Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality-Chapter 45 - 42: I Return to Dust, She Ascends the Immortal Path

Chapter 45: Chapter 42: I Return to Dust, She Ascends the Immortal Path

"Struggling in the Mortal World... who’s to say that’s any worse than serene cultivation on a mountain?"

"You may be a mortal, but who’s to say you’ll accomplish less than we Cultivators?"

Sitting in the courtyard, Xiao Mo stared at the book in his hands, but found he couldn’t read a word.

In Xiao Mo’s mind, the words Duster had spoken before leaving echoed from time to time.

’Indeed.’

Xiao Mo had originally planned to gently guide Ruxue if she was unwilling to leave this time.

He would slowly persuade her to go, so they could part with smiles and she could return to the mountain with peace of mind, not forced to leave with regrets.

But after hearing what Duster had said, Xiao Mo’s resolve wavered.

’Do I not need to "push" Ruxue away?’

’Is this really for the best...?’

’Ruxue is growing more and more dependent on me.’

’And I am just a mortal, with a lifespan of barely a hundred years.’

’In a hundred years, when Ruxue watches me die with her own eyes, can her Dao Heart truly withstand it?’

"Xiao Mo."

"Xiao Mo!"

"Hey! Xiao Mo!"

Just as Xiao Mo was lost in a daze, Bai Ruxue’s small hand waved incessantly before his eyes.

"What is it, Ruxue?" Xiao Mo snapped out of it.

"I mentioned it before... I want to bring my little sister down from the mountain tomorrow. Is that really okay?" Bai Ruxue asked.

Xiao Mo nodded. "Of course, that’s fine."

"Great! I’ll go get her tomorrow, then," Bai Ruxue said happily. "You’ll definitely like Xiao Qing."

"Mm," Xiao Mo smiled faintly, then fell back into his thoughts.

Seeing his expression, Bai Ruxue couldn’t help but pout. "Xiao Mo, what’s wrong with you? Ever since that Daoist priest left, you’ve been completely out of it."

As she spoke, a strange light flickered in Bai Ruxue’s peach-blossom eyes, and she jumped back two steps in fright. "You rotten Xiao Mo! You haven’t fallen for her, have you?"

Xiao Mo rolled up his book and tapped it lightly on the girl’s head. "What are you thinking? No."

"Really?" Bai Ruxue clasped her hands behind her back, bent down, and looked up at Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo inadvertently caught a glimpse of the Zishan Snow Sea within the girl’s collar and quickly averted his gaze. "Really, no."

"Good." Bai Ruxue patted her heaving collar. "You scared me to death."

"Then, Xiao Mo, why do you seem so down?" Bai Ruxue continued to ask.

"It’s nothing." Xiao Mo shook his head. "Don’t worry about me."

"..."

Bai Ruxue pouted.

’Seeing him like this, how could a snake not worry...’

「At noon」, Bai Ruxue brought out a mutton stew with radish and wolfberries from the kitchen.

Every so often, Bai Ruxue would stew mutton for Xiao Mo.

At first, Xiao Mo didn’t know why, but he later found out that Granny Qian had said something during an idle chat with Bai Ruxue: "Mutton is good for men. They have more energy after eating it."

As a result, Bai Ruxue, not understanding the implication, thought it meant "After eating mutton, you’ll have more energy for studying."

Xiao Mo didn’t have the heart to correct her.

After lunch, Bai Ruxue finished washing the dishes and came out into the courtyard to find Xiao Mo sitting there, spacing out.

Bai Ruxue washed the clothes and hung them to dry in the courtyard; Xiao Mo was still spacing out.

When Bai Ruxue swept the courtyard, he was still spacing out.

The girl’s eyes darted about. She lifted her small, embroidered-slipper-clad foot and stepped on his, but he didn’t even react.

After dinner, Xiao Mo was still spacing out.

By now, Bai Ruxue’s tender pink cheeks were puffed up.

She didn’t like seeing Xiao Mo like this.

’She just wanted to see Xiao Mo happy every day...’

「That evening, as night fell,」 Bai Ruxue seemed to have thought of a way to cheer Xiao Mo up. She quickly grabbed his hand. "Xiao Mo, Xiao Mo, come with me..."

"Where are we going?" Xiao Mo asked.

"To a place. A place that can make you happy."

Before he could refuse, Bai Ruxue pulled Xiao Mo to his feet and led him out of the courtyard.

Bai Ruxue led Xiao Mo up the mountain, continuing ever upward. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

After walking for what felt like ages, Bai Ruxue brought Xiao Mo to the summit.

By now, the sky was filled with stars.

The mountain was so high that Xiao Mo felt as if he were surrounded by the stars, immersed in a river of them.

It was as if you could just reach out and grab a handful of the star-dusted sky.

"What do you think? Beautiful, isn’t it?" Bai Ruxue said, her hands on her hips with a hint of pride.

"It’s beautiful, alright," Xiao Mo nodded. "But Ruxue, why did you bring me here?"

"Because you’re in a bad mood."

Bai Ruxue pouted.

"Before I came down the mountain with you, whenever I was upset, I’d come here. As long as I shouted it all out, I’d feel better right away. But I’ve rarely come here since leaving the mountain with you."

"Why?"

"Because it takes more than two hours to get from the village to the summit! It’s exhausting. So I usually just cry on that rock over there, cursing you as I sob, just like that other time."

Xiao Mo: "..."

"Alright, alright, hurry up and try it." Bai Ruxue pulled Xiao Mo forward. "You have to shout it out really loud, okay?"

"I don’t know..." Xiao Mo was a little embarrassed.

"What’s not to like? No one will hear you. Watch me."

Bai Ruxue stepped forward, her back to Xiao Mo, and faced the mountains, shouting:

"Xiao Mo! You big rotten egg! Don’t you dare say my cooking is bad!"

"..."

"Xiao Mo! Stop reading! Come and play with me..."

"..."

"Xiao Mo... You’re not allowed to scold me, or I’ll ignore you."

"Xiao Mo! You’re not allowed to marry any other girls! Do you hear me?"

"Xiao Mo! You have to cheer up, or I’ll be sad too!"

The girl’s voice spread through the mountains, its echo reverberating between the towering peaks.

Watching her back, listening to her voice.

His name was in her every sentence.

"That’s basically how you do it..." Bai Ruxue turned to look at Xiao Mo. "It’s very helpful."

Xiao Mo smiled faintly. "Putting aside whether it’s helpful or not, why... were you always cursing me?"

Bai Ruxue shot Xiao Mo a look. "You big idiot. Because you’re the only one in my world."

"..."

Xiao Mo’s expression froze. An indescribable feeling broke through from within his heart.

’Just follow your heart.’

That one sentence from Duster echoed in Xiao Mo’s mind.

His eyes gradually cleared, as if he had figured something out.

’That’s right... follow my heart...’

’Since she doesn’t want to leave, why am I always trying to make her go?’

’So what if I pass away a hundred years from now?’

’At least, for these hundred years, I can be by her side.’

’After a hundred years.’

’I will return to dust.’

’She will ascend the path of immortality.’

"Come on, try it! It really works." Bai Ruxue tugged at Xiao Mo’s wrist.

"Do I really have to shout?"

"You really have to."

"Alright..." Xiao Mo looked at the moonlit mountain range, overcame his embarrassment, took a deep breath, and shouted, "A hundred years is so short..."

"Eh?" Bai Ruxue blinked, then let out a light, pleasant laugh that tinkled like a Silver Bell. "Xiao Mo, what kind of trouble is that?"

She walked up to stand beside him, faced the same direction, and shouted, "How is a hundred years short! A hundred years is a very long time!"

"Silly girl..."

Xiao Mo turned his head and smiled at the girl beside him.

’A hundred years. For a human, it’s a very long time.’

’But for you...’

’It’s so very short.’