Lanting

Chapitre 18

"Master Yi, now that things have come to this, I think we no longer need to hide anything from each other. Please tell me your true identity."

Indeed... even if he wanted to hide it, he couldn't anymore. Even if he didn't say anything, he could find out just by asking Old Man Rong.

"It's not that I want to hide it, it's just that those things are all in the past..."

“Those things will never be over,” Old Man Rong interrupted. “Although you faked your death and escaped back then, changing your name and identity to become someone else, your identity as a member of the Dark Pavilion will never change. Until you die, the Dark Pavilion will pursue you. You should know this better than anyone else, shouldn’t you, Pavilion Master Leng?”

Yi Moran sighed softly, glancing at Old Man Rong, "I really should kill you."

This name is truly disgusting.

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Adi knew of the person "Master Leng".

Rumor has it that he was the youngest to succeed as the leader of the Dark Pavilion, ruling for many years before passing away ten years ago, after which he was succeeded by the Iron Pavilion Master. Although Adi entered the Dark Pavilion at a young age, he was taught in seclusion by the Iron Pavilion Master, who was then a steward, until he became a qualified Blood Asura, and had never met the Cold Pavilion Master. By the time he became a Blood Asura, the Cold Pavilion Master had already died.

It turns out he was still alive.

"Let's go up. If we stay here too long, Captain Long and Miss Zhijin might become suspicious."

Adi watched as Yi Moran smiled gently, as calm as a cloud, and followed him out of the dark room, but she kept thinking about something.

—The Cold Pavilion Master died ten years ago, but Yi Moran has been in charge of Qinlou for more than ten years.

"You are not the real Yi Mo Ran."

Yi Moran turned around in the long, dark passage, and Huo Guangxia smiled slightly. "Now, I am."

This appearance, this temperament, this smile—it's all Yi Moran's. If he isn't Yi Moran, then who is?

Adi frowned—so who was the person Zhijin cared about, the person who had moved her heart? What she saw wasn't the real Yi Moran, inside and out, but merely a facade; nor was it the true nature of the Cold Pavilion Master. He was different from them. Although they concealed their identities and pasts, they lived authentically, while he was completely playing someone else. Wasn't that deception?

Yi Moran walked ahead without turning back, but seemed to understand what he was thinking and chuckled softly, "I don't think I did anything wrong in this matter. This is my current way of life, which has lasted for ten years. It didn't start because of you, and it won't end because of you."

"So you've been keeping your distance from Zhijin all this time? Then why did you suddenly change your attitude?" Adi stopped in his tracks. He had to get to the bottom of this matter and his thoughts.

"Why?" Yi Moran turned around. "Don't you think that for people like us, even if we find an ordinary woman who knows nothing and live an ordinary life, it's not as good as someone like Zhijin who has a past but has let it go, can understand each other, and doesn't pry into each other's lives? Besides, Zhijin is aloof and calm, and doesn't talk much. I really like her."

"But you are not the real Yi Mo Ran!"

His smile softened slightly. "For ten years, I've been pretending to be Yi Mo Ran. Who knew that this facade wouldn't gradually influence my true nature?"

Adi had nothing to say about this. Ten years was too long. If someone had to impersonate another person for ten years, they would probably gradually forget their own true appearance.

"Your appearance... is not disguise, could it be a 'face transplant'?"

The Dark Pavilion contains many secret techniques, and this is one of them. However, it is too difficult and extremely dangerous, and has been lost for many years. Adi has only heard of it. But right now, this is the only thing he can think of.

Yi Moran remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

He changed his face, completely abandoning himself... From that day on, the Cold Pavilion Master no longer existed.

"You killed Yi Moran and took her place?" For someone from the Dark Pavilion, this is not a big deal.

Unexpectedly, Yi Moran's expression darkened slightly, but she denied it. "It's true that the master of Qin Lou Pavilion is a man of exceptional talent, but suffers from a chronic illness. I faked my death and escaped from the Dark Pavilion, but I was on the verge of death. It was he who took me back then... It's just a pity that his illness is incurable, and his body is already frail and old—this was his idea. I'm here to take his place, so that no one will know of his death..."

Yi Moran is still here, and Qin Lou remains peaceful... From the very beginning, he knew that the person he had taken in could do very well, even better than himself.

Back then, Yi Moran was just a young man not yet twenty. Facing his own death, what was he thinking that led him to choose someone else to take his place? In this world, apart from the person who took his place, no one knew about his death... Even now, ten years later, Yi Moran still doesn't understand.

But every time she thinks of that truly serene and unassuming man, a slight sadness creeps into her heart.

He said nothing more and silently walked out of the dark passage.

The real Yi Moran gave him ten years of peace; was that already the limit...?

As soon as they stepped out of the bamboo forest, a young servant came running up, "Master, there's trouble at the front of the building..."

"Well, let's go take a look," he said to Adi. Adi sighed. Sure enough, they wouldn't let anything useful slip by. Anyway, with Zhijin around, he couldn't possibly not go.

When they arrived at the front hall, the situation was basically under control by Constable Long. He slammed his fist on the table, angrily reprimanding the troublemakers, "How dare you cause trouble right under my nose, Constable Long?! Let me tell you, this is where Constable Long is in charge. Anyone who dares to cause trouble again will be thrown in jail!"

...It sounds exactly like a bullying, wicked constable. Adi's face darkened as she listened, while Yi Moran chuckled to herself, thinking that this Constable Long was sometimes adorably straightforward.

If a grown man is described as cute, then his life is pretty much over.

Yi Moran turned to Liu Zhi behind her and asked, "Are they those people?"

Liu Zhi looked closely, but shook her head. "These aren't the people who usually cause trouble. They're all unfamiliar faces; I've never seen them before."

Yi Moran frowned slightly and looked at Adi, whose expression had also darkened.

These weren't the same people who caused trouble before. So, was their appearance here a coincidence, or were they instigated? If so, who was instigating them? Normally, they could simply assume someone wanted to cause trouble at Qin Lou. But now that the Dark Pavilion, Blood Asura, and spies had all appeared, and they knew each other's identities, how could they dare to be careless?

Adi walked up to Queyue, who was watching the commotion with a cold eye, and said, "Leave this to Constable Long. Let's go back first. It's too noisy and chaotic here. Let's come back to listen to music another day."

From the moment he and Yi Moran walked in, Queyue had already noticed them. Years of habit had allowed her to seemingly observe the chaotic scene while actually taking in their reactions. She followed Adi over, her gaze sweeping over Adi and Yi Moran's faces.

"What have you been hiding from me?"

These two people usually have their own agendas, so why do they seem to have suddenly sided with each other in such a short time, keeping things from her alone? When did she become an "outsider" all by herself?

After a moment of silence, as if they had agreed beforehand, they put on faint smiles and said in unison, "It's nothing."

She could ignore the crescent moon; curiosity was something she had long forgotten. What she didn't care about, she naturally wouldn't ask. What others couldn't tell her, she also wouldn't ask. But since she had asked, she wasn't willing to be deceived. Besides, were these two people keeping it from her together?

—She was unhappy.

"Brocade?" Adi noticed the fleeting change in her expression, which vanished in an instant. She seemed to pause slightly before recovering from those subtle emotions and becoming calm.

"It seems the brocade weaving is finished. I'll go back to my room first and not disturb you two any longer."

Queyue smiled… she actually smiled. A thin layer of smile seemed glued to her face, making Adi's heart sink. She exchanged a glance with Yi Moran—

"Is she angry?" Adi glanced at Yi Moran.

"Aren't you the one who knows her better?" Yi Moran raised an eyebrow slightly.

Watching the crescent moon depart, Adi felt a mixture of joy and sorrow. At least she was showing a sliver of normal human emotion… yet, it was clear she was wearing a mask. Did she not know how to deal with her fluctuating emotions, so she hid behind a facade, pretending to be someone else…?

Queyue truly didn't know how to deal with the slight discomfort in her heart. She had never expressed emotions like anger, resentment, or coquetry before, nor did she know how to articulate them. She felt slightly lost. However, if it were just a facade, she could do anything naturally.

Those who hide behind a facade feel safe and at ease because of their own unease and helplessness. Only the crescent moon doesn't understand.

Chapter 38

Yi Moran had no intention of revealing his identity, as it involved too much danger. As for Adi, it wasn't that he couldn't tell her, but honestly, he didn't want to tell Queyue his true identity. Although Queyue understood that Adi wasn't as simple as he seemed, he still hoped that in her eyes he was just an ordinary and kind pharmacist.

Why is he the Blood Demon? He has killed more people than a butcher has slaughtered pigs.

Just as Queyue was about to enter the room, he snapped out of his reverie and was wondering whether to call out to her when Yi Moran spoke up, "Miss Zhijin, would you like to have a cup of tea together?"

The figure of Queyue, who had just entered the room, paused. He didn't take the step he was about to take, but turned around and nodded, without refusing.

Adi turned to look at Yi Moran, who simply smiled—he had said he had now [changed his mind].

—Have you forgotten the trouble your identity can cause?

—Same to me. But of course I'll make sure everything's settled before getting involved with her... So, you'll definitely help, right?

"..."

Yes... if it's for weaving brocade... of course he'll help. He won't change his mind.

When Queyue suddenly turned around, she saw the two of them stop exchanging glances and casually look away.

Liu Zhi was still overseeing things in the front hall, handling the remaining matters. Yi Moran personally brewed tea and said leisurely, "Try it. You can't find this tea-brewing technique anywhere else." This technique was personally taught by [Yi Moran]. It took him two years to brew the tea with the taste he remembered.

Every frown and smile, every gesture, was so subtle that no one could tell the difference.

He pushed the tea towards Queyue, then sat down beside her, looking up at Adi with a half-smile—did he really intend to hand Queyue over to someone else?

Adi frowned slightly, lowered her head, and pretended not to see.

What exactly was bothering him? Had he already decided to help Zhijin and Yi Moran get together the moment he realized Zhijin's feelings? Was it because of Yi Moran's fickleness, or his unresolved troubles...? All he knew was that he couldn't hand Zhijin over to him yet.

"This tea is quite good, but the environment for drinking it is rather poor." Queyue pretended not to have seen the exchange of glances between the two, and her face still wore that mask-like smile. "Drinking tea like this would be a waste of the owner's fine tea. I'll take my leave."

Adi watched Queyue leave with slight astonishment, realizing with alarm that she might... probably... be angry...

He had absolutely no experience dealing with an angry woman...

"What do we do now...?" He looked at Yi Moran in desperation, and the other woman slightly curled the corners of her mouth, half-closed her eyes, and suppressed her laughter.

Did he really think he would tell him?

Strangely enough, he found watching Adi's bewildered state quite amusing. He did indeed like Queyue... but he also unexpectedly discovered that this [former Blood Asura] was quite an interesting child.

“In that case, I’ll go take a look for you.” Yi Moran stood up leisurely, smiled at Adi, and followed Queyue out.

Adi felt inexplicably suffocated, but could only watch as Yi Moran walked out leisurely.

Yi Moran's slightly upturned lips never left his lips. He knew he had never been kind, but he never knew he could be so wicked.

When he entered Queyue's room, the curve of his lips had returned to its usual gentle and mild expression.

When Queyue saw him, she didn't seem to need to wear that mask. Yi Moran knew Adi's identity, and he knew hers too, but neither of them knew the other's, and of course he wouldn't say anything more. In this way, neither of them needed to hide anything from him.

Even Queyue had never seen through his unusual behavior, simply because he himself had completely identified with Yi Moran, so he had no flaws. However, when dealing with Rong Lao'er, Queyue had seen a side of him that he had forgotten, and because of these two overly adorable young people, his true nature was slowly rekindled—if Queyue still couldn't see through Yi Moran's disguise, then he wouldn't be Queyue.

She scrutinized Yi Moran's face for a moment, then casually looked away without asking any questions.

Instead of asking, Yi Moran spoke with considerable interest: "Didn't you have something you wanted to ask?"

"It doesn't matter now." She was never a persistent person, always indifferent and indifferent. If rejected, she would give up. She didn't know what it meant to be persistent, just as she didn't understand why Xinyue had so much inexhaustible courage to keep chasing after what she wanted.

"He just wants to protect you and doesn't want you to know too much."

"I know. Anyway, even if you tell me, there's nothing I can do to help."

"Why belittle yourself like that? You are no ordinary woman."

"An [not an ordinary woman] who has no martial arts skills?"

"This has nothing to do with martial arts." He smiled faintly, a smile that carried a reassuring power, as if his words were beyond question. This was subtly different from the detached, detached air he usually projected.

"Actually... I regret the day you moved next door to me."

Queyue understood what he meant. When she vaguely sensed he was interested in her, he stepped back. At that moment, she had already habitually restrained herself and given up. Now that she knew the person before her was the same, merely a disguise, she was confused, unsure who she had truly seen before… How could she possibly fall for him again?