Descending the stairs, Li Mo reached the entrance.
The hotpot restaurant had reopened for business.
Everything seemed unchanged.
Zuo Qiuyang was still in the kitchen, but behind the counter, the owner had been replaced by Mei Yun, while a group of young helpers bustled about the shop.
Jiang Chulong, her frail frame draped in an oversized linen robe, weaved through the dining area with a tray in hand. Despite the cloth covering her eyes, she moved with effortless grace.
The robe was one Li Mo had worn when he was the owner. She had washed it clean but couldn’t bear to throw it away.
Without even turning around, Jiang Chulong knew who had come downstairs. She timidly scurried over, wiping her hands on her apron.
"Big Brother Li..."
"You seem happy working here?" Li Mo couldn’t help but chuckle at her demeanor.
Who in the world would find joy in labor?
But for someone like the little Princess Jiang, it somehow made sense.
"Mmm... yes... very happy," Jiang Chulong nodded earnestly.
"Useless things... are just... just trash."
"Now... I can help Big Brother Li..."
Li Mo: "..."
What kind of corporate-level understanding was this?
"Do things that make you happy."
"But... helping Big Brother Li... makes me happy..." Jiang Chulong tilted her head.
Li Mo sighed. "Then I’ll leave this shop in your care."
Jiang Chulong stiffened abruptly, the smile vanishing from her delicate face.
"Big Brother Li... are you going back?"
"Yeah."
Li Mo nodded, exhaling with a hint of nostalgia.
"You have the hotpot shop now—no worries about food or shelter."
"With Aunt Mei by your side, you won’t have to fear bad people either."
"I’d say my work here is done."
He had once considered taking Jiang Chulong back to the Qingyuan Sect.
But given her identity, staying in the city was the wiser choice.
Besides, there was still Mei Yun—this little aunt was still being hunted by the Sky Patrol Guards.
Strangely, though, the manhunt seemed more bark than bite.
After much deliberation, Li Mo had decided to entrust the hotpot shop to them.
This was probably the best arrangement.
Just as Li Mo was feeling a sense of accomplishment—
Jiang Chulong’s face paled, her voice trembling.
"Big Brother Li... are you abandoning me?"
"Huh?" Li Mo froze.
"From now on... will Big Brother Li... never come to see me again?"
Jiang Chulong seemed to lose her soul, the cloth over her eyes darkening with dampness.
Little Princess Jiang, your whole vibe just changed!
"What??" Li Mo was utterly bewildered.
She had a place to live, a secure future.
Shouldn’t she be overjoyed?
Why was she crying now?
A princess reduced to running a hotpot shop as a kitchen helper—sure, it was a fall from grace.
But it was still better than before, wasn’t it?
The logic of Little Princess Jiang’s mind was as unfathomable as Ying Bing’s mood swings.
Li Mo decided women were harder to understand than swords.
"Big Brother Li... please don’t abandon me... I..."
Jiang Chulong was trying hard to hold back, but her tears flowed like a broken faucet.
Li Mo: "..."
He hadn’t done anything wrong.
So why did he feel like guilt was drowning him?
The surrounding diners were already shooting him looks that screamed "you monster." If he didn’t calm her down soon, someone might actually step up to "deliver justice."
Regular customers all assumed Jiang Chulong was the previous owner’s daughter.
"You’ve misunderstood. That’s not what I meant."
"R-really?"
"My hotpot recipe is a family heirloom. I’ve entrusted something so precious to you. I’ll be back periodically to check on the business, okay?"
"Thank you... Big Brother Li... you’re the best."
Jiang Chulong’s tears turned to a smile.
"Also, keep training. When you reach the Inner Breath realm, I’ll give you a gift."
Li Mo helplessly patted her head.
"Mmm!" Jiang Chulong nodded eagerly. "I... I’ve opened twelve meridians... I’ll work hard."
"It’s just... the martial arts I’ll practice next... I haven’t decided yet."
She had been practicing a self-created martial art.
As her temporary "Heavenly Venerable" teacher, Li Mo had given it a provisional name: Wild Grass Sword Scripture.
By continuously assimilating other sword techniques and refining them, she could grow stronger indefinitely.
Once I’m back in the mountains, I’ll need to gather more sword manuals to feed her progress.
Li Mo mused silently before adding softly,
"Don’t rush. Haste makes waste."
"Mmm, mmm!"
"Go on now."
Li Mo ruffled her hair again, and only then did Jiang Chulong reluctantly return to the kitchen.
The promise of a gift had lightened her steps considerably.
Mei Yun, watching from the counter, sighed quietly.
If Chulong can live an ordinary life from now on, that would be the best outcome...
Wasn’t that what His Majesty had schemed for all along?
---
With Little Princess Jiang pacified, Li Mo pondered on the carriage ride back.
What sword manual should I get for her?
With my current contribution points, I can access the sixth floor of the library a few times.
"Speaking of which, why hasn’t Ice Block shown up yet?"
Thinking of recent events, Li Mo rubbed his temples.
Ying Bing was his biggest patron.
Why did it feel like their relationship had reset overnight?
Glancing beside him, he saw Shang Wu sprawled out in deep sleep, limbs splayed gracelessly.
At least Master is easy to understand.
His beautiful master only needed wine and naps to stay happy. But Ying Bing’s thoughts? Far more complicated...
Before long, Ying Bing boarded the carriage as well.
The vehicle began moving, heading toward the Qingyuan Sect.
Silence filled the journey.
Ying Bing kept her eyes downcast.
Li Mo had no idea what to say.
I stay quiet, and you don’t talk much either~
---
By evening, they arrived at Autumn Water Pavilion.
Li Mo ducked into the kitchen.
There’s truth in the saying—no place is better than home, even if it’s a humble one.
Back in familiar surroundings, Ying Bing felt an inexplicable serenity settle over her.
Especially with the sounds of cooking drifting from the kitchen and that figure bustling about.
Her mind, so prone to replaying the morning’s incident, finally quieted.
That outfit...
And just a door between us...
Only when her emotions had stabilized did she finally check the system’s notification.
What’s the next punishment for the defeated?
The penalty had been decided earlier—she just hadn’t looked.
[Punishment for the Defeated: Confirmed]
[Condition]: "Bathe with the one who defeated you."
[Requirement]: "Wear the lingerie set provided by the system."
Ying Bing: "..."
Each punishment is worse than the last.
And those so-called "rating rewards"—how are they rewards at all?
If the disciples of her past life, the ones who revered her as the Celestial Phoenix Empress—the woman who demanded severance of all earthly ties—learned she was sharing a bath with a man...
They’d probably stab themselves on the spot, convinced it was a nightmare.
This is going to be the death of me.
An image involuntarily surfaced in Ying Bing's mind.
The bathtub in the Autumn Water Pavilion wasn't particularly large—if two people were in it, they'd undoubtedly be pressed against each other...
"Little Bing, your tea."
Shang Wu raised an eyebrow.
There was something off about Little Bing today.
"Hmm?"
Ying Bing looked down to find the tea had already overflowed, soaking the table.
"Are you alright?"
"Just lost in thought."
Ying Bing shook her head, banishing the mental image.
As long as she didn't lose,
the punishment might as well not exist.
Then... there was no need to dwell on it.
...
ine. During your journey, you save an abandoned baby girl and become her elder brother】 【You rely on each other, becoming each other's support】 【At the end of the simulation, you shield the now-grown girl with your life, sacrificing yourself to block numerous demonic cultivators. You die, and the light in the girl's eyes fades】 …… 【Second Simulation: You are transported to a world where steam and magic coexist】 【You immerse yourself in the study of magic, obsessed with its research. One day, while out, you encounter a half-blooded demon girl wandering the streets. You take her in as your student】 【You teach the demoness what it means to be human, show her the beauty of the world, and nurture her into a miracle that surpasses even the gods】 【At the end of the simulation, you die of old age in front of the nearly immortal demoness due to your mortal lifespan】 …… One simulation after another, one encounter after another. Xu Xi suddenly felt something was off: "Wait, you said you're coming to the real world to find me?"
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
