"Xiaoyao, one thing at a time."
Mu En spoke, his voice lower than before, as though drawn from somewhere deeper in his chest. "She is herself, and I am myself. She is Jinyu's family; protecting him is only right. But what about me? I'm his teacher, and he nearly died right before my eyes."
He shook his head. "They didn't come to settle the score with me because they were magnanimous. And now he has saved Lexuan again—I don't even know how many favors I owe him. I'm afraid that even if I gave him this old life of mine, it still wouldn't be enough to repay him."
He smiled. "I'm just a bag of old bones. I don't ask for anything else. As long as I can do my part and lend him a hand, that's enough."
Long Xiaoyao stroked his gray-white beard and slowly nodded. "Back when I was in the Holy Spirit Cult, I heard a little about how you had taken in an excellent disciple... Hearing you say it yourself today makes it feel far more real than the rumors. I never expected your opinion of that little fellow to be so high."
"High?"
Mu En said, "I was merely stating the facts."
Long Xiaoyao did not argue. He turned and walked back to the table, sitting down again.
"They say heaven favors the fortunate. It seems Heaven has been watching over you, remembering your years of guarding Shrek and allowing you to take in such a disciple in your old age."
Mu En paused slightly at those words. After a while, he said, "You may not believe this—but when I first heard the name 'Long Jinyu,' I thought he was from your family."
Long Xiaoyao was taken aback. "Oh?"
"His surname is Long, and his