Yin Gong walked quickly into the flower hall and asked, “Father, why did you summon me?”

His father, Yin Qiao, said, “A few days ago, the eldest son of the Su clan from Shenwu Mountain came to pay me a visit. He also brought up the matter of the sacred incense, saying that back in the first month, you shorted the Su family by a hundred catties?”

Yin Gong laughed. “And only now he brings it up? He really can hold his temper.”

“What were you thinking?” asked Yin Qiao.

“After Young Lord Jingzhao broke through to the Golden Core stage,” Yin Gong replied, “the sect’s demand has shot up. Our family’s production hasn’t kept pace these past two years. Besides, I had someone go and propose marriage, but the Su family still hasn’t agreed. If we don’t give them a little taste of their own medicine, I’m afraid they won’t take the Yin family seriously.”

Yin Qiao frowned. “Before the new year, I already told you; there are plenty of good families out there. Why are you fixated on Su Jiuniang? The Su family has made it clear she was only fostered with them, not their own child. They don’t have the right to decide her marriage.”

“Since ancient times,” Yin Gong began, “the grace of being raised is greater than the grace of giving birth. They don’t have the right? Isn’t that just fooling people? Then let them tell me who her real parents are. Once I know, I’ll go to them directly with the proposal.”

“They’re all prominent families,” his father said. “Sooner or later, you’ll cross paths. Don’t push things too far. You’re already past thirty. Marry sooner rather than later. If that family won’t give her to you, then choose another one.”

Yin Gong said with disdain, “The Su family has long since declined. They only have two Golden Core cultivators, and even within the Danxia Sect, no one pays them any mind. I’ve heard that within the sect, the Maogongtan and Xunxi clans have already been eyeing them like tigers. And what if I want a woman? I’ve never taken a wife. I’ve been waiting for her. Yet they show no gratitude. It’s outrageous. If a few more years go by, she may be fit only to enter as a concubine.”

Yin Qiao scolded him. “Insolent! What nonsense are you spouting? Even if their family has truly declined, that’s still a matter for the Danxia Sect. It’s not for you to gossip about, much less to meddle in.”

Yin Gong quickly forced a smile. “Yes, yes, Father, rest assured. I understand. I won’t interfere carelessly. I only ask for a wife. As for Jiuniang’s beauty and talent, you know them as well as I do. Bringing her into the family would never disgrace the Yin name.”

Yin Qiao waved him off. “Enough. I’ll say this one more time: in all things, moderation. Don’t go too far. If you can’t marry her, then choose another family. Now get out!”

After taking his leave, Yin Gong clenched his teeth. Well done, Su Dalang. Instead of coming to speak to me, you go and lodge complaints behind my back. Just you wait. This month, I’ll cut your family’s incense allotment in half. We’ll see if you bow your head then!

As he was fuming, a servant suddenly rushed in, flustered. “Young master, bad news! There’s a fire in Concubine Li’s courtyard! The butler has already taken men to put it out, but I hurried here to report to you.”

Concubine Li’s background was humble, so she had never been formally taken into the household and lived in a separate courtyard. Yet among Yin Gong’s eight concubines, she was the one he favored most. At the news, he was shocked. Striding quickly outside, he asked, “Was anyone hurt?”

Concubine Li was not a cultivator, and in such a blaze she had no way to protect herself. The guards sent over were only ordinary martial artists, and in a situation like this, they might not have been able to keep her safe. Of course, if anything really had happened to her, not one of those guards would have lived to see another day; but that would have been after the fact. No matter how many people he killed in punishment, it wouldn’t bring back that delicate, boneless beauty of hers.

He rushed out of the manor and looked southeast toward Creekmouth. Under the setting sun, a column of thick smoke rose into the sky, and it looked serious. Yin Gong stirred his true qi and sped toward the smoke. Along the way, he saw many farmers and villagers pointing at it, some even hurrying in that direction.

As the Yin clan’s second son, his cultivation had reached Foundation Establishment three years ago, far surpassing his elder brother and fifth brother. He had already been named the Yin clan’s next head. With such cultivation, covering more than five li took him only moments.

When he arrived, smoke was still billowing, but the fire hadn’t touched Concubine Li’s courtyard. Instead, a huge willow tree five or six zhang in front of her residence had caught fire. The butler had just arrived with more than ten villagers, but they hadn’t been needed. The flames were already extinguished, leaving only smoke lingering in the air.

Relieved, Yin Gong barked, “What happened here?”

Concubine Li threw herself into his arms. “My lord, I was frightened to death! I don’t know how it started. The tree just caught fire, and it spread bigger and bigger. Master Liu and the others from the courtyard tried to put it out, but they couldn’t hold it back. Later, two immortal masters happened to pass by, and they snuffed it out with a wave of the hand.”

“Immortal masters?” Yin Gong turned to look at Master Liu, the guard captain.

Master Liu bowed. “Second Young Master, the two immortal masters were a man and a woman, both looking very young. I asked for their names, but when the lady said her surname was Su, the man stopped her. He said it was just a small effort, not worth thanks. They’ve already left.”

The moment Yin Gong heard the lady’s surname was Su, he grew alert. He had them describe their appearance in detail, and the more he listened, the more surprised he became. If Concubine Li and Master Liu weren’t mistaken, then that woman was very likely the very one he thought of day and night—the Jiuniang (Ninth Lady) of the Su family, Su Wan. As for the man…

Full of questions, Yin Gong hurried in the direction Master Liu had pointed. Before the sun set, he caught sight of the pair.

Peering at their figures walking side by side, his heart skipped a beat. If before he had been only fifty percent sure, now he was seventy. Though the fading light made their outlines indistinct, the woman’s familiar figure and the man’s profile when he turned now and then spurred him to quicken his pace.

When he had closed the distance to within thirty zhang, the woman casually slipped her arm around the man’s, then seemed to sense Yin Gong’s presence. She turned her head, and in that instant Yin Gong was certain. The woman was Su Jiuniang!

The man whispered a few words to her, then ignored Yin Gong altogether, lengthening his stride toward the forest ahead.

Su Jiuniang stayed where she was, waiting for Yin Gong to approach. “Young Master Yin, why are you chasing us?” she said.

Yin Gong glanced toward the forest and forced a smile at her. “My thanks for your help just now, Jiuniang.”

She looked puzzled. “Help?”

“The fire was very close to my family’s manor,” he said.

She gave a small nod of realization. “Oh… Young Master Yin needn’t be so formal. We were simply passing by and lent a hand, nothing more.”

Yin Gong cast another glance at the trees. “That man… was he Senior Brother Jingzhao?”

Su Jiuniang shook her head. “No. Young Master Yin is mistaken.”

He chuckled. “Why bother denying it, Jiuniang?”

Her tone went cold. “And what business is it of yours?”

Yin Gong slowly nodded. “No wonder you’ve refused. So you’ve already found yourself a higher branch to cling to. I just wonder... how long can you hold on to it? How long can you stay there?”

“I’ll give you one piece of advice, Young Master Yin, ”Su Jiuniang said, “some words are better left unsaid. Otherwise they’ll bring harm, not benefit. That’s all I have to say. Farewell.”

His face darkened as he watched her walk into the forest. He stamped his foot in frustration. “I thought she was a virtuous woman, but she’s nothing more than a common flirt chasing after power!”

Yet even as he told himself to give up, the image of her cold, beautiful face and the graceful sway of her back as she turned away lingered before his eyes, driving him nearly mad with frustration.

On the road back, he was filled with nothing but unwillingness.

...

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