In the end, Chief Wang still got a beating with the board. She had already been injured by Liu Xiaolou’s palm strike, and with this on top of it she wouldn’t be getting out of bed for at least a month.

Susu actually felt a little sorry for her and was even thinking of bringing some medicine to visit. Liu Xiaolou stopped her. “Your young master is a brute from Wulong Mountain. If you really go, that image I just managed to set up will collapse in an instant. Once it falls, I’ll never be able to build it back again. By the way, what’s the name of that broken-down temple at the mountain pass?”

“General’s Temple.”

“Go find Steward Su in the village. He’s the one in charge of construction, isn’t he? Tell him to get started on the repairs right away. We’ll cover the costs.”

Susu hesitated. “But Chief Wang said the master already had a use for that place.”

Liu Xiaolou waved her off. “Just go talk to Steward Su. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll reason with him myself.”

Sure enough, Steward Su wasn’t difficult about it at all. He agreed on the spot, went down the mountain himself, and gathered a group of bricklayers from the village below. That very night they were hard at work.

When Liu Xiaolou came by to inspect later, he saw several lanterns hanging at the site, and more than a dozen strong men dripping with sweat as they cleared away the broken bricks under Steward Su’s direction.

Susu brought up a big bucket of meat stew. The workers instantly crowded around her, devouring it like starving wolves.

Liu Xiaolou clasped his hands to Steward Su. “Thank you for all your hard work.”

Steward Su smiled. “It’s nothing at all. You can rest easy, young master. The General’s Temple has been falling apart for years. It’s been bothering me for a long time, and I’ve always wanted to give it a proper renovation. Today I can finally do it, thanks to you.”

“So your family name is Su as well? Which branch are you from?” asked Liu Xiaolou.

“To tell the truth, it’s a bit embarrassing. My uncle and the old family head were brothers of the same line. But in my generation, I never managed to cultivate much skill. I could only take up these miscellaneous duties. It’s shameful, really.”

Liu Xiaolou patted him on the shoulder. “You’re still one of the Su family! I was rude. Steward Su, let me introduce you to a good brother of mine. This is Tan Bajhang. Brother Bajhang, this is Steward Su of the Su family from Shenwu Mountain. When it comes to construction and working with land and water, he’s second to none.”

Tan Bajhang came over with a grin. “We’ve already met. Steward Su is a straightforward man, just the kind I get along with.”

Steward Su smiled along and made his promise. “Don’t worry. Don’t worry, Brother Tan. In less than seven days I’ll give you a clean and comfortable temple.”

Tan Bajhang thumped his chest. “Much obliged! If Steward Su runs into any trouble, just say the word. I may not have many skills, but I’ve got this iron staff. Anyone who doesn’t know better and dares to cause trouble for him, I’ll beat until it’s pitch dark for them.”

Steward Su wiped the sweat from his brow. “Yes, yes, of course.”

The repairs on General’s Temple moved quickly. By the third day, Tan Bajhang had already moved into one of the first side rooms to be finished. By then, Liu Xiaolou had gone with the Su family to the home of the Danxia Sect—Mount Magu.

Mount Magu lay two hundred li southeast of Shenwu Mountain. Legend had it that countless ages ago a female immortal named Magu once appeared here, and so the mountain took her name. Whether she ever truly existed, no outsider could say. What was certain was that the Danxia Sect had flourished here for a thousand years, renowned across the land and ranked among the righteous sects, revered by countless cultivators.

At the foot of the mountain stood a four-pillared stone archway inscribed with the mountain’s name in simple, ancient calligraphy. No one knew how many centuries it had weathered, but wind and rain had polished the stone until it gleamed like jade. Following the stone steps upward, halfway up the slope there was a pavilion for viewing the waterfall. Looking up, two torrents more than thirty zhang high thundered down between the emerald peaks, the roar echoing in the ears.

From this point onward, outsiders could go no further. Here, inner disciples of the Danxia Sect stood guard, checking and recording visitors.

The Su family was an important branch of the sect. For this millennial grand ceremony, to prevent troublemakers from slipping in, only members of the Su family themselves were allowed to enter. Servants and attendants were stopped at the gate. Out of the thirty or so people who had set out together, only half were permitted up the mountain.

Liu Xiaolou’s status as a son-in-law was low, but it still counted as being part of the Su family, so he was squeezed in among them and allowed through. This was the first time the Sus had ever brought him up the mountain, and perhaps it would be the last. The purpose, as before, was to make it clear to all that Lady Su Xi had already married and would not be married off elsewhere.

Past the waterfall, the path turned west. After less than two li, a stone bridge came into view. It was called Dragon Gate Bridge, with the words “Danxia Grotto-Heaven” carved boldly into its surface. Here too, inner disciples of the sect kept watch.

The steward’s surname was Cai. He was clearly very familiar with the Su family, greeting Su Zhi and Su Xun with smiles and calling them “senior brother” and “junior brother.” After receiving a formal bow from Lady Su Xi, he quickly bent down to help her up. “Niece, your cultivation has advanced again.”

Su Zhi asked, “Junior Brother Cai, have all the families arrived?”

“The Wang family is here,” replied Steward Cai, “and so is my Cai family. Only the Mao family hasn’t arrived yet. As for the smaller affiliated families, more than half have already come.”

During the two days on Mount Magu, Su Zhi had made a point of keeping Liu Xiaolou close, giving him a crash course on the Danxia Sect. The sect was dominated by four great families: the Cai clan of Mount Magu itself—the largest and most powerful branch of all—the Mao clan of Maogong Altar, the Wang clan of Xunxi, and the Su clan of Shenwu Mountain. Among them, the weakest was the Su family.

Some one hundred and eighty years ago, the Sus had once enjoyed a glorious period. At that time, two of the five elders of the Danxia Sect had come from the Su family. But now, not a single elder bore their name. The reason was simple: they had no Nascent Soul cultivators left. The strongest among them was Su Zhi, who was only at mid-Stage Golden Core. How far he could go in the future, most already had a clear idea in their hearts. Su Zhi himself knew that reaching Nascent Soul in this lifetime was hopeless.

Fortunately, in the next generation there was still Lady Su Xi. Not only did the Su family pin their hopes on her, but the elders of the Danxia Sect also held her in high regard. On the very day she had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, she was admitted into the inner sect.

Steward Cai’s gaze then shifted toward Liu Xiaolou, his expression full of hidden meaning. A chill ran down Liu Xiaolou’s spine, and he hurriedly lowered his head and offered a respectful salute.

Steward Cai nodded and said to Su Zhi, “Senior Brother Su, go on in.”

Beneath Dragon Gate Bridge was a stone spring known as the Divine Power Spring. Water seeped from the cracks in the rock and gathered in a stone basin barely a foot across. Liu Xiaolou remembered Su Zhi telling him on the way that it had been struck open by the staff of the Southern Pole Immortal. He looked it over carefully, but saw nothing unusual.

What Su Zhi did next, however, showed him what “unusual” really meant. Su Zhi took out a piece of crimson jade and tossed it into the basin. The jade quickly sank to the bottom, and at once the water began to churn. Suddenly, streaks of rosy light burst outward.

The light shot out in threads, each only a few inches long. As they passed before his eyes, they seemed to hang in the air within reach, yet at the same time streaked past like meteors, impossible to grasp.

Standing in the midst of the light, Liu Xiaolou felt an immense force pulling him toward the basin. His whole body lifted into the air, head down and feet up, and he was hurled straight toward it.

Just as his head was about to smash into the stone, he quickly raised his hands to shield himself only to find he couldn’t move a single finger. All he could do was watch as his skull slammed against the basin.

“Ah!” At the very instant he thought his head would split open, the countless threads of light suddenly drew back.

The basin that had been swelling larger and larger before his eyes vanished without a trace. Above him now stretched a sky filled with burning flames.