Chapter Text
On Sisheng Peak, there were rumors of a strange ghost clad in a red tunic educating the disciples in all sorts of affairs. Couples have sprung up left and right, it seemed like love truly was in the air, smothering those that were still single. Sect leader Xue Zhengyong increased the protection of the Peak, putting barriers and arrays to trap and expell the ghost, but it seemed like nothing would work as lovers still sprung up and the rumor mill continued.
It was the sort of thing that Chu Wanning could not ignore. He meticulously repaired the barriers around Sisheng Peak, and started beating himself up for his inadequacy; how could he not get such a simple ghost out of their sacred ground? He felt weak, weaker than ever before, even dying wasn’t as bad as this.
Of course, exorsising this ghost was critical, both for the safety of the disciples and the integrity of Sisheng Peak. If they couldn’t get the ghost out, who know what kind of unsavory rumors and opinions would form. It could affect alliances too, marking Sisheng Peak as a weak and useless sect. It was exactly why this seemingly harmless ghost had to be rid of.
Chu Wanning spent the time he wasn’t doing his duties reading in the library, trying to find out as much as he could about this invisible foe. He had never seen the ghost himself, and rumors were only rumors, but he could not ignore it. There was enough evidence that something changed, the lovers forming and the amount of disciples who swore with their lives that the ghost spoke to them was telling enough.
Chu Wanning sighed, closing the book he was reading to look out of the window. The night was dark, the moon high as the only source of illumination, the candle on the table flickering lightly as a light breeze blew. Chu Wanning was sure he hadn’t been reading for this long, how did he lose track of time?
His thoughts went back to his disciples, as they always do. He couldn’t allow the ghost to harm them, and he would die a thousand times just to prove it. He didn’t care that the ghost hadn’t harmed anyone yet. It was an intruder, and had to be eliminated.
He also noticed something odd about Mo Ran. He had become quieter than usual, and would mess up during training as he was deep in thought. He was an adult now, and an esteemed zhongshi at that, yet he was making such simple mistakes that even the teenagers didn’t. He was surely thinking of Shi Mei, the peach-blossom eyes of his and his radiant beauty that would put any woman or man to shame, those soft and gentle hands of his. Chu Wanning swore he wasn’t getting jealous, after all, who would want him? He was old and ugly, with a temper like a lightning storm whereas Shi Mei was like cool spring.
Mo Ran had invited Chu Wanning to eat on many occasions, yet Chu Wanning declined them. Not because he didn’t want to, but he had to put his feelings and wants aside for the safety of the Peak. Yet it seems like he had accomplished nothing at all, only wasting his time. He sighed, sprawling himself on the desk as the exhaustion caught up with him, making his eyelids heavy with impending sleep. But even so, this was the first mission Chu Wanning had been entrusted with since his revival, so he couldn’t afford to mess up.
He felt cold, the tempreature dropping despite it being spring. Chu Wanning’s eyes flew open, only to realize he was in total darkness, the candle being blown out. He stood up, and adjusted his eyes to the darkness, summoning Tianwen which flickered as it felt its master’s unease. The soft golden glow of the weapon lit up his surroundings, and there he could see it.
The ghost itself.
It would be unfair to say ‘it’. It was a ghost of a young man, idly sitting on one of the tables of the library with his leg propped up to his chin. He looked bored, his red tunic making him appear malevolent. He toyed with a pair of dice in his hand, thowing them in the air before they landed right back in his palm, each time rolling sixes.
Chu Wanning cracked Tianwen at the ghost, who quickly disappeared, vanishing into thin air. Chu Wanning looked around, and threw talismans to the corners of the room to make an array to trap the ghost, but it didn’t seem to work.
In an instant, the ghost was gone.
Chu Wanning cursed inwardly and ran out of the library. As he was running, he bumped into something hard and firm. He looked up, surprise flickering in his features before he schooled his expression, “Mo Ran. What are you doing here?”
Mo Ran’s eyes reflected the same surprise, and it took him a moment to answer, “Shizun, I’ve been hunting the red-clad ghost.”
Chu Wanning nodded. So his disciple saw it as well. He grabbed Mo Ran’s sleeve and pulled him behind himself, his jaw setting stubbornly as he scouted the area. Before Mo Ran could protest, Chu Wanning said firmly, “Mo Ran, be careful. I saw it too. It must be really powerful.”
“Shizun’s right,” Mo Ran said, watching Chu Wanning’s back, Jiangui summoning in his hand, the red and yellow lights mixing together. “It escaped before I could contain it. I’ve been hunting it all week, but it still eluded this incompetent disciple.”
Chu Wanning wanted to roll his eyes, but at least now he understood Mo Ran’s strange behavior these days. He snapped back, “Less talking. Watch your surroundings.”
The two waited for a while, must’ve been an hour, yet the ghost didn’t appear again. Their shoulders were tense, their bodies feeling heavy with anticipation. Chu Wanning spoke up, “I don’t think it’ll show itself.”
Mo Ran made a hum of assent, “I agree. It only shows up when one is alone.” He looked back at Chu Wanning, his dark eyes shining with determination, “Shizun, should we go back to our rooms and wait for it to show up?”
Chu Wanning put his hand on his chin, “That is dangerous, but it must be the only way.” He looked up at Mo Ran, almost blinded by his handsome beauty, those damned dimples were going to be the death of him. Again.
He couldn’t afford to be distracted right now, so the two agreed to go back to their rooms to wait for the ghost to show up. However, it didn’t appear at all, and before they knew it, they were already seeing the first light of dawn.
The next day, yet another pair of lovers was formed. Two junior disciples who usually didn’t speak to each other were now eating at the Mengpo Hall, chatting and flirting with each other like there was no tomorrow. The girl was gulfing down food, and her face became messy with rice stuck to the corner of her mouth. The boy reached out his hand, gently cleaning her face with a hankerchief, “Ling-er is so clumsy, he he!”
Seeing Chu Wanning’s cold gaze, the disciples stilled. He had quietly walked up to them, his tone frosty, “You two. What’s up with this display?”
The girl, Ling-er, waver her hands as if trying to placate an enraged tiger, “Yuheng Elder! We’re sorry for being loud. We’ll -”
Chu Wanning cut her off, getting straight to the point, “Have you two seen something strange these days?”
The junior disciples looked at each other, reluctant to speak. Thankfully, Mo Ran strode towards the table, his smile diffusing the tension between the trio. His tone was friendly and chatty, as if he was just gossiping, “You know, I’m quite interested. People say there is a ghost of love prowling around. You two seem so happy together, so we were hoping you could tell us if you know anything.”
Ling-er and the boy, Xuan, shared a look again, before Xuan sighed and leaned in to whisper conspiratorially, “Well, it’s a hot topic with us younger disciples. This red man appeared to my room a few days ago and told me all about my crush on Ling-er.”
Ling-er blushed, and it took all the self-restraint for Chu Wanning not to roll his eyes. But this was certainly strange. Chu Wanning leaned forward, pressing, “Did he do anything?”
Xuan hesitated, before answering, “He… he showed me some sword techniques that I’ve been struggling with and explained them to me.”
“That’s it?” Mo Ran asked.
“Yeah,” Xuan replied. This young man seemed to hold the ghost in high regard, as he puffed his chest out even with Chu Wanning around, “He explained it better than anyone ever could. With the new skill, I even managed to impress Ling-er.”
Chu Wanning suddenly felt jealous. He was supposed to be the elder here, if someone couldn’t understand a sword technique, they could’ve just gone to him! But then again, he was unfriendly and stern, so who would dare disturb him?
While Chu Wanning was wallowing in his own inadequacy, Mo Ran continued gossiping with the juniors, “Ling-er, did he show up for you too?”
Ling-er nodded, “Yeah! He told me all about my romantic troubles, told me what type of man would be ideal for marriage, and it just so happened to be A-Xuan.”
Mo Ran and Chu Wanning shared a look. They would have to wait for the ghost to show up. The both of them had the same thought; the ghost only shows himself when one is alone and vulnerable. He didn’t show himself to Xue Zhengyong or Madam Wang, nor did Xue Meng see it either. Already established couples, or those who did not seem to struggle with love affairs wouldn’t be able to see it.
Chu Wanning and Mo Ran went back to the Red Lotus Pavilion to gather their thoughts. “Talismans and arrays didn’t seem to work, this ghost appears to escape them every time,” Mo Ran grunted in frustration.
“Shameless! He only prowls on the weak,” Chu Wanning grit out.
Mo Ran sighed, “It seems we have quite the powerful ghost on our hands, shizun. We’ll have to do our best and be careful.” He looked down on his teacup, the table they were sitting at reflecting their uneasy expressions. “Shizun, you should be careful too.”
Chu Wanning shot back, “Why would I need to be careful?”
Mo Ran smirked, his eyes suddenly glinting with mischief despite the serious discussion mere moments ago, “It seems you’re struggling with love, shizun.”
Chu Wanning summoned Tianwen and he stood up, the chair behind him creaking. Mo Ran raised his hands in surrender, “Shizun, please! I was joking!” He stood up, slowly backing away, “I won’t say those types again, shizun. Just please don’t whip me with Tianwen again.”
Chu Wanning huffed, and sat back down, Tianwen still coiled tightly in his hands, “Focus on the mission. The Sect Leader entrusted me with this, and we can’t afford to fail him.”
Mo Ran nodded, “Of course, shizun.” He sat back down, wiping the sweat droplets off his forehead on his sleeve. He did find some amusement at the prospect of the high and mighty Chu Wanning having romantic troubles, yet he didn’t know who was the lucky person. He selfishly, really selfishly, wanted it to be him that Chu Wanning was agonizing over. It was that selfish desire, the same one he had from his last lifetime, that he wanted to kill and bury. The fire that raged within him threatened to spill over, but he repeated the mantra he created since his rebirth. ‘You have to love him, cherish him.’
He knew Chu Wanning only loved him as a disciple, and he couldn’t bring himself to ruin that trust and that love for his own wants. He cleared his throat, his mouth suddenly feeling dry. He finished his tea and stood up, “This disciple will go back to the disciple quarters, if shizun agrees.”
Chu Wanning only nodded, and with that, Mo Ran left the room. Chu Wanning sighed, his fingers grazing the edge of the teacup. He hated it, seeing his reflection in the tea. Of course, if Mo Ran wasn’t with him, he would never be able to get information from the disciples. He was useless, even his barriers being easily crossed as if they didn’t exist at all. Ugly and useless, unfriendly and old; that was all that Chu Wanning was. But he couldn’t give up yet. He closed all the doors and windows of his room, and blew out the candles, cloaking the room in total darkness.
He waited and waited, patient as a predator stalking its prey, waiting for it to take the bait. He was alone, vulnerable.
“Boo.”
Chu Wanning jumped, whirling his head behind him. There was nothing, but the whisper was as clear as day. That must be the ghost! His room yet again went cold, and despite closing all the windows, he felt as if a breeze was blowing through the room. Chu Wanning needed the ghost to show itself before he summoned Tianwen, he needed to look weak.
“Who’s there?” he demanded, his voice cutting through the air like a sword. The air grew golder, the room darker. Then, he saw it. The apparition of the same young man, his braided hair slung over his shoulder. He leaned against the wall in the corner, watching Chu Wanning with keen interest. He smiled, his grin cockier than ever, “Yuheng Elder. Hello.”