SHIZUN AND I, WE...

Sure enough, Mo Ran's heart was a mess. Just like Jiang Xi predicted, the Hatred Flower was still actively influencing Mo Ran, feeding his heart with hatred and taking away everything that was good. If this went on, then the current Mo-zongshi was going to blacken and become another Taxian-Jun.

Chu Wanning pulled away from Mo Ran and opened his eyes. His hands slid down slowly and landed on Mo Ran's chest, feeling the rapidly beating heart against his own palm.

Maybe he should go and ask Ling'er about the nature of her conversation with Mo Ran. What did she say to Mo Ran to trigger such a violent reaction from him? The young woman had been aggressively chasing Mo Ran. Did she maybe find out about Ye Wangxi's presence in Mo Ran's life? Did she badmouth Ye Wangxi in front of Mo Ran?

It would not be surprising at all, then. Back then, Taxian-Jun was extremely sensitive about Shi Mei. He lashed out at the tiniest event that reminded him of of his dearly departed shixiong. Reborn or not, Mo Ran was still Mo Ran after all. Once he fell in love with someone, his fiery passion remained unquenchable, threatening to burn everything in its way. His love bordered and would always border on unhealthy obsession.

Chu Wanning heaved a sigh and shook his head gently. When he raised his eyes to meet Mo Ran's, he found that the latter was staring at him. Mo Ran's eyes seemed to be drilling into his heart, giving Chu Wanning goosebumps. The white-robed shizun thus shoved Mo Ran further. He could not take such an intense gaze at all.

"Mo Ran, we need to talk," Chu Wanning started. "Please take a seat."

It was Mo Ran's bedroom, but Chu Wanning had no qualms ordering his disciple around. Mo Ran took a seat opposite Chu Wanning wordlessly. There were many jars of Pear Blossom White between them on the table. Feeling awkward leaving them to stand around like a bunch of statues, Mo Ran thus opened a jar and poured them two cups of wine.

"Wait."

Chu Wanning dragged both cups of wine toward himself and downed them one by one. Mo Ran gaped at Chu Wanning in confusion.

"You should not be drinking wine right now," Chu Wanning then said with a serious tone. "I have something to tell you. After I am done, you will understand why."

Mo Ran did not understand, but he obediently complied.

"Please speak, Shizun."

Chu Wanning wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief. A crude haitang flower was embroidered on it. For some reason, the handkerchief drew Mo Ran's attention. He did not know why. Maybe it was only interesting because it was nestled between Chu Wanning's slender, jade fingers.

"Mo Ran, have you ever heard about the Flower of Eight Sufferings and Everlasting Hatred?"

Mo Ran shook his head. "No, Shizun."

"This flower is a demonic flower. It was first brought to the mortal realm by Gouchen the Exalted. If planted inside a person's heart, the flower will cause the person to go through three phases of change.

In the first phase, the host will develop distrust toward surrounding people.

In the second phase, the good memories will be eroded and the bad memories will be amplified.

In the third phase, the host will turn into a violent, bloodthirsty monster; someone who only lingers in the pool of their own misery and is determined to drag the world to hell with them."

Chu Wanning poured himself another cup.

"Mo Ran, do you know why I am telling you about this flower?"

Mo Ran swallowed hard.

For some reason, the description of the host in the third phase matched his circumstance back when he was still Taxian-Jun. But wait, was he really such a monster? It could not be. He was still the same Mo Ran. He just made poor choices, didn't he? Too obsessed about Shi Mei, who he thought he loved. It was a mistake, no doubt about it. But there was no flower involved, was there?

Mo Ran unconsciously raised his hand and pressed it against his own racing heart.

Chu Wanning finished his cup and stared hard at Mo Ran.

"Mo Ran, the one thing I regret the most about the past life was my failure in detecting the Hatred Flower inside you. In the past life, my oversight had allowed the flower to take full control of you. In this life, I am trying my best to prevent it from happening."

Mo Ran was aghast.

He stared at Chu Wanning in disbelief.

Did Chu Wanning just say that there was a Hatred Flower nestling in his heart like a lurking snake, ready to swallow it whole?

"But Shizun, how did this flower even reach my heart?"

It did not make sense. Nothing of it made sense!

Chu Wanning opened a second jar, poured himself another cup, and drank it.

It was a heavy and very sensitive topic for Chu Wanning. Thankfully, the wine was there to help.

"I don't know. It might have happened when you were a lot younger."

Mo Ran clutched at his chest.

His eyes darkened as soon as he thought back about his early years in life. In both life, he had had a miserable childhood. He and his mother were so poor. They relied on cheap street performances to survive. Day by day, little Mo Ran had to watch her mother scraping the ground for some meager coins that spectators threw in her direction.

Once his mother died, his life turned from bad to worse.

Mo Ran remembered the disdainful look and mocking words that the onlookers gave him. He was just a dirty street rat, not worthy of love and attention. All around him, evil people got to live luxuriously. Maybe one of them thought it would be funny to stick him with a demonic flower.

Mo Ran gritted his teeth.

He hated them.

He hated them all.

They all deserved to die!!!

"Mo Ran."

Chu Wanning's voice cleared up Mo Ran's bloodlust in an instant. The latter shook his head to drive away the dark, negative thoughts.

The shizun reached out and grabbed Mo Ran's shoulder.

"I am here for you. Don't be scared."

Chu Wanning's kind words caused Mo Ran's heart to melt.

That was right. He was no longer alone in this cruel world. His shizun, his beloved Wanning was there.

"Shizun..." Mo Ran said in a hoarse voice, "What is going to happen to me?"

"As long as I live, I will not allow the flower to mature. Do you hear me? Do you trust me?"

Mo Ran nodded. Of course he trusted his shizun. In this whole wide world, who but Chu Wanning was willing to stay with him all his life?

Chu Wanning rummaged inside his qiankun bag. After a while, he pinched a ring between his fingers and showed it to Mo Ran. Mo Ran's eyes widened when he saw the silver ring. It was the ring that Jiang Xi gave Chu Wanning!

"Sect Leader Jiang and Grandmaster Hua also know about the flower inside your heart. After years of research, Grandmaster Hua came up with a solution to inhibit the effect of the Hatred Flower. Mo Ran, you only need to wait until the eight years to pass safely. It should not take too long now, maybe only a year or two. If nothing else happens, the flower will become dormant. You will then be able to live normally."

Chu Wanning extended his hand and offered the ring to Mo Ran.

"Today, your mood became erratic when you talked to Miss Ling'er. For whatever reason, the flower was able to affect you. Mo Ran, human life is dotted with suffering and pain. It is impossible to live a painless life for eight full years. Pain will come from time to time. It is unavoidable. In your case, the best thing we can do is to prevent the flower from using it to destroy your heart."

Mo Ran eyed the ring suspiciously.

A ring that was made by Jiang Xi and Hua Binan? Mo Ran trusted them as far as he could throw them.

More than five years had passed, but Mo Ran still remembered how much he suffered in their hands back at Guyue'ye Sect.

"Mo Ran, trust me," Chu Wanning begged. "I need you to put on this ring."

Mo Ran's hand trembled when he took the ring from Chu Wanning. For a brief moment, the spells that were infused within the ring lit up and were reflected in Mo Ran's eyes. For some reason, Mo Ran's heart grew heavy. Was it the flower that tried to prevent him from taking the ring? Should he put on the ring?

Should he not?

What would happen if he did?

What would happen if he did not?

Chu Wanning watched Mo Ran's conflicted expression. He already said what he had to say. Mo Ran was an adult. If he did not want to wear the ring, he could toss the ring behind Chu Wanning's back anytime. The choice was Mo Ran's. Unable to watch, Chu Wanning instead poured himself another cup and downed it in one gulp.

Two jars gone.

"Mo Ran, I will give you some time to think. Come to me whenever you need to talk," Chu Wanning said. He then rose to his feet and took the remaining jars with him. "In your current condition, please abstain from drinking wine. It will only flare the emotion in your heart. Try to meditate and empty your heart."

"Yes, Shizun."

After Chu Wanning was gone, Mo Ran placed the ring on the table and went to meditate on the bed.

He tried his best to focus, but he could not stop thinking about Chu Wanning's words.

Hatred Flower. Three phases. Violent, bloodthirsty monster... Drag the world to hell.

Mo Ran opened his eyes abruptly. He broke into a cold sweat.

No, no, no...

He could not. He must not.

He was Mo-zongshi. He was not Taxian-Jun. He was not!

Mo Ran wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. When he put down his hands on his lap, he saw that his palms were entirely red from fresh blood. Those were the hands of Taxian-Jun.

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

Mo Ran shook his head in fright and wiped his hands desperately on the quilt. Shaken from fear, he looked at his hands again. They were clean. There was no blood.

Panic started to creep into his mind.

Oh no.

Chu Wanning was right. He was slowly spiraling down the path of madness.

Mo Ran grabbed the silver ring and put it on as if his life depended on it. He then rocked back and forth on the bed, praying to any god and deity to please spare him. To please not allow the flower to control his heart. In this life, he must be a good person. He must protect his shizun. He must make his Wanning happy.

Mo Ran tried to go to sleep, but he was unable to. He tossed around restlessly for almost an hour before he decided to go out and take a walk.

The night air in the Yuliang Village was refreshing, but it did nothing to calm Mo Ran down and give him some peace.

Mo Ran sighed. He rubbed his head and walked around for a while before he decided to go back and talk to Chu Wanning. Maybe there was something he needed to do after wearing the ring. He needed the effect of the Hatred Flower to wear off as soon as possible.

When Mo Ran arrived in front of Chu Wanning's bedroom, he took a deep breath and then knocked three times.

No answer.

"Shizun?" Mo Ran called.

Still no answer.

Mo Ran kept calling again and again, but the bedroom was dead silent.

"Shizun? Excuse me..."

Mo Ran pushed at the door and it opened up for him. The first thing he saw was the jars of Pear Blossom White, nicely arranged on the table. Chu Wanning was not in the bedroom. Mo Ran stepped into the bedroom and looked around. There were weird splashing sounds that came from the backroom.

Mo Ran strode to the backroom to take a look at what Chu Wanning was doing.

Chu Wanning's small living space was an exact copy of Mo Ran's. Separated only by a curtain, there was a small bathing area and a kitchen behind the bedroom.

When Mo Ran pushed the curtain aside, the sound of water already stopped. On top of the neatly lined red brick floor, Chu Wanning was curled up into a ball. Trembling all over, he was completely naked and drenched from hair to toe.

"SHIZUN!"

Mo Ran ran toward Chu Wanning and grabbed the latter's shoulder to look at him. Chu Wanning was burning up. His whole body was tinted pink and his face was flushed. When he saw Mo Ran, he whispered, "I feel so hot..."

Mo Ran's heart almost stopped at that time, and then it started beating like crazy. It was as if it was trying to burst out of his chest. He could not hear anything else but Chu Wanning's haggard breathing and the sound of blood rushing past his ears. Sprawled all over the wet floor was the object of his sinful desire. The most beautiful man in the world. After working in rice fields for days, his shoulders and chest boasted impressive muscles. The deep lines were etched into his fair skin, flowing like a sensuous river downward, and disappeared between Chu Wanning's long, slender legs. The sight was beyond breathtaking.

As if trying to hide from Mo Ran's burning gaze, Chu Wanning rolled to the side and curled up on the floor again. A sad, mewling sound escaped his throat. He seemed to be in great pain.

"Hot," he whispered. "So uncomfortable..."

A pair of rough hands grabbed his shoulders one more time and wrapped his whole body in a towel. Chu Wanning was then lifted off the ground and pressed against Mo Ran's body. Feverish from the wine, Chu Wanning snaked his arms around Mo Ran's neck like a seasoned temptress.

"So comfortable," he whispered while rubbing himself against Mo Ran's colder skin. His own body felt so hot. His blood was no different from lava at that point.

Chu Wanning put some force on Mo Ran's neck and forced him to lean closer. Wriggling from discomfort, Chu Wanning then craned his neck and pressed a kiss against Mo Ran's lips.