Villainous Junior Chapter 47
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 47: Three Lives
Zhongli Jing was originally a person who did not believe in fate.
When he found that child in the snow, he once suspected that "heavenly fate" was playing a joke on him. How could such a frail, dying, ordinary human child without any special characteristics possibly destroy his Heartless Dao?
After bringing Meng Chen back to Taixuan Sect, Zhongli Jing discovered that this child did have one special characteristic.
He was especially good at disturbing others.
"Master, I can't learn this technique. Could you demonstrate it for me?"
"Master, what does this sentence mean? I don't understand. And this part here, and here."
"Master, these glutinous rice balls are so delicious. Would you like to try some?"
"Master, don't you get bored always being alone? Let me keep you company and chat for a while!"
Zhongli Jing never thought he would misjudge someone one day, having once believed this child to be quiet and reserved.
However, Meng Chen indeed was not an outgoing personality. It was just that for some unknown reason, he always had a bit more to say when in Zhongli Jing's presence.
"Why don't you go find your senior brother?" he asked one time when Meng Chen came to him again with a book on sword techniques.
"Senior brother..." The child scratched his face, seemingly reluctant to speak ill of others behind their back, and only said tactfully, "Senior brother seems... not very easy to get along with. I'm a bit afraid of him."
Zhongli Jing silently thought, "Do I look easy to get along with then?"
He had stood at the peak for too long, and due to cultivating the Heartless Dao, his temperament could no longer be described merely as cold. Not to mention ordinary disciples, even the Taixuan Sect Leader and several elders would inevitably feel somewhat constrained in his presence.
But Meng Chen didn't seem to fear him at all.
"Master saved my life," the child said righteously. "If it weren't for you, I would have died long ago. How could I possibly be afraid of you?"
"Besides, Master cultivates the Heartless Dao anyway," the child rolled his eyes, a big smile blooming on his face as white as a snowball. "Even if I'm annoying, Master won't dislike me, right?"
Knowing Zhongli Jing wouldn't answer him, the child nodded vigorously, affirming to himself. "It must be so!"
Zhongli Jing neither confirmed nor denied.
Indeed, his emotions had always been indifferent. Although his peace was disturbed, he didn't feel irritated.
He took the sword technique book the child handed over, glanced at it, and began to explain it point by point.
After reaching the peak of the Mahayana Realm, simple seclusion could hardly lead to further breakthroughs, so Zhongli Jing spent far more time wandering outside than staying in Taixuan Sect. This time, he had stayed a few extra months only because of the unexpected addition of Meng Chen.
Afterwards, he left the sect again, and was gone for four years. Four years might seem long for mortals, but for cultivators, it was merely the blink of an eye. Zhongli Jing had always been mysterious in others' eyes, and it was common for him to disappear for decades. Everyone in Taixuan Sect had grown accustomed to it, and unless there was a major event, no one dared to disturb him.
However, this time when Zhongli Jing awoke from his meditation, he found the entrance of the cave where he was temporarily staying buried under a pile of small white paper cranes.
He remained silent for a while, then picked up a paper crane and unfolded it.
"Master, you've been gone for over 1,500 days. Did you get lost?"
A familiar voice emanated from the paper crane, clear and carrying a hint of barely perceptible resentment.
Zhongli Jing paused, then unfolded another paper crane.
"Master, I've finished self-studying the Return Wind Sword technique. Do you want to come back and check my progress?"
"Master, my relationship with senior brother is so good now. I ask him about things I don't understand during cultivation. But secretly, I still think your explanations are better."
He had taught Meng Chen the paper crane sound transmission technique, only saying it could be used to send him messages in urgent situations. Who knew the other party would send so many, all about trivial matters.
It seemed he hadn't assigned enough coursework.
Although Zhongli Jing thought this, he still picked up another paper crane and unfolded it.
This time, the sound transmission was very simple, just a few short words.
"Master, I miss you. When will you come back?"
The Taixuan Sect Leader was very surprised by his return to the sect after such a short interval, and tactfully inquired if anything had happened. He answered briefly, then returned to Tianji Peak.
Shortly after entering Tianyin Pavilion, a white figure rushed in hurriedly, like a reckless little swallow, burying his head in Zhongli Jing's chest and excitedly shouting. "Master!"
After hugging and shouting, he realized that Zhongli Jing disliked close physical contact, and quickly let go, stepping back. Yet his face still radiated intense joy. "Master, you've finally returned!"
Zhongli Jing looked at the handsome and tall youth before him, momentarily unable to connect him with the thin, small child from four years ago.
"You haven't forgotten me, have you?" Seeing his prolonged silence, the youth's eyes widened in shock, and he hastily reminded him, "I'm Meng Chen!"
He nodded in response, indicating that he remembered.
The youth sighed in relief, his eyes curving into beautiful crescents.
"If I had known you'd be gone for so long, I would have made a fuss to keep you longer back then." The youth smiled at him, eyes bright. "Master, welcome back!"
Zhongli Jing looked at the youth's pure smile, feeling a faint pain in his heart, as if an invisible needle had been buried there.
The now grown-up Meng Chen was not as clingy as he had been as a child, but some small habits hadn't changed at all. He still liked to "leave things behind" when visiting Tianyin Pavilion. Today it was a box of osmanthus cakes, tomorrow a small grass-woven doll. Even knowing these things would likely be forgotten in cold corners, he still did it tirelessly.
Zhongli Jing held the hand-woven doll dressed in robes identical to his own, once again feeling an undeniable stab of pain in his heart.
He knew he couldn't go on like this.
Meng Chen, oblivious to his inner turmoil, still came to Tianyin Pavilion every few days, talking about things meaningful or meaningless. Looking at the defenseless youth, he knew he could make this person disappear from this world silently with just a movement of his finger.
But though the thought had crossed his mind countless times, he could never take the final step. Even on that year's Hundred Flowers Festival, when he carried the drunk and sleeping youth back to Qixue Residence, his fingers had already fallen on the other's slender neck, but his final action was merely to pull up a thin quilt and carefully cover him.
He finally chose to leave Taixuan Sect once again.
Everyone thought he was going on his usual travels seeking breakthrough, but only he knew the real reason for this departure.
He was running away.
The cracks in his dao heart were growing day by day. If he continued to stay by that child's side, he feared the fate foretold in the heavenly mechanism would truly come to pass.
People said Immortal Lord Zhongli was omnipotent. Although Zhongli Jing was not so arrogant, it was the first time he realized he had such a weak and indecisive side.
He left Taixuan Sect far behind, entering a secret realm, determined to seclude himself and attempt to break through to the Tribulation Crossing Realm. In the cultivation world, the Mahayana Realm already stood at the pinnacle of all living beings. Those who reached the Tribulation Crossing Realm existed almost only in legends. If he wanted to break through, it would likely take at least several hundred years.
But this was good. After several hundred years, given that person's talent, he would surely have reached the peak realm, perhaps even long forgotten about him as a master. And if he could break through to the Tribulation Crossing Realm, ascending to the upper realm in due time, never to see that person again, it could be considered another kind of perfection.
But he never expected that in this secret realm, he would unexpectedly encounter the legendary "Three Lives Mirror."
In the mirror, he saw his previous life.
