An Undeniable Allure

Duan Xi Shen froze in place.

“What do you mean, ‘no need to be good to you out of retaliation’?”

“What do you mean, ‘it’s mostly for myself’?”

“It’s all incidental?”

‘Doesn’t that imply, both explicitly and implicitly, that I’ve been deluding myself?’

‘Doesn’t it suggest that my attempts to care for him have genuinely irritated him?’

‘I’ve been deluding myself?’

For days, Duan Xi Shen had been replaying the events of recent years in her mind.

Her distancing, her reliance, her internal conflicts.

Emotions she had deliberately suppressed resurfaced, all triggered by Xia Niansheng’s words to her.

It was a chaotic swirl.

Yet, she found herself deeply unwilling to part with Xia Niansheng.

She was truly, genuinely willing to change, to shed the coldness and indifference she had once shown towards Xia Niansheng.

She was prepared to alter everything.

‘Perhaps it would feel awkward or even forced at first, but surely, they would eventually grow accustomed to it?’

However, the very next day, Xia Niansheng, as if impatient and utterly fed up, stopped her.

Moreover, he had utterly dismantled her every notion of misguided affection.

‘Any kindness shown to you was merely incidental.’

If Xia Niansheng’s actions were solely for his own benefit, she could, of course, accept it, for the path of cultivation held no concept of selfishness, nor was this a serious matter.

‘But if that were the case, why had he allowed her to overthink things in the first place?’

Xia Niansheng believed he had already articulated his intentions with utmost clarity.

His ultimate decision would not waver; he would not allow his relationship with Duan Xi Shen to remain ambiguous.

He intended to ensure his final resolution was executed, making his judgment while fully conscious.

His current judgment was to prevent any further deepening of their misunderstanding.

He acknowledged, however, that he was also to blame, having not considered all aspects thoroughly at the time.

He felt he had been sufficiently explicit.

Duan Xi Shen was intelligent; her prior impulsiveness was merely a momentary lapse, and once she calmed, she would grasp the meaning of his words.

Xia Niansheng prepared to depart.

After all, he still needed to meet with Qiu Yan following his victory in the Grand Competition.

It now seemed almost certain that he would be appointed the Saint Son.

Xia Niansheng turned to leave.

“Master, you can just leave the bowls and spoons here. I need to find the Sect Leader now…”

However, before he could take more than a few steps, Duan Xi Shen suddenly seized his left wrist.

Xia Niansheng’s brow furrowed slightly.

‘What was this about?’

He gently tugged, attempting to free himself, but found Duan Xi Shen’s grip far stronger than he had anticipated.

“Master, release—”

Xia Niansheng’s words were cut short.

Duan Xi Shen exerted a slight pressure with her hand.

With a soft thump.

Xia Niansheng’s room was not large to begin with, and he truly couldn’t resist the force of a Tribulation Transcending stage cultivator.

He had no idea what sudden madness had seized Duan Xi Shen as she abruptly flung him onto the bed.

Before Xia Niansheng could even push himself up, Duan Xi Shen, with practiced ease, straddled him.

Both of them frowned, gazing at each other in bewilderment.

‘What in the world was happening?’

Xia Niansheng truly found the situation rather absurd.

‘In his previous life, hadn’t he done so much for her? And hadn’t her heart surely wavered then?’

‘Yet the outcome remained the same.’

‘Now, he merely wished for their relationship to normalize. If this intimate interaction were to continue unchecked…’

‘Regardless of whether she sacrificed him or he left her, it would only double the suffering.’

‘For either of them.’

Observing Duan Xi Shen’s puzzled expression, Xia Niansheng knew she wouldn’t comprehend, for he possessed a segment of memory she lacked.

And a measure of resentment.

Xia Niansheng let out a soft chuckle, then used his left hand to pull open his collar.

He exposed both of his shoulders, the very spots where Duan Xi Shen would bite him.

“Master, has your ailment suddenly flared up? It’s quite alright.”

His eyes, dark and luminous, conveyed a meaning Duan Xi Shen failed to grasp.

“Why?”

Xia Niansheng offered no reply, for he had none to give.

“Just as I said, let things be as they were before. Master, you needn’t feel any guilt or anything else…”

Xia Niansheng abhorred guilt.

Duan Xi Shen remained silent for a long moment.

“Alright.”

Believing everything had been settled, Xia Niansheng prepared to rise, yet Duan Xi Shen remained seated upon him.

Though she sat slightly lower, closer to his lower abdomen, the soft, firm pressure of her hips inevitably stirred his senses.

Before Xia Niansheng could even push her away, Duan Xi Shen bit down on his shoulder.

While cultivators wouldn’t develop calluses on their shoulders, the pain in that particular spot was indeed familiar.

Xia Niansheng merely drew a sharp breath.

At that moment, Duan Xi Shen, nestled against him, began to tremble.

It was just like before, save for the setting being his own room, and without the prior ritual of bathing.

Xia Niansheng stared at the ceiling, as the air, besides the bitter scent of traditional medicine, was now permeated by Duan Xi Shen’s subtle fragrance.

The duration seemed shorter than usual; Duan Xi Shen ceased her sucking.

She then lifted her head.

Xia Niansheng had assumed it was over, reasoning that as he was still injured, excessive absorption would undoubtedly impede his recovery.

‘Well, it’s not like you’re White Snow Jade; she could absorb more.’

However, instead of rising, Duan Xi Shen reached out to pull at Xia Niansheng’s clothes.

“What are you doing…?”

“Don’t move,” Duan Xi Shen commanded, her voice tinged with an unusual coldness.

She then resumed her actions.

“Hey, hey…”

With almost practiced ease, she stripped Xia Niansheng of his upper garments.

His upper body was now completely bare.

Moreover, the soft, peach-like warmth of Duan Xi Shen’s touch was no longer confined to the area between his stomach and lower abdomen…

But had shifted slightly lower.

Xia Niansheng, being a man of vigorous vitality, found Duan Xi Shen’s allure undeniable.

He struggled to control his emotions, determined not to let his reactions become too apparent.

Yet, Duan Xi Shen’s current state was akin to intoxication, a flush spreading across her face.

Even her gaze had lost its former clarity.

Xia Niansheng recalled the secret Tan Qingxi had shared with him regarding Duan Xi Shen.

‘Now… it seemed it might indeed be true.’

‘He needed to verify it.’

“Master?”

Duan Xi Shen appeared utterly deaf to his voice.

Furthermore, her expression was clearly not one of normal arousal; it mirrored White Snow Jade’s demeanor in the stone cave.

‘This was bad…’

“Niansheng…” Duan Xi Shen extended a finger, her slender, pale digits tracing a path to his chest.

A tingling sensation.

Then, to his surprise, Duan Xi Shen leaned directly down, her lips—whether stained crimson by blood or naturally flushed—

She slowly extended a tender, pink tongue, lightly touching it to the bandaged wound on his chest.

A jolt of tingling sensation coursed through his entire body, as if he had been struck by lightning.

‘Even when she bit his shoulder, it had never felt like this!’

Xia Niansheng attempted to push Duan Xi Shen away, but she immediately seized his left hand.

Her grip was like an iron clamp, rendering him utterly immobile.

Duan Xi Shen licked his chest, her cheeks flushed a peachy hue.

“Niansheng…”

…