The sky brightened with the first light of dawn.
Voices and the clatter of horse-drawn carriages began to fill the streets.
The bloodiness of the night before seemed to have been washed away already.
This was the reality for those at the bottom of the cultivation world—violence and killing were commonplace. As long as it didn't affect them directly, it was merely idle gossip over tea, forgotten in an instant.
One shouldn't meddle in the affairs of the world; to survive another day in peace was a blessing in itself.
Fang Xuan slept soundly until a soft knocking came from his door.
"Knock, knock."
He opened his eyes groarily and let out a long yawn.
Sleeping in was a luxury, and it had successfully earned him a wake-up call from his senior sister.
"I'm awake, senior sister," he called back.
The hallway went quiet for a moment before Ning Xian's voice drifted in, as cool as ever. "Mm. Get ready. I'll be waiting for you downstairs for breakfast."
"Alright!"
Fang Xuan rolled out of bed, feeling refreshed.
As it turned out, sleeping in was the best way to recover his energy, far more effective than any meditation or cultivation.
He walked over to the crude copper basin in the room and quickly washed his face with fresh water.
The water was slightly chilly, jolting him fully awake.
Looking at his blurry reflection in the basin, he casually gathered his messy hair and tied it into a loose ponytail with a strip of cloth he found on the table.
Long hair is such a hassle ......
His handiwork was barely passable, but at least it wouldn't fall apart.
He didn't have much to pack, so he was ready in no time.
He slung the black sword, now wrapped in fresh cloth, over his back and pushed open the door, heading down the creaking wooden stairs.
In the main hall downstairs, there were only a few diners at this early hour.
He immediately spotted Ning Xian sitting at a table by the window.
She had changed back into her plain, old dress, her hair pinned up with a wooden hairpin to reveal the pale curve of her neck.
She was looking out the window at the morning street scene.
In the morning light, her profile was sharp and clear.
No matter how many times he looked, Fang Xuan had to admit—he was once again captivated by her beauty.
That face, that aura, that figure... she was practically perfect.
Her proportions were incredible; even the loose robes couldn't fully hide her breathtaking silhouette.
The most important thing was... he was someone who had already seen everything he shouldn't have.
Stay steady, Fang Xuan.
You have big things to achieve; you can't let yourself be distracted by beauty all the time.
【System detected host experiencing strong possessive pleasure toward master Ning Xian, consistent with a subordinate's admiration for the master's beauty. training value +0.1!】
......I get a bonus just for looking? System, you're being unusually generous today.
He composed himself, put on a natural expression, and walked over.
"Morning, senior sister."
Ning Xian turned her head at the sound of his voice, her eyes landing on him. "Mm. Sit."
A simple breakfast was already laid out on the table.
A plate of thinly sliced spiced beef, two steaming bowls of yangchun noodles with clear broth and a few scallions, and a pot of tea.
It was ordinary mortal food with no spiritual energy, but it was hot and substantial.
"I didn't know your preference, so I ordered a few things at random," Ning Xian said, picking up her chopsticks.
"This is great. Thanks for the trouble, senior sister."
Fang Xuan sat across from her and picked up his chopsticks.
He was truly starving. He had exerted himself quite a bit the night before, and after a long sleep, his stomach was growling.
He first tucked into a slice of spiced beef; it was rich in flavor and firm in texture, quite delicious.
Then he lifted a mouthful of noodles, blew off the steam, and slurped them down.
The noodles were smooth, and the broth was light yet savory—a simple, honest meal.
He was eating heartily when he happened to look up and was momentarily stunned.
Across from him, Ning Xian’s bowl was already empty.
She finished that fast ......
Sensing his gaze, she looked up at him.
Her eyes were still cold, but she seemed incredibly uncomfortable.
Her grip on her chopsticks tightened slightly, and her earlobes turned a faint shade of pink.
I was a bit hungry... I was indeed too rushed .......
Fang Xuan quickly lowered his head, pretending to focus on his noodles, though he found it quite amusing.
It turned out the icy senior sister would feel embarrassed about being caught eating so quickly.
This contrast was actually a bit cute.
He sped up, clearing the large bowl of noodles and the beef in a matter of minutes. He finished it off with a large gulp of tea and set his chopsticks down in satisfaction.
"Senior sister, I'm finished."
"Mm, then let us go," she said, standing up.
"Alright."
She paid the bill with her few remaining spirit stones, blissfully unaware that she was on the verge of bankruptcy.
When that time came, she might have to borrow some spirit stones from her junior brother.
......
The two of them left the inn and blended into the morning crowd of the small town, heading toward the Qingyun Sect.
The journey back felt a bit lighter than the way there.
Fang Xuan stayed half a step behind Ning Xian, acting like a truly well-behaved junior brother following his senior sister.
The sun was bright, and the breeze was pleasant.
Ning Xian's tall, slender figure moved through the light and shadows, her dark hair and plain clothes fluttering gently in the wind.
As they walked, they passed a vendor who had set up his stall early to sell candied hawthorns.
Ning Xian's pace slowed slightly, her gaze lingering on the treats for a brief moment.
Fang Xuan noticed and thought to himself: Does senior sister want to eat that? No way, that's so childish ......
As he was thinking, Ning Xian walked up to the vendor, pulled out two copper coins, and bought the largest, reddest stick of candied hawthorns.
Then, she turned around and, without saying a word, thrust the candied hawthorns directly into the hands of the curious Fang Xuan.
Fang Xuan: "......?"
He looked down at the candied hawthorns suddenly in his hand, feeling a bit dazed.
Ning Xian had already turned her face away and was walking forward rapidly, leaving behind only a figure that seemed slightly more hurried than usual.
She gave me these...... and then she's the one who's embarrassed?
Fang Xuan stood there for two seconds before he couldn't help but chuckle.
He took a bite of a hawthorn, the sugar coating crisp and sweet.
【System detected host receiving a mundane snack from master Ning Xian and experiencing the pleasure of being pampered. Behavior determined: Subordinate enjoying the master's affectionate nurturing. training value +0.2!】
Nurturing? System, your choice of words is a bit too accurate.
But the bonus this time was quite significant.
He walked a few steps faster to catch up to Ning Xian, waving the candied hawthorns in his hand. "Thanks, senior sister. They're delicious."
Ning Xian didn't look back; she only gave a soft "Mm," and her pace seemed to quicken.
However, a flush of red crept from behind her ears to her cheeks.
She didn't know why she had done it.
She had just seen the bright red candied hawthorns and thought of how he had calmly wiped his sword after the slaughter last night.
In contrast to that, there was this handsome face before her, which was clearly steady yet still carried the spirited energy of a youth......
Something in her heart seemed to have been gently nudged.
She had simply done it instinctively.
Perhaps...... she just wanted to see him smile.
Like he was doing now, without any shadows, clear as sunlight.
Perhaps...... she wanted to make up for something. To compensate for dragging him into danger last night and even before that.
To make up for the guilt of testing him in secret and even entertaining the thought of using him......
Or maybe it was just that his skeletal age was only seventeen, quite a bit younger than her, and she couldn't help but look at him like a child?
Ning Xian couldn't sort it out herself.
She only knew that after doing it, the feeling of awkward warmth made her want to get away as quickly as possible.
Fang Xuan didn't mind at all. He followed cheerfully behind her, crunching on the candied hawthorns as they walked.
A stick of candied hawthorns, a flush upon the cheeks.
"Senior sister, do you want one? I'll save one for you..."
".....No need."
This hateful junior brother must be teasing her.
Rate on N.U.
