Cold sweat streamed down Ge Wuchen’s face.
Much of what he and Jiang Luo had talked about couldn’t be told to Chi You—how could he repeat it word for word?
Fortunately, he quickly steadied himself and blended his prepared excuse into the conversation. “Master, Benefactor Jiang is in a rather poor mood. I tried persuading him, but he didn’t respond to anything…”
Ge Wuchen didn’t think the argument between Jiang Luo and Chi You was a bad thing. When faced with the choice between easing the tension or letting the conflict play out, he had carefully chosen the latter. Because it was clear: during this cold war, Chi You was caring more and more about Jiang Luo.
Ge Wuchen felt this was a good trend. As the saying goes, destruction breeds new life—the more intense it got, the more Chi You would come to understand just how important Jiang Luo was to him.
“Benefactor Jiang said…”
Not only did Ge Wuchen fail to soothe Chi You’s irritation, but he even seemed to subtly fan the flames.
***
The night before their departure to Dawu Mountain, Teng Bi gave Jiang Luo a suitcase and told him to pack his things.
Jiang Luo had been treated very well while staying with Chi You. Everything he could possibly need was provided; whatever he wanted would appear the next day. Especially the clothing and accessories he wore—each item was meticulously selected.
They didn’t know how long this trip to Dawu Mountain would take, so Jiang Luo packed two sets of casual, easy-to-move-in clothes and a pair of hiking boots. Besides that, he also prepared several small items necessary for mountain climbing—tissues, a compass, a small knife… Things he didn’t have, he made a note of, planning to buy them later once they were out.
Early the next morning, Jiang Luo changed into the clothes that had already been prepared, tied his hair up high, and walked out carrying the suitcase.
The plane tickets to Dawu Mountain had been arranged by Ge Wuchen. Besides Huali—now in the form of a vengeful spirit—and the physically weak Liao Si, who stayed behind to look after the Lian family and handle some affairs, everyone else made their way to the airport together.
Daoist Elder Wei He was also among them. In his younger years, he had flown a few times to treat people, but in the past twenty-plus years he hadn’t left the mountains. As soon as he saw how much airports had changed, Daoist Elder Wei He was dazzled and full of admiration. “It’s really different now—completely different. Back in the day, airports were nothing like this. Times have changed; this place is a whole new world compared to when I used to fly.”
Jiang Luo, walking beside him in a sleek trench coat, replied calmly, “You really should’ve gotten out more these past few years. It’s not just airports that have changed.”
“That’s true,” Daoist Elder Wei He said with a tinge of melancholy. “Kids these days are always glued to their phones or those things they call tablets. I have no idea what they find so fascinating. Even the kids in my family, whenever they get back home, they cry about installing WiFi. Who knows what WiFi even is?”
Jiang Luo thought back to the soul-crushing, isolated half-month he’d spent at the Lian family’s ancestral home and his expression twisted slightly. “You should get one installed too.”
Their group included both Daoists and monks. Aside from Daoist Elder Wei He, the rest were all outstandingly attractive men with different styles. Even little Lisa looked like a doll-like, adorable loli. They attracted stares wherever they went.
Jiang Luo was used to such attention. Unfazed, he went to sit in the waiting area. After a while, feeling thirsty, he stood up to buy a bottle of water from the convenience store.
On the other side, the malicious ghost stared at his back for a long while before slowly standing up and following him.
Ge Wuchen had been watching them from the shadows. Seeing Chi You make a move, a faint smile curled at his lips as he continued to unobtrusively observe Chi You and Jiang Luo.
Teng Bi, worried about Jiang Luo’s health, was about to follow and help him, but Ge Wuchen grabbed his arm and stopped him. In a low voice, Ge Wuchen said, “You idiot, do you think now is the time for you to show off?”
“What do you mean?” Teng Bi frowned.
Behind them, a girl let out a small, excited squeal. “Babe, look! Over by the convenience store—two absolute dreamboats! I bet they know each other. Ahhh, could they be a couple?!”
“Huh? Weird—I only noticed the long-haired guy before. Didn’t even see the other one until you said something,” the other girl mumbled, puzzled, giving Chi You several once-overs. “They’re so far apart… are they really together?”
The first girl exclaimed, “Come on, look at their clothes! They’re not wearing the same outfit, but the style and vibe are clearly the same. I’m sure—absolutely sure—that the same person picked out their clothes.”
Ge Wuchen overheard the exchange and was momentarily stunned. He looked thoughtfully at the outfits Jiang Luo and Chi You were wearing.
“Teng Bi, who prepared Benefactor Jiang’s things?”
Teng Bi replied flatly, “Master told me to take care of them.”
Ge Wuchen’s expression instantly turned complicated.
He had been by Chi You’s side even before Chi You died. Even knowing Chi You’s hypocritical and ruthless nature, Ge Wuchen couldn’t deny that Chi You was a near-perfect heir to a prestigious family.
Chi You’s excellence showed in every way—puppetry and soul refinement, martial arts, horseback riding, swordsmanship… even his knowledge and worldview were all impeccable. He was so outstanding it left others in the dust. His fashion sense, of course, was also superb. Raised by a noble family, his taste was far more than just “good.” If he wanted to be particular, he could perfect his look from the tips of his hair to the shine on his shoes. Even the harshest fashion critics would find no fault. His aesthetic taste was beyond reproach.
What Ge Wuchen didn’t expect was that Chi You had even taken over choosing Jiang Luo’s clothes.
No—not just the clothes.
Ge Wuchen’s gaze swept over Jiang Luo, scrutinizing him with intense focus. He had investigated Jiang Luo before and knew the young man was totally unconcerned with appearances—casual and careless about these things. But look at him now. From the tie on his ponytail to the watch on his wrist, everything was chosen with care. From his trench coat to his hiking boots, every piece—from color to style—was a perfect match: high-end, refined, flawless.
It was obvious now—every single one of Jiang Luo’s personal belongings had been arranged by Chi You.
This was clearly proof that Chi You had his eye on Jiang Luo. But instead of feeling pleased, Ge Wuchen felt a cold heaviness settle in his chest.
As a man, Ge Wuchen easily understood what Chi You was thinking.
Jiang Luo’s personal items—underwear, shoes, socks—all came from Chi You. Chi You had taken over every aspect of his life. His possessiveness and need for control couldn’t be clearer. Like a spider slowly weaving its web, the malicious ghost was quietly invading every corner of Jiang Luo’s personal life. Without even realizing it, Jiang Luo would find himself completely ensnared. Once Chi You’s ambition was exposed, it sent a chill down Ge Wuchen’s spine.
It was just personal belongings for now.
But what would it be next?
The more Ge Wuchen thought about it, the more disturbed he became.
Jiang Luo was proud and ambitious—he would never become a caged bird in the hands of the malicious ghost. Ge Wuchen believed Jiang Luo could make Chi You abandon his plan to drag the entire metaphysics world into destruction. But if Jiang Luo really succeeded in doing that, it would mean that Jiang Luo had become more important to Chi You than destroying the metaphysics world itself.
So what if one day, Jiang Luo couldn’t stand this kind of control anymore and wanted to leave Chi You?
If that day truly came—if Chi You lost control and went mad, dragging others down with him—Ge Wuchen silently made up his mind. A flash of cruelty flickered in his eyes.
He glanced at Jiang Luo one more time before looking away.
Then forgive me, Jiang Luo.
Even if he had to resort to disgraceful and despicable methods, he would absolutely send Jiang Luo back into Chi You’s hands to appease the malicious ghost’s fury that could destroy everything.
Sacrificing one person to feed the ghost, or sacrificing the entire metaphysics world—this was a choice Ge Wuchen didn’t even need to think about.
Jiang Luo had no idea what Ge Wuchen was thinking. He was currently debating what water to buy.
The convenience store had run out of bottled water—only various soft drinks remained. Given the choice, Jiang Luo only liked to drink mineral water or plain boiled water when he was thirsty. So he bought a cup, planning to fill it with water from the airport. After paying and turning around, he saw the malicious ghost standing not far to his left.
Whatever Chi You had done, it seemed ordinary people couldn’t see him at all. In the crowded departure hall, he stood there in a suit, mysterious and dangerous, silently watching Jiang Luo.
Jiang Luo averted his gaze and, without hesitation, walked toward the water station. There was no one there. After rinsing the cup, he heard the sound of leather shoes approaching from behind.
He knew—it was Chi You’s footsteps.
Jiang Luo remained unbothered. He filled the cup with cool water and drank half of it in one go.
Sure enough, a chill crept up behind him. Chi You spoke unexpectedly: “I can spare your friends.”
Jiang Luo froze for a moment.
The malicious ghost added indifferently, “And their families as well.”
So what?
Jiang Luo felt a laugh rise in his chest but couldn’t let it out. He knew what Chi You meant—he would still reshape the world into the dreamscape, but unlike the dream, he would spare Jiang Luo’s friends and their families.
That was, in essence, Chi You’s way of making a concession.
He wanted to end this argument but couldn’t bring himself to say weak words, so he expressed his retreat in his own way.
How rare. If Ge Wuchen found out that Chi You had taken the first step back, he might be so shocked his jaw would drop.
It was a decent promise—it was what Jiang Luo had originally hoped for. He should have felt happy.
But in reality, he felt no joy at all—only a heavy, suffocating weight in his chest.
It was almost laughable. Aside from being laughable, that suppressed fire in his heart reignited a little. Even Jiang Luo couldn’t understand why. Rationally, he knew he should step back with a smile and thank Chi You for his “mercy” to stabilize him for now.
But emotionally, Jiang Luo didn’t know what he was feeling—and didn’t want to know.
All he could think was: Looks like losing control and getting angry really worked. See, even Chi You is ready to spare his friends now.
Jiang Luo laughed out loud.
At first, Chi You thought he was happy. But in the next second, Jiang Luo wiped the smile from his face, coldly screwed the lid back on the cup, and walked away. “No need.”
He returned to his seat and continued waiting. The plane didn’t take long to board. Half an hour later, they were on their way.
Dawu Mountain sat on the border between Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Half of the mountain range was located within Inner Mongolia, so the airport they flew to was also in Inner Mongolia. They would spend at least three and a half hours on the plane, and once they arrived, still had to transfer to several other forms of transportation.
At 6 p.m., the plane landed on time. As soon as Jiang Luo stepped off, he was hit with a blast of cold air.
It was already spring back where they came from, but Inner Mongolia was still chilling to the bone. The wind hit Jiang Luo full in the face, and he instinctively tightened his scarf.
Just outside the airport, they met the local tour guide who came to pick them up.
The guide was a local—a chubby, dark-skinned middle-aged man with a hearty smile. He introduced himself as Mr. Wang and had prepared two sedans as well as their hotel.
“It’s too late to head to Dawu Mountain today,” he said. “You guys should rest first. I’ll get the gear ready. We’ll head out at 6 a.m. tomorrow. The roads are bad—we need to take a two-hour train, then switch to a bus. It’s going to be a tough trip. You’ll probably arrive around 5 p.m. If there’s anything you want to eat, get it tonight. We’ll be eating on the road.”
Lisa looked like she was about to cry. Her lollipop even fell to the ground. “Can’t we just drive there ourselves?”
The tour guide replied awkwardly, “There’s no road.”
After getting out of the car, Jiang Luo handed over a list of his supplies to Mr. Wang. “Sorry for the trouble. This is all I need.”
Mr. Wang glanced at it and said cheerfully, “No problem! I’ll take care of it for you. You’ll have everything by tomorrow.”
For convenience, the hotel was booked near the train station—but since they had money, it was a nice one. Jiang Luo tossed his luggage onto the table in his room, pulled out his phone, and saw that Wenren Lian had already sent him five messages.
