Chapter 23

Ning Shiting had good taste.

Gu Tingshuang felt that he must have misheard, or perhaps the Jiaoren was too tired from the day's exertions and wasn't thinking clearly.

Ning Shiting had followed Gu Feiyin for many years, and it was said that even his life was saved by Gu Feiyin when he was found by the Jiaoren sea. Why would he want to kill him? To enter the residence, Ning Shiting endured the slanders from Xizhou, lowered himself to serve a fourteen-year-old boy, and there was no reason for him to want to kill Gu Feiyin.

In the darkness, Ning Shiting slept quietly, holding the little wolf properly in his arms.

If Gu Tingshuang moved slightly, Ning Shiting would subconsciously hold him tighter in his sleep. When he felt the little wolf's breath close to his neck or face, he would move slightly to avoid it.

Aside from this slight movement, Ning Shiting slept very peacefully, not moving an inch. It seemed that he would sleep in the same position from night to morning if he slept alone.

Gu Tingshuang squinted his eyes; he was also feeling tired.

He was still in the early stages of the third phase, and controlling the little wolf's body took a lot of effort. Today, he had followed Ning Shiting all day, even using his spiritual sense several times to explore things.

At first, he didn't feel it, but after seeing Ning Shiting asleep, for some unknown reason, drowsiness and fatigue suddenly washed over him. Although he had endured four years of life with damaged spiritual roots, reducing his physique to that of an ordinary person, he had stubbornly chosen a method of cultivation that dismissed physical and mental suffering and even scoffed at the seven emotions and six desires with disdain.

Yet, every time he was with Ning Shiting, he would involuntarily relax.

This proved that this poisonous Jioaren... was indeed very toxic.

In a haze, he withdrew his spiritual sense.

At the Shizi residence, separated by a city, the return of his spiritual sense caused the boy who had been sitting still with bright eyes to finally blink.

Hulu and Lingjiao, those two brothers, helped him bathe, wash up, and trim his hair, grooming him thoroughly. They also had new clothes delivered, which Ning Shiting had ordered when he first entered the residence.

Perhaps thinking he was cultivating and fearing that demons or ghosts might take advantage, after completing these tasks, they returned him to his room, seating him in a wheelchair and setting up a simple protective formation nearby.

There were no mirrors in his room, so he couldn't see his current appearance. He only felt completely relaxed and refreshed, exuding a pleasant, clean fragrance from his bath.

Gu Tingshuang glanced around and happened to see a bird flying by the window. He hooked his finger.

At that moment, his spiritual sense suddenly extended, suppressing the bird's spiritual sense and taking over its body.

He controlled it to land by the window, flapping its wings and looking inside.

That boy, now tidied up, sat in the wheelchair with his back straight and a sharp gaze.

He was almost fifteen.

The men of the Gu family were always tall and robust. Even though he would have to live in a wheelchair from now on, the boy's slender but increasingly broad shoulders, long legs, and the overall outline of his figure showed that he was growing rapidly with a heroic spirit that belonged to no one else.

Before he turned ten, every year on his birthday, the Wangfei would organise a grand celebration for him.

As the son of an influential family in the celestial realm, it was essential for him to broaden his horizons and establish connections from a young age. Even in those times when Gu Feiyin was absent, his residence was always lively and prosperous. Every year, his birthday banquet would make a significant impact in Xizhou.

Gu Tingshuang never cared much about his appearance and didn’t know whom he resembled.

He didn't look like his mother, but he had hardly seen his father either. People often said that the Shizi of Qing Wang bore a striking resemblance to Qing Wang. Occasionally, he even resented this face.

His father, who looked much like him, had abandoned his family and wife, leaving for years on end. Even during the past four years, Gu Feiyin hadn't returned, and even before that, he wouldn't visit them when he did return. While other children would cling to their fathers' knees and ride on their shoulders, he had sworn early on to become the most outstanding young man in the Nine Provinces and to protect his mother, ensuring her lifelong peace and security.

He borrowed the bird's eyes to glance at himself, then withdrew his spiritual sense.

Night had fallen deeply. He struggled to climb into bed, pulled the blanket over himself, and closed his eyes.

At that moment, he habitually turned slightly, feeling the emptiness beside him. He then remembered that he had returned from the wolf's body, and Ning Shiting was not beside him. Now, he couldn’t hear the steady breathing of the Jiaoren or smell his faint fragrance.

He slept well.

Early the next morning, Hulu and Lingjiao helped him wash and eat.

The two attendants had been scared half to death by him yesterday—sitting motionless and not blinking for an entire day and seeming like he was possessed. Now, seeing him return to normal, they were very relieved.

Gu Tingshuang practised fasting and usually didn’t eat or ate very little.

This morning's dim sum included his long-time favourite, Snowball Viburnum Mung Bean Cakes.

He glanced at them, picked one up, then put it back and pushed the plate away, saying flatly,

"Replace this. I want Ice-skin Snowflake Crisps."

"Yes, Dianxia."

Hulu hurriedly took note and carried the plate away to get it changed.

Gu Tingshuang squinted his eyes. "Has he not returned yet?"

When referring to Ning Shiting in front of others, he always used "he," never a nickname or his full name.

Lingjiao, standing nearby, quickly caught on. "The Gongzi returned this morning. He seemed quite tired and went back to his room to sleep. He probably hasn't come out yet."

"And the news from outside?" Gu Tingshuang asked.

Lingjiao, for a moment, didn’t follow his line of thought. "Ah? What news from outside?"

Gu Tingshuang said, "Regarding the trip to the Immortal Chief's residence and the incense-guessing contest—if they won, tell Ting Qin, Ting Qiu, and the others must remember the previous bets and send the items to me."

As he spoke, Lingjiao couldn’t help but notice a hint of confident amusement in his eyes.

They were somewhat aware that the Shizi had placed bets with a few attendants and maidservants about Ning Shiting’s participation in the incense-guessing contest.

This matter had spread throughout the mansion, and later, when Ning Shiting fell ill, everyone thought he wouldn't attend the contest, so the bet was naturally forgotten.

Lingjiao muttered, "Wasn't Gongzi out to recover the intercepted edict? What’s this about an incense-guessing contest? Wasn't it supposed to be cancelled?"

Following Gu Tingshuang's orders, Lingjiao went out to gather some information and suggested Gu Tingshuang try on the clothes Ning Shiting had prepared and sent over.

Lingjiao said, "Gongzi said that since Dianxia is still growing, it’s fine to prepare dozens of sets of clothes. If there are any styles or cuts that Dianxia doesn't like or finds unsuitable, just let us know. If there's a particular style that Danxia prefers, tell Gongzi directly."

He had been prepared for Gu Tingshuang to say, "I don’t like any of them."

Previously, when Ning Shiting had shown him some reformation plans, Gu Tingshuang had thrown dozens of pages into the pond with one hand, and it was up to them to fish them out later.

But this time, Gu Tingshuang was silent for a moment. "Bring them all here, I want to see them."

Lingjiao was taken aback, then overjoyed. He brought the exquisite, brand-new clothes over and helped Gu Tingshuang back to his room.

Ning Shiting had good taste.

He liked to wear red, moon-white, and light colours and preferred intricate designs, but the clothes he sent to Gu Tingshuang were all grand and luxurious, befitting his status as the Shizi. Even the everyday clothes were made with great care, using high-quality materials that were both comfortable and dignified, and in colours that Gu Tingshuang favoured.

After Gu Tingshuang had reviewed all the clothes, he selected a few uncertain sizes to try on. Among them, one piece had several layers of linings, and the innermost layer was slightly smaller.

He said, "Take this one to be altered, and keep the rest."

"Alright, Dianxia. You look stunning no matter what you wear," Lingjiao said, visibly pleased, before leaving.

By noon, the mansion became lively with numerous visitors arriving. It was rumoured that Ning Gongzi of the Qing Wang’s residence had created the ancient Soul Returning Incense, making him the sole holder of such incense in the entire Nine Realms.

Countless cultivators, merchants, and apothecaries came, but they were all politely kept outside by Ting Shu, the gatekeeper.

Ning Shiting was still sleeping, anticipating such a scene before he returned. He handed two out of three boxes of Soul Returning Incense to Ting Shu, instructing him that if anyone sought medical help for their family or friends, they could receive the incense, while the rest were to be turned away.

At the same time, news spread that Ning Shiting, the "benefactor" recently installed as the new Qing Wang, was a Poisonous Jiaoren. Questions arose about whether there were still Poisonous Jiaoren in the Northern Sea. However, those who inquired soon discovered that the Jiaoren had become extinct over a decade ago. Jiaoren were already rare, and Poisonous Jiaoren were exceedingly rare. Records showed that in the past twenty years, there had been only three Poisonous Jiaoren, with only one Snow Jiaoren surviving to this day—Ning Shiting himself.

Everyone present yesterday had witnessed the most crucial ingredient in the Soul Returning Incense—Ning Shiting's Jiaoren blood. Some couldn't help but view the Qing Wang’s mansion with suspicion.

In the quiet of the midday, Ning Shiting woke up after catching up on sleep. Ting Shu had managed to dismiss most of the visitors, leaving only a small portion of the Soul Returning Incense from the two boxes.

Ting Shu expressed concern, saying, "But this incense requires your blood to be adjusted, and your health is not well... Immortal Chief’s Mansion is despicable. Now everyone knows the value of your blood. Who knows who might target you in the future."

Ning Shiting shook his head. "That's not the main concern. As a Poisonous Jiaoren, I was originally raised by people for medicinal purposes. But what I fear is... that people will use my case to search for more North Sea divine beings to cultivate as medicine."

Ting Shu widened his eyes.

"And also... the Immortal Chief’s Mansion now knows my background. In the future, there may be more scrutiny. The Qing Wang will inevitably face accusations because of my identity. The Immortal Emperor already distrusts the Qing Wang. Once he knows Danxia possesses such a rare and dangerous weapon like me, he will be even more cautious."

Ting Shu's jaw nearly dropped. "Wouldn't that bad for the Wangye?"

Ning Shiting smiled. "It would, ah, I guess I'll probably be interrogated."

Ting Shu was puzzled.

He couldn't fathom what Ning Shiting meant by his expression.

He didn't care about the Qing Wang or his mansion, or even who ruled the land. His life was saved by Ning Shiting, and he would follow whoever Ning Shiting favoured.

In the past, Ning Shiting had meticulously arranged everything for the Qing Wang, settling potential enemies one by one. Even when Gu Feiyin scraped his skin, he would specially prepare incense and medicine to aid in his recovery.

Not to mention the dilemma now involving the Qing Wang’s position in the court.

Yesterday, the suspicious black-faced Rakshasa, who seemed to know Ning Shiting, colluded with the Immortal Chief’s Mansion, apparently intending to expose Ning Shiting's Poisonous Jiaoren identity.

He had long been aware of Ning Shiting's skills in incense-making and knew that once he saw the true Soul Returning Incense, he would surely be able to replicate it.

He was waiting for Ning Shiting to discover the last ingredient, the Jiaoren blood!

Ting Shu recalled before the second half of the incense-making competition began, Ning Shiting had casually remarked, "I wonder how they'll react when they find out I'm a Poisonous Jiaoren."

Perhaps he had known about the plans of the black-faced Rakshasa and Immortal Chief’s Mansion from that moment?

But why did he still do it? Why did he even taste the Qihao Gu poison before the Rakshasa could remind him, thereby revealing his identity directly?

He couldn't understand. And as usual, he didn't want to think about it anymore.

He looked up earnestly at Ning Shiting and said, "Whatever you do, there must be a reason behind it. I will always stand by your side."

Ning Shiting patted his head.

In that moment, a different emotion flickered in the Jiaoren's eyes. "I don't want you to stand by my side. I want you to have your own life and live well."

—When did this happen?

The events of a past life seemed vivid before him, their voices and smiles unchanged.

Among those he had missed and those he had wronged, Ting Shu's name was also there.

Ting Shu looked at him with some confusion.

Ning Shiting softly said, "The Grand Marshal Baili Hongzhou, who came to Xizhou this time, is from the Ice Plain’s Mayfly Clan. He is your Gēgē. I want to send you back to him. Even if you don't want to go, this time... you must listen to me."