A Gorgeous Man Takes a Bath

The newcomer was none other than Xiao Qinghe. With a perfectly straight face, he said, "When I fell into the Ice Spring, you saved me just in time, Master. I can never repay you for saving my life, so please let me help you bathe as a small token of my gratitude."

"No need." Bai Yuqing waved a hand, declining his offer.

No.

You need it.

Otherwise, how am I supposed to complete the Hellish System's task?

"My cultivation may be poor, but my back-scrubbing skills are second to none. Try them and you'll see, Master." Xiao Qinghe pitched his services hard.

Bai Yuqing hesitated for a few seconds before finally turning around, exposing his broad, powerful back.

He certainly lived up to the original novel's lavish praise, which rivaled even that bestowed on Xie Jun. His back muscles were flawless, his skin snowy white, smooth and firm. Shrouded in mist, he looked better than even a beauty filter cranked to maximum could manage.

Xiao Qinghe inwardly marveled at the Female Lead's good fortune.

In the original novel, the Female Lead had seen Master naked three times and nearly claimed his virginity, making everyone else green with envy.

As if bewitched, Xiao Qinghe pressed his hands against him.

That felt ridiculously good!

No wonder the Female Lead, despite having countless men fawning over her and ultimately falling into Xie Jun's arms, could never forget Master.

Who wouldn't lust after beauty like this?

[Ding! Ding! Ding!]

The moment Xiao Qinghe's hands touched Bai Yuqing's chest, the readers suddenly went wild.

Amid a barrage of donation notifications as dense as a downpour, rows of text scrolled upward across the electronic screen only Xiao Qinghe could see.

[Bare-chested, Bai Yuqing shed his usual cold severity, exuding a forbidden sensuality amid the curling steam.

Peerless beauty, a feast for the eyes-no one could resist.

Xiao Qinghe swallowed hard. Perhaps the spring water was too hot, leaving him dizzy and dazed; he couldn't help reaching toward the man's perfect back.

A touch that robbed him of all self-control.

Bai Yuqing.

Bai Yuqing.

Everything about him was just as his name suggested.

A beloved beauty, white as snow, with skin as cool and flawless as jade.

Xiao Qinghe caressed his back in rapt fascination, a deeply satisfied smile curling his lips...]

Who swallowed hard?!

Who was in rapt fascination?!

This fucking prose again!

Xiao Qinghe's head threatened to split, yet the readers were going utterly wild, each wave of chiming donation notifications louder than the last.

"My disciple?" Bai Yuqing suddenly spoke, his voice slightly husky. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

His disciple always tended to him devotedly and was exceptionally attentive, but this was the first time he had joined him in the bath and scrubbed his back.

Recalling the intimate, suggestive scene between his disciple and that young man when he had found them in the cave, Bai Yuqing sank into thought.

His disciple had been by his side since childhood, orbiting around him every day. Now that he was reaching the age of first love, the only people around him besides Bai Yuqing were a few hot-blooded fellow disciples.

Could that have made him interested in men...?

Bai Yuqing turned around and sighed. "It's my fault for not paying enough attention to you. If there's something you find difficult to speak of, you can tell me now."

If his disciple truly preferred men, he certainly wouldn't discriminate against him. But the object of his affection absolutely could not be that Xie Jun.

That young man was seductive and sinister, plainly no decent sort.

How could he let his dear disciple fall into the clutches of someone so dangerous?

Xiao Qinghe was utterly bewildered.

Had Master misunderstood something?

But he did have something to say, so he began, "Master, all the branch sects are busy recruiting disciples, yet you have only me. Besides, my aptitude is mediocre. I can't bring you any glory."

"Such empty honors are not worth having." Bai Yuqing remained unmoved.

"But you're always cultivating in seclusion, Master. With only me left in the Thirteenth Sect, it inevitably gets lonely."

"Are you blaming me for neglecting you?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Bai Yuqing sighed deeply. "You've grown up, and now you're lonely."

Xiao Qinghe: "???"

Why did he sound like he was resigned to something utterly beyond his control?

Why did talking to Master feel like they were having two completely different conversations?

"Very well." Bai Yuqing waved a hand. "It would be good to have someone keep you company while I cultivate. Whoever you want, I'll ask the Sect Leader to give them to us."

Xiao Qinghe scrubbed his back with renewed enthusiasm. "I want Xie Jun."

"That bewitching young man who took liberties with you?"

"He didn't take liberties with me."

If anyone had taken liberties, it would have been him with Xie Jun.

Still, they were both grown men. What was all this talk of taking liberties?

Bai Yuqing's voice deepened. "Anyone but him."

Xiao Qinghe suddenly dropped to his knees. "I don't want anyone else. Only him. Please grant my wish, Master!"

Bai Yuqing's expression cooled.

That wretch really had bewitched his disciple!

"Do not bring this up again." He turned away. No matter how Xiao Qinghe hinted or probed, he refused to budge.

Xiao Qinghe grew anxious again.

Over the next few days, his attempts to curry favor became rather distracted.

He either dressed Bai Yuqing in clothes turned inside out or burned dinner. While making soup, he even scalded the back of his hand.

"Would you truly go so far as to hurt yourself in protest against me, all for an outsider?" Bai Yuqing sighed.

He hadn't expected that bewitching young man to have poisoned his disciple's mind so deeply.

He fetched some ointment and applied it to the burn on the back of Xiao Qinghe's hand.

Seeing Xiao Qinghe hesitate to speak, he finally relented. "Must it truly be him and no one else?"

Something about that question sounded off.

But it really did have to be Xie Jun.

He was the most powerful backer in the entire book!

Xiao Qinghe considered for a moment, then said, "Xie Jun and I were both alone and helpless as children, so I understand his suffering. Luckily, I met you, Master, and escaped that misery. But he's still wandering from place to place. If he can't become your disciple..."

He spun lies and fabrications with such heartfelt sincerity that he nearly believed them himself. "Whenever I think of how I want for nothing under your care while he still has no home and drifts from place to place, I can't bear it..."

Bai Yuqing narrowed his eyes. "Is it truly only pity for his difficult circumstances?"

"What else would it be?" Xiao Qinghe asked solemnly.

His real objective-latching onto Xie Jun as his powerful backer-was something he could never admit, even under pain of death.

Bai Yuqing studied him for a long while with a piercing gaze before finally believing him.

His disciple's aptitude for cultivation was mediocre, but he had a kind heart. If forced to ignore Xie Jun, he would only fret over him and torment himself.

Better to keep Xie Jun under his nose, where he could watch him. With time, that wretch's true colors would emerge, and his disciple would see him clearly.

And so Bai Yuqing finally agreed.

Xie Jun duly became the second disciple under Master Bai Yuqing of the Thirteenth Sect.

However, Bai Yuqing had no intention of teaching him cultivation. He merely had him help Xiao Qinghe with chores.

[Ding!]

[Xie Jun has become your Master's disciple. Host has completed the task. Your reward has been delivered to the Scripture Pavilion. Please collect it.]

Well, that was a novelty.

He had spent three years since transmigrating diligently following the plot, and this was the first time he had discovered that the system had any conscience left-that it even knew how to give rewards.

Xiao Qinghe asked, "There's a reward too? What is it?"

[Please inspect it yourself, Host.]

So mysterious. Could it be some rare treasure?

Then he definitely had to take a good look.

Xiao Qinghe took the opportunity to call over his newly inducted junior disciple, Xie Jun. "Junior brother, come with me to the Scripture Pavilion."

He could steal a few cultivation manuals for Xie Jun while they were there. With Xie Jun's talent, teaching himself would be no problem.

After all, Master was wary of Xie Jun and refused to teach him cultivation methods, while Xiao Qinghe was eager to secure Xie Jun as his backer.

Sensing his intentions, Xie Jun secretly grew wary.

He had nearly killed Xiao Qinghe in the cave. How could Xiao Qinghe possibly bear him no resentment and even sneak him into the Scripture Pavilion?

Moreover, the Demon-Slaying Sect had always made slaying demons its mission. As its disciple, Xiao Qinghe had seen his demon mark and could not possibly be unaware that he belonged to the Demon Clan. Yet he never mentioned it, never asked why he had entered the Demon-Slaying Sect, and even fussed over his well-being, as though they truly were affectionate senior and junior disciples.

Xie Jun narrowed his eyes. He didn't believe this man could be so kindhearted. "Why?"