When Liu Lin returned to his courtyard, Xiao Xue, who was cleaning in the yard, heard the gate move. She looked up and saw that her master was back.
She froze for a moment, then hurried over, her voice full of delight. "My lord, you're finally back."
"If you'd stayed away any longer, I wouldn't have dared remain in this courtyard."
Hearing Xiao Xue's words, Liu Lin looked puzzled.
"Xiao Xue, what do you mean? Why couldn't you stay here?"
"My lord, you don't know. Ever since the princess came back, she's been coming to this courtyard every day.
"You were gone for so long, and the princess's expression grew darker by the day. How could I dare stay here?"
Liu Lin gave a wry smile, then told the maid to leave him be. He wanted to rest for a while.
"All right, I understand. You may go."
Xiao Xue bowed to Liu Lin and nodded respectfully.
"Then I'll get back to work, my lord. You should go rest."
Liu Lin headed for his room. On the way, he took the Voice Recording Soul Tool from his Storage Soul Tool and sent Xu Jiujiu a message.
After sending it, he lay down on the bed to recover from the exhaustion of traveling these past few days.
About an hour later, steady footsteps sounded outside the courtyard gate, followed by Eunuch Liu's voice.
"His Majesty has arrived."
Liu Lin opened his eyes at the sound and headed outside.
By the time Liu Lin reached the gate, Xiao Xue had already opened it to welcome Xu Jiawei.
Seeing the gate open, Xu Jiawei entered with Eunuch Liu. He waved at Xiao Xue, and she tactfully withdrew.
"Your Majesty." Liu Lin bowed.
"I've told you countless times—you don't need to bow when we're in private." Xu Jiawei sounded somewhat helpless as he walked over and helped Liu Lin up.
But when Xu Jiawei took a good look at Liu Lin, shock filled his eyes.
From that single glance, he could tell that the fluctuations of Soul Power around Liu Lin were much stronger than before he left.
"Your cultivation has improved again." Xu Jiawei's words sounded half like a question and half like a statement. He didn't ask Liu Lin where he had gone or what opportunities he had found.
Instead, he said half-jokingly, "Let me guess. You must have gained quite a lot on this trip."
After a pause, he looked at Liu Lin with concern. "But you broke through so quickly. Has it left any hidden problems with your body?"
"No." Liu Lin shook his head. "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty."
Xu Jiawei wasn't foolish enough to ask Liu Lin how he had broken through so quickly or whether he had obtained some priceless treasure.
Those were Liu Lin's own secrets. There was no need to pry. Doing so would only sour their relationship.
Liu Lin belonged to the Star Luo Empire. The stronger he became, the stronger the empire would be.
"That's good." Xu Jiawei nodded, his composure returning.
"I came by today to see whether anything had happened to you. Since you're fine, I'm relieved."
"I still have to go see Count Su. You should go back and rest, Liu Lin."
With that, Xu Jiawei left Liu Lin's courtyard with Eunuch Liu.
Just before leaving, Xu Jiawei stopped at the gate and glanced back at her, a knowing smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh, right. Jiujiu gets out of class at noon. You'd better prepare a table of her favorite dishes. When my little sister gets angry, she even dares to smash up my Imperial Study. You'd better think carefully about what you're going to do."
Liu Lin smiled wryly and bowed, watching Xu Jiawei disappear from view.
At noon, Liu Lin asked Xiao Xue to get several dishes from the Imperial Kitchen. Osmanthus Cake was a must, as was Steamed Sea Bass, along with many other dishes Xu Jiujiu liked.
Xiao Xue had just set the food box on the pavilion table and begun arranging the dishes.
With a bang, the gate to Liu Lin's courtyard was shoved open.
Xu Jiujiu stood at the entrance, still wearing the Star Luo Royal Academy uniform. Her golden hair was tied loosely behind her with a ribbon.
A few loose strands fell across her forehead. She had clearly come straight over as soon as class ended, without even changing clothes.
With her hands on her hips, she stood at the gate. Her blue eyes swept over Liu Lin from head to toe, quickly checking that he hadn't lost an arm or a leg and bore no sign of injury. Only then did she slowly walk into the courtyard.
"More than half a month," Xu Jiujiu said as she stopped in front of him, looking down at Liu Lin where he sat beside the stone table. Her voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear.
"Twenty-three days. You were gone for a full twenty-three days. You left behind one vague sentence and then vanished. Liu Lin, did you think I wouldn't worry?"
At Xu Jiujiu's words, Liu Lin fell silent at once.
As Xu Jiujiu went on, her eyes gradually reddened and her voice grew choked. At last, she rushed straight into Liu Lin's arms.
"I'm sorry I made you worry. It won't happen again."
Holding Xu Jiujiu in his arms, Liu Lin stroked her head, trying to comfort her.
Once Xu Jiujiu had calmed down, Liu Lin took out two jade boxes he had prepared earlier from his Storage Soul Tool and held them out to her. "These are for you."
Xu Jiujiu froze. She took the boxes and opened them. Inside were two plants, one pale as moonlight and the other a soft gold like starlight.
Two wisps of spiritual energy from the Immortal Herbs spilled out of the boxes. The Star Crown mark between her brows lit up on its own almost at once, resonating with the two streams of energy in some wondrous way.
"Heavenly Star Spirit-Gathering Flower and Heavenly Star Vine. They're gifts for you. Next time I leave, I'll tell you first."
Xu Jiujiu held the two jade boxes and looked down at them for a long while. Then she raised her head, eyes reddened, but still wearing her haughty expression. "At least you have a conscience. But if you do this again, I won't care what happens to you. I'll tell my brother to break off the engagement."
Liu Lin smiled but didn't call her bluff. He shifted aside and pointed to the dishes covering the table. "Osmanthus Cake, Steamed Sea Bass—everything you like. Shall we eat first?"
Xu Jiujiu carefully put the jade boxes into her Storage Soul Tool, sat down across from him, and picked up her chopsticks. She took a piece of fish, then looked up at him.
"We can eat. But you have to tell me exactly where you went these past twenty-three days. Don't leave out a single word."
"Of course. Let's eat first, and I'll tell you afterward."
Seeing Xu Jiujiu no longer crying, Liu Lin gazed at her fondly.
Elsewhere, a carriage had stopped about a hundred miles from Star Luo City.
A pink-and-blue-haired boy who looked about six or seven sat opposite a burly, powerfully built middle-aged man. He asked, puzzled, "Second Dad, why are we coming to the Star Luo Empire to study? Isn't the Clear Sky Sect much stronger than they are?"
"Dong'er, Second Dad doesn't know either. Your father was the one who said we should come," the middle-aged man replied, scratching his head with a simple, honest look.
Hearing his second dad say that, the pink-and-blue-haired boy couldn't help pouting.
"So he does know how to look after me?"