Playing The Victims [BL]

Chapter Twenty-Seven | First World

[ 27 ]

Having successfully stirred up some drama, ShuNing's mood was quite good. And the man by his side wasn't dumb enough to question why. The Chief Advisor himself, also took a lot of pleasure from slapping haughty concubines into their places.

Seeing the youth talk to XeLeader without a single tremble in fear, many of those in attendance to the banquet, became increasingly interested in the pretty boy in blue.

Though, as few individuals mulled over things, orchestrating plans, they were quickly deterred by the fixed position of the older man standing by his side. The Chief Advisor was not someone you wanted to toy with. Although he currently seemed pleasant and smiley with Shu Ning, he was actually notorious for finding a majority of XeLeader's excesses pure annoyances.

That is why the man strictly refused to live under the same roof as them all, and chose to instead live in a manor that was significantly smaller and out-dated in comparison. So even though the man appeared in a very good mood, they definitely wouldn't take their chances by imposing on it.

"Elder Kang, is the birthday boy even here yet?" ShuNing asked when away from prying ears.

Birthday boy, Kang Guiren chuckled at the term. "He should be here shortly, given the time of day he should have finished his bathing."

"Bathing?"

"Mm, for elemental cultivators, on their birthdays they bathe in the water gathered from the waterfall and it is said to cleanse the body of any impurities and elevate their cultivation." He explained but ShuNing had some doubts.

"And does it work?"

Kang Guiren, who took a sip of his own drink, gave a look to ShuNing, that by now the youth had learnt to interpret. The man was just as sceptical of such traditions as him.

This made it easy for ShuNing to genuinely smile, inch by inch lowering his guard. Though in the end, he wasn't sure how Kang Guiren would slot into this world's conclusion, he would still keep up a good friendship with the influential man.

As Elder Kang predicted, the birthday boy soon arrived, with an air of cockiness as he greeted those around him. Throughout the interaction, XeLeader didn't once spare his son a single glance. Which meant, even if given such a prestigious title, you were granted very little from the man himself.

In ShuNing's eyes, there was only one benefit to the man's arrival, and that was that they all finally sat down and began to eat. There were many red meats, which he avoided in fear of getting gout and opted for the brightly coloured foods; holding himself back from the delicious-looking deserts that no one had reached for yet. He didn't want to be the first one to scoff his face with the sweeties.

Thankfully they weren't seated too close to XeLeader, those who were were desperately vying for his attention by talking about various subjects they believed would engage the man. Meanwhile, down the table where ShuNing and Elder Kang were seated, side by side, they broached many subjects- the wise man happy to share his vast knowledge with the youth.

Whether it was more tales of cultivation, or about the food on the table in front of them, ShuNing was happy to soak up every word.

"Elder Kang, you don't like sweets?"

"En, it's too much for an old man like myself to digest." He explained and the wide-eyed young man found this completely unacceptable. But now that he mentioned it, ShuNing had been the one to devour the biscuits when the man last visited.

"Hm, you must try my favourite biscuit, Elder Kang, that will surely change your perspective." He spoke confidently, nodding his head in agreement with himself.