For the next few days Ning Chen ate and slept in the same room as the Xuan Emperor.

The Untainted Ice Lotus really was a marvel.

The Xuan Emperor was mending fast. The coughing had stopped, and now he could eat and sleep.

And the Xuan Emperor could get out of bed and walk a little.

A while longer and he would be fully recovered.

Ning Chen's wounds were healing fast too.

If there was one thing the palace never ran short of, it was costly medicines.

Every day Zisu found some new way to decoct costly medicines for Ning Chen.

Ginseng, lingzhi mushroom, whatever there was... Ning Chen had eaten enough of it to be running hot.

"Your Majesty, may your subject go home yet?"

The Xuan Emperor said, "You are not well yet. Go back when you are properly mended."

With Ning Chen staying on, there was somebody to keep him from being bored as well.

Ning Chen pulled a long face. He wanted to go home... at home not only would his body be looked after, his other needs would be looked after too.

He had been eating too much good food lately, and there was too much heat in his blood.

The Xuan Emperor glanced at Ning Chen. "That is the second time you have saved this emperor's life. What reward do you want?"

"Gold. Your subject wants a lot of gold."

The Xuan Emperor gave him a sidelong look. "No ambition in you."

"This time this emperor thought he would not come through it, and you pulled this emperor back from the gate of the dead again."

Ning Chen said, smiling, "Your Majesty's fortune is as vast as heaven... Your subject has said it before. He cannot make Your Majesty live forever, but he will make sure Your Majesty dies in his own bed at the end of his days."

There was comfort all over the Xuan Emperor's face.

"Ning Chen. You came the whole road through nine deaths to one life. Do you have anything to go on?"

Ning Chen shook his head.

"Not…