Chapter 97: The Only Regret

Listening to Master Lan Shuang, Fang Cun sat quietly. His expression at that moment was indescribable. Through the mist, he appeared very calm, yet within that calmness, there seemed to surge an indescribable sense of loss and gloominess.

“You shouldn’t have come to find me alone!”

Before the stone table, Master Lan Shuang pulled open his robes. Only then could it be seen that while he looked ethereal, handsome, and majestic, his chest was already covered in foul ulcers that bled profusely, a horrifying sight. No wonder he always carried a faint scent; Fang Cun had previously assumed he was merely an elegant and refined Qi Refiner. Perhaps it was only to mask the stench of decay.

Fang Cun hadn’t answered him yet, and Master Lan Shuang didn’t seem to expect an answer either.

He simply vented, pouring out shouts laden with endless fury. At the same time, his entire being seemed gripped by madness and Demonic Evil. Perhaps because of the dense fog shrouding him, or perhaps his own frenzied state, his aura surged violently, causing his figure to become indistinct, as if a shadow had broken free of its confines, unfurling into the air.

The shadow vaguely took the form of an old man, dark, eerie, and constantly shifting. Only a pair of terrifying, blood-red eyes remained fixed.

“Even though this body of mine is nearing its end, my cultivation is still far superior to yours…”

“I don’t know what schemes you laid before coming, but within the great Demonic Array guarding my cave, you cannot escape…”

“The moment you appeared before me, your fate was set…”

“Every cause has its effect; every action bears fruit. Since your elder brother brought me suffering, it falls to you to repay this debt…”

“…”

Amidst the hoarse laughter, the shadow already swelled in the air, spreading ceaselessly until it seemed to become a dark cloud looming over Fang Cun’s head. Within that cloud, violent tremors reverberated, emitting a sound that seemed to drill into Fang Cun’s heart, tearing at his reason. It carried an indescribable, paralyzing pressure, like nailing Fang Cun to the spot.

Even certain meridian pathways within Fang Cun’s body were drawn uncontrollably towards the shadow. His Cultivation Power began to surge wildly within him, as if rebelling against him, striving to open a ‘sky gate’ for the shadow, enticing it to enter…

Those specific meridians were precisely the ones he had cultivated for the Moon Glow Body technique of the Nine Immortals Sect!

Master Lan Shuang was right; against such power, Fang Cun stood almost no chance.

“You are smart… but still too slow…”

“When you practiced the Treasure Body Method of the Nine Immortals Sect I imparted to you… this outcome was already destined…”

Feeling the uncontrollable surge of Cultivation Power within his meridians, even as he tried to suppress it, Fang Cun listened to the insane howling. It felt as if his mind were boiling over with an indescribable fury he couldn’t unleash. So, he only looked into Master Lan Shuang’s eyes, struggling to maintain his calm. He spoke: “Master, I am not a good person. Yet I understand one truth: the lives of those refugees might seem as worthless as blades of grass. But not because they are any less than us…”

“It’s only because… compared to them, some of us were already immensely privileged the moment we were born…”

As his words fell, the thick, dark mist finally swallowed Fang Cun whole.

And the severely suppressed Innate Qi within Fang Cun’s meridians… now completely uncontrolled, violently surged upwards…

…

The mist grew thicker, dark and profoundly eerie.

Within the Demonic Array, the Demonic Intent hung heavy, thick with malevolent energy.

But outside the mist, it remained the tranquil, peaceful Academy, bathed in bright sunlight, with a gentle, refreshing breeze.

Only the mist surrounding the three large willow trees remained peculiarly silent and unnatural.

“Master Lan Shuang…”

“Disciple requests an audience with Master Lan Shuang! Please open the array!”

However, at this very moment, sudden shouts filled the quiet Academy grounds. Meng Zhixue’s frantic voice tore through the calm.

She arrived with He Zhenzhang, Nie Quan, Meng Qing’er, and Yu Qingli, rushing anxiously towards the cave dwelling. Meng Zhixue clutched an extremely ancient-looking dossier, her expression one of intense urgency. Behind them were several Elder Mentors and Instructors from the Academy. Further back, White Xiang Academy’s Dean, along with the Governor of Willow Lake City, were among the group.

“Disaster! The Demonic Array has already activated! Second Young Master Fang… is inside!”

The Five Disciples of Nanshan Alliance skidded to a halt before the bizarre mist. They immediately sensed the intensely sinister aura emanating from within the strange fog around the willow trees. They were far from strangers to this strange mist and deeply familiar with the array lights shimmering within it – identical to what they’d witnessed in the Southern Mountains. This confirmed their worst fears; each face instantly drained of color.

“Master Lan Shuang! Please open the array immediately, or forgive your disciple’s rudeness!”

Meng Zhixue, frantic, summoned her Flying Sword and slashed desperately towards the mist. However, the incredibly sharp sword merely produced a sharp “ding” upon impact. The mist, formless and intangible, felt like solid matter; sparks flew, and the sword shot back.

Immediately after, He Zhenzhang’s talismans, Nie Quan’s blade, and Yu Qingli’s invisible force all struck the strange mist… with the same futile result.

Their strength and cultivation were far too weak compared to the power sealing the cave entrance!

“Teacher! Uncle… Governor…”

Meng Zhixue turned urgently towards the two figures leading the group.

The group accompanying them included the Academy Head, Gongyang Yanqing, and the City Governor, Bai Huali. Further behind were more Elder Mentors and Instructors from the Academy and secretaries beside the governor. Everyone’s face showed varying degrees of shock and horrified anxiety. Only the Academy Head and the City Governor appeared coldly composed. Noticing Meng Zhixue’s desperate look, they finally exchanged a curt nod.

“Master Lan Shuang… forgive us!”

The two stepped forward, their steps heavy, as if making a monumental decision. As they spoke, one extended their left palm, the other the right. An invisible surge of power intertwined, coalescing into a massive, ethereal hand that tore towards the churning, malevolent fog.

The others from the Nanshan Alliance watched, hearts tight, fixated on the fog.

Having discovered the truth, they had raced to inform the Academy Head and Governor. Yet arriving here… it seemed they were already too late…

Classmates said Fang had arrived at Master Lan Shuang’s door half an hour earlier… so…

BOOOOM!

Unbelievably, before the Governor and Academy Head’s combined power could even touch the mist, a thunderous detonation erupted from within! It mingled with gasps of shock, the shattering of objects, and the terrifying resonance of an immense force suddenly unleashed. The Demonic Array wasn’t breached from the outside— it was ripped apart from within, the fog splitting into ragged fragments which instantly dissipated into the air.

The crowd recoiled in shock, stumbling back a step. As the scene cleared, the strange fog and the sinister array within the willows had vanished completely. Only chaos remained. The cave dwelling behind, the stone table in front, even the ground – all were scarred with shocking fissures. Master Lan Shuang and Second Young Master Fang were still seated across the table from each other. Both were calm, their expressions blank.

They looked as if they’d merely been deep in conversation over tea.

Fang Cun’s white Academy robes appeared pristine, unsoiled. He sat perfectly still.

Only his eyes were complex, swirling with anger, pity, sorrow… and a much heavier grief.

Opposite him, Master Lan Shuang seemed stupefied. His outer robe was torn, fully revealing the suppurating ulcers covering his body. Each wept fresh blood, making him look like a figure dipped in crimson paint. His very life force seemed to be leaving him at incredible speed, leaving him feeling hollow, a mere shell. Only stark shock lingered in his eyes.

“This…”

The onlookers stared at the scene, a collective chill gripping their hearts, rooting them to the spot. No one dared step forward to help.

“S-so… it was like this…”

Master Lan Shuang gazed at Fang Cun. Endless confusion, disbelief, and even fierce resentment flashed in his eyes. Yet ultimately, all these emotions faded rapidly, draining away. Only resignation and self-mockery remained. He slowly opened his mouth, every trace of his earlier ferocity gone. He sighed softly, a barely audible sound. “Lingxiu… Lingxiu was right to worry. I truly… I truly should have stayed far away from you all.”

Fang Cun didn’t reply. Or perhaps he simply didn’t know how. After a long silence, he finally murmured, low, “The cultivation I practiced…”

“Hah… there’s no need to tell me.”

Master Lan Shuang raised a hand gently, stopping Fang Cun. He sighed softly, “Being a genius… always involves things others can’t understand. It’s just a pity…” As he spoke, a sharp ‘crack!’ sounded from within his body – sharp and brittle, like fine porcelain shattering. A terrible fissure appeared on his body, running straight from his chest up to his forehead.

His face was now visibly split, yet his expression remained strangely serene and composed. He looked at Fang Cun, his voice light. “Grooming you… could have been a true honor. Unfortunately… it seems I won’t have that privilege.”

With each word uttered, tiny fragments of flesh began to crumble and fall from his body.

Fang Cun lifted his head slowly. “Master… Why didn’t you use the Human Elixir first? Then you… you would have had greater certainty…”

“You still choose to call me ‘Master’?”

Master Lan Shuang looked at Fang Cun, his gaze deeply complex.

Fang Cun answered soberly. “Once I entered White Xiang Academy… you were the first person willing to teach me wholeheartedly.”

As he spoke, memories surfaced: his initial days at the Academy, feeling adrift after being expelled from lessons; the figure in the blue robe within the gazebo; his patient explanations of cultivation paths and Qi Refining methods; his exasperation mingled with amusement; pouring out all his knowledge… There was a vast difference between approaching someone with hidden motives and genuinely teaching them…

Fang Cun could clearly feel that difference…

…

“I really don’t understand it myself either…”

Hearing Fang Cun’s words, feeling complicated emotions wash over him, Master Lan Shuang fell silent for a long while. Then, suddenly, he smiled. “Facing death… you fear it. But when everyone around you is gone… you also feel… such things are rather pointless…”

Fang Cun spoke with difficulty. “Do you… regret it, Master?”

Master Lan Shuang laughed softly and shook his head. The cracks on his face deepened. He spoke earnestly, his voice very soft:

“Every moment. Every moment, I regret it.”

“…”

Fang Cun froze, staring up at Master Lan Shuang’s face.

That face, now covered in cracks like shattered porcelain, was filled only with profound regret and sorrow.

What that regret was for was unclear. But it most likely wasn’t regret over failing to seize his soul…

“Master…”

Countless questions surged within Fang Cun. There were so many things he still wanted to ask.

“It turns out dying… is not so frightening after all. Only…”

But just then, a gentle breeze stirred. Master Lan Shuang’s crumbling body suddenly collapsed inward, disintegrating into a fine dust.

And the last words he spoke… were swept away, indistinct, by the wind.

The only thing Fang Cun saw clearly was the final, deeply apologetic look in those eyes… before they too turned to ash.