Chapter 50: Su Muqing

Lingzhu Restaurant.

One of the Su Family's assets, yet located directly across from the Duan Family.

Belowstairs, cultivators chattered noisily, playing drinking games, while upstairs, Su Family disciples discussed cultivation matters.

"Has the head of the family summoned me for something urgent?"

Chen Zhao took a small sip of spirit wine.

The wine was ink-black, truly peculiar—one cup equaled the effect of a vial of Qi Gathering Powder.

Xin Tong's cheeks were flushed red, already showing signs of intoxication.

She leaned against the windowsill, watching Duan Yu and his father guarding the corpse in the courtyard.

The guest room also had a Sound-Isolating Array.

Fine wine, a refined private room—this must be no trivial matter.

"Su Muqing's father, Su Boren, is dead."

Su Can sipped his wine calmly, dropping a shocking statement.

"He colluded with Evil Cultivators, used dark artifacts to harm me, and was executed yesterday by the Su Ancestor himself."

Chen Zhao was slightly surprised, yet not startled.

A Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator is a pillar talent, but this man had the audacity to defy heaven—killing him was necessary to prevent disaster.

He simply hadn't expected Su Zhiyuan to act so decisively.

Now, Su Muqing's position had become awkward.

She herself didn't matter, but the resources in her hands—and the Shixin Worm—Chen Zhao couldn't bear to lose.

"How does the head of the family intend to deal with Su Muqing?"

"After all, she is a disciple of your sect's Dan Tang. I'll contact the Dan Tang—Hall Master Mo detests evil, and he certainly won't consort with Evil Cultivators."

Su Can clapped his hands, half-jokingly said:

"If he agrees, we'll activate the Contract Jade Slip and force her to pledge loyalty to the Su Family—if she shows even a hint of disloyalty, her soul and spirit will be obliterated instantly."

Alchemists are so precious; Tiankui Sect likely won't let her die, and the Su Family won't want to lose her either.

This was merely a test of Chen Zhao's relationship with Su Muqing.

Seeing Chen Zhao nod, he chuckled, then turned to the real matter.

"The Su Ancestor has already soul-searched Su Boren."

"He was closely associated with your sect's Fang Zijing, and these Fang Clan father and son may have ties to Evil Cultivators, plotting to seize our family's Hongjing Mine. Within a year, they'll strike under the guise of purifying evil, during the Evil Cultivators' invasion—their exact method remains unknown."

"Chen Alchemist, your network is vast—when the time comes, please lend your aid. My clan will reward you handsomely."

"I'll do my best."

Chen Zhao did not promise fully.

He would only commit once the overall situation was settled; if things turned unfavorable, he'd rather abandon the opportunity and flee outright.

He had once divined this matter—there was no great danger, but given the precedent of the Robber Cultivators, he dared not be careless.

Moreover, the situation with the Evil Cultivators remains uncertain—he must remain here for another year.

"Then thank you, Alchemist. Also, please speak well of me before the Elders."

Su Can did not press further, offering five jars of spirit wine.

"This wine is called Jianzhu Chun, brewed with our clan's Spirit Spring water—intended for you to gift friends or use in social exchanges."

Does the Su Family really have a Spirit Spring?

Chen Zhao raised an eyebrow.

He recalled that the Shanlian Wind and Cloud Annals did mention it—said to be the water ancient master Rune Masters used to make Spirit Ink.

He didn't know if it was true.

Chen Zhao carried Xin Tong down the restaurant.

Revisiting the night market street, it was no longer as bustling as last night.

Shops were shuttered, pedestrians sparse; bloodstains lingered in the alley corners, steaming with Evil Qi.

"It seems the three families, after thorough investigation, really did catch some Evil Cultivators."

Naturally—this place has few trade restrictions; countless Robber Cultivators and Evil Cultivators must come here to fence stolen goods.

Perhaps even Liang Chenfeng's people are among them, with other plans.

He needed to prepare early and strengthen his power.

Chen Zhao placed Xin Tong in the East Wing Room.

He had wanted to see the Spirit Spring, but since he wasn't a Su Family member, he could only gaze from afar.

Aside from the pitch-black spring water, there was only a scent similar to pine resin.

Chen Zhao gained nothing, and returned home.

The light snow had slightly cleared; outside the house, a transparent light barrier refracted rainbow hues under the warm sun, like bubbles.

Xin Tong's Array had just begun.

According to Chen Zhao's design, the Array embedded three First-grade Mid-tier Arrays.

Besides Spirit-Gathering and concealment, it also had Illusion and defensive effects.

Chen Zhao pushed open the door and saw a small figure curled under the quilts, her calves kicking rhythmically—as if caught in a nightmare.

Drawing Arrays was mentally draining; he placed a Nourishing Spirit Pill on the bedside and began practicing Alchemy.

After his breakthrough, he could brew one batch of Nourishing Spirit Pills every five days; using the methods from the Dan Jing Chu Jie, his success rate could reach eighty percent.

That number was terrifying—he certainly wouldn't hand over all of them.

Some could be given to Xin Tong to improve her Rune-drawing efficiency, and he himself needed plenty for his calligraphy practice.

Three months passed in a flash.

Before long, it was the Awakening of Insects.

On a thunderstorm night, Xin Tong woke startled by thunder, clutching Xiao Bai.

Only after cultivation did she realize the world's might.

Though this lightning could not kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would instantly slay a Qi Refining cultivator—no one knew where it came from.

And after a brilliant white flash,

Chen Zhao suddenly put down his brush and looked up toward the window.

Within the Array Lines,

Su Muqing's vision shifted drastically: endless dense forest, filled with twisted, monstrous trees.

An illusion array?

She had intended to shout Chen Zhao's name, but saw a colossal stone pillar toppling from the horizon.

Heaven and earth trembled; flying stones struck her, painfully.

Seeing the blood all over her body, Su Muqing was utterly shocked.

She quickly formed a hand seal and launched a fire dragon, hoping to break the array with force.

The fire dragon vanished into the stone pillar, like mud ox sinking into the sea.

Beneath her feet, the ground turned muddy and began dragging her downward.

Su Muqing barely freed herself—then the scene changed again.

She looked up: the horizon blazed with auroras, a golden palm parting ten thousand li of white clouds, its palm lines clearly visible, as if about to crush her there.

The next instant,

The illusion vanished entirely.

Chen Zhao held the Array Disk, scanning her up and down.

"Pity—without the Illusion Heart Zither, the array cannot attack for now, but it can trap a Qi Refining seventh-layer cultivator."

The illusion array covered twenty zhang outside the house, requiring a wooden token to avoid; the Defense Array was only as large as the bedroom.

He retracted the Qingming Naling Sword.

Only then did Su Muqing realize her wounds had all been caused by the flying sword.

And she had stood frozen in the rain the entire time, soaked through.

After three months of soft imprisonment, she signed the contract and returned—only to be demoted again to household slave.

These things were already terrible enough.

Yet Chen Zhao not only took over her boudoir, but remodeled it so...

Uh, vividly.

She did not know,

that the array had just been completed; Chen Zhao had been worrying over whom to test it on—and she had walked right into his lap.

"Back? Change your clothes. The dressing table is behind the house."

After the test ended, Chen Zhao tossed her a Heqi Pill and lost interest in her.

He had promised her one Heqi Pill without Pill Poison every three months.

Outside Chen Zhao, no one could offer her this condition.

Su Muqing's lips curved slightly—perhaps due to the Gu Insect, she harbored little ill will toward Chen Zhao anymore.

She did not know of her father's death; she devoted herself solely to cultivation, and for that, she could submit to Chen Zhao.

In his words,

she should have died on Wolong Mountain; every extra second she lived now was his grace.

Though he said so, Chen Zhao treated her fairly well; she had thus broken through to Qi Refining seventh layer, and no longer resisted.

As long as she still had value, Chen Zhao would not let her die easily.

Yet...

A prisoner of rank calling him "younger brother" and himself "elder sister" felt deeply awkward.

After washing up,

Su Muqing found Chen Zhao.

"Younger brother... if there's anything you wish to know about the city, you may ask Xiao Qing."

She knew her position well, and since the scandal broke, her resources had dwindled further.

To extend her life, continue cultivation, and even escape control, she must change.

Xiao Qing?

What's this girl up to now?

Chen Zhao paused his Bamboo Pen.

He grew interested.

Coincidentally, he had just arrived here and had many questions.

Chen Zhao cleared his throat, still slightly uncomfortable:

"Xiao... Xiao Qing, how much do you know about 'Quick Snow, Clear Sky'?"

That address—why did it sound familiar, as if heard in some place?