The wind outside the hall seemed to have grown even colder.
Fang Xuan took a deep breath, preparing to brace himself and step forward.
Just then, another delicate and weak voice rang out from not far behind him.
"Little junior brother...?"
Fang Xuan’s footsteps paused, his brows furrowing.
This voice belonged to Shen Qingqing, the quintessential green tea character from the original story—the little junior sister who climbed her way up by leeching off Ning Xian’s blood.
He turned around, his face devoid of emotion as he looked at the newcomer.
Shen Qingqing wore an aqua-green dress, standing there as fragile as a willow in the wind.
A feigned look of surprise crossed her features.
Her gaze lingered on Fang Xuan for a moment, resting particularly long on his handsome face.
This new junior brother really was exceptionally good-looking...
Heard his talent wasn't bad either. If she could win him over like the other senior brothers and make him another slave to her charms, it would be quite a pleasant thing.
Thinking this, her face shifted into an expression of worry and self-reproach. Her gaze swept toward Ning Xian’s tightly closed hall doors.
"Little junior brother... why are you here?" She frowned slightly, looking confused. "This... is Senior Sister Ning Xian’s residence. Given her current state... her mood must be quite foul, and her body is unwell. We should probably avoid disturbing her peace."
Fang Xuan had no desire to deal with her.
The malicious villains in female-lead tragedy web novels could be so straightforwardly and crudely wicked that it made his skin crawl.
He looked at Shen Qingqing’s feigned innocent face, calculating in his mind when he might find an opportunity to kill her.
Doing so would surely give a massive boost to Ning Xian’s favorability, wouldn't it?
He just wasn't sure if acting now would have uncontrollable effects on the so-called plot progression...
It was a bit of a hassle.
Seeing that Fang Xuan only stared at her without speaking, his eyes somewhat cold, Shen Qingqing felt a flicker of annoyance. However, she maintained her gentle facade.
She let out a soft sigh and began her performance.
"Is junior brother also here to see senior sister? Senior sister is... truly noble. She has sacrificed so much for the sect."
She raised her hand, using her sleeve to gently dab at non-existent tears. "It is all my fault for having such a strange illness. If it weren't for that, senior sister wouldn't have had to trouble herself..."
Fang Xuan was getting annoyed. How could this woman be so loud? She was wasting his time.
He didn't bother with polite pretenses and interrupted her directly.
"If you’re sick, get treated."
Having said that, he turned back toward the hall doors.
What? Shen Qingqing was stunned by his bluntness.
This wasn't the right reaction!
Normally, when a man heard her blame herself like this, shouldn't he step forward to comfort her, telling her it wasn't her fault and that everything Ning Xian did was her duty?
Refusing to give up, she took a half-step forward, her voice taking on a sobbing tone.
"It’s... it’s because Qingqing is weak and sickly that I’ve harmed senior sister..."
Fang Xuan was already frustrated by the system mission; having a buzzing fly in his ear was the final straw.
He stopped and looked back at Shen Qingqing. "Screw your mother."
Brief, concise, and direct.
Shen Qingqing froze completely, her pitiful act nearly crumbling.
She widened her eyes, looking at Fang Xuan in disbelief.
How... how could he be... so vulgar?!
She took a deep breath, trying to suppress her rage.
She lowered her eyes and resorted to her usual trick of playing the victim, her voice trembling.
"I suppose it’s because Qingqing is a jinx. I’ve had no mother since I was a child and no one to teach me. If..."
"All that talk just to tell me your mother is dead."
"Fine, now I know your mother is dead."
Fang Xuan interrupted her again.
In the time she spent talking, he could have already finished a round of training with Ning Xian.
Shen Qingqing’s chest heaved violently. This time she was truly furious, her face turning various shades of pale and green.
She gripped her sleeves tightly, her nails nearly digging into her palms.
This Fang Xuan! He was absolutely impossible to deal with! Crass and stubborn!
She had originally intended to use this excuse to see Ning Xian’s miserable state and perhaps kick her while she was down.
But now, she didn't want to stay here for another second!
In any case, the master had only sent her to check on the situation. She didn't want to see Ning Xian’s face anyway!
"Since... since junior brother has business, Qingqing won't disturb you further."
She squeezed the words out through gritted teeth before turning and walking away, her back radiating fury.
Watching Shen Qingqing’s angry departure, Fang Xuan rubbed his brow irritably.
Plot or no plot, Shen Qingqing being alive was a nuisance. He needed to deal with her soon.
No longer hesitating, he walked to the tightly shut doors.
He raised his hand and rapped his knuckles against the wood several times.
The interior remained silent for a long moment, long enough for Fang Xuan to wonder if Ning Xian had fainted or simply didn't want to see anyone.
Then, a weak and clearly guarded voice drifted slowly from inside.
"...Who is it?"
The voice was faint, as if it might break at any moment.
Fang Xuan cleared his throat, trying to make his voice sound as friendly as possible.
"Senior sister, it’s me. The new disciple, Fang Xuan."
Silence fell over the hall once more.
Fang Xuan could imagine the scene inside.
Ning Xian was surely forcing her injured body up, listening warily to the movement outside.
Having just experienced betrayal and the pain of bone extraction, she wouldn't trust anyone easily.
He waited patiently.
Inside the hall, Ning Xian was exactly as Fang Xuan expected.
She was curled up on the cold bed, her entire body feeling as though it had been crushed.
In particular, the area on her back where the spirit bone had been dug out radiated waves of bone-deep agony, leaving her drenched in cold sweat and her consciousness blurred.
First, she had heard Shen Qingqing’s voice outside.
Immediately after, there was a strange, refined male voice that seemed to have a conflict with Shen Qingqing? His words had been quite blunt.
This caught her by surprise.
Then, that male voice had come to her door, claiming to be... a new junior brother? Fang Xuan?
She had a vague memory of the name. He was apparently a direct disciple the master had taken in a few days ago, someone with exceptional talent.
Ning Xian gritted her teeth, enduring the intense pain as she struggled to sit up.
She didn't want to show too much of her pathetic state to an outsider, especially this junior brother of unknown intent.
With trembling hands, she grabbed the scattered bandages nearby and clumsily wrapped them several times around the wounds on her chest and back.
Waves of stinging pain caused fine beads of sweat to cover her forehead instantly.
She bit her lower lip hard until she tasted blood, barely maintaining a sliver of clarity.
Then, with great difficulty, she threw on her white disciple robes, hiding the bandages that were already seeping with blood...
Outside, Fang Xuan continued to wait quietly, making no effort to rush her.
A moment later.
With a soft creak, the hall door was slowly pulled open just a crack.
The moonlight flowed in like water, illuminating the figure standing behind the door.
"...Junior brother, is there something you need?"
Rate on N.U.
