Beauties in Simulation Cross over into Reality

Outside the bamboo courtyard, twilight was deepening.

Gui Junmeng raised her head, her gaze passing over the low fence and into the bamboo courtyard.

An old man with white hair stood inside the courtyard, his aura as tranquil as still water.

Looking at the old man, Gui Junmeng couldn’t help but tilt her head slightly, a hint of confusion surfacing in her clear eyes.

’Is this Xiao Mo?’

Obviously not.

In her imagination, Xiao Mo was supposed to be around her age. How could he possibly be an old man with white hair?

’But why is he in Xiao Mo’s courtyard?’

Moreover, Gui Junmeng could feel an incredibly dense scholarly aura of the Confucian School emanating from the old man, so profound that one dared not underestimate it.

In the young woman’s eyes, this elder’s Realm was likely even higher than her own master’s.

The old man was standing in the courtyard reading a book. Gui Junmeng’s gaze swept over the cover, and she vaguely made out a few words, confirming it was a Daoist Sect classic.

A moment later, the old man slowly lowered the Daoist Sect classic in his hands and turned around, his calm gaze falling upon the master and disciple pair, Yun Xi and Gui Junmeng, who stood outside the courtyard.

Daoist Yun Xi took a step forward and bowed respectfully. ”Greetings, Director.”

Hearing this, Gui Junmeng was slightly taken aback. ’So this old man is the Director of the Cold Mountain Academy.’

”Jun Meng, pay your respects to the senior.”

The young woman, standing beside her master, properly curtsied in a bow.

”You two have come from so far. This old man has been remiss in not welcoming you sooner. I hope you can forgive me,” Cun Caiguang, the Cold Mountain Academy Director, said with a smile, his tone easygoing and kind.

”Director, you are too kind,” Daoist Yun Xi said, shaking her head with a humble expression. ”We are the ones who have arrived unannounced, without giving you prior notice. It is we who have been impolite. We can only hope you do not take offense.”

”Hahaha... In that case, let’s just say we’re even,” Cun Caiguang said with a wave of his hand and a hearty laugh. His words truly held no trace of formal courtesy, instead revealing a sense of familiarity.

”That said,” Daoist Yun Xi began, glancing around with a hint of curiosity in her eyes, ”why are you here, Director? And might I ask where our fellow Daoist Xiao Mo is now?”

”Oh, you mean that little fellow Xiao Mo,” Cun Caiguang said, stroking his beard with a smile. ”He just left to escort someone back to their courtyard. I took the opportunity while he was away to secretly borrow his courtyard to host you both.”

Cun Caiguang stroked his beard, his gentle gaze landing on the young woman beside Daoist Yun Xi.

”You must be Miss Gui,” he said with a small smile, pointing to a small path that wound its way up the mountain beside the bamboo courtyard. ”If you wish to see Xiao Mo, just follow this path up. He was escorting someone back to their courtyard, so it shouldn’t take him long to come back down the mountain.”

Upon hearing this, Gui Junmeng turned her head slightly to look at her master.

Daoist Yun Xi nodded gently. ”Go on,” she said in a soft voice.

”Yes, Master. Thank you, Senior Cun.”

Gui Junmeng curtsied to her master and the Cold Mountain Academy Director, then turned and walked slowly up the mountain along the quiet little path. The hem of her skirt brushed against the green grass by the roadside, and the twilight stretched her silhouette, making it long and slender.

”Please, have a seat, Daoist Yun Xi.”

After Gui Junmeng had left, Cun Caiguang withdrew his gaze and made a welcoming gesture with a smile.

Yun Xi did not refuse. She gently pushed open the wicker gate, stepped into the courtyard, brushed the dust from her Daoist robes, and gracefully took a seat on a stone stool.

”I wonder, is Fellow Daoist Fu Chen doing well these days?” Cun Caiguang asked, picking up the teapot. He poured a cup of tea and slowly pushed it in front of Yun Xi, his tone casual and friendly.

Yun Xi accepted the teacup with both hands and held it in her palms. ”Thank you for your concern, Director. My Senior Sister is doing very well. She has already returned to the ancestral lands of the Vermilion Bird Race.”

”Is that so,” Cun Caiguang said, a hint of regret on his face. ”I was hoping to share a drink with Fellow Daoist Fu Chen. It seems I won’t have the chance for now.”

As he finished speaking, he looked up at Yun Xi with a smile in his eyes and changed the subject. ”I imagine you must have taken a look around Cold Mountain City before coming to our Cold Mountain Academy, Daoist Yun Xi. I wonder, what did you think of our city?”

Yun Xi nodded, her eyes filled with admiration. ”In Cold Mountain City, the Human Race and the Demon Race coexist in harmony. This is an incredibly rare sight in the rest of the Demon Race’s World.”

”Hahaha, but a single, small Cold Mountain City is far from enough,” Cun Caiguang said with a soft sigh, his gaze profound. ”Only if the entire world could be like this would the Demon Race’s World truly know peace.”

As he spoke, a shadow of melancholy quietly passed over the old man’s world-weary features.

”But what a difficult task that is. Forget the great war between the Human Alliance and the Demon Race; even among the Demon Race themselves, they are at war with each other. Everyone wants to become the hegemon of the entire Demon Race’s World.”

Daoist Yun Xi remained silent.

Her silence was a tacit agreement.

”Enough, enough, let’s not speak of these things,” Cun Caiguang said, waving his hand and gently shifting the topic. His gaze landed on Yun Xi’s face. ”Did you come today, Daoist Yun Xi, to take Xiao Mo away?”

”Yes,” Daoist Yun Xi confirmed with a nod, her expression open. ”Senior Gui arranged a marriage for his granddaughter. Now that the children are grown, it is time for them to become Daoist partners.”

”But what if Xiao Mo is unwilling to go with you?”

Cun Caiguang asked with great interest, his tone probing.

”I heard from Xian Xichun that the young lady from the Tushan family has fallen for him, and Xiao Mo seems to harbor similar feelings for the great young miss of the Tushan family.”

”Furthermore, although I don’t know Xiao Mo well—I’ve hardly even spoken a few words to him—I know his temperament. If he doesn’t want to go with you, it’s useless even if you try to force him.”

”Our Daoist Sect believes in following one’s heart,” Daoist Yun Xi said, her tone calm but carrying an unshakeable resolve. ”If Xiao Mo is unwilling, then we will let it be. However...”

She paused slightly, as if choosing her words carefully.

”If Xiao Mo continues to stay by Tushan Jing Ci’s side, I’m afraid his future will be fraught with peril. Moreover, if Xiao Mo truly cares for Tushan Jing Ci, he *must* come with us. He... has no other choice.”

”Sigh...” Cun Caiguang shook his head, his tone a mix of helplessness and emotion. ”Two sisters... why must they fight over the same man...”

”You’re mistaken on that point, Director. Xiao Mo coming with us is for Jun Meng’s sake, but also for Jing Ci’s.”

Daoist Yun Xi shook her head gently, her expression calm as she gave a slight smile.

”They are not sisters.”

Her voice was not loud, but every word was crystal clear.

”They are, in fact, the same person.”