A Respected Senior and a Past Life’s Debt

Senior Aunt Xue.

The Peak Master of Cold Moon Peak in the Heavenly Spirit Sect, and one of its esteemed elders.

Her reputation throughout the Heavenly Spirit Sect was impeccable; she was a dignified and steady senior aunt, coolly graceful yet never truly distant.

Righteous and awe-inspiring, she detested evil with a fierce passion.

Of course, what truly left the deepest impression was her luxurious and stunning appearance, coupled with a voluptuous figure that even her flowing robes struggled to conceal.

This voluptuousness, however, was not a matter of being overweight; rather, it meant that every curve was perfectly sculpted.

Despite her lack of experience in intimate matters, her naturally superior physique and age had imbued her with a subtly mature charm.

Yet…

She was merely a supporting character.

Truly, this was an unfair world.

Senior Aunt Xue was one of the few ‘good people’ in this game, exceptionally gifted and powerful, but ultimately lacking in a crucial measure of luck.

She was a senior whom Xia Niansheng genuinely respected, and he remembered Senior Aunt Xue’s fate from his previous life.

For over thirty years, she had suffered immensely from a cold poison, dedicating her life to punishing evil and upholding justice.

In the end, to protect a mortal town, she had confronted a Great Demon of the Ninth Realm, perishing alongside it in a mutual destruction.

Upon seeing Senior Aunt Xue again, Xia Niansheng felt a pang of melancholy, yet more than that, a surge of even more complex emotions.

In his past life, before he was sacrificed, she had taken considerable care of him due to his relationship with her disciple.

Later, when he lay on the brink of death after being sacrificed, it was she, having already sensed something amiss, who had saved him.

A life-saving grace, even if it had occurred in a past life…

Having been betrayed and framed by those close to him, Xia Niansheng had grown more vigilant, yet he also cherished individuals of a different moral character even more deeply.

This, however, did not mean he had become a lunatic.

If possible… while ensuring his own plans remained intact, he could offer Senior Aunt Xue some appropriate assistance.

For instance, regarding her cold poison, the ‘Record of Cultivation Oddities’ he had later acquired contained a brief mention of a method for its removal.

Though it would be exceedingly troublesome and difficult.

The process might even necessitate intimate contact.

Yet, it was indeed possible to cure her…

Having lived two lives, his emotions were not easily discernible, and Senior Aunt Xue’s appearance was well within his expectations. He stepped forward briskly.

A hint of joy flickered across his expression.

“You’ve finally arrived…”

Senior Aunt Xue gazed at Xia Niansheng, nodding, before her eyes shifted to White Snow Jade, who stood behind him.

These two were considered the cream of the younger generation within the sect; undertaking a mission together should ordinarily pose no problems.

Yet Qiu Yan had urgently summoned her, dispatching her on a rescue mission for them.

She understood Qiu Yan’s character; the woman would not show even a hint of urgency unless absolutely forced to.

Thus, she had immediately set out for Chunshen Town.

Relying almost entirely on foot, a journey that typically took seven days had been compressed into one.

Discovering the corpses of rogue cultivators outside and analyzing the formation’s layout, Senior Aunt Xue deduced that someone had been poisoned.

Following the subtle clues, it had not been difficult to locate this stone cave.

It seemed… White Snow Jade was the one poisoned.

Just as she had suspected, given that the entire affair had been enough to make even Qiu Yan apprehensive.

However, it appeared the immediate danger had passed.

“First, explain the situation,” Senior Aunt Xue stated, her voice clear and cool.

Xia Niansheng stepped back two paces, appearing somewhat concerned as he supported White Snow Jade.

“When we arrived in Chunshen Town, we discovered traces of rogue cultivators in the back mountains. Unexpectedly, they had already laid an ambush here for several days using a formation. After Senior Sister White and I painstakingly dealt with the rogue cultivators, one of them, on the verge of death, released the formation’s poison… Fortunately, I had already managed to temporarily stabilize Senior Sister White with a Compound Pill…”

Indeed… the finer details naturally required no further elaboration.

White Snow Jade, standing nearby, felt an urge to draw her sword and stab Xia Niansheng directly.

Yet, at such a moment, her acting prowess was no less than Xia Niansheng’s. She looked at Senior Aunt Xue with a frail expression.

Her vulnerability was tinged with gratitude, and even a hint of resilience.

“Senior Aunt Xue… it’s fortunate you could arrive so swiftly…”

Simultaneously, she subtly withdrew the arm Xia Niansheng had been supporting.

Senior Aunt Xue seemed to notice this, but said nothing about it, merely nodding steadily. “The Sect Master sent us.”

White Snow Jade’s reputation within the Heavenly Spirit Sect had always been high. The accompanying disciples, seeing her weakened state, all wore expressions of worry, and collectively breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that Xia Niansheng had sustained her life with a Compound Pill.

“Senior Sister White, are you alright now? Are you still feeling very unwell?”

“Senior Sister White, let’s return to the sect quickly. After all, the poison still needs complete treatment…”

“Yes, Senior Sister White…”

“Senior Brother Xia, we truly owe it to your Compound Pill…”

Xia Niansheng merely smiled faintly. “It’s nothing; as long as I could help a fellow disciple, that’s enough.”

Hearing these words, White Snow Jade was practically grinding her teeth in frustration.

‘He says it as if he expects no reward… You actually want this Saintess to be your…’

Senior Aunt Xue looked at Xia Niansheng and nodded.

In truth, she had felt some apprehension when embarking on this mission, given that the relationship between her own disciple and Xia Niansheng was far from ordinary.

White Snow Jade, keenly observing this exchange, felt a flicker of surprise. ‘Are they acquainted?’

‘And not just acquainted; it seems they have some history.’

Though Xia Niansheng was not entirely unknown within the Heavenly Spirit Sect.

His strength, however, was certainly not top-tier.

He was merely regarded as a good-natured, approachable senior brother, kind to everyone.

‘How could he be so familiar with Senior Aunt Xue?’

She could discern no further clues, however.

Senior Aunt Xue merely had a flash of surprise in her eyes as she looked at Xia Niansheng.

She knew Xia Niansheng was a good person, a quality both naive and rare in the cultivation world.

But she had never imagined he would carry a Compound Pill of such caliber, nor that he would be willing to use it for White Snow Jade…

‘Could there be other hidden circumstances, perhaps a special relationship?’

Senior Aunt Xue held no interest in matters between men and women, but this situation involved Xia Niansheng, and her own disciple was…

However, given the urgency of the situation, Senior Aunt Xue did not elaborate.

“For this mission, upon our return, I will report the full details to the sect, and appropriate rewards will be granted.”

In his past life, there had certainly been rewards, but those former rewards were utterly insignificant compared to a Compound Pill…

This time, Xia Niansheng intended to make good use of this opportunity.

Xia Niansheng merely cupped his fist. “Many thanks, Senior Aunt Xue.”

****

Senior Aunt Xue briefly examined White Snow Jade’s physical condition, confirming that her life was indeed sustained by the Compound Pill.

After a quick secondary inspection of the rogue cultivators’ corpses and the formation traces, she led everyone back to the sect.

It was a seven-day journey, but fortunately, Chunshen Town was nestled by mountains and water. Even if White Snow Jade couldn’t walk quickly, there would be no need for someone to carry her continuously.

A small, sword-shaped boat floated on the water, achieving impressive speed with only a slight infusion of internal energy.

This was no ordinary magical artifact.

While its speed couldn’t match a cultivator’s full-speed footwork, it was impervious to wind and rain. At this pace, following the waterways, they would reach the sect in just two days.

Everyone sat cross-legged on the long sword, resting.

White Snow Jade lay on her side on a blanket, appearing to be asleep.

However, possessing a s*ave contract with White Snow Jade that bordered on telepathy, Xia Niansheng naturally sensed that his s*ave was, in fact, wide awake.

Of course, this mental bond was one-sided.

Still, he had no intention of teasing her further, especially with so many others present.

Further training and plans would have to wait until they returned to the sect.

Yet, thanks to her, the disciples who had been chattering moments ago had finally quieted down.

In the tranquil night, the starlit river spread across the water’s surface.

Xia Niansheng sat cross-legged, propping his chin with his hand, gazing idly forward.

His high nose bridge, the elegant curve of his jawline, and those captivating peach blossom eyes that conveyed deep affection even when seemingly nonchalant…

Under the moonlight, he was a truly pleasing sight.

Two female disciples, witnessing this scene, even began whispering to each other.

White Snow Jade, her back to them, clenched her palms tightly.

‘What’s the use of being handsome… All men are disgusting.’

‘If you like him so much, go be his s*ave!’

Xia Niansheng, on the other side, heard them, but showed no reaction.

His seemingly idle gaze was, in fact, fixed on that figure from behind.

Her alluring figure was enveloped in a voluminous gown; as she sat cross-legged, her soft curves subtly shifted.

However, Xia Niansheng harbored no distracting thoughts at that moment.

“Why did you save me?”

In his past life, after being sacrificed, he had woken to find his meridians utterly destroyed, making further cultivation impossible.

He did not pursue the Grand Dao of Immortality, but what was even more agonizing was being sacrificed by the master he trusted, all for the sake of her ascension.

Senior Aunt Xue had maintained her usual cool demeanor; perhaps she had saved him simply because her noble character forbade her from standing idly by.

Or perhaps it was because she didn’t want her disciple to grieve again.

She was never one for many words; she simply looked at him and gently shook her head.

****