The Unsettling Rise of a Saint Son and a Shared, Spilled Medicine

The meaning of that statement was starkly clear.Xia Niansheng had claimed first place in the Sect Grand Competition.He had once boasted that if she won the competition, Qiu Yan would make him a Saint Son.White Snow Jade had never believed Xia Niansheng possessed any true strength.Their ‘s*ave contract’ was merely a result of him taking advantage of her vulnerability.Although she disdained Zhu Yingying, that ‘cow’, she had never once thought Xia Niansheng capable of defeating her.Xia Niansheng’s confidence back then had shaken White Snow Jade somewhat, and the daytime had indeed been fraught with anxiety for her.While she remained ignorant of Xia Niansheng’s true intentions, what good could possibly come from the mind of that scoundrel?Her immediate thought was simply to thwart him.Moreover, becoming a Saint Son meant he would truly be her equal!Something seemed to detonate within White Snow Jade’s heart, yet she managed to feign a probing expression. “Master, do you mean Xia Niansheng, he…”

“He claimed first place.”

“Mm…”

“Before this, Master mentioned Xia Niansheng to you. Indeed, he is a disciple within the sect whom I find very satisfactory.”White Snow Jade’s face darkened considerably. “Master, do you imply…”

“Yes, Master did mention making him a Saint Son to you previously.”Despite having known it already, hearing the news directly from Qiu Yan’s lips drained White Snow Jade of all strength, her body, already in need of rest, feeling utterly depleted.White Snow Jade even swayed unsteadily, forcing her to grasp the back of a nearby chair for support.Qiu Yan, taken aback by White Snow Jade’s intense reaction, swiftly rose and steadied her. “Yao’er, are you alright?”White Snow Jade’s complexion was pale, but she shook her head. “This disciple is fine.”She wasn’t feigning fragility before Qiu Yan; rather, the words had genuinely caused her legs to buckle.She understood that Qiu Yan was not one to let emotions obstruct her plans.To attempt to control her through certain means would be to touch her inverse scale.That would be truly foolish.Yet, it was true…In White Snow Jade’s heart, Xia Niansheng was undoubtedly the person she loathed most.Still, she was currently powerless against Xia Niansheng, constrained by the existence of their contract.Xia Niansheng would frequently seek her out, as if to constantly remind her of the disparity in their true statuses.This pervasive sense of humiliation infiltrated every aspect of her life.It seemed the only solace she could find deep within herself was her identity as a Saintess and the overwhelming power she wielded against him at her peak.Her talent and status far surpassed that scoundrel’s; he had merely taken advantage of her vulnerability.However, if he truly became a Saint Son, that small comfort she held in her heart would diminish further.More critically, Qiu Yan clearly harbored a deep aversion to men.Why, then, was Xia Niansheng an exception?There were certain implications she dared not even consider.White Snow Jade genuinely felt a wave of dizziness wash over her.Qiu Yan supported White Snow Jade, gently patting her shoulder. “Yao’er, rest assured.”What Qiu Yan had decided would not be altered for anyone. “Xia Niansheng is merely the best candidate Master deemed suitable to placate the elders’ urgings, and he is sufficiently loyal… Yao’er, rest assured, in Master’s heart, you will always be unique.”‘Loyal?”Xia Niansheng, loyal enough?!”What a joke, what an utter joke!”He’s a scoundrel, no matter what, a complete and utter scoundrel.’White Snow Jade was now overcome with an urge to simply reveal everything, to confess all that Xia Niansheng had done to her.But she truly couldn’t.She knew Qiu Yan’s mysophobia and possessiveness better than anyone.’If Qiu Yan were to discover she had been with another man… if Qiu Yan were to learn she was another man’s s*ave…”She would lose everything.’Lowering her gaze, Qiu Yan cradled White Snow Jade’s face in her hands, gazing into her eyes with comforting tenderness.The sapphire blue in White Snow Jade’s eyes, now glistening with tears, appeared even more brilliant.****The sun had already set, leaving behind the lingering glow of twilight outside the window.Xia Niansheng, now branded a villain by White Snow Jade, found himself in a predicament.’Duan Xi Shen taking care of his daily needs?”Was she mad? Wasn’t she afraid of shortening her own lifespan?’Yet, her demeanor remained unwavering, making Xia Niansheng suspect that a few more rejections would surely incur Duan Xi Shen’s wrath.’What exactly was this situation?’Duan Xi Shen was brewing medicine.It was the medicine Tan Qingxi had instructed him to bring back, a circumstance that seemed to override any past personal grievances.From the adjacent room wafted the rich, bitter aroma of traditional Chinese medicine.Xia Niansheng had not been without injuries before, nor had Duan Xi Shen neglected to brew medicine for him.However, the nature of this instance was different: she intended to ‘care’ for him.Duan Xi Shen was, without a doubt, the individual whose emotions were the most intricate and perplexing for Xia Niansheng since his rebirth.Though this complexity did not deter his ultimate resolution.Yet, as he sat alone in the room, with Duan Xi Shen preparing his medicine, Xia Niansheng inexplicably recalled the secret about Duan Xi Shen that Tan Qingxi had divulged to him.This matter held profound significance, and he knew he needed to find an opportune moment to verify it.’But for now, there seemed to be no such opportunity…’As he pondered, Duan Xi Shen entered the room, carrying the freshly brewed traditional Chinese medicine. “Niansheng, it’s time for your medicine.” ‘…’ Xia Niansheng couldn’t shake the feeling that something about that statement was peculiar.Duan Xi Shen placed the medicinal soup on the table, then pulled up a chair and sat beside Xia Niansheng.Xia Niansheng, who had been about to pick up the spoon with his left hand, froze. “Master, are you…”

“It would be inconvenient to use your left hand, wouldn’t it? You might spill the medicine.”Duan Xi Shen had already picked up the spoon, clearly intending to feed him herself.Xia Niansheng’s eyes widened. ‘Duan Xi Shen, what are you doing?’In that instant, Xia Niansheng suddenly recalled the scene from a few days prior, when he had personally fed medicine to Wen Zhi. “No, no… let me do it myself, Master.” Xia Niansheng gestured with his left hand.While he wasn’t left-handed, as a cultivator and sword-cultivator, his left hand wasn’t entirely clumsy.He could certainly manage to drink the medicine himself.At worst, he could simply drink directly from the bowl.He truly felt quite overwhelmed by the unexpected attention.Duan Xi Shen deftly shifted her hand, evading Xia Niansheng’s attempt to snatch the spoon.It seemed that not only was Xia Niansheng taken aback, but she herself also felt a degree of embarrassment.In such moments of slight apprehension, she would often resort to her authority as a Master to assert herself. “This Master said I would care for you, so do not refuse any further. We can discuss everything once your injuries have healed.”

“This isn’t about caring or not caring…”

“Ah…” Duan Xi Shen, deliberately maintaining a stern expression, had already raised the spoon and brought it towards Xia Niansheng’s mouth. ‘…’ Xia Niansheng truly found himself unable to refuse any further.Duan Xi Shen, holding the bowl of medicine, began to personally feed the injured Xia Niansheng.Silence settled between them.It was more challenging than Duan Xi Shen had anticipated.At the very least, she hadn’t expected it to be quite so… embarrassing?When it came to caring for others, or rather, knowing how to care for others, she truly couldn’t be entirely open about it.Even though she had insisted herself, it wasn’t necessarily intimate, just not entirely straightforward.Duan Xi Shen’s thoughts began to wander.Consequently, in a moment of carelessness.Most of the remaining half-bowl of medicine spilled, almost entirely drenching Xia Niansheng. ‘…’