Shi Jingxian went out to visit the injured Nan Ren. Along the way, he encountered five busy hall masters, three medicine boys of the Right Protector, a Left Protector, and countless ordinary sect members. 

Every time he met someone, Shi Jingxian would tell them with both worry and enthusiasm, “I’m going to visit the injured Nan Ren. Sigh, he’s so badly hurt, my heart aches.”

By the time Shi Jingxian reached Xuanyuan Nan’s residence, even the sect doctor who came to bandage Xuanyuan Nan knew about it.

After sending off the doctor, Shi Jingxian entered the room with a heavy heart. Nan Ren was staying in a single room, which was unique among the shadow guards.

A tall man with a slender build, half-naked on the upper body, was half-leaning on the bed. Upon hearing the noise, his deep black eyes slowly opened and looked over.

To be fair, Xuanyuan Nan indeed had reasons to be proud. His upper body was bare, with white bandages wrapping around his strong, muscular lines, and his handsome face with pale lips could make Shi Jingxian somewhat understand why Ling Yao was attracted to him at first glance.

But now, facing such an injured and weak person who should have a certain charm, Shi Jingxian only felt his eyes hurt. 

It wasn’t the kind of reaction that made him want to cry when facing the Left Protector, but genuinely an eyesore.

The sky was getting dark, and the night breeze was slightly cool, blowing through the room. Looking at this man who had tormented him day and night for a month, Ling Yao couldn’t shed a single tear.

Shi Jingxian simply stopped crying and used a soft and somewhat helpless tone to carefully comfort him.

“A-Nan… you, you don’t need to get up. Does your wound still hurt? Brother Yan told me that if it’s not treated in advance, people will blame you. Now it’s finally a bit better… Although you’re injured, no one will find a reason to criticize you anymore, and you can always be my shadow guard.”

Xuanyuan Nan’s face was weak, and upon hearing this, his complexion turned even paler.

Xuanyuan Nan was proud and vengeful. In his eyes, the two years as an undercover in the Demon Sect were full of humiliation and helplessness. After capturing Ling Yao, he often tormented him for those two years of “being forced to bow down.”

Even Ling Yao calling the little servant “A-Yi” and him “A-Nan” was considered a humiliation by Xuanyuan Nan, who accused Ling Yao of deliberately belittling him to the level of a servant.

Shi Jingxian was amazed by Xuanyuan Nan’s way of thinking and immediately decided to treat him in the same way.

“Take good care of your injury. Once you’re better, you can continue to be a shadow guard peacefully.”

Xuanyuan Nan was so angry that his face turned pale. The surging blood affected the wound on his back, making the roughly treated wound even more painful. Ling Yao’s timing was perfect; the doctor had just left, and he came in, leaving Xuanyuan Nan no time to apply the good wound medicine himself.

However, facing Ling Yao, he couldn’t show his true emotions and could only grit his teeth, pretending to be weak and nearly unconscious.

“Subordinate deeply understands the Young Master’s intentions. I have no complaints about this punishment.”

He spoke with restraint, which might earn some sympathy from those unaware of the situation.

Unfortunately, he was facing Shi Jingxian. When it came to acting, the latter had been at a max level for many years.

“You’ve worked hard, A-Nan. I know you’ve always been striving to be a shadow guard. Don’t worry, this time we’ll clear all obstacles!”

Ling Yao couldn’t stop talking about the shadow guard, full of enthusiasm for the matter. Xuanyuan Nan’s wound hurt more with anger, and he could only stiffly bring the topic back.

“Young Master, I’m worried that after being injured, I won’t be able to take care of you properly.”

He was so considerate of Ling Yao, surely the other would feel guilty and want to make amends, right?

Unexpectedly, Ling Yao seemed not to understand and continued to comfort him, “It’s okay, A-Nan, don’t worry. No matter how you perform as a shadow guard, I won’t blame you. It’s okay if it’s not perfect.”

After hesitating for a moment, he added, “As long as others don’t find out.”

Xuanyuan Nan was almost driven mad by Ling Yao.

Was he talking about being a shadow guard?!

But seeing Ling Yao’s earnest and worried expression, Xuanyuan Nan couldn’t say much more.

He knew Ling Yao was simple-minded and not worldly-wise. Otherwise, Ling Yao wouldn’t have been so easily deceived by him.

Xuanyuan Nan could only continue to hint, “Young Master, this incident happened because I was unwell and couldn’t be by your side. During my recovery, you must take care of yourself.”

Ling Yao nodded obediently, “I will.”

Xuanyuan Nan continued, “You must remember to carry medicine with you and replenish it in time after use. Previously, when my subordinate went to ask the Right Protector for medicine, the Right Protector seemed busy and didn’t give it. Now that I need to recover, the medicine matter can only trouble the Young Master.”

“No problem, it’s not a bother,” Ling Yao replied naturally. “A-Nan, take care of yourself too, don’t just worry about me.”

Xuanyuan Nan: “…”

He was trying to emphasize that the Right Protector didn’t give the medicine.

Every change of season, Ling Yao’s nasal condition would flare up easily. Xuanyuan Nan had long wanted to ask for medicine to show his thoughtfulness and reliability in front of Ling Yao. But the Right Protector kept delaying and didn’t give him the medicine.

Xuanyuan Nan had encountered such deliberate difficulties many times. After two years, he realized that with Ling Yao around, these people couldn’t discover his true identity. They just didn’t like him—these people didn’t like anyone who might take Ling Yao away.

Seeing Ling Yao’s repeated lack of understanding, Xuanyuan Nan didn’t plan to rush. He had endured for two years, so two more months wouldn’t matter.

Although he suffered this injury for nothing, it was a great opportunity to make Ling Yao feel guilty and concerned. Xuanyuan Nan was planning to guide Ling Yao a bit more when he suddenly heard someone outside reporting.

It was the medicine boy from the Right Protector’s side.

The medicine boy respectfully invited Ling Yao to undergo acupuncture treatment for his nasal condition. Seeing it was someone from the Right Protector’s side, Ling Yao didn’t dare to stay long and was about to bid farewell to Xuanyuan Nan.

Before leaving, Ling Yao asked the medicine boy for some wound medicine for Xuanyuan Nan and repeatedly urged him to take good care of his injury. Finally, he avoided the medicine boy and whispered to Xuanyuan Nan—

“I’ll make sure they cancel the remaining twenty strokes of the cane. Don’t worry, I won’t let A-Nan get beaten again.”

After saying this, he reluctantly left, looking back every few steps.

Xuanyuan Nan leaned on the bed, carefully recalling Ling Yao’s behavior.

Having been away for nearly three days, he wasn’t without concerns about his whereabouts being exposed. But this time, the reason for the caning was only stated as dereliction of duty, failing to perform well, and causing the Young Master’s condition to flare up, without involving anything else.

Looking at it now, Ling Yao still seemed to trust him wholeheartedly, with genuine sincerity in his eyes.

Only then did Xuanyuan Nan feel relieved.

As for the naive and sincere Shi Jingxian, once he left the shadow guard’s residence, he dismissed the Right Protector’s medicine boy not far away.

He had already anticipated that the Left and Right Protectors didn’t want Ling Yao to have too much contact with Nan Ren at this time and would send someone to call him away early. So Shi Jingxian didn’t take the acupuncture seriously and went straight back to Cloud Peak Palace.

Having slept half the day, Shi Jingxian didn’t lie down immediately after returning.

Although he had just gone to anger Xuanyuan Nan, such actions without substantial harm were actually of little effect, and the system ultimately gave a 1% progress. Shi Jingxian’s main purpose was to avoid Xuanyuan Nan’s suspicion.

The night was just right, and Shi Jingxian casually took a thin sword from the little Young Master’s treasure-filled study. He bypassed the night-watching little servant in the outer room, silently jumped out of the window, and leaped onto the rooftop.

The moonlight was like a practice, casting on the silver cool thin sword. Shi Jingxian started with a sword flower, practicing from the simplest moves. Swing, chop, slash, stab—his movements went from clumsy to skillful, gradually dancing a dazzling silver light under the moonlight.

The little Young Master was exceptionally talented and hardworking. Since he started practicing martial arts at the age of three, he had never missed a day. At only sixteen, apart from the Sect Leader, no one in the sect could withstand a hundred moves in front of him.

Practicing martial arts was different from the potion-making ability in Task No. 1. When Shi Jingxian first arrived, although he had the retained body memory, he could only exert one-tenth of the little Young Master’s true level.

He wasn’t in a hurry and planned to practice slowly.

Although the adaptation period after taking over the body was troublesome, Shi Jingxian was already used to it. Since his memory was erased, every time he entered a task again, he would turn off the system AI. Without the all-powerful AI, he had to rely on himself.

Other restorers mostly had AI companions, which not only saved time and effort but also easily developed a revolutionary friendship. Like Cheng Lin, whose name was changed to “Gentle Scoundrel” in the chat room, he upgraded his AI to a knowledgeable female voice. As “Eight-Pack Abs” said, he would use the AI to train his thick-skinned face when he had nothing to do.

Shi Jingxian didn’t have an AI, and the only feedback he could get was from the body he took over and the flashing progress bar. He was more familiar with the task target himself.

Like tonight, as he practiced swordsmanship alone under the moonlight, all he saw were the scenes of the little Young Master passing by.

From eagerly comparing the height of the Sect Leader’s sword to easily stepping on the height line drawn on the tree trunk, sitting steadily on the tree crown; from having weak arms unable to hold chopsticks to hitting the target with hidden weapons every time, finally being choked by the white ash at the bottom of the hidden weapon cup, crying like a little flower face.

Shi Jingxian practiced quietly, as if listening to the little Young Master recount his youthful experiences once again.

He practiced until the night wind rose, then sheathed his sword and returned to the room. Before washing up and lying down, he carefully stretched his leg muscles by the wall.

Before the righteous path’s attack, the little Young Master’s biggest worry in his sixteen years of life was that he might not grow tall.

The next morning, just after Shi Jingxian finished his morning practice, he received news of the Sect Leader’s return.

When he took over Ling Yao’s body, the Sect Leader happened to be out. Originally planned to return in two days, upon hearing about Ling Yao’s nasal condition, the Sect Leader changed his schedule and returned early.

Upon hearing the Sect Leader’s news, the progress bar flashed urgently a few times, but after a few flashes, it quieted down on its own, and even the light dimmed significantly.

The closer to home, the more timid, afraid to ask the messenger.

Seeing this, Shi Jingxian took the initiative to ask a few more questions about the Sect Leader. The person delivering the message hesitated for a moment before answering.

“As soon as the Sect Leader returned, he ordered the shadow guard Nan Ren beside the Young Master to be brought out and publicly beaten with forty more canes.”

The Sect Leader’s original words were—

“When did the sect have the rule of punishing in installments? Bring him out now, double the punishment.”