Chapter 115: Slave or Master?

Su Mo is the eighth son of the Su family, a concubine-born son of the main branch, and Su Wuniang’s brother; it is said he was closest to the eldest son, Su Long, but heaven showed no mercy—since reaching Qi Refining fifth layer, he has struggled to advance, and despite the Su family pouring countless resources into him, three years have passed with no sign of breakthrough.

Just now, when they exchanged that palm strike, Liu Xiaolou vaguely felt that Su Mo’s fifth-layer cultivation seemed watered down—not that his true qi wasn’t thick, it was thick, but impure, filled with too much impure energy. If true qi is impure, any Dao technique or magic treasure used will fail to reach peak efficacy, perhaps only achieving eight, seven, or even six-tenths of its potential.

Even in this direct clash of true qi, Liu Xiaolou suffered no injury.

At this moment, he fully understood Su Zhi’s decision—no wonder, the moment Su Wuniang reached Foundation Establishment, the Su family rushed to keep her as an adopted son-in-law, grooming her as their future heir.

To be honest, Liu Xiaolou still felt sympathy for the eldest son, Su Long; he wondered how Su Long had adjusted his mindset over the past year, but since Su Mo—the one closest to him—had stepped forward, it suggested the eldest son still hadn’t come to terms with it.

“Liu Xiaolou, you’re a bandit who lucked into the Su family, yet you dare be so arrogant and rebellious—whose power are you relying on? Who do you think you are? You’re nothing but a dog the Su family has raised!”

Liu Xiaolou bowed: “I rely on no one’s power, nor do I have any power to rely on. The only thing I can depend on is my will to fight to the death. Since Eighth Son accepted Madam Wang’s challenge, please strike!”

Su Mo sneered: “Who do you think you are? A mere Qi Refining beginner—maybe fourth or even third layer—what right do you have to challenge me?”

Liu Xiaolou stepped forward: “Eighth Son, strike!”

Su Mo roared: “Are you truly not afraid of death?”

Liu Xiaolou stepped forward again: “Eighth Son, strike!”

Su Mo’s face flushed crimson, his voice trembling with rage: “Fine! Very fine! You’re not afraid of death! You think because Wuniang stands behind you, I won’t dare touch you? Today… today I shall—”

Liu Xiaolou stepped forward once more: “If Eighth Son won’t strike, I will!”

With a flick of his toe, he lunged forward.

He had come in haste and hadn’t brought his Three Mystery Sword; the Dispersed Yuan Rope wouldn’t work against Su Mo, so he opted for bare-handed combat. With just this one-layer gap and impure true qi, if it came to a brutal fight, Liu Xiaolou wasn’t afraid. From Wulong Mountain, when fighting to the death, even if wounded, one must leave a tooth mark on the enemy.

Su Mo was stunned and furious, retreating swiftly while shouting: “Liu Xiaolou, how dare you strike first?”

He actually dared not strike? Liu Xiaolou was surprised, but his pursuit didn’t slacken.

Su Mo was momentarily driven into disarray, dodging left and right, when someone arrived at the edge of the courtyard and coughed: “Cough… Eighth Son, Son-in-Law, stop fighting. Master has summoned you.”

With a flick of his wide sleeve, he sent Liu Xiaolou and Su Mo flying apart. Liu Xiaolou was jolted, his breath chaotic, his respiration halted for a moment—he froze inside: How high is this Song steward’s cultivation?

Su Mo cried: “Uncle Song, control this brute—he’s truly lawless!”

It was indeed the Song steward. He remained impassive, bowing slightly, repeating his earlier words: “Eighth Son, Son-in-Law, Master has summoned you.”

Su Mo snapped: “I’ll go speak to Father myself!”

Liu Xiaolou bowed to the Song steward: “Thank you, Uncle Song.”

Su Su called from behind: “Son-in-Law…” and hurried after him.

Please visit the latest address

Xiao Huan turned and ran toward the back mountain to find Wuniang.

Wuniang was cultivating atop the Elephant Trunk Cliff, her short knife darting out like bursts of blooming sparks, spinning through the air. Seeing Xiao Huan arrive, face flushed with urgency, she retracted her blade and asked: “What happened?”

Xiao Huan briefly recounted the events: “Should the Miss also go to Master? Otherwise, if Master punishes the Son-in-Law, it will be the Miss’s loss of face.”

Wuniang shook her head: “Whose face is lost is none of my concern. Besides, rest assured—if Uncle Song didn’t arrest him on the spot, he won’t suffer serious consequences.”

Xiao Huan thought a moment: “Miss is right. But I saw them bullying the Son-in-Law—it felt like they were targeting you, so I grew anxious… Oh, the Son-in-Law is truly formidable. He’s only fourth layer, yet Madam Wang was struck down in one blow, and Eighth Son, at fifth layer, still dared not strike.”

Wuniang smiled faintly: “They’re just afraid of death.”

Xiao Huan asked: “Why isn’t the Son-in-Law afraid of death? He talks about life and death constantly—Miss, you haven’t seen how he speaks, cold and icy!”

Wuniang said: “Either he has nothing to lose, so nothing to fear—or… he’s just scaring them.”

In the main courtyard’s Zhongyu Hall, before Su Zhi’s seat, the Song steward stood behind him; Su Mo and Liu Xiaolou stood on either side, hands clasped respectfully.

Su Zhi frowned: “Xiaolou, you’re a son-in-law, the Su family’s daughter’s husband—why are you staging life-or-death duels like some wild cultivator? What kind of propriety is this…?”

Liu Xiaolou looked utterly confused: “Father-in-Law, permit me to speak—how am I suddenly a ‘proper son-in-law’? Just now, Madam Wang and Eighth Son both said I’m nothing, that I’m a dog the Su family keeps, and that no one in the Su household looks at me with respect. So how could I possibly have propriety to lose?”

Su Zhi turned on Su Mo: “What nonsense are you spouting? Is your brother-in-law not your master, but your slave? If he’s nothing, then what are you?”

Su Mo nodded meekly, muttering “Yes, yes,” but his face clearly still brimmed with resentment.

Su Zhi ignored his resentment and turned to Liu Xiaolou: “Still, a son-in-law is a son-in-law—even an adopted one—is still a master, not a slave. You, as a master, challenge a household slave to a duel—isn’t that childish? It’s beneath your station!”

Liu Xiaolou shook his head: “No, no, no—Father-in-Law, I cannot agree. An adopted son-in-law isn’t truly a son-in-law—he’s just an adopted son-in-law. He’s neither slave nor master. So my duel with Madam Wang is perfectly justified.”

Su Zhi waved his hand impatiently: “Enough, enough. There are some blind fools in this household who speak ill of you, but you must know your place—don’t stoop to their level.”

Liu Xiaolou hesitated: “So… for these three years…”

“Cough!”

“In this household, can this adopted son-in-law truly be a master?”

“Of course!”

“If Father-in-Law says so, then I’ll believe you—shall I withdraw my life-or-death challenge against Madam Wang?”

“That’s right.”

“Then I withdraw it—I won’t fight her over life or death… Father-in-Law, since I’m a master now, then by Su family rules, shouldn’t Madam Wang, a slave who dares to bully her master, be given a beating?”

Please visit the latest address