There was a light rain on the mountain, not quite a drizzle but close enough.
Yun Miao stood in the doorway without stepping over the threshold, hands crossed over his chest as he watched the beaded curtain of rain.
It was almost noon.
Xia Chan's small body swayed as she slowly made her way over, holding an umbrella bigger than herself. She struggled to carry the food, stepping through the muddy rainwater, soaking her pant legs completely.
Yun Miao wanted to step across the threshold to help her, but the Body-Consuming Curse prevented him from leaving, so he could only watch the little girl struggle closer.
"Senior brother, lunch is ready," Xia Chan said with difficulty, holding up the large umbrella in one hand while trying to prevent the food from spilling with the other. Her whole demeanor was comical.
"Alright, alright." Yun Miao quickly took the food and set it on the table. Seeing Xia Chan's drenched clothes, his expression was pained. He hurriedly lit the stove and had Xia Chan come over to warm herself.
"Did you pray to the Supreme Heavenly Venerate today?" Yun Miao tied up Xia Chan's wet hair.
"I did. The Supreme Heavenly Venerate seemed to smile at me again today," Xia Chan answered crisply, her bright eyes brimming with innocence.
Yun Miao chuckled. He wasn't too surprised. Little Chan Er had also said two years ago that the Supreme Heavenly Venerate smiled at her. Yun Miao hadn't thought much of it then, believing Little Chan Er was seeing things. He laughed and said,
"Then that means the Supreme Heavenly Venerate is fond of little Chan Er. You should go pray more often."
"Really?" The little girl's shining eyes were full of light, vivid and spirited.
"Of course." Yun Miao affirmed.
Once the rain stopped and Chan Er's clothes were dry, she picked up her umbrella and food then swayed back the way she came.
Yun Miao closed the door and did not look outside again. He sat blankly in the dim back room.
He could no longer concentrate on meditating. Often he would stare blankly at his master's coffin.
Yun Miao knew they had done this on purpose, purposely placing his master's coffin with him.
If Yun Miao was not mistaken, there should be another coffin for him that was slightly bigger. Put together in this back room, they would fit perfectly.
He knew this was done deliberately by his master's wife to ruin his state of mind and make him fall, before completely annihilating him.
Leaving no survivors.
Yun Miao's expression was dazed as his heart quivered. He thought back to the past.
Back then, there were not yet two junior brothers.
In his memories, his master's wife was a gentle woman. She had taken good care of him ever since his master brought him into the sect, attentive to his every need.
His master's wife and his master loved each other dearly. But when did it start to change?
Yun Miao racked his brains. Was it when the two junior brothers came up the mountain?
That didn't seem right either.
In fact, Yun Miao knew the whole story had been orchestrated by his master's wife. His two junior brothers had simply gone along with it.
He really could not understand why, only realizing one thing.
Cultivating on a mountain really could turn someone into a monster.
Gaining power, controlling power.
Many cultivators only gained power, but never truly controlled it.
Doing as one pleased without transgressing moral codes.
Cultivators often did as they pleased, but lost the moral codes.
Thinking of this, Yun Miao couldn't help but examine himself - had he controlled his power, had he not transgressed?
No one could answer him.
He sat in the autumn dwelling, looking at the bare branches of the old tree in front of the door, now covered in cold, bleak snow.
Along with it came his master's wife, whom he had not seen in a long time.
Yun Miao's expression was somewhat dazed as he looked at his master's wife. She seemed no different from the past, still so beautiful, only lacking her former gentleness.
The woman wore thin, revealing clothes, a charming smile at the corner of her mouth as she slowly swayed into the room.
"Oh you, you were always my favorite. But you're too upright, really giving your master's wife a headache," she said languidly.
Yun Miao lowered his eyes, not looking at the woman as he calmly replied, "I'm just trying to be a good person."
"Hmph." The woman disdainfully laughed and slowly stroked the coffin with her slender fingers before brazenly sitting down on it.
"This old fogey was too uptight as well, completely clueless about pleasing a woman. No fun at all, making me waste my youth pretending to be proper with him," she complained.
Yun Miao's palms clenched his clothes tightly, his tone shaky as he asked, "Was it really just pretend?"
"What else could it be?" The woman's eyes were licentious as she continued airily, "I was only twenty when we married. This old fool was already over a hundred years old but still insisted on pretending to be upright after our wedding."
"But...but..." Yun Miao stammered, unable to get the words out.
"Oh dear." The woman gently laughed, stroking her delicate, charming face. "It's not entirely my fault either. People like the young after all. Your master was a hundred years old but still wanted to marry twenty-year-old me. Now I'm two hundred, so it's understandable for me to take two young disciples, don't you think?"
Yun Miao did not reply but asked another question instead.
"I heard over ten outer sect disciples have died."
The woman slid off the coffin, her eyes slanted bewitchingly as she said helplessly, "Dogs that don't listen have to be beaten to death."
Yun Miao's palms were now clenched into fists, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Heh heh," the woman giggled softly, waving her hand placatingly. "Don't be angry. After all, you used to be my beloved little dog too. It's just that you've become a little disobedient now. I'm still thinking about what to do with you."
"Preposterous!" Yun Miao thundered.
The woman loosened the front of her dress, exposing her bosom. Her charming face was seductive.
"It's not preposterous if you accept it. It would be delightful."
"Get out!" Yun Miao said furiously, pointing at the door. He really could not accept that the once gentle and virtuous master's wife had become like this.
The bewitching look on the woman's face also faded, turning as cold as the snow outside. Her tone was even icier.
"Do you know, I also prepared a bigger coffin to put in this room as well?"
Yun Miao glared at the woman angrily. "What is there to fear in death!"
"Good." The woman laughed and pointed at the coffin, sneering coldly,
"But do you know, even adding another bigger coffin, it still wouldn't fill this room. It would need yet another smaller coffin to fit perfectly."
Yun Miao's expression instantly paled. "She's just a junior apprentice sister. She knows nothing."
The woman's expression was icy as she slowly walked past Yun Miao. As she passed him, she scornfully said,
"Big disobedient dogs are already dead. What use is there in keeping the little dog?"
She strode out, slamming the door heavily shut.
Yun Miao collapsed on the ground, expression dazed as he silently stared at the coffin for a long time before asking helplessly,
"Master, what should I do?"
The silent room gave no response, nor could it.
In the great hall.
Little Chan Er held incense candles reverently, chanting:
"Paying respects to the Supreme Mysterious Yellow Truly Boundless Heaven and Earth Ultimate Ruler of the Universe Who Governs Life and Death and the Five Elements."
She recited it very fluently without any pauses.
Xia Chan then placed the incense candles in the incense burner.
The smoke rose straight through the great hall and out the sect gates.
A figure in blue robes had just arrived at the gates, claiming he came to pay respects to the master.
In fact, he had come down from the mountain.