Chapter 288: Let’s Live in Seclusion
Gong Mo Ran sat on a long couch reading, while Nan Xun rested with her head on his thigh, reclining in a very comfortable position.
Perhaps afraid she might feel insecure, the man would gently stroke her hair as he read, and later simply began reading aloud.
His voice was cool and pleasant, like early spring water just freed from ice—already carrying a hint of warmth, flowing softly and clearly. Nan Xun narrowed her eyes in contentment. She loved listening to him talk about interesting things he had seen and heard.
She had thought that Lord National Preceptor stayed in the palace all year round and rarely went out, so he wouldn’t have many interesting stories to tell. Yet unexpectedly, amusing anecdotes poured endlessly from his lips. The one speaking remained expressionless, while the one listening laughed out loud again and again.
“My lord, did you really see all these things with your own eyes? They’re so interesting!”
Gong Mo Ran gave a quiet hum in response.
“My lord, if these things are so interesting, why don’t you laugh?”
He replied calmly, “When you’ve seen too much, they stop being interesting.”
Hearing this, Nan Xun blinked repeatedly—even though she couldn’t see—looking lively and playful. Suddenly she smiled and asked, “My lord, then exactly how long… have you lived?”
Gong Mo Ran paused. His thin lips pressed together slightly before he answered lightly, “A very long time.”
Nan Xun immediately followed up, “How long is ‘a very long time’?”
His lips pressed together even tighter. Seeing that his little disciple wouldn’t give up without an answer, he indulged her wish and said, “I turned three hundred this year.”
Although she had been mentally prepared, hearing it directly from the big boss still shocked Nan Xun so much that her mouth fell open in an O-shape.
Then she quickly let out an “oh,” laughed, and said, “My lord is still very young. I originally thought you were over a thousand years old.”
Gong Mo Ran: “……”
Nan Xun had only asked this to break through his thick emotional defenses. Naturally, she followed up with another question: “My lord, then are you a god descended from the heavens, or a demon that cultivated into human form?”
His gaze shifted slightly as he asked her, “What does Duoduo think?”
Nan Xun smiled. “I don’t know, that’s why I’m asking. But no matter whether you’re a god banished to the mortal world or a demon that cultivated into human form, I like you all the same.”
Hearing this, the corners of Gong Mo Ran’s lips lifted faintly, and the look in his eyes grew even gentler.
“Duoduo, I am merely a mortal,” he said.
“Then how can you use such powerful techniques? Aren’t those things only gods and demons can do?”
“Have you ever heard of the Witch Clan?”
Nan Xun’s heartbeat suddenly sped up. At last—she could finally break into the big boss’s inner world!
She shook her head and said nothing, quietly waiting for him to continue.
Gong Mo Ran said calmly, “Naturally, you wouldn’t have heard of it. The Witch Clan was completely wiped out three hundred years ago. Now, only I remain.”
Nan Xun softly asked, “Were all members of the Witch Clan as powerful as you? If they were so strong, how did they all disappear? Was it some natural disaster?”
His voice grew colder. “Not a natural disaster. A man-made calamity. Back then, the emperor of Great Zhou and the founding emperor of Southern Yun slaughtered more than twenty thousand members of the Witch Clan.”
Nan Xun’s brows knit tightly together. “The founding emperor of Southern Yun… the first emperor?”
Suddenly thinking of something, she gasped. “My lord, then you—”
Gong Mo Ran stroked her hair and said lightly, “I know what you want to ask. At first, I wanted to kill the founding emperor directly. But his fortune protected him. Even if I killed him, that fortune would be passed on to his descendants. Killing just one man—how could that repay the twenty thousand lives of my Witch Clan? I wanted to destroy his dynasty. I wanted the entire Southern Yun Kingdom to be buried with the Witch Clan.”
Nan Xun took a long moment to digest this. Then she suddenly grabbed his hand and said with some heartache, “My lord, these past years must have been very hard for you, right?”
Gong Mo Ran was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh softly. “Duoduo, I thought you would persuade me to let go of hatred. After all, hundreds of years have passed, and guilt shouldn’t be passed on to descendants.”
Nan Xun said, “I didn’t think that much. The first thing I thought of was you.”
He squeezed her hand and tilted his head slightly, his posture growing lazier. Half-closing his eyes, he said softly, “Don’t worry, Duoduo. In these three hundred years, I haven’t personally killed a single royal descendant. Southern Yun’s fortune was slowly consumed by each ruler themselves. I merely magnified the greed and desire in their hearts. In the end, they were the ones who made the choices.”
Nan Xun complained inwardly: as expected of the big boss—even doing evil with such refined principles.
She made no judgment about his actions. She simply tightened her grip on his hand and said, “My lord, when everything is finally settled, let’s leave this place, okay? We’ll find somewhere deserted. You farm, I weave. We’ll be an ordinary married couple.”
“…An ordinary married couple.” Gong Mo Ran murmured the words, a trace of confusion flashing through his eyes.
“Yes, my lord,” Nan Xun raised her voice. “You’ve already eaten me clean—are you planning not to take responsibility? My lord, a man can’t be this heartless!”
Gong Mo Ran looked at her indulgently. “…I promise you. When everything is settled, I’ll take you away from here and find a place to live in seclusion.”
Only then did Nan Xun beam with joy. She immediately added, “My lord, after we retire into seclusion, don’t use any witchcraft or gu techniques anymore. Let’s be an ordinary couple and grow old together, okay? I really want to see what you’ll look like when you grow old.”
Gong Mo Ran’s gaze shifted slightly, the smile on his lips deepening. “Alright. When that time comes, I won’t use witchcraft or gu techniques anymore. I’ll grow old together with Duoduo.”
Nan Xun smiled and rubbed her head happily against his abdomen.
He patted her messy little head, then casually shifted his gaze to the small yellow paper figure on the table.
The Five-Thread Heart Lock Formation—only one thread remained.
Three months later, the old ruler of Southern Yun received news that Princess Yao had died suddenly in the Eastern Lin Kingdom. Furious, the old ruler flew into a rage, and the generals one after another requested permission to attack Eastern Lin.
At that time, Gong Mo Ran was feeding Nan Xun some porridge when the old ruler rushed in without any prior notice.
Seeing the shameless master and disciple openly clinging to each other in broad daylight, all lovey-dovey, the old ruler’s anger flared even more.
“Your Majesty, please sit. Wait a moment,” Gong Mo Ran said calmly, unhurriedly continuing to feed his little disciple porridge.
Nan Xun’s hearing had now fully recovered, and she could see again, though distant objects were still blurry—like severe nearsightedness.
Seeing that it was the old ruler, she wanted to get up from Gong Mo Ran’s arms, but he pressed her back down.
Feeling embarrassed, Nan Xun continued sitting in his lap, snatched the bowl from him, and gulped down the porridge in a few large mouthfuls.
Gong Mo Ran frowned slightly. “Drink more slowly.”
He shifted his gaze to the old ruler and said calmly, “Has Your Majesty come because of Princess Yao?”
