A Conflicted Resolve and a Hidden Mark

She reclined upon Xia Niansheng for almost a quarter of an hour, finding respite in his embrace.

Over the countless years, they had grown so intimately familiar that even their embraces were a perfect, unspoken fit.

Xia Niansheng could only sigh, a silent breath of resignation.

Duan Xi Shen had already risen, meticulously smoothing her garments, the tell-tale flush having entirely vanished from her cheeks.

Her customary icy demeanor had returned.

With practiced ease, Xia Niansheng dabbed his shoulders with a handkerchief before donning his clothes.

Afterward, he rose to attend to the bedding. He carefully removed the sheets, imbued with his lingering scent, and with practiced movements, retrieved a fresh set from the adjacent wardrobe, spreading them neatly for Duan Xi Shen.

Duan Xi Shen harbored a severe case of mysophobia, compelling Xia Niansheng to replace and meticulously wash her bedding every time he had lain upon it.

Yet, was it truly due to her fastidious nature, or perhaps…

…a profound restraint against a particular addiction?

Only Duan Xi Shen herself held the answer.

****

Duan Xi Shen’s feelings toward Xia Niansheng were fraught with contradiction, a sentiment now mirrored within Xia Niansheng himself.

Did he harbor hatred for Duan Xi Shen? Naturally, he did.

Yet, to claim Duan Xi Shen owed him anything significant…

At the tender age of eight, had Duan Xi Shen not rescued him from the biting snow and ice, he would have surely perished long ago.

It was likely from the very beginning that Duan Xi Shen’s motivation for bringing Xia Niansheng back to the Heavenly Spirit Sect stemmed from his unique Blood Spirit Body.

The title of personal disciple, in truth, served only as a convenient facade.

These were merely unspoken truths residing within Duan Xi Shen’s heart.

Yet, through their daily interactions, Xia Niansheng seemed to slowly chip away at the icy wall Duan Xi Shen had meticulously erected around herself.

In fleeting moments, Xia Niansheng had even deluded himself into believing he was truly nearing the heart of his frigid master.

She had sought from Xia Niansheng, initially once a month, then escalating to once a week.

Her demands evolved from mere drops of blood into a porcelain bowl, eventually culminating in her clinging to his shoulder, drawing sustenance directly.

Initially, his compliance was born from the pragmatic desire to “cling to the female lead’s thigh,” intertwined with a genuine reverence for his master.

Xia Niansheng had offered no resistance.

Through their day-to-day interactions, she would occasionally reveal flashes of tenderness and concern for him.

In his previous life, he had never once questioned whether Duan Xi Shen truly considered him a genuine disciple.

Witnessing her vulnerability during her bouts of illness, his initial motive of “clinging to her thigh” had, of course, begun to shift.

He had believed Duan Xi Shen would gradually recover.

She would ascend to immortality before him, and he, in turn, would follow her path, reaching great heights.

Yet…

Duan Xi Shen had sacrificed him.

Utilizing his Blood Spirit Body as a potent catalyst, she had perfected the inherent flaws in her own physique, thus forging her grand path to immortal cultivation.

It was only then that Xia Niansheng truly grasped the profound truth: Duan Xi Shen’s initial motive for taking him as a disciple was far more intricate than merely “suppressing her ailment.”

Nevertheless, in those fleeting moments, the emotions reflected in her gaze towards him had undeniably been genuine.

A profound inner turmoil had also been evident.

Thus, Xia Niansheng himself remained deeply conflicted.

She was unlike other women.

The profound grace of nurture, the deep affection of a master.

Even if her intentions were ulterior, the kindness she had shown him for over a decade had been undeniably real, and he had accepted it wholeheartedly.

He even suspected that the emotions themselves had been genuine, yet the ultimate outcome remained unchanged.

The end was always the same.

Having lived a full life once already, Xia Niansheng naturally harbored no belief in tales of transformation, understanding too well how fragile so-called affection became in the face of fervent desire.

Nor would he ever doubt Duan Xi Shen’s consuming ambition for ascension.

But when it came to Duan Xi Shen, should he unleash the same fervent vengeance he planned for White Snow Jade?

Or… should he seize the opportune moment, clearly define their boundaries, and sever all ties of gratitude and obligation?

By combining the knowledge recorded in the [Record of Cultivation and Strange Arts], he could completely cure Duan Xi Shen’s hemophilia, thereby repaying the profound kindness of her nurture and tutelage.

Afterward…

He would sever all ties definitively.

Any lingering indecision that had plagued him until his death in his previous life, Xia Niansheng vowed to eradicate entirely in this new existence.

This was the resolute decision Xia Niansheng had arrived at after days of careful deliberation since his return.

****

Xia Niansheng placed the still clean, fragrant bedding into a wooden tub, adding soap and a scattering of rose petals to steep alongside them.

The fragrance of roses bore a striking resemblance to Duan Xi Shen’s unique scent, though she had never once used any floral essence before.

It was as if she naturally exuded such an aroma.

As White Snow Jade journeyed back to the sect, her group traveled under the stars and moon, finally arriving at the sect gates in the early morning.

By the time Xia Niansheng had completed all his tasks, it was already midday.

Sensing the opportune moment, Xia Niansheng’s thoughts turned to a certain individual, and he stepped out of his courtyard once more.

****

The Heavenly Spirit Peak, the main summit of the Heavenly Spirit Sect, served as the residence for successive sect masters.

Senior Aunt Xue offered a concise report to Qiu Yan, then, entrusting White Snow Jade into her care, departed the residence.

Qiu Yan, meanwhile, reclined languidly in the main chair, her gaze calmly following the direction Senior Aunt Xue had taken.

Though a cultivator, Qiu Yan harbored a peculiar obsession, almost a paranoia, regarding power.

Upon ascending to her position, she had exercised meticulous control over every aspect of the entire sect.

Given Senior Aunt Xue’s exceedingly rigid nature and strict adherence to precepts, many matters, apart from those concerning her personal disciple White Snow Jade, could be entrusted to her capable hands.

Lately, Qiu Yan had increased the frequency of summoning her, even delegating sensitive matters like White Snow Jade’s injury for her to manage.

Yet, it was precisely because of her unyielding rigidity that the way she looked at Qiu Yan…

…remained unchanged, just as it had been over a decade ago.

A faint flicker of resentment stirred within Qiu Yan.

She held Senior Aunt Xue in such high regard; beyond the objective reasons, there were, of course, certain undisclosed motives stretching back over a decade.

Senior Aunt Xue’s gaze towards her had not wavered, not even for an instant.

However, as a master of intricate schemes and political maneuvering, Qiu Yan revealed not a single tremor of emotion, even when entirely alone.

After a moment, she composed herself internally, then rose and proceeded to the inner chambers.

****

White Snow Jade was currently immersed in a medicinal bath.

The poison itself was not particularly profound, nor were its toxins excessively potent; however, the sheer volume, drawn from an entire formation, was simply overwhelming.

Having been assailed without any defense, she had consequently teetered on the brink of death.

Her life had merely been sustained by a compound pill; thereafter, only standard treatment was required to fully activate the residual medicinal properties within her body.

Nevertheless, she would likely require three months of recuperation.

Only White Snow Jade’s head emerged from the dark, brownish water, shrouded by the pervasive, misty vapors. Her snow-white collarbones shimmered faintly beneath the surface, and delicate water droplets clung to her exquisite features, enhancing their ethereal beauty.

She appeared as beautiful as a celestial maiden.

Yet, her tightly furrowed brows lent a somber cast to her expression.

Moments earlier, as she had shed her garments, the character [Xia] emblazoned on her fair skin had appeared so glaringly conspicuous that she had instinctively rubbed at it with fervent force.

She had even chafed the skin between her thighs until it was crimson, yet the mark remained utterly unchanged.

Naturally, no alteration would occur, but she had become consumed by an obsessive compulsion, convinced that the character was tainted by some impurity, and she felt an desperate need to scrub it clean, even at the cost of her life.

The mere sight of that character instantly conjured the repulsive visage of that scoundrel.

Hearing a stir at the doorway, a tremor of panic rippled through White Snow Jade. Even as the dark, brownish medicinal water veiled her pristine form within the tub, her hand instinctively moved beneath the surface, covering the character [Xia] etched upon her inner thigh.

‘By no means… absolutely… must Master not see it,’ she thought.

Xia Niansheng was arguably the person who understood White Snow Jade best in this lifetime. That “chicken-eating” episode—beyond being a crucial component of their contract—had effectively severed any possibility of her ever confiding in Qiu Yan.

‘White Snow Jade, surely you wouldn’t want your Master to know what your mouth has…’ The unspoken threat echoed in her mind, a stark reminder of Xia Niansheng’s leverage.

Xia Niansheng had not yet escalated to that stage, but White Snow Jade was currently facing a dire crisis.

If her beloved Master were to see the character [Xia] etched upon her thigh, and through this current predicament, draw a connection to Xia Niansheng…

Knowing Qiu Yan’s keen perceptiveness intimately, White Snow Jade exercised extreme caution.

She was, at this very moment, performing with utmost theatricality.

As Qiu Yan drew nearer, White Snow Jade’s expression remained flawlessly composed.

A faint blush graced her cheeks, a flush that could have been attributed to the prolonged bath or perhaps to Qiu Yan’s very presence.

The soft pink hue adorning her face made her appear akin to the most pristine blossom unfurling in the heart of spring.

“Master, why did you simply enter like this…?”

Upon seeing White Snow Jade in this state, Qiu Yan couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion.

Yet, what truly captivated was the sapphire blue nestled deep within her eyes, a clarity so profound it instilled a sense of peace.

Only upon prolonged and meticulous observation would one, in a fleeting moment of clarity, discern the faint shadow of another person.

Eyes mirroring those of Senior Aunt Xue.

However, in temperament and facial features, the two were utterly dissimilar; not even the curve of their brows or the shape of their eyes bore any resemblance.

It was merely the identical, mesmerizing hue deep within their eyes that was so strikingly alike.

In a certain sense, White Snow Jade served as a surrogate.

Yet, the ways in which she differed from Senior Aunt Xue did not, to Qiu Yan, feel disagreeable.

Qiu Yan drew closer, seating herself with an innate grace upon the stool beside the bathing tub.

The soft, yielding curve of her hips met the solid wooden stool, and even through the generous folds of her attire, their alluring shape remained subtly discernible.

Concern shimmered within her eyes.

“What, is your Master not permitted to show you concern?”

“Of course not…” White Snow Jade averted her gaze, yet the flush on her cheeks only deepened further.

Although the dark, brownish medicinal water, under normal circumstances, would reveal no hint from its surface, White Snow Jade’s heart still pounded erratically in her chest.

A faint smile graced Qiu Yan’s face; as the female lead, her beauty was naturally beyond reproach.

The dark mole beside her exquisite eye served as a striking embellishment, enhancing her allure while imbuing her with a touch of sharp intensity.

“Then, shall this Master inspect you?”