Chapter 373

Su Su Qiming said with a dark expression, "Wait until he comes—I swear I'll tear him into eight pieces."

"Go back and tell the family I still have things to attend to, so I won't be returning today. When you come back, bring me some food."

"Remember, don't mention this matter."

Ambushing and killing ten elite geniuses of the Ziyang Sect is not something that can be made public; large families have many loose lips, and there are also spies planted by other families.

If word got out, even though his position in the Su family was not low, the Su family would not be able to protect him.

He also did not need the family's help to ambush and kill Xu Yang, so he had no intention of telling the Su family about this matter.

"Your disciple will keep it firmly in mind." Su Jie rose from the ambush spot and left swiftly.

……

"Master, please look—this is the courtyard I mentioned to you."

Xu Yang and the broker's errand boy arrived outside a courtyard.

After eating, he had gone to the broker to inquire about housing. He hadn't expected that a courtyard meeting his requirements was already up for sale, so he simply came right away with the broker's errand boy to view the place.

This courtyard was only a few streets away from the one he was renting—not far at all.

The courtyard was a small one-entry compound; it looked decent from the outside, probably because it was being prepared for sale—the outer walls and main gate had just been painted, and there was still a faint smell of fresh lacquer.

The errand boy took out a key, stepped forward, and opened the main gate. A fairly spacious little courtyard came into view.

The courtyard was paved with thick bluestone, with no flowers or plants planted. In one corner stood a weapon rack—the original owner had clearly used the place as a martial training ground.

"The original owner was a martial artist who had reached Qi Refining into Gang, so he also had a cultivation quiet room built." Zhu Xun explained.

Xu Yang glanced at the walls—the aging wasn't too severe—and said, "Can this house be renovated?"

He was buying this place mainly for alchemy, so he didn't mind many things; after all, he wouldn't be living here.

"How would you like to renovate it, Master?" Zhu Xun said, not overly surprised.

Many people renovated after buying a courtyard.

"I want to dig out a basement and turn it into an enclosed quiet room," Xu Yang said.

He didn't directly say he wanted a pill chamber—after all, as long as it could block out sound, he could just move the pill furnace in later.

Zhu Xun smiled and said, "The original owner already dug out a basement. If you want a quiet room, Master, just get someone to reinforce and remodel it."

Xu Yang nodded. "I don't have time to handle all this. Can your broker's office take care of it?"

"Of course. Tell me what you need done, Master, and the broker's office will find a master craftsman to handle it. Once you're satisfied, just pay."

Xu Yang nodded, went through every room with Zhu Xun, and began to discuss the price.

"The owner is asking for fifteen hundred taels. If you're sincere about buying, Master, I'll go negotiate for you—we should be able to knock off a hundred or two." Zhu Xun said with a smile.

He had the confidence to say so; running a broker's office, he naturally knew that fifteen hundred was a bit steep.

Xu Yang shook his head. "No need. If we can sign the contract tomorrow, I'll take it at that price."

The price could be haggled down, but the back-and-forth would take at least several days, and he didn't have the leisure to wait.

He wanted to buy the courtyard and renovate it as soon as possible, so that next time he came to refine pills, he could do it here.

"That should work!" Zhu Xun rejoiced—those in the brokerage business loved generous clients like this.

They set a time to meet the next day, and Xu Yang asked Zhu Xun to find a mason. Then he left.

The next day, after finishing his alchemy, he met the courtyard's owner here. After paying, he smoothly obtained the deed.

The remaining registration matters no longer required his attention; the broker's office would handle them. He told the broker his requirements for the quiet room and spoke with the mason, left the money in the broker's custody, then Xu Yang went back, packed up two furnaces' worth of Ju Yuan Pills, and set off to return to the Ziyang Sect.

"Damned brat—does he want to die on a woman's belly or what?"

On a stretch of the road that one had to pass to reach the Ziyang Sect, in a spot with an open view, Su Su Qiming had already grown impatient waiting.

He hadn't expected that after waiting another full day and night, Xu Yang still hadn't shown up.

Although his cultivation base made roughing it outdoors no great matter, as a respected alchemist, when had he ever endured such hardship? His daily life was always attended by a crowd of servants.

If it weren't for wanting to avenge his son with his own hands, he would have quit long ago.

"He's coming, Master!" Su Jie, who had been keeping watch, suddenly let out a low growl, excitement barely contained.

On the mountain path, a single figure could be seen walking slowly toward them, a bundle in hand.