Chapter 1192 - 863: Snake Bone

Chapter 1192: Chapter 863: Snake Bone

Lu Xiao rarely fought for favor. Apart from his nature, he understood very well that with a female having multiple partners, love could not be distributed evenly.

Xiao Jin and Shen Li had an irreplaceable life-and-death bond with Shen Tang, young and passionate, naturally receiving more favoritism.

Rather than endlessly competing for favor, Lu Xiao only wanted to take good care of Shen Tang, help her share the burdens, and manage both inside and out.

Even if he would not be her most beloved Beast Husband, he would be the partner she could never live without. In future histories, they would be remembered for their virtuous reputation, praised as a loving couple for life.

When Lu Xiao said this, he was calm and composed, appearing truly indifferent.

Lu Shen had a headache, and as the topic shifted, he sighed lightly and said, "You probably don’t know yet, but your second brother will become a father beast next month."

Lu Xiao had heard that since last month, Lu Ke had been accompanying his partner to the hospital frequently. He had some suspicions but was still a bit surprised, "Oh, Ke’er hasn’t mentioned this to me yet. Well, congratulations in advance then."

Lu Xiao did not have a good relationship with his stepmother, but his relationship with this brother was not bad.

From a young age, Lu Ke admired his elder brother, seeing Lu Xiao as a role model, but he was also jealous that Lu Xiao could become the Monarch’s partner. Lu Ke had always tried various means to win the Monarch’s favor, but despite his efforts, Shen Tang barely gave him a glance.

A couple of years ago, Lu Ke completely gave up and settled down by marrying a noble female... It is said that they have a good relationship, and unexpectedly, they are about to have a child so soon.

Lu Xiao’s lips curled into a slight smile, and he said with satisfaction, "This is a joyful occasion for the family. I’ll prepare gifts to visit my sister-in-law later, truly congratulations to my brother."

Lu Shen, seeing that his hammering for so long was in vain, became even more irate, "Hmph, you ought to truly congratulate your brother! Ke’er is seven years younger than you, and he’s about to become a dad! You, as the older brother, still don’t know when you’ll let me hold a grandchild!"

Lu Shen sighed deeply, "You’re not young anymore. When I was your age, how old were you already? Peers of your age, some are holding grandchildren in a few years!"

Lu Xiao coughed softly, nonchalantly saying, "Father exaggerates too much."

"Oh? Exaggerates? You are not worried now, but when you’re really older, you won’t even be able to have a child if you want one!" Lu Shen lowered his voice, speaking with the wisdom of experience, earnestly advising, "Boy, you must understand, the prime of males lasts just barely over twenty years! If you don’t care now, it’ll be too late when you’re older!"

"..."

"Ah, I am truly worried for you. Look at the younger Beast Husbands by Your Majesty’s side, they’re more youthful than you. You can’t afford to wait like they can, you must seize the time!" Lu Shen advised with concern, "When age takes away beauty, you can’t compete with the other Beast Husbands. No matter how touching the promises of youth were, a female’s love will fade, especially when the Monarch is never short of youthful, attentive males! If you don’t even have a child in the future, you’ll completely lose favor in your later years."

Lu Shen was a stern, impartial general outside, but only with his most cherished eldest son would he speak such heartfelt words.

Lu Xiao tightened his fingertips but maintained a calm expression, "Father, you’re thinking too far ahead."

His health was good. Though not considered young, he was in his prime, not yet the pitiful male his father described, having not weakened compared to his youth.

"You overestimate the love of females, and overestimate your confidence too," Lu Shen sighed lightly, "Back then, your mother and I were so happy together, but now everything has changed, I’m kept outside the door, unable even to see her..."

As he spoke, he touched his face, clicking his tongue, "Ah, maybe now truly I’m old and unrecognizable! Wrinkles at the corners of my eyes, hair turning so white, I can never go back to my younger self, she probably wouldn’t even recognize me."

After a few self-pitying remarks, Lu Shen looked at Lu Xiao again, his voice much gentler, "If it weren’t for you, your mother might have long forgotten about me."

Lu Xiao raised his eyes to his father, a slight movement in his expression, but his lips curled with rare sarcasm, "Father never managed to have harmony with his wife, nor recover mother’s true heart, surely doesn’t speak from much experience, does he?"

"You! You brat, what are you saying?"

"Before advising me, Father should tend to his own matters first. I still have things to do, so I won’t keep you company," Lu Xiao stood up to leave, which made Lu Shen very frustrated.

This son excelled in every aspect from a young age, outsiders envied him greatly for having such a good heir, but only Lu Shen knew this son wasn’t easy-going, especially in front of him, stubborn as a mule!

Ah, it’s because he failed in his duties as a father, creating a rift between them in the end.

"I truly want what’s best for you. Although it was an arranged marriage with the Royal Family back then, you and the Little Princess have such an age gap, you waited till twenty-six for her, wasting the best of your youth... Now you’re thirty-four, no longer a young person who can squander time! If you keep waiting, you won’t have the luxury that others do to wait!"

Lu Shen felt both heartache and guilt towards his eldest son. As the future head of the Lu Family, he had to enter an arranged marriage with the Royal Family, potentially marrying a female he had no feelings for, waiting for so many years.

Lu Xiao’s footsteps paused, his hand slightly clenched.

In his youth, he kept his body chaste for the Princess, seeming an anomaly among the restless young males, rejecting any female approach.

In the heat of youth, the hardest thing to endure was bodily restlessness, yet for him, it wasn’t torment, with training and family affairs drawing his attention away, that restlessness would quickly be suppressed.

Only now, he seemed to realize, have so many years passed already?

Indeed, he... was no longer young.

Decades later, would he become like his father? As love fades with an aging body, the only thing that seemed to remain with her was familial affection.

Having offspring would indeed strengthen that familial bond...

Lu Shen saw Lu Xiao hesitate and handed him a potion, "I specially bought this from the Central Alchemist. I heard it’s very effective! You will surely get along well with Your Majesty and have a Little Prince soon."

"Remember what your father said, you really can’t wait."

"...I got it." Lu Xiao still accepted it.

When he returned to his residence, Lu Xiao gradually realized something was off.

He initially thought this potion was just to nourish the body and could increase a male’s probability of conception. But lying in bed at night, he tossed and turned, feeling feverishly hot.

Lu Xiao’s breathing became increasingly rapid, and sweat appeared on his forehead.

He closed his eyes, furrowing his brow, intending to forcibly suppress it with willpower. But the more he tried to suppress it, the worse it felt, and the changes in his body were impossible to ignore... he was going insane.

Lu Xiao raised his hand to cover his face, sighing deeply.

This seems like... a kind of aphrodisiac.

Could it be that he got the wrong potion?

Lu Xiao found himself unable to think anymore, taking a deep breath, he forcibly suppressed the restlessness within and got up to go out.

Tonight, Shen Tang was resting alone in the study.

After finishing her official duties, she looked out the window at the night. The silver moonlight spilled onto the ground like frost and snow, reminding her of Xue Yinzhou.

"Where did you go? It’s been years, and there’s not even a word..." Shen Tang raised her right hand, looking at the bone-like bracelet, her eyes filled with longing.

After they returned from the Lost Continent, they parted ways midway. She went to fight against the forces of the Divine Hall, and Xue Yinzhou went alone to handle the grievances of the Ghost Snake Clan.

Once everything settled, Xue Yinzhou came back to see her once, and after giving her the Snake Bone Bracelet, he left.

Years had passed, but Shen Tang still remembered his expression at that time. Even though the Divine Hall was destroyed, the man’s handsome and cold face did not display the usual joy of others, remaining calm like a still ancient well, simply stating that he had other matters to attend to.

Xue Yinzhou did not choose to come back with her, nor did he stay to be the Clan Leader of the Ghost Snake Clan.

Since that day, he vanished like the wind, his whereabouts unknown, leaving no trace.

He only left Shen Tang with this Snake Bone Bracelet.

Shen Tang looked down at her wrist. The bracelet appeared crystal clear in the moonlight, made from a snake bone.

—Taken from the smallest segment at the end of the Bone of Destruction, a slightly curved bone, not overly carved, retaining its original appearance.

Amid this, strands of black-purple mist swirled, representing the Devouring Power.

Yet this domineering and violent power did not harm Shen Tang; instead, it adhered gently to her skin, becoming her protective force.

Xue Yinzhou kept his promise, no longer giving her bloody scales, but gifting her his severed bone.

This madman!

Shen Tang didn’t know whether to be happy or worried. If you looked closely, you could still see the faint pattern of a snake beneath the bracelet on her white skin, also left by Xue Yinzhou.

If she encountered danger, she could cut the totem to summon him.

With these assurances, he could leave for so long with peace of mind.

Shen Tang touched her wrist, as if she could feel the power emanating from the other side, knowing he was still alive and well.

After all this time, she wondered if Xue Yinzhou still thought of her, if he too gazed up at the moonlight thinking of her?

Knock, knock.

A knocking sound came from the door.

"Female Master, are you... resting?"

It was Lu Xiao’s voice.

Shen Tang looked surprised, vaguely seeing the tall and straight figure. Apart from work, Lu Xiao seldom sought her out of his own initiative, let alone during a midnight rest.

Could something have happened?

His voice seemed a bit off as well.