Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

The candied fruit was scattered all over the floor. Jiang Jibai looked up at the little disciple who had caused the trouble and hadn't even had time to retract his claws on the couch, and put his hand on the accessory at his waist.

Qin Ji swiftly withdrew his claws, then slid into the blankets like a noodle, wrapping himself up like a silkworm cocoon. He arched his back towards the side of the bed away from Jiang Jibai and coughed a few times in a pretentious manner.

One second they were arrogantly overturning the candied fruit, and now they're playing the victim.

Jiang Jibai was both amused and exasperated. He released his grip on the accessory, tugged at Qin Ji's blanket, and said in a calm voice, without a trace of anger on his face, "Why are you hiding so far away? Come here, let your teacher see if your fever has gone down."

Qin Ji looked at Jiang Jibai warily, raised his hand to touch his forehead, shook his head firmly, coughed a few times, and said, "It hasn't gone down."

I am ill and too weak to receive any nourishment; I cannot enjoy any blessings!

Jiang Jibai got up, rinsed the handkerchief with cool water, wrung it out, sat down on the edge of the couch, and handed it to him. "Want to apply it for a while longer?"

This handkerchief was like bait on a fishhook, meat in a trap, dazzling Qin Ji's eyes.

A straight hook and salty bait—whoever bites is a fool. These are fishing techniques I've already mastered. Do you think I'd fall for your trick?

Qin Ji not only refused the handkerchief, but also simply put the dragon claw behind his back, a smug glint in his eyes. He muttered under his breath, turning the tables on Qin Ji, "He talks about dates all the time, I never get any candied fruit, and now he won't even put a handkerchief on my face..."

The young disciple's childish whining and grumbling were a stark contrast to his previous succinct handling of the kidnapping incident; he was practically a different person.

Whether it was bribing Doctor Liang with a large sum of money, accurately analyzing the psychology of the constables of the Jingzhao Prefecture, or using carrots and sticks to completely subdue Bian Xiaozhao.

His methods are mature, his mind is meticulous, and he handles heavy tasks with ease. Such temperament and skills are far beyond what an ordinary sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy can possess.

This also allowed Jiang Jibai to re-evaluate his pampered little disciple.

Bian Feibai was more mature and outstanding than he had imagined.

Is it because she has already revealed a flaw, so she deliberately and openly shows another side of herself in front of him?

Qin Ji was indeed doing it on purpose; thanks to Jiang Jibai's keen insight, his disguise was on the verge of collapse.

Although he managed to fool everyone this time with his new identity as "leader of the secret guards," it was only a matter of time before he couldn't keep it up any longer.

Since it's impossible to live under the identity of Bian Yushu in front of Jiang Jibai forever, it's necessary to plan for the future.

He had shown Jiang Jibai his decisive and ruthless side, so naturally he had to show off in front of Jiang Jibai as well, so that Jiang Jibai would know how outstanding his little disciple was, making the poison master reluctant to let him go.

Jiang Jibai looked down at the young man on the bed, who had completely abandoned his composure. In the young man's unfathomable eyes, there was a hint of smugness and provocation from someone who had succeeded in playing a prank.

No matter how mature and composed the young disciple may be in ways that are not visible to him, he is still, in the end, just a half-grown boy who has not yet come of age.

Jiang Jibai folded the handkerchief in his hand, knelt on the couch and leaned closer to Qin Ji, "Come a little closer, I'll put it on for you."

Qin Ji moved away with some skepticism, bringing his head closer, his claws hidden under the dragon's rump, not showing a trace.

Jiang rolled his eyes and smiled as he draped the handkerchief over the headboard, then grabbed the boy's shoulder and flipped him over like a pancake.

Before the boy could react, the accessory at his waist had already kissed his nipples.

Several times in a row, the ruler struck the same spot with lightning speed.

Qin Ji kicked his leg and burst into tears, covering the dumpling with his paws, accusing, "Liar!"

Jiang Jibai grasped his fingers and said slowly, "All's fair in war."

After saying that, he slapped the junior disciple's palm several times.

A faint red mark quickly appeared on Qin Ji's palm. He subconsciously withdrew his hand, but Jiang Jibai gently pinched it and tapped it with a ruler.

Qin Ji felt as if his palm had been bitten several times, the thin layer of flesh rapidly heating up. He curled his fingers, his voice nasal, "I'm still sick..."

Jiang Jibai released him. "You seemed quite energetic when you were lifting the candied fruit, you didn't look sick at all."

Qin Ji sat up and examined the dragon claw for a while.

It was my first time getting hit on the hand, and although it was only a few times, it was still a novel experience.

An unconventional blessing...

Bullshit! If people saw this, what would become of the national system?

With tears in his eyes, Qin Ji blew on his palm, expressing his dissatisfaction to Jiang Jibai with righteous indignation, "It's clearly you who's biased, and you're deliberately trying to upset me!"

Spoiled and pampered, they burst into tears after just a few blows, yet they love to provoke trouble like kittens, refusing to calm down until they've been hit a few times.

Jiang Jibai reached out and touched Qin Ji's forehead; the fever had indeed subsided.

He picked up the handkerchief from the bedside and stuffed it into his young disciple's hand, teasingly saying with a smile in his eyes, "It's finally come in handy."

Qin Ji: "..." It's better not to use this kind of thing!

The cool handkerchief suppressed the heat in my palm, and the slight pain that was not serious to begin with quickly disappeared.

Jiang Jibai looked at the candied fruit scattered on the ground, then glanced at Qin Ji.

Qin Ji shifted his gaze, feeling guilty, and said, "Just call a servant in to clean up."

Jiang Jibai looked at him indifferently.

Qin Ji casually picked up a plate from the ground, took two pieces, wiped his hands clean, shrank back into the blankets, coughed twice, and emphasized, "I'm a patient."

Jiang Jibai sighed helplessly, picked up the candied fruit from the ground one by one, and commented, "It's both wasteful and troublesome for the servants."

Qin Ji ignored him completely, and feeling guilty, he changed the subject, directing Jiang Jibai around in circles, "Here, here, there's another one, see it? Right there, under the bed."

Jiang Jibai placed the plate on the table, and the wooden plate hit the table with a dull thud.

Qin Ji wisely kept quiet.

Jiang Jibai picked up the last candied fruit that had rolled into the corner, put it in a dish, slowly wiped his hands clean, and sat down on the edge of the couch.

Remembering the Jade Complexion Cream that Bian Yushu had once used, Qin Ji sat up, hesitated, and then reached out and held it up to Jiang Jibai.

Although he didn't say anything, his attitude was clear.

A few faint ruler marks remained on the boy's palm. Jiang Jibai pinched his fingertips. "Will you lift it again next time?"

Qin Ji's eyes darted around, and he muttered under his breath, "Next time, peel off the skin."

Jiang Jibai was both amused and exasperated. He slapped Qin Ji's hand away, saying, "Looks like I didn't hit him hard enough."

Qin Ji shook his numb hand, still somewhat doubtful, "No punishment?"

"Isn't he a patient?" Jiang Jibai pressed down on his young disciple's shoulder and tucked him into the blankets. "His fever just went down, and he's been crawling around in and out of bed. Will it come back up again in a minute?"

Hearing Jiang Jibai's concern, Qin Ji obediently lay down, intending to give this poison master some face and admit his mistake.

A calm and unhurried voice came from above.

"Once you recover, I'll settle accounts with you one by one."