Chapter Text
Mo Ran was alone, devastated, and heartbroken. He knew the truth, knew that Chu Wanning never hated him…knew that he had always loved him. He hated himself for what he did to his beloved Shizun, his soulmate. He violated him in the most disgusting ways, forcibly made him his own personal whore, shattered his beloved golden core, and arguably…killed him.
Mo Ran remembered when he first came to Sisheng Peak after the undeniable horrors he suffered from the House of Drunken Jade – Madam Mo and her disgusting filthy son, Mo Nian. He remembered how he was saved from the fiery terrors of his nightmare by a man, a cultivator from Sisheng Peak; the man told him he to lie, to say he’s the newly discovered nephew of Sisheng Peak’s leader, Xue Zhengyong. Mo Ran knew that he was not, but despite his utmost guilt, still masquerade his lie to everyone.
When he first saw his beloved Shizun, he knew he was deeply in love. He was memorised by his beauty, resembled his late mother – the beautiful, angelic, Duan Yihan. Mo Ran was determined to make him his Shizun, but for what purpose? Was it because he resembled his mother? Nor was it because he reminded him of that benefactor? Only Mo Ran knows.
He was a fool to be arguably fooled by none other than Shi Mei or should he say, Hua Binan. That bastard wanted to implant the ‘Long Hatred Flower’ within his beautiful Shizun, for the purpose of turning him into the ultimate ‘revenge’ weapon. Hua Binan wanted revenge for his mother, for his kind – the Butterfly-Boned Beauty Feast…how ironic Mo Ran thought. They were almost alike, but nevertheless different in their conquest for revenge.
Mo Ran knew what needed to be done to prevent his Shizun from being tainted by this evil. He offered, no begged himself to be the host of the ‘Long Hatred Flower’ saying that he possessed more hatred in his heart than his kind, beloved Shizun. It would have arguably been a precious waste for Hua Binan’s revenge against the Cultivation World. Thus, Hua Binan nevertheless agreed to have Mo Ran be his puppet; a decision he knows he would ultimately come to regret.
Throughout his reign, Mo Ran or Taxian-Jun as he once proudly established himself as the first Emperor of the Cultivation World, was nevertheless alone in this cruel world he has brought to ruin. He has killed countless, merciless people regardless of their age nor gender, he has killed many people he holds dearest to him, but also those he loves. Mo Ran for once is unsure if he ever is given forgiveness for his crimes under the visage of the Flower, if he ever can rewrite time to being that cheerful boy he was once, if he can save Chu Wanning from himself.
Mo Ran is alone, abandoned by all. His mother dead. His Shizun dead. Everyone is dead. The only one that remains is Xue Meng, but he knows deep down that he will never forgive him for their Shizun’s death. And so, after eight excruciating years, Mo Ran decides to change everything – to commit suicide by poison.
Underneath the glaring night-sky, Mo Ran slowly closes his glazed purple eyes, his lips dried and bloodily cracked, his skin radiating a deathly glow, and his body slowly deteriorating from the poison. For the first time in years, he feels agonising pain, like a reminiscent memory of what he endured in the House of Drunken Jade as a mere adolescent; he knows that he is quickly dying, he wonders if anyone would remember him when he’s dead.
He hopes that in death, he will be reunited with his Shizun…his Wanning. He wants to be forgiven by the person he loves, the person he cherishes, and the person who never abandoned him.
“Wanning…I’m so sorry…I promise that–,” he immediately coughs up blood onto his freezing palm. He doesn’t have long until the poison completely takes effect. “That…no matter what happens…I hope that you can forgive me. I never wanted to do those things to you, all I ever wanted was to protect you from Hua Binan, but I ended up hurting you even more…,”
Mo Ran once looks upon to the night sky, petals falling from the Haitang tree fall upon him as he motions his hand to reach out, a singular petal is caught in the trap of his hand. The aroma of the Haitang petal reminds him of Chu Wanning, how excruciating it is that he misses him. He just wants to die already.
“I just want to see you…one last time. I want us to start over again before I was corrupted. I want to see you smile again, I want you to teach me again, I want you to look at me like you did when I was that sweet, cheerful boy.”
“I’m so sorry…”
When Mo Ran awakens his purple eyes, he finds himself alive? But how? And why? Something doesn’t feel right…
His in his own bed at Sisheng Peak, but he doesn’t remember a memory like this. What’s the truth behind this masquerade? Did he just have a dream about everything that had transpired? But most importantly, where is everyone? Where is his Shizun…his Chu Wanning?
At heart’s content, Mo Ran dashes out towards the bright light shrouding the outline of the door and proceeds with no hesitation into forcibly opening the handle. He finds himself stumbled in a world of utter ruin and despair…he sees the entirely of Sisheng Peak replaced by a menacing hellish palace and no signs of life, besides unknown guards, and a few palace servants. He takes a step to further inspect but is ultimately altered and then captured by the guards, they stare at him as if he just committed a crime, like he murdered someone.
They lead him in shackles to a place he knows very well. It’s the Red Lotus Pavilion, Chu Wanning’s residence. He can see a lone hooded figure behind the curtains, he assumes it must be the person who has taken Sisheng Peak – a powerful cultivator. The figure appears to be masculine that much Mo Ran can figure out, but he cannot picture who it is. Was there someone with a grudge against him? Or is it just a coincidence?
Lost in thought, Mo Ran notices that the hooded figure is slowly approaching him. The room was deadly silent, no signs of noise was heard, except for Mo Ran’s own heartbeat, beating rapidly. The hooded figure arguably stops at him, standing only a few steps away from him, he is looking down – menacingly at Mo Ran. Unexpectedly, Mo Ran sees the hooded figure slowly raising his hands towards his cloak as he proceeds to remove it to ultimately reveal his identity. Mo Ran’s eyes are widened with shock as he realises who this man is…
“I–Impossible…It can’t be! But…But why are you like this?”
“S–Shizun…Wanning…”
It was none other than his beloved Shizun. His Chu Wanning…in dark armour resembling his own when he was the Emperor of the Cultivation World. He can clearly see the vile corruption of his Shizun’s scared weapon – Tianwen, the once bright yellow glow is replaced by a blood-red. He unconsciously looks into his Shizun’s eyes and all he sees is absolute hatred…targeted towards him.
He hears his Shizun speak to him for the first time ever since his death. All he can hear is the disdain coming from his Shizun’s mouth.
“Mo Ran…It’s all your fault. I wish I never took you as a disciple.”