The arc I remember has MC migrate into a low-tier member of an evil sect, the evil sect leader is the ML. ML loves a shou that he raised since he was a child, but shou doesnt like him back. ML keeps pressing, shou keeps rejecting, and ML gets angry. MC is caught staring, ML notices and asks why hes staring, MC says something about admiring him ever since ML saved him as a child and brought him into the sect, ML says if he wins an inner-sect competition, he can be a personal bodyguard. He wins, and joins, but is basically an assistant, so everyone is fine with it, since he knows his place. Shou rejects eating with ML, MC looks greedily at the breakfast, and MC invites him to eat together. He does, and ML begins catching feelings. ML gifts shou with a precious jade that he carved himself, Shou gets touched by ML and slaps it away, (rightfully so, since ML has basically been grooming him since he was young), and the jade breaks. MC grabs the jade, since its still jade in a cultivation novel, and ML yells at him, and sends everyone away. MC drugs ML, ML is strong, so he is unaffected, and waits to see is MC will assassinate him (he is pessimistic in this bit, thinking that it makes sense that the only person to approach him w/out being scared is trying to kill him), but MC kisses him instead, to check is ML is actually ML, and he realises that MC likes him, and thinks that he kept the broken jade as a keepsake, since he carved it. ML sends MC away to a weapons pavilion, where MC thrives, cause he's great at it. MC does some hot spring bathing, posing for ML, who is hiding in the bushes watching him, thinking that he's sneaky. Shou is in love with a douche from a righteous sect, and Shou plans to run away with him after stealing a thousand year lotus, or something, that ML has been growing in a secret cave. Shou enters, sees that it's been moved, and that ML doesnt trust him anymore. Theres a secret portion of the cave, MC is invisible in there, and ML is waiting for Shou. The lotus has been moved there, and it's also where ML has erotic drawing of MC. Shou is confronted, banished, and has his cultivation taken away. Shou goes to the rival gong, but since he didnt die or steal the lotus for him, he is only accepted into the harem as a run-of-the-mill concubine, instead of his true love. MC keeps ML from killing the rival gong after he rises up, and ML thinks that MC is in love with Shou, while MC thinks ML is still in love with shou since he showed mercy on him. MC actually does so because rival gong's ancestor has been in closed door cultivation for ages, and comes out extremely strong. Since he wasn't excessive, and didnt kill the rival gong, the ancestor can't fight ML anymore, since he hasnt technically done anything wrong, and only defended himself. I'm just really trying to read the kissing scene again, I remember it being hella cute when ML realises that he's not an incel, and people can actually like him.