Righteous Su Xiaobai! (3)

Su Xiaobai felt the weight of the Frostwhisper Lotus in his hand, its icy essence pulsing with energy.

He knew its value—this wasn't just any herb. Consuming it would stabilize his cultivation, repair his spirit, and perhaps even unlock more of his potential with the void cracks.

His ability to slip through dimensions could reach a whole new level with this. 'This is it,' he thought. 'This is what I need to get ahead.'

But what really caught his attention wasn't just the lotus. No, it was the way Elder Bai was looking at him.

Her gaze had softened, almost... affectionate. Like she was seeing in him something pure and noble, someone worth nurturing.

Her eyes practically screamed, 'You're one of the good ones.'

'Heh...' Su Xiaobai's lips twitched into a barely restrained grin. 'Oh, my dear Elder Bai, if only you knew...'

He couldn't help it. That adoring look—so soft, so trusting—it was too much.

His inner voices took a turn, pretending to be pitful, 'Come baby, give me a hug...' he mused wickedly. 'I'm hurt... so, so hurt...'

His mind conjured the image: her soft, fragrant body pressed against his, her comforting warmth as he buried his face in her shoulder, maybe even stealing a moment to rest his head there, sighing dramatically. 'Yes, let me hold you, Elder Bai. Heal my broken heart, you innocent, gullible thing...'

Slap!

But then, just as his fantasy was reaching a fever pitch, reality crashed in, snapping him back. 'Wait, what the hell am I doing?'

His eyes darted back to the glowing chest at the center of the chamber—the real prize. The treasure. The reason he was here. His goal.

'Right... the treasure! How can I sacrifice my goal for a hole... well, whatever that is..' he chastised himself internally.

Sure, a moment of indulgence would be fun, but he hadn't clawed his way this far just to be distracted by a pretty face and soft skin.

His thoughts quickly shifted to the potential benefits the treasure could hold.

He spared a glance at Elder Bai again, who was still looking at him like he was a beacon of light in a dark world. 'You're a sweetheart,' he thought. 'But sweethearts don't win wars...'

He kept his smile polite, nodding at her, playing the part of the grateful disciple.

Inside, though, his mind was spinning a web of future plans, each more cunning than the last. 'I'll take your resources, your faith, your belief in me... and I'll use every bit of it to grow stronger. And when the time comes...'

His eyes flicked toward the chest again. 'I'll be the one standing above it all.'

But for now, he tucked the lotus safely away, keeping his outward expression humble. "Thank you, Elder!" he said with practiced sincerity. "This means more to me than you know."

Bai Yujian smiled softly, nodding to herself as she observed Su Xiaobai's polite and unassuming demeanor. 'He's humble,' she thought, utterly pleased.

Humility, in her mind, was one of the most critical virtues for anyone seeking greatness in cultivation. 'I just hope he doesn't stay too humble and let people walk all over him...' she mused.

Still, she was content.

A promising disciple with a good heart was rare in the Xiantian Sect these days.

"Everyone," she announced, her voice calm but commanding, "we will divide the treasure in half. Su Xiaobai will take one half, and the remaining half will belong to the Xiantian Sect." Her sharp gaze swept across the room, daring anyone to object.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

An uncomfortable silence descended over the chamber.

Liu Zhenhai's face darkened immediately, his jaw clenched so tightly he thought his teeth might crack. 'Half? For him? He didn't even do anything... '

He said nothing, his ego still too bruised from earlier. He'd already been humiliated enough today, and he wasn't about to challenge Elder Bai now.

Fatty Zhou, however, shrugged like it was no big deal. 'Treasure? Bah, I can just buy something better if I really want it.'

His family's wealth was vast, and he was used to throwing money at problems until they went away.

The idea of squabbling over treasure seemed beneath him.

Xiao Yu, as usual, was indifferent. He had never cared about the treasure from the beginning.

For him, the trials were the real goal, and this treasure was just an added bonus—something to be used, not craved.

"Good then," Elder Bai said, satisfied that no one had raised objections.

Her smile softened, and her movements became almost ethereal as she lifted into the air. Her bare feet, soft and smooth as jade, seemed to glide across the floor as she ascended toward the treasure chest.

The formations guarding it were basic, not something that would challenge someone of her level.

'This treasure will likely benefit the disciples more than me,' she thought, her eyes scanning the chest with a practiced gaze.

Su Xiaobai's heart raced in anticipation as he watched her float toward the chest. 'Come on, let's see what we've got...' His mind was buzzing with the possibilities.

Half of whatever was inside belonged to him.

Outwardly, though, he kept his face calm, his eyes wide with feigned innocence. But behind that facade, his old self—the one driven by greed and hunger for strength—was practically bouncing with excitement.

'Jackpot, baby! Half a chest of treasure just for me!'

Elder Bai's hand hovered over the chest, her aura growing colder as the Frostwhisper Lotus tucked in Su Xiaobai's sleeve radiated its icy energy.

'.. open it already... let's see what fate has given me...'

He could barely contain himself, though he still kept his expression serene, like a humble disciple witnessing something far beyond his expectations. Inside, though, his mind was racing. 'What's in there? An ancient technique? A divine artifact? A cultivation pill that'll boost me to the next level overnight?' His inner self was already rolling in riches, like a madman gleefully bathing in gold.

Elder Bai's fingers delicately unlatched the chest, and she paused for a moment, casting a glance back at Su Xiaobai. Her heart softened once again. 'He's so humble... so pure.' She smiled kindly at him, her gaze full of trust. "Su Xiaobai, do you know why I've given you half of this treasure?"

Su Xiaobai blinked, caught off guard. 'What the hell?' he thought, but quickly composed himself, adopting an innocent look. "No, Elder Bai. I'm not sure."

She nodded, still smiling, as if he were some pure-hearted lamb. "It's because you embody humility. Even though you've suffered so much, you haven't let it harden you. You remain good-hearted and noble, and that is rare. Power without humility is dangerous, Su Xiaobai. But you... I believe you will wield it wisely."

'Humility? Noble?' Su Xiaobai was about to lose it. 'Lady, if you knew half the shit I'd do for power, you'd throw this treasure into a pit and bury me with it.' His mind flashed with images of him burning entire villages, plundering, slaughtering rivals, hell, even kicking puppies if it'd get him ahead. 'But sure, let's go with that—humble, yeah... I am the most humble man in the World! right!'