Ruan Zhan and Xiao Xia stood in the doorway.
Xiao Xia’s hand was over her mouth, an expression of disbelief on her face. The exclamation had clearly come from her. Ruan Zhan stood tall next to her. Although he didn’t tremble or show any expression, his face was pale.
He hadn’t seemed to notice Bao Da Tong and Wan Li’s exchange earlier, but in reality he had seen everything. His sharp senses told him something was up, and that it was definitely related to him. Coincidentally, Xiao Xia was going to fetch some drinks from upstairs so the two of them made their way up.
He had always hated noise, so the rooms upstairs were very soundproof. However, Wan Li and Bao Da Tong hadn’t even shut the door properly, allowing them to hear everything the moment the reached the second floor. For some reason, probably intuition, he and Xiao Xia had softened their steps and approached the door, so they had heard everything.
His body rigid, he walked into the room, the doubt in his heart increasing.
“That…Ah Zhan, perhaps it’s just someone who…looks like Uncle.” Bao Da Tong explained. Neither he nor Wan Li noticed the eavesdroppers. Therefore, he was a little startled at the current situation, not knowing how to express himself. “It’s because I’ve never seen anything so strange, so I overreacted. It’s actually very likely to just be a lookalike. Really, really! You also know I’m a country bumpkin who knows nothing of the world. Haha…I was also shocked at the time.” He laughed awkwardly, trying to cover things up. However, Ruan Zhan stared daggers at him, leaving him nowhere to hide.
“Just tell us.” Wan Li sighed.
“Fine, I’ll speak. It’s not actually relevant anyway!” Bao Da Tong grumbled, convincing himself firmly that the corpse was just someone who looked a lot like Ruan Zhan’s old man. It was easier for him to tell the story this way.
“After we parted ways, I headed to Creek’s Head Inn, right? With the hot weather, I was afraid…the corpse would decay so I hurried over as fast as I could. Actually the journey was very smooth…fine, fine, I’ll get to the point.” Bao Da Tong glanced at Ruan Zhan and gritted his teeth. “The villagers were very scared due to the fiend children case. The corpse had been washed down from the mountain due to the rain. Therefore, they hadn’t called the police or dressed up the body yet. They merely covered it up with a woven mat. Two of the braver elders kept watch. The moment I mentioned you, they immediately brought me over. The moment I lifted the mat…I almost fell over backwards. His face looked exactly the same as uncle’s. But after the shock, I thought that he definitely wasn’t him. The world is so large and filled with bizarre things. Even if they looked like twins…hey, maybe he’s really uncle’s twin brother. They were separated at birth, that must be it.”
Bao Da Tong was longwinded while also trying to convince himself. However, there seemed to be a patch in his heart that kept sprouting unease. Every time he uprooted it all, the weeds would grow back even faster. Perhaps his subconscious had long since confirmed that corpse belonged to Ruan Zhan’s father!
Ruan Zhan’s father was someone with rather impressive Daoist techniques and magic powers. He was older than Bao Da Tong’s own father. Others might not know his dad’s real age, but he naturally did. Although both those elders had a young son, they had passed a hundred years of age long ago despite looking in their sixties. Therefore, even if Ruan Zhan’s father really had a long lost twin brother, he couldn’t have lived for so long without cultivation.
There was also another piece of evidence: the Daoist robe.
Daoism was no longer popular nowadays. Unless they were shooting a scene, no one would be wearing Daoist robes. It would be too weird, so Ruan Zhan’s father didn’t even have a single set. The last time his father brought Ruan Zhan over, the two elders had mentioned this matter. Bao Da Tong’s father had gifted Ruan Zhan’s father a set of his own robes which he had kept for many years.
That robe was pale yellow with black ridges on the collar and sleeves. Golden scripture was embroidered around the waist, surrounded by seven red bats. Bao Da Tong had laughed his head off when he spied that scene, feeling those robes were way too gaudy. Who would have thought his honest, farmer-like old man was keeping something like that? Along with his old man’s serious manner in presenting it, it seemed like the elder was having a midlife crisis. When he saw the muddied robes on that corpse, he had been shocked speechless. There was no way for it to be faked. The golden inscription around the waist was something only people of his sect would recognize.
However, he knew Ruan Zhan’s father had passed away during their high school years. Therefore, he was unable to accept the situation and thus didn’t know how to mention it to Ruan Zhan. He felt there had to be some major secret that none of them could accept!
People were emotional creatures, and emotions meant weakness. When the weak humans encountered something unacceptable, they would involuntarily choose to avoid it, desperately convincing themselves it wasn’t real. Bao Da Tong was like that as he refused to believe the corpse was Ruan Zhan’s dad, even though he knew in his heart that it was!
“Take me there.” Ruan Zhan forced out the words.
“There? There’s probably no need! I’ve already prepped the body, it’s best to bury it sooner rather than later!” Seeing Ruan Zhan glaring daggers, Bao Da Tong thoroughly gave up. “Fine, take a look at my photos first. I know it isn’t respectful to the dead, but I figured you needed to confirm things.” He took out his phone. “I did my best to get good shots. Not just of the face, but also some of the other clearer features. I noticed that on the sole of his foot…”
Before he could finish, Ruan Zhan snatched the phone from him. He looked at the phone while Bao Da Tong and Wan Li looked at his face. Xiao Xia was still standing blankly by the door. She had vaguely understood what they were saying, but had no idea how to react to Bao Da Tong’s words. From her angle, she could only see Ruan Zhan’s back. She felt he stood straighter than normal, as if desperately trying to shoulder something.
“Take me there.” Ruan Zhan put the phone down, his face turning increasingly pale.
“But, have you figured out…I mean…how about we go tomorrow?” Bao Da Tong looked towards Wan Li for help but he shook his head.
“Don’t make me say it a third time.”
“Fine, I’ll book the flight immediately.”
“No need.” Ruan Zhan grabbed Bao Da Tong’s arm while drawing glyphs in the air. He took a step.
Bao Da Tong knew about the space warping spell, but it was his first time experiencing it. He felt his vision blur and the next moment, they were back in Creek’s Head Inn. Ruan Zhan hadn’t been to the foot of the mountain in the back so they couldn’t teleport there directly. They could only walk over.
Bao Da Tong let out a long, silent sigh. The reason he merely prepped the body but didn’t bury it was probably because he subconsciously waited for Ruan Zhan to personally come take a look!
Under the gloomy rays of the sun, there was a large locust tree. Within its heavy shadow, a crude coffin stood silently. It seemed to be an extension of the tree, quietly waiting for something. The atmosphere, surroundings and seemingly congealed air all seemed exceptionally weird. It made one feel a chill despite the intense July heat. Ruan Zhan’s steps clearly faltered when he first saw the coffin. Then, as if making up his mind, he strode over with large steps.
Bao Da Tong stopped several meters behind him. He watched as Ruan Zhan gently opened the lid and bent over for a close look. He repeatedly examined the sole of the corpse’s right foot. Finally, he straightened up and put the lid back in place.
“Is it the elder?” Seeing Ruan Zhan walking back, Bao Da Tong asked nervously.
“Ask the villagers to bury the body first.” Ruan Zhan said calmly, but his voice sounded exceptionally restrained. It was as if something was bubbling up inside him, about to explode at any moment. “As someone who could be considered his son, it isn’t appropriate to leave his corpse lying out in the wilderness.”
As expected!
Bao Da Tong opened his mouth but wasn’t able to utter a single word. He merely followed Ruan Zhan back to the village. He watched as Ruan Zhan requested and convinced the village chief to bury the pitiful person who had died away from home in the village cemetery temporarily, and promised to give Creek’s Head Inn a huge amount of benefits. His actions were mechanical and steady, as if he was handling something unrelated to him. Only his purposefully slowed speech, his restrained emotions and lowered tone of voice revealed his inner turmoil.
Once everything was sorted, Ruan Zhan took Bao Da Tong back to the bar without even looking back. Since the bar was now open for business, they headed straight to Bao Da Tong’s room. Wan Li and Xiao Xia were both still there, just as they had left them. Time seemed to have stood still in the few hours they had been gone.
The four looked at each other, no one speaking, the air filled with scary silence. After some time, Bao Da Tong was still the first to speak up.
“So the matter…”
“My old dad has passed away.” Ruan Zhan interrupted him. “This time for real.”
“Ah Zhan…” Wan Li didn’t know what to say. Actually, he had expected and prepared for this, but still didn’t know how to handle it.
Ruan Zhan’s face was abnormally pale and his body was wound tightly. The scary calm belied the fact that he had suffered the biggest blow of his life. This blow couldn’t have been caused by his father’s death. There was definitely a deeper reason.
Ruan Zhan raised his hand, preventing Wan Li from continuing. He extended a finger to draw a glyph, seemingly about to head somewhere to be alone. However, he stopped halfway through, his hand stopping in midair. He had always liked being alone, and was used to avoiding others. Yet now he felt there wasn’t anywhere he could hide. He needed a place without light, without people, without sound. A cave, a tomb, as long as no one could touch him, so he wouldn’t collapse on the spot.
Not even magic was of any help at this moment. He laughed bitterly inside, moving to take a step. His body and own two feet were probably still more reliable!
“Don’t hide!” A woman’s voice sounded. At the same time, a slender figure flashed over and two thin arms wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly. “Don’t bottle it up! Let it out!”
He looked down at Xiao Xia’s delicate features. It had always had a warm spot in his heart, where he cherished it. Yet now, the thought suddenly gave off a boundless sorrow. By next spring, he would be dead. In his short thirty-three years, she was his only light. But if his life was stunted to begin with, if his inner world was about to collapse at this moment, shouldn’t he have her leave in case she was buried along with him?!
He freed himself and slowly turned, looking towards Wan Li and Bao Da Tong.
Normally, those two would be laughing cheerily, even if Mt. Tai were collapsing. Yet now, they looked at a loss. What did that imply? Concern causes chaos? Then he might as say it! After all, that was all there was to it!
“Remember what Si Ma Nan told me before he died, Wan Li?” He spoke, his throat dry, each word requiring effort.
He said, “The night wind cycle, yin and yang poles, and are you sure he is dead?” Wan Li murmured. “What about it?”
“Today I got the answer.” His face was expressionless, his dark eyes becoming like voids.
Wan Li was aware of this matter, but Xiao Xia and Bao Da Tong were both confused. Yet Ruan Zhan didn’t stop as he spoke one word at a time. “The night wind cycles relates to my relationship with Si Ma Nan. He has switched countless bodies but his identity remained the same. He is my father’s master, or my grandmaster to be precise!”
Everyone was startled. They had guessed at Si Ma Nan’s relationship with Ruan Zhan, but none of them had expected this. No wonder there were quite a few similarities between their spells. As for the differences, they were probably due to Ruan Zhan not having learned Daoist arts from his father directly. Instead, he had used his innate talent and the heart cultivation method inherited from his father to figure things out himself. Since he was self-taught, he had probably added his own flair!
Ruan Zhan ignored what they might be thinking and continued speaking. “Yin and yang poles refers to a birthmark in the shape of a yinyang symbol. It’s very strange and counts as a dominant trait only passed down from father to son. I also have one on my sole. Of course, my biological father also has one in the same place.”
At this point, Bao Da Tong leapt up. “He’s your biological…wasn’t he your adoptive father?” He had seen the sole of the corpse. There had truly been a birthmark in the shape of a yinyang symbol. He had even deemed it an important characteristic and taken a picture with his phone!
“Yes, he is my biological father. I only just found out too.” Ruan Zhan heard his own rigid voice speaking without any inflection. But could he truly remain emotionless? Why did he feel something in his heart was cracking?!
“There is no need to explain the third question. He hadn’t died at that time, but now he’s dead again. That’s how it is.” He used the last of his restraint to finish speaking before turning and leaving.
The fact that Si Ma Nan was Ruan Zhan’s grandmaster had already startled the others. The fact that Ruan Zhan’s adoptive father was actually his biological father was thoroughly outside their expectations, leaving them completely stunned. As Ruan Zhan’s lonely figure vanished from the doorway, Xiao Xia was the first to react. She ran after him.
She found him leaning walking aimlessly in the hallway, his hand braced against the wall. He seemed a mess, and her heart ached in pain. She pulled him to her room and he let her. She had him sit down on the bed, and he sat but didn’t say anything.
“Say something, don’t scare me!” Xiao Xia sat next to him, holding his hand tightly. She gazed at his expressionless face, afraid his soul would depart. “Please, show some reaction. I’m very afraid! I’m very afraid of the way you’re acting!”
She was truly very afraid!
