Ch132 - Resolve

On the other end, Mu He seemed stunned and didn’t react for a while.

Xie Zhiwei felt blocked in his throat until he finally managed a raspy voice. “Disciple…are you well?”

Mu He coughed lightly. “Fine, disciple is very well. Shizun doesn’t need to worry.”

What “fine?” It’s obvious you’re unwell, who’d believe you?

Xie Zhiwei’s mouth twitched, but he couldn’t say a thing. He was the one who asked the question while obviously knowing the answer.

In the darkness, Mu He spoke rapidly as if in a rush. “Disciple regretted it as soon as I dispelled the dreamscape the day before yesterday. Shizun had clearly spent days striving for disciple’s sake, yet disciple was still stirring up trouble. Disciple knows my wrongs, disciple will never get angry with shizun again. Shizun don’t be mad…was shizun unable to sleep last night because you were furious at this disciple?”

“No.” Xie Zhiwei replied.

Mu He seemed to lose all courage as his voice began to quaver. “Then, did shizun not sleep because…he was unwilling to see this disciple?”

“It’s not that I didn’t want to see you, but that I couldn’t,” Xie Zhiwei replied immediately. “Master was afraid of using up all your spiritual energy.”

Mu He didn’t seem to expect this answer and tried to restrain himself, but his voice shook even harder. “Shizun really thinks that way?”

“Mm.”

Mu He laughed in a low voice at his answer.

It was so dark here that you couldn’t even see your fingers. The blackness before Xie Zhiwei was pure black like the credits screen of a movie, or the burnt out remains of a firework, or a deepset slumber on the verge of waking up.

Xie Zhiwei faced the darkness woodenly, but his lips said, “You have to be well, understand?”

It was unclear what Mu He took from his tone, but he unexpectedly calmed down and intoned, “Shizun, can disciple tell you the truth?”

“Of course you can,” Xie Zhiwei settled down.

Mu He replied, “Shizun, disciple is in pain, a lot of pain…disciple can’t hold on any longer, so it’s enough that I can hear shizun’s voice right now.”

Xie Zhiwei’s pupils shrank as his voice fell. “That’s not enough. How can it be enough?” He took a deep breath and tried to slow down his speech. “You’re not even twenty yet and your life is still long. There are so many things you haven’t done, so many experiences you haven’t tried. How could you stop here?”

Mu He seemed to carry a trace of hope. “For example?”

Xie Zhiwei gave a start. Then he gritted his teeth and tried his best to describe the original novel. “The Jade Wheel Island in the South Sea is like spring in all the four seasons. Its scenery is beautiful. The sea of clouds and hundred thousand li of glaciers in Beijiang’s Wansheng Peak resemble a fairyland. When the sun rises, Heaven and Earth look bathed in golden light. It’s a gorgeous sight.”

“…it sounds very beautiful,” Mu He replied.

“Nearby, there are more things. Beneath the daoist sect’s One Step Cliff is a maple forest whose leaves are all red right now. They look especially bright against the ice and snow…you haven’t seen that either. When you return to the daoist sect, you have to take a look.”

Mu He’s voice was so soft that it grew nearly imperceptible. “Leaving aside the daoist sect, even if I return, disciple has…has never been interested in watching the scenery.”

Xie Zhiwei’s brow shifted slightly as his eyes all but slid shut. “What if Master watches it with you…how’s that?”

It was actually him, Xie Zhiwei, who was the greediest, most selfish person. Although there was little hope, he still insisted on Mu He waiting for him. Mu He was the strongest and most stubborn person in the world. If he could bluntly admit that he hurt and couldn’t hold on, then he must be truly suffering. The degree of pain was definitely beyond Xie Zhiwei’s imagination.

Xie Zhiwei couldn’t hear Mu He’s answer and guessed the other might be imagining them viewing the mountain of red maples. But perhaps he was also disappointed with Xie Zhiwei’s obvious self-deception. If the latter was the case, he could bear it. But if it was the former…hah, then I’m an absolute piece of shit.

The most hateful thing was that someone like him still had other options available.

He finally heard Mu He speak. He said, “If it’s like that, then it’ll definitely be the most beautiful scenery in the world.”

Xie Zhiwei slowly curled his fingers into fists until the nails were digging into his palms.

Mu He suddenly changed the topic. “Shizun, disciple still wants to know…would shizun be very sad if this disciple died?”

Xie Zhiwei only responded, “In the past you told Miss Tantai you’d toss everything aside if Master shed a single tear for your death, right?”

“…. ..yes.”

“You must really want to know know the answer,” Xie Zhiwei continued, “if you keep asking this question.”

Mu He thought he would answer and tensed up. “Yes, shizun.”

Xie Zhiwei actually laughed. His voice was warm as he spoke. “If you truly want to find out, then hold on until the last moment. Master will definitely tell you.”

Mu He couldn’t help but cry, “Shizun, disciple doesn’t understand—”

Before he could finish, his voice cut off abruptly. Mu He’s spiritual power was so weak that he couldn’t maintain the connection anymore and the dreamscape dispersed. Xie Zhiwei immediately opened his eyes. The fire light glowed red against his face, but his gaze was clear and pure.

Twilight had fallen. The skies over the capital were covered in ash, its buildings stained red like a slaughter.

Time Remaining: 2 Hours.

Chu Zhishi saw Xie Zhiwei suddenly sit up and had a fright. “Second senior brother, you’re awake?” he asked hastily, “You slept for so long, you must have been tired.”

No wonder things took so long despite such a short time in the dreamscape. I thought it only took Mu He a second to enter my dreams, but he must have used tremendous effort to succeed this time.

There was really no more time left, both for Mu He and himself.

Xie Zhiwei grasped Qingping Sword and walked out of the ruins towards the fire without a second word. The King of Nine Provinces saw him and immediately stood up. “Xie Zhiwei, look.”

Xie Zhiwei’s eyes were peering into the spell formation and didn’t hear him at first. The king simply ran to block his way and lifted up Dog, who was still hanging off his arm. “Look at what this is.”

Xie Zhiwei finally peeled his eyes away for a glance. The front paws of Dog were hooks, filled with ashes and dust. Clinging to the paw pads at the very bottoms was some white, bloodstained fabric. He suddenly gripped the paws, causing Dog to whimper in pain as he bit the King of Nine Provinces who glared at Xie Zhiwei.

“Xie Zhiwei,” the king was all agitation, “This fabric comes from Royal Son’s clothes! It was ripped off his robes! This blood is Royal Son’s, too!”

The rest had long rushed over at the sound of commotion. Yan Zhifei said, “In other words, the snow civet beast can enter the spell formation?”

Chu Zhishi said, “Does this fat cat have the ability to get in?” He handed over the fabric pinched off Dog’s paw as he spoke. “If second senior brother could use its ability, he would have less worries.”

Dog was incensed once it saw its master’s belongings taken. It abandoned the King of Nine Provinces with a meow and leaped straight at Chu Zhishi. As everyone watched astounded, it chomped down on Chu Zhishi’s sole remaining arm hanging by his side like a swing. Naturally, Chu Zhishi didn’t treat the fat cat like some national treasure and creased his brows to call for Chen Daoyuan.

“Come and help me pry him off. Pick him up by the back of his neck, yes, use strength, that’s how you deal with cats.”

Dog had always been pampered on by others and was never treated like this. It was very uncomfortable being picked up by the back of its neck and kept making threatening noises from its throat.

The King of Nine Provinces exclaimed, “Stop it, the snow civet beast will use its spiritual energy to hurt others when it turns ruthless.”

But it was already too late. Dog’s fur stood on end like a feather duster as its turquoise eyes shone with silvery-white light. Very soon, its whole body was covered in the same radiant aura.

Chen Daoyuan shouted, “Ouch!” and kept crying how cold and painful it was. He quickly let go, while the place where Chu Zhishi was bitten immediately turned red and made him grit his teeth in pain. Xie Zhiwei quickly rushed over at the sight and froze Dog with a restriction spell. His fingers felt a cold sting that froze to his bones at the moment he touched Dog’s fur.

Chu Zhishi flung his hand and threw off the motionless Dog towards the edge of the flames. Everyone’s eyes widened. The vestiges of silver light on Dog’s body resisted the flames of the red light, which seemed to be stung and shook violently as it shrank back from Dog.

The King of Nine Provinces stared fixedly at Dog, incredulous. “This light is…”

Xie Zhiwei suddenly looked at the sky and came to a conclusion. “It’s moonlight,” he said.

Du Sheng rested his hands in heshi. “Amitabha, the snow civet beast is a holy beast that suppresses the demon race. No wonder it doesn’t fear this spell formation.”

Yan Zhifei creased his brows. “Then how can we use the moonlight from its body?”

While everyone exchanged looks, Xie Zhiwei suddenly gave a laugh. Right after that, he seemed to lose his wits as he laughed some more. His actions frightened the crowd as Chu Zhishi asked, “Second senior brother, are you okay?”

Xie Zhiwei shut up and quickly paced towards Dog. The cat only stared at him furiously in defiance. Xie Zhiwei undid the restriction spell and it leapt to its feet with an intent glare.

But it had tasted Xie Zhiwei’s power before and was very wary of him. It didn’t dare attack him immediately. Seeing this, Xie Zhiwei sighed in disappointment before slapping it soundly on the head.

Dog almost fell over from the impact and was momentarily blinded. By the time it reacted, it was enraged. It had never suffered such humiliation. With a mreow, it leaped to bite Xie Zhiwei at all costs.

Xie Zhiwei stuck out his neck and said, “Be good, bite here.”

Dog did as he wished and accurately chomped on the tenderest point of his neck. At the same time, its body bloomed with light. While everyone was still gaping at his actions and prepared to ask what he was doing, they let out collective cries of surprise instead.

Because Xie Zhiwei had passed through the wall of flames with Dog hanging off his neck to plunge into the spell formation.

Time Remaining: 1 Hour.

A layer of sweat coated Xie Zhiwei’s forehead. He slapped Dog on the butt, and the cat bit even harder, nearly bathing his body in light from top to bottom. The places that weren’t sheltered by light, such as the tips of his toes and head, were burning up. Even a body with over a hundred years of cultivation would gain blisters from the heat; fortunately, he still had Golden Lotus to prevent permanent injuries.

All he could see was red light, like the scene at the bottom of Blood River Lake. This time too, he was off to save Mu He, but the difference was that he was navigating through the ruins of shattered walls, dried up pools, broken rockeries, and the remains of green-tiled houses piled up in an endless maze.

Xie Zhiwei could still sense the presence of his willow bracelet. The tiny bit of spiritual power left on the plant would never have been able to stand up to the torment of the spell formation, yet Mu He had shielded it this entire time.

Thank goodness he did.

Xie Zhiwei ignored the pain in his body to advance forward, his heart beating faster as Mu He grew closer and closer.

And his time left grew shorter and shorter.

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet shook. Xie Zhiwei swayed before steadying himself with effort, only to meet a wind strike heading his face. His heart gave a jolt as he evaded on instinct and cursed in his heart. With his back to the charred remains of dead wood, he looked up and shouted, “Get out of the way!”

Yin Cangshan stood next to a dry well under some fake rockery, his hair disheveled and blood staining the edges of his mouth. But the smile on his face was fierce.

“Sure, I’ll get out of the way. As long as you obediently accept your death.”

—

The author has something to say: A century-old old daoist transformed into a wild abusive cat demon. Is a lack of humanity or a decline in morals to blame…

The Chinese commenters:

Translator’s Note: With this chapter we’ve now covered all the quotes spoken by the characters in Too Bad Master Died Early’s fan song/audio drama “Trespass.” It really is…the last part of the story, huh. What a ride it’s been. 🙂