Si Shen did not immediately dispel his domain. Instead, he cast a sidelong glance behind him, his gaze settling on Xue Renjie, who stood near the edge, concealed in the shadows, his presence nearly imperceptible.
It was no surprise that Xue Renjie had managed to enter. The umbrella he carried everywhere was an artifact of the Death God, steeped in resentment energy. No mere mortal could approach it without being reduced to ashes—yet Xue Renjie was no ordinary mortal.
Si Shen had known from the moment he first saw him standing at the West Gate of the First Floor of Hell. The closer one draws to the spiritual realm, the more suffocating the presence of resentment energy becomes. No cultivator had ever reached the boundary between the human and spiritual realms—none could withstand the heat. But Xue Renjie had stood there, unflinching.
In the past, Si Shen might have applauded him, impressed by his talent and audacity. But now, everything between them had changed, and Si Shen found himself approaching with caution.
Seeing that Si Shen had acknowledged his presence, Xue RenJie stepped forward. He had never intended to hide—only to avoid disrupting the trial.
Yes, this was a trial for the Ye family.
Si Shen had merely guided them, peeling back layers of truth, forcing them to confront their own choices. Their fates were theirs to decide. This was the Death God's court, where Si Shen was the judge and the Ye family stood as the accused.
Though Xue Renjie did not fully grasp Si Shen's purpose, he knew better than to interfere. So, he remained at Si Shen's side, silent, observing.
"You were able to enter the domain," Si Shen remarked, turning to face him.
Xue Renjie met his gaze unflinchingly, something Si Shen had always admired about him—the ability to face anything, anyone, without betraying a single emotion. Si Shen, on the other hand, had never seen the need to hide his own. And now, his face showed his irritation clearly.
"You've dabbled in resentment energy. That is forbidden."
"I am aware," Xue Renjie replied, his voice steady. "But it was necessary."
Si Shen arched a brow. "Necessary? Does your Xue Clan know about this… side hobby of yours?"
Xue Renjie's hands clenched into fists. "It was necessary," he repeated, his tone unyielding.
Si Shen sighed, adjusting his mood. He knew this stubbornness well. When Xue Renjie chose to lock his heart away, no amount of coaxing—or bribery—could pry it open. Si Shen had learned long ago that when Xue Renjie wished to keep a secret, not even the heavens would hear it unless he chose to speak.
Recognizing the futility of pressing further, Si Shen merely shrugged. "Fine, if you say so."
Xue Renjie frowned. "Fine? What do you mean by that?"
Si Shen smirked. "Would you have answered if I kept asking?"
"I don't know. Maybe." Xue Renjie's irritation flared, his voice sharper than before.
Si Shen let out a short laugh. "Xue RenJie, are you a child? If you are not comfortable with sharing your secrets with strangers, I'm not going to force you."He turned away—but before he could take another step, a firm grip captured his wrist.
"You are not." Xue RenJie said firmly.
"Not?" Si Shen asked, not understanding.
Si Shen turned back, his amusement fading as he saw the desperation in Xue Renjie's eyes.
"You are not," Xue Renjie said firmly.
Si Shen frowned. "Not what?"
"You are not a stranger."
His voice wavered, his eyes turning red as if he might cry at any moment.
"…Gege."
Si Shen froze.
His expression darkened. "Are we close enough for you to call me that?"
"I—" Xue Renjie faltered, words failing him.
Si Shen scoffed. "Well, if the Second Young Master Xue insists on calling me 'Gege,' then this Gege shall accept the honor." With a flick of his wrist, his umbrella appeared.
Darkness churned around them, drawn into the canopy of the umbrella as it unfurled. With a single sweep, the black mist was swallowed whole, and as the umbrella snapped shut, the surroundings shifted.
The ruined courtyard came into view once more.
Young Master Ye still knelt beside his father's lifeless body, his sobs raw and unrestrained. The commotion had drawn the Ye family's cultivators, their expressions a mixture of horror and confusion as they struggled to comprehend the devastation before them.
When Si Shen and Xue Renjie appeared out of thin air, the gathered cultivators instinctively reached for their weapons—only to falter when their eyes landed on Xue Renjie's hand, still gripping Si Shen's wrist.
A silent understanding passed between them before they hesitantly lowered their swords.
One of the elders stepped forward. "Second Young Master Xue, what exactly happened?"
Xue Renjie ignored him, his gaze fixed solely on Si Shen. "Gege, I—"
Si Shen's patience frayed. Lowering his voice, he hissed, "How long do you plan on holding my hand? If you don't care about your reputation, that's your business. I still care about mine."
Xue Renjie flinched and finally released his grip. Si Shen immediately pulled his hand back, rubbing at the red marks left behind. Without another word, he put distance between them, deliberately ignoring the wounded expression on Xue Renjie's face.
"Master Xue?" The elder called again, cautiously.
Xue Renjie took a deep breath, reigning in his emotions before turning to address the gathered cultivators. He offered his condolences to Young Master Ye and took charge of arranging the funeral rites for Master Ye, Madame Ye, and Young Lady Ye.
Meanwhile, Si Shen returned to his quarters, unwilling to further involve himself in the affairs of the living.
Xue Renjie introduced him as a guest cultivator of the Xue Clan, which was enough to silence any suspicion from the cultivators of the Ye family. Si Shen took the opportunity to rest.
Young Master Ye came to visit him once, hesitating at the door before asking, "My sister… what happened to her?"
Si Shen's expression was unreadable as he shook his head. "This is the will of the gods. The living are not meant to know the fate of the dead."
The young master nodded in understanding, though disappointment flickered in his eyes before he turned away.
Just as Si Shen moved to close the door, Xue Renjie appeared before him, looking utterly exhausted.
Si Shen, knowing exactly why he had come, sighed. He briefly considered slamming the door in his face—but the raw vulnerability in Xue Renjie's eyes gave him pause.
With a grimace, he stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.
Best to settle this now rather than let it fester.
Xue Renjie remained standing, waiting for Si Shen to speak. But Si Shen hesitated. Asking outright, You know who I am? felt too direct, too presumptuous. Instead, he turned away, pouring himself a cup of tea.
As the fragrant aroma filled the room, he calmed himself, weighing his words carefully.
Xue Renjie finally sat beside him, his hands curled around his own teacup, his guilt plain to see.
It was a familiar sight.
Si Shen nearly reached out to knock him on the head—just like he used to, teasingly asking, What trouble have you gotten into this time?
But now, he merely set his cup down, propped an elbow on the table, and rested his head against his forearm.
"You do know I am the Death God, don't you?" he asked at last.
Xue Renjie nodded.
Si Shen let out a small chuckle. "And yet, you still want to call me Gege?"
Xue Renjie's fingers tightened around his cup. His voice was barely above a whisper.
"…Ling Gege."
Si Shen's breath caught at the sound of Xue Renjie's voice. His fingertips trembled slightly, and a faint, strained smile appeared on his lips.
"So, you're not even trying to pretend anymore?"
Xue Renjie's eyes were pleading and earnest, his fingers nervously twisting together. "Ling Gege, I'm sorry."
Si Shen finally raised his head, meeting Xue Renjie's gaze directly. "What are you sorry for?"
"I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you," Xue Renjie whispered.
Si Shen saw the tears welling in his eyes, threatening to fall. For a moment, his heart softened. Leaning back in his chair, he offered a gentle, reassuring smile.
"You were still young. What could you have done, even if you were there?"
"You were young too," Xue Renjie mumbled stubbornly.
Si Shen's hand paused, his fingers resting on the rim of his teacup. Indeed, he had been young—far too young to handle the burden that had fallen upon him. But there had been no choice. His family had been wiped out, his father had disowned him long ago—there was no one left to hear him out, no one to shield him.
Memories surged back, unbidden, threatening to overwhelm him. Si Shen blinked rapidly, forcing back the tears that threatened to betray him. He had never allowed himself to cry before others, least of all before a younger brother who once looked up to him. Clearing his throat awkwardly, he took another sip of tea to compose himself.
"Gege, I really wasn't lying to you. I swear to the heavens—I'm not just playing around with it," Xue Renjie insisted earnestly.
"Then tell me," Si Shen replied, his voice casual. "Why are you using it?"
Xue Renjie's eyes lowered, his voice barely audible. "At first... it was because I wanted to find you."