
Watching this, Madame Mo’s expression grew increasingly ugly. Brow beaded with sweat, her husband said: “You d.a.m.ned lunatic! See how I fix you if you don’t return!”
Although the Mo Clan Village was known to have a mad Mo son, Mo Xuan Yu had spent the last several years huddled in his dark room where he couldn’t be seen. Seeing him now with make up like a ghost the audience stood and whispered, this was a bad sight.
Wei Wu Xian said: “I also demand a return!”
He pointed to Mo Zi Yuan. “You make him return the things he stole!”
Mo Zi Yuan didn’t expect this lunatic to have this level of courage. Yesterday he’d been taught a lesson, today he dared to show up here. Red faced he responded: “What nonsense is this! When did I steal your stuff? What use would I have for your things?”
Wei Wu Xian said: “Right right right! You didn’t steal from me, you mugged me!”
This time, Madame Mo stood up. Mo Xuan Yu clearly came prepared with a clear head to deliberately drive away these guests. She couldn’t help but to feel hate: “You deliberately came here to cause trouble!”
Wei Wu Xian said blankly: “He stole my things, I came to get them returned, how is this causing trouble?”
Madame Mo had no reply, Mo Zi Yuan however was anxious. Rising, he lifted one foot to kick.
One white clothed youth with a sword on his back raised a finger. Mo Zi Yuan’s leg became unsteady, his kick hit the air, and he toppled over.
Wei Wu Xian rolled in a circle as if he’d really been kicked and his robe tore open. Showing on his chest were precisely the bruises caused by Mo Zi Yuan’s kicks yesterday.
The Mo clan villagers watched the show with keen interest. These bruises could not have been made by Mo Wuan Yu himself. No matter how it was explained, he was a Mo blood relation. This family was too ruthless. He had returned a little muddled, but now he had been pushed 80% closer to insanity.
Anyway, it was clear that now there was going to be a good show, much better than watching the immortal sect.
With so many eyes attentively watching and with Wei Wu Xian showing no interest in leaving, Madame Mo swallowed her resentment down. Having no alternative but to mediate she said faintly: “What stealing, what mugging? Saying such a shameful thing, Family is family. Making a fuss about coming over and borrowing some things.
A’Yuan is your brother, what’s wrong with taking a few things? Such a stingy brother. Kicking up a fuss like a child, you should stop blaming him.”
Several of the white clothed youths looked at each other. One who was drinking tea nearly choked.
Growing up in the Gu Su Lan clan, they had been above such things. Never had they encountered this kind of farce or listened to this amazing level of opinion. Today they were broadening their knowledge.
Wei Wu Xian laughed wildly inside his heart, reached out, and said: “You’ll give it back, right?”
Naturally, Mo Zi Yuan does not respond. What’s been thrown has been thrown. What’s been opened has been opened. Even if it had been possible to return the items he was not willing to do so.
With an ashen complexion he cried out: “Mother!” He gave her a meaningful look. “Will you permit him to humiliate me like this?”
Madame Mo cast a quick glare at him, demanding he not make things worse.
Unexpectedly Wei Wu Xian then said: “Not only should he not take my things, he should stop coming to steal in the middle of the night. Who isn’t aware that this young master likes men. He has no shame. I feel this is very suspicious.”
Madame Mo gasped and cried out: “To say such things in front of the village elders! Truly shameless! A’Yuan is your cousin!”
Regarding displaying extreme bad behavior, Wei Wu Xian was an expert.
Although he had already cast aside his dignity, he wouldn’t allow his family to say that he lacked a proper upbringing. Certainly you could say that nowadays he had become a lunatic, but wanting his items had nothing to do with dignity. He would immediately make a scene. How delightful. He stuck his neck out and righteously said: “He is well aware that he is my cousin, yet he doesn’t try to avoid suspicion. Who is the shameless one?! You can’t let this pa.s.s. You can’t allow this to damage my purity! I also need to find a good man!!!”
Mo Zi Yuan screamed and picked up a chair in order to beat him.
Wei Wu Xian, seeing that he had finally snapped, jumped up to hide.
The chair smashed to the ground and broke into pieces. Both inside the East hall and out the people who had originally gathered to enjoy the misfortune of the Mo family scattered so as to avoid getting caught up in the action.
Wei Wu Xian conveniently headed in the direction of the Lan family youths that had already hidden themselves away and shouted: “See? See? Thieving and beating! Heartless!”
Mo Zi Yuan chased after with violence in mind. Pa.s.sing by a Lan youth he stopped as the young man stepped over to block his path: “I … … have something to say.”
Madame Mo, seeing that the youth meant to protect this madman, felt afraid and with a forced smile said: “This is my nephew, he’s somewhat gone in the head. Everyone in the Mo village knows that he’s a lunatic. You can’t take his ridiculous claims seriously. Master immortal, you must see… …” before her words had finished, Wei Wu Xian arrived from behind: “Who said I can’t be taken seriously? Whomever in the future tries to steal my things I will cut off his hand!”
Mo Zi Yuan who was being held back by his father once again burst free.
Wei Wu Xian leapt away like a fish and cheerfully sang to himself as he left.
The youth blocked the doorway and changed the topic with a serious expression. “That … … tonight we will borrow the west courtyard of your home for our use. As I said earlier, please remember once evening comes, close the door, do not walk around outside, and do not approach the courtyard.”
Madame Mo shook with anger, he was blocking the door and it wasn’t possible to push him out of the way. With no alternative she said: “Yes, yes, thank you for your trouble, thank you for your trouble… …”
Mo Zi Yuan said in disbelief: “Mother! That lunatic slandered me in front of so many people and you’re just going to let it go?! You said he’s merely a… …”
Madame Mo shouted loudly: “Shut up! Words cannot be unsaid!”
Mo Zi Yuan had never suffered such a loss, to lose so much face, much less scolded by his mother. Full of resentment he snarled: “I’ll kill that lunatic tonight!”
Wei Wu Xian dashed madly out the door. Showing up in the Mo clan village, he startled countless pa.s.serbys. This was actually fun. He had begun to realize the pleasure of a lunatic. He would even hate to part with the ghost makeup. Saying to himself: ‘I don’t have any water anyway, so I’ll just keep it on.’
As for his original issue, glancing at his wrist, the marks hadn’t shown any signs of improvement.
That is to say, to Mo Xuan Yu, such a low level of retaliation was far from sufficient.
Was it possible he wanted him to extinguish the Mo clan?
… … Honestly speaking, that would be a difficult matter.
Wei Wu Xian pondered as he circled around and wandered back to the Mo family residence.
While taking mincing steps past the West courtyard, he saw several Lan family youths stationed on the roof and walls solemnly discussing something. Mincing back, he looked up at them.
Although his encirclement and annihilation had come at the orders of the head of the Gu Su Lan n.o.ble family, at that time this younger generation had either only been a few years old or had not been born. Basically, it had nothing to do with them. Wei Wu Xian decided to stop and watch to see how they dealt with this matter.
As he watched, suddenly he felt something was off.
Why did it seem that the black flags fluttering in the wind on the eaves, roof, and walls of the house felt familiar?
This type of flag is called a “Zhao Yin” flag. Kept on the body of a living person, it will attract all Yin souls, ghosts, and evil spirits within a certain range. They will in turn attack the bearer of the flag.
As the bearer of the flag becomes a living target, this type of flag is also called a “target flag”.
The flag can also be hung on a house, although the house must have a living person inside, then the scope of the attack will expand to all the people within.
Owing to the curling Yin energy around the flag taking the appearance of a spiraling wind, it was also called a “Black Wind” flag.
These youths have laid out a flag array in the West courtyard. Having forbidden anyone to approach, most likely they intended to direct the zous.h.i.+ to this location in order to round them all up in one fell swoop.
As for why it looked familiar… … how can it not look familiar.
The creator of the Zhao Yin flag was the Yi Ling ancestor!
Apparently, even though the Xuanmen families had called for his death, there was no issue in using his creations… …
Seeing him, a disciple standing on the eaves said, “Go back, you should not be in this place.”
Although looking to drive him away, his good intentions were clear. The tone was completely different from the family servants.
Wei Wu Xian took advantage of his distraction to jump up and pick up a flag.
Alarmed, the disciple jumped down from the wall to pursue him. “You must not tamper with that! This isn’t something that you should take!”
Wei Wu Xian danced and gesticulated as he ran. A true disheveled lunatic, he cried out: “I won’t give it back! I want this! I want this!”
The disciple caught up with him in two steps. He grabbed his arm and said: “Return it or not. But if you don’t return it I’ll beat you!”
Wei Wu Xian held the flag and stubbornly refused to let it go. Disturbed, disciple in charge of the flag array lightly jumped from the roof and said: “Jing Yi, forget about it and come back. There’s no need to bother with him.”
Lan Jing Yi said: “Please reconsider, I didn’t get a chance to hit him! Look at him, he made a total mess of the flag!”
He pulled Wei Wu Xian over and inspected the Zhao Yin flag in his hand.
The pattern was correct, the spell was intact, and there were no other errors. There didn’t appear to be any issues. If the maker of the flag lacked experience, at most the spell would only be able to attract evil spirits within 5 li. However, this was sufficient.
Lan Si Zhui smiled in his direction: “Young master Mo, it is getting dark. We’ll soon be capturing the zous.h.i.+. It’ll be dangerous at night, so you should quickly return home.”
Wei Wu Xian sized up the young man. A refined appearance. An uncommon bearing. The corners of his mouth held a shallow smile. He was a good seed. Truly worthy of the acclaim of a good young successor. Wei Wu Xian praised him in his heart. The flag array was arranged in good order. His family education was seriously no joke.
He didn’t know how it was possible that this Gu Su Lan clan, this inflexible gathering of people, could produce this kind of younger generation.
Lan Si Zhui thought: ‘This flag… …’
Before he could finish, Wei Wu Xian threw the Zhao Yin flag on the ground and snorted: “A broken flag, what’s the big deal! I can draw much better than you!”
After throwing it down, he immediately ran away. Several of the youths who had leaned down from the roof to watch the show heard his shameless boast and nearly tumbled down from the eaves.
Lan Jing Yi laughed, picked up the Zhao Yin flag, and dusted it off: “Clearly a lunatic!”
Lan Si Zhui considered and said: “Don’t say that. Quickly, come back and help”
Wei Wu Xian idly made another two loops around and in the evening returned back to Mo Xuan Yu’s small courtyard.
The door bolt was still broken, no one had cleaned up the mess. As if oblivious to the disorder, he picked a clear spot and resumed his meditation.
Unexpectedly, he was not able to last until dawn as a commotion from the outside pulled him out of his meditative state.
A chaotic burst of footsteps, screams, and crying quickly approached.
Wei Wu Xian heard several words repeated “… break in and immediately drag him out!” “Report this to the authorities!” “Have him pay with his life!”
He opened his eyes and several servants rushed in.
The entire courtyard was brightly lit. Someone shouted: “Drag this murdering lunatic to the lobby and have him compensate with his life!”
**edit: Corrected a misspelling and added Lan Si Zhui’s full name (oops, left it out)
Translator’s note:
A’ : Commonly used as an endearment or when speaking to a person with a single syllable name.
Wow, that took a while to translate. I know someone else is kind of translating too but it’s been a while so…. I’ll maybe keep working on this bit by bit until someone else jumps in or I reach chapter 28. That appears to be the last free chapter and I don’t know how to access any content past that point. No promises on speed or release frequency.
As an FYI, this is a MTL translation and there are no guarantees on quality or accuracy. Also, I haven’t decided how to deal with some of the terms. A few are pretty awkward and I might end up later on changing some things over to pinyin. We’ll see.
