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

The next morning.

Inside the courtyard, Xu Yi sat on a stool, holding a plate of fruit in his hands, eating it in large bites.

Just then, a slightly disheveled figure hurriedly walked past from the end of the corridor.

Xu Yi glanced up and immediately asked, puzzled.

"Uncle-Master (chewing), why are you walking with a limp? (chewing) Did someone beat you up?"

He tilted his head, pointing with his little hand at Shen Qingyao's leg, which looked a bit off.

Shen Qingyao was already holding back her anger, and upon hearing this, her face instantly puffed up like a round steamed bun.

She forced herself to maintain a composed demeanor and hurried towards her room.

"No, I fell in the middle of the night last night..."

She fell in the middle of the night? Why would a quasi-Emperor level cultivator like her fall? And even fall like this?

Xu Yi scratched his round cheek, his eyes full of confusion.

Then he took another bite of fruit and casually said...

"Uncle-Master, the way you walk now looks a lot like those penguins in Wudong Prefecture."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingyao abruptly stopped in her tracks, her face flushing red.

"Shut up!"

The moment the words left his mouth, a clear yet authoritative voice transmitted into his mind.

"Don't take your anger out on the children. If you're angry, come to me."

Shen Qingyao deflated instantly, looking slumped and quickly slipping back to her room with her head down.

Not long after, Shen Yunshu, dressed in a plain white dress, quietly appeared behind Xu Yi and gently rubbed the top of his head.

Xu Yi tilted his head slightly, looking at his master with clear eyes.

"Master, did you reprimand your martial uncle?"

Shen Yunshu lowered her eyes to look at him, a hint of gentleness softening her cool and aloof expression, and softly responded.

"Yes, we had a few words of argument over some trivial matters."

Xu Yi twitched his lips.

Was it really just a few words exchanged...?

They must have hit him, and quite hard.

Xu Yi immediately put down the fruit plate in his hand, turned around, reached out and tightly grasped Shen Yunshu's hand, his little face full of seriousness.

"Master, please don't... argue. I don't want to see my family members fighting."

Shen Yunshu felt a warmth in her heart as she looked at the sensible and understanding child in front of her, her heart filled with tenderness.

Yi'er is so well-behaved and sensible... unlike Shen Qingyao, who always argued and acted silly with her when she was fourteen or fifteen.

She knelt down, opened her arms, and gently pulled Xu Yi into her embrace, then lowered her head and lightly kissed his smooth little face.

"Mmm... I'll listen to Yi'er, I won't argue."

......

afternoon.

Shen Yunshu carried a plate of carefully selected seventh-grade spiritual fruits, pushed open the door to Shen Qingyao's residence, placed the fruit plate on the table without saying a word, and turned to leave.

On the bed, Shen Qingyao was curled up in the thick quilt, writhing heavily in pain, her voice muffled.

"I don't want it, take it away."

"Are you only talking to me because your good-natured disciple made you reconcile?"

Shen Yunshu didn't say anything, but immediately turned around, picked up the fruit plate, and was really about to leave.

Shen Qingyao panicked and suddenly poked her head out from under the covers, her hair a mess.

"Hey, hey, hey! Can't you tell I was just saying that out of anger?"

"Can't you at least say something to comfort me?"

Shen Yunshu did not turn around and continued walking out while still holding the fruit plate.

Seeing her merciless retreating figure, Shen Qingyao finally gave in and raised her voice to shout...

"Stop! I'll eat it!!!"

Shen Yunshu then stopped, a faint smile flickering in her eyes.

......

Days passed by, and soon it was Shen Yunshu's birthday.

The night before.

Xu Yi sat quietly on the bed, looking at Shen Yunshu who was meditating with her eyes closed beside her.

He spoke softly after she opened her eyes.

"Master, you said before that I should make a few small requests for my birthday. I'm really curious to know, could you tell me now?"

Upon hearing this, a faint blush rose on Shen Yun's face, and even the tips of her ears felt slightly hot.

Her voice was very soft, with a hint of barely perceptible unease.

"Hmm... Yi'er, come a little closer."

Xu Yi shifted his little bottom, turned around, snuggled into her warm embrace, and looked up at her.

Shen Yunshu held his small body in her arms, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

"Master's first wish is... to personally give Yi'er a bath... is that alright?"

Afraid he would resist, she quickly added softly.

"Master...Master just wants...to get closer to Yi'er..."

"The book says that bathing together is the closest thing you can do to your child, and it makes you both feel more at ease."

These words plunged Xu Yi into memories.

He recalled the time when Shen Yunshu first took him in.

Back then, she spoke to me in a flat tone, and most of the time she had a blank expression.

At the time, I was still resistant to her.

It was the third day after he was found. Xu Yi was sitting alone in a corner of the room, sitting in silence.

Shen Yunshu approached gently from behind and patted his small shoulder carefully.

Xu Yi didn't turn his head, and asked calmly...

"what?"

Shen Yunshu's voice was flat and emotionless.

"Can I...give you a bath? You haven't had a bath in almost three days."

Xu Yi immediately frowned and refused without hesitation.

"What? You're going to give me a bath? No way! If you think I smell bad, I can wash myself."

Shen Yunshu realized he had misunderstood and quickly shook his head.

"No, I'm not disgusted by you. You don't smell at all. I'm just worried that you might feel unwell if you don't shower for a long time."

Xu Yi pursed his lips and remained silent, still feeling extremely awkward.

Seeing that he remained silent, Shen Yunshu gently advised him again.

"Let me wash it for you. You can't get many parts clean if you wash it yourself."

"I'm not a three-year-old, how could I not get it clean? I can wash it myself."

Xu Yi's tone was firm, and he refused to back down.

Shen Yunshu's tone also became stubborn.

"I'll wash you."

"I'll wash it myself."

"I'll wash you."

......

"I'll wash you."

"I want to commit suicide."

Shen Yunshu's face showed a moment of panic, and he quickly changed his tune and compromised.

"No...no, you wash it yourself, you can wash it yourself, I, I won't interfere."

The two argued for a long time until Xu Yi used his ultimate move to end the argument.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Shen Yunshu gradually felt a sense of loss and unease in his eyes, thinking that he was still as resistant and disgusted as he was back then.

She quickly changed her tone softly, her voice carrying a hint of grievance and concession.

"Hmm... Hmm, if Yi'er doesn't like it, then forget it... Master won't force you."

Xu Yi snapped out of his daze, looked up at the disappointment in her eyes, his heart softened, and he turned around to gently hug her waist.

"Who said I don't like it?"

"We had just met, and we were still wary of each other, which is why we did that."

"But things are different now. I'm willing to do whatever Master wants, except for bathing myself. Yi'er promises you."

"I will do my best to fulfill Master's wishes, just as you have always protected me. I also want to accompany Master and do everything you want to do."