Chapter 25: Domestic Captivity

“System, what is the completion rate of the storyline now?”

[Host! It has already reached seventy-five percent! Congratulations on completing the “confining Shizun” plot point. From now on, as long as you do not violate the yandere persona and maintain this state until the female lead finds you, you’ll be set.]

Hearing this, Mu An could not help but feel a sudden touch of melancholy, ‘Am I about to die?’

[To be precise, you are already dead in reality; you are merely performing tasks in these minor worlds now. Host, you must distinguish clearly which one is your true world.] the system reminded him rationally.

Mu An froze momentarily upon hearing this.

In his arms was his master’s warm body, but in his mind was the system’s mechanical voice.

[At present, the Qingyun Sect has already sent people to investigate your identity to verify whether the rumors outside are true. Furthermore, the Sect Master has repeatedly sent messages to Shen Shengqing without receiving any reply, so they will likely send people down to search for his whereabouts.]

‘What about Yunnan You?’ Mu An asked.

[Host, after Yunnan You heard the rumors outside, he returned to Chen Village to look for you but couldn’t find you. He is currently on his way to Medicine God Valley.]

Hearing this, Mu An felt relieved.

He looked at the rounded back of his master’s head and felt a strange urge to laugh.

‘System, Shizun’s head is as round as a black piece in Go, hahahaha.’

[…]

***

In the early morning, a cold mist rose in the mountains, and the chill grew heavier.

Unable to mobilize his spiritual energy, Shen Shengqing was suddenly jolted awake by the cold.

Lifting his eyes, he saw that Mu An, who had slept holding him the night before, had now rolled onto his side and was sleeping on his own.

Apparently, Mu An did not have a habit of holding onto things while sleeping, so he had unconsciously returned to his usual sleeping posture.

Shen Shengqing felt rather depressed.

Clearly, Mu An’s mouth kept spouting words of how he couldn’t bear to leave his master and wanted his master all to himself.

Yet, all of his body language was telling Shen Shengqing that Mu An did not truly love him.

Shen Shengqing silently clenched the blanket, a dark shadow pooling in his eyes.

He moved forward to wrap his arms around Mu An, resting his head against the youth’s shoulder, sensing that Mu An had woken up.

Yet, he did not let go, simply holding him tight with all his might as if wishing to merge into his body.

Mu An was caught off guard for a second.

His hand instinctively grasped the hands his master had wrapped around him, only to feel a stark chill.

In an instant, he understood.

With the weather so cold and his master unable to protect himself with spiritual energy, he must have been freezing.

It was his own lack of foresight.

He quickly channeled his spiritual energy, letting it flow along his master’s hands and slowly enter his master’s body to help dispel the chill.

He turned around, untangled his master’s hands from around him, pulled out two more blankets to layer securely over his master, and tucked them in tightly.

“Shizun, this is my fault. I will block the cave entrance today so you won’t suffer from the cold anymore.”

Shen Shengqing’s lips curled up imperceptibly.

He held onto Mu An, who was about to rise and leave, wanting to linger and cuddle with him for a little longer.

However, Mu An merely gently pried his hand from his sleeve, “Shizun, I am going to prepare some food for you. Please wait.”

Before Shen Shengqing could stop him, the youth had already strode behind the screen.

Mu An took out a stack of talisman papers, drawing one and igniting it with spiritual energy.

Instantly, a defensive barrier rose at the entrance of the cave; as long as it wasn’t struck by external forces, it could block the wind for a dozen days or so.

Things from the outside could not enter, but things from the inside could still leave.

He set up a pot to boil water and cook, using fire-element crystals instead of firewood.

As long as they were stimulated with spiritual energy, they would begin to emit heat.

Usually, these kinds of crystals were used for cultivation or alchemy, so using them solely to make a fire and cook was indeed rather extravagant.

However, Mu An figured he didn’t have many days left to live anyway, so there was no point in letting these items go to waste.

He was too lazy to chop wood, and generating smoke might choke Shen Shengqing.

He was in the middle of cooking porridge when the sound of iron chains echoed from behind.

Shen Shengqing stepped out wearing only his thin inner robes.

Mu An’s eyelid twitched, and he immediately pulled out the warm magical robe his master had previously gifted him from his storage ring.

He scooped his master up, placed him on the cushioned daybed, and deftly changed him into the magical robe.

“Shizun, it is cold outside. If you need anything, just call for me. Do not let yourself freeze.”

Shen Shengqing lowered his eyes to look at Mu An, who was earnestly tying his waistband, and felt his throat grow increasingly dry.

He pursed his lips slightly, wanting to press a kiss onto Mu An.

Mu An, however, had already backed away to a safe distance, “Shizun, what did you come out for?” Mu An asked.

Shen Shengqing shook his head.

He simply felt that sleeping alone was boring; he wanted to look at Mu An.

Yet, Mu An automatically filled in the blanks of Shen Shengqing’s thoughts.

He was likely still worried that Mu An would poison the food, which was why he had specifically come out to keep watch.

He squatted back down on his small wooden stool, waiting for the porridge to boil.

Once it was cooked, he thoughtfully scooped a bowl for his master, “Shizun, it’s inconvenient with you wearing shackles. I will feed you.”

There was a simulated aggressiveness in Mu An’s eyes.

Shen Shengqing’s eyes flickered, but he did not resist.

Mu An lowered his head to blow on the white porridge in the spoon, then brought it to Shen Shengqing’s lips.

Shen Shengqing’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he parted his lips to accept it, looking up at Mu An with a touch of seductive darkness in his eyes.

Shen Shengqing drank slower and slower, and Mu An raised an eyebrow at him, “Do you not like me feeding you?”

He reached out to pinch his master’s cheek firmly, delivering a domineering CEO-style line with cool arrogance, “I have another way, though I doubt you would want to try it, Shizun.”