Jiang Luo was startled in his heart, but since Ge Wuchen revealed everything so openly, it made him start to doubt Ge Wuchen’s true intentions.
“Why are you telling me all this?”
“Because the Fated One has set his sights on you,” Ge Wuchen said, “Since he believes you can kill Master, I also believe you can stop Master.”
Ge Zhu once told Jiang Luo not to get close to Ge Wuchen, because Ge Wuchen was as cold and cruel as a venomous snake, prone to biting people to death. Jiang Luo had to admit Ge Zhu was right. Ge Wuchen looked ethereal and pure but was absolutely capable of doing the ruthless things he confessed. Yet, if it was all false, then his words would not have aligned so well with some of Jiang Luo’s own suspicions. Jiang Luo guessed the story was partly true—probably the parts about the Fated One were real, but other details were questionable.
“Stop pretending,” Jiang Luo said bluntly. “Forget the other fake stuff. Explain why you keep trying to kill Ge Zhu with such deadly intent?”
Ge Wuchen’s face turned grim. “Benefactor Jiang, do you think it’s easy to make Master change his mind?”
“My Master and Senior Uncles say he was forced to become so ruthless, but he’s the only direct descendant of the Chi family who fused with the ghost mark and can control it.”
Ge Wuchen sneered, “When he was alive, he was a malicious ghost wearing human skin. When I found out the truth five years ago, do you think I didn’t try to protect him and change his mind? But it was completely useless. He could even design and manipulate his own death. He’s been pretending to be hypocritical since he was a kid; his patience scares me. He’s a born villain and madman, and the damage from the Chi family and others only brought out his true nature.”
“To be honest, before you appeared, I already thought the future couldn’t be changed.”
Ge Wuchen’s tone was cold. “Since the future would turn out like that anyway, if Ge Zhu stayed so foolish, he definitely wouldn’t live long. It’s better for me to kill him early before the catastrophe.”
Jiang Luo bit on the extinguished cigarette butt and suddenly laughed quietly.
Ge Wuchen frowned. “Benefactor Jiang, what are you laughing at?”
“I think you’re quite interesting,” Jiang Luo said with difficulty stopping his laugh, “A bit two-faced. You want to teach him not to trust anyone easily, to live with hatred toward you, right?”
Ge Wuchen stiffened.
Jiang Luo stopped teasing him. “Do you know the method the Fated One uses to become a god?”
Seeing he didn’t mention the earlier matter again, Ge Wuchen’s expression softened. “Yes, I know.”
“That scripture turned to ash along with the sutra library. Only the Fated One and I know this method,” Ge Wuchen said, “Benefactor Jiang, I bear you no ill will, and I have only two conditions. If you promise to fulfill them, I will willingly tell you what the method is.”
Jiang Luo: “Tell me then.”
Ge Wuchen looked deeply into Jiang Luo’s eyes. “One is to kill the Fated One. The other is to stop Chi You from destroying the metaphysical world.”
Jiang Luo thought it would be something else. He nodded without hesitation and reached out his hand, “I agree. Give me the method.”
Ge Wuchen did not expect Jiang Luo to agree so decisively and hesitated a little. Jiang Luo sneered, “You’re not going to talk nonsense and then chicken out at the end, right?”
Ge Wuchen didn’t reply.
Jiang Luo slowly stood up and suddenly kicked Ge Wuchen, cold-faced. “You’re messing with me.”
Ge Wuchen wasn’t angry about being kicked. He dusted off the footprints on himself and spoke earnestly, “Benefactor Jiang, such an important secret can’t be handed over lightly. I know you’re very special to Master, but that’s not enough. If you can make him fall in love with you, willing to give his life for you, then I will tell you the method.”
Ge Wuchen did not deny Chi You’s special interest in Jiang Luo, but last time during the Hundred ghosts proposal on the back mountain of the Lian family, when Chi You and Jiang Luo fought, neither showed mercy. When Jiang Luo came out of the black mist covered in blood, Ge Wuchen hesitated.
Chi You was indeed interested in Jiang Luo, but not enough to give up destroying the metaphysical world for him. Though disappointed, Ge Wuchen at least saw hope in Jiang Luo. He just wanted Chi You to love Jiang Luo thoroughly, so that in the end, Chi You would willingly give up his terrible plans, held fast by Jiang Luo’s reins.
But even Ge Wuchen himself lacked confidence—how could Chi You possibly love anyone? Did he even have the capacity for love?
Jiang Luo was deep in thought. “What do you mean by that?”
Ge Wuchen spoke earnestly, “Benefactor Jiang, for the past five years, I’ve been the only one who knows the secret of how the Fated One became a god. To protect this secret, I’ve barely eaten or slept well for five years. If I just tell you the method and you fail to stop Master, wouldn’t I be losing both the bride and the army?”
He sold his misery so well that Jiang Luo actually got goosebumps. “Then why don’t you use it yourself?”
“Because I can’t,” Ge Wuchen said mockingly. “Benefactor Jiang, not everyone can ascend to godhood just by receiving worship. All these years, only the Fated One has managed it.”
Jiang Luo stayed silent, simply staring at him. His beautiful eyes were unfathomably deep. Ge Wuchen lowered his voice and revealed a bit more: “His power comes from worship. He became a false god by consuming incense offerings. The more people worship him—or the stronger the believers who offer devotion—the stronger he becomes. To weaken him, either stop his worship or take his followers away.”
“Benefactor Jiang, that’s all I’ll say for now. As for how to cut off his worship and how to take away his followers—once you prove how much Master values you, I’ll tell you the rest.”
Hearing this, Jiang Luo believed most of it. He didn’t hesitate long and responded cleanly, “I agree. Now get lost.”
Ge Wuchen smiled in satisfaction, took two steps back, and prepared to leave.
Jiang Luo suddenly called out, “Ge Wuchen, judging by the way Master Chengde ran off just now, he knows you’re here too, doesn’t he? You clearly haven’t completely severed ties with Dazhao Temple, have you?”
Ge Wuchen paused mid-step and disappeared behind a pine tree.
After Master Chengde returned, Jiang Luo resumed chatting and laughing with him. Both knew the other was putting on a show, but neither called it out. After touring the whole of Dazhao Temple, Master Chengde even gave Jiang Luo a gift.
Ge Zhu had been talking with the abbot—whatever they discussed had made him cry, but his overall spirit looked good. On the way back, Ge Zhu suddenly remembered something and said with frustration, “I got so caught up chatting with master abbot that I forgot to get those documents for you.”
Jiang Luo pulled out the gift and opened it. Inside was a string of prayer beads, with a black foam pad underneath. Lifting the pad, he found a stack of information about the Fated One.
He said, “It’s fine.”
The monks at Dazhao Temple were all sharp—especially Ge Wuchen. Jiang Luo glanced at Ge Zhu, who was munching on an apple, even gnawing the last scraps of flesh off the core.
This guy was really… an anomaly.
Back home, Jiang Luo read the Fated One’s records several times. There weren’t many notes about him from Dazhao Temple, but enough to give Jiang Luo a clearer picture.
At first, the Fated One really had been just a person. When the abbot brought him to Bailu Temple, he was still a child—but he was different from other children. He had none of their mischief or curiosity about the world.
He showed little emotional fluctuation, treating both people and animals the same. He seemed to understand Zen teachings intuitively, and was soon accepted as a disciple by the abbot at the time—praised even for having a “bodhisattva’s heart.”
But gradually, he grew curious about gods… and buddhas.
He wanted to know if true gods or buddhas existed in the world. He wanted to understand why human life lasted barely a hundred years. So he left Bailu Temple to search for answers in the wider world.
When he returned, he had become the guardian of the metaphysics world—the Fated One who had lived for more than two hundred years.
After memorizing the information, Jiang Luo put it away and began thinking about Ge Wuchen’s condition.
Make Chi You fall in love with him? Willing to die for him?
Jiang Luo leaned back in his chair, lost in thought.
If this worked—not only could he get valuable information, it’d also be a great opportunity to play Chi You for a fool. If Chi You fell in love with Jiang Luo and then got discarded? That’d be incredibly satisfying.
There were still plenty of past provocations Jiang Luo hadn’t settled with Chi You—he’d kept track of every one of them. And as for a ghost’s desire and vengeance? Heh. Wasn’t Chi You already coveting him?
It couldn’t get worse than now. Jiang Luo had dealt with so much already that nothing fazed him anymore. He even felt a little gleeful at the thought.
Once his thoughts cleared, Jiang Luo started preparing his plan—and even roped in Wenren Lian to act as his strategist.
The reasoning he gave Wenren Lian was simple: “The Fated One wants Chi You to fall in love with me so I can kill him when he lets down his guard. Wenren, I plan to go along with it for now—and confuse the Fated One in the process.”
Wenren Lian rested his chin on his hand. “So you’re going to bait Chi You while figuring out the Fated One’s true goal?”
“Exactly.” Jiang Luo frowned slightly, speaking with difficulty, “If what the Fated One says is true, I need to prepare. I have to make Chi You stop guarding against me. If he really plans to destroy the metaphysics world, I need to be able to stop him in time.”
Wenren Lian let out a quiet sigh, then perked up to get Jiang Luo in the right mindset. He deliberately blinked and teased, “Jiang Luo, you came to the right person for this.”
To prove his qualifications, Wenren Lian immediately shared a few stories about seducing others to the point of total obsession. He’d been cross-dressing for years just to observe the darkest sides of people, and he knew exactly how to tempt and string others along.
Jiang Luo grabbed pen and paper. Wenren Lian, full of confidence, gave detailed instructions: “Chi You’s personality changed completely after becoming a ghost. You can’t deal with him like a normal human. You two aren’t ordinary—going to movies or hooking up won’t work. You need intense, primal, testosterone-fueled collisions. That’s what’ll get him hooked.”
Jiang Luo listened intently.
Wenren Lian thought for a moment. “Has he ever said anything to you that showed possessiveness?”
Jiang Luo’s expression twisted slightly. “He said my skin and my blood both belong to him.”
“This possessiveness…” Wenren Lian clicked his tongue, then said with satisfaction, “Jiang Luo, he’s already developed possessiveness toward you—and not a small amount, either. That means you’ve already won more than half the battle. The more this happens, the more you need to act like someone he absolutely can’t have. The more he wants to possess you but can’t, the deeper his feelings for you will grow.”
Jiang Luo looked thoughtful.
“Romance between two men is different from that between a man and a woman. Between two men, ‘sex’ and ‘clashes’ make up a big part of it. First, you need to stir up both his physical and emotional interest in you,” Wenren Lian asked, “Jiang Luo, has Chi You hinted at anything like that recently?”
Jiang Luo replied, “…He said he wants to sleep with me.”
Wenren Lian shot him a teasing look. “Then you don’t need to worry about that part—if anything, you should start pulling away a bit. But before you cool things down, you need to tease him until his desire for you is at its peak. We’re in the position of power now. Chi You is the pursuer. We don’t need to dangle ourselves too obviously; we just need to stay tantalizingly out of reach and let him come to us, trying to win your favor.”
Men—when their desire for someone reaches its peak but they have no outlet for it—the way they look at that person is practically on fire. At that moment, even a single smile, a small gesture, or just a glimpse of someone’s back could drive them mad.
Even if Chi You has become a ghost, he’s not exempt from this.
Jiang Luo and Wenren Lian exchanged a glance, then suddenly broke into identical, soundless, wicked smiles. The “lesson” lasted a full hour, and by the end of it, Jiang Luo was thoroughly impressed. “Back on Angonisa, I drew the role of the playboy. I should’ve had you play it instead.”
Wenren Lian smiled, taking a sip of water with an air of nonchalance. He looked gentle and kind, but was actually full of hidden depths—completely dark inside.
Jiang Luo was a quick study. He immediately extrapolated, “I have an idea that might kill two birds with one stone—and give me a reason to leave the Heavenly Master Residence.”
He leaned in and whispered the plan to Wenren Lian. Wenren Lian couldn’t help but laugh and gave him a thumbs up. “That’s a great plan, Jiang Luo, you’re not bad yourself.”
Jiang Luo said modestly, “I’m nothing compared to you.”
The two of them together, plotting mischief—no one could stop them. Once Jiang Luo had the idea, he immediately put it into action. Early the next morning, he called Wang Santan.
It took a while before Wang Santan picked up, and he answered in a breathy whisper, “Hello?”
“Senior brother, it’s me,” Jiang Luo said. “Are you near master?”
“I am. I just came out from seeing him. Scared me to death—the phone started ringing and I nearly jumped out of my skin.”
Jiang Luo said sympathetically, “Well, brace yourself again. I need to speak with master.”
Wang Santan’s body stiffened. Face bitter, he clutched the phone and returned to the study. His fellow disciples looked at him like a warrior headed to the gallows as he nervously handed the phone to Feng Li. “Master, Junior Brother has something he wants to say to you.”
Feng Li was in the middle of writing talismans. At the words, his hand paused, and a drop of ink splattered onto the paper, ruining the charm. He set down the brush, took a towel from a disciple, and slowly wiped his hands—for a full minute—before finally accepting the phone from Wang Santan.
He hadn’t even spoken yet when Jiang Luo, as if sensing the change in who was on the other end, asked, “Master, is that you?”
Feng Li, eyes lowered, idly fiddled with the coiled-dragon jade ornament on the desk and said blandly, “Speak.”
Jiang Luo exchanged a few pleasantries, then fell silent for a moment before carefully saying, “Master, I want to… I want to leave the Heavenly Master Residence.”
Silence on the other end.
A flicker of amusement passed through Jiang Luo’s eyes. Leaning against a railing, he took a casual drag on a cigarette and said with feigned unease, “Master?”
Feng Li finally spoke. “Why?”
“I’m sorry, Master,” Jiang Luo said with guilt. “You’re a good master. It’s just… I’ve never been raised by a teacher like this. I’m not a good disciple. I’m not worthy of being your student. Every time I’m with you, the pressure is so overwhelming I can barely breathe… I don’t like being controlled by an elder. I don’t like even the length of my hair being micromanaged. I don’t like how a single wrong word gets me rapped on the knuckles. Master, your reputation is renowned and people look up to you. Countless people want to become your disciple. You don’t need me.”
In the Heavenly Masters’ study, even in winter, the room was warm as spring. But the moment Jiang Luo’s voice came through the phone, a chill swept over everyone like a winter gust. The once-cozy room instantly felt icy.
You could hear a pin drop. Jiang Luo’s words on the phone were loud and clear to all present.
Wang Santan broke into a cold sweat and quickly lowered his head, not daring to meet Feng Li’s eyes.
A suffocating silence hung heavy—like an invisible hand around everyone’s throat. Feng Li ran his fingers from the jade dragon’s horn down to its tail, then said, “Come to the Heavenly Master Residence and say it to my face.”
With that, he hung up.
No one in the room moved. It was like the oxygen had been sucked out. Even Second Senior Brother Shen Ruma, who was normally carefree, looked tense. He opened his mouth, trying to pluck up the courage to speak—
But before he could say anything, Feng Li suddenly hurled the jade dragon to the ground.
Smash!
The jade shattered into two pieces. Splinters of jade scattered everywhere. The sound struck everyone like a slap to the heart. They all instantly froze, not even daring to breathe.
“Go get him,” Feng Li said coldly. “Bring your junior brother back to me before dinner.”
