“Hi hi~ My name is Liu Meiling! What’s yours?” 

 

I blink. My heart bumps harder. This girl suddenly beamed at me and greeted me herself. Is this a dream? No. 

 

It’s not. It’s reality…

 

My looks had its benefits after all. 

 

I shake my head and smile back at her, recovering from the sudden shock. 

 

“Hi hi ~ Liu Meiling. I am Bai Xin. Nice to meet you,” I scratch my head as I extend my hand to greet her. 

 

“Nice to meet you, Bai Xin.” The sudden reply comes from behind Liu. Jin gets up from the floor and waves at me. 

 

Liu gets even more irritated, her eyes blazing up. However, she looks at me and calms down. 

 

“Nice to meet you, Bai Xin,” beaming, she shakes my hand. “Back there is Jin Garou. He’s a lazy ass fool,” she says, glaring at Jin over her shoulder. 

 

“Haha ~” I laugh awkwardly, sweating again. Even though this girl looks sweet, her personality’s nowhere sweet. But it seems she would treat me better than she treats Jin Garou. 

 

“Mom will go soon,” Liu adds, gazing at the mothers who are busy talking. “Once they go, I’ll explain our plan to you too,” she grins. 

 

Plan? What plan? I am confused. 

 

///

“So, we can come back home a little earlier, right?” Chao Mei asked the two women with a bitter look on her face. 

 

Min Garou and Yu Meiling laughed upon hearing this. 

 

“What? No no. Don’t worry – they are 12 years old, no?” Min said reassuringly. 

 

“Yes yes, Mei. You don’t need to worry so much. After all, my Liu even knows how to cook. She’ll make them dinner too… and she even does some babysitting in our neighborhood. So, we can leave the boys to her.” Meiling added.

 

Chao Mei looked at the kids as they talked. She saw the small girl giving a handshake to Xin. This made Chao Mei smile. 

 

‘Aw… they are already getting along,’ she thought inwardly. ‘I guess I don’t have anything to worry about then.’ 

 

“Well – Mei! Let’s get going, shall we?” Meiling suddenly announced, looking at the kids. The kids turned around again, and her daughter stepped forth. 

 

“Liu, be a good girl and take care of the boys, ok?” Meiling gave her daughter a thumbs up. 

 

“Ok, Mom!” Liu gave her a thumbs up back.

 

Chao Mei smiled upon seeing this. ‘Like mother like daughter.’

 

Min went and gave Jin a head pat and a kiss on the forehead and grabbed her bag. Chao Mei went to Xin and leaned close to him. 

 

“Hey, Xin. You remember what I told you, right?” 

 

Little Xin nodded, beaming at her. 

 

“That’s my good boy.” Chao Mei kissed her son on the forehead and pinched his cheek, standing up to take her leave. 

 

“Bye Mom,” Xin waved at her. Mei waved back as Meiling dragged her through the corridors. Then, the parents locked the door from outside and left the house. 

 

Now the kids were the only ones remaining in the house. 

 

As the door shut, Liu’s lips curved into a massive grin. “Khikhkiki…” 

 

///

I feel bad. I lied to Chao Mei… and betrayed her trust. This had never happened before. 

 

‘Hm… I wonder if I did the right thing or not.’ 

 

The front door shut close, and the parents locked it from the outside. We kids are the only ones inside the house now.

 

It’s about time I asked Liu what her ‘plan’ is.

 

“Hey –” 

 

“Khikhikhiki…” She suddenly cackles weirdly. My hand freezes midway as it reaches for her shoulder. 

 

Whatever that strange laugh was, it didn’t sound good. 

 

She turns around with a grin. 

 

“Yes!!” She cries out, throwing her fist into the air. I stare at her cluelessly. 

 

“Um um — why not tell me about the plan now?” I ask her, feeling weirded out because I am the only one who doesn’t know about this so-called plan. 

 

“Yes yes, I shall explain to you now, Bai Xin.” 

 

Jin, wearing a grey hoodie and some shorts takes a seat on the floor, looking as if he’s bored to death already. 

 

“Do you really think it’s a good idea? If our parents come back before us, they’ll be dead worried about us.” He reasons even before Liu begins. 

 

“You shut up! This is just a test for our skills!” 

 

I wonder what that means. 

 

“Now – don’t disturb me while I’m explaining things to Xin.” She smacks Jin’s head again. I gulp once more. 

 

“Xin… Are you a cultivator? From what I’ve heard from Mother, you need to be a cultivator too, right? You’ve been homeschooled all these days 'cause you were training hard for it, isn’t it?” 

 

I nod. 

 

“Well then, I have the perfect idea to test out the skills we have gained so far. And how good we are as a cultivator. After all, the entrance exams for the sects will begin at the start of next year.” 

 

I think about this for a moment. That is indeed true. The entrance exam for the Heavenly Cloud Sect is due next year’s January. I am going to apply for it. 

 

“Yes, and what about it?” I ask, still confused about this plan of hers. 

 

“So… we are gonna take on a small mission tonight. My Mother, Yu Meiling was a cultivator too, in the past. Though, she still does a few missions from time to time – like a side job. And tonight… we’re going to go on one of the C-rank missions to confirm how refined our skills are!” She cries out cheerfully. 

 

My mouth falls open. “WHAT??” I cry out. 

 

“But – our parents just told us not to go anywhere!” 

 

I regret coming here, after all. And – what in the world will happen if my Moon Essence suddenly gets activated? My real identity will be revealed, and I'll be in big trouble. 

 

Liu frowns upon seeing me object. 

 

“I mean,” I continue. “We shouldn’t be disobeying our parents and…” I feel awkward about continuing my argument when I see Liu’s bitter face. “...I mean – it’s too dangerous!” 

 

Liu shakes her head. “You’ve got the looks, Bai Xin. But where’s the guts a man should have? Or is it that you cannot cultivate well? Are you a… loser?” 

 

I am shocked. Her tone suddenly changed upon seeing me object. Her crucial words cause my eyebrows to furrow. 

 

“Loser?” I repeat her words.

 

“We’re bound to be losers…” My dad’s words echo through my mind. My face turns darker. 

 

I am suddenly reminded of my past life. I breathe out, getting impatient. 

 

‘Loser?’ I repeat the words inwardly, once again. Here I thought I could finally get to the top of the food chain. 

 

Liu turns around from me. “Hey, Jin. Get your phone. We must call the old man who gave us the mission yesterday… you have the number saved, right?” 

 

“Yep,” Jin replies. “Well, I don’t really need to save it. Not many people call me.” 

 

“Well, let’s get on with it!” Liu grabs Jin by his hoodie and drags him upstairs. 

 

And then – I decide. 

 

“Wait… I’m coming too.” 

 

Liu stops and gazes at me over her shoulder. “Oh? Then tag along… Xin. Finally, you grew guts.” 

 

My eyebrows furrow further. 

 

‘Being called a “Loser” from a kid. I won’t fuck up this life now. I’ll show them how powerful I am… with this new spell I learned from Chang’e.’

 

I rush up the stairs to join Liu and Jin. 

//Author’s Note//

 

Yo, peeps! You enjoying it? Then go ahead and leave a comment and a review! Also, more power stones and support means more daily chapters! Have a great day fools!