He had just been reborn when he was imprisoned by his nemesis, the Empress?

Xu Yi blinked, then shook his head.

Shen Yunshu pinched his little face helplessly.

"Why are you shaking your head? Didn't you say three kisses would be enough?"

Xu Yi leaned close to her ear and whispered...

"Master, give me a few more kisses, kiss me a little longer, and then I'll go to sleep."

Looking at his dependent little face, Shen Yunshu's heart melted, but she gently scolded him.

"Bad kid..."

After saying that, she lowered her head and gently kissed Xu Yi's lips twice more. Finally, she placed a kiss full of love and affection on his forehead.

......

Time flies, and March has passed in the blink of an eye.

In the early morning courtyard, Shen Yunshu used magic to conjure a blue light ruler to measure Xu Yi's height.

After a while, she withdrew the spell, gently ruffled his hair with her fingertips, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"Yes, Yi'er has grown taller again. He is now exactly four feet tall, half an inch taller than last month."

Upon hearing this, Xu Yi's face did not show any joy.

One foot in this world is approximately thirty centimeters.

If we calculate based on four feet, at seven years old, I'm only a little over 1.2 meters tall, which is still not considered tall among children my age.

Ugh, damn it, grow faster...

When that bastard Shen Qingyao comes back, she'll definitely laugh at me for being a shorty again when Shen Yunshu isn't around.

But unlike Xu Yi, who longed to grow up quickly, Shen Yunshu wished he could grow up slowly, much slower.

Yi'er is so small and soft now, she can hold her in her arms anytime.

But if he grows a little older and taller, I can only hold him when I sleep at night.

Even when Yi'er gets a little older and has his own thoughts, he might not even let me hold him when he sleeps anymore.

If she could, she would want Xu Yi to stay this small forever, nestled in her arms, never leaving her for the rest of her life.

Shen Yunshu lowered her head and kissed the top of his head.

"Alright, Master has some matters to attend to at the main hall on the main peak today and may not be back until the afternoon."

"Yi'er, stay obediently in the courtyard by yourself, don't run around, don't..."

She went on and on with a long list of instructions, all the kind of heartfelt words a typical mother would say to her young child.

Xu Yi nodded repeatedly, feeling both warm and helpless.

What could possibly happen to someone at the fifth level of the Yuanfu Realm at home?

But Shen Yunshu always treated him like an ordinary child who would never grow up.

After giving him repeated instructions, Shen Yunshu reluctantly left.

Not long after she left, a flash of light appeared at the courtyard gate.

After enjoying three carefree days outside the Sword Sect, Shen Qingyao slowly appeared in the courtyard, carrying a wine jug.

Shen Qingyao looked down at Xu Yi standing by the stone table, raised an eyebrow, and spoke in a mocking tone.

"Hey kid, you don't look too good. What's wrong? Are you unhappy about being abandoned by your master?"

Xu Yi glanced at her, his tone indifferent, offering a perfunctory reply without much interest.

"It's alright, I'm quite happy."

"Don't be so cold, look what nice things your uncle brought you!"

Shen Qingyao casually waved her hand, and a large number of objects flew out from her sleeve.

Snacks, toys, and small ritual implements were piled up on the stone table, all of which were things that children loved.

Xu Yi glanced at it, showing no interest whatsoever.

"Aren't these all toys that kids like to play with? I don't want them."

Shen Qingyao burst out laughing upon hearing this.

"You mean you're an adult?"

"right."

Xu Yi nodded, looking very serious.

"Is it an adult who is less than four feet tall?"

Shen Qingyao laughed even harder, mercilessly poking at his sore spots.

Xu Yi glared at her and said with displeasure.

"Who said I'm not four feet tall? I just measured myself today, and I'm exactly four feet!"

"Isn't that still short? Even among people his age, he's considered short."

Shen Qingyao smiled even more happily.

Xu Yi silently took out the sound transmission jade pendant from his waist.

"Wait here, I'll call for my master."

Shen Qingyao's smile vanished instantly, and she quickly softened her stance.

"Tsk, don't tattle all the time. Uncle-Master was wrong, he shouldn't have laughed at you for being short..."

"Come here, let your uncle teach you some things that only adults do. I guarantee you'll love them!"

Xu Yi put down the jade pendant, looked up at her, and asked in confusion.

"What is it?"

With a casual wave of her hand, Shen Qingyao caused the toys the children were playing with on the table to disappear, replaced by an exquisite chessboard.

She pointed to the chessboard and proudly introduced it.

"This thing is called Go. My uncle became obsessed with it thirty years ago."

"Back then, we studied it every day, it was so much fun! Let me explain the rules to you..."

Xu Yi looked at the familiar Go board in front of him and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

He had been playing with this thing for nearly three thousand years in his previous life, and had already reached the pinnacle of mastery.

Seeing Shen Qingyao like this, she probably wanted to torment this "child".

Doesn't Shen Qingyao usually like to tease herself?

Okay, I'll tease her a bit today.

Xu Yi had already planned it out: he would feign defeat in the first two rounds, deliberately losing miserably to her.

Then I slowly, gradually became more serious...

If he doesn't make her cry today, he's not a Xu.

Shen Qingyao sat on a stool, one hand supporting her chin, the other holding a white Go stone, and began to explain the rules of Go to Xu Yi in a very detailed manner.

She spoke for almost half an incense stick's time before reluctantly stopping, looking up at Xu Yi.

"Now you understand?"

Xu Yi sat opposite her with his eyes downcast, his small face showing a look of half-understanding.

He nodded slowly, speaking at a very slow pace.

"Uh... I understand, Uncle-Master. Play a few rounds with me, okay?"

Shen Qingyao looked at the chubby, simple-minded boy in front of her, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled up.

We might see him cry today...hehe...

She chuckled inwardly to herself, then coughed twice.

"Ahem, let's make this clear beforehand: if you cry from losing later, you're not allowed to tell my sister."

Xu Yi nodded obediently, his soft cheeks trembling slightly with the movement.

"it is good."

That look was so adorable and endearing that it melted Shen Qingyao's heart, and she couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

Oh my... how did you raise such an adorable little chubby boy?

It looks so soft and fragrant, ah... I really want to take a bite.

Shen Qingyao suppressed her thoughts and calmly raised her chin.

"Now that you understand, let's begin. Your senior uncle will let you go first."

Xu Yi didn't refuse. He reached out and picked up a black piece, pretending to be unfamiliar with it, and placed it in the center of the small square on the chessboard.

Shen Qingyao's eyes twitched violently when she saw it, and her forehead almost creased with annoyance.

"Nephew, were you even listening properly?"

She reached out and gently tapped the intersection of the chessboard.

"The pieces are placed at the intersections of the horizontal and vertical lines, not inside the squares..."

Xu Yi seemed to suddenly realize something, awkwardly said "Oh," and quickly moved the chess piece to the intersection.

His eyes still held a hint of confusion and helplessness.