Chapter 1: This venerable one is dead

Chapter 2: This venerable one is alive

Chapter 3: This venerable one’s Shimei
Chapter 4: This venerable one’s cousin
Chapter 5: This venerable one didn’t steal
Chapter 6: This venerable one’s master
Chapter 7: This Venerable One Loves Eating Dumplings
Chapter 8: This Venerable One is Being Punished
Chapter 9: This venerable one is not a drama queen
Chapter 1: This venerable one is dead

When Mo Ran hadn't yet become the emperor, people often cursed him, calling him a dog. The
innkeeper cursed him as a son of a dog, the guests called him a little dog, his cousin insulted him as a
worthless dog, and his godmother, the most formidable of all, cursed him as a son of a bitch.

Of course, there were also some dog-related descriptions that weren't too derogatory. For example, his
romantic escapades were often accompanied by a hint of feigned anger. They criticized his prowess in
bed, sweet-talking and captivating the souls of others, and his sexual prowess that could claim lives.
However, he would boast about it to others in the blink of an eye, making everyone in the brothels
aware of his exceptional talents and satisfying experiences while leaving others envious.

It must be said that these people were right. Mo Ran indeed resembled a wagging and foolish dog.

It was only when he became the emperor of the cultivation world that such titles suddenly disappeared.

One day, a small sect from a distant land gifted him a milk-white puppy.

The dog had gray and white fur with three patches of fire-like markings on its forehead, resembling a
wolf to some extent. However, it was only as big as a melon, with a round and chubby appearance.
Despite that, it considered itself mighty and ran around the palace hall. Several times, it attempted to
climb the high steps to get a clear view of the person sitting calmly on the throne. However, due to its
short legs, all attempts ended in failure.

Mo Ran stared at the energetic yet brainless furball for a moment and suddenly burst into laughter.
While laughing, he softly cursed, "You silly dog."

The milk puppy quickly grew into a large dog, then an old dog, and eventually died.

Mo Ran closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. His life had been a rollercoaster ride of joys and
sorrows, with thirty-two years having passed.

He grew weary of everything, finding it monotonous and lonely. Over the years, the number of familiar
faces around him dwindled, and even his three trusted subordinates met their demise. He felt it was
time to end it all.

He plucked a crystal-clear and juicy grape from the fruit plate, leisurely peeling off its purple skin.

His movements were calm and skilled, reminiscent of a king undressing his concubine, exuding a sense of
indifference and laziness. The sparkling fruit trembled slightly on his fingertips as the juice seeped out,
its dim purple color resembling the glow of a morning sky or the slumbering petals of a plum blossom.
It also resembled dirty blood.

While swallowing the sweetness in his mouth, Mo Ran scrutinized his fingers lazily and then raised his
eyelids.

He thought, the time is almost here.

It's time for him to go to hell.

Mo Ran, with the given name Wei Yu, was the first monarch of the cultivation world.

Reaching this position was no easy feat, requiring not only exceptional cultivation but also an
unwaveringly thick-skinned personality.

Before him, the top ten sects of the cultivation world held their ground and vied for supremacy. The
sects restrained each other, and no one could single-handedly change the course of history. Moreover, all
the sect leaders were well-versed in classics, and even if they wanted to bestow themselves with a title
to have some fun, they would be concerned about the historians' records and feared being remembered
for centuries with derogatory names.

But Mo Ran was different.

He did things that others wouldn't dare to do. He drank the spiciest liquor in the mortal realm, married
the most beautiful women in the world, first becoming the leader of the cultivation world as the
"Treading Immortal Monarch" and then proclaiming himself as the emperor.

The people prostrated themselves before him.

Anyone who refused to kneel was mercilessly exterminated. During his reign of dominance, the
cultivation world was filled with bloodshed and mourning. Countless righteous heroes met their deaths,
and even the prestigious Ru Feng Sect among the Ten Great Sects suffered complete annihilation.

Later on, even Mo Ran's benevolent mentor couldn't escape his clutches. In their confrontation, the
mentor was defeated and brought back to the palace, disappearing without a trace.

The once peaceful and prosperous land was suddenly shrouded in darkness and despair.

Mo Ran, the despicable emperor, had little education and no inhibitions. During his rule, absurdities and
atrocities abounded, including the choice of era names.
During his first three years as emperor, Mo Ran chose the era name "Wang Ba" (王八), which he came
up with while sitting by a pond feeding fish.
In his second three years, the era name was "Gua" (呱), inspired by the croaking of frogs in the courtyard
during a summer day. Mo Ran believed it to be a divine inspiration that he couldn't ignore.

Scholars and intellectuals in the common folk thought that there couldn't be more deplorable era names
than "Wang Ba" and "Gua," but they were yet to learn about Mo Wei Yu.

During his third three years, unrest began to stir in various regions. Whether it was Buddhist cultivators,
Daoist cultivators, or spiritual cultivators, the righteous heroes who couldn't tolerate Mo Ran's tyrannical
rule started launching successive uprisings.

So, this time Mo Ran seriously pondered and drafted numerous possibilities until a shocking and
awe-inspiring era name emerged: "Ji Ba" (戟罷). It was intended to convey a good meaning, as the two
characters were meant to represent "disbanding armies and laying down weapons." However, when
spoken by the common people, it became awkward.

Especially for those who couldn't read, it became even more embarrassing.

The first year was called "Ji Ba Yuan Nian" (戟罷元年), but it sounded like "chicken penis first year."

The second year was named "Ji Ba Er Nian" (戟罷二年), which could be interpreted as "penis second
year."

The third year was called "Chick Year."

Some people shut their doors and angrily cursed, "This is simply ridiculous! Why not have a 'Quit War'
year? From now on, instead of asking someone's age, we should ask how many years of 'Chick' they
have! A hundred-year-old man will be called a hundred-year-old 'Chick'!"
After enduring three years, they finally moved on from the year of "Quit War."

Everyone in the world anxiously awaited the Emperor's fourth year reign, but this time, Mo Ran didn't
have the inclination to choose a new year name. In this year, the turmoil in the cultivation world finally
erupted in full force. The righteous heroes and cultivators who had endured for nearly a decade in
silence finally united and formed a massive army, aiming to overthrow the Emperor Mo Wei Yu.

The cultivation world didn't need an emperor.

Especially not a tyrant like Mo Ran.

After months of bloody battles, the rebel army finally arrived at the foot of the mountain of life and
death. This treacherous and towering mountain, located in the heart of Shu, was perpetually shrouded in
mist and clouds, with Mo Ran's palace standing tall at its peak.
The arrow was on the bowstring, and the final blow to overthrow the tyrannical rule was imminent.
However, this blow was also the most dangerous one. Just as the dawn of victory was within reach,
dissension started to emerge within the united forces. With the overthrow of the old emperor and the
impending establishment of a new order, nobody wanted to exhaust their vital energy at this critical
moment. No one was willing to be the vanguard, leading the charge up the mountain.

They all feared that this cunning and ruthless tyrant would suddenly descend from the sky, revealing his
sharp, beast-like white teeth, tearing apart and devouring anyone daring to attack his palace.

Some people had a solemn expression and said, "Mo Wei Yu possesses profound magical powers and is
wicked in nature. We should proceed with caution and not fall into his trap."
The generals echoed their sentiments.

However, at that moment, a remarkably handsome and extravagant young man stepped forward. He was
dressed in a silver-blue light armor, with a lion-headed belt and a high ponytail, adorned with an
exquisite silver hairpin at the bottom.

The young man's face looked unpleasant as he said, "We have reached the foot of the mountain, yet you
all linger here, hesitant to move forward. Are you waiting for Mo Wei Yu to come down on his own?
What a group of cowardly and worthless individuals!"
His words ignited a burst of commotion among the crowd.

"How dare you speak like that, Young Master Xue? What do you mean by calling us cowards? In matters
of warfare, caution is paramount. If everyone acted recklessly like you, who would take responsibility if
something goes wrong?"

Immediately, someone mocked, "Heh, Young Master Xue is the pride of heaven, while we are mere
mortals. Since the pride of heaven can't wait and wants to compete with the Emperor Mo Wei Yu, why
don't you go up the mountain by yourself? We'll set up a feast at the foot of the mountain and wait for
you to bring back Mo Wei Yu's head. It would be so convenient."

This speech became more intense. A senior monk from the alliance quickly stepped forward to stop the
young man from erupting. He put on a gentle and harmonious demeanor, resembling a country
gentleman, and advised, "Young Master Xue, please listen to a few words from this old monk. I know
that you have deep personal grievances with Mo Wei Yu. However, the matter of besieging the palace is
of great importance. You must consider everyone's well-being and not act rashly."

The target of everyone's criticism, the "Young Master Xue," was named Xue Meng. Over a decade ago, he
was once the admired and flattered prodigy, the pride of heaven.

However, times had changed, and he had fallen from grace. Yet, he had to endure the mockery and
ridicule from these people, all for the sake of seeing Mo Wei Yu once more upon reaching the top of the
mountain.
Xue Meng's face contorted in anger, his lips trembling, but he struggled to restrain himself as he asked,
"Then, how long do you expect us to wait?"

"At least let's observe the situation a little longer."

"Yes, what if Mo Wei Yu has an ambush?"

The old monk who had previously tried to mediate also advised, "Young Master Xue, don't be hasty. We
have already reached the foot of the mountain, but it's better to be cautious. After all, Mo Wei Yu is
trapped in the palace and cannot come down from the mountain. He is now in a weakened state and
poses no significant threat. Why should we act recklessly for the sake of immediate gains? There are so
many people at the foot of the mountain, including noble and influential figures. If someone loses their
life, who will take responsibility?"

Xue Meng suddenly exploded in anger, "Responsibility? Let me ask you, who will take responsibility for
my master's life? Mo Wei Yu has been imprisoning my master for ten years! A whole decade! And now
my master is up on that mountain. How can you expect me to wait?"

As soon as Xue Meng mentioned his master, the expressions of the crowd became uneasy.

Some people showed a guilty look, while others looked around, whispering without speaking.

"Ten years ago, when Mo Wei Yu proclaimed himself as the Immortal Sovereign, he slaughtered the 72
cities of the Confucian School. And later, when he declared himself Emperor, he sought to exterminate
the remaining nine major sects. Who was it that stopped him in both of these calamities? If it weren't for
my master risking his life to protect you, would you still be alive? Would you be standing here talking to
me?" Xue Meng exclaimed.

Finally, someone cleared their throat and spoke softly, "Young Master Xue, please don't get angry.
Regarding Master Chu's situation, we... feel guilty and grateful. But as you said, he has been imprisoned
for ten years, and if there was any hope... it would have been long gone. So, after waiting for ten years,
there's no need to rush in this moment, don't you think?"

"Think? Screw you!"

The person widened their eyes, "How can you curse at someone?"

"Why shouldn't I curse at you? Master Chu sacrificed himself to save people like you... people like you..."

He couldn't continue speaking, his throat choked, "I feel sorry for him."

In the end, Xue Meng abruptly turned his head, his shoulders trembling slightly as he held back tears.
"We didn't say we won't save Master Chu..."

"Yeah, we all remember Master Chu's kindness and haven't forgotten. By speaking like this, Young
Master Xue, you're unfairly accusing us of ingratitude, which is unbearable."

"Speaking of which, isn't Mo Wei Yu also the disciple of Master Chu?" someone whispered softly. "If you
ask me, when a disciple behaves wrongly, the responsibility should also fall on the master. It's the
father's fault if the son misbehaves, and the teacher's fault if they don't teach properly. It's a matter of
common sense, so what's there to complain about?"

That comment sounded harsh, and someone immediately reprimanded, "What nonsense are you talking
about! Watch your words!"

Then they turned back to Xue Meng, trying to persuade him with a gentle tone.

"Young Master Xue, please don't be impatient..."

Xue Meng abruptly interrupted him, his eyes wide open. "How can I not be impatient? You can talk
comfortably, but that's my master! Mine!!! I haven't seen him for so many years! I don't know if he's
dead or alive, I don't know how he's been living. Why do you think I'm standing here?"

He gasped for breath, his eyes reddening. "Do you think that if you wait like this, Mo Wei Yu will come
down the mountain by himself and kneel before you begging for mercy?"

"Young Master Xue..."

"Besides my master, I have no one dear to me in this world." Xue Meng shook off the hand of the old
monk holding him back and said hoarsely, "If you won't go, I'll go alone."

Leaving those words behind, he ascended the mountain alone with his sword.

The cold and damp wind mixed with the sound of countless leaves, and within the dense fog, it seemed
as if numerous resentful spirits were whispering and wandering through the mountains. The majestic
palace where Mo Wei Yu resided was illuminated by peaceful candlelight in the darkness. Xue Meng
suddenly noticed three tombs standing in front of the Tower of Heaven. As he approached, he saw that
the first tomb was covered in overgrown grass, with a tombstone haphazardly engraved with the words
"Tomb of Consort Qingzhen, Empress Chu Ji."

Opposite this "Steamed Empress," the second tomb was a newly built one, its mound of earth freshly
laid, and the tombstone bore the inscription "Tomb of Consort Youbao, Empress Song."
"..."

If this had happened over a decade ago, Xue Meng would have burst out laughing at the absurd scene.
Back then, he and Mo Wei Yu were both disciples under the same master. Mo Wei Yu was the
mischievous and playful one, and even though Xue Meng had never liked him, he couldn't help but be
amused by his antics from time to time.

As for these "Steamed Empress" and "Fried Empress," who knows what they were. They were probably
epitaphs that the talented Mo had come up with for his two wives, with a style that was remarkably
similar to "turtle" "croak" "halberd cessation." But why did he give such titles to his empresses? That
remains unknown.

Xue Meng looked at the third tomb.

In the darkness, the tomb was wide open, revealing an empty coffin inside. There were no markings on
the tombstone either.

However, there was a pot of white pear blossoms, a bowl of cold red-oil wontons, and a few plates of
spicy side dishes placed in front of the tomb. They were all Mo Wei Yu's favorite foods.

Xue Meng stared at them blankly for a while, and suddenly his heart skipped a beat—could it be that Mo
Wei Yu had no intention of resisting and had already dug his own grave, determined to die?

Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

He couldn't believe it. Mo Wei Yu, this person, always fought to the end, never knowing what fatigue or
giving up meant. Given his way of doing things, he would definitely fight the rebels to the death. So how
could...

In these ten years, Mo Wei Yu stood at the pinnacle of power, but what did he see? What happened
exactly?

No one knew.

Xue Meng turned and disappeared into the night, striding towards the brightly lit Wushan Palace.

Inside the Wushan Palace, Mo Wei Yu had his eyes tightly shut, his face pale.

Xue Meng's guess was correct; he had made up his mind to die. The tomb outside was dug by himself. An
hour ago, he had used teleportation magic to send away his attendants, and he himself had consumed a
deadly poison. With his high cultivation, the poison spread through his body exceptionally slowly,
intensifying the excruciating pain of his organs being corroded.
"Creak," the palace doors opened.

Mo Wei Yu didn't lift his head; he just hoarsely said, "Xue Meng. It's you, right? Have you come?"

Inside the palace, Xue Meng stood alone on the golden bricks, his ponytail scattered, and his light armor
shimmering.

Former fellow disciples reunited. However, Mo Wei Yu showed no expression. He leaned sideways, his
long and dense eyelashes falling over his eyes.

Everyone claimed he was a ferocious and monstrous demon with three heads and six arms. But in reality,
he was quite good-looking. The curve of his nose was gentle, his lips were thin and moist, and he
naturally had a somewhat gentle and sweet appearance. Judging by his looks alone, anyone would think
he was a well-behaved and kind person.

Seeing his complexion, Xue Meng knew for certain that he had indeed consumed the poison. His heart
was filled with indescribable emotions, and he hesitated to speak. In the end, he clenched his fist and
asked, "Where is our master?"

"What?" Mo Wei Yu hummed softly, finally slowly opening his eyes, which were black with a hint of
purple. Across the layers of time, they fell upon Xue Meng.

"Considering it, it has been five years since we bid farewell at the Kunlun Snow Palace."

Mo Ran spoke with a faint smile.

"Xue Meng, do you miss him?"

"Enough with the nonsense! Give him back to me!"

Mo Wei Yu calmly glanced at him, enduring the spasms of pain in his stomach. With a mocking smile on
his lips, he leaned back on the throne.

His vision darkened, and he could almost feel his organs twisting and dissolving, turning into
foul-smelling blood.

Mo Wei Yu lazily said, "Give him back to you? What nonsense. Can't you use your brain? With the deep
hatred between me and our master, how could I allow him to live in this world?"

"You—!" Xue Meng suddenly lost all color in his face, his eyes widened, and he took step after step back.
"You can't... You wouldn't..."
"What wouldn't I do?" Mo Wei Yu chuckled. "Why don't you tell me why I wouldn't?"

Trembling, Xue Meng said, "But he is your... He is still your master after all... How could you lay your
hands on him!"

He looked up at Mo Wei Yu, who sat high on the imperial throne. Just as the heavenly realm had Fuxi and
the underworld had Yama, the mortal realm had Mo Wei Yu.

But for Xue Meng, even if Mo Wei Yu became the emperor of the mortal realm, he shouldn't have turned
out like this.

Xue Meng trembled all over, tears of hatred streaming down his face. "Mo Wei Yu, are you still human?
He once..."

Mo Weiyu lifted his eyes lightly. "How did he treat me?"

Xue Meng trembled and said in a trembling voice, "You should know how he treated you..."

Mo Wei Yu suddenly smiled. "Are you trying to remind me that he once beat me to the point where I was
covered in injuries, and made me kneel and confess in front of everyone? Or are you trying to remind me
that he stood in my way multiple times for you, for unrelated people, hindering my plans and ruining my
great ambitions?"

Xue Meng shook his head in pain. "..."

No, Mo Wei Yu.

Think about it carefully, let go of your ferocious hatred. Turn around and take a good look.

He once guided you in cultivation and martial arts, protecting you at every step.

He once taught you calligraphy and painting, guided you in reading and poetry.

He once learned to cook for you, clumsily, with hands full of wounds.

He once... He once waited for you day and night, alone from dusk... until dawn...

So many words were stuck in Xue Meng's throat, and in the end, he could only choke out:

"He... He had a terrible temper and spoke harshly, but even I know how well he treated you. Why... How
could you bear to..."
Xue Meng raised his head, holding back too many tears, but his throat was blocked, and he couldn't say
anymore.

After a long pause, a soft sigh from Mo Wei Yu echoed in the hall. He said, "Yes."

"But, Xue Meng, do you know?" Mo Wei Yu's voice sounded exhausted. "He once... He also killed the
only person I ever deeply loved. The only one."

Silence reigned for a long time.

Mo Ran felt his stomach burning like a raging fire, as if his flesh was being torn into countless pieces and
reduced to ashes.

"Nevertheless, we were master and disciple. His corpse is resting in the Red Lotus Water Pavilion on the
South Peak. It lies in the lotus flowers, well-preserved, as if sleeping," Mo Wei Yu said, relieved, forcing
himself to remain calm. As he spoke, his expression was blank, and his fingertips rested on the rosewood
table, their joints turning pale and bluish.

"His body is being sustained by my spiritual power, keeping it from decay. If you miss him, don't waste
time here with me. Go quickly before I die. Once my spiritual power is gone, he will turn to ashes."

A metallic taste surged up in his throat, and Mo Wei Yu coughed a few times. When he spoke again,
blood stained his lips and teeth, but his gaze remained relaxed and at ease.

"Go. Go and see him. If you're late and I die, once my spiritual power is cut off, he will turn to ashes."

After uttering these words, he closed his eyes wearily. The poison was attacking his heart, tormenting
him with fierce flames.

The pain was so excruciating, tearing at his heart and lungs, that even Xue Meng's twisted and mournful
howls seemed distant, as if separated by a vast expanse of water.

Fresh blood continuously welled up from the corners of his mouth. Mo Wei Yu clenched his sleeves,
muscles spasming.

Opening his eyes blurredly, he saw that Xue Meng had already run far away. That kid's lightness
technique wasn't bad. It wouldn't take him much time to run from here to the South Peak.

He should be able to see his master one last time.

Mo Wei Yu propped himself up and stood up unsteadily. His bloodstained fingers formed a seal, and he
teleported himself to the top of the Tower of Life and Death, where life and death converged.

It was deep autumn, and the blossoms of the sea of begonias were dense and beautiful.

He didn't know why he ultimately chose to end his sinful life here. But he felt that the blossoms were so
brilliant, serving as a worthy tomb.

He lay down in the open coffin, looking up at the blooming flowers in the night sky, silently expressing his
gratitude.

Floating into the coffin, drifting onto his cheeks. Falling, one by one, like withered memories.

In this lifetime, from a penniless illegitimate child, he went through countless trials and became the only
Emperor and Lord in the mortal realm.

He was utterly sinful, covered in blood. Love, hate, desires, and detestations—all disappeared in the end.

In the end, he didn't even leave a single word on his tombstone with his audacious calligraphy. Whether
it was the shameless "Emperor of the Ages" or the absurd "Stir-Fried" or "Steamed," he wrote nothing.
The burial mound of the emperor of the cultivation realm remained devoid of a single word.

After several hours had passed, as people raised their bright torches, like a fiery snake, and rushed into
the imperial palace, what awaited them was the empty Wushan Hall, the desolate Tower of Life and
Death without a soul, and Xue Meng, who had collapsed in a heap of ashes beside the Red Lotus Water
Pavilion, crying until he was numb.

And there, in front of the Tower of Life and Death, lay Mo Wei Yu's cold, lifeless body, already devoid of
warmth.

The author has something to say: Long wait, although there probably isn't anyone waiting, hahaha.
Chapter 2: This venerable one is alive

"I was already as lifeless as stagnant water, my thoughts turned to ash. But unexpectedly, amidst the
bitter cold of the ninth lunar month, the spring light shines through. Could it be that heaven shows
favoritism to the grass in secluded valleys, fearing the worldly hardships and frosts?"

A melodious and clear voice of a Yue opera singer echoed in the ears, with words as delicate as pearls.
However, they struck Mo Ran's brain like a hammer, causing his temples to throb.

"Why the noise! Who is this mourning ghost? Someone, take this wretched servant and beat her down
the mountain with a stick!"

After angrily shouting these words, Mo Ran suddenly realized something was wrong.

...Didn't he already die?

Hatred and coldness, pain and loneliness, pierced his chest with aching intensity. Mo Ran abruptly
opened his eyes.

The various sensations before his death dissipated like wind-blown snow. He realized he was lying in bed,
not the bed at the pinnacle of life and death, but a bed with carved dragons and painted phoenixes. The
wood emitted a heavy scent of makeup. The worn-out quilt was pink and purple, embroidered with
patterns of mandarin ducks playing in water, a pillow and blanket that only courtesans would sleep on.

"..."

Mo Ran stiffened for a moment.

He knew where he was.

This was a brothel near the pinnacle of life and death.

The so-called brothel, known as "Wazi" in local dialect, referred to a place where guests and courtesans
could meet and part ways harmoniously. Mo Ran had spent quite some time indulging in this
debauchery, sleeping in this brothel for more than ten days every half-month. However, this brothel had
closed down when he was in his twenties and had been converted into a tavern. How did he end up
here, in a brothel that had long ceased to exist, after his death?

Could it be that he had committed too many evil deeds during his lifetime, harming countless young men
and women, leading to his punishment by the King of Hell to be reincarnated as a servant in a brothel?

As Mo Ran pondered and let his thoughts run wild, he unintentionally turned his body.
Suddenly, he met the face of a sleeping person.

"..."

What's going on!!! Why is there someone lying beside him?

And it's a completely naked man!

This man had a youthful face, delicate features, and appeared adorable like white jade, making it difficult
to determine their gender.

Mo Ran's face remained expressionless, but his heart surged with waves. He stared at that sleeping
young face for a long time, then suddenly remembered.

Wasn't this the young attendant he doted on so much when he was young? It seems his name was Rong
San or maybe Rong Jiu.

Whether it was San or Jiu, it didn't matter. What mattered was that this young attendant had contracted
a venereal disease and died many years ago. His bones should have long since decayed. However, at this
moment, he was alive and nestled beside Mo Ran's bed, his exposed shoulders and neck visible under
the brocade quilt, with faint traces of passion.

Mo Ran's face tensed up, and he lifted the blanket, his gaze shifting downward.

"..."

This person, let's call him Rong Jiu for now, Rong Jiu is covered in numerous whip marks. Even his creamy
white jade-like smooth thighs are marked with several red rope imprints.

Mo Ran, touching his chin, couldn't help but admire and sigh, "What an interesting taste."

Look at this exquisite rope art, the skilled technique, the familiar scene.

Could it be that he did this himself?!!

He is a cultivator and has some knowledge of reincarnation. At this moment, he couldn't help but start to
doubt if he had somehow returned to life.

To further confirm his thoughts, Mo Ran found a bronze mirror. The mirror was heavily worn, but within
the dim halo, he could still vaguely see his own appearance.
Mo Ran died at the age of thirty-two, already in his prime. However, the face of the man in the mirror
appeared somewhat youthful, with a proud and arrogant air in his handsome eyebrows, exuding the
unique vigor of a young man. He looked no older than fifteen or sixteen.

There was no one else in the room. So, Mo Ran, the tyrant of the cultivation world, the ruthless bully of
Shu Province, the emperor of the human realm, the supreme lord of life and death, Treading Immortal
Lord Mo Ran, after a long silence, honestly expressed his inner feelings.

"Fuck..."

This exclamation startled the drowsy Rong Jiu from his sleep.

The beautiful person lazily sat up, the thin brocade covering his body slipping down his shoulders,
revealing a large area of dazzling fair skin. He gathered his soft long hair, raising a pair of sleepy peach
blossom eyes, with a hint of lingering redness at the corners, and yawned.

"Hmm... Mo Gongzi, you woke up early today."

Mo Ran didn't utter a word. Time had rolled back more than ten years. He did indeed have a fondness
for Rong Jiu, this delicate beauty who blurred the lines between male and female. But now, as the
thirty-two-year-old Treading Immortal Lord, he couldn't help but suspect that he must have been out of
his mind at the time to find such a man attractive.

"Did you have a nightmare or sleep poorly last night?" Rong Jiu asked.

I died, and you tell me if that counts as a nightmare.

Rong Jiu, seeing him remain silent and in a bad mood, got up from the bed and approached the carved
wooden window. From behind, he embraced Mo Ran.

"Mo Gongzi, pay attention to me. Why are you so absent-minded, ignoring me?"

Mo Ran turned green when Rong Jiu embraced him like that. He wanted nothing more than to
immediately tear this little devil off his back and slap his fragile face with seventeen or eighteen
resounding slaps. But he held himself back.

He was still a bit dizzy and hadn't fully grasped the situation.

After all, if he had really been reborn, then yesterday he was still playing around with Rong Jiu, and now
he woke up with his face bruised and swollen from a beating. Such behavior would be no different from
suffering from a mental illness. It was inappropriate, very inappropriate.

Mo Ran composed himself and casually asked, "What is the date today?"
Rong Jiu was momentarily startled, then smiled and said, "It's the fourth day of May."

"The Year of Bing Shen?"

"That was last year. This year is the Year of Ding You. Mo Gongzi, you really have a poor memory. The
more you go back, the more forgetful you become."

The Year of Ding You...

Mo Ran's mind surged with thoughts, rapidly spinning.

The Year of Ding You, he was fifteen years old. He had just been recognized by the lord of life and death
as a long-lost nephew, transforming from a despised lackey to a soaring phoenix.

So, was he really reborn?

Or was it just a grand dream in the void after death...

Rong Jiu laughed, "Mo Gongzi, I think you've fainted from hunger. You can't even remember the date. Sit
for a moment; I'll go to the kitchen and bring you something to eat. How about some oil-twist pastries?"

Mo Ran had just been reborn and didn't know how to handle everything yet, but following his previous
path should be the right approach. So, he recalled his previous charming demeanor, suppressed his
disgust, and playfully pinched Rong Jiu's leg.

"That sounds great. Bring some porridge and come back to feed me."

Rong Jiu put on his clothes and left. Before long, he returned with a wooden tray, carrying a bowl of
pumpkin porridge, two oil-twist pastries, and a plate of side dishes.

Mo Ran was feeling a little hungry. He was about to grab a pastry to eat, but Rong Jiu suddenly moved
his hand aside and said flirtatiously, "Let me feed you, Gongzi."

"..."

"Rong Jiu picked up a piece of cake and sat on Mo Ran's leg. He was wearing a thin outer robe, with
nothing underneath, exposing his smooth and tender thighs, which pressed against Mo Ran's skin. Rong
Jiu teasingly rubbed against him a few times, clearly implying seduction.

Mo Ran stared at Rong Jiu's face for a while.

Rong Jiu thought Mo Ran was being lustful again and scolded, 'Why do you always look at me like that?
The food is getting cold.'

Mo Ran remained silent for a moment, recalling the things Rong Jiu did behind his back in their past
lives. A sweet smile slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth, filled with intimacy.

Disgusting things were something he, as a demonic cultivator, had done numerous times. As long as he
was willing, there was nothing too disgusting for him to do. At this moment, it was just a play, a childish
trick that couldn't faze him.

Mo Ran comfortably leaned back in his chair and smiled, saying, “Come and sit.”

Rong Jiu blushed, saying with disdain, “Aren't I already sitting?”

“You know where I'm asking you to sit.”

Rong Jiu's face turned red, and he spat out, “You're so impatient, can't you wait until we finish eating...
ah!”

Before he could finish his sentence, Mo Ran forcefully pulled him up, adjusting his position and pressing
him down again. Rong Jiu's hand trembled, and he accidentally knocked over the bowl of porridge. In the
midst of his gasps, he couldn't help but whisper, “Lord Mo, the bowl…”

“Don't worry about it.”

“Then, why don't you eat something first... um... ah…”

"I am eating, aren't I?" Mo Ran held Rong Jiu's waist, and a gleam of light shimmered in his pitch-black
eyes, reflecting the beautiful face of Rong Jiu tilting his neck.

In their past life, he was particularly willing to kiss those rosy lips during their intimate moments. After
all, this young man was beautiful, clever, and especially skilled in saying things that made his heart
flutter. It would be fake to say that he had never been moved. However, knowing what Rong Jiu had
done behind his back, Mo Ran found his mouth repulsive and lost any interest in kissing it.

The thirty-two-year-old Mo Ran was different from the fifteen-year-old Mo Ran in many ways.

For example, at fifteen, he still knew tenderness in love, but at thirty-two, only violence remained.

Afterward, he looked at the almost lifeless Rong Jiu, who had already passed out, with a pair of eyes that
exuded a hidden sinister intent, slightly squinting and even carrying a hint of sweet smile. He looked
quite handsome when he smiled, with extremely dark and deep pupils. At certain angles, they seemed to
be tinged with a layer of arrogant and luxurious dark purple. At this moment, he smiled while holding
Rong Jiu's hair, lifting the unconscious person onto the bed, and casually picking up a piece of broken
porcelain from the ground, suspending it over Rong Jiu's face.

He had always been one to avenge any wrongs, and it was no different now.

Thinking about how he took care of Rong Jiu's business in his previous life, even wanting to redeem him,
and how Rong Jiu conspired against him with others, he couldn't help but squint his eyes with a smile. He
pressed the sharp ceramic fragment against Rong Jiu's cheek.

This man was in the flesh trade, and without this face, he would be nothing.

This vulgar man would end up like a stray dog, crawling on the ground, kicked and trampled, cursed and
despised. Oh... just the thought of it brought him great pleasure both mentally and physically. Even the
disgust he felt from just having had this person was now dissipating.

Mo Ran's smile became even more charming.

With a little force, a trace of crimson blood oozed out.

The semi-conscious person seemed to feel the pain, emitting a hoarse voice and softly whimpering. Tears
hung on his eyelashes, making him look pitiful and vulnerable.

Mo Ran's hand suddenly paused.

He remembered an old acquaintance.

“…………”

Then, he suddenly realized what he was doing. After a few seconds of hesitation, he slowly put his hand
down.

He had become so accustomed to doing evil that he had forgotten he had been reborn.

Now, nothing had happened yet, the major mistakes hadn't been made, and that person... hadn't died
yet. Why did he have to cruelly and violently walk the same old path again when he could start over?

He sat down, with one foot resting on the edge of the bed, casually playing with the broken pieces of
porcelain in his hand. Suddenly, he noticed the greasy cake still on the table. He picked it up, peeled off
the oily paper, and tore into it, taking big bites that filled his mouth with crumbs, his lips glistening with
oil.
This cake was a specialty of this place, but it wasn't particularly delicious. Compared to the exquisite
delicacies he had tasted later in life, it was like chewing wax. However, after the place closed down, Mo
Ran never had this oily spiral cake again. At this moment, the familiar taste of the cake, carrying
memories of the past, returned to his taste buds.

With each bite, Mo Ran felt the diminishing sense of unreality from being reborn.

After finishing the whole cake, he slowly snapped out of his initial confusion.

He really had been reborn.

All the evil in his life, all the irreversible things, hadn't happened yet.

He hadn't killed his uncle and aunt, hadn't conquered the seventy-two cities, hadn't betrayed his
teachers and annihilated his ancestors, hadn't married... No one had died yet.

He licked his lips, running his tongue over his sharp white teeth, feeling a small trace of joy rapidly
expanding in his chest, turning into a raging fervor and excitement. In his previous life, he had been a
dominant figure, well-versed in two of the three forbidden arts of the mortal realm. Only the last one,
"Rebirth," eluded him, even with his exceptional intelligence.

Yet, unexpectedly, what he had longed for in his previous life became a reality after death.
All the discontent, despair, loneliness, and the taste of bitterness still lingered within him, as the brilliant
flames of life and the scene of an approaching army were still vivid in his mind.

At that time, he truly didn't want to live anymore. Everyone said he was an outcast, abandoned by both
friends and family. In the end, he felt like a walking corpse, bored and lonely to the core.
But somewhere along the line, something went wrong. A person as unforgivable as him, even after his
death, managed to obtain a chance to start over.

Why should he ruin Rong Jiu's face for the sake of a petty grudge?

Rong Jiu was most greedy for money. He could just take advantage of this visit to the brothel and take
some silver, a small punishment would suffice. He temporarily didn't want to take a life.
"I'll let you off, Rong Jiu."

Mo Ran said with a smiling expression, exerting force with his fingertips and throwing the porcelain
shards out the window.

Then, he emptied Rong Jiu's pockets of all the valuable jewels, collecting them all for himself.
Only then did he calmly tidy himself up and leisurely leave the brothel.
Uncle, aunt, cousin Xue Meng, and Shimei…

Thinking of that person, Mo Ran's gaze softened in an instant.

Shimei, I've come to find you.

Author's note:
This story's couple: Mo Ran x Master
If the white lotus senior brother appears, make sure you're on the right team~~
Chapter 3: This venerable one’s Shimei

Hmm... Now that his soul had returned, did his profound cultivation from his past life also come back
with it?

Mo Ran activated his spell and sensed the surge of spiritual energy within him. Although it was
abundant, it wasn't powerful. In other words, his cultivation hadn't carried over.

But that didn't bother him much. He was exceptionally talented and had a high comprehension ability.
He could simply start his cultivation anew, and there was nothing extraordinary about that. Moreover,
being reborn was a great joyous event, and even with some minor shortcomings, it was all normal. With
these thoughts in mind, Mo Ran quickly suppressed his darkness and viciousness, transforming into the
appearance of a normal fifteen-year-old boy. He happily prepared to return to his sect.

The summer ambiance was thick in the outskirts of the city. Occasionally, carriages and horses passed by,
rolling wheels and nobody paid attention to the fifteen-year-old Mo Ran.

Only occasionally, busy village women, taking a moment to wipe sweat from their brows, caught sight of
the unusually handsome youth. Their eyes brightened, and they stared at him for a moment.

Mo Ran smiled back without hesitation, unabashedly returning their gazes. This made the married
women blush and lower their heads.

In the evening, Mo Ran arrived at Wuchang Town, which was close to the boundary between life and
death. In the twilight, a red sun hung in the sky like blood, casting fiery clouds against towering peaks.
Feeling hungry, he instinctively went to a familiar restaurant and glanced at the menu with its row of
black characters on a red background. He tapped the counter and swiftly placed his order, saying,
"Innkeeper, bring me a roasted chicken, a plate of spicy beef slices, two pounds of strong liquor, and also
a plate of sliced beef."

The restaurant was crowded with people taking a break, and a storyteller was fanning himself on a small
stage, narrating stories about the boundary between life and death. He spoke with great enthusiasm,
spitting as he gestured.

Mo Ran took a private room by the window and listened to the storytelling while having his meal.

"As everyone knows, in our cultivation world, we are divided into two regions based on geography: the
Upper Realm and the Lower Realm. Today, let me tell you about the most remarkable sect in the Lower
Realm, the Death Peak. Heh, you see, our Wuchang Town used to be a desolate and turbulent
impoverished little town a hundred years ago. After dark, the villagers dared not leave their homes
because it was close to the entrance of the ghost realm. If they had to travel at night, they had to shake
their demon-repelling bells, sprinkle ash and paper money, and chant, 'People come, separate with
mountains; ghosts come, separate with paper.' They had to pass through quickly. But now, our town is
bustling and no different from elsewhere, thanks to the care and protection of Death Peak. This immortal
abode is perfectly situated at the entrance of the Ghost Gate, spanning between the Yin and Yang
realms. Although the sect was established not long ago, it..."

Mo Ran's ears were almost calloused from listening to this historical account. Thus, he began to lose
interest and started gazing absentmindedly out the window. Coincidentally, there was a stall set up
downstairs, and several people dressed as Taoist priests were performing tricks and selling their skills,
with a black-clothed cage covering their display.

This seemed more interesting than the old storyteller.

Mo Ran's attention was drawn to it.

"Come and see! Behold, this is a young beast called Pixiu, a fierce ancient creature, tamed by us. Now,
it's as obedient as a child, capable of acrobatics and calculations! It's not easy to uphold justice and
chivalry. For those who have money, donate generously; for those without money, just show your
appreciation. Come and witness the first act—Pixiu abacus performance!"

The Taoist priests suddenly unveiled the black cloth, revealing several bear-faced creatures in the cage.

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

These were just some docile bear cubs with low brows and gentle eyes. They dared to claim they were
Pixiu?

This exaggeration was beyond belief. Who would trust such nonsense?

But it didn't take long for Mo Ran to realize his mistake. Two or three dozen people gathered around
them, applauding and cheering. The lively atmosphere even attracted the attention of the restaurant
patrons, making the storyteller feel embarrassed.

"Now, let's talk about the esteemed master of the pinnacle of life and death, who has a resounding
reputation..."

"Great! Give us another segment!"

Unbeknownst to the storyteller, behind the curtain, Mo Ran, the young master of the pinnacle of life and
death, smiled and calmly shouted, "Enough with the tales of life and death. Tell us a story about 'The
Eighteen Touches,' and I guarantee everyone will be captivated."
The storyteller, unaware that the person behind the curtain was Mo Ran, resolutely retorted, "Such
crude and vulgar words don't belong to the realm of refinement."

Mo Ran smiled and said, "And this place is considered a refined setting? You're not ashamed of yourself."

After speaking, they suddenly heard a commotion downstairs.

"Oh no! Such a fast horse!"

"It must be the Immortal Lord of Sisheng Peak!"

Amidst the discussions, a black horse rushed in from the direction of Sisheng Peak, galloping like
lightning, and entered the performance area!

On the horse sat two individuals. One wore a black hat and a black cloak that covered them completely,
making it impossible to discern their age or gender. The other was a woman in her thirties or forties,
with rough hands and feet, weathered by the wind and frost.

When the woman saw those bear-like creatures, she burst into tears. She dismounted and stumbled her
way towards them, falling and scrambling. She embraced one of the bear-like creatures and knelt on the
ground, wailing, "My child! My dear child!"

The people around were bewildered. Someone scratched their head and murmured, "Hey? Isn't this the
cub of the ancient divine beast Pixiu? Why is this woman calling it her child?"

"Could this be the female Pixiu?"

"Oh my, how formidable! This female Pixiu has even achieved human form."

The villagers on this side were ignorant, babbling nonsense, but Mo Ran figured it out.

According to legend, some wandering Taoists would deceive children, pluck out their tongues to silence
them, scald their skin with boiling water, and while the flesh was still raw, they would stick animal fur on
them. After the fresh blood coagulated, the fur and the child would be fused together, appearing no
different from monsters. These children couldn't speak or write, and they could only endure being
bullied while performing tricks like the "Pixiu Abacus." If they resisted, they would be subjected to
beatings with sticks and whips.

No wonder Mo Ran couldn't sense any demonic energy earlier. These "Pixiu" were not demons at all, but
living human beings...
While Mo Ran was contemplating this, the person in the black cloak on the other side whispered a few
words to the Taoists. Hearing those words, the Taoists instantly became furious, shouting, "Apologize?
Your grandpa doesn't know how to write the word 'apologize'!" "What's so great about Sisheng Peak?"
"Meddling in other people's business, I'll teach you a lesson!" They pounced on the person in the black
cloak, ready to surround and attack them.

"Oh my."

Seeing their fellow disciple being attacked, Mo Ran let out a low laughter. "So fierce."

He had no intention of lending a hand. In his past life, he despised the atmosphere of his sect, where
they would draw their swords to help anyone in need. They would rush in like fools, even if it was just to
rescue Aunt Wang's kitten stuck in a tree at the village entrance. From the sect leader to the menial
workers, they were all lacking in common sense.

There are so many injustices in the world, why bother meddling in everything? It would only exhaust
oneself.

"They're fighting! They're fighting! Wow, what powerful punches!"

The people in the restaurant rushed over in a swarm to join in the excitement.

"So many people ganging up on one person, how shameless!"

"Watch out behind you, Immortal Lord! Oh no, that was close! Wow, yikes!"

"That was a good dodge!"

These people loved watching fights, but Mo Ran didn't. He had seen enough bloodshed and violence.
What happened right in front of his eyes was like the buzzing of flies to him. He lazily brushed off the
peanut crumbs from his clothes, got up, and left.

Once he descended the stairs, he saw the Taoists and the person in the black cloak locked in a fierce
battle. Swords were flashing, and Mo Ran crossed his arms, leaning against the entrance of the tavern.
He glanced at them briefly and couldn't help but click his tongue.

How embarrassing.

The experts of the Sisheng Peak were all fierce and formidable, capable of fighting ten opponents at
once. Yet, this person in the black cloak seemed rather weak in the fight. They were being pulled down
from their horse by those few wandering Taoists, who surrounded them and relentlessly kicked, yet they
still didn't strike back decisively.
Instead, they weakly shouted, "A true gentleman acts with deeds, not words. Why won't you listen to
reason?!"

The Taoists: "................."

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

The Taoists were thinking, "Huh? This person, who looks like a grandmother after being beaten like this,
is still talking about being a true gentleman? Their brain must be as hollow as a mantou without filling."

Mo Ran's expression changed drastically, and for a moment, he felt dizzy. He held his breath, his eyes
wide with disbelief. This voice...

"Shimei!" Mo Ran shouted lowly and rushed up, channeling his spiritual energy into a palm strike that
sent all five misbehaving wandering Taoists flying. He knelt on the ground and helped the black-cloaked
figure covered in mud and footprints. His voice trembled slightly.

"Shimei, is it really you?"

The author wants to convey:

Even though his name is Shimei, he is actually Shige (a senior male martial brother). It's a playful joke by
the author, indicating that he is an older martial brother compared to Mo Ran, and it brings to mind
laughter.
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: "..........................???"
Chapter 5: This venerable one didn’t steal

Inside the Danxin Hall, the lights were bright.

Shi Mei had already left, and Mo Ran followed Xue Meng into the hall, immediately understanding the
situation upon seeing what was inside.

It turned out to be the two young men, Rong Jiu and Rong Er.

Before leaving, I had stolen some silver from Rong Er. He must have had the audacity to seek justice at
the peak of life and death.

Rong Jiu was leaning in the arms of a tall and sturdy man, crying miserably with tearful eyes. When Mo
Ran and Xue Meng entered the hall, his crying intensified, as if he would have fainted on the spot if not
for the man holding him tightly.

In the hall, behind the pearl curtains, a delicate woman sat there, appearing somewhat confused and at
a loss.

Mo Ran didn't look directly at the two men accusing him, but first greeted the woman in the hall, "Aunt,
I'm back."

The woman was none other than the master of the peak of life and death, Madam Wang.

Unlike those heroic women who wouldn't yield to anyone, she was a modest housewife who turned a
blind eye to external matters when her husband was away. She didn't know how to handle things when
others came knocking on her door. Timidly, she said, "Ah Ran, you finally came."

Mo Ran pretended not to notice the two accusers and smiled, "It's so late, Aunt is still awake. Is there
something you need from me?"

"Yes. Look, this young master Rong says that you... you took his silver." She was thin-skinned and didn't
want to say that Mo Ran had solicited him, so she tried to downplay the issue.

Mo Ran narrowed his eyes and said, "What is this? I don't lack silver. Why would I take theirs? Moreover,
these two seem unfamiliar to me. Do I know you?"

The tall and sturdy young man, Mister Chang, sneered, "My surname is Chang, and I am the eldest in the
Chang family. As a business family, we don't fuss over trivial matters. Just call me Big Chang."

Mo Ran smiled slightly and deliberately mispronounced Chang's name, "So it's Big Chang, I've heard of
you. Impressive, impressive. And who is this other person?"
Big Chang sneered, "Heh, Mo Ran, you really know how to play dumb. Although we've just met, you've
spent fifteen out of the last thirty days in Jiu'er's room. Are you blind? How could you not recognize
him?"

Mo Ran's face remained calm, and his heart sneered. He glanced at Rong Er and said, "What's this? Are
you accusing me? I am an upright person. I haven't slept with anyone, let alone Jiu'er or San'er."

Rong Jiu, with an angry face, blushed and still nestled deeper in Big Chang's arms, tears streaming down
his face. "Mo, Mo Ran, I know my status is humble, and I can't be seen in public. If you hadn't treated me
so badly, I, I wouldn't have come to you. But you actually turned your back on me and didn't recognize
me. I... I..."

Mo Ran felt wronged and said, "I really don't know you. I can't even tell if you're male or female. How
could we have met?"

"You took care of my business last night, how can you suddenly act so indifferent? Big Chang, Big Chang,
please help me," he sobbed, burying himself even deeper in Big Chang's embrace, completely

ignoring Mo Ran.

Big Chang seemed to be in a bad mood and coldly said, "You must have mistaken someone else for me. I
didn't see you, and you didn't see me either."

Mo Ran looked at the two of them, pretending to be confused. "Aunt, they're mistaken, right? I really
don't know them."

Madam Wang bit her lip and said, "I, I can't tell. But this young master Rong said that you took his silver,
and he has witnesses."

"Witnesses?" Mo Ran sneered, "Aunt, I'm afraid they're just two actors pretending to be witnesses. Who
are they? Why don't we let them come out and speak for themselves?"

Madam Wang hesitated and then turned her head to look outside the hall. "Come in," she said, her voice
somewhat unsteady.

The two figures that came in were none other than Mister Zhu and Mister Liu.

When they saw Mo Ran, their expressions were quite unsightly.

Mo Ran smiled and nodded at the two of them, "Mister Zhu, Mister Liu, long time no see. How have you
been?"
Mister Zhu sighed, "Mo Ran, I never thought you would fall to this point. You were once our great hero,
but now you've become a thief, stealing even from young masters. How disappointing!"

Mister Liu's expression was even colder. "Mo Ran, I once admired you, but I never expected you to have
such a side to you. Stealing from others without any sense of shame, it's truly a disgrace to the martial
world!"

Mo Ran chuckled and glanced at the two of them, "Mister Zhu, Mister Liu, it seems that you've been
deceived by someone. These two people claim that I stole their silver. How about you explain it to
everyone?"

Mister Zhu's expression sank, "We saw it with our own eyes. Last night, you went to young master Rong's
room and took away his silver. We were standing outside the door and saw it all."

Mo Ran looked calm, "Mister Zhu, you must be mistaken. I didn't go to anyone's room last night. I was in
the room assigned to me by Aunt. Why don't you ask Aunt if I'm telling the truth?"

Madam Wang's face turned pale, and she stammered, "I... I didn't see it... I didn't see anything last
night..."

Mo Ran's eyes turned cold, and his voice became sharper, "Aunt, you're lying. You know very well that I
didn't leave the room last night. Why are you trying to frame me?"

Madam Wang trembled and said, "Mo Ran, don't talk nonsense. I... I don't know anything."

Mo Ran's gaze swept across the room, and he said in a low voice, "Since no one can prove my innocence,
I will take this matter to the higher authorities. Aunt, I hope you will uphold justice as the peak master
and not be swayed by personal feelings."

Madam Wang's face changed drastically, and she hurriedly said, "Mo Ran, you... you can't..."

Mo Ran's eyes were cold, and his tone was firm, "I will go to the headmaster and report this matter.
Aunt, I hope you can give me a fair judgment."

With that, Mo Ran turned and walked out of the hall, leaving Madam Wang and the others in shock.

Mo Ran refused, saying, "Why are you searching my body?"

"Hmph, I can see that you're feeling guilty as a thief," Da Chang Gongzi arrogantly raised his chin.
"Madam Wang, for the crimes of theft and adultery, at the pinnacle of life and death, how should we
punish them?"
Madam Wang whispered, "This... sect matter has always been decided by my husband. I really... don't
know..."

"Not true, not true. I believe Madam Wang is not unaware but rather has ulterior motives to protect her
nephew. Hehe, who would have thought that this pinnacle of life and death would be such a filthy and
dirty place?"

"Enough, enough. My aunt has already said she doesn't know how to make a decision. Are you not done
bullying a woman?" Mo Ran finally grew impatient, interrupting him. His usually playful and smiling face
lost some of its charm as he turned his gaze towards the pair of men.
"Fine, I'll let you search me, but if you can't find anything and you slander my sect with filthy words, then
what will happen?"

"In that case, I will apologize to Mr. Mo immediately."

"Alright." Mo Ran readily agreed. "But here's the thing, if you're wrong, as an apology, you'll have to
kneel down and crawl off this pinnacle of life and death."

Da Chang Gongzi grew suspicious as he observed Mo Ran's confident demeanor.

He had always envied those who practiced cultivation since he was young, but unfortunately, his talents
were too poor, and he couldn't grasp the essence of it.

Some days ago, he heard that his old friend Rong Jiu had gained Mo Ran's favor. They made an
agreement that as long as Rong Jiu found an opportunity to strip Mo Ran of his cultivation, Da Chang
Gongzi would redeem Rong Jiu and not only redeem him but also bring him into his household, ensuring
a life of wealth and luxury.

Da Chang Gongzi sought immortality, while Rong Jiu sought riches. The two collaborated shamelessly.

In the previous life, Mo Ran fell for their scheme. Although he managed to resolve the situation later, he
had truly suffered a lot. However, in this life, their plan to steal the chicken and lose the rice failed. Mo
Ran inexplicably changed his temperament. Just a few days ago, he was lying in the gentle village,
enjoying Rong Jiu's long and short pleasures. But this morning, after having his way with Rong Jiu twice,
he unexpectedly took Rong Jiu's belongings and fled.

Da Chang Gongzi was infuriated and immediately brought Rong Jiu to the pinnacle of life and death to
file a complaint.

This salt merchant's son had calculated his plan carefully. He planned that once he caught Mo Ran
red-handed, he would force Madam Wang to strip Mo Ran of his cultivation. For that purpose, he carried
a jade pendant that could absorb cultivation, intending to gain some benefits and merge it into his own
Qi Sea.

However, looking at Mo Ran's current state, Da Chang Gongzi hesitated.

Mo Ran was too slippery. It was possible that he had already gotten rid of the stolen goods and was
waiting to trap him.

But upon further consideration, since things had come this far, it would be a pity to give up now. Maybe
this kid was just bluffing…

While Da Chang Gongzi's mind was still struggling, Mo Ran had already started undressing.
He quickly removed his outer robe and casually threw it aside, then smiled and made a gesture of
invitation. "Please, take your time searching."

After all the fuss, they found nothing except for some silver coins. Da Chang Gongzi's face changed.

"How is this possible!! You must be tricking me!"

Mo Ran narrowed his purplish-black eyes, stroked his chin, and said, "You've searched my outer robe ten
times, and you've searched every inch of my body seven or eight times. You're just one step away from
seeing me naked. Are you still not convinced?"

"Mo Ran, you..."

Mo Ran suddenly realized, "Ah, I understand now, Da Chang Gongzi, could it be that you have been
lusting after my beauty, deliberately staging this play to take advantage of me?"

Da Chang Gongzi was almost fainting with anger, pointing at Mo Ran's nose, unable to utter a word, his
face turning red with frustration. Xue Meng, who had been enduring it all this time, may not have liked
Mo Ran, but Mo Ran was still a pinnacle figure and couldn't be humiliated by outsiders.

Xue Meng didn't hesitate and stepped forward, raising his hand to break Da Chang Gongzi's finger,
angrily saying, "You're causing trouble for no reason!"

Da Chang Gongzi screamed in pain, holding his finger, "You... you all, how dare you! You're in cahoots!
No wonder those things couldn't be found on Mo Ran, you must have hidden them for him! Take off your
clothes, I'll search you too!"

Someone dared to order him to undress?! Xue Meng became even more angry and embarrassed, "Have
you no shame! With your dog claws, you dare to touch the hem of this young master's clothes? Get
lost!"
The young master had spoken, and the attendants in the Danxin Hall, who had been enduring for a long
time, immediately rushed forward and expelled these two defenseless mortals from the mountain.

Da Chang Gongzi's angry shouts echoed from afar, "Mo Ran, wait for me! I will definitely settle the score
with you!"

Mo Ran stood outside the Danxin Hall, looking at the distant night sky, squinting with a smile, and
sighed, "I'm so scared."

Xue Meng looked at him coldly and asked, "What are you afraid of?"

Mo Ran sincerely and genuinely worried, "I'm afraid I won't have any salt to eat if he, who sells salt,
comes after me."

"..............."

Xue Meng was speechless for a moment, then asked again, "You really haven't engaged in prostitution?"

"I really haven't."

"You really haven't stolen?"

"I really haven't."

Xue Meng coldly snorted, "I don't believe you."

Mo Ran raised his hand and laughed, "If I'm lying, let the heavens strike me with thunder."
Xue Meng suddenly raised his hand, tightly grasping Mo Ran's arm. Mo Ran stared at him, "What are you
doing?" Xue Meng snorted and quickly recited a series of incantations. There was a tinkling sound, and
several inconspicuous yellow bean-sized beads slipped out of Mo Ran's sleeve and fell to the ground.

Xue Meng filled his palm with spiritual energy and swung it towards the beads. The beads emitted a
sparkling light, growing bigger and bigger, until they turned into a pile of precious jewelry—plum
blossom bracelets, jade earrings, a dazzling heap of golden light.

Mo Ran said, "............ We are fellow disciples, why make things difficult?"

Xue Meng's face darkened, "Mo Weiyu, you really have no shame."

"Haha."

Xue Meng angrily said, "Who's laughing with you!"

Mo Ran sighed, "Then I can't cry either."

Xue Meng's face turned black as he said, "Is this how you use the skill of life and death, the dark Chen
Cang technique?"

"............"

Xue Meng was speechless for a moment and then asked, "You really haven't engaged in prostitution?"

"I really haven't."

"You really haven't stolen?"

"I really haven't."

Xue Meng coldly snorted, "I don't believe you."

Mo Ran raised his hand and smiled, "If I'm lying, let the heavens strike me with thunder."

Suddenly, Xue Meng lifted his hand and tightly grabbed Mo Ran's arm. Mo Ran stared at him, "What are
you doing?" Xue Meng snorted and quickly recited a series of incantations. There was a tinkling sound,
and several inconspicuous yellow bean-sized beads slipped out of Mo Ran's sleeve and fell to the ground.

Xue Meng filled his palm with spiritual energy and swung it towards the beads. The beads emitted a
sparkling light, growing bigger and bigger, until they turned into a pile of precious jewelry—plum
blossom bracelets, jade earrings, a dazzling heap of golden light.

Mo Ran said, "............ We are fellow disciples, why make things difficult?"

Xue Meng's face darkened, "Mo Weiyu, you really have no shame."

"Haha."

Xue Meng angrily said, "Who's laughing with you!"

Mo Ran sighed, "Then I can't cry either."

Xue Meng's face remained dark as he said, "Is this how you use the skill of life and death, the dark Chen
Cang technique?"

"Well, it's all about applying what you learn in practice."

Xue Meng became angry again. "That dog selling salt is annoying, so I didn't want to interrogate you
properly in front of him. But that dog said something right. If you violate the rules of theft or sexual
misconduct, any sect would give you a hard time!"

Mo Ran showed no fear and smiled. "What are you going to do? Wait for my uncle to come back and
complain to him?"

He wasn't afraid at all. His uncle doted on him so much that at most he would scold him a bit. He
couldn't bear to punish him.

Xue Meng turned around, brushing aside the stray hair that the night wind blew into his face. His eyes
shone with a proud light in the darkness.

"Father? No, Father went to Kunlun. He probably won't be back for one or two months."

Mo Ran's smile stiffened, and suddenly he had a foreboding feeling. He suddenly thought of someone.

But—

If he were here, he should have been the one to receive Lord Chang in the Danxin Hall tonight, not the
clueless Lady Wang.

That person... shouldn't be here, right…

Xue Meng noticed the flicker in his eyes, and that contemptuous arrogance became even more apparent.

"My father dotes on you, but isn't there someone at the Sisheng Peak who doesn't?"

Mo Ran slowly took a few steps back and forced a smile, saying, "Brother, it's already late. Let's not
disturb the old man's peace. I know I was wrong. I won't engage in theft or solicitation anymore. Isn't
that enough? Go back to your room and rest. Ha ha, look at how tired you are."

After speaking, he quickly fled.

Just kidding! This little Xue Meng is too vicious!

He's no longer the Supreme Immortal or the ruler of the mortal realm. How could he let himself be
handed over to that person? If that person finds out that he stole things and solicited someone, he
would probably break both of his legs without hesitation! It's better to run away now. When else would
be a good time?
The author has something to say:

Why doesn't Da Chang Gongzi have a brain?

Because his head is full of large intestines.╮(╯▽╰)╭

In the next chapter, the master will make an appearance.

Chapter 6: This venerable one’s master

Xue Meng, having grown up on the peak of life and death, was familiar with the shortcuts and terrain,
and eventually captured Mo Ran. He escorted him to the back mountain, the back mountain of the peak
of life and death, which was the closest place in the mortal realm to the ghost realm, separated by a
barrier. Behind it lay the underworld.

As soon as he saw the dire state of the back mountain, Mo Ran immediately understood why that
person, despite being at home, still needed Lady Wang to receive guests in the front hall. It wasn't that
he didn't want to help, but he couldn't spare the time.

The barrier of the ghost realm had been broken.

At this moment, the entire back mountain was filled with heavy ghostly aura. Ethereal and
unmaterialized ghosts wailed and hovered in the air, and a huge rift had torn open in the sky at the
entrance of the mountain gate. From behind that rift was the ghost realm, and a long staircase made of
green stone, spanning thousands of levels, emerged from the crack in the barrier. Malevolent spirits,
with flesh and blood, were slowly and densely crawling down the stairs, climbing from the underworld to
the mortal realm.

If an ordinary person were to witness such a scene, they would surely be frightened to the core. The first
time Mo Ran saw it, he was also drenched in cold sweat, but now he had grown accustomed to it.

The barrier between the human and ghost realms was established by the ancient figure Fu Xi. Over time,
it had become very weak and occasionally showed signs of deterioration, requiring cultivators to come
and repair it. However, this task did not offer significant cultivation benefits, and it consumed a great
deal of spiritual energy. It was a thankless job, so very few cultivators in the higher realms were willing to
take it on.

When malevolent spirits appeared, the first ones to suffer were the common people in the mortal realm.
As the guardian deity of the mortal realm, the peak of life and death bore the responsibility of repairing
the barrier. Their sect's back mountain was precisely located at the weakest point of the barrier, allowing
them to promptly patch any breaches.

The barrier would break four or five times a year, like a patched-up pot that couldn't hold water.

At the entrance to the ghost realm, on the long staircase of green stone, a man in a snow-colored robe
moved gracefully. His wide sleeves fluttered, surrounded by lingering sword aura and golden brilliance.
With his own strength, he was sweeping away malevolent spirits and repairing the breaches in the
barrier.
That man had a slender waist and elegant features, giving off an otherworldly aura. From a distance, one
could easily associate him with a scholarly gentleman sitting under a blossoming tree, transcending the
world. However, upon closer inspection, his sharp eyebrows and phoenix-like eyes, along with his slender
and sharp nose, revealed a touch of cruelty in his refined and scholarly appearance. His gaze seemed to
be cold and ruthless, showing an extraordinary detachment from human emotions.

Mo Ran glanced at him from afar. Although he was somewhat prepared, when he saw this person
appearing unharmed in front of him, his entire body trembled uncontrollably.

Partly out of fear, partly out of... excitement.

His master.

Chu Wanning.

In his past life, the person Xue Meng had cried to see in front of the Wushan Palace was this man.

This man had ruined Mo Ran's grand ambitions and aspirations, and in the end, Mo Ran imprisoned and
tortured him to death.

Logically speaking, after defeating his opponent and avenging his hatred, Mo Ran should have been
happy. With the vast sea at his disposal

, he could soar freely, and with the high sky above, any bird could fly. No one could ever control him
again. Mo Ran initially thought that's how he would feel.

However, it seemed to be different.

After his master died, along with the hatred, it seemed that something else was buried as well.

Mo Ran had no cultivation or refinement, and he didn't know what that feeling was called, but it was like
encountering a worthy opponent, a moment of brilliance.

All he knew was that from now on, there would no longer be his archenemy in the world.

While his master was alive, he was scared, terrified, and trembling with fear. He would break out in a
cold sweat at the sight of the willow vine in his master's hand. He was like a beaten dog, even the sound
of a wooden clapper would make his teeth ache, his legs weak, and saliva dribble from his mouth. His
calf muscles twitched nervously.

Later, when his master died, the person Mo Ran feared the most died as well. Mo Ran felt that he had
grown and matured, finally achieving this act of deceiving his master and annihilating his ancestors.
From then on, looking out at the mortal realm, there would be no one who dared to make him kneel or
slap him across the face.

To celebrate, he opened a jar of pear blossom wine, sat on the rooftop, and drank the night away.

That night, under the influence of alcohol, the scars left by his master's whip on his back seemed to burn
with pain again.

At this moment, seeing his master reappear before him, Mo Ran stared at him, feeling both fear and
hatred, but also a twisted ecstasy.

How could he not be delighted to regain such an opponent?

Chu Wanning paid no attention to his two disciples who had intruded into the back mountain. He
remained completely focused on combating the dispersing spirits. His facial features were elegant, with
evenly arched eyebrows and cold phoenix-like eyes. He emitted an air of refinement and grace,
unaffected by the bloodshed and chaos. Even if he were to sit down now and play the qin while burning
incense, it wouldn't be strange at all.

However, this elegant and calm young man currently held a gleaming demon-slaying longsword, dripping
with fresh red blood droplets. With a sweeping motion of his wide sleeves, the sword aura cleaved
through the green stone steps in front of him, causing a thunderous explosion. Broken stones and
fragments tumbled down, creating a deep and bottomless trench that stretched from the mountain gate
all the way to the bottom of the mountain. It cleaved through thousands of levels in an instant.

It's too fierce.

How many years has it been since you witnessed the Master's strength?

This familiar and formidable dominance made Mo Ran's legs instinctively weaken. Unable to stand firm,
he fell to the ground with a thud.

Chu Wanning swiftly and neatly exterminated the ghosts and demons, closing the loopholes in the ghost
realm. After completing everything, he descended gracefully from mid-air and approached Mo Ran and
Xue Meng.

He first glanced at Mo Ran, who was kneeling on the ground, and then looked up at Xue Meng with a
hint of coldness in his phoenix eyes.

"Causing trouble?" Chu Wanning asked.

Mo Ran admitted his mistake.

The Master had the ability to immediately make the most accurate judgment on matters.

Xue Meng said, "Master, Mo Ran went down the mountain and committed theft and debauchery. Please
punish him, Master."

Chu Wanning remained expressionless and silent for a while before saying coldly, "Noted."

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

Xue Meng: "............"

Both of them were confused. What now? Is there no further action?

However, just as Mo Ran secretly felt a glimmer of hope and stole a glance at Chu Wanning, he
unexpectedly saw a sharp golden light swiftly slashing through the air. With a whoosh, it struck Mo Ran's
face!

Splatters of blood flew!

The speed of that golden light was astonishing. Mo Ran didn't even have time to dodge or close his eyes.
The skin on his face was sliced open, causing intense pain.

Chu Wanning stood with his hands behind his back, coldly standing in the night breeze. The air still
carried the lingering aura of ferocious spirits, mixed with the scent of fresh blood, making the forbidden
area in the mountains appear even more eerie and terrifying.

The one who struck Mo Ran was a bundle of willow vines that Chu Wanning had seemingly produced out
of nowhere. The vines were narrow and long, with vibrant green leaves growing on them, reaching down
to his boots.

It should have been an elegant object, evoking poetic lines like "Delicate willow branches, a token of love
for my beloved."

Unfortunately, Chu Wanning was neither delicate nor had a beloved.

The willow vine in his hand was actually a divine weapon called Tian Wen. At this moment, Tian Wen
emitted a golden-red light, illuminating the darkness and making Chu Wanning's deep and unfathomable
eyes gleam brightly.
Chu Wanning lightly touched his upper and lower lips, and said in a chilling tone, "Mo Weiyu, you're so
audacious. Do you really think I won't discipline you?"

If it were the genuine fifteen-year-old Mo Ran, he might not have taken this statement seriously and
assumed that the Master was just trying to scare him.

However, Mo Weiyu, who had been reborn, had already learned through the shedding of his own blood
in his previous life what it meant for the Master to "discipline" him. His teeth began to ache, and with a
surge of heat in his brain, he couldn't help but deny the accusations and even wished to rid himself of his
own existence.

"Master..." Blood trickled down his cheek, and Mo Ran raised his eyes, his gaze filled with a layer of mist.
He knew that he must look pitiful at this moment. "This disciple didn't steal... didn't commit
debauchery... Why did Master believe Xue Meng without even asking and strike me first?"

Mo Ran had two great tricks to deal with his uncle. First, acting cute. Second, acting pitiful. Now he
applied the same tactics to Chu Wanning, feeling wronged to the point of tears welling up. "Is your
disciple so unbearable in your eyes? Why won't Master even give me a chance to defend myself?"

Xue Meng stomped his feet in anger beside them. "Mo Ran!! You, you traitor! You shameless scum!
Master, don't listen to him, don't be deceived by this bastard! He really stole it! The stolen items are still
here!"

Chu Wanning lowered his gaze, his expression cold. "Mo Ran, did you really not steal?"

"Never."

"...You should know the consequences of lying to me."

Goosebumps covered Mo Ran's body. How could he not know? But he still stubbornly denied, "Please,
Master, see through it!"

Chu Wanning raised his hand, and the golden vines of Tian Wen swung again. This time, it didn't hit Mo
Ran's face but instead bound him tightly.

This feeling was all too familiar. Besides its daily whipping purpose, the willow vine "Tian Wen" also had
another function—

Chu Wanning stared at the tightly bound Mo Ran and asked again, "Did you steal?"

Mo Ran felt a familiar and intense pain directly piercing his heart. It was as if a small snake with sharp
teeth had suddenly plunged into his chest, wriggling within his organs.
Accompanying the pain was an irresistible temptation. Mo Ran involuntarily opened his mouth, his voice
hoarse, "I... never... ah...!!"

Seemingly aware that he was lying, the golden light of Tian Wen became more violent. Mo Ran was in
pain, cold sweat pouring out, but he still desperately resisted this torture.

This was the second function of Tian Wen, apart from whipping—it was for interrogation.

Once bound by Tian Wen, no one could lie before its master, regardless of whether they were human or
ghost, alive or dead. Tian Wen had a way of making them speak, revealing the answers Chu Wanning
wanted to know.

In his previous life, there was only one person who, with formidable cultivation, managed to keep his
secrets safe before Tian Wen.

That person was Mo Weiyu, who eventually became the Emperor of the human realm.

After being reborn, Mo Ran clung to a sliver of hope, thinking he could still withstand Tian Wen's
interrogation just as he did in the past. But after biting his lip for a long time, large drops of sweat
dripping down his dark eyebrows, trembling all over, he finally collapsed in pain before Chu Wanning's
boots, gasping heavily.

"I... I... I stole it..."

The pain suddenly disappeared.

Before Mo Ran could catch his breath, he heard Chu Wanning ask the next question, his voice even
colder.

"Did you commit debauchery?"

Smart people don't do foolish things. Since he couldn't resist earlier, it was even less likely now. Mo Ran
didn't resist at all this time and cried out in pain, "Yes, yes, yes, yes!!! Master, please stop! Stop!"

Xue Meng's face turned pale beside them, shocked. "How could you... Rong Jiu is a man, and yet you..."

No one paid him any attention. The golden light of Tian Wen gradually dimmed. Mo Ran gasped heavily,
his whole body soaked as if he had just been pulled out of water. His face was pale as paper, his lips
trembling uncontrollably, and he lay on the ground motionless.

Through his sweat-drenched eyelashes, he vaguely saw Chu Wanning

wearing a jade crown, his elegant figure with wide sleeves trailing on the ground.

A strong sense of hatred surged up suddenly—Chu Wanning! In my previous life, treating you like that
was indeed not wrong!! Even if I live again, I still can't stand you! I curse your ancestors for eighteen
generations!!

Chu Wanning had no idea that this disciple wanted to curse his ancestors for eighteen generations. He
stood in place with a gloomy expression for a while before speaking.

"Xue Meng."

Xue Meng, although aware of the current trend among wealthy merchants and young masters to engage
in same-sex relationships, where many people play with young men for the sake of novelty rather than
genuine affection, still found it difficult to accept. He paused for a moment before saying, "Master, I'm
here."

"Mo Ran has committed the three grave offenses of greed, theft, debauchery, and deception. Take him
to the Yama Hall for repentance. Tomorrow at the hour of Chen, bring him to the Good and Evil Platform
for public admonishment and punishment," stated the master.

"What... What? Public admonishment and punishment?" Xue Meng was taken aback.

Public admonishment and punishment meant bringing the disciple who had committed serious offenses
before all the disciples of the sect, in front of everyone, even the cafeteria lady, to pass judgment and
administer immediate punishment. It was a great humiliation and loss of face.

It should be noted that Mo Ran was the son of a prominent family, and although the sect had strict rules,
his special status as an orphan who had been wandering outside for fourteen years due to the
compassion of his uncle meant that he would always receive special treatment and protection. Even if he
made mistakes, he would only be reprimanded privately, without any physical punishment.

But now, the master seemed completely unconcerned about giving face to the sect's chief disciple. He
actually intended to bring the beloved nephew to the Good and Evil Platform, publicly expose and berate
him, and make Mo Ran suffer public humiliation. This was something Xue Meng had never anticipated.

On the other hand, Mo Ran was not surprised at all. He lay on the ground, a cold smile appearing at the
corner of his mouth.

His master was truly magnificent, impartial, and unyielding.

Chu Wan Ning was heartless. In his previous life, Mo Ran had cried and begged him, clinging to his
clothes and kneeling on the ground for help. But Chu Wan Ning had turned a blind eye to his pleas.

So, his disciple had died in front of him, while Mo Ran cried and knelt beside him, but Chu Wan Ning had
simply watched, indifferent and indifferent.

Now, all he was doing was sending him to the Good and Evil Platform for punishment and public
judgment. It was just a matter of public disciplinary action. What was so surprising about it?

Mo Ran only hated that he was currently too weak in his cultivation. He couldn't skin his master, extract
his tendons, drink his blood, or ruthlessly pull his hair to humiliate him. He couldn't torture him, destroy
his dignity, and make him wish for death...

The ferocity in his eyes, reminiscent of a wild beast, could not be hidden. Chu Wan Ning saw it.

He casually glanced at Mo Ran's face, his gentle and refined countenance devoid of any extra expression.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

Damn it!

The Vine of Heavenly Questioning hadn't been withdrawn yet!

Mo Ran felt the vines that bound him tighten and twist, crushing his internal organs into pieces. He cried
out in pain, gasping for breath, and shouted his thoughts out loud:

"Chu Wan Ning, you bastard! Turn around and see if I won't fuck you to death!"

Silence fell like a crow.

Chu Wan Ning: "................."

Xue Meng was dumbfounded: "................"

Tian Wen suddenly retracted from Chu Wan Ning's palm, turning into tiny specks of golden light, and
then disappeared. Tian Wen was integrated into Chu Wan Ning's bones and blood, summoned and
dispersed at will.

Xue Meng's face turned pale, stuttering: "M-m-master..."

Chu Wan Ning didn't say a word. He lowered his long, ink-black eyelashes, looking at his palm with a
momentary daze, and then slowly raised his gaze. His face surprisingly didn't break down, but his
expression grew colder. With eyes that said, "The sinful disciple deserves to die," he stared at Mo Ran for
a moment, then spoke in a low voice:

"Tian Wen is broken. I'm going to repair it."

After throwing these words, Chu Wan Ning turned around and left.

Xue Meng was a foolish child: "T-Tian, Tian Wen, a divine artifact, can it break?"

Chu WanNing heard it and turned his head, giving him a glance with those eyes that said, "The sinful
disciple deserves to die." Xue Meng shuddered instantly.

Mo Ran lay on the ground, barely breathing, his expression vacant.

Indeed, he had just been contemplating finding an opportunity to fuck Chu Wan Ning to death. He knew
well that this Master Chu, known as the "Late Night Jade Balance, Northern Dipper Immortal Lord,"
always valued refinement and propriety and couldn't stand being defiled and trampled upon by others.

But how could he let Chu WanNing know about such a thing!

Mo Ran whimpered like a discarded dog, covering his face.

Recalling the look in Chu Wan Ning's eyes as he left, he felt that his own death was probably not far
away.

The author has something to say:

Finally, the master makes an appearance~ Don't ship the wrong couple~ Don't ship the wrong seme and
uke, the master is the uke, the uke, the uke = = Mo Wei Yu is the seme! He's the main seme in this story!
Baozi: Why do you get weak in the knees when you see the master? Aren't you the seme? What about
your aura?
Mo Wei Yu: I'm getting older, I have arthritis in my legs.
Baozi: Speak properly.
Mo Wei Yu: Don't keep emphasizing that my soul is thirty-two years old in the story! After being reborn,
I'm youthful! I'm a naive and lively young person!
Baozi: Well, then continue with your arthritis in your legs (?????)っ
Chapter 7: This Venerable One Loves Eating Dumplings

The scorching sun was overhead.

On the pinnacle of life and death, Baili Huaihong, the majestic halls and corridors stretched endlessly.

As a rising star among the various sects of cultivation, it was quite different from those prestigious sects
in the Upper Cultivation Realm. Take the flourishing Linyi Confucianism Sect, for example. Their main hall
was called the "Hall of Six Virtues," with the hope that disciples could embody the six virtues of wisdom,
faith, holiness, righteousness, benevolence, and loyalty. The residential area for disciples was called the
"Gate of Six Relationships," emphasizing filial piety, friendship, harmony, marriage, trust, and
compassion among fellow disciples. The place for teaching was called the "Platform of Six Arts,"
signifying that disciples of the Confucianism Sect needed to excel in the six arts of ritual, music, archery,
charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics.

In short, it was elegant and boundless.

In contrast, the pinnacle of life and death, true to its humble origins, had names that were beyond
description. The "Hall of Danxin" and the "Platform of Good and Evil" could be considered decent names.
It seemed that Mo Ran's father and uncle, who were not well-read, struggled to come up with a few
characters and started to play around, displaying a talent for naming similar to "Xue Ya" and the like.

Therefore, the pinnacle of life and death had many names imitating the underworld. For example, the
secluded room where disciples reflected on themselves was called the "Yanluo Hall." The jade bridge
connecting the resting area and the practice area was called the "Naihe Bridge." The dining hall was
called the "Mengpo Hall," the martial arts field was called the "Knife Mountain and Fire Sea," and the
forbidden area in the back mountain was called the "Ghostly Abyss," and so on.

These were considered relatively acceptable. In more obscure places, they were simply called "This Is
Mountain," "This Is Water," "This Is Pit," and the famous "Ah Ah Ah" and "Wa Wa Wa" cliffs.

The sleeping halls of the elders naturally fell into clichés, each having their own nicknames.

Chu Wanning, of course, was no exception. He preferred tranquility and did not want to live with
everyone else. His residence was built on the southern peak of the pinnacle of life and death, hidden in a
sea of lush bamboo. In front of the courtyard, there was a pool, where red lotus flowers obscured the
sun. Due to the abundant spiritual energy, the lotus blossomed all year round, radiating a brilliant red
glow.

In secret, the disciples of the sect called this beautiful place the "Scarlet Lotus Hell."

Mo Ran thought of this and couldn't help but laugh.

Who asked Chu Wanning to always have a delicate and effeminate face? When the disciples in the sect
saw him, they looked at him as if they were seeing a fierce demon. If a demon waited somewhere, what
else would it be called if not hell?

Xue Meng interrupted his thoughts, "You still have the nerve to laugh! Eat your breakfast quickly. After
eating, come with me to the Platform of Good and Evil. Master will punish you in public today!"

Mo Ran sighed and touched the whip marks on his face, "Ouch... it hurts."

"Serves you right!"

"Ah, I don't know if Tianwen has finished repairing it or not. If it's not fixed, I hope Master won't bring it
out to interrogate me again. Who knows what nonsense I might blurt out?"

"Senior Yuheng, Junior Brother Mo once helped me dispel my inner demons when I went astray. I believe
that Junior Brother Mo's mistake this time was just a momentary lapse of judgment. I kindly request
Senior to lighten the punishment for Junior Brother," one disciple pleaded.

"Senior Yuheng, Junior Brother Mo once bestowed me with precious spiritual pills, saving my mother. He
is truly a kind-hearted person. I implore Senior to show leniency," another disciple appealed.

The last person's argument was interrupted by the previous one, leaving him speechless. In a moment of
desperation, he saw Chu Wanning's icy gaze sweeping over him. In a panic, he blurted out without
thinking, "Senior Yuheng, Junior Brother Mo once assisted me in dual cultivation—"

"Pfft!" Someone couldn't hold back their laughter and burst out.

The disciple's face immediately turned red, feeling embarrassed, he quickly retreated.

"Yuheng, calm down, calm down..." The disciplinary elder saw the situation turning unfavorable and
hurriedly tried to console him.

Chu Wanning sneered coldly, "I have never seen such shameless and audacious person. What's his
name? Whose disciple is he?"

The disciplinary elder hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly said in a low voice, "He is my disciple,
Xiaotu Yao Lian."

"Your disciple? Shameless, isn't he?" Chu Wanning raised an eyebrow.

The disciplinary elder couldn't help but feel embarrassed, his face reddening, and changed the topic,
"Well, he's quite good at singing and recitation, and he's helpful during sacrificial rituals."
Chu Wanning snorted, turned his face away, and couldn't be bothered with the shameless disciplinary
elder anymore.

On the Pinnacle of Life and Death, with thousands of people, having a dozen lackeys was normal.

Watching those disciples speak so convincingly, Mo Ran himself almost believed it. Impressive, it turned
out that there were more than just him skilled in speaking nonsense with a straight face. Truly, our sect is
filled with talented individuals.

After countless repetitions of "Senior Yuheng, please show mercy," Chu Wanning finally addressed the
disciples.

"You plead for leniency on behalf of Mo Weiyu?" He paused and continued, "Alright, all of you come
forward."

The disciples were confused but cautiously approached.

A golden light flashed in Chu Wanning's palm as Tianwen obediently appeared, swiftly binding the group
of disciples together, tightly securing them in place.

Here we go again!!

Mo Ran was almost in despair. He felt weak in the knees at the sight of Tianwen. He couldn't fathom
where Chu Wanning acquired such a twisted weapon. It's fortunate that he didn't marry in his previous
life. If any girl agreed to marry him, she would either be whipped to death or questioned to death while
still alive.

Chu Wanning's gaze held a hint of mockery. He questioned one of them, "Did Mo Ran ever help you
eliminate demons and uphold righteousness?"

Unable to withstand Tianwen's torment, the disciple immediately wailed, "No! Never!"

He turned to another disciple and asked, "Did Mo Ran assist you in overcoming your inner demons?"

"Ah! He didn't! He didn't!" the disciple cried out.

"Did Mo Ran bestow you with precious spiritual pills?"

"Ah! Help! No, no, no! I made it up! I made it up!"

Chu Wanning loosened the restraints but swiftly raised his hand and fiercely swung it, causing sparks to
fly as Tianwen snapped out and lashed across the backs of the lying disciples.

In an instant, screams filled the air and blood splattered everywhere. Chu Wanning furrowed his brows in
anger and demanded, "Why are you screaming? Kneel down! Disciplinary Elder!"

"I'm here," came the reply.

"Punish them for me!"

"Yes!"

As a result, those people not only failed to gain any benefits but each of them received ten lashes for the
offense of deception, along with the additional punishment of a severe whipping from Elder Yuheng.

During the night, Mo Ran lay on the bed, even though he had taken the medicine, his back was covered
in intersecting wounds. He couldn't even turn over and tears welled up in his eyes, sniffing miserably.

He had a cute appearance, like a beaten-up fluffy kitten. Unfortunately, his thoughts were not what one
would expect from a kitten. He gripped the bedding, biting the sheets, imagining that it was Chu
Wanning's grandson, biting! Kicking! Striking! Tearing!

The only consolation was when Shimei, whom he adored, came to visit him with a plate of his
homemade dumplings. Being looked at by those gentle and pitying eyes, Mo Ran's tears flowed even
more.

He didn't care about the saying that men don't shed tears lightly; he loved to act coquettishly with
whomever he liked.

"It hurts so much? Can you get up?" Shimei sat by his bedside and sighed, "Shizun... he was too ruthless.
Look at what he did to you... There are several wounds, and the bleeding hasn't stopped."

Hearing Shimei's concern for him, a warm current rose in Mo Ran's chest. He lifted his moist eyes from
the bedding and blinked.

"Shimei, since you care about me so much, then... then I'm not in pain anymore."

"Alas, seeing you like this, how can I not worry? You know Shizun's temper, will you dare to make such a
big mistake again in the future?"

In the candlelight, Shimei looked at him with a mix of helplessness and tenderness. His eyes were
enchanting, shimmering like gentle spring water.
Mo Ran's heart stirred slightly, and he obediently said, "I won't. I swear."

"Can I trust your oath?" Shimei smiled finally, picked up a soft-boiled egg from the soup, and said, "Have
this runny one as a reward, knowing that you like it."

Mo Ran laughed mischievously, a strand of messy hair rising on his forehead like a blooming flower.
"Shimei."

"What is it?"

"Just calling your name."

"..."

The tuft of hair wobbled.

"Shimei."

Shimei suppressed his laughter and asked, "Just calling my name?"

"Mmm, just calling your name makes me feel so happy." Shimei paused for a moment and gently
touched his forehead. "This silly child, could it be that you have a fever?"

Mo Ran burst into laughter and rolled half of his body, turning his face to look at him with bright eyes, as
if they were filled with countless twinkling stars.

"If I could eat Shimei's handmade dumplings every day, that would be wonderful."

This was not a lie.

After Shimei's death, Mo Ran had always wanted to taste his Dragon Hand Dumplings again, but that
flavor could never be replicated.

At that time, when Chu Wanning hadn't completely severed ties with him, perhaps out of guilt, Chu
Wanning quietly went to the kitchen while Mo Ran knelt in front of Shimei's coffin, lost in thought. Chu
Wanning began to knead the dough and prepare the filling, carefully wrapping a few dumplings.
However, before he could finish, Mo Ran caught sight of it, unable to bear the pain of losing his beloved.
He felt that Chu Wanning's actions were mocking him, imitating him poorly, intentionally hurting him.
Shimei died, and Chu Wanning could have saved him but refused to lend a hand. Yet, afterwards, he
wanted to make dumplings for himself as if it would make him happy. Did he really think that would
bring him joy?

Mo Ran rushed into the kitchen, knocking over all the utensils, and the plump dumplings made of
snow-white jade rolled all over the floor.

He shouted at Chu Wanning, "Who do you think you are? Are you even worthy of using his belongings?
Are you even capable of making the dishes he made? Shimei is dead, are you satisfied? Do you have to
drive all your disciples to madness or death before you're content? Chu Wanning! No one in this world
can recreate that bowl of dumplings, no matter how much you imitate, you can never be like him!"

Now, as he ate this bowl of dumplings, he felt both joy and sentimentality. Slowly, as he reached the end,
he continued to smile, but his eyes became slightly moist. Fortunately, the candlelight was dim, and
Shimei couldn't clearly see his subtle expression.

Mo Ran said, "Shimei."

"Mmm?"

"Thank you."

Shimei was taken aback for a moment but then smiled gently, "Isn't it just a bowl of dumplings? If you
like them, I'll make them for you more often in the future."

Mo Ran wanted to say that he was grateful not just for a bowl of dumplings.

He also wanted to thank Shimei for seeing his worth, not minding his background, and enduring the
fourteen years of his ruthless methods and struggles outside.

He also wanted to thank Shimei because if he hadn't suddenly thought of him, he feared that even after
being reborn, he wouldn't have been able to resist killing Rong Jiu, making another grave mistake, and
returning to the old path.

Luckily, in this lifetime, he was reborn before Shimei's death, and he was determined to protect him well.
If you were ever in danger and that heartless demon Chu Wanning refused to save you, I would be there
for you.

But how could these words be spoken out loud?

In the end, Mo Ran simply gulped down all the soup, not even leaving a trace of scallions. Then, he licked
his lips, wanting more, and his dimples were deep, making him look adorable like a fluffy little kitten.
"Will there be more tomorrow?"

Shimei cried and laughed, "Don't you want something else? Aren't you tired of it?"

"I can eat it every day without getting tired. I'm just afraid you'll find me annoying."

Shimei shook his head and smiled, "I don't know if there's enough flour. If there isn't, I'm afraid I won't
be able to make it. If that's the case, how about sweet egg soup? You love that too."

"Okay, okay. Anything you make is good."

Mo Ran's heart was filled with joy, wishing he could wrap himself in a blanket and roll around happily.

Look at how wise Shimei is. Chu Wanning, go ahead and punish me! I'm lying in bed being cared for by a
beauty, hmph!

Thinking of his own Shizun, he couldn't help but mix a handful of anger into his recent tenderness.

Mo Ran resumed his resentful habit of poking the gap between the bed boards and thought, what kind
of Evening Jade Emperor, what kind of Northern Dipper Immortal Venerable, they're all fucking
nonsense!

Chu Wanning, let's see how things unfold in this lifetime!

The author has something to say:

Shimei makes dumplings.

Mo feeds fish: Eat, eat, eat!
Shizun makes dumplings.
Mo feeds fish: Throw, throw, throw!
The peak of life and death wasted food and labor. Is this the extinction of humanity or the decline of
morality? Please watch today's "Legal Forum."

The real reason:

Shizun's cooking is too unpalatable, and as a disciple, Mo Ran has developed deep mistrust in the food
safety of Shizun's various culinary creations.
Chapter 8: This Venerable One is Being Punished

Mo Ran lay on the bed like a dead fish for three days. Just as his wounds were beginning to heal, he
received a message summoning him to the Red Lotus Water Pavilion to do menial labor as part of his
punishment.

This was also part of his punishment. During his period of confinement, Mo Ran was not allowed to leave
the mountain, but he couldn't be idle either. He had to assist the sect with miscellaneous tasks and do
some hard labor.

Typically, these tasks included things like washing dishes for Auntie Mengpo's Hall, cleaning the 365
stone lions on the pillars of the Naihe Bridge, transcribing tedious archive files, and so on.

But what was the Red Lotus Water Pavilion? It was the residence of Chu Wanning's grandson, Chu
Wanqing, and was known as the purgatory of the Red Lotus Hell.

Few people had ever been to that place at the pinnacle of life and death, and everyone who went in
either came out with their arms or legs broken.

So besides being called the Red Lotus Hell, Chu Wanning's dwelling also had a more down-to-earth
nickname: the Broken Leg Water Pavilion.

There was a joke circulating within the sect: "The water pavilion hides a beauty, the beauty beseeches
the heavens. Enter my Broken Leg Sect, know the pain of broken legs. Elder Yuheng, assisting you in
severing your meridians is the only choice."

There was once a fearless female disciple who had the audacity to covet Elder Yuheng's beauty. Taking
advantage of a dark and windy night, she secretly sneaked to the southern peak, clung to the eaves, and
tried to spy on the elder bathing and changing.

As you can imagine, that brave woman was beaten to a near-death state by Tianwen. She cried and
begged for mercy, lying in bed for more than a hundred days.

Chu Wanning even made a harsh statement that if anyone dared to repeat the offense, their eyes would
be gouged out.

See? How lacking in grace! How incomprehensible! What a disgusting man!

Among the sect, there were initially some naive and innocent junior sisters who, thinking that Elder
Yuheng would show compassion and favor to women, always acted coyly in front of him, attempting to
catch his attention. But since the elder executed the female hooligan, no one dared to have any ideas
about him.
Elder Yuheng, with his ambiguous sexuality, lacked the demeanor of a gentleman. Apart from being
handsome, he lacked everything else — this was the assessment of Chu Wanning by the disciples of the
sect.

The junior disciple who brought the message looked at Mo Ran with some sympathy and couldn't help
but suggest, "Senior Brother Mo..."

"Hmm?"

"...Since Elder Yuheng has such a bad temper, no one who goes to the Red Lotus Water Pavilion comes
out unscathed. Why don't you say your wounds haven't healed yet and ask Elder Yuheng to let you wash
dishes?"

Mo Ran was grateful for the compassionate heart of this junior disciple but declined his offer.

Seek Chu Wanning's favor? No, thanks. He didn't want to be served by Tianwen again.

So he reluctantly put on his clothes, dragging his heavy footsteps, and reluctantly made his way to the
southern peak of the pinnacle of life and death.

The Red Lotus Water Pavilion, the Red Lotus Hell, Chu Wanning's residence, no living soul could be seen
for miles around.

No one wanted to get close to where he lived. Chu Wanning's terrible taste and unpredictable
temperament made everyone in the sect keep their distance.

Mo Ran felt somewhat apprehensive, unsure of what Chu Wanning would do to him. He pondered and
speculated all the way until he reached the summit of the southern peak. After passing through layers of
bamboo groves, he was greeted by vast expanses of vibrant red lotus.

It was early morning, with the rising sun painting the sky in a magnificent tapestry of radiant colors. The
fiery red clouds reflected against the red lotus leaves in the pond, creating a dazzling display of light and
shimmering water. Pavilions and corridors stood gracefully by the water's edge, while a waterfall
cascaded down the mountain, producing the tinkling sound of water droplets hitting the stone walls.
Mist rose, and the scene exuded an enchanting tranquility.

Mo Ran's impression of it all was:

Disgusting.

No matter how beautiful it was, anything associated with Chu Wanning made him sick!
Look at this extravagant and decadent place. The disciples' dwellings were closely connected, with small
rooms, but Elder Yu Heng had the entire mountain peak to himself, along with three large ponds filled
with lotus flowers. Well, these lotus flowers were of special varieties and could be refined into valuable
medicinal herbs, but still...

He simply found it repulsive. He wished he could set this wretched water pavilion on fire!

While harboring such resentment, and considering that he was just sixteen years old this year and
unable to compete with Master Chu, Mo Ran still arrived at Chu Wanning's residence. He stood at the
door, squinting his eyes, and put on a sweet, innocent act.

"Disciple Mo Ran pays respects to Master."

"Hmm, come in."

The room was in disarray, with scattered sketches and pieces of broken metal. The cold-hearted Chu
Wanning, dressed in a white robe with the collar neatly folded, emitted an aura of restrained desire. His
long hair was tied up high, and he wore black metal gloves while sitting on the floor, tinkering with a pile
of mechanical parts. He had a pen in his mouth.

Looking at Mo Ran expressionlessly, he mumbled with the pen between his teeth, his words somewhat
unclear, "Come here."

Mo Ran went over.

This was quite challenging because there was hardly any place to set foot in this room, strewn with
sketches and broken metal pieces.

Mo Ran's eyebrow twitched. In his past life, he had never entered Chu Wanning's room, so he had no
idea that this refined and handsome man's living quarters could be so... messy. It was beyond words.

"What is Master doing?"

"Night Roaming God."

"What?"

Chu Wanning grew somewhat impatient, possibly because he had a pen in his mouth and it hindered his
speech. "Night Roaming God."

Mo Ran silently glanced at the jumble of parts on the floor.

His master, hailed as Master Chu, was not just famous for show. Honestly speaking, Chu Wanning was an
incredibly formidable man. Whether it was his three divine-level weapons, his barrier techniques, or his
expertise in mechanical engineering, he truly lived up to the phrase "reaching the pinnacle." That's also
why he had such a bad temper and was difficult to handle, yet major cultivation sects still scrambled to
recruit him.

As for the "Night Roaming God," Mo Ran, who had been reborn, was well aware of it.

It was a type of mech created by Chu Wanning, affordable and powerful in combat, capable of protecting
ordinary people within the Downward Sect's domain from supernatural threats during the night.

In his previous life, the well-crafted Night Roaming Gods became almost a necessity in every household.
Each unit was priced equivalent to a broomstick, yet their effectiveness surpassed the traditional
fierce-looking door gods.

Even after Chu Wanning's death, these Night Roaming Gods continued to protect impoverished families
who couldn't afford Daoist priests. The compassion behind this act, coupled with Chu Wanning's
indifference toward his disciples...heh, it truly disgusted Mo Ran.

Mo Ran sat down, gazing at the "Night Roaming God," which was still a pile of parts. Memories from the
past brushed through his mind as he couldn't help but pick up one of the articulated fingers of the mech
and examine it closely.

Chu Wanning finally removed the components from his mouth, freeing his hand, and glared at Mo Ran.
"The one you just touched was coated with tung oil. Don't touch it."

"Oh..." Mo Ran put down the articulated finger, adjusted his mood, and maintained an innocent and
harmless appearance as he smiled and asked, "Master, did you summon me here with the intention of
asking for my help?"

Chu Wanning nodded. "Hmm."

"To do what?"

"Clean up the room."

Mo Ran's smile froze as he looked at the room that resembled a post-earthquake scene. "............"

Chu Wanning was a genius in cultivation but a fool in daily life.

After cleaning up the fifth shattered teacup that hadn't been promptly cleared away, Mo Ran finally
couldn't take it anymore. "Master, how long has it been since you last tidied up this room? My goodness,
it's so messy!"

Chu Wanning was looking at the blueprints and didn't even raise his head. "About a year."

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

"Where do you usually sleep?"

"What?" Perhaps the blueprints had some problems, but Chu Wanning, even more irritated than usual
due to the interruption, rubbed his head and replied angrily, "Of course, I sleep on the bed."

Mo Ran glanced at the bed, piled with various half-completed mechs, along with saws, axes, files, and
other sharp tools, all gleaming with cold light.

Impressive. How hasn't this man accidentally chopped off his own head while sleeping?

After bustling around for half a day, the floor was covered in wood chips and dust, filling three dustpans.
The white cloth used to wipe the bookshelves had turned black in more than ten spots. By noon, they
had only managed to clean up half of the room.

Damn Chu Wanning. This person is more poisonous than a venomous woman.

Cleaning the room didn't seem like a severe punishment on the surface, and it didn't sound like hard
labor, but who knew it would be this godforsaken place that hadn't been cleaned for 365 days straight?
Even if he was covered in scars all over his body, even if he was physically healthy now, this kind of ordeal
could still exhaust half his life!

"Master..." Mo Ran sighed.

"Hmm?"

"These clothes of yours..." They've probably been piled up for about three months now.

Chu Wanning finally finished attaching the arm of the Night Traveler. He rubbed his sore shoulder and
glanced at the mountainous heap of robes on the wardrobe. He replied indifferently, "I'll wash them
myself."

Mo Ran breathed a sigh of relief, thankful to the heavens. Then he became curious. "Ah? Master, you can
wash clothes too?"
Chu Wanning glanced at him and after a while, coldly said, "What's so difficult about it? Just throw them
into the water, soak them, take them out, and let them dry."

"............" Mo Ran couldn't help but wonder what those infatuated girls who admired Master Chu would
think upon hearing this. He deeply felt that this man, who was of little use, was truly contemptible. How
many romantic yearnings from the girls would be shattered upon hearing these words?

"It's getting late. Come with me to the dining hall. We can finish the rest later."

The Mengpo Hall was bustling with people, and disciples at the peak of life and death were gathered in
groups, eating their meals. Chu Wanning took a lacquered wooden tray and picked up a few dishes,
silently sitting in a corner.

Within a twenty-foot radius around him, gradually, there was no one.

No one dared to sit too close to Elder Yuheng, fearing that if they upset him, they would be on the
receiving end of his thunderous anger. Chu Wanning was well aware of this, but he didn't mind. A cold
and beautiful person sat there, eating his food in a refined manner.

But today, it was a little different.

Mo Ran was brought here by him, naturally needing to stay by his side.

Others feared him, and Mo Ran feared him too, but after all, he was someone who had died once. His
fear of Chu Wanning wasn't as intense.

Especially after the initial fear faded away, the aversion from the previous life gradually emerged. So
what if Chu Wanning was powerful? He had died at Mo Ran's hands in the previous life.

Mo Ran sat down in front of him, calmly and composedly chewing on the sweet and sour spare ribs in his
bowl, making crunching sounds as he quickly stripped the bones, forming a small mountain.

Suddenly, Chu Wanning dropped his chopsticks.

Mo Ran was taken aback.

"... Can you eat without smacking your lips?"

"I'm chewing on bones. How can I not smack my lips?"

"Then don't eat bones."

"But I like eating bones."

"Go eat them somewhere else."

The argument between the two grew louder, and disciples had started stealing glances at them.

Suppressing the impulse to slam the tray onto Chu Wanning's head, Mo Ran pressed his lips together
and, after a while, narrowed his eyes. A sweet smile formed at the corner of his mouth.

"Master, don't shout so loudly. If others hear us, won't they make fun of us?"

Chu Wanning, who has always had thin skin, indeed lowered his voice and said softly, "Get lost."

Mo Ran couldn't help but laugh heartily.

Chu Wanning: "............"

"Hey, Master, don't glare at me. Let's eat, let's eat. I'll try to speak more softly."

Mo Ran had finished laughing and began pretending to be well-behaved again. The sound of him
gnawing on the bones did become much quieter.

Chu Wanning was a person who responded better to gentle persuasion. Seeing Mo Ran obediently
following his instructions, his expression slightly softened. He no longer held such deep resentment and
ate his vegetables and tofu with his head lowered in a refined manner.

But the peace didn't last long. Mo Ran started acting up again.

He didn't know what was wrong with him, but whenever he saw Chu Wanning in this lifetime, he wanted
to provoke him and make him angry.

So Chu Wanning noticed that although Mo Ran wasn't loudly chewing anymore, he began using his
hands to eat the spare ribs, getting his hands greasy with shiny sauce.

Veins popped on Chu Wanning's forehead as he tried to endure.

He lowered his eyelashes and refused to look at Mo Ran, focusing on his own meal.

It's unknown whether it was because Mo Ran was enjoying his food too much or he got carried away, but
accidentally, he tossed the chewed bone into Chu Wanning's bowl.
Chu Wanning glared at the messy and ferocious bone in his bowl, and the air around them visibly froze at
an alarming speed.

"Mo Ran...!!!"

"Master..." Mo Ran was somewhat apprehensive, unsure how much was genuine and how much was
feigned. "Uh, that... I didn't do it on purpose."

That's far from the truth.

"..."

"Don't be angry, I'll pick it out for you right away."

Saying that, he actually extended his chopsticks and swiftly plucked the bone out of Chu Wanning's bowl.

Chu Wanning's face turned ashen, as if he was about to faint in disgust.

Mo Ran blinked his eyelashes, and on his delicate face, there was a hint of pitiful grievance. "Master, are
you disgusted with me?"

"..."

"Master, I'm sorry, okay?"

That's enough.

Chu Wanning thought to himself,

Why bother stooping to the level of these juniors?
He abandoned the urge to summon Tianwen and give Mo Ran a good thrashing. But his appetite had
disappeared completely, so he stood up and said, "I'm full."

"Huh? You ate so little? Master, you barely touched your bowl," Mo Ran said in a sweet voice.

Chu Wanning replied coldly, "I'm not hungry."

Mo Ran's heart blossomed with joy, but he maintained his sweet tone, saying, "Then I won't eat either.
Let's go back to the Red Lotus Pavilion—ahem, the Red Lotus Water Pavilion."

Chu Wanning squinted his eyes. "Let's? " His gaze was somewhat mocking, and he continued, "Who said
'let's'? We should observe the proper order of seniority. Speak properly to me."
Mo Ran readily agreed with his mouth and had a smile in his eyes, appearing obedient, sensible, and
adorable.

However, in his heart, he thought, Proper order of seniority? Speaking properly?

Heh, if Chu Wanning knew about what happened in their past life, he should be clear—ultimately, in this
world, only Mo Weiyu was revered.

No matter how noble and arrogant Chu Wanning was, in the end, he was just a piece of rotten mud
under Mo Weiyu's boots, surviving by his mercy.

Hastening his steps to keep up with his Master, Mo Ran's face still bore a rather radiant smile.

If Master Mei was the moonlight in his heart, Chu Wanning was the fishbone stuck in his throat. He
wanted to pull out this bone and crush it or swallow it, letting it corrode in his stomach.

In this rebirth, he could spare anyone, but he would never spare Chu Wanning.

However, it seemed that Chu Wanning had no intention of letting him off easily either.

Mo Ran stood in front of the Red Lotus Hell's book repository, looking at the fifty rows of ten-story
bookshelves, thinking he must have misheard.

"Master, did you say... what?" he asked.

Chu Wanning replied calmly, "Clean all the books here."

"..."

"After cleaning, make an inventory."

"..."

"I'll come to inspect it tomorrow morning."

"!!!"

What!!! Was he going to spend the night in the Red Lotus Hell??

But he had made an appointment with Master Mei to change his medicine tonight!!!
He opened his mouth, intending to negotiate, but Chu Wanning couldn't be bothered. He waved his wide
sleeve, turned around, and headed to the mechanism room. As a bonus, he coldly closed the door
behind him.

Mo Ran, whose plans for a date were ruined, fell deep into a profound disgust for Chu Wanning—He
wanted to burn all of Chu Wanning's books!!

No!

As his mind turned, he came up with an even more damaging idea…

Chapter 9: This venerable one is not a drama queen

Chu Wanning's taste is truly abysmal.

Dull. Tedious. Despair-inducing.

Look at this bookshelf, what kind of trash books are these!

"The Ancient Enchantment Catalog," "Extraordinary Flowers and Strange Plants Illustrations," "Lin Yi
Confucianism School's Qin Music Score," "Collection of Plants and Trees." The only ones that can be
considered entertainment are probably a few books like "Travelogue of Shu" and "Food Guide of Bashu."

Mo Ran picked several relatively new books, obviously ones that Chu Wanning rarely reads, and smeared
and painted erotic images all over the pages. He chuckled to himself as he painted, thinking, "Hmph,
there are at least 8,000 if not 10,000 books in this collection. When Chu Wanning discovers that some of
them have been altered into banned books, who knows when that will be? By that time, Chu Wanning
won't know who did it and can only sulk in frustration. How marvelous, how marvelous."

As he thought about it, he couldn't help but laugh out loud while clutching the books.

Mo Ran painted more than ten books, letting his imagination run wild. He painted all kinds of explicit
scenes with skillful and elegant brushwork. If someone were to borrow books from Elder Yu Heng and
happened to borrow these few, it would probably lead to rumors like:

"Elder Yu Heng, with a human face but a beast's heart, actually included male-female intimate
illustrations in 'Heart-Cleansing Formula'!"

"Elder Yu Heng presumptuously claims to be a teacher, but there are continuous drawings of same-sex
love in the sword manual!"

"What kind of North Dipper Immortal, a wolf in sheep's clothing!"

The more Mo Ran thought about it, the funnier it became. In the end, he couldn't help but hold his
stomach, rolling around on the ground with the brush in hand, laughing uncontrollably. He was so
amused that his legs kicked in all directions, not even noticing when someone approached the entrance
of the library.

So when Shimei came over, what he saw was Mo Ran, rolling around in a pile of books, laughing like a
madman.

Shimei: "...Mo Ran, what are you doing?"

Mo Ran was taken aback, hurriedly sat up, and frantically covered all those explicit images, putting on a
face like a model disciple. "Uh, cleaning, I'm cleaning the floor."

Shimei suppressed his laughter. "Using clothes to clean the floor?"

"Cough, well, I couldn't find a cloth, right? Let's not talk about that. Shimei, why are you here so late?"

"I went to your room to look for you, but couldn't find you. I asked someone and found out you were
here with Master." Shimei entered the library and carefully put away the scattered books, smiling gently.
"It's nothing, I just came to check on you."

Mo Ran was delighted but also a bit surprised. He pursed his lips and, usually quick-witted, found himself
at a loss for words.

"Well... um... please have a seat!" Mo Ran turned around energetically for a while, nervously saying,
"I-I'll go make tea for you."

"No need, I came here secretly. If Master finds out, it would be troublesome."

Mo Ran scratched his head. "You have a point..." That pervert Chu Wanning! Sooner or later, he will
make him submit and no longer tolerate his tyranny!

"Have you eaten yet, Shimei?"

Shimei nodded. "I have. I brought some dishes for you."

Mo Ran's eyes lit up. "Dragon Wontons?"

"Heh, you never get tired of them. I didn't bring wontons; Red Lotus Waterside Pavilion is far away, and I
was afraid they would get ruined. Here, it's some stir-fried dishes. Take a look and see if they suit your
taste."

Shimei opened the nearby food container, revealing several brightly colored small dishes. There was a
plate of shiitake mushrooms, a plate of fish-flavored shredded pork, a plate of Kung Pao chicken, a plate
of smashed cucumber, and a bowl of rice.

"Ah, no chili peppers?"

"I was afraid you'd crave them too much, so I added a little. Your wound hasn't fully healed, so I didn't
dare to add too much. Just enough to enhance the flavor, better than having no hint of red at all."
Mo Ran happily bit his chopsticks, his dimples as sweet as honey under the candlelight. "Wow! It's so
touching, I feel like crying!"

Shimei suppressed a laugh. "Wait until you finish crying, or the food will get cold. Eat first, then cry."

Mo Ran cheered and started eating with lightning speed.

His eating habits were like a starving canine, and Chu Wanning always found it unbearable to watch him
eat like a ghost. But Shimei didn't mind.

Shimei always acts gently, smiling as he urges Mo Ran to eat slower. He passes him a cup of tea. The
plate quickly becomes empty, and Mo Ran pats his stomach contentedly, squinting his eyes and sighing,
"Satisfied..."

Seemingly casual, Shimei asks, "Are the Dragon Wontons delicious, or are these dishes delicious?"

When it comes to food, Mo Ran's passion is like his obsession with first love. He tilts his head, looking at
Shimei with his dark, shiny, and soft eyes. He grins and says, "Dragon Wontons."

"...," Shimei shakes his head with a smile. After a while, he says, "A-Ran, let me change your medicine for
you."

The ointment was prepared by Lady Wang.

Lady Wang was once a disciple of the "Solitary Moon Night," a sect of medicinal alchemy. She was weak
in martial arts and disliked violence, but she loved studying medicine. At Sisheng Peak, there was a
medicinal garden where she personally cultivated many precious herbs, so the sect never lacked
medicinal supplies.

Mo Ran took off his shirt, turning his back to Shimei. The scar behind him still throbbed slightly, but with
Shimei's warm fingers dipped in ointment, gently massaging and applying it, the pain gradually faded,
and he began to feel restless.

"Alright," Shimei wraps a new bandage around Mo Ran carefully and ties a neat knot. "Put your clothes
on."

Mo Ran turns his head and looks at Shimei. In the dim candlelight, Shimei's fair skin is as white as snow,
becoming even more enchanting. Mo Ran's mouth feels dry as he watches, and he really doesn't want to
put on his clothes. But after hesitating for a moment, he lowers his head and quickly puts on his jacket.

"Shimei."
"Yes?"

In this secluded and secret study, the atmosphere between these two lonely men is quite pleasant. Mo
Ran originally wanted to say something romantic and moving, but being illiterate enough to give himself
a regnal title of "Jiba," he stammers for a long time. With a flushed face and a swollen mouth, he can
only manage to blurt out three words, "You're really good."

"It's nothing, it's only natural," Shimei replies with tenderness.

"I'll treat you especially well too." Mo Ran's tone is calm, but his palms are sweaty, betraying his
turbulent inner feelings. "Once I become powerful, no one will dare to bully you. Not even Master."

Shimei is surprised by his sudden words, hesitates for a moment, and gently says, "Alright then, from
now on, I'll rely on A-Ran."

"Mhm..." Mo Ran awkwardly agrees, but Shimei's captivating gaze makes him even more restless. He
doesn't dare to look anymore, so he lowers his head.

He has always been cautious around this person, even somewhat single-mindedly obsessed.

"Ah, did Master ask you to clean so many books? And even make new ones overnight?"

Mo Ran wants to save face in front of his beloved, "It's alright, I'll manage to catch up. There's still time."

Shimei says, "Let me help you."

"But that won't do. If Master finds out, we'll both be punished." Mo Ran is determined. "It's getting late;
you should go back and rest. We have morning cultivation tomorrow."

Shimei holds his hand and laughs softly, saying, "It's okay, he won't find out. We'll be discreet..."

Before he can finish his sentence, a cold voice interrupts them.

"What do you mean by being discreet?"

Chu Wanning, with his cold expression and frosty gaze in his phoenix eyes, has appeared from the study
room. Clad in white, he stands sternly at the entrance of the book vault, staring at them without any
expression. His gaze lingers briefly on their intertwined hands before shifting away.

"Shi Mingjing, Mo Weiyu, you have quite the audacity."

Shimei's face turns pale as snow in an instant, and he quickly releases Mo Ran's hand, his voice barely
audible, "Master..."

Mo Ran also senses the impending trouble and lowers his head, "Master."

Chu Wanning walks in, ignoring Mo Ran, and instead looks down at the kneeling Shimei. He speaks
calmly, "The Red Lotus Water Pavilion is protected by a barrier. Did you think that you could enter
without notification and I wouldn't know?"

Shimei bows in fear, "Disciple knows his mistake."

Mo Ran becomes anxious, "Master, Shimei only came to change my medicine and was about to leave.
Please don't blame him."

Shimei is also anxious, "Master, this matter has nothing to do with Junior Brother Mo. It's my fault, and
I'm willing to accept punishment."

"..."

Chu Wanning's face turns blue.

Without saying much, these two immediately rush to defend each other, treating him as if he were a
great threat, united against him. After a moment of silence, Chu Wanning forcibly suppresses the
twitching of his eyebrows and says in a faint tone, "Such deep camaraderie among sect members is truly
moving. It seems that in this room, I am the only villain."

Mo Ran says, "Master..."

"...Don't call me that."

Chu Wanning flicks his wide sleeves and refuses to speak further. Mo Ran has no idea what has
happened to make him so angry. He guesses that Chu Wanning hates people fussing around him,
regardless of the context. Perhaps it's all irritating to him.

The three of them remain in silence for a long time.

Suddenly, Chu Wanning turns around and walks away.

Shimei lifts his face, his eyes slightly red, looking lost and bewildered, "Master?"

"You go copy the sect rules ten times. You may leave now."
Shimei lowers his gaze, and after a while, he whispers, "...Yes."

Mo Ran continues to kneel in his original spot.

Shimei stood up, glanced at Mo Ran, hesitated for a moment, but eventually knelt down again, pleading
with Chu Wanning.

"Master, Junior Brother Mo's scar has just healed. I dare to ask you not to be too hard on him."

Chu Wanning remained silent, standing alone under the dim candlelight. After a while, he suddenly
turned his face, his sword-like eyebrows sharp, and his gaze fierce with anger.

"Why so much nonsense? Aren't you leaving?!"

Chu Wanning was originally handsome but lacked tenderness. When he turned fierce, it was terrifying.
Shimei trembled in fear, afraid of provoking Master and further implicating Mo Ran. He quickly bowed
and retreated.

Only the two of them remained in the book vault. Mo Ran sighed to himself and said, "Master, I was
wrong. I will continue with the book registration."

Chu Wanning, without even turning his head, said coldly, "If you're tired, you can go back."

Mo Ran suddenly raised his head.

Chu Wanning said in a frosty tone, "I won't keep you."

Why would he let himself off so easily? There must be a catch!

Mo Ran cleverly responded, "I won't leave."

Chu Wanning paused for a moment, then sneered, "...Fine, suit yourself."

With a swish of his wide sleeves, Chu Wanning turned and left.

Mo Ran was stunned—there was no catch? He thought Chu Wanning would definitely punish him with a
lash of the willow.

He worked diligently until midnight, finally completing the tasks. Mo Ran yawned and left the book vault.

By now, it was late at night, and a dim light still emanated from Chu Wanning's bedroom.
Huh? That annoying demon lord hasn't slept yet?

Mo Ran walked over, intending to greet Chu Wanning before leaving. As he entered the room, he realized
Chu Wanning had already settled down, but this forgetful person had forgotten to extinguish the candle
before going to sleep.

Or perhaps, he was in the middle of working on something and fell asleep from exhaustion. Mo Ran
glanced at the half-finished mechanism taking shape by the bedside, and in his mind, he considered this
possibility. Finally, upon seeing that Chu Wanning hadn't taken off his metal gloves and still held a
half-engaged mechanism, he confirmed the truth.

When Chu Wanning slept, he didn't exude the same cold and chilling aura. He curled up on a bed filled
with mechanical parts, saws, and axes. There were too many things cluttered around, leaving barely any
space to fit, so he curled up small, hunching his body. His long eyelashes drooped, giving him a
somewhat lonely appearance.

Mo Ran stared at him, dazed for a moment.

What exactly was Chu Wanning angry about today?

Could it be that he was only angry about Shimei's unauthorized entry into the Red Lotus Water Pavilion
and wanted to help him organize the books?

Mo Ran approached the bedside, rolled his eyes, and leaned close to Chu Wanning's ear, speaking in an
extremely soft voice, attempting to call out, "Master?"

"Mmm..." Chu Wanning softly hummed, tightening his hold on the cold mechanical part in his arms. He
slept deeply, breathing evenly. The sharp teeth of the metal glove he hadn't removed pressed against his
face, resembling the claws of a cat or a leopard.

Seeing that Chu Wanning didn't seem likely to wake up anytime soon, Mo Ran's heart stirred, and he
squinted his eyes, a mischievous smile forming at the corner of his mouth. He leaned closer to Chu
Wanning's earlobe, lowered his voice, and tentatively said, "Master, wake up."

「……」

"Shizun?"

"……"

"Chu Wanning?"
"……"

"Heh, you're really fast asleep." Mo Ran chuckled and propped his arm on the edge of the pillow,
grinning as he looked at Chu Wanning. "Well, that's great. I'll take this opportunity to settle some scores
with you."

Unaware that someone wanted to settle scores with him, Chu Wanning continued to slumber peacefully,
his handsome face serene.

Mo Ran tried to put on a stern demeanor, but growing up in the pleasure district and not having much
education, he lacked the eloquence. The words and phrases he pieced together sounded particularly
awkward and amusing.

"Bold and disobedient member of the Chu clan, you dare to deceive the ruler, disrespect the emperor,
you… um, you…"

Scratching his head, feeling a bit at a loss for words, after all, in his past life, he would often curse people
as "you lowly servant" or "you wretched dog." But none of these seemed appropriate for Chu Wanning.

After racking his brains for a while, he suddenly remembered a phrase commonly used by the sisters in
the pleasure district. Although he wasn't quite sure of its meaning, it seemed fitting. So Mo Ran raised
an eyebrow and sternly said:

"You heartless and despicable little jackass, do you know your crimes?"

Chu Wanning: "……"

"Since you're not speaking, I'll take it as your admission of guilt!"

Chu Wanning, feeling a bit disturbed by the noise, let out a dissatisfied grunt and continued to sleep,
holding onto the mechanical part.

"You've committed such a grave offense, according to the law, I should sentence you… um, sentence you
to a punishment of the mouth! Liu Gonggong!"

Only after calling out did he realize that Liu Gonggong was someone from his past life.

Mo Ran thought for a moment and decided to play the role of the palace eunuch himself. So he
fawningly said, "Your Majesty, this servant is here."

Then he immediately cleared his throat and solemnly declared, "Execution shall commence
immediately."
"I humbly obey Your Majesty's command."

Alright, the lines were recited.

Mo Ran rubbed his hands together and began to "punish" Chu Wanning.

The so-called mouth punishment didn't actually exist; Mo Ran made it up on the spot.

So, how should this impromptu mouth punishment be executed?

Mo Ran, the tyrant of his generation, cleared his throat with a serious expression, his gaze cold and
menacing. He leaned in slowly towards Chu Wanning's cold and pristine lips, as if approaching a clear
spring in a snowy valley.

Then...

Mo Ran abruptly stopped and stared at Chu Wanning, his voice fluctuating, as he cursed:

"Chu Wanning, f*ck your mother, you narrow-minded little..."

Smack. Smack.

Two resounding slaps on the mouth.

Hehe, the punishment was successful!

Feels great!

Mo Ran was enjoying himself when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his neck, realizing something was
amiss. He quickly lowered his head and met a pair of noble and cold phoenix eyes.

Mo Ran: "......"

Chu Wanning's voice was as icy as a shattered jade on an icy lake as he couldn't decide whether it was
filled with ethereal charm or chilling coldness. "What are you doing?"

"I... cough. This servant... cough cough!" Fortunately, these two sentences were as soft as a mosquito's
hum. Chu Wanning furrowed his brow at Mo Ran, indicating that he hadn't quite heard clearly. Mo Ran
had a moment of inspiration and raised his hand to deliver two slaps near Chu Wanning's face.

"..."
Faced with the increasingly displeased expression of his master, the former Emperor of the Human
Realm, Mo Ran, grinned in a flattering manner and said, "Master, I was just trying to swat a mosquito for
you, disciple was just trying to swat a mosquito for you, ha-ha!"

Author's Note:
Welcome to this issue of the "Characters" column on RBTV. Our guest today is the first generation
(scratch that) of the tyrant king, Mo Weiyu. Please welcome our special host, Xue Mengmeng, online
(^▽^).

Xue Mengmeng: While ordinary cultivators aim for ascension, you strive to become an emperor in the
cultivation world. Mo Ran, I've always wanted to ask you, even though the tags for this story don't
mention emperors or kings, why did you insist on developing a feudal empire?

Mo Feiyu: Developments often have two directions, don't they?

Xue Mengmeng: It seems so.

Mo Feiyu: Let me ask you then, have you ever encountered a Huang Sang in cultivation?

Xue Mengmeng (stunned): (⊙o⊙)... Um... well... this...

Mo Feiyu: Let me remind you, do you know the honorary title of Emperor Jiajing?

Xue Mengmeng: ??? This person seems to be from a different dimension than us. My master never
taught me about that.

Mo Feiyu: Let me teach you, my cousin. His title is "Supreme Great Luo Celestial Immortal, Purple
Extreme Eternal Life, Holy Wisdom Illuminating Spirit, Ruler of Three Realms, Proven Jade Void, Grand
Director of Five Thunders, Great True Immortal of Profound Realm, Eternal Emperor of Ten Thousand
Longevity."

Xue Mengmeng: ...

Mo Feiyu: (smiling) I envy him. I also want to be called "Supreme Great Luo Celestial Immortal, Purple
Extreme Eternal Life, Holy Wisdom Illuminating Spirit, Ruler of Three Realms, Proven Jade Void, Grand
Director of Five Thunders, Great True Immortal of Profound Realm, Stepping Immortal Emperor Mo
Feiyu."

Xue Mengmeng: ... You, go away. I don't know you.

Mo Feiyu (rolls eyes): Hehe, so you're saying that only emperors can cultivate, and Daoists cannot be
called kings?

Character Profile:
Name: Mo Ran
Courtesy Name: Wei Yu
Posthumous Title: Supreme Great Carrot Celestial Immortal, Purple Longevity, Holy Wisdom Illuminating
Spirit, Provocative Master, Certified King of Kingly Acts, Total Manager of Thunderous Blasts,
Steamrolling Expert of Shamelessness, Stepping Immortal Emperor.
Occupation: Emperor (deceased)
Social Status: Illiterate
Current Favorite: Shi Mei
Favorite Food: (crossed out) Chu Wanning (crossed out) Dragon Wontons
Dislikes: Being despised
Height: 186 cm before death, as a reincarnated youthful youth, not yet fully grown. Why should I reveal
it to the public? Huff.

It's been a while since the last update, so here are some bonus short scenes. Bang bang bang, running
far away.