Han Yiran was, as far as Mo Zhiyuan could remember, the only person in Seven Sky Pillars Sect who had been genuinely nice toward him.
After Mo Zhiyuan was recruited into Jinlian Peak in his former life, his shizun did not care about him, his shixiong looked down on him, and the other disciples from other peaks bullied him.
It was only this shidi, who was unfortunately not talented enough to join the other six peaks, who treated him with kindness.
Han Yiran was a hardworking young man, with no single evil bone in his body. Although he harbored no lofty ambition, he admired Shen Ruizhe very much. That Shen Ruizhe who never paid attention to anyone other than his fellow peak masters and Zhang Xukai.
To repay his kindness, Mo Zhiyuan pleaded with Shen Ruizhe to take Han Yiran under his wings. Who would have known that only a year afterward, Shen Ruizhe killed Han Yiran with his own hands, and was not remorseful about it at all.
It was Mo Zhiyuan who indirectly brought about Han Yiran's death.
If only he had not asked Shen Ruizhe to let Han Yiran into Jinlian Peak.
If only Han Yiran remained in Wuchang Peak.
For Shen Ruizhe and everyone else at Seven Sky Pillars Sect, Han Yiran was just a meaningless inner disciple, with neither skill nor strength to truly stand above the rest. He was replaceable with any other inner disciple from any peak. But for Mo Zhiyuan, Han Yiran was his only brother, his only friend, his closest confidante.
That day, the Gate of Hell opened, spouting a horde of demons onto the mortal realm. The battle between cultivators and demons raged on unabated. The ground was stained with blood, bodies lay dismembered, and the resonant clangor of weaponry dominated the soundscape. But Mo Zhiyuan, who held Han Yiran's bloody corpse in his arms, could feel nothing but emptiness.
And Shen Ruizhe, who had just murdered Han Yiran, went on to slay demons without giving Han Yiran or Mo Zhiyuan another glance.
Mo Zhiyuan recalled staring at Han Yiran's dazed face one last time before closing his eyes and holding his corpse close to his chest.
The rest of the battle dissolved into a hazy void in Mo Zhiyuan's memory. He couldn't recall the aftermath. When he came to his senses, he was keeping vigil over almost a thousand coffins, one of which held Han Yiran's body.
After Han Yiran was buried along with other victims, Mo Zhiyuan paid his tomb one last respect and then left the Seven Sky Pillars Sect for good. The next time he appeared at Tianhe Mountain again, he was no longer that unfavored disciple at Jinlian Peak. He was the Nightfall Emperor Mo Zhiyuan, a heretic who practiced demonic cultivation.
Mo Zhiyuan took a deep breath, dispersing the unpleasant memories from his mind.
Right now, none of those had yet to transpire.
Today marked Mo Zhiyuan's first meeting with Han Yiran, who until then had never exchanged a word with this shixiong of his.
The disappointment of being placed in Wuchang Peak vanished from Han Yiran's face, replaced by confusion.
"Um..." he hesitated, not knowing what to say.
Mo Zhiyuan, this handsome young man who looked like he had been placed in Wuchang Peak by mistake, beamed at him and introduced himself on the spot.
"My name is Mo Zhiyuan. Let us be friends."
Han Yiran blinked at Mo Zhiyuan in astonishment, but then he took Mo Zhiyuan's extended hand and smiled.
"My name is Han Yiran. Nice to meet you, Mo Shixiong."
Some distance away from them, Disciple Zhou and Disciple Fan gaped at the pair in bewilderment.
"I have to say, Mo Shidi does not appear unhappy at all," Disciple Zhou remarked.
"True. He keeps his head high, although he has just failed the induction test. Zhou Shixiong, ah, we need to be more like Mo Shixiong," Disciple Fan agreed.
"Right. Maybe Wuchang Peak isn't that bad after all."
The new inner disciples scanned their surroundings, seeking those recruited into the other six peaks.
"Look!" Disciple Fan pointed at an empty section between them and Gaozhuan Peak. "Peak Master Shen accepted no disciple in this period!"
At once, the disciples broke into a murmur.
"What, how can that be... I know those disciples who just entered Zhanfeng Peak. They are really good. They want to join Jinlian Peak from the moment they enter the sect."
"Well, unfortunately, when it comes to Jinlian Peak, Peak Master Shen decides who enters and who doesn't."
"Who knows what kind of disciple Peak Master Shen is actually looking for?"
Mo Zhiyuan arched his brow and threw a glance in Shen Ruizhe's direction. He was still sitting amongst the other peak masters on the elevated platform. All prim and proper, with no hair out of place.
What an oddball, Mo Zhiyuan thought to himself.
Since Shen Ruizhe accepted only one disciple every Induction Day, he thought that Shen Ruizhe would recruit another Zhang Xukai this time around. It looked like he was wrong. Since Mo Zhiyuan expressed his desire to enter Wuchang Peak this time around, Shen Ruizhe ended up accepting no one into his peak.
Heh.
Mo Zhiyuan sneered.
Zhang Xukai must be so happy. He got to monopolize Shen Ruizhe for at least three more years.
"Everyone."
Wu Mansong rose from his seat and stood tall before all newly recruited inner disciples, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Congratulations on passing the induction test and welcome to your new home. You are no longer an outer disciple of the Seven Sky Pillars Sect. From today onwards, you are the proud bearer of your peak's honorable name. Let your daily actions honor your shizun's teachings and uphold the noble reputation of your peak. Remember to always be filial to your shizun and be respectful and kind to your shixiongs and shidis, shijies and shimeis."
A chorus of voices arose from the crowd in response.
"Thank you, Sect Leader Wu, for your guidance. We will not disappoint you."
"Well then. Fellow peak masters," Wu Mansong turned to the peak masters behind him. "Please take the disciples of your choosing back to your peak. Uh, Shen Ruizhe, come with me, will you?"
The newly recruited disciples of Wuchang Peak held their breaths in unison, their eyes widened in a mixture of fear and excitement.
Peak Master Shen!
Peak Master Shen was coming back with them to Wuchang Peak...!