Negotiations(1)

Xia Tian and Xia Shuiyao walked side by side, their footsteps echoing through the quiet corridor. Xia Tian strode confidently, his head held high, while Xia Shuiyao strolled leisurely, her eyes wandering around as if taking in the sights.

Their appearance together was a rare sight. Xia Shuiyao was known to rarely leave her room, and many of the guards had never seen her before. They were amazed by her beauty and grace, stealing furtive glances as they passed by.

As they approached the end of the corridor, they entered a grand hall with expensive decorations. The walls were adorned with intricate tapestries, and the floors were made of polished marble. Only guards were present there, standing at attention with their weapons at the ready. The rest of the hall was empty.

This was the main hall of the Xia family, where the patriarch and his son, Xia Leng, held court. They discussed matters relating to the mid-level realms conquered by the Xia family, listening to each representative's concerns and issues. Conquering the realms was easy, but ruling them was a different story.

Xia Shuiyao's face darkened upon seeing the hall. She looked around anxiously for signs of her father, but the hall was empty. She felt a sense of unease, wondering why her father was not present.

"If you're looking for Father, let's go to his room," Xia Tian said, a smug grin spreading across his face as he enjoyed the sight of Shuiyao's panicked expression.

Ignoring him, Shuiyao quickened her pace and headed in another direction.

Her heart was heavy with frustration and anger. Why did fate have to be so cruel to her?

If she told everyone what had happened, she would gain the sympathy of many and her father would be forced to do justice.

Xia Tian's actions were clearly wrong, and he was misusing his status. Although she felt that he deserved death for his behavior, she knew that she couldn't kill him for just sniffing her bedsheet and acting shamelessly. Not until he had the status of a disciple of an Immortal and was considered the family's best genius.

Thinking back to the Immortal, Shuiyao shuddered involuntarily. It was she who had saved Xia Tian last time, but the Immortal had not cared much about his well-being, despite the fact that he was her disciple. This further decreased Xia Tian's standing in Shuiyao's eyes.

As she looked at Xia Tian's carefree expression, Shuiyao cursed herself for being so impulsive and attacking him again.

"Brother Tian!?" 

Suddenly, a surprised gasp interrupted her thoughts, and she and Xia Tian both turned to see Xia Ying standing there.

Xia Ying's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she smiled awkwardly at Xia Tian. The morning incident had left her feeling flustered, but she couldn't help the giggles bubbling up inside her. She had tried her best to tempt Xia Tian, but he hadn't taken advantage of her.

Today, however, all her efforts had paid off, and she couldn't help but wonder if she should have stayed instead of escaping that morning. Maybe something more could have happened between them.

Suddenly, Xia Shuiyao's voice broke through her thoughts, and Xia Ying turned to face her half-sister with a strange look. It was rare for them to interact, but Xia Shuiyao would soon be her sister-in-law, so Xia Ying put on a polite smile.

"Greetings, big sister Shuiyao," she said, bowing lightly.

Despite the equal opportunities for both men and women in the Xia family, Xia Shuiyao seemed to have been blessed with slightly better looks than Xia Ying. However, Xia Ying didn't let that discourage her. With time, she was sure she would surpass her half-sister.

Xia Shuiyao, who wasn't used to socializing, got straight to the point. "Do you know where Father is?"

Xia Ying thought for a moment before answering, "You can check the Alchemy Hall. He should be there."

Without another word, Xia Shuiyao left, ignoring them both. Xia Ying frowned at her behavior. Shouldn't she at least say thank you? She turned to Xia Tian with a questioning gaze. "Why are you with this woman? I've never seen you two together before."

Xia Tian smiled mysteriously, beckoning her closer, and Xia Ying couldn't help but feel intrigued.

Xia Ying obediently followed Xia Tian, but as soon as he spoke, her mind went blank.

"Xia Shuiyao proposed to me this morning, and I rejected her. Therefore, she wants to find father to complain about me."

Xia Ying stared at him, her eyes wide with shock. Xia Shuiyao, his blood sister, had proposed to him? It was outrageous! And to make matters worse, Xia Tian had fallen for her fiancé. The situation was a complete mess.

Despite the fact that people in the sacred sky jade realm were known to have multiple wives and children, Xia Ying couldn't shake off the feeling that this was different. She couldn't help but wonder if Xia Shuiyao had a competitor now.

Before she could make sense of her thoughts, Xia Tian let out a loud laugh, and Xia Ying realized that he had been teasing her all along. She blushed as he scooped her breasts once and vanished, following after Xia Shuiyao.

Left alone, Xia Ying's mind was in turmoil. She couldn't help but wonder if Xia Tian had touched her breasts because he liked them. It was the second time he had touched them that day.

As she walked away, she made a mental note to clear things up with Xia Tian later. After all, whether it was a joke or not, she couldn't let Xia Shuiyao's proposal go unanswered.

Xia Tian strolled leisurely towards the alchemy hall, enjoying the tranquility of the place. However, his attention was diverted by an interesting exchange that caught his ears. He halted in his tracks and turned towards the direction of the commotion.

"How can you stay in the same room for so many years, Shui'er....!!" The voice boomed, more like a scolding than an exchange. The person being scolded was none other than Xia Shuiyao. Xia Tian could see the flat expression on her face, which silently listened to the scolding.

The scolder was Long Wanhui, and Xia Tian couldn't help but observe her figure. She was a stunning lady, her long blonde hair flowing gracefully, her golden eyes shining like the sun. He could also sense a faint remnant of dragon bloodline from her.

She had to be his birth mother in this life, as for his previous life parents, Xia Tian had killed them in his previous life by himself. Xia Tian wondered if history would repeat itself. He had no feelings for his parents in this life, but the curiosity of the outcome piqued his interest.

As Long Wanhui was scolding Xia Shuiyao, her eyes caught sight of Xia Tian's figure in the distance. She immediately stopped scolding her daughter and strode towards Xia Tian with a smile on her face. As she reached him, she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace, her ample bosom pressing against his chest. "Tian'er, my son, why are you here?" she asked, her voice filled with affection. Xia Tian wasn't surprised by his mother's display of affection, as he knew from his memories that she doted on him more than his sister. He savoured the feeling of her embrace, but couldn't help noticing that there was something different about her. However, he put that thought aside for the moment.

As Long Wanhui released him from her embrace, Xia Tian stepped back and looked at her with a charming smile. He couldn't resist glancing down at her ample breasts, enjoying the sensation of his body pressing against hers a few moments ago. But he quickly regained his composure and asked, "Mother, do you know where father is?"

Long Wanhui looked at her son for a moment, noticing a subtle change in his demeanour. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but she knew that something was different. "Your father went to another realm to settle some matters. He should return tomorrow," she answered.

Xia Tian nodded in understanding, then turned his attention to Xia Shuiyao, who was watching them with an expression of bewilderment.

"Why do you want to meet Father Tian'er?" Long Wanhui asked, regarding Xia Shuiyao with a mix of surprise and suspicion.

"It's not me, but sister Shuiyao who wants to meet him," Xia Tian replied with a small smile.

Long Wanhui's eyes widened in shock at Xia Shuiyao's sudden request. "You want to meet your father? How long has it been since you asked about them? We thought you had forgotten about your parents."

Xia Shuiyao nodded at first, her expression resolute. But then, as if unsure of herself, she shook her head and turned to Xia Tian. "Never mind, come to my room and tell me what you want."

With that, she left the room in near-silence, leaving Long Wanhui feeling both confused and uneasy about the situation. "What is going on?"

Xia Tian chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. He knew exactly what had happened. Xia Shuiyao had lost hope after seeing the stark contrast in treatment between him and her by Long Wanhui.

So, she had chosen the easiest route of negotiation -- to go directly to Xia Tian.

Before Long Wanhui could ask Xia Tian any more questions, he had already vanished from the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts. She let out a disappointed sigh, feeling a sense of loss and longing for her children's love and attention.

"Children really forget their parents after growing up a bit," she remarked to herself, her voice tinged with sadness.

But as she observed Xia Tian's confident and mature aura, she couldn't help feeling a sense of pride and admiration for her son. He had grown into a strong and independent young man, and she knew that he would continue to make her proud.

Despite her curiosity and lingering doubts, Long Wanhui chose not to question Xia Tian further. She had always wanted her son to develop a strong backbone and to be able to stand up for himself and his beliefs.

And in that moment, as she watched him disappear down the hallway, she knew that he was well on his way to becoming the person she had always hoped he would be.

Xia Tian, completely unaware of Long Wanhui's inner turmoil, strode confidently into Xia Shuiyao's room. The door clicked shut behind him, but Xia Shuiyao made no move to lock it.

"Now tell me, what do you want?" she demanded, her voice less frosty than before, but still tinged with fear.

Xia Tian snorted in frustration and beckoned for her to sit beside him. After a moment of hesitation, she reluctantly complied, her movements stiff and guarded.

A heavy silence descended upon the room, broken only by the sound of Xia Shuiyao's shallow breathing. Each passing moment felt like an eternity to her.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she turned to face him. The moment their eyes met, a jolt of electricity sizzled through her body. It was a strange sensation, like nothing she had ever experienced before. Her soul trembled with an unfamiliar energy, and she felt a strange connection to him.

If she had possessed the ability to see souls, she would have witnessed her own quivering with excitement. It was as though her very essence was reaching out to him, begging to be touched.

Xia Tian's divine eyes flickered over her, reading her soul with ease. But he chose to ignore the strange energy that flowed between them, and spoke openly and honestly.

"You have a unique body constitution, a special Yin body that requires male essence to cultivate properly," he told her bluntly, pausing briefly to gauge her reaction. "Seeing your response, I can already tell that you're aware of it."

"Hmm, actually, you could raise your cultivation by building a male harem. It's not uncommon," he offered as an aside.

"I don't care," Xia Shuiyao replied, her voice as cold as ice.

This was the exact moment Xia Shuiyao fell into Xia Tian's trap....

When he had mentioned the idea of a male harem, she had simply said, "I don't care." To Xia Tian, this implied that she was not interested in having multiple partners. It could mean one of two things: either she wanted to stay single for her entire life or she only wanted to be with one man.

Xia Tian was convinced that Xia Shuiyao preferred the latter option. After all, many powerful women in their world had built their own male harems. It was a good idea, and if Xia Shuiyao properly cultivated her body, she could easily reach the immortal realm. And let's not forget the carnal pleasure she would enjoy.

How can Xia Shuiyao not be aware of her own body?

She simply didn't like the idea of a male harem.

Her thoughts were old-fashioned, like those of a traditional woman. She would only follow one man for her whole life. As long as he didn't do anything extreme, she wouldn't leave him. Her thoughts were simple, even naive.

But one thing was certain: Xia Shuiyao was the ideal woman for any man.

Xia Tian's next words caught Xia Shuiyao off guard.

"Sister, as I can see that you don't like the idea of a male harem. How about I give you a cultivation technique that won't require you to dual cultivate to increase your cultivation?"

Xia Shuiyao looked at him with surprise. This wasn't what she had expected. Shouldn't he be the one demanding something from her? Why was it going in the opposite direction?

She couldn't understand anything.

"Why?" she asked.

Xia Tian chuckled. "Don't celebrate too early. I am just raising the bets."

"Raising the bets?" Xia Shuiyao was confused and had a bad feeling about this. She felt like she was facing the devil and making a deal with it. The devil wasn't even giving her a choice to think, as if he already knew what decision she would make.

Little did she know that it was only the beginning.

"Evelynn, give me my rings," Xia Tian said calmly, extending his right hand in front of him.

Seven rings appeared in his hands out of thin air. All of the rings had similar designs and carvings, with no jewels or stones embedded in them. The only difference between them was the color of the runic engravings.

Xia Tian narrowed his eyes slightly, and soon an eighth ring appeared. It had slightly pink-colored runic patterns engraved on it.

Ignoring Xia Shuiyao's dazed figure, Xia Tian wore the rings casually. All of the rings faded away the moment he wore them. Not a single ring could be seen with the naked eye. The moment someone wore them, they became invisible.

Xia Shuiyao's mind was in utter chaos. "Evelynn? Isn't that the name of the Immortal Master? But why is he saying her name like this?!" Her heart was pounding in her chest as she tried to make sense of the situation. Her eyes darted to the silver ring with runic patterns, which flashed briefly before disappearing again.

Xia Tian handed her a scroll, and she took it suspiciously, inspecting every inch of it. The more she read, the more her eyes widened in astonishment. "This is too good to be true," she whispered, her voice laced with disbelief. The cultivation technique described on the scroll was a treasure beyond measure – something even immortals would kill for.

As she was lost in thought, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her forcefully against Xia Tian's side. Her body stiffened as she felt his breath on her neck, sending shivers down her spine. "Behave yourself," she managed to say calmly, but her posture betrayed her unease. She was ready to pull away at the slightest hint of anything more than this.

Xia Shuiyao couldn't help but wonder what he wanted from her. But before she could voice her thoughts, Xia Tian silenced her by placing a finger on her plump red lips, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. The gesture was both commanding and sensual, making her heart race even faster.

Xia Tian's words cut through the air like a sharp knife, and Xia Shuiyao's heart sank as she realized where this conversation was headed. She felt a knot forming in her stomach, and her hands began to shake uncontrollably.

"Earlier, I remember saying that you are like a shard of ice that will cut anything it touches but is brittle enough to break with enough pressure. Do you know why I said that?" Xia Tian asked, his voice cold and menacing.

"I don't know," Xia Shuiyao replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xia Tian's eyes bore into hers, and she felt like she was being interrogated. "Every time I touch your body, it trembles in fear. You try your best to hide it but are unable to. Your behavior is cold towards everyone, including your parents. You seem to hate me even before I had contact with you for the first time. Your gaze towards mother is one of disappointment, and the only reason I can think of is that you had some kind of accident in the past."

Xia Shuiyao felt like she was being suffocated by his words. Memories of the past flooded her mind, and she tried to push them away, but they were too strong. She felt like she was drowning in a sea of pain and sorrow.

"Xia Shuiyao, were you assaulted eighteen years ago? Am I wrong?" Xia Tian asked with a smirk.

The ice shard inside her shattered, and she felt like she was falling into a bottomless pit. She barely stopped her tears from streaming down her face as she relived the horror of that night.

She felt like she was being ripped apart, piece by piece, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.