Ch62 - Dungeon

Emetophobia warning + graphic descriptions of (non-existent) skin damage/skin disease at the beginning of the chapter, including “live” elements.

—

Xie Zhiwei choked on his spit and coughed furiously.

Qiu Chongyun stared at his face with interest. “What are you so nervous about?”

Xie Zhiwei smoothed his chest, voice guarded. “Of course I’m nervous, I’m so ugly.”

Qiu Chongyun lowered the curtain and entered the dressing room. “How ugly?”

Currently Xie Zhiwei had finished soaking in the spiritual spring for four years and had completely different skin and bones from his past. Although he was still slender and thin, his exposed fingers and neck seemed softer. Qiu Chongyun had an intuition that he had good proportions and a fine bearing, so she couldn’t figure out how he was ugly.

Xie Zhiwei would never let her see his face, so he raised his head with hooded eyes and said sadly, “Unimaginably ugly. Someone saw me by accident once and was so disgusted they couldn’t eat for three days.”

“Really?” Qiu Chongyun arched her brows. “That’s too weak. Come, let me see if that’s the case.”

“You really want to see?”

“Really.”

Xie Zhiwei scratched his face a few times—not too hard—and sighed. “It’s starting to itch again.”

“Is it very itchy?” Qiu Chongyun asked. “Were you possibly disfigured by smallpox or something?”

“Once,” Xie Zhiwei sighed.

“And now?”

“Now…” Xie Zhiwei’s gaze grew long. “Those bumps are long gone.”

“Isn’t that good?” Qiu Chongyun asked curiously.

Xie Zhiwei shook his head and closed his eyes. “After the scabs fell off, they didn’t heal but were replaced by pus. A healer squeezed the pus out, leaving pits in the places where the pox broke out.”

Qiu Chongyun imagined the sight and felt a little uncomfortable, her brow involuntarily twitching. Observing her reaction, Xie Zhiwei privately sneered and added. “Right, it was yellow pus too, and quite thick.”

Now the corners of Qiu Chongyun’s lips were twitching too as she fell silent in disgust. But since she was the one who brought it up, she could only keep going. “Afterwards?”

“Afterwards ah…” Xie Zhiwei stopped halfway to quickly put the clothes in his hands on the table while secretly channeling spiritual power to his face.

“What’s wrong?” Qiu Chongyun asked before her eyes widened.

She stared at Xie Zhiwei’s face towel, where she could perceive subtle bumps beneath the cloth like wiggling worms. Xie Zhiwei placed a hand over the cloth helplessly. “Aish, they’ve burrowed out again. It’s these things that grew in the pits of my face later.”

Qiu Chongyun was a little stunned. “What things?”

Xie Zhiwei intoned, “Maiden loves cleanliness and has naturally never seen them. It’s the same things you find in outdoor latrines after three days in the hottest sun, small white crawling—”

“Blech!” Qiu Chongyun dry-heaved before covering her mouth.

Xie Zhiwei took a step forward. “Since maiden is curious, it’s fine to see…but this is hard to show. I accidentally killed a few while pressing just then, so they’re plastered to my face at the moment.”

“Hold it!” Qiu Chongyun hurried back, her eyes sweeping past Xie Zhiwei’s face to a pillar on the side instead. “I remember I have to receive an important guest today. Let’s look at your face another day.” So speaking, she adjusted her expression, twisted her slender waist, and lifted the curtains to leave. She didn’t forget to remind him, “I’m afraid you’ll be uncomfortable wearing that mask, so I specially replaced it with a different material. Be good and stay here when you’re changed, don’t you run off oh.”

Xie Zhiwei listened to the sound of footsteps fading in the distance before he exhaled in relief. He picked up the rainbow-hued mutant ladybug cape he’d disdained in the past and measured it against his body. Both the cloak and mask were Chi Yan’s magic weapons with extraordinary strength. Qiu Chongyun was quite shrewd, getting him a couple of fakes so he couldn’t gain any advantages with the real things.

What is this woman doing behind the hero’s back?

Fortunately, he could use this double undercover identity to glimpse a bit of the truth. He was almost exposed, but improvised on the spot. This wonderful way of disgusting others is really useful…

Xie Zhiwei placed the cloak over his shoulders before he also dry-heaved, disgusted by his own descriptions. At least with Chi Yan’s identity I can travel wherever I want in the Demonic Sect to throw up.

Chi Yan was used to brilliance and majesty, so Xie Zhiwei didn’t even need to speak. A single glance from his was enough to send the guard and soldiers bowing their heads. The little palace maids simply trembled as they kneeled on the ground, afraid to even breathe too loudly. The ones with slightly better looks had faint traces of bruises on their cheeks and collarbones.

Tsk, poor things. Hell knows how coarse and violent Chi Yan is on a usual day.

Xie Zhiwei was unfamiliar with the place and couldn’t ask for directions, so he wandered around the various palaces before ending up somewhere more secluded. It seemed to be some sort of garden. Right now it was night, and starlight shone on the cobblestoned path heavily shadowed by flowering branches and trees. In the distance there was the sound of flowing water coming from behind some fake rockery. This was a fine place—a shame he’d spoil it soon.

Xie Zhiwei was about to vomit when he heard a familiar voice beyond the trickling water.

“Aunt Yun, have you taken care of everything?”

Xie Zhiwei fiercely shut his mouth and almost lost his breath. His churning stomach instantly stilled. Who else called Qiu Chongyun “Aunt Yun” in the book besides one person?

As expected of the hero, he’s always close to the plot. Just brushing the main storyline is enough to run into him. If you have any skills then get closer to your women ah, youngster!

Xie Zhiwei suppressed his own spiritual power and Red Lotus’s aura to the extremes, afraid to reveal a sliver. He tiptoed around the fake rockery and brushed aside a clump of marigolds to peer into the distance. Without exception, he saw Mu He standing in front of a waterfall dressed in white robes and looking tall and elegant as jade, his right hand hidden in his sleeve.

Behind him stood Qiu Chongyun with a respectful attitude. “All done. Do you want to take a look?”

Mu He’s face flashed with utter revulsion before the expression vanished. He looked up at the moon in the sky and intoned, “Very well. After all, it’s an old friend.”

His features were withdrawn and his tone light, but his eyes hid poison needles that could corrode someone to death. Xie Zhiwei swallowed. I don’t know who he’s revenging himself on this time, but judging from his reaction, the results are going to be an unbearable sight.

Reflecting back, Xie Zhiwei realized he could count as one of Mu He’s “old friends” too. Rather than feeling sorry for others, he should be thinking of how to preserve his life instead.

Mu He didn’t look back as he strode ahead, his eyes downcast as usual. Qiu Chongyun didn’t need to lead the way for him, so he seemed very familiar with this garden. He probably dropped by often. Even so, his relationship with Qiu Chongyun seemed even worse than four years ago.

Xie Zhiwei still remembered that Mu He was willing to pretend and treat Qiu Chongyun as his elder back then. Now she was subservient and treated him with more respect than Chi Yan instead of ending up in a romantic relationship. Since she was only a subordinate, it was no wonder someone as high-minded and arrogant as Qiu Chongyun would have selfish ideas of her own.

The original novel said that Qiu Chongyun was already helping Mu He secretly deploy forces while Chi Yan was still alive. If he remembered correctly, this was the most inconspicuous courtyard under Chi Yan and was secretly outfitted with a dungeon underground. Anyone who disliked Mu He, or was disliked by him in turn, was locked up below. Even if they were discovered, the blame would fall on the Demonic Sect.

The entrance to the dungeon was through a dry well. Mu He and Qiu Chongyun simply jump into the opening. Xie Zhiwei didn’t dare fall behind and slowly climbed down on foot. He heard the two land and was about to follow when Qiu Chongyun suddenly spoke up.

“Nephew, what do you think of that lass in white robes from the Buddhist sect?”

“White robes…” Mu He mouthed the two seemingly unimportant words, his gaze inexplicable.

Qiu Chongyun wanted to stir up trouble and added, “Yes, that girl is very fishy. Today Chi Yan went mad and ambushed her, but failed.”

Mu He’s steps faltered briefly. “What do you want to say.”

Qiu Chongyun slowed down her speech. “Nephew, is there really a treasure in this world that raises the dead? Did that girl get it?”

The place was so dark that Xie Zhiwei couldn’t see the bottom of the well when he stretched out his fingers below him. He didn’t dare to breathe loudly as he patiently plastered himself against the wall like Spiderman to listen.

A second later, Mu He muttered softly, “Golden Lotus.”

Qiu Chongyun was surprised. “Golden Lotus? It’s actually with her? No wonder Chi Yan had his eye on her. Legends say Golden Lotus has no other use except to revive one from the dead. A pity it can only save its host, or else that year we wouldn’t have lost—”

“Stop talking,” Mu He interrupted in a deep voice.

“I was wrong,” Qiu Chongyun said hastily, “I won’t mention it again.” She looked up and saw that Mu He had already turned to walk again and quickly followed.

Xie Zhiwei breathed and wiped away the sweat that had seeped under his mask before continuing his slow descent down the well. It looked like his death four years ago left a deep and tragic impression on the protagonist. He couldn’t even bear the pain of someone bringing it up.

He felt the walls to probe his way forward, ducking behind corners and alcoves to hide. In the front, Mu He and Qiu Chongyun were better off. The latter couldn’t help asking, “Nephew, what are your next plans?”

“How is Chi Yan doing these days?”

Xie Zhiwei privately gloated. Chi Yan’s gone and the Red Lotus is lost, see how you explain things to the hero, Qiu Chongyun.

“He…” Qiu Chongyun said, “His cultivation seems to have improved another level again. It’ll be difficult for you to face  him. But I can find a way to snatch Red Lotus fir—”

“I want Red Lotus and his life,” Mu He said as he kept walking. “No need for you to interfere.”

Qiu Chongyun nodded and asked, seemingly casually, “Nephew, hasn’t Black and White Lotus been destroyed? It’s impossible to combine all Five Treasures now. The Red Lotus is so violent and your status so noble, what do you need it for?”

—

Translator’s Note: Okay but all that “white-robe, melancholy youth in a garden” description just made me think of Mu He wielding his shizun’s sword in the courtyard for hours all alone… Something like this, perhaps? (Haha, I flipped the GIF so he’s using his left hand)