The Husky and His White Cat Shizun

Chapter 4: This Sect Master's Younger Cousin

This Shi Mo was not that Shi Mei.

Shi Mo was indeed a male, and in terms of entry into the sect, he was actually Mo Ran's senior.

The reason for his ill-fated name was entirely due to the ignorance of the esteemed master of Death and Rebirth Peak.

Originally an orphan, Shi Mo was found by the esteemed master in the wilderness. The child had been frail and sickly since young, so the master thought it best to give him a lowly name, one that would ensure his survival.

The child had been born with rosy lips and pearly whites, looking like a charming little girl. Thus, the esteemed master racked his brains and came up with the name Xue Ya.

As Xue Ya grew older, he became more handsome, with an attractive appearance and an air of charisma. There was a touch of unparalleled charm about him.

It might be acceptable for a villager to bear the name Xue Ya, but had anyone ever heard of a stunning beauty called "Dog Egg" or "Iron Pillar"?

The fellow disciples felt it inappropriate and gradually stopped calling him Xue Ya. However, they dared not change a name given by the esteemed master, so they began jestingly addressing him as Shi Mei, meaning junior sister.

"Junior Sister this" and "Junior Sister that," eventually the esteemed master waved his hand and kindly suggested, "Xue Ya, why don't you change your name to Shi Mo, as in 'obscure,' what do you think?"

And yet he had the nerve to ask how it was... Who could endure such an absurd name? But Shi Mo was a patient man. He looked up at the Lord and found him beaming with delight, apparently believing he had done something truly magnificent. Shi Mo couldn't bear to disappoint him; even if he himself felt slighted, he couldn't mar the Lord's pride. So he knelt in grateful acceptance and agreed to change his name.

"Cough, cough," the figure in black coughed, finally catching his breath. He lifted his gaze to look at Mo Ran. "Hm? Ah Ran? Why are you here?"

Through the gauzy veil, those eyes were as gentle as spring water and as bright as stars, piercing straight into Mo Ran's heart.

In that one glance, Heaven-Stepping Lord's long-forgotten tenderness and youthful sentiments were suddenly reawakened.

It was Shi Mo.

There's no mistake about it.

Mo Ran is a scoundrel at heart. In his previous life, he had been involved with numerous men and women, and it was quite unexpected for him not to die from exhaustion. Even he found this surprising.

Yet, the one person he genuinely held dear in his heart, he had always handled with the utmost care, never daring to approach casually.

In those years, he and Shi Mo had engaged in a subtle, romantic dance under the moon and snow, but by the time Shi Mo died, Mo Ran had only held his hand and accidentally kissed him once.

Mo Ran felt tainted, inadequate beside Shi Mo's gentle purity.

For someone he cherished so deeply while alive, his passing would only make him all the more precious in Heaven-Stepping Lord's heart, forever shining as a bright white moonlight that haunted his thoughts. Yet, no matter how much he yearned, the person was now but a handful of earth, with no trace of their divine presence in the netherworld.

In this very moment, the living Shi Mo stood before him once more, and Mo Ran had to exert every ounce of self-control to suppress his overwhelming emotions.

Mo Ran helped Shi Mo up, brushing off the dust from his cloak with great concern. "If I hadn't been here, how much more would they have bullied you? Why didn't you fight back when they hit you?"

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

"You think there's any reasoning with these people! Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?"

"Cough, cough... Ah Ran, I... I'm fine."

Mo Ran turned to the Taoist priests with a fierce expression. "You dared to lay a hand on someone from Death Peak? Your courage is commendable."

"Ah Ran... let's just drop it..."

"You want to fight, don't you? Come then! Why not test your skills against me!"

The Taoist priests, having felt the force of Mo Ran's palm, realized that his cultivation far surpassed theirs. They were the type to yield to strength, so they dared not confront Mo Ran and instead retreated in unison.

Shi Mo sighed repeatedly, pleading, "Ah Ran, don't push it. Wherever possible, show mercy."

Mo Ran turned to look at him, a wave of sorrow and a stinging sensation in his eyes inevitable.

Shi Mo had always been such a kind-hearted person. Even when he died in his previous life, he harbored no resentment or hatred. He even advised Mo Ran against holding a grudge against their Master, who could have saved him but chose to stand by and watch.

"But they…"

"I'm fine, isn't everything alright? It's better to avoid trouble than to invite it. I'll listen to Senior Brother."

"Aiya, alright then, I'll listen to you." Mo Ran shook his head and glared at the Taoist priests. "Did you hear that? My Senior Brother is pleading for your mercy! Don't you hurry up and leave? Do you want me to escort you out?"

"Yes, yes, yes! We'll leave right away! Right away!"

Shi Mo called out to the Taoist priests, "Wait a moment."

The few of them, having just beaten Shi Mo up, assumed he wouldn't let them off easily. They prostrated themselves on the ground and repeatedly kowtowed. "Immortal Lord, we were wrong. We failed to recognize your greatness. Please spare us, Immortal Lord!"

"I told you nicely before, but you wouldn't listen," Shi Mo sighed. "Kidnapping others' children and causing such pain to their parents—can you live with yourselves?"

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

"Do you understand now that you must lead honest lives and not commit any more wicked deeds?"

"Yes! Immortal Lord, you are right! We... we have learned our lesson! We have learned!"

"In that case, apologize to this lady and heal her children properly."

With that settled, Mo Ran helped Shi Mo onto a horse while he borrowed another from the inn. The two rode side by side back to their sect.

High above, crescent moons hung in the sky, casting their light through the trees, illuminating the forest path below.

As they rode along, Mo Ran began to feel content. He had expected to see Shi Mo only when they returned to the Summit of Life and Death, but fate had brought them together on this trip. Mo Ran was even more convinced that he and Shi Mo were truly destined to be together.

Though Shi Mo wasn't yet with him at this point, they had already been intimate in their previous life. It seemed natural and effortless for them to pick up where they left off.

His only concern now was to protect Shi Mo and ensure that he would never again meet a tragic end in his arms, as he had done in the past.

Unaware that Mo Ran had been reborn, Shi Mo continued chatting with him as usual. As they conversed, they arrived at the foot of the Peak of Life and Death.

To their surprise, a person stood before the mountain gate under the moonlit night, glaring at them intently.

"Mo Ran! You actually dared to come back?!"

"Huh?"

Lifting his gaze, Mo Ran found himself facing an enraged prodigy.

This person was none other than the younger version of Xue Meng.

Compared to the one he saw moments before his death, this 15 or 16-year-old Xue Meng appeared even more rebellious and dashing. Dressed in a simple black armor with blue trimming, he sported a high ponytail, silver hairpin, a lion-head belt cinching his slender waist, protective gloves, and leg wraps. Behind him hung a narrow, gleaming crescent blade, while a quiver of silver-tipped arrows adorned his left arm.

Mo Ran sighed inwardly, forming a clear thought:

Hmm, quite flamboyant.

Xue Meng, whether as a youth or an adult, was indeed very... flamboyant.

Look at him, a fine young man, not sleeping at night but dressed in the full set of Shengsheng Peak's battle armor. What is he planning to do? Perform a pheasant's courtship dance or a peacock's display?

However, Mo Ran didn't care for Xue Meng, and vice versa.

Mo Ran was an illegitimate child. As a child, he had no idea who his father was. He spent his days working at a pleasure house in Xiangtan. It wasn't until he was fourteen that he was found and brought back to Shengsheng Peak by his family.

Xue Meng, on the other hand, was the young master of Shengsheng Peak. Technically, he was Mo Ran's cousin. Gifted and precocious, he was known as the "Heaven's Favorite" or the "Phoenix Child." Most people took three years to establish their Foundation and at least ten years to form their Spirit Core. But with his exceptional talent, Xue Meng accomplished this feat in just five years, much to the delight and praise of his parents.

In Mo Ran's eyes, whether he was a phoenix or a chicken, a peacock or a duck, they were all still birds. The difference was merely the length of their feathers.

So Mo Ran looked at Xue Meng as a bird-brained fellow.

While Xue Meng regarded Mo Ran as a dog-like creature.

Perhaps it was due to genetic inheritance, but Mo Ran's talent was also astonishing, perhaps even more so than Xue Meng's.

When Mo Ran first arrived, Xue Meng felt himself superior, refined, knowledgeable, skilled, and handsome. He saw himself as worlds apart from his illiterate, carefree, and uncouth elder cousin.

Thus, the self-absorbed Phoenix Child instructed his attendants, "Listen carefully. This person named Mo Ran is idle and uneducated, a thorough scoundrel of the streets. None of you are to acknowledge him; treat him like a dog."

The attendants fawned, "Young Master is absolutely right. Mo Ran is already fourteen, and he's only just starting to cultivate. I reckon it'll take him at least ten years to build his foundation, and another twenty to form his spirit core. By then, our Young Master would have transcended the tribulation and ascended, while he'd still be stuck on the ground, watching."

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

To everyone's surprise, that so-called waste of space, after a year of learning from his master, actually achieved great success in forming his spirit core.

Phoenix Jr. was struck as if by lightning, feeling thoroughly humiliated and unable to swallow this bitter pill.

So he secretly made voodoo dolls of Mo Ran, cursing him to slip off his flying sword and for his tongue to tie in knots when chanting spells.

Every time he saw Mo Ran, little Phoenix Xue Meng couldn't resist giving him two cold, dismissive glares, snorting so loudly that it could be heard three miles away.

Recalling these childhood memories, Mo Ran couldn't help but grin, his eyes narrowing with amusement. He hadn't enjoyed such earthly delights in a long time. After a decade of solitude, even the things he once despised tasted crunchy and delicious now.

Upon seeing Xue Meng, Shi Mo dismounted and removed his black veil, revealing a breathtakingly exquisite face.

It was no wonder he dressed up like this when he went out alone. Mo Ran, sneaking glances from the side, felt his heart race and his mind wander. He thought to himself that this person was truly of peerless beauty, capable of captivating souls and stealing one's breath.

Shi Mo greeted him, "Young Master."

Xue Meng nodded. "Back already? Did you take care of the Yeti issue?"

Shi Mo smiled. "Done. Thanks to Ah Ran, I got a lot of help."

With an arrogant gaze like a sharp wind, Xue Meng swiftly swept his eyes over Mo Ran before turning away. He frowned, his face filled with disdain, as if even a moment longer would soil his eyes.

"Shi Mo, go back and rest first. In the future, stay away from him. He's a scoundrel. Being around him will corrupt you."

Mo Ran didn't back down either. He taunted, "Shi Mo isn't learning from me, then he must be learning from you? Dressed up in full armor at night, strutting around like a peacock. Such a proud child of heaven... Hahaha, I think you're more like a child of heaven, but a female one, right?"

Xue Meng flew into a rage. "Mo Ran, watch your tongue! This is my house! Who do you think you are?"

Mo Ran calculated. "I'm your cousin. By seniority, I should be above you."

Xue Meng was as if he had been splashed with dog feces, immediately wrinkling his nose in disgust as he shouted, "Who wants a cousin like you! Don't flatter yourself. In my eyes, you're nothing but a dog that rolled in the mud!"

Xue Meng loved to call others dogs, whether it was dog son, dog thing, or born of a bitch. His words flowed smoothly with just a flick of his lips. Mo Ran was long accustomed to it, simply brushing it off by cleaning his ears. On the other hand, Shi Mo felt embarrassed listening to this and softly tried to mediate. Xue Meng finally snorted coldly through his nose and closed his noble bird mouth.

Shi Mo smiled gently and asked, "Young Master, why are you waiting at the mountain gate so late?"

"Or what? Admire the moon together?"

Mo Ran chuckled, holding his belly in amusement. "I should have known why you're dressed up so nicely. You're waiting for a date, huh? Oh, I feel so sorry for whoever has the misfortune of being on your mind. Hahahaha."

Xue Meng's face darkened even more, as if his nails could scratch off three pounds of coal. He growled gruffly, "You!"

"...Me?"

"What if this prince is waiting for you? What would you do?"

Mo Ran was left speechless, "……………………?????"