Chapter 119 Asking for a Reward: Wasn't it me asking you to reward me? ...

Three months have passed since Jiang Yu woke up and Xian Chen's sword was sealed. As Shen Jiuxu had told Dianxing, he had not left Fuyou Palace.

However, the disciples he selected were indeed outstanding in all aspects. Although Dianxing felt something was amiss, the vast sect was indeed operating smoothly, and it seemed that whether Shen Jiuxu appeared or not had little impact on it.

In fact, because he and Jiang Yu gradually lost contact, the people of Qingyun Ladder also gradually lost interest in discussing them. They no longer heard rumors when they went out every day, which Dianxing thought was quite good.

Shen Jiuxu thought so too.

So much so that when Jiang Yu woke up early in the morning and looked at Shen Jiuxu, who was still asleep, he felt an unprecedented sense of confusion.

If he remembered correctly, he hadn't seen Shen Jiuxu deal with Shen Wuke's affairs for a whole month. Was being the sect leader so easy? All he had to do was relax in his room all day. It didn't seem like it was like this a few days ago.

Jiang Yu didn't call him, but waited until he woke up before nudging Shen Jiuxu's shoulder and asking, "You... haven't been out for a long time. Is nothing happening outside?"

“I’ve already told you that if you encounter any troublesome situations, just come and find me.” Shen Jiuxu faced him and touched Jiang Yu’s lips with his fingertip. “Besides, even the elders aren’t useless. If I’m needed for everything, then the sect leader position might as well be relinquished and let someone else take it.”

"Why do I feel like you're blatantly slacking off?"

Jiang Yu stared into his eyes, but Shen Jiu was telling the truth, the kind of truth that comes from a clear conscience. He tilted his head and smiled at Jiang Yu, "What, you've already started to dislike me after such a short time?"

"Dianxing is exceptionally capable. I was never cut out to be the sect leader. If my master hadn't insisted on entrusting Shen Wuke to me, I probably would have been traveling elsewhere long ago. Dianxing came from the Azure Cloud Ladder and is familiar with the local people. He is gentle yet decisive and resourceful. Given time, he will surely be able to shoulder heavy responsibilities."

"I just wanted to give him some early training."

Shen Jiuxu spoke slowly. As a tree, he had lived for hundreds or thousands of years and had no attachment to this mortal world. If it weren't for Jiang Yu, he would rather remain a tree, spending his days basking in the sun and sleeping.

"Are you planning to hand over the position of sect leader to Dianxing?" Jiang Yu was somewhat surprised; he certainly hadn't expected Shen Jiuxu to have such a thought.

“He is the most suitable candidate. Although the elders are experienced, they are not up to par in terms of cultivation or character. Master’s hard work cannot be ruined in their hands.”

As Shen Jiu spoke, she grabbed a handful of Jiang Yu's hair, braided it into a plait, and hung it beside Jiang Yu's ear. "Besides, I don't want you to stay here for long. This place isn't good."

"But I really like the Fuyou Palace."

Jiang Yu knew what he meant. Seeing that he was still fixing his hair, she simply gathered all her hair to the side closest to Shen Jiuxu and turned her back. This posture made it convenient for both of them.

"The Qingyun Ladder is crowded and lively, and the food here is delicious. Every flower and tree in the Fuyou Palace was planted by the two of us, and I like it very much."

Jiang Yu explained slowly, "No outsiders come here, just the two of us. It's quiet and peaceful. I don't want you to hate this place because of me, because it's filled with your sincere feelings and shouldn't be wasted or disliked."

“If you don’t want to go out, and Xing is here, then the two of us will stay here. If Lian Quesheng comes, we’ll ask him to bring more good wine and food from outside. If he doesn’t come, then we’ll just have to ask you to eat something that’s hard to swallow.”

He deliberately sighed, putting on a considerate and understanding expression, "But even if your cooking is terrible, I'll still finish it."

“I personally brewed your medicine every day.”

Jiang Yu paused for a moment, then turned to face Shen Jiuxu, showing no remorse whatsoever. "It's too bitter. Can medicine and food be the same?"

"It consumed the same amount of firewood and water."

Shen Jiuxu's hands didn't stop moving. He didn't know why he had recently taken to doing Jiang Yu's hair. Although he didn't do a very good job at first, and it was messy like a clump of straw, with Jiang Yu's enthusiastic cooperation and the sacrifice of his hair, Shen Jiuxu now had a new skill as skillful as carving wood.

"There are still people."

"The manpower should also be taken into account, Young Master Jiang. It's too much trouble to brew medicine for you. It's fine if there's no money, but there should be some other reward!"

He leaned down, his eyes fixed on Jiang Yu. He had finally gained some weight, and his face didn't look as thin as when he first woke up. His complexion had also improved a lot. However, Shen Jiuxu still preferred the radiant and jade-like appearance he had with his grandfather.

Fortunately, Zhou Yongyin was far away, and the place was remote and not well-informed. Otherwise, if he had known about Jiang Yu's situation, he probably would have carried a bag of herbs over in the middle of the night and then picked up a hoe to beat those people up.

He was born a person who disliked reasoning, much like Lian Quesheng. Not to mention that it was his own grandson who was injured, and it was also his own grandson who saved him.

Shen Jiuxu was afraid that this situation would upset Zhou Yongyin, so he didn't talk to him about it.

"What reward?"

Jiang Yu laughed, and before Shen Jiuxu could reply, she leaned in and kissed him briefly, then pulled away. "Is that enough?"

"not enough."

Shen Jiuxu bit his lip, tucked the braid in his hand behind Jiang Yu's head, held his bare back, and lowered his voice, which sounded like a hint of suppressed resentment, "I've been brewing this medicine for over thirty days, three times a day, for at least an hour each time. Am I really going to be dismissed so easily by Young Master Jiang?"

"That's far from enough."

"Is this enough?" Jiang Yu cupped his face, from his brow down to his eyes, lips, chin, and collarbone. He was being held in Shen Jiuxu's arms, and a thick blanket covered both of them. Apart from that, there was nothing to cover them.

He could feel the increasingly heavy breathing of the person beneath him.

It wasn't hot that day; in fact, it was rather cool. But Shen Jiuxu was covered in sweat. They hadn't been this intimate in a long time. Ever since Jiang Yu woke up, Shen Jiuxu had been worried about his health and had only slept under the same blanket with him every night, sleeping soundly until dawn.

After so many days of being well-behaved, even the most detached person would become restless and agitated by this. Shen Jiuxu pressed down on Jiang Yu's hand, which was sliding downwards, and said in a clearly hoarse voice, "Don't move."

"Didn't you want me to reward you?"

Jiang Yu countered, "What, doesn't this count as a reward? Or does Sect Leader Shen not want this reward and feel he's been shortchanged?"

His hands knew all too well the reactions of those below—hot, burning, throbbing, vibrant. "Sect Leader Shen's body doesn't seem to want me to stop. It seems Sect Leader Shen is lying."

Shen Jiuxu was speechless. He felt as if his entire life was in Jiang Yu's hands. The other party revealed a provocative smile. He already knew that he had been exposed long ago.

They were utterly defeated.

"I'm so obsessed with it."

His most honest answers come from his body, and only secondarily from his mouth.

"Then go easy on me."

Jiang Yu responded to Shen Jiuxu with his limp, sweaty body, "He also wants your Daoist partner, and wants you to come in."

The joy inside the Fuyou Palace seemed to affect the falling leaves of the elm trees outside. They were blown into the sky by the wind, fluttering and soaring, sometimes rising into the air and sometimes falling back to the ground. This intense, rapidly changing, and seemingly soaring-into-the-clouds-like stimulation was so captivating that people were intoxicated and unable to extricate themselves from it.

The sky in the distance turned from blue to yellow. The disciples of Xingchenque got up early to practice their swordsmanship. Xi Chuang, like them, wore the most ordinary disciple uniform and carried the same wooden sword, standing in the open space.

"Senior Brother Xichuang, want to go eat together?" The new disciple took the initiative to invite Xichuang to the cafeteria. "I heard that the auntie made special meat buns today, they smell delicious."

"Go ahead, I don't like eating meat."

Xi Chuang smiled at him, sheathed his sword, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on his forehead. The disciples around him had offered him a clean handkerchief, but Xi Chuang refused.

"I have something to discuss with my master, so I'll head back now."

His departure sparked further discussion, as Xichuang had come directly from Bailuzhou and immediately became Lian Quesheng's disciple, earning him much envy from others.

"Isn't he just Lian Quesheng's apprentice? Doesn't he even know if Lian Quesheng wants to talk to him? For so many days, Young Master Lian has either been out playing or sleeping in his room. Has he taught him a single move?" The man stared at the departing figure through the west window, his eyes filled with contempt.

“Isn’t that just like Young Master Lian? I joined earlier than you all, and I haven’t seen him practice swordsmanship much. It’s all about talent. When Sect Leader Chu took him in, there was no selection process, was there? Maybe Xichuang is just like Young Master Lian.”

"Hmph, you're putting on a good show now, but I haven't seen Young Master Lian even give you a second glance. What, are you planning to cling to Xi Chuang's leg and climb up Lian Quesheng's high branch?"

The group was arguing fiercely when Xi Chuang slowly lowered his gaze, the veins on the back of his hand bulging. Only when he reached Lian Quesheng's place did he manage to force out a gentle and polite smile again.

He knocked twice on the door and heard Lian Quesheng say "Come in." Lian Quesheng lay lazily on the bed, most of the bedding hanging on the floor, and his clothes were scattered, making one frown.

But Xi Chuang remained unfazed. He picked up the things that had fallen on the ground one by one, stacked them neatly, and put them away in categories. Only then did he walk to the table, pour a cup of hot water, touch the cup with the back of his hand to feel that the temperature was about right, and hand it to Lian Quesheng.

"What's wrong with Master these past few days? He doesn't seem to be in good spirits. Is something wrong?" Xi Chuang touched Lian Quesheng's forehead, and the other man shrank back, saying softly, "...Your hands are too cold."

"Master, have some hot tea to warm yourself up. It's not cold enough to need charcoal yet, and you're already so sensitive to the cold. That's not a good sign." Xi Chuang brought the cup to Lian Quesheng's lips. The other man's complexion was not good; he looked rather pale.

"I'll drink it myself."

Lian Quesheng forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, took a small sip, and the hot water warmed his entire body. "Thank you."

“Master, why are you being so polite with me? This is what a disciple should do. If you feel unwell, just tell me.” Seeing that he didn’t want to drink anymore, Xi Chuang took the cup back. As he reached the table, he heard a voice behind him, “Nothing else, it’s just that lately I feel like I’ve forgotten a lot of things, and my mind feels empty.”

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Author's note: Practice makes perfect is a good thing!

Here's a summary of the novel "The Mirror Master" [kiss][kiss], feel free to add it to your favorites.

Naïve and innocent young nobleman (top) x Ruthless and money-loving male ghost (bottom)

Legend has it that the bronze mirrors cast by mirror craftsmen can reveal the soul of their beloved, but because they consume their lifespan and essence, they only cast three mirrors in their lifetime: one for themselves, one as a gift to their wife, and one to sell to a customer.

But Xu Gengshu was an exception.

Driven by greed and relying on his exceptional talent, he turned mirror casting into a thriving money-making business.

Wen Shangqi had a fiancée since childhood, who was well-behaved and lovely. Unfortunately, he suffered a tragic accident and his fiancée died without cause. He went to great lengths to find a mirror craftsman and asked him to cast a bronze mirror for him.

Xu Gengshu was the mirror maker who was tempted by Wen Shangqi with gold and silver jewelry to make a mirror for him. He was serious and responsible towards every customer and personally delivered the mirror to Wen Shangqi.

Wen Shangqi went to see it with great joy, but he was shocked! The ghost reflected in the mirror looked exactly like the mirror master himself. He looked at it from left to right, up to down, and there was no way his soft and gentle fiancée should have turned into a man with sharp features!

Having suffered a crushing defeat in his career, Xu Gengshu appeared cold and aloof on the surface, but inwardly he was seething with frustration and was trying to find the root of the problem.

Senior Brother: Junior Brother Xu is exceptionally talented; there's no way he could make a mistake with the mirror he made. Second Senior Sister: Xiao Shu is incredibly diligent and hardworking; this mirror is definitely fine.

That leaves only one reason:

Xu Gengshu, is that the fiancée who died?