Chapter 99: Clarification (Extra for Alliance Leader Bai Luoyu)

The pride and satisfaction he had just felt from breaking through to the fourth stage of Qi Refinement vanished into thin air in front of this master who was at least at the tenth stage of Qi Refinement and could crush him at any time. Not to mention that she had already been at the tenth stage of Qi Refinement when she left home to wander two years ago; now that she had returned, heaven knows if she had reached Foundation Establishment?

Fortunately, he was now the son-in-law of the Su family. Even if he was a *daocha* (son-in-law living with the wife's family), he was still a son-in-law. With this status, it was enough to save his life.

Furthermore, because of the affair with Star Dejun and Zhou Qiniang last year, he and this Su Jiuniang still maintained a tacit understanding, which was the basis for dialogue between the two sides.

His life was safe, but whether he would suffer was uncertain. To avoid suffering, he had to explain quickly.

"Jiuniang, speaking of which, it really wasn't my fault. How could I know that Jiuniang was a high-ranking expert of the Su family of Mount Shenwu? And I didn't know my wife..."

"Shameless!"

"Yes, yes, yes... I didn't know Wuniang was your Fifth Sister. It wasn't until I came here that I was inexplicably chosen, this..."

"Even if you didn't know, where did you get the guts to come to my Mount Shenwu to answer the call for a son-in-law? Don't you look at your own status? Wulong Mountain? Hmm?"

Liu Xiaolou felt extremely aggrieved: "As the saying goes, people climb to high places, and water flows to low places. The Su family is a high-ranking family with great prestige; who wouldn't want to curry favor? My background is indeed not good, but I also want to live a good life. You haven't lived on our Wulong Mountain; you don't know how bitter life is there. In order to advance my cultivation by a fraction, every autumn harvest, I have to go to Mount Eyang to work as a helper. After working hard, it's only one or one and a half spirit stones—you know that work is not easy to do. Of course, you went there for experience, but we bottom-level loose cultivators have to rely on this to make a living..."

"In order to earn a little wine money, I traveled back and forth more than two hundred *li* from Wulong Mountain to the Tianmen Mountain market, running day and night..."

"It was hard enough to save up two spirit stones, intending to settle down and cultivate, when I was conscripted by those high-ranking families to go out and fight with others, with no guarantee of life or death..."

"Even if I sat at home doing nothing, I would be implicated by others from time to time. Those famous sects would come up the mountain to clear things out at every turn. What could I do when I encountered them? I could only pack my luggage and leave home to avoid them, wandering from place to place..."

Su Jiuniang waved her hand: "Enough, don't say any more!"

Liu Xiaolou sighed: "I shouldn't have bothered you with these troublesome things, but since Jiuniang asked me why I had the guts to come to Mount Shenwu, I can only say that life forced me to do so."

After a long silence, Su Jiuniang said: "Things have reached this point. I will only remind you of one thing: if my Fifth Sister suffers any grievances here, watch your skin!"

Liu Xiaolou gave a bitter smile: "Jiuniang, I am a *daocha* son-in-law, and my cultivation base is so shallow, with no foundation at home. What grievances could Wuniang suffer here? Doesn't everything have to be listened to by her? I won't hide it from you, Jiuniang, we have been married for nearly a month, and I have only seen Wuniang once."

Su Jiuniang's expression cleared slightly, and her tone finally softened: "Only seen her once?"

Liu Xiaolou nodded: "Yes, on the wedding night, we entered the bridal chamber, and since then we have never met again. To tell you the truth, if I saw Wuniang again, I wouldn't even be sure if I could recognize her."

Su Jiuniang's anger finally dissipated, and a trace of pity arose in her heart. She stared at Liu Xiaolou, and after a while, blurted out: "Turn around and don't look at me, look outside the mountain."

Liu Xiaolou was bewildered to the extreme. It was like this last time at the Zhou Family Manor, and it was like this again this time. Does this girl have some kind of illness?

He turned to the side and looked at the mountains outside the pavilion. In his peripheral vision, Su Jiuniang sighed softly and then said: "Sit."

Liu Xiaolou sat down: "Can I turn around now?"

Su Jiuniang waved her hand: "As you wish." Her tone was somewhat listless.

Liu Xiaolou didn't know what illness this master was suffering from, but sitting sideways to her was always uncomfortable, as if he were being aimed at from the side by a hunter, and he always felt he would be struck in the waist at any time. So he turned around and sat opposite Su Jiuniang.

After sitting opposite each other for a while, Liu Xiaolou felt very uncomfortable and finally started the conversation: "When did Jiuniang return?"

Su Jiuniang said: "This morning. I heard Fifth Sister was getting married, so I rushed back..." As she spoke, she became angry again: "Who knew it would be you! Fifth Sister is truly miserable!"

This kind of topic was really impossible to continue. He and Su Zhi had signed an agreement that the three-year term could not be leaked, otherwise the loss would be great. He could only hint vaguely: "Wuniang is not blind either. I think that since she chose me, there must be a reason."

Su Jiuniang said angrily: "For the sake of the Su family, Fifth Sister had to compromise, but choosing you to be a *daocha* son-in-law is being blind! It's all my fault. If I had returned earlier, I would definitely have stopped her. Choosing anyone would be better than you!"

The prejudice was too deep to talk about. Liu Xiaolou quickly changed the subject: "Yes, yes, yes, it's all my fault. Jiuniang just returned, haven't you rested yet? I'll have Susu and the others prepare food for Jiuniang immediately to welcome you."

Su Jiuniang glared at him: "This is my home, I don't need you!"

Liu Xiaolou said again: "Yes, yes, yes, you haven't seen Wuniang since you just returned, right? She is practicing on the back mountain, I'll have Susu..."

Before he could finish speaking, Su Jiuniang suddenly said: "Where is my Seventh Sister?"

Liu Xiaolou was stunned: "Ah? Seventh Sister... I heard from Susu, didn't Seventh Sister die young..."

"The Seventh Sister of the Zhou family! Your aunt!"

"Ah! That Seventh Sister! Hasn't my aunt contacted you?"

"No. When the Qingyu Sect surrounded the mountain on a large scale, I heard she was rescued by Mount Tianmu? But Mount Tianmu said no, otherwise Young Master Lu Er would not have died in the Taoyuan Mountains. What exactly are the details?"

"This... I am just a small loose cultivator, how would I know?"

"Where did they go? Didn't they tell you?"

"I really don't know. The Young Master Lu Er you mentioned, is he the one who guarded your carriage when you traveled at the Zhou Family Manor? He died? That's truly a pity. I always felt that he seemed to have intentions toward Jiuniang."

"Don't mention him, disgusting! Good that he died!"

"Yes, yes, yes..."

After another moment of silence, Liu Xiaolou tried to take his leave: "Does Jiuniang have any other orders?"

Su Jiuniang glanced at Liu Xiaolou twice and pondered: "When you were at Mount Eyang that day, you stole my spirit rice and were caught by me. What did you promise me?"

Liu Xiaolou's heart skipped a beat, and he said helplessly: "That day I promised Jiuniang that if there are any orders in the future, I will obey..."

Su Jiuniang nodded: "It's good that you remember. There is a small matter now that needs you."

Liu Xiaolou quickly agreed: "Please give your orders. Although my cultivation base is low and I can't do big things, as long as you speak, Jiuniang, I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Su Jiuniang sneered: "Don't worry, it's not a big matter, and you don't need to go through fire and water. If there really is a big matter, you won't be needed, so don't beg for mercy in advance here. You go back first, I will naturally come to find you tomorrow night." ===== CHAPTER 100 =====