Xiao Jiu's identity is already an open secret.

The current crown prince is incompetent and useless, and not favored by the old emperor. The ninth prince's maternal family is powerful, making him one of the most likely contenders for the throne among all the princes. The martial world still harbors some fear of the imperial court. Otherwise, given Senior Brother Chonghua's attitude towards Mo Lin, there's no way he would have allowed them to stay in the Nine Heavens for even a moment longer.

After Mo Lin made his request, Jiang Chuting agreed. However, he only agreed to take over during Mo Lin's injury period.

Mo Lin wasn't happy about anyone stealing his credit, but in these extraordinary times, he hoped his master could offer more assistance. After a moment of silence, he said, "Xiao Jiu has always treated those who have rendered meritorious service well. If you can help him to the end and gain his trust, he won't mistreat Jiu Chong Tian; he'll even give you..."

Jiang Chuting interrupted him, "I have some business to attend to when I go down the mountain. Your internal strength is quite good now, enough to help him regulate his breathing, no need to be modest. Take good care of your injuries." After speaking gently, she flicked her sleeve and turned to leave.

Mo Lin opened his mouth, but could only watch helplessly as he left.

Jiang Chuting wasn't making excuses to fool Mo Lin; he genuinely planned to go down the mountain after his injuries healed. Two recurring, overly vivid dreams made him uneasy, and he wanted to seek help from Master Yichan to interpret them, to figure out whether they were simply figments of his imagination or if there was some hidden meaning behind them.

That night, Jiang Chuting let her hair down, took off the wooden hairpin, and examined it carefully by the candlelight.

Was it a coincidence? It seemed that he only started dreaming after he took out the wooden hairpin. Once he held it in his hand, and once he inserted it into his hair.

Jiang Chuting stared at the wooden hairpin and whispered, "Zi Que, is that you? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Jiang Chuting held the wooden hairpin in his hand all night, but this time he didn't dream. He didn't put the hairpin away and planned to continue using it to tie his hair every day.

It was time for Xiao Jiu to soak in the medicinal spring again, and Jiang Chuting accompanied him. Jiang Chuting didn't know what kind of poison he had been poisoned with, but since he needed to soak in the medicinal spring, it must be something that there was no antidote in the world that could completely cure it. Moreover, the last time the poison flared up, he only looked weak and uncomfortable, which showed that the medicine was not very potent; it was just tormenting.

The old emperor was ailing and frail, and it was anyone's guess when he would pass away. The situation in the palace was tense, and even Jiang Xian, who usually wandered outside, returned home out of concern for his father. But in this time of great upheaval, Xiao Jiu, who should have been at the center of attention, was poisoned. It's easy to guess what kind of poison it was.

The water in the medicinal spring was warm, and even the ground beside it was steaming. After Xiao Jiu went into the water, she splashed the surface with her fingers and said to Jiang Chuting, who was standing guard beside her, "Master, why don't we come down and soak together? Isn't it said that soaking in the water more often can strengthen the body?"

Jiang Chuting said, "No, I'll just watch you from the side." Xiao Jiu glanced at him, still smiling to herself, and didn't say anything more.

Seeing him smile, Jiang Chuting smiled silently in return.

Logically speaking, Mo Lin must have told Xiao Jiu that he was gay long ago. This child didn't seem to care at all. Was it out of open indifference, or was he intentionally teasing him?

In any case, as long as you're not as overly sensitive and suspicious as Mo Lin, you'll be much easier to get along with.

After Xiao Jiu finished soaking, he changed into dry clothes. Jiang Chuting sat cross-legged on the prepared futons, one in front of the other, and, as before, circulated internal energy to help him regulate his breathing. Jiang Chuting could tell that he had been trying to take a shortcut and had practiced some inappropriate skills. If he continued, he could easily suffer from qi deviation, which would do more harm than good. However, he swallowed his words of advice. This was definitely Xiao Jiu's own choice; he wasn't his true master, and it was best not to interfere.

About 15 minutes later, Jiang Chuting finished and withdrew his palm. Xiao Jiu felt much more comfortable throughout his body. He opened his eyes, his gaze shifting slightly, and the idea in his heart became even more firm.

He wanted to bring Jiang Chuting back to the palace.

At first, his decision to become Jiang Chuting's disciple was merely a fleeting impulse, not a sincere one. However, Jiang Chuting's internal strength was far greater than Mo Lin's, and he benefited greatly from Jiang Chuting's help in regulating his breathing twice.

The reason he valued Mo Lin so much these past two years was twofold: firstly, Mo Lin's loyalty to his master, and secondly, the internal energy cultivation method he practiced could perfectly assist him, preventing any mishaps. Mo Lin was formerly a disciple of the Ninth Heaven, and his internal energy cultivation had also improved, but ultimately, it couldn't compare to Jiang Chuting's level of skill. Naturally, he wanted to choose the better one.

By bringing Jiang Chuting back to my side, I can be at his beck and call and guide him, which will definitely make his training smoother in the future.

Xiao Jiu stood up and walked back to the wooden house with Jiang Chuting, with the guards following them at a distance.

"Master," Xiao Jiu started a conversation with him, asking, "Aren't you bored living alone in the back mountain like this?"

"It's not boring, I'm used to it." Jiang Chuting said, unable to resist glancing at him. He felt that the way he called him "Master" sounded sweet, quite different from how he deliberately called him before. This actually made him feel a little uncomfortable, but he didn't show it.

Xiao Jiu smiled and continued to probe him: "You're lying. How can you not be bored after ten years of doing the same thing every day? Why don't you come home with me? If you sincerely help me, you will be rich, powerful, and honored. I will not mistreat you."

Jiang Chuting stopped in her tracks, and after standing still, she turned her head to meet his burning gaze.

Although he was smiling, he was clearly serious.

Jiang Chuting didn't want to go to the palace, but she couldn't refuse too directly, so she smiled and said to him, "I'm used to being a free spirit and I'm not good at following the rules, so I'm afraid I'll cause you trouble."

This was tantamount to a polite refusal. Xiao Jiu had expected him to say this, after all, this man had a face that suggested he was indifferent to fame and fortune.

It's possible to forcibly take him away regardless of his consent, but it's best if it's voluntary. Otherwise, if he develops resentment from being imprisoned, he could easily kill him with a few stabs.

It would be better to try a different strategy. Mo Lin told him that this master's heart was made of water, and as long as he didn't let his heart grow cold and frozen, he would continue to treat him well.

Then he'll start now, trying his best to act like a good apprentice, making the disciple cherish him, worry about him, and be reluctant to part with him, so the disciple will be willing to give. When it's time to leave, he can shed a few tears and coax the disciple back willingly.

Thinking of this, Xiao Jiu smiled even more and said to him, "I was just saying. The place where Master lives is actually much better than those grand mansions. It has a unique charm."

Jiang Chuting shook his head, his tone a mix of teasing and reproach, and said, "In my opinion, your so-called fun is just teasing Wei Jia."

Wei Jia used to eat and sleep all day. Now, besides eating and sleeping, all he does is argue with Xiao Jiu. But he's only good at talking, and not very good at it at all. How can he compare to Xiao Jiu's sharp tongue? He always gets bullied to death, and then comes crying to him to complain. Because Xiao Jiu scares him, he's afraid to sleep alone at night and insists on sharing a bed with him.

He'd finally found an opportunity to stand up for his little apprentice. Xiao Jiu's lips twitched almost imperceptibly. In the past, he'd never let this fool who dared to offend him live a moment longer; just teasing him was already showing mercy. Thinking this, a sweet smile curved his lips as he said, "Just teasing him, who knew he was such a coward? Okay, I promise, I won't bully him anymore."

He agreed so quickly, Jiang Chuting was slightly surprised, "Really?"

"Really!" As the sun began to set, the two continued their journey through the mountains. Suddenly, Xiao Jiu spoke her name to Jiang Chuting, blinking her eyes sincerely, "Master, my name is Jing. You can call me Xiao Jing from now on."

The imperial family's surname is Pei, and his name is Pei Jing. Pei Jing was unusually friendly to him today; was it because he helped him regulate his breathing? After all, he was a prince, and Jiang Chuting would never call him by his given name directly. Pei Jing probably didn't want to make a scene during his visit to the Nine Heavens, and calling him Ninth Prince was even more inappropriate. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I'll continue to call you Little Ninth."

Pei Jing seemed easy to talk to, and smiled, "That's fine too."

Pei Jing promised not to bully Wei Jia, and he kept his word. When he returned, he spoke to Wei Jia with a very friendly smile, "Don't be afraid, senior brother. I was just teasing you. I wouldn't secretly put poisonous scorpions on your bed to bite you. From now on, you can sleep alone without worry at night, okay?" He even patted Wei Jia's face with his hand after saying that.

Wei Jia was skeptical, but Pei Jing continued, "I know a lot of good places to eat. I'll take you to eat them all in the future. You can eat whatever you want."

Wei Jia was completely lost in thought. He swallowed hard. "Seriously, you're not lying to me?"

What good would it do me to lie to you?

Wei Jia finally believed him and moved back from Jiang Chuting's room that night.

Jiang Chuting accompanied Pei Jing to the medicinal spring twice more, and his condition improved somewhat. In a few more days, Mo Lin will be able to get out of bed, and Pei Jing can then let him take over. At that time, Jiang Chuting will be able to go down the mountain.

Unexpectedly, Pei Jing encountered a minor problem while practicing martial arts on his own at night. Mo Lin seemed to know that Jiang Chuting was there, so he didn't get up and come over, but only asked a couple of questions from a distance.

Seeing that his face was still pale, Jiang Chuting finally couldn't help but say something, frowning as she said to Pei Jing, "You can't practice this skill anymore, it's easy to get into trouble."

"Is Master concerned about me?" Pei Jing sat cross-legged, tilted his head slightly, and smiled gently. "With Master here, I have no worries."

His trusting demeanor startled Jiang Chuting. Pei Jing pouted and said, "Master thinks I'm very willful, right? But I don't want to be either. I was sickly when I was young and started learning martial arts too late, so I had to take shortcuts, otherwise I wouldn't be able to protect myself."

His expression showed no gloom or sorrow, but rather a very ordinary one, yet Jiang Chuting's heart clenched.

So that's how it is. As the saying goes, "The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind." Pei Jing stands out among the princes, and coupled with his flamboyant personality, he must have secretly attracted a lot of hatred. Although he looks glamorous, his journey must have been difficult; otherwise, he wouldn't have been in such a hurry to take this dangerous path.

Unable to stop him, Jiang Chuting could only advise, "Then you should pay more attention in the future, and remember not to be too hasty, otherwise you will really suffer more losses than gains."

"I will follow Master's teachings." Pei Jing's dark eyes seemed to ripple with light as he stared at him intently.

"Then you should rest." Jiang Chuting got up to leave, but suddenly felt a tightness around his waist. He looked down in surprise and saw that Pei Jing had hugged his waist.

Pei Jing buried his face in Jiang Chuting's waist, so Jiang Chuting couldn't see his expression. He could only ask, "Xiao Jiu, what's wrong?"

Pei Jing choked out after a long while, "It's nothing, it's just that suddenly, I really miss my mother. She must be very worried about me. Since my mother isn't here, I can only ask my master to comfort me. Master, please let me hug you."

Jiang Chuting ultimately didn't push him away. She felt his shoulder tremble slightly after he finished speaking, as if he was really sad. She hesitated for a moment before raising her hand and patting his back twice to comfort him.

Pei Jing hugged him for a while before letting go. Perhaps because he had covered his face for too long, his cheeks were flushed, except for his slightly red eyes.

He lay back on the couch, his back to Jiang Chuting, and said, "I'm going to sleep, Master."

"Okay, rest now." Thinking that he was shy because he had revealed his feelings to him, Jiang Chuting got up and left, extinguishing the candle for him.

After he left, Pei Jing raised his hands in the darkness, the slight numbness in his fingertips still lingering. If a lamp were lit, it would surely illuminate the surging light in his eyes.

He wasn't actually missing his mother just now; it was just that seeing Wei Jia clinging to Jiang Chuting's waist and acting spoiled had inexplicably made him feel restless. That waist, hidden beneath the fabric, looked very slender, with a beautiful, upright line; it must be quite comfortable to hug.

He had only thought about it before, but just now, in that instant, he suddenly felt a strong urge to put it into action. And then, he actually did it.

He was indeed very thin, but not like a woman who could be encircled with one hand; his waist was supple, yet full of resilience and strength. Moreover, when I pressed my nose against his body, I could smell a very light and pleasant scent. The longer I hugged him, the more restless I felt, and I didn't want to let go, but I had to.

The result is... he's having trouble falling asleep now.

After Jiang Chuting accompanied Pei Jing to soak in the medicinal spring three more times, Mo Lin was able to get out of bed and move around. He put on his mask and prepared to go down the mountain. Pei Jing knew that he was going down the mountain, frowned, crossed his arms and looked unhappy, and said to Jiang Chuting: "You said you were going out for two days, so I'll wait for you for two days. If you don't come back by then, I'll cook Wei Jia and eat him."

Upon hearing this, Wei Jia immediately rushed into Jiang Chuting's arms and started to cry. Jiang Chuting could only comfort his little apprentice: "He's just bluffing you, don't be afraid."

Pei Jing snorted, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, and pulled Wei Jia out of Jiang Chuting's arms.

Jiang Chuting only gave a rough estimate because Pei Jing asked, but she didn't expect him to be so strict. So she changed her mind and said, "I'll come back whenever I've finished my business. Xiao Jiu, you don't need to wait for me. Mo Lin is enough; he won't let anything happen to you. Also—" Jiang Chuting added emphatically, "Don't scare Wei Jia anymore."

Under his gaze, Pei Jing's expression turned aggrieved, and he said softly, "I know, Master. I will definitely get along well with my senior brother. Don't worry, go ahead." He even took Wei Jia's hand and accompanied him for a short distance.

Jiang Chu was heading to Ci'en Temple, a place where people from other sects often went to exchange martial arts techniques. Although many years had passed since his affair with Zi Que, he had habitually changed his identity and appearance to avoid trouble, except when he met Jiang Xian. So after descending the mountain, he removed his mask, took the disguise pill specially made for him by the Nine Heavens Pharmacist, and changed his clothes, becoming exactly as he had appeared when he impersonated Chu Ran.

Chu Ran's skin tone was slightly darker than his own, his face was much more ordinary, and his voice was also slightly different. If one wasn't particularly familiar with him and knew his habits, they definitely wouldn't recognize him. He used to rely on this to wander around various places, and no one knew that he was actually Jiang Chuting, who had utterly disgraced the Nine Heavens.

Jiang Chuting was surprised to find that Ci'en Temple was empty; Master Yichan had traveled far away and was not in the temple. He had no choice but to return down the mountain.

As he walked along the bustling street, lost in thought, a figure suddenly flashed past and excitedly blocked his way. "Wait!"

Jiang Chuting recognized the voice and looked up, then froze in surprise.

The person looking at him with a face full of surprise was none other than Lin Zhi, whom he hadn't seen for many days. But wasn't Lin Zhi the one who hated him the most? Wouldn't he definitely not give him a kind look? Why, why did he have this expression now?

Yes, he remembered that he was now in disguise, and his appearance had changed. If that was the case, then Lin Zhi could not possibly recognize him.

Did you mistake me for someone else? Jiang Chuting was completely confused. She met his gaze calmly and waited for him to speak first.

"Chu Ran! Your name is Chu Ran, right! I'm sure I'm not mistaken, your appearance hasn't changed much!" Lin Zhi grabbed his arms tightly, smiling and revealing two sharp tiger teeth. His eyes were bright as he looked at him, his joyful expression full of youthful cuteness.

Seeing Jiang Chuting's stunned expression, Lin Zhi looked at him with hopeful eyes, "I am Que'er, Yun Que. When I was little, you took me in. My face was covered in sores. You found a doctor for me, comforted me, and took care of me. Do you... do you still remember me?"

Jiang Chuting felt a buzzing in his head. He remembered, how could he not remember? Back then, when he was anxiously searching for someone, he was caught by Lin Xuan and forced to swallow a pill whose contents he still didn't know.

He had no idea that Lin Zhi was the child from back then.

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When writing characters with multiple identities, I easily get their names mixed up, and it's so hard to spot the mistakes. If I make any mistakes in the future, please let me know. Thank you so much! =3=