Chapter Seventy-Three: Are You Sure You Want Him?

The barrage of comments quickly filled the screen: [Xu the Empress, you are our light, our faith!]
[Count me in!]
[We shouldn’t even call her ‘Empress Xu’ anymore. The system, with its malicious intent, only gave her a single target to win over. She can’t even start her own harem now.]
[Who says you need to have a host of men behind you to be called an empress? Our Empress Xu earned her title through skill and strength, all right?]

007 was getting a headache from the chaotic flurry of comments. Truly relentless—why were they still in the live stream?

“Everyone, please calm down,” Xu Nuo addressed her viewers. “I won’t let you down.”

007’s danger sense went off: [Host, what are you up to now?]

Xu Nuo replied, “Nothing at all. Isn’t our task to win over the target? I’ll do my best—heal his wounded heart and let his spirit, even his very soul, be uplifted.”

But the more Xu Nuo said, the more uneasy 007 felt.

As Xu Nuo tended to Lu Ciyuan’s wounds, she could see clearly how frail the boy was. His body was covered either in broken skin or in bruises of green and purple, a pitiful sight indeed.

When Xu Nuo went to undo Lu Ciyuan’s inner robe, he quickly said, “I can do it myself…”

“Oh, feeling shy at your age?” Xu Nuo saw Lu Ciyuan lower his head, his face flushing red, and found him even more adorable. “Don’t worry. I’m old enough to have seen everything—nothing will surprise me.”

Lu Ciyuan was visibly uncomfortable. In the midst of their tug-of-war, she accidentally pulled his injured hand.

He sucked in a sharp breath. “Hiss—!”

“Sorry!” Xu Nuo let go at once. “I didn’t realize your hand was hurt, too. Let me take a look.”

“No need,” Lu Ciyuan said, cradling his hand and retreating to the edge of the bed. “I’ll handle the rest myself. Thank you, miss…”

“My name is Xu Nuo.”

“Thank you, Senior Sister Xu.”

“I’m not your senior sister—I joined the sect after you did.”

Xu Nuo wanted to gain Lu Ciyuan’s favor, but since he insisted on treating his own wounds, she only helped with the areas he couldn’t reach and let him handle the rest.

Night had fallen deeply.

After all the bustle, Xu Nuo was still awake. The medical report she received was not encouraging. The boy’s body suffered from long-term malnutrition, and the old injuries he carried were numerous. His health was in a perilous state, and that was only what modern medical technology could detect. There were still countless unknowns.

After saving Lu Ciyuan, her quest updated, and one major task was now to help him recover physically. No wonder earlier objectives included gathering herbs and learning medicine as mandatory side missions.

Xu Nuo mused, “But healing his body alone won’t be enough.”

007 asked, [Dearest Host, what are you thinking?]

“Hmm…” Xu Nuo replied, “I’ll do everything I can to heal him—just as I said before. Not only his body, but his mind as well.”

[You can do it!] 007 cheered, though it couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding. Why did a seemingly reasonable and commendable goal make it so uneasy?

With that in mind, Xu Nuo drafted a simple daily schedule.

Each morning, she would prepare breakfast for Lu Ciyuan, making sure every meal was nutritious, delicious, and visually appealing.

So, at dawn, 007 watched as Xu Nuo busied herself. Though her backpack still held plenty of ingredients, she insisted local produce was best for nourishment in this world.

At first light, Xu Nuo entered the mountains, foraging for wild vegetables and hunting rabbits and pheasants. Then she cooked everything herself—a sight not for the faint of heart.

The pot was filled with indescribable things. Xu Nuo frowned deeply. “I’m sure I followed Gu Xingze’s steps exactly. Why is it always a disaster when I do it?”

“I don’t believe this. I’ll try again.”

…

“This time I’ve learned from last time. There’s no way it’ll go wrong.”

…

“It just cooked too long, that’s all. One more try and I’ll get it right.”

After much persuasion, 007 finally convinced its host not to continue tormenting the food—or the kitchen.

“Sigh, this is a cultivation world. The ingredients aren’t the same as back home. I haven’t mastered the heat yet.”

Xu Nuo found a reasonable excuse for her disastrous breakfasts.

007 then provided the correct solution: go to the outer sect’s canteen for breakfast. Many disciples had not yet achieved fasting and still needed meals, so the canteen was established for that very reason.

“Miss Xu?” Lu Ciyuan had woken up and, following the indescribable scent, found his way to the kitchen.

“You’re up early,” Xu Nuo said, deftly blocking his view and closing the kitchen door. “I’ll fetch you breakfast—just rest for now.”

“Miss Xu, thank you for saving me yesterday. I will repay your kindness one day,” Lu Ciyuan said. “But I was away all night, and I…”

“You’re leaving already?” Xu Nuo cut him off, disapprovingly. “No. You’re staying here to recuperate.”

“But—” Lu Ciyuan tried to argue.

“No buts.” Xu Nuo declared with authority. “From today on, you’ll be with me. You don’t have to return to the outer sect. It’s fine—you’re just a menial disciple, and you wouldn’t learn anything there anyway.”

Her words were blunt and domineering, but they rang true. Lu Ciyuan opened his mouth, hesitated, and found himself unable to refute her.

Xu Nuo smiled reassuringly. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle everything.”

Though her position within the sect was awkward—without power or status—her words somehow carried a quiet conviction, making it hard not to trust her.

According to the story, menial disciples had low status. Aside from learning sect knowledge, they were little more than servants. Inner sect disciples and elders could choose menial disciples to wait on them or serve as sparring partners.

Xu Nuo, carrying her identity token, went to the Steward’s Hall. The disciple on duty wanted to make things difficult for this presumptuous mortal, but when she asked specifically for Lu Ciyuan, his expression grew odd.

“You’re sure you want him?”

Xu Nuo nodded. “Yes.”

“Heh, as the saying goes, every pot has its lid.” He gave her a mocking look. “I suppose you two are a perfect match.”

Xu Nuo remained calm. “Why do you say that?”

The disciple couldn’t help but sneer at her ignorance. “Haven’t you heard? He’s the sect’s infamous invalid and medicine jar—useless at everything except slacking off. The only thing he’s best at is avoiding work. Since you don’t have much to do, he won’t wear himself out.”

“Oh? You know his background that well?” Xu Nuo’s interest was piqued.

“Of course.” The disciple raised an eyebrow. “Every inner sect disciple who picks a menial knows his name. There was once a senior who took him in, but sent him back within three days.”

“And?” Xu Nuo prompted. “Tell me more.”