Chapter 4: This venerable one’s cousin

This Shimei is not Mo Ran's "shimei"(younger martial sister).

Shimei is undoubtedly a male, and if we talk about seniority, he is actually Mo Ran's senior martial brother.

The reason he ended up with such an unlucky name is all thanks to the lack of knowledge of the sect's lord on Life and Death Peak.

Shimei was originally an orphan, picked up by the sect's lord in the wilderness. This child was weak and sickly since childhood, so the sect's lord thought, "I have to give this child a derogatory name, a name that is easy to take care of."

The child had rosy lips and white teeth, like a lovely little girl that people couldn't help but adore. So the sect's lord racked his brain and came up with a name for the child—Xueya.

As Xueya grew older, he became more and more beautiful, with a graceful figure and charming features. The corners of his eyes and eyebrows carried a certain charm, exuding an air of unparalleled elegance.

It was fine for rural villagers to call him Xueya, but have you ever seen a stunning beauty being called "Dog Egg" or "Iron Pillar"?

His fellow senior martial brothers felt it was inappropriate, so gradually they stopped calling him Xueya. But they couldn't change the name chosen by the sect's lord, so they jokingly started calling him Shimei.

With people constantly referring to him as Shimei, the sect's lord eventually waved his hand and considerately said, "Xueya, why don't you change your name to Shimei? It has the connotation of being ignorant. How about that?"

How can he ask how about that with a straight face? Who could bear such a ridiculous name? But Shimei had a good temperament. He looked up and saw the sect's lord, who was happily looking at him, apparently thinking he had done something great. Shimei couldn't bear to hurt the sect's lord's face, so he gratefully kneeled and thanked him, changing his name and surname from that day on.

"Cough cough." The black-caped figure coughed a few times, finally catching his breath. He looked up at Mo Ran and said, "Hmm? A-Ran? What are you doing here?"

Through a hazy veil, his eyes were as gentle as spring water, radiant like stars, directly piercing into Mo Ran's heart.

With just one glance, all the tender affection and adolescent emotions that Taxian Jun had long buried were instantly released.

It was Shi Mei.

He can't be wrong.

Mo Ran is a rogue at heart. In his past life, he had been involved with both men and women, engaging in numerous relationships. Surprisingly, he didn't meet his end in a state of exhaustion as one would expect, which even surprised himself.

However, the person he truly cared for and held deep affection for, he approached with utmost caution, never daring to make any rash moves.

During those years, he and Shimei enjoyed a romantic and ambiguous relationship. But with Shimei's death, Mo Ran had only held their hand and accidentally kissed them once.

Mo Ran felt unworthy, considering himself tainted while Shimei was too pure and gentle. He believed he wasn't deserving of them. This person, who had already been cherished so much in their lifetime, not to mention after death, had become a bright moonlight embedded in Mo Ran's heart. Despite his incessant longing and yearning, that person had turned into mere dust, resting beneath the nine springs where their celestial traces could not be found.

However, at this very moment, Shimei appeared alive before him. Mo Ran had to exert all his strength to restrain his overwhelming emotions. He helped Shimei up, brushing off the dust from their cloak, his heart aching as if flesh were being torn apart.

"If I weren't here, how badly would they have bullied you? When others strike you, why don't you strike back?"

"I wanted to reason with them first..."

"What's the point of reasoning with these people? Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?"

"Cough, A-Ran, I... I don't want to cause trouble."

Mo Ran turned his head, his expression fierce, and addressed the several Taoist priests, "You dare lay hands on someone at the pinnacle of life and death? You're quite bold."

"A-Ran... let it go..."

"You want to fight, don't you? Come on! Why don't you face me in combat?"

The Taoist priests, knowing that Mo Ran's cultivation was far superior to theirs, were intimidated and promptly retreated, fearing his strength.

Shimei sighed repeatedly and advised, "A-Ran, let it go. Forgive and forget."

Mo Ran turned to look at him, feeling a pang of sourness in his heart, his eyes slightly warm.

Shimei had always been kind-hearted. Even in their past life, when they died, they held no resentment or hatred. They even advised Mo Ran not to bear grudges against their Master, who could have saved Shimei's life but chose to stand by and do nothing.

"But they..."

"I'm fine, aren't I? It's better to let go of unnecessary troubles. Listen to Shige." Shimei said.

"Sigh, alright, I'll listen to you, I'll listen to you." Mo Ran shook his head and glared at the Taoist priests, "Did you hear that? Shige is interceding for you! Why are you still lingering here? Should I send you off?"

"Yes, yes, we'll leave! We'll leave!" the Taoist priests quickly responded.

Shimei said to the Taoist priests, "Wait a moment."

The Taoist priests, who had just been beaten by Shimei, believed that he wouldn't let them off easily and knelt down, repeatedly kowtowing, "Immortal Lord, Immortal Lord, we were wrong. We were blind and ignorant. We beg for your mercy!"

"I spoke to you earnestly earlier, but you refused to listen," Shimei sighed, "You kidnapped someone else's child and subjected them to such suffering. Their parents' hearts were torn apart. Can you live with that guilt?"

"We can't! We can't! Immortal Lord, we were wrong! We won't dare to do it again! We won't dare!"

"From now on, you must live uprightly and refrain from committing evil deeds. Do you all understand?"

"Yes! We have learned our lesson from Immortal Lord's teachings! We have learned!"

"Since that's the case, please go and apologize to this lady and properly treat her children," Shimei instructed.

With this matter resolved, Mo Ran helped Shimei onto his horse, while he borrowed another horse from the inn. The two of them rode together, slowly making their way back to their sect.

The Wugou Hook hung high, and moonlight pierced through the trees, casting a soft glow on the forest path.

As they walked, Mo Ran gradually felt a sense of contentment. He had thought he would have to reach the pinnacle of life and death to see Shimei again, but Shimei happened to come down the mountain to assist with the Dao. It made Mo Ran believe even more that he and Shimei were truly destined to be together.

Although they weren't officially together at this moment, considering their past life's entanglement and the familiarity they shared, it seemed like a natural and effortless progression.

His only concern was to protect Shimei and prevent him from meeting the same tragic end as in their previous life, dying miserably in Mo Ran's embrace...

Unaware that Mo Ran had been reborn, Shimei chatted with him as usual. The two of them continued their conversation until they arrived at the foot of the pinnacle of life and death.

Unexpectedly, in the dead of night, there stood a person in front of the mountain gate, glaring at them.

"Mo Ran! You actually came back?!"

"Huh?"

Mo Ran lifted his gaze and, oh my, it was the fiercely furious prodigy of the heavens, Xue Meng.

Compared to the Xue Meng he saw before his death, this fifteen or sixteen-year-old version of him appeared even more arrogant and handsome. He wore a simple black and blue trimmed battle armor, with a high ponytail, a silver hairpin, a lion-headed waist belt accentuating his slender waist. He had protective hand and leg gear, a slim and dazzling curved blade at his back, and a quiver of silver sleeve arrows on his left arm, gleaming brightly.

Mo Ran inwardly sighed and thought succinctly, "Hmm, this guy is quite something."

Xue Meng, whether in his youth or as he grew older, was truly captivating. Look at him, a fine young lad, staying up so late and wearing the complete set of battle armor from the pinnacle of life and death. What is he trying to do? Perform the courtship display of a pheasant or the extravagant display of a peacock?

However, just because Mo Ran doesn't think highly of Xue Meng doesn't mean Xue Meng necessarily thinks highly of him either.

Mo Ran was a bastard. When he was young, he had no idea who his father was and lived a rough life working in a pleasure house in Xiangtan. It wasn't until he was fourteen years old that his family found him and brought him back to the pinnacle of life and death.

Xue Meng, on the other hand, was the young master of the pinnacle of life and death. Technically speaking, he was Mo Ran's cousin. Xue Meng matured early and was a prodigy known as the "Prodigy of the Heavens" and the "Phoenix Child." While it usually took an average person three years to build their foundation and at least ten years to form their spiritual core, Xue Meng, with his exceptional talent, achieved both within a span of five years, earning praises from his parents and acclaim from all directions.

But in Mo Ran's eyes, whether he was a phoenix or a chicken, a peacock or a duck, they were all just birds. The only difference was the length of their feathers.

So Mo Ran looked at Xue Meng and thought, "A bird-like creature."

Xue Meng looked at Mo Ran and thought, "A dog-like thing."

Perhaps it was inherited from their families, but Mo Ran's talent was also astonishing, even more so than Xue Meng.

When Mo Ran had just arrived, Xue Meng felt he was particularly noble and beautiful, well-cultivated, knowledgeable, skilled in martial arts, and handsome. He didn't consider himself on the same level as this illiterate and carefree ruffian of a cousin.

So the self-absorbed Phoenix Child directed his attendants, saying, "Listen up, all of you. Mo Ran is a lazy and ignorant person, a genuine street ruffian. None of you should pay any attention to him, treat him like a dog."

The attendants flattered him, saying, "Young Master, you're absolutely right. That Mo Ran is already fourteen years old but only starting to cultivate now. I believe he'll need at least ten years to build his foundation and twenty years to form a spiritual core. By the time our young master transcends the tribulation and ascends, he'll only be able to watch from the ground."

Xue Meng proudly sneered, "Twenty years? Hmph, with that useless appearance of his, I doubt he'll ever form a spiritual core in this lifetime."

Who would have thought that after following the master and learning for just a year, that useless person, Mo Ran, would achieve mastery in forming a spiritual core?

The Phoenix Child was suddenly struck like lightning, feeling as if he had been slapped in the face. He couldn't swallow this bitterness.

So, he secretly plotted against Mo Ran, cursing him to slip under his feet while wielding the sword and having his tongue knot up with spells.

Every time Xue Meng saw Mo Ran, the little phoenix would persistently give him disdainful looks and make sounds that could be heard from three li away.

Mo Ran couldn't help but narrow his eyes and feel delighted as he recalled these childhood memories. It had been a long time since he had enjoyed such

  worldly fireworks. After ten years of loneliness, even the things he once despised now sounded crispy and fragrant.

Shimei saw Xue Meng and immediately dismounted, removing the black veil hat to reveal an extremely stunning face.

It's no wonder he dressed up like that when going out alone. Mo Ran sneaked glances at him and felt his heart race and his mind wander, indulging in inappropriate thoughts. He thought to himself that this person truly possessed an extraordinary beauty that was captivating and soul-stirring.

Shi Mei greeted them, "Young Master."

Xue Meng nodded, "You're back? Did you handle the matter with Ren Xiong properly?"

Shi Mei smiled, "It's taken care of. Thanks to A Ran, he helped me a lot."

Xue Meng's proud gaze swiftly swept over Mo Ran's body like a sharp gust of wind, but he immediately averted his eyes. He frowned with a disdainful expression, as if even a momentary glance at Mo Ran would sully his own eyes.

"Shi Mei, you go back and rest. Don't mix with him in the future. He's a scoundrel. Being with him will only corrupt you," Xue Meng said with arrogance.

Mo Ran didn't back down and mocked, "Shi Mei won't learn from me, but will you? Dressing up so neatly and fully armed like a bird, proudly showing off. Are you the pride of the heavens... or should I say, the pride of the heavenly women?"

Xue Meng suddenly became furious, "Mo Ran, watch your mouth! This is my family! Who do you think you are?"

Mo Ran made a quick calculation with his fingers, "I am your cousin, so technically I should be ahead of you."

Xue Meng's expression twisted as if he had been splashed with dog excrement. He wrinkled his brow in disgust and said sternly, "You're not the kind of cousin anyone wants! Don't try to put on airs. In my eyes, you're just a dog that has rolled around in the mud!"

Xue Meng had a particular fondness for insulting others by calling them dogs, using phrases like "son of a dog," "dog thing," "dog mother raised," and "fathered by a dog." He was quite skilled at hurling these insults. Mo Ran was already accustomed to it and casually flicked his ear, paying no mind to it. On the other hand, Shi Mei felt awkward listening to their exchange and quietly advised them. Xue Meng finally let out a cold snort through his nostrils and closed his prestigious bird-like beak.

Shi Mei smiled and asked gently, "Young Master, why are you waiting at the gate so late? Are you meeting someone?"

"And if I am? Admiring the moon, perhaps?" Mo Ran replied with a laughter, clutching his stomach. "I knew you were tidying up so well for a reason. Turns out you're waiting for a romantic rendezvous. Oh, who's unlucky enough to be the object of your affection? I feel sorry for her, hahaha."

Xue Meng's face grew even darker. His nails could scrape off three pounds of coal. He gruffly exclaimed, filled with anger, "You!"

"...Me?" Mo Ran asked in confusion.

"This young master is waiting for you. How will you treat me?" Xue Meng said with a hostile tone.

Mo Ran: "..............???"