Sleep was impossible tonight. For the third time, a knock came at the door. This time it was the young master of the Wang family. He wanted Su Xi to come outside with him; there was so much he wished to say.

“Xixi, I…”

“Brother Wang, please mind yourself. I am already a married woman. You should still call me your junior sister.”

“…Junior sister, I mean nothing improper. This will be the last time we meet alone. I only wish to say farewell. After tonight, there will be no more meetings. Is your husband inside? If you’d rather not explain, I can speak to him directly…”

“There’s no need. You have nothing to say to him.”

“You’re right. My junior sister can make her own decisions. After all, he's just a live-in son-in-law…”

“You misunderstand. What I mean is, there’s no point in talking about this. I will not go. Brother Wang, please leave. I have always regarded you as a good elder brother in our sect, nothing more. I hope you won’t ruin this bond of ours.”

When the young master finally walked away in despair, Su Xi thought for a moment, then said, “You’re inside, and I went out. The interruptions are endless. It seems my cultivation will be delayed all night.”

“Then where will you go?” asked Liu Xiaolou.

“I’ll go to the Thunderstruck Banyan to cultivate.”

“Didn’t they say you can’t enter the Thunderstruck Banyan without first reaching the Golden Core stage?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll be practicing the Hibiscus Blade, I don’t need to go inside.”

“Then… you and I won’t be sharing a room anymore? Shouldn’t we ask your father about that?”

“All the proper meetings have already been made. Nothing else is of real importance. As long as you’re here, that’s enough.”

Fifth Lady left without hesitation, leaving Liu Xiaolou alone in the empty room, keeping watch by the spring pool as he continued working on the Waiguan acupoint.

It wasn’t long before someone knocked again. This time it wasn’t an outsider, but her own kin—Ninth Lady.

“Where’s Fifth Sister?”

“She’s a cultivation fanatic. She couldn’t stand having her cultivation disturbed, so she left for the Thunderstruck Banyan to work on her flying blade techniques.”

“Mm. She’s been diligent since childhood, a hundred times more than me.”

“Did you need something from her?”

“Nothing serious. I just came by… Forget it. I was going to bring it up after the ceremony, but since we’re already talking… it’s that matter again.”

Liu Xiaolou glanced back at the room. He thought about inviting her inside, but that didn’t feel right, not with so many eyes and ears around. So instead he said, “Shall we go for a walk?”

The two of them left the Su family’s secondary residence and walked up a hill outside. From there, they could see the land spread out in all directions. Under the starlit sky, the rolling hills glowed with a dim red hue, quiet and mysterious.

“All the families have arrived,” Liu Xiaolou said, pointing toward the newly raised tents and clusters of campfires near the residence . They belonged to the Su clan’s vassals and the smaller sects that had just arrived.

“Yin Gong is here too,”  Su Wan remarked.

“How did he get in?”

“After the ceremony, the four sects of Jing-Xiang will have their disciples compete in combat. The winners will earn a place in the Danxia Sect’s Grotto-Heaven trial. All four sects are here, and Yin Gong entered the Grotto-Heaven along with the Qingyu Sect.”

“Oh, that was arranged by our Su family in the first place. Do you think he’s come to cause you trouble again? Could it be he’s already figured out our trick with Jingzhao was a fake?”

“Maybe. He just sent me a message asking to meet. I didn’t agree.”

“By the way, Jiuniang, how’s the Yin family’s supply of incense these past few months?”

“It went back to normal. I thought it would last longer, but unfortunately only three months.”

“That’s already reasonable. For him to confirm it after three months. That’s not bad at all.”

 Su Wan let out a sigh. “So what should we do?”

“There’s no better way,” Liu Xiaolou said, “just tell him straight, make it clear he’s not to pester you anymore.”

“If I do that, he’ll surely cut back the incense supply again.”

“Then you still have to tell him. And tell him this. if he dares to do that, it means declaring war on the Su family. Let him weigh that for himself.”

Su Wan frowned. “What kind of reasoning is that? Just because someone refuses to sell you incense, you go to war with them? Isn’t that far too overbearing?”

Liu Xiaolou said, “The point is, what he’s withholding is something we can’t live without. This is absolutely intolerable. If it comes to it, we must go to war.”

Su Wan was silent for a long time. “But the Su family’s strength is no match for the Yin family.”

Liu Xiaolou was firm. “Even so, we fight. We show them we’re ready to stake our lives against theirs. Do you really think the Yin family dares to risk everything?”

Su Wan explained, “Besides, this isn’t just the Su family’s affair. It concerns the Danxia Sect as a whole. How could the Su family, for its own private quarrel, drag the entire sect into war?”

“That’s exactly why we should drag the Danxia Sect into it,” Liu Xiaolou said. “Otherwise, what’s the point of such a great sect? Isn’t a sect meant to protect those under its banner.”

Su Wan shook her head. “You don’t understand. Right now… the Su family has declined. We’re not as prosperous as in past years. The family has to guard against dangers both outside the sect and within. These are troubled times; we can’t afford to start a war so lightly…”

As they were speaking, the eldest brother, Su Lang, suddenly appeared at the foot of the hill. He hurried up, his face dark with anger. “Ninth Sister! I’ve been looking everywhere for you, and here you are… idling about with him! How carefree you are!”

“I’m just talking with him. How does that harm you, Brother?” Su Wan said calmly.

Su Lang snapped, flustered, “Of course it doesn’t harm me directly. But do you know the Yin family came to our door demanding to see you? Their words were anything but polite. What did you do to offend them? If you made some mistake, you’d better apologize at once and ask forgiveness. Otherwise, if the Yin family bears a grudge against us, the consequences will be disastrous! They only just restored their sacred incense supply to us. How can you risk offending them at such a critical moment?”

Liu Xiaolou glanced at Su Wan, thinking to himself, So the Yin family made their move, and you haven’t told your family yet? He asked, “Eldest Brother, isn’t my father-in-law here?”

Su Lang shot back angrily, “All because of the mess you stirred up! Father and Second Uncle have gone to explain everything to Cai Yaojun! And another thing. Where’s Fifth Sister? Where did she run off to this time? Father entrusted her with great responsibility, yet at such a crucial moment, she’s nowhere to be found!”

Liu Xiaolou suddenly stood, rolling up his sleeves as he fixed Su Lang with a hard stare. Su Lang instinctively stepped back two paces. “What are you trying to do? I’ll have you know. This is Danxia’s Grotto-Heaven, not Shenwu Mountain. No one here is going to protect you!”

“Fine,” Liu Xiaolou said. “Once we’re back on Shenwu Mountain, I’ll gladly ask for your instruction, First Young Master! If I win, then—”

Su Wan cut him off. “Enough. Stop talking. This matter started because of me. I’ll go speak with Yin Gong myself.”

Liu Xiaolou encouraged her. “Go ahead, Ninth Sister. I’ll stand behind you.”

Su Lang burst out laughing in anger. “You? Just you?” When he saw Liu Xiaolou rolling up his other sleeve again, he hurriedly grabbed Su Wan and pulled her down the hill.

Liu Xiaolou spat after him. “Coward!”

Su Lang heard it and almost turned back to argue. But then he thought better of it: I’m the rightful heir of the Su family. Why would I stoop to quarrel with a bandit? That would only lower my dignity. So he muttered instead, “Doesn’t know his place. Ninth Sister, you’d better stop associating with him, or you’ll only disgrace yourself.”

“Eldest Brother, you should go back,” Su Wan said coldly. “I’ll meet with the Yin family myself.”

Su Lang, softening his tone, offered, “Why don’t I go with you? Yin Gong, the eldest son, is a reasonable man. After I met his father earlier this year, he even wrote to me first, restoring the incense supply with very polite words. If you’ve offended them somehow, I can step in and mediate. It might make a difference…”

Su Wan waved him off. “Please go back, Brother. I can handle this on my own. You wouldn’t be able to help.”

Seeing her walk off alone, Su Lang let out a sigh of relief, but at the same time he couldn’t help bristling with resentment. What kind of attitude is this? Just one year has passed, and everyone treats me with such disrespect. Even Ninth Sister no longer sees me as worth her regard?