Chapter 192

By evening, Nine-Niang arrived with Miss Xiao Qin, who carried a food basket and laid out a full table of delicacies, along with a pot of dan gui fragrance wine.

Liu Liu Xiaolou didn't refuse; he sat at the table, rolled up his sleeves: "Is this a reward for me? Thank you, Nine-Niang."

Nine-Niang poured him a full cup of spiritual wine: "Today is your birthday. Fifth sister is undergoing trials at Wei Yu Xiang He Gate… I… I'm celebrating for her."

Liu Liu Xiaolou raised his cup, clinked it with hers, then suddenly smiled: "Twenty-three now—been here in the Su family exactly three years…"

After drinking, he couldn't help but glance at her lips, still damp from the wine, recalling that one forced kiss long ago—his heart stirred, but he didn't know what to do, so he held it back.

Nine-Niang said little, merely drinking and eating with Liu Liu Xiaolou; the two sat in silence, finishing the birthday feast as the moon rose high beyond the window.

Miss Xiao Qin came in to clear the table, then left with Nine-Niang, who warned him: "There's one more thing: to save someone, we all went—including your brother. He was captured alive by Geng Sang Cave and had to be ransomed back with two hundred spirit stones—he nearly died. Father and Second Uncle were furious. Second Uncle says you caused this trouble… think carefully how to explain it. Don't argue with Father. Suffer in silence."

Liu Liu Xiaolou couldn't help laughing: "Two hundred spirit stones? Su Su Dalang's price is high, hahaha…"

Less than half a watch after they left, the household steward arrived: "Young Master, the Master requests your presence at Gualu Hall."

Liu Liu Xiaolou took a deep breath, glanced back at Da Bai and Xiao Hei standing side by side on the eaves watching him, then followed the steward toward Gualu Hall.

Gualu Hall was dark, but a side room beside the corridor glowed with light. Liu Liu Xiaolou remembered this room vividly—three years ago, he had signed the indentured son-in-law contract right here.

Calming himself, he pushed open the door. Su Zhi wasn't inside—only one man sat there: Song the Hou Hou Guanshi, the very man who had signed the agreement with him. In three years at the Su household, he'd had less contact with this old man than with his cheap father-in-law, Su Zhi.

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi nodded with a smile, gestured for him to sit opposite, then said: "I wanted to speak with you days ago, but you were ill and unconscious. How are you now? Fully recovered?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou bowed: "Thanks to your care, I'm fully recovered."

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi paused, then said: "Good… The Master originally wanted to speak with you himself, but… Second Uncle is angry, so it's better you not meet him. You know, Thirteenth Young Master is his beloved son—he nearly died at Zhuoshui, and this matter involves you. He's bound to blame you. Please understand. But the Master also said you saved him, so no harsh punishment is warranted…"

Liu Liu Xiaolou smiled: "Just say what you mean."

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi asked: "The three-year agreement has ended. Would you like to become an outer gate steward of Mount Shenwu Mountain Villa?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou countered: "Does the Su family even have inner and outer gates?"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi hesitated, then said: "I'll be blunt. Your presence in the Su family has caused great controversy—some want to keep you, others don't. So… this 'outer gate' isn't the Su family's. It's mine. Go work for me for a few years. Let the Wulong Mountain mark fade, then we'll find a way for you to return to the Su family."

Liu Liu Xiaolou laughed: "To your place?"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi asked: "Do you look down on me?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou shook his head: "No… I've rarely respected anyone in the Su family—you're one of them. But this isn't about you. I'm… tired. I want to return home."

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi fell silent for a long while, sighed, and pulled out a wooden box, placing it before Liu Liu Xiaolou.

Liu Liu Xiaolou opened it: fourteen spirit stones and twenty taels of silver. He thought for a moment and understood—two spirit stones and twenty taels were his wages for the past two months; the remaining twelve were clearly the agreed compensation.

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi pushed forward a sheet of yellow paper, its signature at the bottom: Su Su Wuniang's.

Liu Liu Xiaolou read it, nodded, folded the divorce letter, and put it away. After a pause, he asked: "Su Su…"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi said: "Su Su was raised in my household since childhood. She has cultivation talent. We've invested heavily in her—years of training, great effort. Whether she can reach Foundation Establishment is uncertain, but reaching Qi Refining peak within ten years is certain. She'll be a great help to Fifth-Niang. She won't go with you."

Liu Liu Xiaolou thought hard, then said: "I'm willing to compensate the Su family…"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi smiled: "Never mind whether she wants to go with you—even if she does, can you take her to Wulong Mountain? What does Wulong Mountain have? Can it spare her from worrying about spirit stones? Can it get her into a cave heaven to cultivate? Or even feed her spirit rice and spirit dishes, let her drink spirit wine and spirit dew? Would you have her suffer in that miserable place, never advancing? Can you bear it?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou felt a deep sorrow… After a long silence, he still insisted: "If—if Su Su is willing—would the Su family let her go? I'll compensate."

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi stared at Liu Liu Xiaolou for a moment, then slowly said: "The Su family isn't unreasonable. If that girl truly wants to suffer with you, we might let her go. But how much will you compensate? Raising someone—especially someone with cultivation talent—is no small thing."

Liu Liu Xiaolou opened his mouth: "How much?"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi shook his head: "Here's the deal: Su Su is now with Fifth-Niang in Wei Yu Cave Heaven. Whether it's six months or a year, we don't know. Let's make an agreement: if, after one year, you still insist on taking her, I'll report to the Master. If the Master agrees, Fifth-Niang agrees, and she herself agrees, then we'll discuss your compensation. But I warn you—don't harbor false hopes. Without over a hundred spirit stones, you won't take her."

Liu Liu Xiaolou thought, then nodded: "I'll come back in a year."

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi smiled, said nothing more on the matter, and changed subject: "I'll tell you something: during your month of recovery, Zhuoshui has reached a resolution. Zhanglong Sect suffered a heavy defeat—their great formation was shattered, losses severe. Dongyang Sect and Tianmu Mountain rushed reinforcements, but Badong sent aid too, and Pingdu Mountain stood up for Geng Sang Cave. In the end, Qingyu Sect joined, leading to a compromise between Pingdu Eight Array Gate and Geng Sang Cave. The war ended."

Since this concerned his own future, Liu Liu Xiaolou cared deeply: "What was the final outcome?"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi said: "Geng Sang Cave and Zhanglong Sect have buried their grudge. Zhanglong Sect paid heavy compensation to Geng Sang Cave. And they've set Wulong Mountain as the border—neither side shall cross it."

Liu Liu Xiaolou stared: "Wulong Mountain as the border? So they've handed us over to the Badong bandits?"

Song the Hou Hou Guanshi shook his head: "No. You're still part of Xiangxi. But the agreement is: neither side shall cross the mountain. Whoever does breaks the pact—and Qingyu Sect and Pingdu Eight Array Gate will unite to punish them."

Back at Yiling Hall, Liu Liu Xiaolou inventoried his belongings. His magic artifacts: Master Sanxuan Sword, Lin Yuan Xuan Shi Array Plate, Xuan Zhen Rope, the Concealing Jade Disc from Lu Er, and the bone flute seized in battle. The Mili Mili Xiangjin was spent in the Zhuoshui fight—needed new materials to reforge.

He also had three Sect Master tokens: Master Sanxuan Token, Zijí Token, Xing Ming Token.

His cultivation manuals: Master Sanxuan Scripture, Lin Qian Fang Scripture, Lin Yuan Xuan Shi Array Book, plus copied copies of Jin Yang Jian Array Essentials and Wu Fu, and the Badong cultivator's Snake Gu Secret Method.

Three bottles of pills: Yang Xin Pills, Tiger Bone Pills, Bi Zhang Pills—two or three each, all from the dead Badong cultivator.

And of course, the Long Dan Yin Yang Pill Su Jing had gone through great trouble to obtain. Liu Liu Xiaolou tested it—just as expected, it was an ordinary yang-boosting pill, sold for one tael of silver per bottle in Wuchao Town.

He'd been cheated badly. He sighed inwardly.

Then there were over a hundred taels in loose silver.

All spirit stones were packed in his satchel—fifty-two in total. Looking back on these three years, he'd earned a great deal: spirit stones taken from Badong cultivators, the three-year compensation, advance fees from the impotent young masters who entered the array, and the "expenses" from last year's three-sect reconciliation—all saved, none spent.

Three years as a son-in-law, amassed such wealth, and raised his cultivation from Level Three to Level Six. Overall, Liu Liu Xiaolou was content. Though many things were unsatisfying, compared to what he now held, what did they matter?

It had all felt like a great dream. Now the dream was over—he should leave.

Tonight, under the moonlight, is the perfect time. May the moonlight accompany him on his journey.

"Da Bai, Xiao Hei—let's go!"

…

Moonlight flowed like water, but the mountain path was hard to walk—someone blocked the way ahead.

Liu Liu Xiaolou stared at Su Fan, unsure what to say. Su Fan only sneered.

"Liu Liu Xiaolou, are you planning to slink away under cover of night?"

"What do you mean, Su San?"

"Don't you remember what you promised? The two-year agreement!"

Liu Liu Xiaolou glanced around: "You came alone?"

Su Fan scoffed: "You're just a Qi Refining Level Five. Do I need others to deal with you?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou sighed: "I was going to let you go. But now you say this… you're right. I broke my promise."

Su Fan said: "Then fight. Three years as a son-in-law, you've taken far too much from the Su family, caused us endless trouble. Let me teach you a lesson before you leave—some advantages aren't yours to take. Some things aren't worth provoking."