Chapter 78

Shi Ran and a few others found a mountain cave to serve as their lodging for the night; by now the four of them were utterly exhausted, but Luo Changfeng insisted on taking the first watch with Qiu Chengshuang, while Shi Ran had originally wanted to tough it out once more, but she could barely keep her eyes open.

In particular, the crackling bonfire deep in the cave dispelled the bone‑chilling cold, drying and warming this small patch of heaven and earth, forming two starkly different worlds from the raging wind and snow outside.

Shi Ran sat hugging her knees beside the fire, the orange‑red flames flickering in her unfocused pupils, gradually blurring into a hazy glow; the fatigue from days of travel and the distant howling wind finally dragged her into a drowsy sleep.

Not far away, Ruan Xinli could no longer hold herself up, curling up like a small creature seeking shelter, her breathing growing shallow and faint, her eyelashes trembling like butterfly wings and drawing attention; Qiu Chengshuang's gaze lingered on her for a moment, then he took off his heavy cloak and gently draped it over her.

His gaze shifted to the other side, where Shi Ran was similarly curled up; after a moment, he pressed his thin lips together, his eyes flickering with an indescribable complexity, as if casually, without thinking, he lightly pulled a corner of the cloak over and covered Shi Ran's thin shoulders—a motion so swift it seemed like an illusion caused by the fire's dance.

Yet this subtle scene still caught Luo Changfeng's eye; the corner of his mouth silently curled into a subtle arc, tinged with amusement and feeling, he idly poked the fire, a few sparks crackling and linking together, briefly illuminating his smiling face.

'Heh!' he chuckled low, his voice unusually clear in the relatively quiet cave: 'I never imagined that, in this lifetime, I could actually share a room so peacefully with Junior Sister Shi Ran; if this had happened before…' He paused, a hint of coldness slipping into his smile: 'You wouldn't even dare dream of it.'

'I never thought of that either!' Qiu Chengshuang almost immediately interjected, his tone firm and decisive, as if trying to dispel some invisible chill; he unconsciously moved a bit closer to the fire, the leaping flames lighting his profile, sharp‑cut, yet unable to hide the fleeting gloom lurking in the depths of his eyes.

Those past years held too many unspeakable events, and now they weighed heavily upon him in silence.

The gate of memory was pried open a crack by Luo Changfeng's words, and it began to rush back uncontrollably to the beginning.

When the master brought back that delicately carved little girl to the mountain gate, who could not like her? At that time Shi Ran was truly lovely as jade and snow, unlike the quiet aloofness of A Xue; her small mouth was sweet as if smeared with honey, full of mischievous ideas—she could lift roof beams upstairs and catch fish in the river downstream, and with a glance she could easily have several senior brothers dazed and confused.

Back then those few hot‑blooded youths would have loved to pluck the stars and moon from the sky and hold them before her; indeed, Qiu Chengshuang dared say that at that time Shi Ran was the little sun cradled in the palm of the whole sect.

But when did this sun begin to scorch people?

Perhaps it was that overcast afternoon when fifteen‑year‑old Shi Ran, tears streaming like pear blossoms in the rain, threw herself at the master's feet, her trembling fingers pointing at Qiu Chengshuang and accusing him of harboring ill intent during his sword‑instruction; Qiu Chengshuang felt as if struck by lightning—shocked, humiliated, his righteous anger instantly engulfing him, his face flushing, his chest feeling blocked, he could only utter a hoarse defense, while the fleeting, almost cruel triumph in Shi Ran's eyes pierced his heart like an ice shard, cracking the foundation of their trust for the first time.

Qiu Chengshuang wanted to ask why, but Shi Ran's gaze was full of mockery: 'Second Senior Brother, if something has already been promised, don't lightly replace the person; if you take the first, don't blame me for taking the fifteenth!'

Qiu Chengshuang didn't understand at the time, but upon seeing the Ice Stream Sword in Shi Ran's hand he suddenly realized—she had only been after this sword....

Or perhaps it was during a routine sparring session with Mei Ruoxue in the training yard that somehow took a turn—Shi Ran's sword moves suddenly became vicious and tricky, infused with a madness bent on killing, Mei Ruoxue was caught off guard, a blade piercing her shoulder blade, blood instantly staining her plain white disciple uniform, and she staggered and fell.

When the master shouted his questioning at Shi Ran, she merely stood cold and stern, still gripping the blood‑stained Ice Stream Sword, her face showing no guilt or panic, only a near‑indifferent arrogance, even the corner of her mouth retaining a hint of unyielding chill; that gaze made everyone present feel a bone‑deep cold, and the bond of fellow disciples looked utterly pale before the spilled blood.

'Master, I was just testing this sword; Senior Sister is too frail, she can't withstand these moves!' Shi Ran even lifted the corner of her mouth, saying, 'Looks like Senior Sister needs to train harder!'

Otherwise, it was that scandal that completely shattered everyone's limits—she actually dared to do something to Gu Yusheng.... I don't know what means she used; failing to succeed in offering herself to his bed, she slipped the secret medicine she had stolen from a brothel into Gu Yusheng's tea cup; if not for Gu Yusheng's extraordinary willpower, when the drug took effect he would have forcibly restrained himself and burst out the door, the consequences unthinkable.

Even now Qiu Chengshuang still remembers Gu Yusheng bursting out the door with an ashen face, tightly pressed lips, and eyes blazing with fury that seemed ready to burn everything—an intensity of emotion they had never seen in him before; but when Shi Ran was caught red‑faced, she showed hardly any shame, only regret and resentment at her failed scheme, she gave them a cold smile, as if dismissing it, and in that moment all their lingering affection and goodwill were utterly washed away by that turbid cup of tea.

Finally, it was the Master; Shi Ran actually dared to covet the Master—she, who ought to have been the Master's Dharma protector, actually.... If it weren't for Luo Changfeng discovering and stopping her in time, the consequences would be unbearable to imagine. This was like the last straw that broke the camel's back; they watched helplessly as the once little sun slowly turned into a scorching karmic fire that burns people, and each of them wished they could stay far away from her.

It would have been best never to have met her!

Memories were like the howling wind and snow outside the cave, icy and piercing; Qi Chengshuang abruptly gathered his thoughts, his gaze unconsciously turning once more to the sleeping face illuminated by the firelight—now she was curled up in a corner of her cloak, brows slightly furrowed, revealing a hint of fragile childlikeness. This fragile illusion overlapped and then separated from the memory of that scheming, ruthless Shi Ran, stirring a chaotic vortex in his heart. He silently stared at the bonfire; the only sound left in the cave was the crackling of burning wood.

A thin red thread slowly crawled up Shi Ran's cheek; Qi Chengshuang, lost in recollection, didn't notice until Shi Ran sat up straight and said, 'Here I come!'

All of this was indeed similar to the dream of reincarnation; Qi Chengshuang forced himself to focus and said, 'What?'