Chapter 190: Shizun Again In Seclusion

After that day, Chu Wanning and Mo Ran didn't have a chance to meet in private for the time being.

In the middle of Sichuan, the heavy rain didn't stop. It was like a demonic phenomenon. A large number of dead fish and shrimps appeared in the surging rivers outside White Emperor City. Among the people, there were many Water-type demonic beasts. Almost all the elders and disciples of the Life and Death Summit rushed to every village to kill demons. Because Chu Wanning and Mo Ran were both extremely powerful, they weren't arranged to waste their strength in one place. One went to the Three Gorges Port, the other went to Yi Province.

The Confucian Wind School had a hundred years of foundation. Countless demonic beasts were imprisoned in the Golden Drum Pagoda. Once they were destroyed, they regrouped, and chaos finally appeared.

In addition to the middle of Sichuan, in Yangzhou, Lei Province, and Xu Province, which were originally peaceful areas of the upper cultivation world, there were frequent cases of demonic beasts eating people and massacring civilians. For a time, many sects' manpower and energy were divided, so the search for Xu Shuanglin's whereabouts was even slower.

Mo Ran's spiritual power was amazing. Now that he was even more steady, it only took him four days to quickly stabilize Yi Province. When he returned to the Life and Death Summit, he heard that Chu Wanning had already returned. He couldn't help but feel happy. Without resting, he wanted to go to the Red Lotus Water Pavilion to find him.

However, the water pavilion's door was closed. When he asked again, Xue Zhengyong said strangely, "He's in Closed Door Meditation. Didn't Yu Heng tell you?"

"Closed Door Meditation again?" Mo Ran was shocked. "Is Shizun injured?"

"What injury? Didn't you say it was because of his mental cultivation method? He has to go into Closed Door Meditation every seven years. Last time, when he was in Closed Door Meditation, you even went to look after him. How could you forget? "

When Xue Zhengyong said this, Mo Ran suddenly remembered that there was indeed such a matter. At that time, he had just become Chu Wanning's disciple. Only half a year later, Chu Wanning said that when he was young, he was too impatient to cultivate his mental cultivation method and had an old illness. Although it wasn't a big problem, he had to go into Closed Door Meditation every seven years for ten days.

In ten days, Grandmaster Chu's cultivation had weakened to the point where he was close to a mortal. He needed to meditate in order to recover. During this period of time, he only had two hours to recover his divine sense, drink some water, and eat some food. The rest of the time, he couldn't be disturbed, and he couldn't be injured. Therefore, Chu Wanning would set up the strongest barrier around the Red Lotus Pavilion in advance, only allowing Xue Zhengyong, Xue Meng, Shi Mei, and Mo Ran to enter, so that they could safely cross the tribulation.

Not long before the last time he went into seclusion, he had a conflict with Chu Wanning because of the matter of "plucking flowers". After he was punished by Chu Wanning, he was somewhat disheartened, so he didn't accompany his master during the ten days of seclusion. Instead, he ran to help his uncle organize the library.

Thinking of the past, Mo Ran felt uneasy, so he immediately said, "I'll go see him."

"You don't need to go. Before he entered the pass, he said that just like last time, Xue Meng will guard the front three days, Shi Mei will guard the middle three days, and you'll accompany him for the last four days."

"I just want to take a look at him …"

"What's there to see?" Xue Zhengyong said with a smile, "Last time, didn't Meng 'er and Shi Mei accompany him? What are you worried about? Moreover, if you go, Meng 'er will have to talk to you when she sees you. It won't be good if you disturb Yuheng. "

Mo Ran thought about it and agreed, so he didn't go. That night, he didn't sleep. When he thought about how Xue Meng was alone with Chu Wanning in the Red Lotus Pavilion, he felt sour and very uncomfortable.

Of course, he knew that Xue Meng was pure and didn't have any interest in men, but he still felt uncomfortable and awkward. He tossed and turned for most of the night, and only managed to sleep for two to four hours when the sun was about to rise.

After waking up, Mo Ran felt that he couldn't do it.

He still couldn't help but want to see Chu Wanning, even if it was from afar.

Although the Red Lotus Pavilion's door was closed and there were barriers everywhere, Mo Ran was Chu Wanning's disciple, so the barriers wouldn't stop him. As for the wooden door made of green bamboo, it was nothing more than a decoration. Mo Ran used his Qinggong and smoothly landed in the courtyard. Every time Chu Wanning meditated and cultivated, he was used to sitting in a bamboo pavilion deep in the lotus pond. It should be the same this time.

As expected, he saw from afar that on the Misty Pond, among the lotus leaves, there was an elegant bamboo pavilion. Chu Wanning sat quietly on the ground, his white clothes spread out on the ground.

Xue Meng stood beside him. She probably felt that the sun was shining brightly outside, so she tied up one side of the snow gauze so that her Shizun could also bask in the sun's warmth. The first rays of the winter sun entered the pavilion, illuminating Chu Wanning's slightly pale face. Probably because he felt this warmth while meditating, his face gradually regained some color.

After a while, Chu Wanning's forehead gradually dripped with sweat due to the circulation. Xue Meng took a snow-white handkerchief and wiped it for him. After he was done, he couldn't help but raise his head and look left and right. He muttered, "So strange, why do I feel like someone is staring at me … …"

Mo Ran wasn't staring, he was staring.

His expression seemed calm, but his heart was in turmoil.

He felt that Xue Meng held the handkerchief and wiped Chu Wanning's forehead a little too long, the distance was a little too close, and the look in his eyes was a little too ambiguous. In short, he threw all kinds of groundless accusations at Xue Meng. He just felt unhappy and irritated.

Irritated and irritated, Mo Ran couldn't stand it anymore. He didn't want to stay here and suffer, so he planned to leave.

But he didn't control himself and stepped a little too loudly. Xue Meng immediately threw out a glittering Plum Blossom Dart full of spiritual power. He shouted sternly, "Who is it?!"

The Plum Blossom Dart was a small matter, and he caught it with his bare hands. But when he heard his shout, Mo Ran's heart almost jumped to his throat. He hurriedly rushed out of the bamboo forest, across the lotus pond, and lightly jumped into the bamboo pavilion.

Xue Meng opened his eyes wide and said in shock, "How did you … …"

"Softer." Mo Ran immediately covered his mouth and said in a low voice, "Why did you shout so loudly?"

"Wuwuwuwuwu!" Xue Meng struggled for a long time before he suddenly broke free from Mo Ran's hand. His face was flushed red, and he angrily ran his fingers through his messy hair. He said angrily, "You're still talking about me? Why were you hiding in the bushes like a little thief? "

"… … I was afraid that you would be as noisy as you are now."

"Master can't hear me even if I shout!" Xue Meng said angrily, "The Muting Curse. Didn't you see that Master has already cast the Muting Curse on himself? Unless you break the curse, he can't hear you even if you shout into his ear … … "

He continued to ramble. Mo Ran was stunned for a moment. "The Muting Curse? Then why did Uncle say that he was afraid that I would disturb you? "

"My father must have thought that you were too tired after coming back from Yi Zhou, so he wanted you to rest first." Xue Meng was speechless. "How can you believe his words? Why don't you think about it first? Every time Master goes into closed-door cultivation, he always casts this or that curse on himself first so that we can feel more comfortable next to him. You don't even use your brain. You're so stupid."

Mo Ran, "… …"

Seeing that Mo Ran was about to sit down in the pavilion, Xue Meng hurriedly pulled him back. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Mo Ran said, "Since that's the case, I'll stay too."

Xue Meng said, "Who wants you to stay? We agreed that I'd be the one to guard for the first three days. You're trying to be obedient to Master again. Go, go, go, don't steal my job."

"Can you take care of him by yourself?"

"How can I not take care of him? It's not the first time I've taken care of Master's closed-door cultivation."

Seeing that Xue Meng was angry, Mo Ran didn't know what to say. After hesitating for a while, he was about to leave. Suddenly, he saw a teacup on the table. The leaves were wide, the color was dark, and there was a faint fragrance coming from it. He asked, "Is this the Cold Fragrance Snow Tea from Kunlun?"

"Huh? How did you know? "

"… …" How could he not know? This tea was Xue Meng's favorite. Xue Meng was always willing to give his favorite things to Master, but he didn't think carefully about whether these things were suitable for Chu Wanning or not.

"The Cold Fragrance Snow Tea is cold. Master has a cold constitution. If you give him this tea, will he feel comfortable?"

Xue Meng was stunned for a moment. His face was a little red. He explained in embarrassment, "I didn't think that much. I only know that the Cold Fragrance Snow Tea is good tea. I … …"

"Go exchange it for some rose tea and add two spoonfuls of honey. When he wakes up, make water for him to drink. I'll go make some snacks and bring them to you in a while. "

Xue Meng wanted to save some face for himself. He hurriedly said, "You can't eat snacks. These ten days, you have to fast."

"I know, but Uncle said it's okay to eat a little." Mo Ran said. He waved his hand and left the bamboo pavilion. He walked out of the water pavilion. "See you later."

Xue Meng stared at his back. He was in a daze for a while.

When Mo Ran was far away, he lowered his head and couldn't help but look at the side of Master's neck — — the faint purple mark he accidentally saw yesterday.

Under the sunlight, it was even clearer. It didn't look like a mosquito bite, nor was it a wound. Xue Meng was no longer a fourteen or fifteen year old person. Although there were some things that he hadn't experienced, it didn't mean that he didn't know anything. This mark on Chu Wanning's neck made him very uneasy.

He thought of all kinds of details, especially the movement he heard that day in the back of the mountain.

He kept telling himself that it was the sound of the wind, the sound of the wind.

But that vague haze in his heart seemed to envelop him again. Under the countless strands of smoke, it seemed that something strange was gradually revealing its original appearance.

Under the warm sun, Xue Meng didn't know why, but he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He couldn't help but shiver and frown.

Because of this uneasiness, on the sixth day of Chu Wanning's seclusion, Xue Meng made a decision — —

He planned to secretly follow Mo Ran and see what was going on.

This was the last day that Shi Mei served Chu Wanning. The shift change was supposed to be at midnight, but Mo Ran had eaten dinner at the Meng Po Lobby early in the morning. He took a box of snacks and went straight to the Red Lotus Pavilion. Xue Meng didn't expect that he would want to take Shi Mei's place at this time. He didn't eat the rest of the food and chased after him. He followed him all the way to the Red Lotus Pavilion. Mo Ran walked in from the front door. He paused for a while, then imitated what Mo Ran had done before, and climbed over the wall to enter.

At this time, the sun had not yet set, and the crescent moon had already risen. The sky had shed its colorful and flowing makeup, leaving only the remnants of redness at the corners of the eyes that had not been wiped away. The magnificent sunset glow was all faded away, and the makeup was greasy. It was swallowed up by the dark night, and the stars were like water.

Mo Ran carried the food box and watched from afar as Shi Mei walked into the bamboo pavilion with his back to him. He didn't seem to hear Mo Ran's movement and stopped in front of Chu Wanning.

Mo Ran smiled and was about to greet him when he suddenly saw Shi Mei's hand flash with a cold light. He pointed at Chu Wanning, who was meditating. Mo Ran stared blankly for a moment. His mind flashed and he suddenly shouted,

"Shi Mei!"

A chill ran down his spine and his hair stood on end.

In his two lives, he had experienced too many life-and-death separations. To this day, even the slightest movement could make him nervous. As the saying goes, once bitten, twice shy. This Red Lotus Pavilion once held Chu Wanning's body for two years, until the day he died.

He actually didn't like this place very much. When he stepped into the pavilion, he could always think of the last days of his previous life. Chu Wanning lay in the lotus, his eyes closed forever, no longer alive.

Therefore, he subconsciously felt that the Red Lotus Pavilion was a disaster zone with a bottomless throat that would swallow the last flame in the world.

Shi Mei turned his head and lowered his hand. The silver light was hidden in his sleeve. "Mo Ran? … Why are you here? "

"I —"

Mo Ran's heart was beating wildly. He couldn't catch his breath. He didn't care about anything else. He frowned and said, "In your hand …"

"In my hand?"

Shi Mei was stunned. He raised his hand again and saw that he was holding a comb. It was made of pure silver and the back of the comb was inlaid with spirit stone slags that could soothe the meridians.

Mo Ran was at a loss for words. After a while, he said, "You … are combing Shizun's hair?"

"… Yes. What's wrong?" Shi Mei looked him up and down. Then, he frowned slightly. "You don't look well. Did something happen outside?"

"No, I was just …"

He couldn't finish his sentence. His face turned from pale to slightly red. Fortunately, the night was dark, so no one could see clearly. After a while, Mo Ran turned his face slightly and coughed. "It's nothing."

Shi Mei still looked at him silently. Then, he seemed to understand something. His expression was slightly dazed. He said hesitantly, "Do you think …"

Mo Ran hurriedly said, "I didn't."

After all, Shi Mei was someone who treated him very well. He was someone he saw as family. Mo Ran was also shocked by his misunderstanding at that moment. He felt very sorry for Shi Mei, so he blurted out, "I didn't."

Shi Mei didn't speak. After a long time, he said, "Mo Ran."

"Hmm?"

"I haven't even said the second half of the sentence." Shi Mei sighed softly. "Why are you in such a hurry to deny it?"

As soon as he said this, it was clear that Shi Mo understood that Mo Ran had mistaken the silver comb in his hand for a fierce blade.

Although this was because of the fear of Chu Wanning's death in two lives, no matter who was standing with their back to Mo Ran, whether it was Xue Meng or Xue Zhengyong, he would probably tremble at that moment. But facing Shi Mei, Mo Ran calmed down. His heart was still uncomfortable.

He lowered his eyes and said, "… I'm sorry."

In his memory, Shi Mi was always gentle and kind when dealing with people and problems. She was rarely cold or scolding others. But tonight, beside the lotus pond, Shi Mei looked at Mo Ran for a long time without saying anything.

The wind rose. The lotus leaves in the pond flipped and the red lotuses danced.

Shi Mei said, "It's fine that you're not as good as you used to be. But Mo Ran, we've known each other for almost ten years. How can I be so unbearable in your heart?"

His voice was gentle and calm. There wasn't too much anger in it, nor was there the slightest bit of grief. Mo Ran looked into his eyes. They were two clear pools of spring water. It was as if he had seen through everything, but he didn't want to care about anything. He didn't want to say anything.

Shi Mei handed the silver comb to Mo Ran. He said lightly, "Before Shizun closed his eyes to meditate, he told me to braid his hair. Since you're here, I'll leave it to you."

"Shi Mei …"

But the extremely beautiful man had already walked past him. His footsteps were gentle, but he didn't look back. He left the Red Lotus Pavilion alone.