Lonemoon, "…"

"Alright, go and rest, everyone." He waved at the three disciples behind him.

The three finally saluted and walked away rapidly following Lonemoon. But their eyes couldn't help but drift back frequently towards the two by the mountain gate. The disciples seldom went to the back palace, and Yi Qing had been away from the sect for many years, so they didn't know his relation to Shen Ying, and they couldn't help but get somewhat confused.

Did they hear it wrongly? Just now, they heard Exalted Master Yi Qing call Exalted Master Shen 'Master'? But looking at the way they were, they didn't seem like master and disciple?

Chef didn't move for the whole time. When others had left, he finally looked unable to hold back himself anymore. He reached out and held the person in front of him so tightly that there was no gap at all. Warm air followed his deep voice into the bottom of her ears, mingled with a bit of grievance.

"Master…"

"Hmm."

"Master…"

"Yeah."

"Master…"

"What?"

He just kept calling her, as though he could never get bored with it. Only that each one was lower than the previous.

"Master…"

"Huh?"

"Master…"

"You making up the number of words?" Shen Ying's head tilted.

Chef's figure was stunned for an instant and then he held her even more tightly. He finally moved on to another sentence, albeit with an even greater sense of grievance. "Master… I missed you… very… very much!"

Shen Ying stopped for a long moment, before she reached out and hugged him back. Her face somehow felt hot. Oops, even a wily old fox can get picked up by such straightforward words! So she couldn't help but reply, "Me too."

Chef was stunned. On the face that always lacked expression, the corners of the mouth began to rise uncontrollably. He buried his head into the hair behind her back, and then held her even tighter.

He just held her for a long time, until Shen Ying felt her hands a bit tired.

"Chef!"

"Hmm."

"Can you cook now?"

"…"

As the saying goes, a man can't forget his duty, neither can a Chef.

—————

Chef was back, so Shen Ying finally returned to the happy life as a rice worm, eating five meals a day. Perhaps because she had been limited by Father Niu to three meals a day for too long, Shen Ying actually felt a bit too full.

Therefore, she went out for a walk on a rare occasion. This walk was actually supposed to be at back mountain, but she ended up in front palace. Four disciples were practicing spells at the training yard. After going out, the disciples taught by Fatty all achieved improvements in their cultivation. One of them even broke into late-stage Golden Core immediately. This was probably mainly attributed to the improvement on his state of mind.

Only Jian Xing's cultivation didn't improve much, because his injuries were rather severe. He spent months being cared for in the sect, and he had recovered right now. He still had the highest cultivation among the four. Besides, he had learned all the sword techniques Father Niu taught him. There were already signs of sword intent being formed.

A few days ago, Father Niu was heard bragging in front of Chef, saying that he should be the first one to go down the mountain among the four. With the cultivation of Nascent Soul, founding a sect shouldn't be a problem.

In fact, Father Niu already had thoughts of letting him go down the mountain when they went out for experiential training last time, only that he happened to suffer severe injuries and came back to be treated. But the difference was only a matter of days. After Lonemoon's further testing, he would be let down the mountain. The first immortal cultivation sect of this plane was to be a sword cultivators' sect. These days, Father Niu often came over to show off from time to time, like he had finally achieved some great wish of his life.

Shen Ying gave the disciples a look, not paying them much attention. Just when she was about to slip back, she found a familiar figure sitting beside the training yard, staring intently at the four who were training. She hesitated for a moment, and then turned and walked over.

"Mushroom." She called out, but the other didn't respond. She had to walk a few steps closer and sit down right beside her, "Is this interesting to watch?"

"Huh?!" Mushroom was shocked. She turned and gave her a look, stiffened for a brief moment before smiling. "Shen Ying, why are you here?"

"I just walked randomly and came by here." It was absolutely not because she got lost without her. She replied casually, "Why aren't you growing mushrooms at back mountain?" She had no one to lead the way now.

"Hui Ze said there is no need to grow mushrooms any more, so I stopped."

Shen Ying's movement of eating pastry paused. She turned and gave her a look. After a long while, she replied slowly, "Oh." She looked down at the small bench she was sitting on and continued to ask, "Your injuries are all healed?"

"Yup." She nodded hard. "Hui Ze cured me. It's already alright now. Look!" With that said, she opened her hand and showed her, her face all innocent.

Shen Ying's head tilted. She took her hand and really looked. "How long has it been since it was cured?"

"It only took one month." She smiled even more happily. "Before you all came back, I'm all cured."

"Oh." Shen Ying's eyes narrowed. She clapped off the pastry sc.r.a.ps on her hands, opened a bag, pulled out a red fruit and handed it over, "Wanna eat?"

Mushroom's eyes brightened, and she nodded like a chick eating grains, "Yup!" With that said, she nodded while taking it. She held the fruit with both hands and started biting it.

She finished a whole fruit very rapidly, and then turned back to look at her with s.h.i.+ning eyes, and said sweetly, "Thank you."

Yet Shen Ying's eyes darkened instantly, and all the lazy aura about her body disappeared. "You answered wrongly!"

"Huh?" Mushroom was stunned.

In the next moment, Shen Ying suddenly reached out and grabbed her neck. "You forgot to call me a good person!"

"You…" Before she could speak, her whole person was lifted up single-handedly by her. A terrifying aura rushed towards her instantly like a huge tide. The grip was apparently not very tight, but she felt unable to breathe. A boundless horror swept over her, and in a moment, it was as if only one word remained in her mind: death!

Into her ears came her voice, speaking word by word, "Speak! Where is Mushroom?"

"What are you doing?" Before the other could answer, those practicing disciples had already closed in. The one rus.h.i.+ng in front was Jian Xing, his hand still holding on to the sword used for practicing.

"What… What are you doing?" Jian Xing gave Shen Ying a look and then looked towards the person in her hand with concern. Vaguely there was some anxiety in his voice. "You should quickly let Miss Mushroom go."

Other disciples also spoke.

"Exalted Master, what are you…"

"Exalted Master, Mushroom's injuries have only just healed, if she really offended you in some way, please don't haggle about it."

"Yes, Exalted Master. Although Mushroom is a demon, she is a good one. Can you let her go first?"