THIS SHIZUN'S DISCIPLE'S TORRID LOVE AFFAIR

The next morning, Chu Wanning woke up to a table full of steaming breakfast. As usual, the food was kept inside a barrier with warming properties. It was clear who the breakfast came from, but the person was not there to intrude on his breakfast time. More food came for lunch and still no sign of Mo Ran. In the end, Chu Wanning decided to go and look for Mo Ran.

Apparently, when Mo Ran did not want to be found, he was really difficult to locate. He was always busy. Or better said, he busied himself with a lot of things so that he did not have to face his shizun. His excuses became more and more ridiculous. Once, he even had a poor shidi tell Chu Wanning that he was studying diligently at the Compendium Pavilion and must not be disturbed. Chu Wanning slowly lost his patience. The shidi barely escaped being whipped by Tianwen for lying.

Yuheng Elder was not stupid. He knew that Mo Ran was upset with him and thus avoided him, but what could he do? If Mo Ran expected Chu Wanning to come and coax him, Mo Ran was about to be very disappointed. Chu Wanning was not that type of person. He was not good at dealing with people. In the end, he gave up looking for Mo Ran and decided that once Mo Ran got over his childish bouts, he would appear before Chu Wanning again. They were still shizun and disciple after all.

Another day passed and a group of people came to pay a visit to Sisheng Peak. It was Nangong Si with his entourage of Rufeng Sect disciples. Young Master Nangong looked exceptionally dashing and heroic when he sat on the back of the snow-white faewolf. Once he climbed off, he patted its head affectionately. The gigantic wolf rubbed its big head against Nangong Si's palm. It appeared terrifying, but it was wholly dedicated to Nangong Si. Unlike those two traitors who left Rufeng Sect, Nangong Si thought bitterly.

Xue Zhengyong arrived soon afterward. He was rather surprised to find Nangong Si there.

"Nangong Si, what is happening? Why are you back again?"

Nangong Si politely cupped his hands before Xe Zhengyong. "Sect Leader Xue, Ye Wangxi, and Xu Shuanglin have overstayed Sisheng Peak's hospitality for too long. I am here to take them back."

Now, it was rather a delicate situation. Xue Zhengyong understood that Ye Wangxi and Xu Shuanglin already left Rufeng Sect with no intention to go back ever again. Mo Ran had insisted to let them stay in Sisheng Peak. Now that Nangong Si himself came to pick the two people up, Xue Zhengyong had to at least allow them to meet. It was of no surprise to him to see Mo Ran tag along. Mo Ran had been quite protective of Ye Wangxi these days. Xue Zhengyong secretly nodded in approval.

Good.

Good. This nephew of his has already grown up. It would not take long now before he proposed to Ye Wangxi. Even her adoptive father was there to bless the union.

Nangong Si repeated the reason for his visit in front of Ye Wangxi, Xu Shuanglin, and Mo Ran. Mo Ran could not help but smirk. "Young Master Nangong came here with a bunch of armed disciples. Forgive my insolent question. Are you here to take them home or to arrest them?"

Nangong Si's face darkened. "Mo-zongshi, please do not interfere in the private matters of Rufeng Sect," he snapped.

The nerves of Mo Ran. Nangong Si had to take in a few lungfuls of breath before he regained his composure. Mo Ran might be the nephew of Sisheng Peak Sect Leader, but he clearly overstepped his boundaries. Nangong Si knew for sure that he was the one who persuaded Ye Wangxi and Xu Shuanglin to take shelter at Sisheng Peak.

As Mo Ran's shizun, Chu Wanning was naturally notified of the ruckus at Loyalty Hall.

When Chu Wanning arrived at the Loyalty Hall, Nangong Si and Mo Ran were in the middle of a heated argument. Mo Ran standing gallantly next to Ye Wangxi. Xu Shuanglin stood a few steps behind them with a wooden cane as a support. He seemed to be gravely injured.

Seeing no way out of the argument, Nangong Si decided to ignore Mo Ran altogether and spoke to Xue Zhengyong directly.

"Sect Leader Xue, Ye Wangxi and Xu Shuanglin are members of Rufeng Sect. I beg Sect Leader Xue to please allow me to take them home."

As a sect leader, Xue Zhengyong must know that he could not afford to offend other sects, particularly not Rufeng Sect, the number one sect of the cultivation world!

Seeing the young ones throwing spites at each other, Xu Shuanglin burst into laughter and caused all heads to turn in his direction.

"What is it, A-Si?" The Elder said with a hint of mockery across his face. "Can your father not manage Rufeng Sect without my counsel?"

Nangong Si's Adam's apple bobbed up and down anxiously. One could see that he was conflicted inside.

"Elder Xu," Nangong Si softened his tone. "This is not your home. Please come back with us."

Ye Wangxi mouthed a soft, "A-Si..."

Nangong Si granted her a glance when he heard his name, but then he quickly looked away. Ye Wangxi's devastation was hardly noticeable. She merely bowed her head and did not speak anymore.

"They are not coming with you today or any other day," Mo Ran decided. "Go back, Young Master Nangong."

"You...!!!"

"Nangong Si."

A clear voice that was as sharp as a blade rang out from the entrance, startling everyone in the Loyalty Hall without exception. The disciples from Rufeng Sect held their breaths in admiration when Chu Wanning moved across the hall with the elegance of a deity. This was Chu-zongshi who recently came back to life. How many people could claim that they had seen him with their own eyes? Even if they failed to bring the two traitors home, the trip was not for naught.

"Chu-zongshi..." Nangong Si murmured. He quickly cupped his hands as a sign of respect before Chu Wanning. The last time he came to pay Chu Wanning a visit, the latter was taking a nap. Mo Ran was the one who greeted him in his shizun's stead.

Chu Wanning's gaze swept over Mo Ran who avoided his gaze, Ye Wangxi who kept her head bowed in shame, and Xu Shuanglin who had a nonchalant smile lacing his lips.

Ah.

Now he understood.

In love with Ye Wangxi, Mo Ran managed to persuade her and her adoptive father to stay with him in Sisheng Peak. Mo Ran might be hoping that Ye Wangxi and Xu Shuanglin would feel at ease at Sisheng Peak, enough to leave Rufeng Sect and join Sisheng Peak instead.

Silly child...

Mo Ran was truly blinded by love.

Stealing members from other sects was unheard of. If Mo Ran wanted to ask for Ye Wangxi's hand, he should do so openly. Playing a cat-and-mouse game with Ye Wangxi was not going to make him more attractive to the maiden. Besides, it was clear that Ye Wangxi was conflicted. She might feel some attraction to Mo Ran, but she clearly had some feelings for Nangong Si as well. The Ye Wangxi that Chu Wanning remembered from his past life was devoted to Nangong Si even beyond death. No wonder Mo Ran had been rather agitated these days. His love life was not doing too well.

"Nangong Si, go back for now. Mo Ran is my disciple, I will take responsibility for his actions."

Nangong Si's jaw dropped open. He wanted to say something else, but his words were stuck in his throat when he looked at Chu Wanning. This was Chu Wanning, the man who once was supposed to be his shizun after all. In the end, Nangong Si had no other option but retreat.

After the people from Rufeng Sect left, Ye Wangxi and Xu Shuanglin also excused themselves. And yet, Mo Ran was still full of unresolved tension. Worried that Chu Wanning would punish Mo Ran for acting against the sect's interest, Xue Zhengyong hurried to intercede.

"Aiyah. Yuheng, so happy to see you out of that Red Lotus Pavilion of yours. Too bad that you had to witness the exchange just now. I have been thinking to ask for your help to finish a mission."

Duty was more important than a personal matter. Chu Wanning naturally did not choose to turn Xue Zhengyong down. Mo Ran on the other side was horrified. What was his uncle thinking? His shizun barely recovered! He should just stay in Red Lotus Pavilion for a few months and let Mo Ran feed him until he gained at least 10 kg!

"Uncle," Mo Ran quickly objected. "I don't think that Shizun is ready..."

Chu Wanning glared at Mo Ran and snapped.

"You think I am not ready? Who are you to make such assumptions?"

Mo Ran bit his lip in resentment. "This disciple has misspoken..."

The air between the shizun and disciple was too gloomy. Xue Zhengyong laughed. "Don't worry, Ran-er. I am not sending your shizun on any dangerous mission. Yuliang Village is preparing for harvest and they need some helping hands."

Now it was Chu Wanning's turn to object.

"Sect Leader, is there no exorcism request?"

"Aiyahh. Things have been peaceful recently. I don't have any challenging jobs for you."

Chu Wanning furrowed his brows. "Since when do we accept trivial jobs such as these?"

"We always have. Mo Ran went to get Grandma Wang's cat down from a tree yesterday. I just usually never bothered you with these jobs. Then again you just came out of seclusion. It is not good to be cooped up inside for too long. You should get out and get some sun."

"But I... I don't know how to farm..." Chu Wanning pitifully confessed.

Xue Zhengyong's eyes grew big. "What... you really don't know how???"

"Uncle, can I come as well?" Mo Ran volunteered. "I know how to farm, I can help."

Chu Wanning turned to look at Mo Ran.

It was not a bad idea. If they could not talk in Sisheng Peak, they could talk somewhere else. Mo Ran would not be able to run away if they were helping out at Yuliang Village together. With that in mind, the shizun who had not the slightest idea about farming finally agreed to go on the important mission.