Invincible Sect suffered a pretty big loss this time. In the whole sky palace, everything except the back palace and several peripheral palaces were destroyed. More importantly, many disciples suffered serious injuries. Several disciples even hurt their fundamentals. It would be difficult for them to have any advancement in cultivation at all after that. Sky palaces of other places suffered even more serious losses.
Lonemoon joined the post-war recovery work as soon as he returned to the sect. Over several days, he was so busy that they didn't even see him. Shen Ying and Yi Qing actually started idling away in the back palace every day. Perhaps thinking that these two couldn't be counted on anyway, Lonemoon didn't even have the desire of dragging them over for labor.
Perhaps because Shen Ying had half recovered, she started eating lesser and lesser after a great meal on the day of return. Her five meals a day changed to three a day. She actually started sleeping more, sometimes even as she was eating she'd start yawning. Yi Qing was very worried at first, but after a few days, he realized that she wasn't going dormant, but simply getting sleepy after eating, and then became assured, and just let her be. Only that every time she leaned asleep on the table, he'd carry her back into the room carefully.
But after he had done this many times, there were inevitably several times in which Shen Ying woke up mid way. And the look that she gave him was very weird. Yi Qing vaguely felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't figure out what. But after that, Shen Ying kept asking him the same question.
"Chef, take off your pants, I won't laugh at you!"
"Chef, take it off, my sister didn't kill you the other day, maybe it was alright!"
"Chef, it is quite hot today, maybe I can help you take off your pants to cool off?"
"Chef, take it off, I'll just take one look, okay?"
"Chef, don't go back tonight. Sleep with me. The kind with your pants off."
Yi Qing: "..."
Chef trembled in fear of a Master who wanted to take off his pants all the time.
And she actually bore the completely serious look every time, like it was all business. Every day, she thought of all kinds of ways to achieve her aim, staring at his pants the whole time.
Shen Ying thought, he everyday secretly carried her onto the bed, secretly kissed her several times, but never making the move. Hmm, she was sure that he must have gotten beaten up by Big Sister to the point of mental trauma. So pitiful...
Shen Ying's such behavior continued for a whole half month. Seeing that a certain someone getting more and more impatient and was already planning to make the move, Yi Qing had to make a concession. He said, unsure, "If Master... is willing, after Father Niu finished his work, we will... we will get married... How about that? After we are married I will... will..."
"Huh?" Shen Ying was stunned. Get married... married! She flushed. So the boyfriend was asking for her hand? But, it's not like it was impossible. As the saying goes, all relationships that don't have the purpose of marriage are hoodlum behaviors.
"Okay!" She thought about it, and nodded hard, only then climbing down from Chef's body, and releasing the hand which grabbed his pants. "I don't behave like hoodlums!"
Yi Qing, "..." Didn't you just now?
"Then I will go to Father Niu to discuss it first thing tomorrow morning." Yi Qing stood up from the bed immediately. "Rest early, Master."
With that said, he walked out like escaping, but his footsteps were very messy, as though he'd trip and fall any moment. He walked all the way out of the yard, before the suppressed emotions finally burst out. His heartbeat was so loud that he felt like he'd explode. A wild ecstasy spread over his body, making his standing a bit unstable momentarily. He squatted down and pressed his hands against his burning face, and a curvature appeared at the corners of his mouth which had never been there before.
Was he dreaming? Master... Master really agreed!!!
——————
Before Chef went to look for Father Niu, he came by himself. As though there was some matter he wanted to discuss, he came early in the morning. He looked at the table which was laid full of breakfast dishes but with nobody sitting on it, and then at Yi Qing who came out of the kitchen.
"Chef, where's Shen Ying? Still not woken?"
"Not yet." Yi Qing replied casually. Master was getting up later and later these few days.
"What time is it already? And she's still not awake!" Did she mean to just eat brunch? The corner of his mouth twitched, and he walked towards the room subconsciously. "I have matters to discuss with her." But when he reached the door, he suddenly paused, as though remembering a certain person's annoyance upon being awakened. The hand which lifted just didn't manage to knock.
Yi Qing walked over as well. Just as he was about to speak, the door suddenly opened from inside with a crack, showing Shen Ying who wore very messy hair. She looked up at the two, and lifted a hand in greeting, "Morning!"
"What morning'? This is almost noon!" Lonemoon said resentfully.
Yi Qing at the side stiffened, and he looked straight at the person in front of him. His eyes went wider and wider. He stepped forward and said hurriedly, "Master, you..."
"Chef, I'm so hungry!" Shen Ying said straightaway.
Yi Qing was stunned momentarily, and then he spoke subconsciously, "Breakfast is ready." And soon lunch will be, too.
"Alright, I have matters to discuss with you guys!" Lonemoon grabbed Shen Ying's hand and dragged her to the side of the table. Perhaps it was his illusion, but he felt that Shen Ying was somewhat heavier. She must have eaten too much these few days!
Lonemoon sat down by the table, took a look at the person opposite him who already started nibbling at a steamed stuffed bun, and then at Chef who was handing her more. He hesitated for a long while before saying with a deep voice, "There's a problem that has been on my mind for a long time. This time, Invincible Heavenly Palace suffered quite a great loss, and several disciples suffered quite serious injuries. Those were intruders, after all, it was normal that they couldn't fight them! In general, they suffered because of us." Those people came for them.
He sighed, and frowned, before continuing, "There will be more of such things in the future, I'm afraid that... So I'm thinking, maybe it is time for us to let go."
The master and disciple were stunned for a second, and they both looked up at him.
What do you mean?
"I don't want the sect that we built together to be involved in plane matters every time." It was their responsibility to guard this plane. It was unnecessary to involve Invincible Sect every time. He can't promise to keep them safe every single time. "Even without us, it would be enough to have Yu Hong, Lan Hua and Little Black they all to guard this sect, seeing the Immortal Realm as it is right now."
"You've made up your mind?" asked Yi Qing. Though this sect was built together by the three, in actual fact, the whole sect was pretty much supported by Lonemoon alone. They merely provided token support by showing up for important events.
"Yup." nodded Lonemoon. Ever since this intrusion, he had understood that guarding a plane wasn't as easy as it seemed on the surface, and they couldn't possibly look out for Invincible Sect 24-7. And in those 3000 years, they did a good job, didn't they? "Not like we leave straight away, just that we try to not intervene in matters of the sect in the future."
The Master and disciple exchanged a look. After a long while Shen Ying replied, "Oh."
The corner of Lonemoon's mouth twitched. What was 'oh' supposed to mean? Yi Qing actually started to explain immediately, "You can decide it. Both Master and I have no objection."
"Alright, then it is settled." Lonemoon looked at Shen Ying. "Yu Hong took charge of the sect for 3000 years in the past, it is most suitable to hand Invincible Sect to her. I'll go and arrange right now. A few days later there will be a Handover Ceremony, Shen Ying, you will formally pass the position of sect master to her."
"Me?" Shen Ying was stunned, tilting her head.
"Yes!" Lonemoon nodded. Remembering something, he gave her a stare. "Can you have f*cking forgotten that you are the sect master."
"Oh..." Shen Ying took a bite of the bun, and replied lazily, "So troublesome!"
"What troublesome!" Lonemoon rolled his eyes. "That's settled. I'll go first."
With that said, he got up and took two rapid steps, but then he remembered something, and his feet paused.
Wait, troublesome?
Σ(°△°|||)
He turned back abruptly, and looked unbelievably at the figure who leaned on the table nibbling at a bun, soft as wet mud, his eyes widened....
Holy shit!
"SHEN YING!!!!"