Unexpected Encounters and Lingering Humiliation

Xia Niansheng did not harbor a particularly deep impression of Zhu Yingying.

In his previous life, as the time approached to dispatch individuals into the Kyushu Dragon Abyss, the position of Saint Son lay vacant.

With no other suitable candidate besides White Snow Jade, the sect faced a dilemma.

It was then that, having saved White Snow Jade, his own formidable talent had also revealed itself, showcasing immense potential for utilization.

Consequently, White Snow Jade had recommended him to Qiu Yan.

Perhaps it was that very recommendation that first drew Qiu Yan’s attention to him, ultimately sparking her animosity.

It was also around that period that Zhu Yingying abruptly developed hostility towards Xia Niansheng.

She even intercepted him on his return to the mountain from a mission, her voice sharp with warning: “I will never yield Senior Sister Bai to you!”

Yet, White Snow Jade appeared disinclined to even exploit her, maintaining a consistently lukewarm demeanor towards her.

Still, he, who had been ceaselessly exploited himself, found little room to mock her predicament.

Nevertheless, in his previous life, Xia Niansheng never ascended to the rank of Saint Son.

Later, with Duan Xi Shen’s ascension and his own subsequent debilitation, any such possibility vanished entirely.

However, the Heavenly Spirit Sect had always been characterized by a dominance of yin energy, and there had been precedents of two Saintesses in the generation of Qiu Yan and Duan Xi Shen.

Thus, through Zhu Yingying’s own diligent efforts, she ultimately became a Saintess.

Alas, later still, her own mother was implicated with the Demonic Sect, identified as one of the principal instigators of the Heavenly Spirit Sect’s great catastrophe.

And at that critical juncture, she…

In the present, however, she was merely a female cultivator blessed with talent, beauty, and an alluring figure, yet regrettably lacking in intellect.

Xia Niansheng observed her fleeing departure, a pensive expression on his face, only to then feel a piercing gaze emanating from beneath him.

Lowering his gaze, Xia Niansheng met White Snow Jade’s eyes, which blazed with unbridled fury.

She had, by then, expelled whatever she had been holding within her mouth moments before.

‘If not for this scoundrel… how could I possibly endure such humiliation?’

‘She dared not even contemplate what would happen if she were truly discovered.’

‘It seemed there was no recourse but to silence him.’

‘And that… Zhu Yingying’s ‘lip pearl’.’

Initially, White Snow Jade had harbored a secret gratification at being pursued by such a talented woman.

However, the other party’s intelligence was indeed remarkably low.

Moreover, her own master had subtly warned her that Zhu Yingying’s mother was known for employing underhanded tactics, advising her to keep her distance from Zhu Yingying.

Yet, Zhu Yingying clung to her like a tenacious plaster, perpetually pursuing her.

This time, she had even audaciously snuck directly onto Heavenly Spirit Peak!

A hint of mockery played upon Xia Niansheng’s features.

“Senior Sister Bai, your charm truly knows no bounds,” he remarked, “No wonder that woman Qiu Yan cherishes you so deeply.”

“Hmph…” White Snow Jade scoffed, her cold disdain evident, refusing to acknowledge his jab. “You can’t even detect someone so close, yet you aspire to claim first place in the Grand Competition.”

“You noticed her?”

“I was injured!”

“Heh…” Xia Niansheng, at this moment, found himself in no mood to engage in banter with White Snow Jade.

The stealth artifact Zhu Yingying possessed must have been at least a third-grade item.

Ultimately, however, it was his own underlying lack of strength that was truly to blame.

“I must say, Junior Brother Xia, your talent for deception is truly remarkable,” White Snow Jade began, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

The titles of ‘Senior Sister’ and ‘Junior Brother’ seemed to sting far more acutely than a direct insult.

“Oh, the honor is all yours,” he retorted casually. “Weren’t you the one who had her utterly captivated?”

Xia Niansheng replied nonchalantly.

Considering Zhu Yingying’s intense infatuation with White Snow Jade, coupled with her rather limited intellect, Xia Niansheng mused that if she had indeed discovered him…

‘Please… don’t touch Senior Sister Bai, okay? If you must, then… then just take me instead,呜呜… I’ll do anything for Senior Sister Bai,呜呜…’

*Cough, cough.* Xia Niansheng suspected he might be overly stressed lately, as his mind seemed to wander to the most peculiar thoughts without conscious effort.

White Snow Jade, meanwhile, appeared somewhat perplexed.

‘What had this man suddenly conjured in his mind? And why did this object, now pressed against her cheek, feel even more… intense than before?’

Before White Snow Jade could voice her question, Xia Niansheng drew a deep breath.

“At most, I merely deceive people; you, however, manipulate hearts.”

Upon hearing this pronouncement, White Snow Jade could not help but let out a cold laugh.

“You certainly paint yourself as quite the noble figure.”

“Only in your eyes do I lack nobility.”

Disinclined to prolong their argument, Xia Niansheng extended his hand.

“Slap! Slap!”

The impact was not overly forceful, nor was it delivered by his hand.

Two sharp, distinct sounds echoed from White Snow Jade’s cheek.

A viscous sensation lingered on her skin.

It was, most likely, his own saliva.

In the next instant, White Snow Jade’s cheeks, now fully registering the indignity, flushed even deeper than before, a blush born of unprecedented shame.

‘He actually…’

‘He dared…’

White Snow Jade’s mouth gaped open, but before she could utter a word…

“Mmph…”

Her head was pressed down, and her fingers instinctively clenched around Xia Niansheng’s thigh.

‘Damn Xia Niansheng, you damnable scoundrel…’

‘I will never, ever let you get away with this.’

****

Indeed, Xia Niansheng had not committed any further transgression, just as he had implied; his hands, surprisingly, remained rather ‘honest’.

Still, what had transpired was more than enough.

White Snow Jade’s hatred, which had somewhat subsided during a week of quiet recuperation, was now thoroughly rekindled.

Xia Niansheng, for his part, kept his gaze fixed on White Snow Jade until her alluring lips finally sealed, and her throat worked in a subtle swallow.

“Open your mouth,” Xia Niansheng commanded.

He needed to inspect, for it was not beyond White Snow Jade to attempt some cunning trickery.

Moreover, she understood that making her consume these things had little to do with carnal desire; its primary purpose was to finalize the contract.

White Snow Jade shot Xia Niansheng a searing glare, yet she dutifully parted her lips.

Her delicate lips parted slightly, revealing a pristine, even row of teeth; as a cultivator, she naturally bore no unpleasant odors.

Xia Niansheng scrutinized her mouth, noting that it had been thoroughly emptied.

Suddenly, he extended a hand, his fingers brushing against her cheek in what felt like a soft caress.

White Snow Jade’s brows furrowed.

Aside from Qiu Yan, she loathed any physical contact, especially from a man.

Xia Niansheng’s thumb traced the corner of White Snow Jade’s mouth, where a slight residue remained.

He then inserted his finger into White Snow Jade’s mouth…

“Mmph…”

Only once he was certain no trace remained, not even at the corners of her lips, did Xia Niansheng withdraw his finger.

He then proceeded to wipe it clean on White Snow Jade’s robes.

White Snow Jade, though steeped in humiliation, knew this was not the moment to erupt.

She could only close her eyes, willing herself to calm.

It was only after Xia Niansheng had finished wiping his fingers on her that White Snow Jade managed to compose herself slightly, opening her eyes once more.

She then saw Xia Niansheng casually lift a water cup from the side, one she had placed on the table much earlier.

He offered it to her…

A peculiar sensation stirred within White Snow Jade’s heart, yet her face remained fixed in a cold sneer.

“What is this supposed to be, some sort of consolation prize after the fact?!”

“Drink it, or I’ll pour it out,” Xia Niansheng stated, his expression utterly nonchalant.

White Snow Jade snatched the cup from Xia Niansheng’s grasp and downed its contents in a single gulp.

She had never imagined she would consume such a thing twice, let alone countless times in the future.

In truth, however, she hadn’t truly lost anything; her body remained untouched, and that scoundrel had not once laid an improper hand on her.

As long as she could break free from this contract and then personally slay him, everything that had transpired would become nothing more than a trivial, unmentionable incident of the past.

‘Yet, having consumed such a thing, I truly feel I have wronged Master…’

‘But your disciple is merely making a temporary compromise; even while enduring that… my thoughts are solely of you, Master…’

‘Master will forgive me, won’t she?’