The Mirror of Startling Beauty: Her courtiers are everywhere

"Yes, Fufu is right."

Tang Xixue smiled and took out a small jade bottle from her sleeve.

It contains a few sweet fructose grains coated with a fine layer of icing sugar.

She gently placed the jade bottle into the little girl's hand.

"This is a thank-you gift for Fufu. Thank you for reminding me yesterday."

Her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze caressing the water, every word carrying warmth.

"You're welcome, beautiful lady."

The little girl held the jade bottle, her smile resembling two tiny crescent moons; she was overjoyed.

At this moment, Jiu Fangzhi stepped forward.

"Little sister, the cork in the bamboo tube you're holding is loose."

The girl looked down and, sure enough, the stopper had tilted slightly at some point, and the spiritual essence was seeping out little by little from the gap.

The pale blue liquid slowly slid down the outer wall of the bamboo tube, leaving a cool, damp trail on her small hand.

She exclaimed "Oh dear!" and hurriedly tried to twist the stopper.

But her small hands didn't have much strength. After twisting it a couple of times, she not only failed to tighten it, but also pushed the stopper further off-center, causing the spiritual essence to seep in even faster.

Jiu Fangzhi reached out and took the bamboo tube from her hand.

His movements were very gentle, and he didn't touch her fingers.

That was his consistent sense of propriety.

He knew exactly what he could and couldn't do, what he should and shouldn't touch.

The bamboo tube feels slightly cool to the touch, and the texture of the bamboo, varying in thickness, is visible through my fingertips, a testament to its hand-carved nature.

He held the bamboo tube in his left palm, pinched the wooden stopper with his right thumb and forefinger, and gently pushed it with his fingertips to press the stopper back in place.

He then pressed his fingertip along the rim of the tube to make sure that every part was perfectly sealed.

His movements were clean and efficient.

He does everything the same way, whether it's complicated or simple, he always does it to the best of his ability.

"alright."

He handed the bamboo tube back.

The bamboo tube was handed to the girl.

"Next time before inserting the spirit marrow, soak the stopper first, then insert it; it won't come loose easily."

The little girl took the bamboo tube with both hands, hugged it to her chest, and stared at him blankly.

Most of the adults she met would smile at her, squat down to pinch her cheeks, and exaggerate their cuteness.

But the masked older brother didn't have one.

His tone of voice was exactly the same as when her father taught her how to whittle bamboo tubes.

I carefully and meticulously explained even the smallest thing to her.

Although she was only seven or eight years old, she inexplicably felt that this quiet older brother was a very, very good person.

She was stunned for a long time before she came to her senses, and nodded vigorously, causing the fluffy flowers at the end of her braid to sway wildly again.

"Thank you, big brother! You're amazing! You twist it even faster than my dad!"

Jiu Fangzhi didn't say anything more, stood up, and stood half a step behind Tang Xixue again.

If she turns around, she will see him at first glance.

If she doesn't turn around, he will be a silent wall behind her, shielding her from the wind blowing from the pond.

A morning breeze blew from the east side of the square, carrying the faint medicinal fragrance of spiritual flowers and the refreshing coolness of spiritual essence, stirring the hem of his black robe.

He remained unmoved, like a mountain.

Tang Xixue turned her head and glanced at him.

Suddenly, I remembered many years ago.

It was a late autumn afternoon, the sun was already setting, and it had gilded the herbs all over the mountain with a languid orange-red hue.

She squatted on the ground and dug up a red arrow plant. The roots of that herb were very deep. She dug for half an hour with a small hoe, and her hands were covered in mud.

Without saying a word, he walked over from the edge of the field, lifted the corner of his robe, and squatted down beside her.

He reached out, took the hoe from her hand, and swung it down.

The hoe strike looked light, but it landed exactly three inches from the rootstock, the blade sinking into the soil.

With a flick of the wrist and a pry, the entire red arrow plant was pulled up intact, roots and soil intact, without a single broken root.

He gently tapped the dirt off the herbs on the edge of the field, wiped the mud off the roots with his sleeve, and handed them to her.

Then he stood up and patted the mud off his knees.

His movements as he patted the soil were graceful; he didn't just pat it randomly, but rather used his fingertips to brush along the grain of the fabric, starting from his knees and moving downwards, causing the soil to fall in a soft patter.

"Let's go, it's getting late, we should head back. In the future, if you need any herbs, just come to my pharmacy. You don't need to make yourself look so disheveled."

At that moment, she looked up at him, the setting sun casting a blurry golden glow on his silhouette.

She watched him reach out and take her hoe and basket of herbs, carrying them on his shoulder. She thought to herself, "My senior brother is really reliable."

How reliable is it?

He always seems to have the ability to solve problems.

Now, many years have passed, and her senior brother remains the same.

Jiu Fangzhi filled the last jade bottle with the mechanism.

"I've finished installing it."

The jade bottle spun a little between his fingers, and the silver threads on the bottle mouth and the stopper fit together perfectly.

It emitted a very faint "click" sound, like the sound of some kind of sophisticated mechanism returning to its place.

He arranged the jade bottles one by one into the mechanism box. Each bottle had its own fixed groove, keeping them separate from each other so they wouldn't bump into each other.

Then close the lid and put the mechanism box into your sleeve.

"I'm all set now."

Tangxi Xue also filled the celadon bottle.

The azure essence rippled slightly at the mouth of the bottle.

She tightened the stopper, wiped away the water droplets that had condensed on the outside of the bottle with a plain white handkerchief, and then put it away.

They all have storage space.

The mechanism box of Jiu Fangzhi contains a universe within it, and the heart of Cangxue in Tangxi Xue contains a space within it. If one were to truly be greedy, it would be enough to take away the entire pool of spiritual essence.

There were no guards or restrictions by the pool, and no one even glanced at them. The city was so generous to its guests that it was almost completely unguarded.

But they never even considered it from beginning to end.

Jiu Fangzhi only filled a few jade bottles before stopping.

Tangxi Xue filled the celadon bottle and then stopped.

They each took a portion, no more and no less, enough for lighting lamps tonight and for self-defense tomorrow.

There is neither the fear of scarcity nor the danger of excess.

The spiritual essence in this pool is the lifeblood of the entire Yaoguang City.

The women and old men queuing by the pond to obtain spiritual essence, the children running at the alley entrance, and the ordinary families living quietly through each night on the long street.

They all need this pool of deep blue light to ward off the gnats and to light up the long night.

Jiu Fangzhi and Tangxi Xue were just passersby. It was a favor for a passerby to take a lamp oil; but if they took all the lamp oil from the entire lighthouse, it would not be taking, but stealing.

This tacit understanding didn't even require discussion or exchanging glances; the two of them stopped what they were doing, as if they had already drawn the same line in their minds.

"Sir, we'll be going now. Thank you for your help, goodbye."

Tang Xixue turned around and gave a slight bow to the old man who was still looking at the spiritual plants by the pond.

The old man raised his head, waved his withered hand, and smiled so much that deep and shallow wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes.

"Go ahead, go ahead. The Three Lives Tree is easy to find; you can see it as soon as you look up. Follow the light; the light on the tree canopy is even brighter than the spiritual essence. You won't go wrong even with your eyes closed."

"Thanks."

Jiu Fangzhi nodded slightly and briefly thanked him.

Then he took a step and naturally walked to the outer side of Tangxi Snow.

The dark figure stood beside her, shutting out the dust kicked up from the street corner and the occasional passersby.

He shielded her inside, while he stood outside.

The movement was too natural.