[2HA Recap] Chapter 6: This Venerable One's Shizun

[wistmanswords]

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Last time on 2ha, Mo Ran was (correctly!) accused of lechery and theft, and though he managed to trick his accusers and his aunt, Xue Meng (correctly!) called him on his bullshit and busted him with the stolen goods. Now, Xue Meng wants to drag Mo Ran before a mysterious, unnamed ~someone else~ at Sisheng Peak, who won't coddle Mo Ran the way his uncle and aunt, the lord and lady of Sisheng Peak, would.

Content warnings: Violence.

What happens: Mo Ran runs for it, but Xue Meng catches him and drags him away. So much for the fearless Taxian-jun, I guess.

Mo Ran realises, as Xue Meng drags him to the back of the mountain, why this mysterious Someone Else wasn't around. Sisheng Peak is situated at the weakest point on the barrier between the mortal world and the ghost world, and the cultivators there have duties that include shoring up that barrier whenever it collapses. It's not a popular job, since it's dangerous, difficult, and comes with absolutely no reward, but someone's got to do it, and right now that person is... well, I'll let Mo Ran tell you.

That man was slender in form and elegant in appearance, with an aura of transcendent holiness and a face that was exceedingly handsome and beautiful. From afar, it would be easy to imagine him as a scholar of dignity, standing beneath a blossoming tree, studying a scroll with an otherworldly, studious air. But up close, his expression was as sharp as a blade; his phoenix eyes slanted upwards, his nose was straight and narrow. He had the very appearance of sophistication and refined manners, but there was something acerbic to his gaze, giving him a particularly cold and cruel look.

Mo Ran watched him from a distance. Although he'd thought himself prepared, if he were to be honest, to see that person appear once more before him, healthy and well, made him tremble down to the smallest fragments of his bones. Half dread, half... thrill.

His Shizun.

Chu Wanning.

AT LAST!

Mo Ran is thrown back into the past. He remembers Xue Meng, "crying and begging" to see Chu Wanning at Mo Ran's palace, which - wait. Hang on a second. Let me just fact check that real fast.

That took place back in back in Chapter 1. Let me pull some quotes from the text...

When Xue Meng saw his face, he knew Mo Ran had taken poison just as he had suspected. It was hard to dissect what he was feeling, and he opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. In the end, he clenched his fists and only demanded, "Where's Shizun?"

"...What?"

Xue Meng demanded again sharply, "I SAID, WHERE'S SHIZUN? YOURS, MINE, OUR SHIZUN!"

That's not really what I'd describe as begging, Mo Ran.

So many words stuck in his throat, but in the end, Xue Meng could only sob, "His... his temper is bad, and his words are harsh, but even I know he treated you really well, so why... how could you..."

Xue Meng raised his head, but having held back so many tears, his throat was even more constricted and he couldn't say any more.

I'll allow that being choked up is close to crying, but Mo Ran, I really do think you're full of shit.

Anyway! Mo Ran remembers Chu Wanning ruining his plans, but he also remembers feeling like he lost something when he murdered his mentor. As he watches, Chu Wanning slices through the exit leading out of the ghost world with enough force to make the entire path crumble, and Mo Ran falls to his knees. This is allegedly fear, but I strongly suspect it is, in fact, thirst.

Chu Wanning sorts the ghosts out with no trouble, and then it's time for him to deal with Mo Ran. Once again: Mo Ran is already on his knees.

"Caused trouble again?"

Mo Ran had to concede.

Sir, you have been correctly estimated.

Xue Meng tells Chu Wanning what Mo Ran got busted doing. Chu Wanning decides to respond to this by whipping Mo Ran across the face with a spiritual weapon, which, while richly deserved, does seem a little bit like overkill. And also extremely horny.

The whip - it's name is Tianwen - looks like a willow branch, and can also compel the truth from people. Mo Ran only remembers this after he tries acting "cute and pathetic" and denying everything. Whoops. Tianwen forces him to fess up, and Chu Wanning tells Xue Meng to take Mo Ran away to do penance overnight, which will be followed by Mo Ran's public punishment the next day.

Mo Ran, unsurprisingly, is pissed about this. He remembers begging Chu Wanning for help as Shi Mei was dying in his past life, but Chu Wanning then had been as cold as he is now. Mo Ran fantasises about how he tortured Chu Wanning in his last life. Chu Wanning sees in Mo Ran's face that he's thinking Unwholesome Thoughts, and since Mo Ran is still under Tianwen's control, he asks Mo Ran what he's thinking.

"CHU WANNING! THINK YOU'RE SO TOUGH?! WATCH ME FUCK YOU TO DEATH!"

... yeah, you really should've seen that coming, Shizun.

Chu Wanning withdraws Tianwen, unconvincingly claims it's broken, and leaves to "repair" it. Mo Ran lays on the ground and screams, which, you know what? Me too, buddy.

Recalling Chu Wanning's eyes as he'd left, Mo Ran felt that he probably didn't have long to live.

New characters:

• On screen:
• Chu Wanning, Yuheng of the Night Sky, Beidou Immortal, Chu-zongzhi! It took six chapters, but the other titular character has arrived! And I can absolutely see why Mo Ran hated him! Dang!
• This also kind of confirms to me that Chu Wanning has to be Steamed Consort Chu, but, like... I was low-key convinced of that from the first page, so.

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