The pride that had just sprung up from breaking through to the fourth layer of Qi Refinement was completely shattered in front of this expert, who could crush him at will and was at least at the tenth layer. All the more so, since two years ago, when she had left home to travel, she had already reached the tenth layer. Now that she’d returned, who knew if she had even stepped into the Foundation Establishment stage?

Fortunately, he was now the Su family’s son-in-law. Even if he had married in, he was still a son-in-law, and that status alone was enough to protect his life.

What’s more, because of last year’s affair involving Lord Xingde and Zhou Qiniang, he and Ninth Lady still shared a bit of unspoken understanding. That was at least enough to give them a basis for conversation.

So, his life wasn’t in danger. But whether he’d suffer for this or not was another matter. To avoid that, he had no choice but to hurry and explain himself.

“Ninth Lady, you can’t really blame me for this. How could I have known you were one of the esteemed Su family from Shenwu Manor? Let alone that my wife—”

“Shameless!”

“Yes, yes, I admit I also didn’t know that Fifth Lady was your elder sister. I just got picked for this out of nowhere after I arrived, and—”

“Ignorance is no excuse. Where did you get the nerve to take part in Shenwu Manor’s son-in-law selection? Did you even think about your own standing? Wulong Mountain? Hm?”

Liu Xiaolou, feeling thoroughly wronged, said, “People try to move up in the world, and water runs downhill. The Su clan is powerful and renowned. Who wouldn’t want to curry favor? My background is bad, that’s true, but I want a decent life too. You haven’t spent time on our side of Wulong Mountain, ma’am, so you don’t know how hard things are there. Just to push my cultivation a little, every autumn I have to go work on Ewe Ram Mountain. After all that backbreaking labor, I end up with a spirit stone, maybe half a one. You know that job is rough. You went there to temper yourself, but those of us at the bottom, us rogue cultivators, do it to make a living.

“Back then, just to earn a bit of wine money, I ran from Wulong Mountain to the Tianmen Mountain market and back, more than two hundred li round trip, day and night.

“It took forever to scrape together two spirit stones. I planned to settle down and cultivate, then those great clans conscripted me and dragged me out to fight. There was no guarantee I’d come back alive.

“Even if you sit at home and mind your own business, you still get dragged down by others. Those prestigious sects head up the mountain to sweep it clean at the slightest pretext. What are we supposed to do when we run into them? All we can do is pack up, leave home, hide out elsewhere, and drift from place to place.”

Ninth Lady waved her hand. “Enough. That’s enough.”

Liu Xiaolou sighed. “I shouldn’t trouble you with this bitter stuff, but since you asked why I had the nerve to come to Shenwu Mountain, all I can say is that life forced my hand. I had no choice.”

After a long silence, she said, “It is what it is. I’ll just remind you of one thing. If my fifth sister suffers any grievance with you, watch your hide.”

Liu Xiaolou gave a wry smile. “Ninth Lady, I married into the Su family, my cultivation is weak, and I have no foundation of my own. What grievances could Fifth Lady possibly suffer with me? Isn’t everything up to her? To tell the truth, since the wedding last month, I’ve only seen her once.”

Su Jiuniang’s expression eased a little, and her tone finally softened. “Only once?”

He nodded. “Yes. On the wedding night we entered the bridal chamber, and since then I haven’t seen her again. Honestly, if I ran into her now, I’m not even sure I’d recognize her.”

Su Jiuniang’s anger finally dissipated. A faint pity stirred in her heart as she fixed her gaze on Liu Xiaolou. After a moment, she suddenly said, “Turn around. Don’t look at me. Look outside the mountain.”

He was completely baffled. She had done the same thing back at the Zhou Manor, and now she was doing it again. What was wrong with this girl?

He turned sideways to face the mountains beyond the pavilion. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her let out a soft sigh before saying, “Sit.”

He sat down. “Can I turn back now?”

She waved her hand. “As you like.” Her tone carried a hint of weariness.

He still had no idea what strange ailment this expert was suffering from, but sitting with his body turned felt uncomfortable. Like a hunter had him in their sights from the side, ready to strike at any moment. So he turned back, facing her directly.

After a moment of awkward silence between them, Liu Xiaolou finally broke it. “When did you return, Ninth Lady?”

“This morning. I heard Fifth Sister was getting married, so I rushed back.” Her anger flared again. “Who would’ve thought it was you! Fifth Sister really is unlucky.”

There was no way to respond to that. He had signed an agreement with Su Zhi. Three years of secrecy, and if word got out, the consequences would be disastrous. All he could do was hint vaguely: “Fifth Lady isn’t blind. Since she chose me, I’d like to think she had her reasons.”

Ninth Lady snapped, “The fifth sister had to swallow her pride for the sake of the Su family. But picking you to marry in? That’s blindness! It’s my fault. If I had come back earlier, I’d never have allowed it. Anyone else would’ve been better than you!”

Her prejudice was too deep. There was no way to continue the conversation. Liu Xiaolou quickly changed the subject. “Yes, yes, it’s all my fault. Ninth Lady, you just got back. You haven’t even rested yet, right? I’ll have Susu and the others prepare a meal to welcome you home.”

She shot him a glare. “This is my house. I don’t need you to do that!”

He tried again. “Yes, yes, of course. You just got back, and you haven’t seen Fifth  Lady yet, right? She’s cultivating in the back mountain. I can have Susu—”

“Where’s my Seventh Sister?” she suddenly asked before he could finish.

Liu Xiaolou froze. “Ah? Seventh Lady… Susu said she… she passed away young, didn’t she?”

“Not that one. Seventh Sister of the Zhou family! Your aunt by marriage!”

“Oh... that Seventh Lady! My aunt hasn’t been in contact with you?”

“No. When Qingyu Sect besieged the mountain, I heard she was rescued by Tianmu Mountain. But then Tianmu Mountain denied it. Otherwise, Young Master Lu wouldn’t have died in the Taoyuan Range. What really happened?”

“As a lowly rogue cultivator, how would I know?”

“They didn’t tell you where they went?”

“I truly don’t know. The Young Master Lu you mentioned, was he the one who escorted your carriage from the Zhou estate? He died? What a pity… I always felt he seemed to have some interest in you, Ninth Lady.”

“Don’t mention him. Disgusting! Good riddance!”

“Yes, yes, of course.”

After a brief silence, Liu Xiaolou tried to take his leave. “Ninth Lady, do you have any other instructions?”

She gave him a long look, then said thoughtfully, “Back on Ewe Ram Mountain, when you were caught stealing from my spirit field, what did you promise me?”

His heart skipped a beat. Helpless, he said, “That day, I promised Ninth Lady that whenever you gave an order, I would obey without question.”

Ninth Lady nodded. “Good. As long as you remember. Right now, there’s a small matter I need your help with.”

He quickly agreed. “Say the word. My cultivation may be shallow, and I can’t handle anything great, but as long as Ninth Lady commands, I won’t flinch even if it costs me my life!”

She gave a cold laugh. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing serious, and it doesn’t require you to risk your life. If it were something that important, you wouldn’t be of any use anyway, so don’t start begging off beforehand. Go back for now. Tomorrow night, I’ll come find you myself.”