The first meeting - a second time

"-xiong!2 Meng-xiong!"

Those weren't exactly the first words he expected to hear after entering the afterlife.

"Meng-xiong!" Actually, that voice was a little familiar, wasn't it? "How are you still sleeping? Your fiancee is coming to Wangyun Peak today and this is the day you choose to sleep in!?"

Liu Sumeng's eyes flew open and tossed the sheets off his body, inadvertently slapping the person who was at his side in the face.

The boy squeaked, eyes misty with fresh tears, "Please don't hit me! I'm sorry, please don't hit me!" Liu Sumeng stared at Xu Hexian as though he'd seen a ghost.

Or rather, this really was a ghost wasn't it!? Xu Hexian died years ago, in fact, Liu Sumeng was the one that killed him out of mercy after seeing him suffer miserably from torture…

Liu Sumeng blinked, wondering if he were in the afterlife or this was some sort of weird death dream. "Is this the underworld?" he asked casually.

Xu Hexian only gasped, mouth hanging open in abject horror, "The underworld! H-He says underworld! Finally getting to see your goddess-level fiancee after so many years and you're calling it the underworld!? Meng-xiong, I really respect you but don't you think that's a little insulting to Lady Chen?"

Lady Chen… he couldn't mean Chen Anyue!? His long-deceased wife!

Talk about ghosts that wouldn't stop haunting him! Liu Sumeng chewed his lips but said nothing.

"Anyways, you can't stay in bed any longer. Your uncle is already going crazy from impatience, ah…he's going to kill me too if you don't get up, you know? Lady Chen is already almost here… I heard her Shidi1 is coming to stay with her while she adjusts to our Heavenly Sword Sect."

What!? Was he going to be able to see Yuan Xuelan so soon after death? Liu Sumeng could hardly believe it! Thankfully, he'd always been a rather awkward and expressionless person in his life, so despite the drumming of his heart, Xu Hexian only saw Liu Sumeng's usual unchanging expression.

He got up from his bed and looked around. A nauseating feeling of nostalgia hit him, making his legs feel weak. This was his room back on Wangyun Peak… next to the koi fish pond, where he could gaze out at the misty mountain tops and scent the rain and early dew each morning in the chilly air. His room wasn't large but it was neat and had everything he needed. The low table where he drank tea and did his work…the little shelf that contained his private collection of books and manuals…

Everything was just like in his memory and he couldn't help but stand there in a trance, taking in the sight fearful that everything might suddenly disappear in a wisp of a delicate dream.

"..."

Xu Hexian frowned as he looked at his Shixiong. "Meng-xiong…?" he asked, a little nervously, afraid of getting hit again, "are you sure you're feeling ok? Do you want me to get some medicine for you?"

"Enough," Liu Sumeng said in a low, monotone voice, "just leave. I'll meet you outside when I'm ready."

While his tone might have seemed a bit heartless and even a little cruel to someone that passionately called him Meng-xiong, Liu Sumeng did not mean any offense. In fact, he was just awkward when it came to expressing himself. Thankfully Xu Hexian was long used to his personality so he only tilted his head, a worried expression still on his face. But eventually, he reluctantly lowered his head and left the room.

Liu Sumeng, now alone, reached for his pristine white robes. He felt the material in his fingertips, wondering if any of this was real, his fingers rubbing the grit of the fabric while taking in the thinness of the air in each breath. After putting on his garments and readying himself for the day he couldn't help but run his palm along the wooden tabletop in his room, just to see if it might crumble to dust under his touch.

It felt real. But he didn't believe in any of it, not when the blazing palace and Yuan Xuelan's bloodied visage were still heavy in his memory. The paleness of his skin, cold even in the midst of fire and blood that soaked everything around them. Everything, everything was red.

Liu Sumeng blinked, and then remembered that Xu Hexian said something about Chen Anyue arriving with her Shidi.

Right. This was the day, wasn't it? The day he first met Yuan Xuelan. Was he perhaps reliving his regrets as some sort of karmic punishment? Liu Sumeng wasn't sure… despite everything that happened in the end, meeting Yuan Xuelan was never one of his regrets.

Actually, he felt excited.

He would be able to see a younger Xuelan, cute and naive and not yet taller than Liu Sumeng. A kind-hearted yet a little hotheaded boy who hadn't been tainted by madness and cruelty yet…

Could he really hope to see such a Yuan Xuelan again? An innocent Yuan Zhang.

Excitement, nostalgia, happiness, and fear all rushed through him at once. Despite these overwhelming feelings, Liu Sumeng's expression barely changed, he only bit his lip and rushed out of his door.

Dawn had passed and so had the hour for breakfast. He was definitely running a little bit late, which wasn't like how he remembered it happening before. He went to see his uncle and leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Liu Fumao who watched him with a severe expression as he scolded, "To think you would sleep in on such an important day. This isn't how I raised you, Liu Sumeng."

Liu Sumeng lowered his head apologetically, though in his heart he was beaming to see his uncle looking lively and proud, even if it was just a dream. "Apologies, uncle. It won't happen again."

"Hmph," his uncle said no more on the matter, perhaps thinking that his uptight nephew was nervous about meeting his future wife for the first time. After all, Liu Sumeng wasn't one that would violate rules or arrive tardy. "I expect you to be on your best behavior. Go down the mountain to meet Chen Anyue. Be sure to be courteous and make a good impression. She is the Ascending Dawn's prized princess after all and I do not want you to be offending her father."

That part of the lecture he was familiar with, being no different from the words he heard before. Liu Sumeng nodded, "Understood, uncle."

"Take that Shidi of yours and make sure he is on his best behavior as well. That boy can be a little air-headed at times."

With the sun above the horizon and a subtle morning chill gracing the mountain air, Liu Sumeng set out to descend the steps of Wangyun Peak with Xu Hexian at his tail. "You know, I really can't imagine you getting married."

In the past, Liu Sumeng would have inwardly thought, "I can't either" but now all he thought about was his wedding day with the beautiful Chen Anyue, draped in red with a shy smile behind her veil. When he first met her he always secretly feared that she was only nice to him to his face and despised him behind his back. After they got married, Liu Sumeng was sure that Anyue had at least some good sentiments towards him, and he towards her.

However, the person that was heavy on his mind wasn't Anyue at all. Instead, it was her Shidi, Yuan Xuelan.

"..."

"Ahh, I heard she even has a Perfect Yin Body, not to mention a goddess's face and body. Aren't you lucky, Second Young Master Liu?" Xu Hexian said in a whining tone.

Liu Sumeng found it difficult to agree with him, especially when he knew what would happen in the following years. Either way, it was pretty easy to keep to the original script of this scene because Liu Sumeng simply answered, "…" as he did before.

Xu Hexian, who was used to Liu Sumeng's silence continued to blabber on as they descended the steps.

Halfway down the mountain, there was a massive gate, protected by a powerful barrier. A small group of people waited for them there. Before either two of the Heavenly Sword Sect had the opportunity to bow and say their greetings a hotheaded youth cut in, "We waited here for ages! Why did it take so long?"

"..." Liu Sumeng, this time, like the first time had the itch in him to say that they weren't late but didn't. Instead, he took in Yuan Xuelan's appearance. Dressed in the colors of the Ascending Dawn Sect, his robes were deep blue with red accents. With hands on his hips, his expression was pulled into a scowl. His hair was done up in a simple ponytail, just like on that final day… But compared to the crazed emperor, at sixteen years of age, he was quite adorable, still shorter than Liu Sumeng and had more delicate and feminine features.

No words were said and he only continued to stare. In the first place, Liu Sumeng was awkward when it came to speaking and there was no way anything he said could placate the guests.

Of course, that was why his uncle told him to bring Xu Hexian with him. "Forgive me, Young Master Yuan, Lady Chen. We hadn't expected you to arrive at such an early hour. Allow us to escort you back to the Heavenly Sword Manor where we can offer you tea and refreshments as apologies." He bowed his head quite low in respect.

Yuan Xuelan still had a look of dissatisfaction in his eyes and glared at Liu Sumeng. The first time, he had simply stood there and stared, no doubt coming off as cold and arrogant.

But this Liu Sumeng had lived a lifetime at Yuan Xuelan's side, so he bowed his head and said, "Apologies." While it wasn't much, it was still better than how he had reacted before.

Still, Yuan Xuelan clicked his tongue in annoyance. That was when Chen Anyue stepped forward, holding her Shidi back. Her smile was as luminous as the shine of a full moon, wide eyes and fanning lashes and a small mouth with full pink lips like two flower petals.

"No need, we didn't wait here for too long. Thank you for coming to get us. I am Chen Anyue from the Ascending Dawn Sect. This is my Shidi, Yuan Xuelan. These girls here are my personal assistants," she slowly and gracefully introduced her entourage. Although she was the Young Miss of a highly respected sect, having almost a dozen personal servants was a little much. She wasn't called the princess of the Chen family for nothing.

Yuan Xuelan puffed out his chest at her side and Liu Sumeng had to bite his lips. He forgot just how pure and adorable this person used to be…! Perhaps he should thank the king of the underworld for allowing him to see this scene again. But despite his inner happiness, his expression was blank and he didn't react right away to Chen Anyue's introduction, so Xu Hexian bowed first again, "Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Xu Hexian of the Heavenly Sword Sect and this our Second Young Master Liu, the Ivory Sword Saint."

The past him might have knocked Xu Hexian over for calling him the Ivory Sword Saint but to the man who became the emperor's most favored general, he was already used to hearing that title. Eventually, Liu Sumeng bowed as well, "Greetings."

He led them back to the manor, Xu Hexian chirping behind him to fill in the void of awkwardness.

"How was the trip?"

Chen Anyue was pleasant, "There were no complications. It was a pleasant trip, I don't often get a chance to leave Reling."

Meanwhile, Yuan Xuelan was antagonistic, "It was awful, there were so many demons and devils around your Wangyun peak! Can't you do something about it?"

Xu Hexian smiled, unperturbed by the criticism, "Wangyu Peak is very close to demon territory. Our barriers are strong but there aren't many cultivators in our sect and outsiders aren't usually interested in lending us a hand. Cracks don't happen often but when they do, there's rarely enough manpower to go fix things right away. Apologies to Young Master Yuan and Lady Chen who had to deal with Heavenly Sword Sect's problems."

Yuan Xuelan who was eager to hurl even more insults and complaints was silenced by his Shijie, "Actually there wasn't much of a problem at all. It was my first time seeing a demon up-close and I think it was a very valuable learning experience for me."

"It was dangerous!"

Although Chen Anyue was known in the cultivator world as the princess of the Chen family, to be a cultivator and never have seen a demon till adulthood was a little… Xu Hexian didn't allow his smile to falter, "I'm sure our Ivory Sword Saint would love to take you out on hunts with him. He will be sure to keep you safe so Yuan Young Master doesn't have to worry so much for your safety."

"As if I'd trust him to keep my Shijie3 safe!"

"..." In front of them, Liu Sumeng kept quiet. Even after a whole lifetime, he was still awful at being part of a lively conversation. There was a time he'd feel a little more flustered and embarrassed but for now, he only basked in the chirping of their voices… Three people who met such horrible ends. How had he forgotten that once upon a time they got along and could speak to each other in such a carefree manner?

Liu Sumeng wanted to cherish this as much as he could before his soul reincarnated. Selfishly, he didn't want this dream to end.