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

Xu Yi was taken aback for a moment, then obediently replied.

"Oh... thank you, Aunt Yu."

The moment he uttered those words, the air suddenly trembled.

A figure in cyan rushed out and stood directly in front of Xu Yi.

Shen Qingyao looked up at Yu Nianqing, sized her up, then raised an eyebrow, her tone tinged with surprise.

"Hmm? Qingqing, you... used a disguise technique?"

Yu Nianqing raised her hand to smooth a strand of hair at her temple, rolled her eyes, and spoke with a hint of annoyance.

"Don't call me Qingqing. I've said it many times, it sounds awful."

"Okay, okay, I won't call you that."

Shen Qingyao immediately raised her hands in surrender, then cheerfully took her arm.

"I prepared a room for you yesterday, right next to mine. It has great natural light and a nice view. Would you like to go take a look?"

Xu Yi frowned after hearing this.

Disguise? What did she originally look like?

As he was deep in thought, Shen Qingyao and Yu Nianqing walked inside side by side.

"By the way, how long are you planning to stay in our Sword Sect this time?"

Shen Qingyao asked casually.

Yu Nianqing gazed at the lush bamboo in the courtyard, her voice soft.

"lifetime."

Shen Qingyao abruptly stopped, standing still, and looked at her speechlessly.

"Don't make such a boring joke. Don't you want your Medicine Immortal Valley anymore?"

Yu Nianqing nodded with a smile, her tone matter-of-fact.

"Hmm, no thanks."

This time, Shen Qingyao rolled her eyes, looking helpless. The two chatted and laughed as they walked inside.

Xu Yi didn't follow. Watching Yu Nianqing's back, the disguise, the similar voice, and the same aura made him uneasy.

Just then, Yu Nianqing seemed to sense something, suddenly turned around, looked at him, and revealed a smile.

Xu Yi quickly looked away and moved closer to Qing beside him.

After an unknown amount of time, a slender, fair, warm, and soft hand gently landed on his head and softly rubbed it.

Xu Yi snapped back to reality and looked up to meet Shen Yunshu's deep and gentle eyes.

"Yi'er, what are you thinking about?"

Shen Yunshu crouched down to look him in the eye, her fingertips gently brushing across his slightly furrowed brow.

"I saw you sitting here in a daze for a long time, your little brows were all furrowed up."

Xu Yi shook his head, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and spoke.

"No, it's nothing, Master. The old friend you mentioned has arrived."

Seeing Xu Yi's slightly reserved and uneasy appearance, Shen Yunshu felt a surge of joy.

She then forcibly suppressed it.

It seems that Yi'er doesn't like Yu Nianqing very much.

Shen Yunshu gently pinched his soft cheek with her slender white fingers, soothing him in a gentle voice.

"Yes, Master knows. If Yi'er doesn't like Nianqing, he doesn't need to force himself to get close to her."

"Just like we used to do in the yard, we can do whatever we want without worrying about others."

"With Master around, no one can force Yi'er to do anything he doesn't like."

"Our little courtyard will always be the place where Yi'er feels most at ease, okay?"

Looking into the unreserved tenderness in her eyes, Xu Yi felt much of the panic that had arisen in his heart because of Yu Nianqing dissipate.

"Okay~"

......

Half a day passed in a flash, and Xu Yi still couldn't shake off his doubts, so he simply started observing silently.

Anyway, I'm just a kid, and I figure if I observe the other person, they probably won't say anything directly.

Shen Yunshu and Yu Nianqing sat facing each other at a round table in the courtyard, with a pot of tea on the table.

Shen Yunshu held the jade cup and sipped the tea, occasionally chatting with Yu Nianqing.

Meanwhile, Yu Nianqing, resting her chin on one hand, narrowed her peach blossom eyes slightly as she listened to Shen Yunshu speak, occasionally letting out a soft laugh.

Xu Yi leaned against the study window, his gaze frequently landing on her.

Like, in behavior and mannerisms.

Yu Nianqing, who was enjoying tea in the courtyard, suddenly turned her head and accurately met the gaze of the person behind the window.

A meaningful smile slowly curved her lips, her peach blossom eyes narrowed slightly, and her gaze held a hint of mockery.

Xu Yi's heart skipped a beat. He immediately looked away, sat up straight, and casually opened the book in his hand to read.

Yu Nianqing chuckled softly in the courtyard, turning to look at Shen Yunshu, who was holding a teacup beside her, her tone slightly teasing.

"Your little apprentice seems to really like me."

"They would secretly observe me from behind every now and then, which made me feel a little embarrassed."

Shen Yunshu paused slightly in her holding of the jade cup, a faint hint of displeasure flashing in her cool eyes, but her expression remained calm.

"He's just curious about you. He's just a child. He'll be fine in a few days."

Yu Nianqing raised an eyebrow, her smile deepening in her peach blossom eyes, and slowly said...

"Yun Shu, why do I sense that you're unhappy?"

Shen Yunshu raised her eyes, her cool gaze completely calm.

"Unhappy? What do I have to be unhappy about?"

Yu Nianqing pressed on, her eyes carrying a hint of probing.

"Really not?"

Shen Yunshu answered crisply, but her fingertips tightened slightly.

"no."

Yu Nianqing looked at her feigned composure, her smile deepening, and slowly spoke.

"In that case, may I go chat with your little apprentice for a while and get to know him better?"

Shen Yunshu blurted it out almost without thinking, her tone tinged with urgency.

"Can't."

After she finished speaking, she realized she had overreacted. Calming herself slightly, she added...

"He is shy and not used to being around strangers."

"Shy?"

Yu Nianqing raised an eyebrow

"How can you become close without spending time together?"

"Children need to be spent a lot of time to become close."

Shen Yunshu frowned slightly, her tone finally revealing a hint of displeasure.

"Why do you insist on spending time with him today? Didn't you always say that you hated children the most?"

Looking at her slightly flustered appearance, Yu Nianqing suddenly chuckled.

"Tsk tsk tsk, they're practically turning against me now, and you still say you're not unhappy?"

She leaned closer, her voice low and slightly teasing.

"Yun Shu, tell me, are you raising him as a disciple, or... as a young husband?"

A faint blush spread across Shen Yunshu's fair face, and a hint of panic and embarrassment flashed in her eyes.

She immediately transmitted her voice and reprimanded him sternly.

"Yu Nianqing, if you don't want to be kicked out of the Sword Sect right now, shut up immediately!"

Damn!

Why does Shen Qingyao think this way, and why does Yu Nianqing think so too?

From beginning to end, she only treated Yi'er as her own disciple and raised him like a child, without ever having any intention of overstepping boundaries...

Seeing her embarrassed and annoyed expression, Yu Nianqing stopped teasing her, stretched, and leaned lazily against the white stone bench, saying...

"Alright, alright, I won't say anything more, okay? Don't kick me out. I've come all this way to the Sword Sect, so I'm going to stay a while longer."

As she spoke, her gaze drifted almost imperceptibly toward the study, a playful smile in her eyes.