Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 4

Chapter 4: Something’s Wrong

“N-no…” Rong Xie felt his scalp prickle as he sensed Shen Bingsi’s burning gaze lingering on his face. “I… I’m tired. I want to rest.”

What a terrible excuse. He spent all day lying around at home; how could he possibly be tired?

However, the force locked around his wrist loosened. Shen Bingsi said, “Oh. Then we’ll talk about it tomorrow morning.”

Rong Xie let out a small sigh of relief and quickly slipped into his room. As for what to do tomorrow morning, surely he would come up with something tonight… right?

Heavy-hearted, Rong Xie went to his bed, let down the curtains, and sat sideways on the mattress.

Suddenly, a figure rolled onto the other side of the bed, shook out the spare quilt at the foot, and covered himself with it.

Shen Bingsi leaned against the footboard, and under Rong Xie’s stunned gaze, lay down calmly, his long legs instantly occupying half the bed.

“I’m sleeping here tonight,” Shen Bingsi announced.

Rong Xie had no choice but to maneuver around him, scoot to the inner side, and lie down properly.

Before long, the steady, rhythmic sound of Shen Bingsi’s breathing came from the foot of the bed.

Rong Xie shifted slightly, turning over to face the canopy, and began to contemplate his escape plan for the morning.

Right, Shen Bingsi had to go to the Mirror Palace early tomorrow to report on his mission. He just needed to pretend to be asleep until then.

Then… what after that?

What would he do in the future?

When he could no longer use spiritual energy to activate talismans, when someone new came to replace him, when he was swept out the door and forced to find another way to make a living at his age… what then?

An image appeared in Rong Xie’s mind: a white-haired, elderly Rong Xie trembling as he swept the streets with a broom. Behind him hung the high plaque of the Shen estate, and in front of the gate, his foster mother stood with a gaggle of children, cracking melon seeds and pointing at him in ridicule.

“Ugh, I’m doomed…”

Rong Xie rolled over again, facing the wall.

Maybe he should just… accept Dual Cultivation? One session of Dual Cultivation could yield a lot of spiritual energy, enough to coast for several years. His vigor and physical strength would return to their peak. He could study the Tura Paradox fragments from dawn to dusk without tiring, manage the villa with even greater ease, and finally find the time to catalog all those heavenly treasures.

It was just Dual Cultivation, after all—one of many cultivation methods. Besides, Shen Bingsi wasn’t bad-looking. No, actually, he was very good-looking. His face and body… fit Rong Xie’s aesthetic perfectly. And he was young. After Foundation Establishment, his appearance aged slower than his actual years. After forming a Golden Core, time left no mark at all. He still looked twenty-six or twenty-seven, while Rong Xie was already thirty-five.

Put that way, Rong Xie was the one getting the better deal.

But… he just felt that if he accepted Dual Cultivation, things would become strange. The relationship between them would turn weird, and Rong Xie’s feelings would become a chaotic mess.

If only he had a trustworthy elder or friend to ask for advice. But he didn’t. He had lived over thirty years in vain; his only close friend was Shen Bingsi.

“I’m doomed…”

Rong Xie tossed and turned like a pancake on a griddle, his eyes twitching beneath his eyelids. He had insomnia.

Rong Xie rarely suffered from insomnia. He wasn’t the type to overthink things. He belonged to the category of people who didn’t think at all usually, but once something happened, would overthink frantically until exhausted, with zero progress made on the actual issue.

Just as he was debating whether to sneak out of bed and creep into the study to read the new ancient text fragments for a while longer, he fell asleep.

Everything was very bright.

Rong Xie was walking in a place close to the sky. There were mirrors all around. With every step, he saw himself from different angles moving within the reflections.

Although he had never been here, Rong Xie knew this was the Mirror Palace.

The Mirror Palace—an existence in the cultivation world that reigned above the Three Great Sects and all the noble clans. Three cultivators chosen by the Heavenly Dao resided here, upholding justice and balance for the entire cultivation world.

They shared a title: Adjudicators.

Because they were mostly practitioners of the Heartless Path, they were also called the Heartless Path Adjudicators.

The three managed different functional areas. One was the Adjudicator of Justice, rewarding good and punishing evil, dealing with extreme atrocities or major incidents unknown to the public within the sects and clans. One was the Adjudicator of Exorcism, slaying demons and devils, strangling any sign of demonic uprising in the cradle. The last was the Adjudicator of Records, in charge of the Sky Mirror, issuing Heavenly Dao missions and verifying their completion.

Shen Bingsi was the Adjudicator of Exorcism. After every mission, he would return here to report to the Adjudicator of Records.

The Mirror Palace had always been mysterious and lofty, untouchable by outsiders. Only the masters of the Three Great Sects were allowed entry on specific days. This supreme honor made the scenery inside the Mirror Palace a favorite topic for teahouse storytellers to brag about.

Now, however, Rong Xie was walking inside this supreme palace.

…

Rong Xie thought with some unease, Did I get promoted to the new Adjudicator? That would be too presumptuous, even for a dream… Of course, he didn’t dare even think about being one of the Three Great Sect Masters.

While his heart was filled with deep confusion, the main doors ahead suddenly opened. Many people walked in from the backlight, their footsteps messy and hollow. They spoke in hushed tones, the atmosphere somewhat tense.

A round-faced middle-aged man in Taoist robes waved to Rong Xie. “You, come here for a moment.”

Rong Xie walked over blankly, but the round-faced Taoist ignored him and started talking to the people next to him.

“He’s that friend of the Sword Saint… what’s his name again?”

“Oh, the one who manages Huanxue Villa. I think his surname is Rong.”

“Why call him here?”

People exchanged information about Rong Xie, yet not a single person acknowledged Rong Xie himself.

Rong Xie waited for a while. They started chatting about other things, terrible topics like “Heavenly Demons destroying the world” or “Certain Sect Master martyred for the Dao.” Yet, their faces showed no panic, as if they were accustomed to working under such high pressure.

Rong Xie felt his stomach tighten knot by knot. He couldn’t help but ask, “Where is Shen Bingsi? Where is he?”

Those people glanced at him but didn’t answer.

Rong Xie grabbed the round-faced Taoist’s sleeve and asked anxiously, “Where is Shen Bingsi?”

The round-faced Taoist looked at him in surprise. “The Sword Saint is still waiting for the result. We called you here just in case he comes out unprepared.”

Rong Xie felt his stomach settle back into place. “Prepare what?”

“Follow me.” The round-faced Taoist beckoned.

The surrounding scenery changed. Rong Xie was walking down a long, narrow corridor, with the round-faced Taoist leading the way. When they passed a mirror, the Taoist stopped.

“What weapon is the Sword Saint accustomed to using when he’s in a bad mood?”

“Huh?”

The round-faced Taoist looked at Rong Xie. “You should know him best. What weapon does he use when he’s in a bad mood?”

Rong Xie was stunned. “The Sheng Xie… Sword?”

What kind of weird question was that? Whether in a good or bad mood, didn’t one use their bound life sword? Who changed weapons based on their mood? It wasn’t like changing clothes or accessories.

“Besides the Sheng Xie Sword?” The round-faced Taoist wouldn’t let him off.

“I haven’t seen him use any other weapon,” Rong Xie answered truthfully.

The round-faced Taoist seemed a bit impatient. He waved his sleeve, and the image in the mirror changed. A dark room filled with displayed weapons appeared within the glass.

Rong Xie’s eyes widened. That dark room was the armory of Huanxue Villa. Displayed inside were all of Shen Bingsi’s weapons—some collected by him, others gifted by people. How could the armory appear inside a mirror?

“Quick, pick one. The sun is about to set; we have to hurry.” The round-faced Taoist urged.

Rong Xie pondered for a moment, then pointed to one. It was a small silver sword, only two feet long, shaped like the leaf of a gladiolus.

The round-faced Taoist beamed. “Good, good, good!” Saying so, he reached into the mirror and pulled the small silver sword out. “This sword feels handy. What’s its name?”

Rong Xie stared in shock at the Taoist’s hand. Wait, Huanxue Villa has such tight defensive barriers, how can someone just reach in through a mirror… and casually take a weapon out of the armory just like that??

“Photo… Photoelectric White Orchid,” Rong Xie stammered.

“Good name!” said the Taoist. “Follow me.”

And so, Rong Xie followed the round-faced Taoist again.

The surrounding scenery changed once more.

Just when Rong Xie thought nothing could shock him further, he walked into an exquisitely furnished courtyard.

Artificial mountains, an octagonal pavilion, large stones by the lake, lawns between flowers and trees… everywhere sat young, beautiful men and women. They wore clothes of different styles and had unique appearances, clearly young people from different regions. The only thing they had in common was that they were all very good-looking.

These beautiful people seemed to be waiting for something. Their expressions were more or less nervous. Though sitting in different places, their gazes all drifted toward the other end of the courtyard, where a porch stood with cascading flower vines and tightly closed doors.

When the round-faced Taoist led Rong Xie in, these beautiful young people all turned their heads. Their gazes landed on Rong Xie, filled with confusion and scrutiny. Rong Xie felt like a decorative vase being appraised from top to bottom.

“Immortal Lu, who is this?”

“Is he also one of Brother Bingsi’s lovers?”

“Don’t speak so vulgarly. What do you mean ‘lovers’? Brother Shen isn’t some promiscuous rake; where would he get so many lovers?”

“Sister, I speak frankly. Unlike you people from the Central Plains, always beating around the bush.”

“…”

Various bird-like voices drilled into his ears. Rong Xie felt like a swarm of bees and butterflies was flying around his head, completely confusing him.

What lovers? Whose lovers? What do you mean ‘also’?

Could it be that all these beautiful people before him were Shen Bingsi’s…

Rong Xie felt as if he’d been struck by lightning. He stood frozen on the spot, unable to move, a single sentence echoing in his head: Finally, something has happened!

Shen Bingsi’s bizarre Dual Cultivation theories had finally led to trouble!

“What nonsense are you spouting? This is Steward Rong,” a slightly husky female voice spoke up. Someone parted the crowd and walked out. She was a beauty with exquisite bone structure, radiating an aura that transcended the mundane world. Even among this crowd of beauties, she was eye-catching. Her gaze swept over Rong Xie’s face, and she smiled. “Surely you haven’t failed to meet the Head Butler of Huanxue Villa, the Second Young Master’s bosom friend, Rong Xie?”

“Thank you, Fairy Xing Miao, for the introduction. He is indeed Steward Rong of Huanxue Villa,” the round-faced Taoist laughed.

“Oh, so just a butler.”

“He’s the one Brother Bingsi contacts every time.”

“Thought it was another competitor…”

Once the beauties learned of Rong Xie’s identity, they instantly lost interest and dispersed, leaving only Fairy Xing Miao and the round-faced Taoist.

Fairy Xing Miao lowered her eyes slightly, her gaze falling on the small silver sword in the Taoist’s hand. She asked softly, “Is this the sword?”

“…” The round-faced Taoist hesitated, then said, “It is.”

“It’s very beautiful.”

The Taoist looked pained and sighed.

“Uh… sorry to interrupt,” Rong Xie, who had been in a state of confusion on the side, finally found a chance to cut in. “May I ask where Shen Bingsi is right now?”

The round-faced Taoist looked at him strangely and pointed to the tightly closed doors under the flower vines. “Inside.”

“I see,” Rong Xie felt a heavy stone lift from his heart. “So everyone is waiting for him to come out…”

The Taoist looked up at the sky. Unnoticed, the sky had turned half orange-red and half purple-blue. He frowned. “Bad news. The sun is setting. If the Sky Mirror doesn’t produce a result soon, the Heavenly Demon will ascend again. Once the night passes, who knows how many lives will be lost. Sigh…”

Rong Xie’s heart jumped into his throat again. “Is the result from the Sky Mirror related to the Heavenly Demon?”

“Of course. Did you not know?” The round-faced Taoist looked at him suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you are…”

Bang.

The tightly closed doors burst open.

The crowd surged forward with a whoosh, surrounding the flower-vined porch.

“He’s out!” The round-faced Taoist’s attention shifted immediately. He strode quickly toward the porch. “Make way, make way! I’m here to deliver a weapon to the Sword Saint!”

Rong Xie hurriedly followed. He couldn’t wait to see Shen Bingsi. With the Taoist clearing the path, Rong Xie easily squeezed his way to the front.

A familiar figure stood inside the threshold.

Shen Bingsi wore a set of golden battle armor Rong Xie had never seen before. In his hand, he held the demon-slaying holy sword, Sheng Xie, made of pure gold. He looked majestic and insufferably arrogant.

But his eyes were vacant, and his face was pale.

Rong Xie’s heart suddenly clenched.

“Who is it?”

“Who is the result?”

“Is it me?”

“Little hoof, keep dreaming. Even if it’s me, it won’t be you!”

“Stop arguing. Listen to Brother Shen. No matter who the result is, we accept it.”

The beauties crowded behind Rong Xie. None of them were weak, and their chirping voices drilled into his ears continuously. The mixed scents of their perfumes made him dizzy.

Rong Xie was suspicious. Wasn’t the Sky Mirror’s result related to the Heavenly Demon? Why were these “lovers” of Shen Bingsi acting as eagerly as if they were electing the head of a harem?

Although everyone was eager, the person receiving the most attention was obvious: the transcendent Fairy Xing Miao.

The beauties glanced at her subtly. The space beside her remained empty; no one crowded her. In those hushed discussions, her name appeared the most, as if everyone tacitly agreed that the head of this harem would be Fairy Xing Miao.

She was indeed beautiful. A memorable kind of beauty.

Rong Xie couldn’t help but gaze at her too.

Her temperament was incredibly steady and unique. Even though she was implicitly ranked above all other beauties, she showed no joy or smugness. Her brows held a faint sorrow as she looked at Shen Bingsi with compassion.

Compassion. That was it. Rong Xie could feel that among so many people, only Fairy Xing Miao truly cared about Shen Bingsi, not the result of the Sky Mirror.

That’s wonderful. Even though he messes around and has bizarre ideas, in the end, he met a true love worth spending a lifetime with…

Rong Xie sighed softly, his eyes growing slightly moist.

When he came back to his senses, the surroundings had suddenly gone very quiet.

Everyone was looking at him.

A shadow fell over his head, and a familiar scent was right in front of him.

Rong Xie looked up in surprise. Shen Bingsi was looking at him with a strange expression. He still looked twenty-six or twenty-seven, but the passion behind his eyes seemed to have been extinguished overnight.

“The result of the Sky Mirror… is you,” he said.

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