Long Aotian’s Beautiful Butler Has Run Away chapter 178

Chapter 178: Small Pills

After the meal ended, Rong Xie and Shen Bingsi returned to the bamboo tower.

Shen Bingsi was still mulling over the demon situation, while Rong Xie was looking at his full head of white hair with deep worry.

Each was lost in their own thoughts. They were fine as long as they didn’t speak, but once they did, they were talking at cross-purposes.

“There are so many people cultivating the Ruthless Path in the world. The Heavenly Dao can just grab anyone as an executor; it doesn’t necessarily have to be you,” Rong Xie grumbled.

“Do you think that demon could be the Acacia Flower Demon?” Shen Bingsi asked.

“What Acacia Flower Demon?” Rong Xie was stunned. Then, he realized and grew angry. “What time is it, and you’re still thinking about the Mirror Palace’s missions?”

“It’s not… I was just thinking that we’ve seen the Acacia Flower Demon with our own eyes, so perhaps we can provide Big Brother Jiang with some clues.” Shen Bingsi instinctively reached for his Mirror Palace medallion, but couldn’t find it. He remembered he had returned it when he stepped down.

Rong Xie was fuming. “Why would they need us to provide clues? Doesn’t the Mirror Palace have the Sky Mirror? It knows everything and will tell Big Brother Jiang the details. Big Brother Jiang’s cultivation is far above yours; if even he can’t handle it, then you’re even more useless.”

Shen Bingsi fell silent, his face showing a look of desolation.

Rong Xie knew he had misspoken—that last sentence hit Shen Bingsi where it hurt. But he didn’t want to take it back; having him feel pain was better than having him die.

“You have no road back now. You can only let go of the Ruthless Path and switch to another,” Rong Xie sighed. “Nothing else is important. With or without you, the Mirror Palace will find someone for the mission, and the demons will be eliminated… but letting go of the Ruthless Path and switching paths is something only you can do. You alone must bear the consequences.”

Shen Bingsi’s lips moved. After a moment, he said hoarsely: “I know.”

“You don’t know. You’re still worried about the Mirror Palace, the demons, and your Big Brother Jiang… can’t you just worry about yourself?” Rong Xie’s emotions hadn’t subsided, and he became more agitated as he spoke.

Shen Bingsi gazed at him quietly, then lowered his gaze and said exceptionally gently: “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want to hear an apology!” Rong Xie said. “I hate this spiritless look of yours, and this white hair! I hate old men. If you keep this up, I won’t sleep in the same bed as you.”

Rong Xie quickened his pace, and Shen Bingsi soon followed. The two returned to the bamboo tower one after the other.

Naturally, they still slept in the same bed. It was just that Rong Xie pulled the blanket over his head, refusing to face Shen Bingsi. Usually, the two would huddle together and talk for a long time, but now they didn’t speak.

Actually, Rong Xie was also a bit curious about the Acacia Flower Demon’s whereabouts. He was secretly worried, feeling that leaving such a cunning demon at large would eventually lead to a major disaster.

But on the other hand, he couldn’t help but wonder about the covenant between the Acacia Flower Demon and Xiao Zhi—giving up his soul after death. What kind of covenant was that? Did Xiao Zhi’s consciousness still exist? If their souls had merged, then on the day the Acacia Flower Demon was thoroughly eliminated, would Xiao Zhi also cease to exist…

Rong Xie knew his thoughts were purely wishful, but thinking about how the sweet Xiao Zhi had just vanished was hard to accept.

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In the midst of his chaotic thoughts, Rong Xie unknowingly fell asleep. He had a dream—a dream of a giant acacia flower blooming toward him. Xiao Zhi’s face was inside the flower, smiling at him. Xiao Zhi had never shown such a brilliant smile before, to the point that Rong Xie even felt a sense of dread.

He woke up with a start, not knowing if the dream was a good or bad one. As Shen Bingsi said, cultivators didn’t dream for no reason. Rong Xie rolled over, wanting to analyze it with Shen Bingsi, only to find half the bed was empty. Shen Bingsi wasn’t there.

Rong Xie remembered how they had parted on bad terms the night before, and a bit of bitterness touched his heart. He couldn’t help but think that perhaps he had been too harsh and impatient. Shen Bingsi hadn’t been idle; for the past half-month at the Acacia Sect, he had been trying to blend in, which would have been unimaginable for his former self. It was just that Elder Red’s repeated questioning of why he couldn’t let go made Rong Xie feel as if Shen Bingsi were stubbornly resisting, leading him to say those critical words.

Rong Xie got up to look for Shen Bingsi. It was early, and the world outside was still gray. He spotted Shen Bingsi and Lu Yinglin talking behind the bamboo forest at a glance. Rong Xie felt something was slightly odd—Shen Bingsi had always looked down on Lu Yinglin, so how did the two end up together? He wanted to step forward but stopped, instinctively taking out the “Wind-Hearing Ear” tool.

With Shen Bingsi’s current unstable cultivation, his five senses and six perceptions were not what they used to be. The “Wind-Hearing Ear” worked perfectly without being noticed.

“Here, this is what you wanted. Check the quality,” Lu Yinglin said with a merchant’s tone, throwing something from his sleeve.

Shen Bingsi caught it, not even looking as he tucked it into his sleeve. “I don’t understand these things, but if it went through your hands, it won’t be wrong. As the manager of the Yuanbao Auction House, you wouldn’t lie to me about this. But… how long can the effect of this medicine last?”

Lu Yinglin laughed. “It depends on the individual. In any case, it’ll have some effect.”

Shen Bingsi didn’t say anything more. Based on the sounds, he was taking out banknotes for Lu Yinglin.

Rong Xie couldn’t help but frown.

He put away the Wind-Hearing Ear and walked toward the bamboo forest.

Before he even reached the forest, Lu Yinglin spotted him and immediately waved with exaggerated enthusiasm, seemingly reminding Shen Bingsi to quickly hide the items.

Rong Xie quickened his pace, practically flying to the “crime scene” and grabbing Shen Bingsi’s arm. Shen Bingsi’s hand was still inside the Golden Light Fish-Pattern Pouch; having been caught red-handed, his arm muscles were stiff.

“What are you two trading so sneakily here?” Rong Xie looked at Lu Yinglin with a half-smile.

Lu Yinglin rubbed his nose, his gaze drifting toward Shen Bingsi.

Shen Bingsi frantically signaled Lu Yinglin with his eyes to shut up.

Rong Xie’s smile became increasingly chilling. “Oh, making eyes at each other right in front of me? Since when did you two become so close?”

“I wouldn’t dare. Sword Saint Shen isn’t my type. Besides, Sword Saint Shen is ‘already taken.’ As a man of upright character, how could I do something so low? Junior Brother Rong has truly wronged me.” Lu Yinglin explained with a slick tongue.

“Character? That has nothing to do with Manager Lu. I’d believe anyone over you,” Rong Xie sneered. “What kind of good medicine is it that you’re trading behind my back? Bring it out and let me see!”

The expressions of both men changed simultaneously. Clearly, they hadn’t expected Rong Xie to have overheard.

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Shen Bingsi’s expression was stiff. He quietly used his other hand to take off the Golden Light Fish-Pattern Pouch and stuff it into his pocket, his attempt at concealment being far too obvious.

Lu Yinglin gave two awkward laughs and said: “I wanted to tell Junior Brother Rong, but in our business, the most important thing is protecting the client’s privacy.”

“Is that so?” Rong Xie mouthed the words “Lightning White Orchid.”

“Fine, fine. If Junior Brother Rong must know…” Lu Yinglin looked at Shen Bingsi. Shen Bingsi gave him a murderous look. Lu Yinglin sighed. “Junior Brother Rong isn’t an outsider; he’d find out eventually anyway. Actually, the medicine Sword Saint Shen bought from me is—the ‘Golden Spear Never Falls’ Pill.”

“The ‘Golden Spear Never Falls’ Pill?” Rong Xie began searching through various alchemy records in his mind, but there was no record of such a name. But why did he feel like he had heard it somewhere before?

“Yes,” Lu Yinglin said with a mysterious air. “When a man gets older, there are times when his strength doesn’t match his will…”

“…” Rong Xie knew what the “Golden Spear Never Falls” Pill was now.

He looked at Shen Bingsi with confusion. Shen Bingsi looked calm, but the calmness was tinged with forced endurance, and the endurance was tinged with embarrassment. It was quite a sight.

Rong Xie didn’t think Shen Bingsi could fake such a complex expression, so perhaps it was… real?

“Oh… so that’s the ‘depends on the individual’ part?” Rong Xie thought back to their previous conversation.

Lu Yinglin smiled but didn’t speak.

“What are you telling him this for?” Shen Bingsi grabbed Rong Xie’s hand and dragged him back. “It’s just buying medicine, no need to say so much. Come, let’s go back.”

Seeing Shen Bingsi’s ears turning red, Rong Xie didn’t tease him further.

Lu Yinglin’s laughter came from behind, sounding like he was about to choke.

Shen Bingsi dragged Rong Xie back to the bamboo tower and unknowingly went up to the second floor. The second floor was empty except for clusters of plants and a large bed.

Shen Bingsi pressed on Rong Xie’s shoulders. Rong Xie retreated until he reached the edge of the bed. His knees buckled, and he sat down.

Shen Bingsi still had his hands on his shoulders, leaning over him. Then, he suddenly froze.

The posture was incredibly suggestive. Coupled with the lie Lu Yinglin had just made up, it looked as if Shen Bingsi really wanted to do something.

Lately, though the two were together at all times, they hadn’t engaged in any intimacy because of Shen Bingsi’s Dao heart problem. Though both wanted to, they didn’t dare think too much about it.

With the atmosphere set, it was like dry wood meeting fire—it immediately began to burn.

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Rong Xie’s cheeks were flushed. Sitting on the bed, he looked downward, seemingly a bit bashful. In Shen Bingsi’s eyes, he looked exceptionally adorable.

A thought suddenly occurred to Shen Bingsi. The imitation method was at a standstill, and the backlash felt like being ground by a dull knife. He might as well go all in—direct and fast—to see if he would die or find a new life from the jaws of death.

Thinking this, Shen Bingsi lowered his head, moving close to Rong Xie’s cheek to kiss the warm, smooth skin.

Rong Xie tightly gripped Shen Bingsi’s clothes. It wasn’t that he didn’t want intimacy—having someone he had loved for so long beside him and being unable to do anything was suffocating for Rong Xie too.

But his logic always managed to put up the final line of defense at the critical moment.

“Wait… wait a minute,” Rong Xie used his arm to separate himself from Shen Bingsi’s chest. “What about… that?”

“Hmm? What?” Shen Bingsi brushed his nose against Rong Xie’s cheek, kissing his neck, too busy to think.

“The ‘Golden Spear Never Falls’ Pill,” Rong Xie whispered. “Aren’t you going to take it?”

Shen Bingsi choked. He remembered the lie Lu Yinglin had told. That scoundrel Lu Yinglin—spouting nonsense and slandering his reputation!

Shen Bingsi was about to explain when it occurred to him that he really should take the medicine.

Of course, it wasn’t a miracle medicine for sexual stamina, but a folk remedy to slow down aging and postpone the “Five Signs of Decay”—the one Lu Yinglin had once sought for Xiao Ya.

Shen Bingsi’s hair wasn’t just turning white; the skin in some places on his body was turning dark and wrinkly, like fruit left out for too long. The internal decay was becoming harder to hide.

Lu Yinglin said that as long as he took the medicine, at least the symptoms on the skin could be greatly alleviated, though it only treated the symptoms and not the cause.

Shen Bingsi didn’t want to scare Rong Xie, so he had bought the medicine from Lu Yinglin.

Thinking of this, Shen Bingsi pulled a small box from the Golden Light Fish-Pattern Pouch, took out a small porcelain bottle, poured out a pill, and tossed it into his mouth.

Rong Xie had been somewhat skeptical, but seeing Shen Bingsi actually take it at this moment, his skepticism vanished. He only felt a pang of heartache.

“Actually, if your body is uncomfortable, we don’t necessarily have to right now…” Rong Xie whispered.

“Too late,” Shen Bingsi pressed Rong Xie’s shoulders, pushing him down onto the bed. “The effect of this medicine depends on the individual. The higher the cultivation, the longer it lasts. I imagine I’ll have at least fourteen hours.”

Rong Xie was shocked. He turned to try and crawl out from under Shen Bingsi’s arm, but Shen Bingsi grabbed his waist and dragged him back.

The two were entangled, their breaths mingling. Shen Bingsi whispered into Rong Xie’s ear with a smile: “Didn’t you want me to let go of the Ruthless Path? I’m going to let go completely right now. You just watch and see if I let go thoroughly enough—”

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Translator’s Note:

Golden Spear Never Falls (Jinqiang Budao): This is a very common Chinese euphemism for male stamina pills (essentially ancient Viagra). Lu Yinglin’s lie is classic “playboy” humor.
Five Signs of Decay (Tianren Wushuai): In Buddhist and cultivation lore, these are the signs that a celestial being or a powerful cultivator is nearing the end of their life (e.g., clothes getting dirty, body smelling, hair turning white).
14 hours (7 Shichen): A shichen is a two-hour period. 7 shichen is 14 hours. Shen Bingsi is really “overcompensating” as Elder Red suggested!