Transmigration:The Villain Wants A Happy End Without His BeastHusbands Chapter 163: Hypocrisy And Weakness

Ningyan let out a small, nervous laugh as he stepped out from behind the shrubs completely.

...this was awkward.

Jun Haoxuan had already turned back toward the pavilion.

"Co here," he said calmly. "You should step out of the rain."

Ningyan pressed his lips together but obeyed, walking toward the pavilion with slow, asured steps. He stopped at the first stair... hesitating.

Jun Haoxuan watched him. Silent and waiting.

Ningyan didn’t move.

"I wasn’t spying," he said instead.

Haoxuan’s lips twitched faintly, like he was holding back a smile. "You should really leave the rain, Ningyan."

He stepped closer. Then extended his hand.

Ningyan’s glowing eyes dropped to it. Just for a second.

Then he stepped forward and placed his hand into Haoxuan’s.

The mont their skin touched, a gentle blue glow spread from Haoxuan’s palm. It flowed into Ningyan’s body like calm water, washing through his ridians, smoothing the unrest he hadn’t even realized was there.

The violent edge of his earlier emotions softened.

The faint glow in his eyes flickered.. then dimd. Returning to its usual, quiet purple.

Ningyan blinked slightly.

...he hadn’t noticed how off-balance he’d been.

Jun Haoxuan didn’t let go.

Instead, he gently drew him further into the pavilion until they stood fully beneath its shelter, rain cascading just beyond them.

Their hands remained loosely intertwined.

Ningyan felt the warmth crawl up his neck.

He cleared his throat.

"To be clear," he said, a little more firmly this ti, "I really wasn’t spying."

Jun Haoxuan smiled. This ti without restraint.

"What were you doing, then?" he asked lightly. "Hiding behind bushes, in the middle of a storm?"

Ningyan frowned slightly. "I was already outside. Just... wandering."

Jun Haoxuan’s gaze moved over him slowly. Taking in everything.

His soaked hair, strands clinging to his forehead and neck... the thin robe plastered against his body... the faint rise and fall of his chest.

"I can see that," he said.

There was sothing quieter in his tone now. Sothing heavier.

Then, just as smoothly, he added, "And it seems you’ve t my sister. Did she tell you all my secrets?"

Ningyan smiled faintly.

"She didn’t say much," he said. "But I t your niece and nephew. They’re... an annoyingly adorable pair."

Jun Haoxuan’s lips curved. "That they are."

His gaze lingered on Ningyan for a mont before he asked, more quietly, "Did Shanyuan tell you anything I should be aware of?"

Ningyan blinked slightly at that.

He didn’t quite understand what he ant.

With his free hand, he idly grasped his flute, while the other remained loosely intertwined with Haoxuan’s. Without thinking, he gave their joined hands a small, absent swing as he considered.

"She ntioned that you’re the one truly ruling the clan," he said at last. "And that I should be careful."

The smile on Jun Haoxuan’s face faded. Not completely. Just enough.

"I see."

A brief silence followed.

Then,

"I should have told you myself," he admitted. "I was waiting for the right ti... and I’ve been occupied."

Ningyan glanced at him. "Does ishan know?"

Jun Haoxuan shook his head.

"I haven’t told him either." A quiet breath left him. "I should have. Especially now."

His gaze shifted outward, toward the rain beyond the pavilion.

"My father has returned. And the court..." he paused slightly, choosing his words, "...is dividing more openly."

His tone remained calm. But there was weight beneath it.

"Several clan leaders have begun withdrawing their support," he continued. "There has been an increase in dragons using demon tools, cultivating with demon qi. I’ve been eliminating them where I can."

A faint crease ford between his brows. "But my father’s solution is simpler."

Ningyan already knew the answer.

"...extermination?" he asked.

Jun Haoxuan nodded once. "Indiscriminate."

The rain grew louder in the silence that followed.

"I won’t allow that," he said evenly. "Even if it costs support."

His gaze lowered slightly. "So consider that weakness and hypocrisy."

Ningyan frowned imdiately.

"That’s not weakness," he said. "And it’s not hypocrisy either. You’re not even involved with demon qi."

Jun Haoxuan let out a soft, quiet chuckle. "It isn’t that simple."

He turned his head slightly, looking at Ningyan again.

"It’s not about demon qi. It’s about—"

He stopped. His hand lifted almost unconsciously. As if he intended to brush away the damp strands of hair clinging to Ningyan’s face.

But just before his fingers reached him, he paused and withdrew.

At the sa ti, his other hand slipped free from Ningyan’s.

Ningyan’s gaze dropped to the hand Jun Haoxuan had just released.

The absence lingered uncomfortably.

Before he could dwell on it, Haoxuan had already stepped back, leaning lightly against the pavilion wall, fingers pressing against his temple as though restraining a thought.

Or himself.

Ningyan watched him. And for reasons he couldn’t quite na, sothing in his chest tightened.

Annoyance.

His eyes flickered, the vivid violet glow surging back without him noticing.

"It’s what?" he asked.

Jun Haoxuan lowered his hand, his gaze returning to Ningyan. His eyes lingered briefly on the glow... on the frown... on the subtle shift in his aura.

Then he answered.

"I’ve been in situations where innocents died because of my decisions," he said quietly. "More tis than I care to admit."

Ningyan stilled.

The mory of the water city lower district surfaced easily.

"...I understand," he said.

Jun Haoxuan’s fingers curled slightly at his side. He was looking at Ningyan again. Really looking.

Rain-damp hair framing his face, robes clinging to his form, those glowing eyes, still unsettled, still bright.

He was beautiful. Far too distracting. And completely unaware of it.

Jun Haoxuan exhaled softly, forcing his thoughts elsewhere.

"My father recently returned from the Sky Palace," he said, shifting the topic. "He went to consult the elders on matters I haven’t questioned yet."

"Sky Palace?" Ningyan blinked, surprise replacing the tension on his face though the glow in his eyes didn’t fade.

Jun Haoxuan sighed, pushed himself off the wall and walked toward him.

Without hesitation this ti, he reached for Ningyan’s hand again, fingers sliding between his, interlocking them with quiet familiarity.

The gentle, stabilising blue glow followed imdiately.

Ningyan felt it spread through him again, cooling the unrest, softening the sharp edge of his emotions. The violet in his eyes dimd, returning to sothing calr.

He absentmindedly swung their joined hands.

But inside, his thoughts were anything but steady.

One mont, Haoxuan had pulled away. The next, he was here again. Holding him like nothing had changed.

And... Sky Palace.

The na alone sent a quiet chill through him.

That place was where Book Ningyan had died.

It was closer to the heavens. Where higher immortal beasts resided. Where beings closer to gods watched everything from above.

Ningyan had already decided he would never go there.

Never.

He pushed the thought aside quickly and focused on sothing else.

Sothing far more imdiate.

His grip tightened slightly around Haoxuan’s hand. And before he could stop himself, he asked, "...are you really going to her chamber tonight?"