"Bad Senior Brother" – that one phrase truly melted Yun Ming's heart. In most situations, he had to maintain a certain image on Yun Kui Mountain.
The image of a reliable, powerful Senior Brother.
It wasn't exactly a disguise; he genuinely liked his Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters on the mountain. But sometimes, being too serious and having too grand an image was exhausting.
So, on normal days, he preferred to spend time with a few "Senior Brothers," "Senior Sisters," and his Master.
Stealing chickens and dogs, going to his Master for handouts, instigating Senior Brothers to peek into Senior Sisters' bedrooms, exposing and betraying Senior Brothers' dark histories, playing matchmaker… Yun Ming was starting to like this little Junior Sister. It wasn't the old admiration for a game character; Yi Jiang was a living, breathing, adorable person.
A smile played on his lips as he continued to tease her.
"Say 'Bad Senior Brother' again. Let me hear it."
"Bad Senior Brother~"
"Good. From now on, use that tone to act spoiled with your Senior Brother."
"No, I'm not acting spoiled."
Yi Jiang's small mouth was agape, tears threatening to well up again. She looked wronged but dared not show it, and she was also shy.
She had completely forgotten her original intention of befriending her Senior Brother. All that was left in her mind were three words: Bad Senior Brother.
But how could he not be bad?
If Senior Brother isn't bad, Junior Sister won't love him.
"Don't worry. Since I've accepted Junior Sister's bribe, if you ever run into trouble, just come find your Senior Brother."
Yun Ming's eyes hid a fleeting gentleness. He playfully slapped the girl's little bottom and asked with a smile, "We're already on the mountain. Do you still need your Senior Brother to carry you?"
"Oh, oh… Thank you, Senior Brother…"
Yi Jiang pouted and climbed down.
Though she didn't realize it herself, she was still a child, and her emotions were clearly written on her face.
"Second Senior Brother is back!"
"Brother Yun Ming, Ling'er practiced her martial arts really well today!"
"Did Senior Brother Yun bring us anything good to eat?"
All the children, dressed in Taoist robes, swarmed towards their Second Senior Brother as soon as they saw him return, far more popular than the old man Xuan Mingzi.
Yi Xuan was a bit timid. She held her Master's hand and cowered beside him, but her gaze was fixed fiercely on her Senior Brother.
She had just seen everything.
The bad Senior Brother was bullying her sister, but Master must be in cahoots with the bad Senior Brother. She was angry but dared not speak, and in her anger, she got a little angry… "Yi Xuan has a bit of a misunderstanding about me."
"I'll explain it to her."
Yun Ming smiled and said no more, turning to announce to his Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters.
"Haha, all the snacks are with Master."
"These two are your Junior Sisters, Yi Jiang and Yi Xuan. Remember to look out for each other~"
"Hello, Junior Sister Yi Jiang~"
After the Junior Brothers and Junior Sisters greeted her, especially the boys, they all rushed towards Xuan Mingzi in a flash. The commotion scared Yi Xuan so much that she immediately hugged her Master's leg.
Clearly, they could see their Senior Brother anytime, but if they were late for snacks, there would be none left. This was also one of the rules.
On Yun Kui Mountain, food and lodging were provided, and everyone only needed to do what they could.
But if they wanted extra meals, they had to rely on their own abilities.
Whether it was cultivation, doing chores, or simply a Senior Brother bringing back something delicious, they had to fight for it.
Of course, there would be no infighting among disciples; at most, two little ones would throw a tantrum and then secretly have a fight.
"Aren't you two going to grab some?"
Yun Ming walked down to the main hall, bowed three times to the successive sect leaders, and then found a random spot to sit down and rest.
Carrying his Junior Sister up the mountain was still very tiring, after all, it was hundreds of meters high, and Xuan Mingzi ran incredibly fast.
"It's too late. We won't get any…"
"Ling'er doesn't want snacks; having Brother is enough."
Yue Ling'er was also a girl picked up by Yun Ming. She was even younger than Yi Jiang, probably only four or five years old at the time.
When he found her, she was lying in a small nest made of a cardboard box and old blankets under a bridge, on the verge of starving. When Yun Ming offered her food, the girl shrank further into the corner, not daring to come out.
She was very afraid of people, clearly having been bullied a lot.
But Yun Ming still used flowery words and food to coax her out.
"You don't have any family?"
"…They all died in the Void."
The answer was not new.
In this game world, affected by the mutated spiritual pulse, or Aether erosion, Voids were formed.
Voids would erupt at Aether singularities, forming chaotic, disordered hemispherical spaces that continuously expanded. Anyone who entered would be eroded and transformed into monsters.
That is what people commonly called Aetheric Undead.
The eruption of Void disasters would swallow countless lives and families… The lucky ones might escape the Void and find a glimmer of hope, but they often suffered from Aether erosion syndrome, tormented by illness day after day.
So, was this really luck or misfortune?
Yun Ming didn't know, but Yue Ling'er ate her food and then shrank back, returning to the shadows under the bridge.
"I have Aether erosion syndrome. You can't afford to raise me… I won't live long either…"
"But, thank you anyway, Big Brother."
"I didn't want to eat it, but it smells so good… Ling'er wants to eat a full meal before she dies… You should leave quickly."
The girl's small face was pale, yet she smiled brightly. For a moment, even though he was in the sunlight, Yun Ming felt as cold as winter.
He didn't speak.
The calamities mentioned in the game seemed like a joke.
But when applied to the world, it was the lament and suffering of billions. A distant bell suddenly rang, as if mourning for someone.
Yun Ming picked up the little girl from the cardboard box, letting her struggle.
"Big Brother, thank you, but you really don't need to bother with me!"
"My name is Yun Ming. What's yours?"
"Yue, Yue Ling'er… Brother Yun Ming, please put me down quickly… I, I'm dirty."
"Hmm… I don't have any family either, but I do have a Master."
The young man ignored the girl in his arms, only speaking to himself, his gaze deep, unlike the youthful vigor expected of his age.
"From now on, you are my Junior Sister… Calling me Brother is fine too."
"It's settled. Our Yun Kui Mountain is the biggest child trafficker in this area. If you make any more fuss, you won't get a full meal!"
What a great punishment that was, scaring Yue Ling'er into immediate silence. Large tears rolled down onto the young man, wetting his clothes.
They were very hot tears… "Don't cry… Your Senior Brother isn't good at comforting children."
Yue Ling'er hugged the young man tightly and immediately cried even louder, so loudly that when Xuan Mingzi saw it, he gave his precious Apprentice a good scolding without bothering to find out what happened.
Two years passed in a blink of an eye. Even now, thinking back… I, the Taoist priest, am a great benefactor!
Ancestral Master above, if you can see this, quickly bestow upon me supreme merit to protect me~
Yun Ming leaned against a wooden pillar, not minding the cold ground, and sat down directly, saying with satisfaction.
"Ling'er, say thank you."
"Thank you, Brother~"
The girl didn't ask why.
Whatever Brother wanted her to do, she would do. Her life belonged to Brother.
Yue Ling'er naturally leaned against Yun Ming, then curled up on the young man's lap, looking dazed and silly, constantly staring at him and smiling.
"Brother is so handsome."
"Ling'er is also handsome. Don't just talk to me; there's a new little Junior Sister next to us…"
She quickly sat up again, somewhat timidly greeting Yi Jiang. Just now, Brother had only told his story to Junior Sister Yi Jiang… It was a bit embarrassing, so she hadn't dared to look at the other girl.