Li Mo descended from the upper floor and arrived at the entrance.
The hotpot restaurant had resumed its business once again.
Everything seemed unchanged.
The kitchen was still run by Zuo Qiuyang, but at the counter, the grumpy boss had been replaced by Mei Yun. In the restaurant, several little bean sprouts hurried back and forth.
Jiang Chulong, thin and delicate, wore an oversized linen outfit and was scurrying around with a plate. Although her eyes were covered, she managed to navigate effortlessly.
The clothes were what Li Mo wore when he was the boss; she had washed them but couldn’t bear to throw them away.
Without even looking back, Jiang Chulong already knew who had come down, timidly running over and wiping her hands on her apron:
“Brother Li…”
“Working so happily, huh?”
Li Mo couldn’t help but smile at her appearance.
Who finds work enjoyable?
But putting it on Little Princess Jiang seemed strangely normal.
“Yeah… I’m… really happy.”
Jiang Chulong nodded earnestly.
“Just useless stuff… I’m… just a waste.”
“Now… I can help Brother Li…”
Li Mo: “…”
What level of corporate understanding is this?
“You should do things that make you happy.”
“But… helping Brother Li… makes me happy…”
Jiang Chulong tilted her head.
Li Mo sighed: “Then I’ll leave this restaurant in your hands.”
Jiang Chulong suddenly froze in place, her small face losing its smile:
“Brother Li, are you leaving?”
“Uh-huh.”
Li Mo nodded, a bit sentimental as he sighed:
“With this hotpot restaurant, you can eat and drink without worry.”
“Plus, with Aunt Mei around, you won’t have to fear any bad guys.”
“I’d say I’ve fulfilled my duty.”
He had originally thought to take Jiang Chulong back to Qingyuan Sect.
But considering her identity, it was better for her to stay in the city.
Moreover, there was also Mei Yun, and this little aunt was still being hunted by the Sky Patrol.
For some reason, though, the hunting intensity seemed to be all bark and no bite.
So after much consideration, Li Mo decided to entrust the hotpot restaurant to them.
It was probably the best arrangement.
Just as Little Li was feeling a bit relieved internally.
Jiang Chulong’s little face turned pale, and she tremblingly muttered:
“Brother Li… you don’t want me anymore?”
“Ah?”
Li Mo was taken aback.
“In the future… Brother Li… won’t come to see me anymore?”
Jiang Chulong seemed to be losing her soul, and the blindfold around her eyes blurred with tears.
Little Princess Jiang, you’re changing the script here!
“Huh?!”
Li Mo was flustered.
You have a place to stay now, and you won’t have to worry about food and drink.
Aren’t you supposed to be happy?
Why are you crying?
A princess being reduced to a hotpot shop’s little cook was indeed a fall from grace.
But isn’t life much better now than before?
Jiang Chulong’s train of thought was as baffling as a snowball fighting with an iceberg.
Li Mo felt that women were hard to understand—harder than swords!
“Brother Li… don’t abandon me… I…”
Jiang Chulong tried to hold back, but her eyes were like a broken faucet.
Li Mo: “…”
Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong,
Why did he feel like guilt was about to drown him?
The diners around were giving him looks as if he were some kind of beast, and if he didn’t soothe her soon, someone might come up to ‘right the wrongs’.
Regulars thought Jiang Chulong was the old boss’s daughter.
“You’re misunderstanding, I didn’t mean it like that.”
“Really… really?”
“My hotpot recipe is passed down through generations; I can’t just hand over something so important without checking in on you regularly!”
“Thank you… Brother Li… you’re the best.”
Jiang Chulong’s tears turned into a smile.
“And also, practice your martial arts well. Once you reach the Internal Breathing Realm, I’ll get you a present.”
Li Mo helplessly ruffled her hair.
“Hmm!”
Jiang Chulong eagerly nodded, “I… I have twelve meridians… I’ll work hard!”
“It’s just… I’m not sure what to practice… martial arts…. I haven’t thought it through.”
She had been working on her own martial arts.
Warm reminder: the upper right corner has options for “switching simplified and traditional characters,” “adjusting font size,” “changing reading background color,” etc.
Setting
Those martial arts were given a name by Li Mo, the teacher of the Heavenly Sovereign, and were temporarily named “Wild Grass Sword Manual.”
As long as she continually integrated and mastered various sword techniques, absorbing the strengths of others, she could keep growing stronger.
Once back at the mountain, he needed to find more sword techniques to feed her!
Li Mo thought to himself and then softly said:
“Slow down; don’t rush it.”
“Mm-hm!”
“Go on, now.”
Li Mo rubbed her head again, and Little Princess Jiang reluctantly returned to the kitchen.
Hearing that a gift was prepared for her made her steps noticeably lighter.
At the front desk, Mei Yun took all of this in.
After a while of silence, she just sighed softly.
If in the future Chulong could live a simple life like a regular person, that would be the best ending…
Wasn’t that what the emperor worked so hard for?
…….
After calming down Little Princess Jiang.
“What sword technique should I arrange for her?”
“Right now, with my contribution, I can access the sixth floor of the library several times.”
In the carriage, Li Mo pondered quietly.
“By the way, where’s the Ice Chunk? Why hasn’t she come yet?”
Thinking of recent events, Li Mo felt a headache coming.
The Ice Chunk was his major money supplier.
Why did it feel like their relationship had suddenly reverted to before liberation?
While thinking this, he glanced aside—Shang Wu was sound asleep, arms and legs everywhere, with absolutely no sense of decorum.
At least the teacher was easy to understand.
The beautiful teacher could be soothed with just wine and sleep, but the Ice Chunk’s thoughts? Those required a lot more consideration…
Before long, Ying Bing also got into the carriage.
The carriage began to move slowly toward Qingyuan Sect.
There was silence all the way.
Ying Bing kept her gaze down.
Li Mo didn’t know what to say.
I’m silent, and you’re not chatty either~
,,,,,,
By the evening, they finally arrived at Qiushui Pavilion.
Li Mo dove into the kitchen.
“Gold nests and silver nests are nothing compared to one’s own grass nest,” was a saying that did have some truth to it.
Back at home, Ying Bing suddenly felt relaxed and at ease, inexplicably feeling a sense of calm in her heart.
Especially hearing the sounds from the kitchen, watching that figure busily working in the kitchen.
Ying Bing found it easier to forget the morning’s events.
She was dressed like that.
They were just separated by a door…
Her mood returned to calm.
She then asked herself in her heart,
“What’s the punishment for the next loser?”
The punishment had already been decided; she just hadn’t looked yet.
[Loser’s Punishment has been determined.]
[Condtion:] “Take a bath with the person who beat you.”
[Requirements:] “Wear a rather revealing romantic outfit issued.”
Ying Bing: “……”
Each punishment seemed to be getting more intense than the last!
And what’s with that so-called grading reward?
It didn’t look like a reward at all.
If the disciples from last life’s Gui Palace found out, that the esteemed Phoenix Sky Empress, venerated by Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, was taking a bath with a guy…
They’d probably stab themselves and wonder if they were dreaming!
What’s worse?
Images involuntarily popped into Ying Bing’s mind.
The bathtub at Qiushui Pavilion, not too big, with two people in it sure to be closely pressed together…
“Little Ice Girl, pass me your tea.”
Shang Wu raised an eyebrow.
Today, Little Ice Girl was acting strangely.
“Hmm?”
Ying Bing looked down and realized the tea was spilling over, soaking the table.
“Are you alright?”
“Just… a bit lost in thought.”
Ying Bing shook her head, trying to banish the images from her mind.
As long as she doesn’t lose, the punishment is equivalent to non-existence.
So… there’s no need to think about it.
…
PS: In the afternoon, I nearly finished the draft, but I ended up rewriting the main thread after reconsideration.
The side content wasn’t deleted; it might get thrown into an extra chapter when the time comes.
