An Unexpected Encounter and a Head-Splitting Dilemma

Xia Niansheng held a distinct impression of Zhu Yingying.

It was not because she was the protagonist of the story.

Nor, for that matter, was it because of her youthful innocence that belied a certain… fullness.

Given that the game was yuri-genre, it naturally featured a ‘devoted female admirer’ for the protagonist.

Zhu Yingying, in this context, was White Snow Jade’s ardent follower.

In his previous life, his own relationship with White Snow Jade had been perceived by the public, at the very least, as quite intimate.

Consequently, he was relatively familiar with Zhu Yingying.

She was a pitiable fool, easily manipulated within White Snow Jade’s grasp.

Furthermore, she had secured second place in last year’s Heavenly Spirit Sect Grand Competition, and with White Snow Jade now unable to participate, Zhu Yingying was poised to become his most formidable opponent.

However, this was not the true crux of the matter; the real point of concern lay with her mother…

That strikingly alluring woman…

Xia Niansheng gathered his scattered thoughts, drawing a deep breath to steady his racing heart.

Thankfully, White Snow Jade remained cowering beneath the table, utterly motionless, and Zhu Yingying’s attention was solely fixed upon him.

Had White Snow Jade inadvertently been exposed just moments ago, that would have heralded genuine trouble.

After all, Zhu Yingying was the only daughter of Zhu Lianqiu, the esteemed Lord of Huajian Peak, and silencing her would undoubtedly attract unwanted scrutiny.

Yet, how had Zhu Yingying managed to materialize before him without a single trace of her presence?

Though her cultivation was formidable, and he had been momentarily relaxed in his guard.

It was utterly inconceivable for her to appear before him, completely undetected, in his current state.

This anomaly, he surmised, could only be attributed to the use of some potent magical artifact.

Xia Niansheng swiftly arrived at this conclusion.

He squinted, his gaze sharply fixed on Zhu Yingying.

Zhu Yingying, however, merely blinked her wide, watery eyes, her expression laced with a hint of urgency as she looked at Xia Niansheng.

“Tell me, what was that about becoming the Saint Son that you just mentioned?”

Xia Niansheng paused, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. It seemed, by sheer coincidence, she had only managed to catch that singular sentence.

Murder was, regrettably, out of the question.

A headache began to throb behind Xia Niansheng’s temples.

Yet, having had prior interactions with Zhu Yingying, Xia Niansheng possessed a general understanding of her intellect.

If he were to attempt concealment…

It appeared his only recourse was to fabricate a lie based on the very first sentence she had overheard.

“Well… the Sect Master did make me a promise regarding this matter. Otherwise, why would you imagine I’d be here?”

“Ah… a promise?” Zhu Yingying’s face tightened with anxiety.

“Uh… why are *you* here?” Zhu Yingying then looked utterly bewildered.

“…It is precisely because the Sect Master has already acknowledged me, and thus permitted me to come to Heavenly Spirit Peak to acclimate in advance. But you, why have you come here…?”

“I…” When confronted with this question, Zhu Yingying suddenly became flustered, her words stumbling.

Xia Niansheng’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You didn’t sneak in, did you?”

“…I didn’t!”

Xia Niansheng’s eyes gleamed. “You most certainly did.”

“I…” Zhu Yingying’s confidence suddenly wavered once more.

“What is your purpose in coming here?” Xia Niansheng demanded, his brow furrowed in a stern expression.

“I just… I just wanted to pay a visit to Senior Sister White…”

Although Zhu Yingying’s sudden appearance had indeed caught Xia Niansheng off guard, her character remained perfectly consistent with his memories.

A childlike face with *that*, not particularly intelligent, and White Snow Jade’s devoted female follower.

What she remained oblivious to, however, was that the Senior Sister White she yearned to visit, the one she so admired, was currently beneath the very table in front of her, with something even in her mouth…

Desperately striving to conceal her presence.

Was this not, in its own way, a form of…

Strange notions flitted through Xia Niansheng’s mind, yet his thoughts remained remarkably clear.

“Visit? How did you come to know that White Snow Jade was injured?”

“It was… I overheard my mother speaking…”

Xia Niansheng nodded. Before he could utter another word, Zhu Yingying lifted her lowered head.

Xia Niansheng braced himself, anticipating she had discovered something, only to find Zhu Yingying looking at him with palpable nervousness.

“You… are you truly going to become the Saint Son?”

“If I achieve first place in the Grand Competition, it is highly probable.”

Since the initial statement had already been overheard, there was indeed no longer any necessity to deny it.

“Then you…” Zhu Yingying’s expression twisted into one of renewed conflict. “Wouldn’t you be living and dining with Senior Sister White?”

Living and dining together… Your Senior Sister White is currently quite preoccupied beneath the table, you know.

“Most likely,” Xia Niansheng affirmed with a nod.

Zhu Yingying’s face betrayed a hint of panic.

If Senior Sister White were to grow so close to a boy…

How did that saying go?

‘The one closest to the water gets the moon first!’ Yes, that was precisely it.

Even in numerous theatrical tales, the Saint Son and Saintess often became Dao companions…

What’s more… Zhu Yingying was well aware that many young female cultivators within the sect were utterly captivated by Xia Niansheng.

Calling them ‘swarms of admirers’ would not be an overstatement.

He was merely somewhat handsome, wasn’t he…? His strength wasn’t even superior to her own.

But if Senior Sister White were to develop feelings for him as well…

She dared not even contemplate the sheer devastation she would experience if Senior Sister White were to form a Dao companionship with someone else.

What she remained ignorant of, however, was that this worry was entirely unfounded.

White Snow Jade and Xia Niansheng would never become Dao companions.

Their relationship was one of master and servant.

Xia Niansheng gazed, utterly perplexed, at the girl before him, who had suddenly, and entirely to herself, begun shaking her head like a rattle-drum.

Her hair even whipped around as she shook it.

Xia Niansheng cleared his throat, averting his eyes. “What precisely are you contemplating?”

“I won’t let you succeed!”

For reasons unknown, Zhu Yingying seemed to gain a sudden surge of morale, shouting this declaration with considerable conviction.

Such startling exclamations… it was indeed fortunate that no one else was truly nearby.

Xia Niansheng, however, looked even more bewildered.

“I mean it,” Zhu Yingying asserted, fixing her unwavering gaze on Xia Niansheng, “I won’t allow you to become the Saint Son and gain the opportunity to spend every single day with Senior Sister White!”

“…”

Xia Niansheng felt his headache resurface, and he reached up to massage his temples.

“By all means, try…”

He then shook his head once more, his eyes sharpening with a sudden glint.

“You have trespassed into Heavenly Spirit Peak without authorization, and such an act warrants punishment.”

Zhu Yingying’s body stiffened abruptly, and she began to stammer again.

Xia Niansheng genuinely believed that this young woman had, quite literally, exchanged all her intellectual capacity for her prodigious cultivation talent.

“I… I don’t want to be punished!”

Xia Niansheng pressed on, “You wouldn’t want the Sect Master to discover your unauthorized intrusion into Heavenly Spirit Peak, would you?”

White Snow Jade: ?

Zhu Yingying vigorously shook her head again, with even greater intensity than before.

“No.”

Xia Niansheng felt his head throb once more from the incessant shaking.

“I can refrain from telling anyone about your visit, but by the same token, you must not disclose to anyone that you saw me here, especially since very few people are aware of my candidacy for Saint Son.”

“Mhm mhm!” Zhu Yingying nodded emphatically again.

Indeed… it felt as if her entire intellect had been invested in… other qualities.

“You must provide your guarantee, swearing upon your spiritual essence,” Xia Niansheng’s tone grew slightly more solemn.

Zhu Yingying hesitated for only a brief moment before biting her fingertip and forming a hand seal to swear her oath.

“I, Zhu Yingying, swear that I will absolutely not reveal to anyone my unauthorized arrival at Heavenly Spirit Peak, nor anything I heard while here.”

Swearing upon one’s spiritual essence constituted an exceedingly potent oath, one that invoked the very rules of the Heavenly Dao.

Any transgression would result in a severe backlash from one’s own spiritual essence.

This, at least, brought a measure of relief; it simply underscored how easily Zhu Yingying could be led astray.

“Very well, now return quickly.”

Xia Niansheng waved a dismissive hand.

Zhu Yingying, still nibbling on her bleeding finger, wore an expression of hesitation.

“But I haven’t even seen Senior Sister White yet.”

“Your Senior Sister White is currently resting in her chambers. Seeking her out now would only disturb her; she might even be peacefully drooling in her sleep.”

Xia Niansheng truly wished she would cease her incessant pestering.

“Alright…” Zhu Yingying, seemingly swayed by Xia Niansheng’s words, began to turn away.

But the very next second, she abruptly spun back around, startling Xia Niansheng.

“…What is it?”

“I won’t let you become the Saint Son!”

With that defiant declaration, Zhu Yingying turned and swiftly fled.