The Stalk of Grass - Part Ten is the forty-second chapter of Mo Dao Zu Shi.
Synopsis []
The item Xue Yang demands back is, in fact, the Spirit-Trapping Bag containing Xiao Xingchen's soul. As Lan Wangji continues to attack, Wei Wuxian attempts to goad Xue Yang into speaking, so that Lan Wangji may track Xue Yang's location through the fog via the sound of his voice.
Wei Wuxian first asks why he killed Chang Ping so many years later, and why he chose to blind him before slicing him apart with Shuanghua instead of Jiangzai. He asks Xue Yang why he chose lingchi, the execution meant for punishment.
Despite Wei Wuxian's insinuation that he intended to execute revenge for Xiao Xingchen's sake, Xue Yang continues to insist that he killed Chang Ping out of hatred for the Yueyang Chang Clan. Wen Ning then saves Wei Wuxian from two Skull-Piercing Nails thrown his way.
Xue Yang falls silent, and Wei Wuxian frets that Xue Yang seems to have an extremely high pain tolerance, enabling him to last longer than most. Just then, A-Qing begins tapping her bamboo pole to indicate Xue Yang's location.
Wei Wuxian instructs Lan Wangji to strike where the bamboo pole taps. As Xue Yang uses a Ghost-Destroying Talisman to destroy her soul, Bichen pierces him straight through his chest.
As Wei Wuxian uses a Spirit-Trapping Bag to salvage A-Qing's soul, Xue Yang lunges again, and Lan Wangji slices off one of his arms. Weakened from blood loss, Xue Yang collapses.
Just then, the Gravedigger arrives and uses a Transportation Talisman to remove the dying Xue Yang. Wei Wuxian hypothesizes that Xue Yang likely carried the Yin Tiger Tally on him, and the Gravedigger wished to take it.
Lan Wangji reveals that he also found the right arm of the Demonic Left Arm's body, so that the only missing piece is now its head. Before searching for Song Lan, Wei Wuxian orders Wen Ning to hide.
However, he notices Xue Yang's left arm lying in the dirt. His four fingers clutch a long-since-rotted piece of candy.
They find Song Lan standing besides Xiao Xingchen's coffin with indescribable sorrow in his eyes. Wei Wuxian gives him the Spirit-Trapping Bags with the souls of Xiao Xingchen and A-Qing, and Lan Wangji gives him Shuanghua.
Song Lan declares his intent to incinerate his friend's corpse, then roam the world with Shuanghua while nurturing their souls. When Xiao Xingchen returns, he will tell him "I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault."
After departing Yi City, Wei Wuxian informs the juniors what he observed in Empathy. Lan Jingyi is the first to cry, and Jin Ling declares that he wishes to command Fairy to bite Xue Yang. The sentimental boy stomps his feet while wailing her name.
The juniors decide to burn paper money to her and Xiao Xingchen, although Wei Wuxian insists that dead people do not receive money. When Lan Jingyi counters by asking how he knows, Wei Wuxian wonders if no one actually burned money to him.
As they burn paper money on the yard of a house in the hunting village, an angry hunter approaches to ask what they are doing. Lan Sizhui apologizes, but inquires if this is really his house.
The man is indignant, until Lan Sizhui explains that there was another hunter with many clothes and a large cap who pointed them to Yi City. Wei Wuxian realizes that someone directed the juniors there, purposefully risking their lives.
They arrive at an inn for the night, and Jin Ling reunites with Fairy while Wei Wuxian reunites with Little Apple. The juniors receive separate accommodations from Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji.
Wei Wuxian tells Lan Wangji not to attempt to help clean up the Yi City area alone, as it will be an arduous process, and Shudong isn't even under the Gusu Lan Clan's jurisdiction. He laments that the watchtowers were not nearby, as they could have prevented this tragedy.
The watchtowers are a system of twelve-hundred towers stationed in remote areas without nearby Cultivation Clans, where common people usually suffered without help. The towers were originally Jin Guangyao's idea, but his father Jin Guangshan refused to implement them. After his appointment as Chief Cultivator, Jin Guangyao spent five years convincing other clans suspicious of the Lanling Jin Clan to participate.
Every clan assigns disciples to the towers. If anything strange is noticed, action is taken at once. If the problem is large enough, other clans and rogue cultivators are relayed messages to help. If the cultivators who assist request payment when the locals are too poor to pay, the Lanling Jin Clan steps in to pay.
As the food and liquor arrive, Wei Wuxian requests that Lan Wangji drink with him.[1]
Characters []
in order of appearance:
- Lan Wangji
- Xue Yang
- Wei Wuxian
- Xiao Xingchen (mentioned)
- Chang Ping (mentioned)
- Wen Ning
- A-Qing
- Gravedigger
- Jin Guangyao (mentioned)
- Song Lan
- Lan Sizhui
- Lan Jingyi
- Jin Ling
- Fairy (mentioned)
- Jin Ling
- Ouyang Zizhen
- Little Apple
Events []
- Massacre of the Yueyang Chang Clan (mentioned)
- Defeat of Xue Yang in Yi City
Locations[]
- Yi City
- Golden Carp Tower (mentioned)
Creatures[]
Cultivation Abilities[]
- Empathy (mentioned)
Cultivation Tools []
- Bichen
- Spirit-Trapping Bag
- Shuanghua
- Jiangzai
- Skull-Piercing Nails
- Ghost-Destroying Talisman
- Transportation Talisman
- Yin Tiger Tally (mentioned)
- Qiankun Bag
- Fuxue
References[]
- ↑ Novel, Chapter 42