C19 A Break

Ji Jinfei felt a bit embarrassed when she saw Lei Jiuping. Although she had turned him down, the scene from earlier still lingered in her mind. Being pursued felt quite nice, even if it was brief. In hindsight, she wished she had savored the moment a bit longer before rejecting him.

"Got everything," Lei Jiuping said. "Master, shouldn't we get some water? I don't think we have enough."

Ji Yeying gave him a look and said, "Didn't you notice I had you buy some empty barrels? They'll come in handy. We'll pass through a few small towns where the water is really good."

Lee Jiaxiang nodded quickly, saying, "Oh, that's why. Master, you really think of everything."

Lei Jiuping chimed in, "Yeah, yeah, Master is always ahead of the game. Carrying all that water now would be a real burden."

Ji Jinfei finally caught on and said, "You guys are so young. There's a big advantage to this—it's cost-effective since the town water is free. Ouch!"

No sooner had she spoken than Ji Yeying's fist landed on her head. Lei Jiuping and Lee Jiaxiang were startled, thinking to themselves: Sister really knows Master well. It made perfect sense, and their eyes showed a newfound understanding.

"What are you two thinking?" Ji Yeying turned to Lei Jiuping and Lee Jiaxiang, exuding an air of authority.

"No, no, I think Sister's got it all wrong," Lei Jiuping stammered, digging himself deeper. Before he could react, Ji Yeying's fist was already coming his way. He tried to dodge but still got hit, letting out an "ouch" as he hit the ground, grimacing.

Ji Jinfei watched from the side and said, "You little rascal, Master has been practicing this move on me for over two decades. You think you can dodge it? No way. Heh heh."

Lei Jiuping, still wincing, replied, "Geez, you could've mentioned that earlier."

Ji Yeying looked over at Lee Jiaxiang, realizing that no one was getting out of this today. Lee Jiaxiang seemed deep in thought, then suddenly clapped his hands and said, "You know, you might be right, but I think our master isn't just about saving money. The main thing is that the village water is not only clean but also safe. If we go in, we can only drink raw water, but the village water keeps us healthy and free from disease."

Ji Yeying was taken aback and asked, "Is that what you were thinking about just now?"

"Of course, of course," Lee Jiaxiang replied earnestly. "I didn't realize our master thought so far ahead. I need to learn more from him and pay more attention to these things in the future."

After these words, Ji Yeying brightened up and laughed, "Of course, you should learn more. Haha." She chuckled proudly.

Lee Jiaxiang patted his chest, thinking, "Phew, dodged a bullet there. Who says learning is useless? In a pinch, it saved me from a punch to the head." Lei Jiuping and Ji Jinfei watched from the side, noticing that Lee Jiaxiang's words weren't entirely sincere, but they were flawless enough to earn him a thumbs-up.

"Alright," Ji Yeying said, patting Lee Jiaxiang on the shoulder. "Let's rest well today, and tomorrow we'll head to the Demonic Seed Cave. If we can rescue your teacher, it'll be worth it."

"Thank you, Master. You're my teacher, and so is he. This is like mutual support between two teachers," Lee Jiaxiang flattered immediately.

Ji Yeying was clearly pleased and nodded, "You're right. Okay, let's all go rest."

"Got it," Lee Jiaxiang and Lei Jiuping replied quickly, eager to leave before Ji Yeying's iron fist could catch them.

Ji Jinfei watched Lei Jiuping leave, feeling calmer. She realized that Lei Jiuping had shown no real interest in her; he was just going through the motions. She understood now that this was just a bet, with no real feelings involved.

Yeying must not have noticed Jinfei's expression as she lay down on the bed, ready to enjoy a good afternoon rest before dinner. Today’s main task was simply to relax. However, Jinfei, lying in bed, couldn't quite unwind. Her thoughts were still on Jiuping's romantic pursuit. If only it were true, how wonderful that would be!

Meanwhile, Jiuping was chatting with Lee Jiaxiang. Rubbing his head, Jiuping said, "Man, our mentor sure packs a punch. I still feel a bit dizzy from it. Lee, you had such a good explanation ready. Couldn't you have spoken up sooner? You let me take the hit first!"

Lee Jiaxiang chuckled and replied, "You brought that on yourself. How is it my fault? I needed a moment to think it through. Otherwise, it wouldn't have worked. You jumped in before I could say anything. How is that my problem?"

Jiuping laughed and said, "Alright, let's just move past this. Next time something like this happens, you’ve got to help me out. I might not be the most educated, so I need to learn a thing or two from you about cultural knowledge. It's really important."

Lee Jiaxiang could only smile and said, "I actually think your line of work is pretty interesting. Overall, I really like it. You not only get to see a lot but also get to challenge yourself. They say traveling a thousand miles is better than reading a thousand books."

"That's just talk," Jiuping quickly replied. "In our line of work, what can we really say to others? Tell them how we suppress demons? That would scare them to death. I once dated a girl back in school, and we broke up because of this. She thought our work was just a scam."

Lee Jiaxiang could only offer a wry smile. Initially, he didn't believe in it either. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have imagined that people could make a living in this field. And it's not just a few people—there are many involved in this line of work.

Lei Jiuping was unaware of Lee Jiaxiang's thoughts and said, "I've been thinking, if you really join the ranks of the Demon Suppressing Masters, I'll talk to my father about hiring you to teach the kids in our field. They really need it."

"There are kids?" Lee Jiaxiang asked, surprised.

"Of course," Lei Jiuping replied. "I'm one of them. I started my training at six, which is considered slow. We can't even apply for beginner-level training until we're twenty. People like Master Yeying and Situ Caiyu were exceptional; they became true Demon Suppressing Masters at twenty, which is rare."

"So, they're geniuses," Lee Jiaxiang said. "Oh, I have a question I've been meaning to ask you."

Lei Jiuping smiled, "Go ahead."

Lee Jiaxiang grinned, "Judging by your skills today, you must have been quite the charmer back in the day. How come you don't have someone special?"

Lei Jiuping laughed, "It's not that I didn't have someone. It's just that something happened, and she's no longer around." His expression turned somber, a deep sense of longing evident.

Lee Jiaxiang immediately sensed the change and said, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"It's nothing," Lei Jiuping smiled again. "That was a long time ago. No point dwelling on it."

The world of Demon Suppressing Masters isn't all smooth sailing, and Lee Jiaxiang was just realizing this. He had only seen the glamorous side of the profession, rarely considering the risks. Now, he understood that every battle was a life-or-death struggle for people like Master Yeying and Ji Jinfei, which explained their high fees.

Noticing Lee Jiaxiang deep in thought, Lei Jiuping asked, "Hey, speaking of which, do you have a girlfriend?"

Lee Jiaxiang was taken aback but then laughed, "Of course, I do. We're actually planning to get married soon, though I'm not sure if my parents will approve."

Lei Jiuping chuckled, "They have to approve! What's she like? What does she do?"

Lee Jiaxiang wore a contented smile and said, "Her? She's a florist. It's kind of a unique story how we met. It was Valentine's Day, and there I was, a single guy wandering the streets alone. She approached me to sell flowers. Seeing her out there in the cold, I decided to buy all her flowers."

"You sure are generous. But did you win her over just like that?" Lei Jiuping asked with a chuckle.

"It's not that easy," Lee Jiaxiang replied quickly. "It took quite a bit of effort, but that's all in the past now."

Lei Jiuping laughed, turning over as he said, "Not bad, Senior Brother. But you better keep your distance from our senior sister. You don't want to get caught up in her strong-arm tactics. Be careful, or your girlfriend might get jealous."

Lee Jiaxiang gave an awkward smile and said, "Yeah, I guess I really should be careful. If she sees something, it could be a real problem. Anyway, let's get some rest. We need to recharge over the next few days."

With that, the two settled down to rest. Meanwhile, Ji Jinfei had already drifted into a dream, where both Lei Jiuping and Lee Jiaxiang were holding flowers, waiting for her to choose one. She couldn't help but smile in her sleep.

At the same time, far away, a shadowy figure stood atop a tall building, gazing at a distant storm cloud. In a hushed voice, he said, "It's here, finally. Welcome, my lord." With that, the shadow knelt on one knee toward the cloud. A bolt of lightning shot down from the cloud, striking the figure, and then everything vanished into thin air.