Chapter 99: Half-White Hair

Fang Cun dreamed for a very long time. He dreamed of his brother galloping across the Southern Mountains, slaying the tiger demon, then lifting the beast’s head and casting it before Master Lan Shuang, loudly proclaiming the evil deeds he had done. The crowd condemned and cursed Master Lan Shuang, yet strangely, the man showed no anger at all. He just quietly stared at the brother and softly asked, “If you had known earlier that I did these things… would you have investigated?”

Fang Cun didn’t know how to answer. Unsettling emotions churned within him, and he woke up.

He sat bolt upright, looking around in momentary confusion.

The surroundings gradually came into focus: the writing desk, the inkstone, the window lattice… He was at home.

He had returned three days ago.

Ever since discovering that Master Lan Shuang was the true Human Fiend, he had often dreamed these strange dreams. Sometimes, in the dream, he became his brother from years ago; at other times, he became Master Lan Shuang himself. This left his mind unsettled, so he hadn’t gone back to the academy. The academy too seemed to understand the magnitude of what happened to Fang Cun; they gave him time to recuperate and proactively granted him leave.

Fang Cun knew that outside, things had been very lively during this time.

News of Instructor Lan Shuang of White Xiang Academy refining a Human Elixir and attempting Soul Seizure on a disciple had spread throughout Willow Lake City.

The Human Elixir was discovered within Instructor Lan Shuang’s cave dwelling. Furthermore, connections linking him to Instructor Lingxiu and the Devouring Sea Gang were exposed – the evidence was ironclad. What puzzled everyone, however, was that while many had witnessed that Second Young Master Fang had been targeted for soul seizure, he himself denied it.

Denial was one thing, but his sudden whitening of hair had fallen into countless eyes, sparking endless speculation.

White hair on a youth wasn’t a good sign. Unless his foundation was injured or his life force depleted, why would someone go prematurely white? Therefore, countless people now believed that regardless of Fang Cun’s denial, he was in the grip of Master Lan Shuang’s Soul Seizure. The attempt was interrupted and failed, but the process still damaged his fundamental essence.

……

“Young Master is awake…” The maidservant waiting outside the door softly announced upon seeing Fang Cun sit up.

Soon, someone entered carrying a tray. On it was a porcelain bowl containing Polygonum Multiflorum soup personally prepared by Madam Fang. Gazing at the mingled black and white strands on Fang Cun’s head, the little maid’s heart inexplicably ached. She couldn’t help but scrunch her nose and tears began to fall.

“Why are you crying?” Fang Cun shot her a look. He picked up the soup, took a sip, and said, “Too bland!”

Covering her mouth, the little maid replied, “Madam said your body is weak right now, you shouldn’t eat salty things!”

Fang Cun shook his head. “I’ve told you many times, I’m fine!”

“Yes, yes…” The little maid looked at Fang Cun’s hair again, tears threatening to fall once more.

“Just go out first!” Fang Cun sighed helplessly and waved his hand.

Earlier, when Xiao Qingliu drove the carriage bringing him home, Elder Fang and Madam Fang had taken one look at his white hair and absent expression, acting as if the sky had fallen. Combined with the city’s rumors, their worries were immense. They dared not disturb him too much nor ask probing questions. They simply concerned themselves over him, keeping him resting in his room, preparing nourishing dishes daily to replenish his health…

“Sigh…”

Fang Cun picked up the bronze mirror from the small table nearby, glanced at it, and then impatiently put it face down.

His hair was at least thirty percent white!

Simply because he hadn’t publicly exposed the matter of the Human Fiend’s Human Elixir refinement, he had suffered such a severe punishment…

But Fang Cun didn’t regret it.

His only regret was that with so many white strands, it would be impossible to pluck them all out anymore. If he tried, he’d end up bald!

He also didn’t understand what this punishment of white hair truly signified. He didn’t feel his body weakening. That is, the white hair didn’t mean his vitality was fading. His magical power and internal breath still surged strong within him. His cultivation seemed even more solid than before. So, what exactly was this white hair punishing? His lifespan? Once his hair turned completely white, would he die suddenly of no illness? Would he perish young?

Fang Cun couldn’t confirm this now. He only knew that for now, these streaks of white hair brought no harm besides making Elder Fang and Madam Fang deeply anxious, consequently forcing him to gulp down potent nourishing soups daily…

“Squeak…”

Just as the little maid left, the door quietly creaked open.

A pair of fox ears appeared first, furtively peering around the room. They promptly spotted Fang Cun’s frowning gaze.

The little fox ears trembled instantly. The owner then shuffled inside. She held a stack of papers carefully as she approached Fang Cun’s bed, offering them respectfully with both hands. On the paper were meticulously written regular script characters, copied with great effort.

Fang Cun took them, scanned a couple of lines, placed them aside, and said, “Not neat at all. Copy it ten more times.”

“Oh…” the Little Fox Girl replied in a whisper, preparing to sneak out.

Fang Cun frowned. “Just copy it here.”

“Yes…” The Little Fox Girl mumbled dejectedly. She scurried out but soon returned bearing another stack of fine paper, her own writing implements, and a thick volume of the Classic of Letters. She settled at the small desk in the study, perched on a tiny stool, picked up a writing brush almost taller than herself, and began copying the scripture methodically, her limp tail drooping behind her…

“Sit up straight. Wrist lifted…” Fang Cun frowned as he reminded her. The Little Fox Girl’s tail jerked in fright; her back instantly straightened rigidly, her wrist held high.

“Is the boy awake?”

“Shhh… he’s teaching the little fox to write…”

“His own handwriting looks like chicken scratches… and he’s teaching someone else?”

The sound of the old couple whispering furtively drifted through the window. They were trying to be quiet, unaware that Fang Cun’s cultivation had advanced, sharpening his senses. He heard them clearly—even the scuffling sounds of each pushing the other to come in and speak first. It bothered him slightly. These past few days, the old couple opened their eyes only to check on him, fearing he might vanish if they looked away.

Wanting to avoid another round of their hesitant questioning, Fang Cun picked up a nearby scripture book.

Seeing him prepare to study, the old couple immediately abandoned their thoughts of entering. They watched for a while, tiptoed away, but soon after, Fang Cun heard them quietly discussing what nourishing dish to make for him that evening…

Fang Cun rubbed his temples wearily. Without a doubt, he would be sipping ginseng soup for dinner again…

After a brief perusal, he tossed the scripture aside. He had it memorized completely. Currently, among the Seven Classics, he had internalized all except the Classic of Letters, having mastered the others through Merit, along with extensive annotations. The only one he hadn’t memorized was the Classic of Letters!

This was Master Lan Shuang’s Destined Scripture.

However, this was Master Lan Shuang’s Destined Scripture, not the first Former Academy Head’s.

That Former Academy Head’s Destined Scripture was rumored to be the Scripture of Souls!

“Yo… Young Master…” Old Steward Huang’s hesitant voice came from outside the door. “Fairy Meng from the Academy has come calling… again. Would you…?”

Fang Cun laid the book aside and let out a soft sigh.

Many visitors had sought him out these past days. Academy Instructors, Secretaries from the City Governor’s side—they had all tried to see him, but Fang Cun refused them. Quite a few Academy Disciples had also visited. Irritated, Fang Cun declined them all politely. He hadn’t expected Meng Zhixue to be so persistent; she’d come several times already.

He almost refused again, but this time, Fang Cun hesitated for a moment. “Have her come in.”

“Ah, yes!” Old Steward Huang responded, sounding relieved and quickly departing. The Young Master was seeing visitors again—that was good news! He should inform the Master and Madam immediately.

Ordinarily, due to propriety between young men and women, even academy peers meeting formally should receive guests in the main hall. But Fang Cun couldn’t be bothered to leave his room. Meng Zhixue was led directly to his bedchamber. She didn’t seem to mind. At the threshold, she paused briefly, instructing her maidservant to wait outside before entering quietly. She saw Fang Cun reading while seated on his bed, the Little Fox Girl practicing her writing diligently on the little stool.

Meng Zhixue’s gaze landed on Fang Cun’s white hair. Her heart gave a sudden, painful jolt.

Remembering the city’s rumors doubled her concern.

She hesitated, unsure how to begin. After a moment of silence, she finally whispered, “It’s my fault… At the time… I was just too slow.”

“Oh?” Fang Cun put his book down, smiling. “Too slow at what?”

Meng Zhixue looked at him, unable to hold back another sigh. “When I suspected the Former Academy Head might still be alive, I investigated everything surrounding him. I happened upon some records about Master Lan Shuang in an old dossier I flipped through at the City Governor’s office. It showed he originally came to the academy alongside Instructor Lingxiu… but the two always maintained a strange distance between them…”

“It was said he hailed from the Nine Immortals Sect, but I later discovered they had no disciple named Lan Shuang…”

Here, she shook her head slightly. “I sensed danger. The more discrepancies I found, the more concerned I became. I reported my findings to my mentor and the City Governor, urgently brought them with me… only to find I was still a step too late. By then, Master Lan Shuang had already… you were already…”

“No wonder you suddenly showed up with people then. Turns out you’d also found clues…”

Fang Cun chuckled upon hearing this, though his smile held an edge of cold mockery.

The fact that Meng Zhixue discovered anything was because someone deliberately steered her investigation that way. Even the dossier likely landed in her hands by design.