Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 143

Chapter 143: Empty Promises

“You…” Rong Xie hesitated, stopping himself before he could finish.

No, it must be an illusion. Shen Bingsi’s Dao Heart was as solid as iron; how could he be confused by romantic love like an ordinary person? If Rong Xie asked, he would inevitably be scolded for making a fuss over nothing.

Shen Bingsi noticed Rong Xie staring at him. He turned his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over Rong Xie with deliberate casualness. “What is it? Why are you looking at me? Do you want me to carry you?”

“Is it…” Rong Xie was still worried. “Are you really okay?”

“Of course I’m okay.” Shen Bingsi stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves. “You aren’t worried I can’t carry you, are you? You’ve only reached Foundation Establishment; it’s not like you’ve reached the Integration Stage or proven your Dao. Why wouldn’t I be able to carry you?”

Seeing Shen Bingsi acting so composed, Rong Xie breathed a sigh of relief. He turned sideways, gripping the edge of the wooden tub to shield his body, his cheeks slightly warm. “There’s no need. I can go over there myself. You should go out first.”

“You really don’t need me to?” Shen Bingsi seemed somewhat disappointed.

“Mm. Like you said, I’ve established my foundation, not broken my legs,” Rong Xie laughed. “If you have nothing to do, go to the front courtyard and share the good news with Shen Yan and the others.”

“Who says I have nothing to do? And what does this have to do with Shen Yan and the others?” Shen Bingsi stood in front of the tub like a wall, showing no intention of moving. “No. Let me carry you over. That way, you won’t keep doubting this and that.”

“Really, there’s no need…” Rong Xie felt incredibly embarrassed, but Shen Bingsi had already leaned down, extending his arms toward him. Rong Xie had no choice but to obediently wrap his arms around Shen Bingsi’s neck.

Shen Bingsi’s arm circled Rong Xie’s back, scooping him up with ease, holding him as if he were cradling a cloud.

Splash— Water slid off Rong Xie’s body, the sound loud in the quiet room. Rong Xie’s face burned. He turned, burying himself in Shen Bingsi’s embrace, hugging him tightly. He curled his knees into the warmth of Shen Bingsi’s arms, pressing himself so tightly against him that, at the very least, he didn’t have to meet Shen Bingsi’s gaze.

“See? I said it was no problem, right?” Shen Bingsi smiled, holding Rong Xie tighter. His hands, which had never been deliberately cleared of their sword calluses, felt as though they were holding a length of smooth, soft silk. He didn’t dare use too much force, terrified he might pinch or damage even a little bit of him. Shen Bingsi’s heart began to beat heavily. His smile faded slightly as his gaze lowered, watching the wet, black hair clinging to the pale, slender shoulders and back, covering the white expanse of his upper body.

The air suddenly went quiet. Shen Bingsi didn’t speak again. Their heartbeats, rising and falling in close proximity—thump-thump, thump-thump—gradually synchronized in a subtle rhythm.

Drip.

A drop of bright red liquid fell into the clear water, slowly diffusing.

Shen Bingsi held Rong Xie tightly, his gaze fixed on the small cloud of red mist in the water.

His expression changed.

In the next instant, the red mist evaporated and vanished. The water returned to its clarity, as if it had never been polluted.

Shen Bingsi silently carried Rong Xie to the hot water tub.

Sponsored

“Is it too hot?” Shen Bingsi lowered Rong Xie slightly, letting him test the water.

Rong Xie, still clinging to his neck and refusing to let go, only dipped his toes down upon hearing this.

“Not hot,” Rong Xie said, pressing his face against Shen Bingsi’s neck.

Shen Bingsi carefully lowered his shoulders, placing Rong Xie into the hot water.

Rong Xie let out a comfortable sigh, released his neck, and curled up in the tub like a snow-white fish.

Shen Bingsi’s vision swayed slightly. He straightened up; his clothes had long been soaked through. He glanced at his wet lapels and sleeves but remained standing there, as if waiting for something.

“Why are you still standing there? Go change your clothes.” Rong Xie held onto the edge of the tub, smiling. “What do you want to eat? It’s late today, but tomorrow morning I’ll take Shen Yan and the others to the outer sect market to buy groceries. I’ll make you something delicious for lunch.”

Shen Bingsi considered this seriously for a moment. “I want to eat Heyang fish, hanging-oven roast duck, roasted lamb leg, mutton soup, and crispy ice mountain…”

“Okay, I’ll make it all for you,” Rong Xie agreed to everything.

Shen Bingsi raised an eyebrow. “So easy to talk to today?”

Rong Xie rested on the edge of the tub, looking at him with rosy cheeks, his eyes shimmering and lips curved in a joyous smile.

Just like countless times before—whenever Shen Bingsi returned from a Mirror Palace mission or emerged from seclusion—Rong Xie would welcome him gently like this, looking at him with bright eyes.

“I thought that once you successfully established your foundation, you’d leave immediately?” Shen Bingsi said half-jokingly.

“How is that possible?” Rong Xie was surprised. “Am I that ruthless of a person?”

“You are!” Shen Bingsi nodded. Then, he turned around, waving his hand with his back to Rong Xie. “Tomorrow has tomorrow’s concerns. We’ll talk about it then.”

Watching Shen Bingsi leave to change, Rong Xie sat back in the tub, relaxing into the hot water and closing his eyes in contentment.

Only when the water turned lukewarm did Rong Xie get up. He dried himself, changed into loose, comfortable everyday robes, and walked out while binding his hair.

Unknowingly, the sky had already darkened. A faint fragrance drifted on the wind; winter had passed, and in the sudden warmth of the last few days, the plants in the courtyard were growing vigorously.

It wasn’t until this moment, with his feet on solid ground, feeling the lightness of his body and the clarity of his five senses and six consciousnesses, that the joy of successful Foundation Establishment truly spread through him. Rong Xie felt his chest swell, as if he could float into the air with just a couple of steps.

And yes, he could float. As a mighty Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could fly at low altitudes without a flight talisman, skimming over grass and crossing streams without dirtying his shoes. More importantly, this sensation of treading on air felt just like being an immortal.

Sponsored

Rong Xie immediately tried it out, feeling the wind generate beneath his feet. When he leaped over a small bush, his joy reached its peak, and he repeatedly jumped back and forth over that same bush several times.

“This is… too amazing!” Rong Xie exclaimed in admiration.

Moonlight fell upon his head. In the quiet courtyard, Rong Xie hopped and skipped around the clearing, sometimes flying out horizontally, sometimes landing slowly, waving the sleeves of his robe to mimic the immortals in operas.

“This humble one, Foundation Establishment cultivator, Rong Xie.” Rong Xie fanned his sleeves, bowed to the empty clearing, took a faux step back with his right foot, and leaned forward. “Pays respects to Old Sect Leader Xue. What? You insist I return to the inner sect? This… this humble one is used to being an idle crane in the clouds; I fear I would be difficult to restrain…”

“Hmph.” A stifled laugh suddenly came from the shadows of the trees nearby. Rong Xie jumped in fright and looked back, only to see Shen Bingsi standing in the darkness, wearing the official uniform of an Adjudicator. He was looking over with a smile, one hand curled against his mouth.

Rong Xie’s face heated up. “It’s pitch black, you scared me to death. What are you doing hiding there?”

“Delivering a message for Old Sect Leader Xue,” Shen Bingsi stepped out of the shadows. Moonlight fell on his head and shoulders as he looked at Rong Xie with a smile. “Inviting you to come and be an Elder.”

“Pui pui pui!” Rong Xie pressed the back of his hand to his burning cheek. “I haven’t dreamed such treasonous dreams; don’t put a hat on me that doesn’t fit.”

“An Elder specifically in charge of cuisine. The Ruthless Path happens to have a lesson on cutting off the desire for food; it would be perfect for you to go test those disciples,” Shen Bingsi laughed.

As they spoke, the two had walked closer together.

Rong Xie noticed the Adjudicator uniform on Shen Bingsi. “Are you going out? Is it… has Adjudicator Jiang’s side already reached a verdict?”

Rong Xie felt a surge of excitement, but Shen Bingsi shook his head. “No, it’s just a temporary summons from Mirror Palace. I have to go. I don’t know when I’ll be back.”

“Ah…” Rong Xie’s heart sank. “Then will you come back for dinner tomorrow?”

The moonlight illuminated everything clearly, yet Shen Bingsi’s expression remained obscure.

“I won’t be back,” Shen Bingsi said.

“What about the Heyang fish and the hanging-oven roast duck?”

“Next time.”

“…”

“So, you were hiding here to say goodbye to me?” Rong Xie asked. “Didn’t you say you would help me reach the Golden Core stage?”

He didn’t know why, but the feeling of unease grew stronger. Rong Xie knew asking this was unreasonable; for Foundation Establishment, he at least had a base, having reached the ninth level of Qi Condensation previously, and he had failed multiple times before. Even so, Dual Cultivation had taken several days to gather enough spiritual power to impact the Foundation Establishment barrier. To reach Golden Core would be like building a mountain on flat ground without any foundation; the spiritual power required was hundreds, even thousands of times that of Foundation Establishment. Even if Shen Bingsi Dual Cultivated with him for a year or two, it might not succeed, let alone with so many matters pressing down on them right now.

Sponsored

“You want to reach Golden Core that much?” The corners of Shen Bingsi’s mouth lifted. “Alright. Once I resolve the matters at hand, I’ll come back and help you reach Golden Core. You aren’t allowed to run away then.”

“Actually, there’s no rush,” Rong Xie felt slightly guilty.

“It’s a promise.” Shen Bingsi extended his hand. “Whoever backs out is a puppy.”

Rong Xie’s hand, hanging by his side, felt as heavy as a thousand pounds. He instantly regretted bringing this up… It was only because he was worried about Shen Bingsi. If Shen Bingsi’s state hadn’t been consistently weird—neither confirming nor denying if he remembered the events of the dream—Rong Xie wouldn’t have used the Golden Core matter to test him.

Fine. Since I’m testing him, I’ll test him to the end. If Shen Bingsi can fulfill this promise, it means my worries are purely superfluous.

“Come back first, then we’ll talk.” Rong Xie raised his hand and slapped his palm against Shen Bingsi’s.

Shen Bingsi reacted with lightning speed, catching Rong Xie’s hand and squeezing it in his palm. He sighed, “You don’t know how much I don’t want to leave.”

Rong Xie raised an eyebrow, about to ask further about what exactly the Mirror Palace business was, but Shen Bingsi released his hand and turned away. “Wait for me… I will come back.”

With a flash of gold, Shen Bingsi rode his sword toward Mirror Palace. An arc of light cut through the night sky, vanishing above Huanxue Villa.

Rong Xie gazed at the clear sky. Stars dotted the heavens, each one distinct. The night sky was high, presenting a cold, empty shade of deep blue.

He stood quietly for a while, then suddenly wondered how Captain Zhao was doing.

Rong Xie returned to his bedroom, found his transmission jade pendant, and sent a connection request to Captain Zhao.

Soon, the jade vibrated, and Captain Zhao’s voice came through.

“Fellow Daoist Rong!!” Captain Zhao shouted excitedly. “Is that Fellow Daoist Rong?! I knew it! I knew you would wake up. There is no problem in this world that Sword Saint Shen cannot solve!”

“…” In the intervals between Captain Zhao’s excited shouting, Rong Xie finally found a chance to speak. “Captain Zhao, it’s me. I’m fine now, but… I might not be able to come over for a while…”

“No matter!” Captain Zhao said heartily. “Fellow Daoist Rong, you just rest well. No need to rush. The Recording Officer from Mirror Palace has already arrived to take over. We are all listening to her commands now.”

“What?” Rong Xie was stunned. “Didn’t they say… the case was still being tried?”

“The trial is over! Just yesterday, the Grand Adjudicator and the Recording Officer from Mirror Palace came over together. They told us that Madam Mei’s crimes have been reported to the Heavenly Mirror. They came back to retrieve the Golden Bell Shield and arrange where the children will go…”

Captain Zhao rambled on for a while, mostly praising the Mirror Palace people for their swift and decisive action. Judging by the situation, Madam Mei’s confession was mostly secured; all that remained was collecting physical evidence and arranging follow-up matters.

Whether Rong Xie went or not didn’t really matter.

Sponsored

“However, that Grand Adjudicator surnamed Jiang did ask about Sword Saint Shen,” Captain Zhao suddenly recalled. “He said Sword Saint Shen had sought him out to treat you back then, but due to palace rules, he couldn’t come out. He wondered if you had awakened yet.”

Rong Xie’s throat tightened as he asked, “Does that mean… both Adjudicators are currently at the Lu Residence?”

“Yes,” Captain Zhao said. “The matters here are quite troublesome. I estimate they’ll have to stay another three to five days.”

“In other words, there is no one at Mirror Palace right now?”

“Mirror Palace only has three Adjudicators. Two are here, and Sword Saint Shen is with you, Fellow Daoist Rong. So, there shouldn’t be anyone there,” Captain Zhao mused.

“…”

Mirror Palace is empty. Then what did Shen Bingsi go there to do?

The moon was bright and the wind still, yet Rong Xie felt a sudden shiver run through him.