Snowflakes filled the sky, swirling in the wind, falling fine and scattered like tiny grains of crystal-clear spirit rice.

Dressed in luxurious brocade with a long black cloak draped over it, Liu Xiaolou looked refined and striking, the very image of a graceful young gentleman. As the saying goes, you can call someone by the wrong name but never by the wrong title. His pairing with Wei Hongqing as the “Twin Handsomes of Wulong Mountain” was no idle nickname.

Standing in the snow, he caught a few flakes in his palm, breathed warm air onto them until they melted, rubbed his hands together, then smiled at Susu. Tugging at the sable fur wrapped around his neck, he sighed. “I’ve never seen fur this fine before.”

Susu smiled back. “It’s from a two-headed sable the young lady hunted last year at General’s Falls. She made this fur cloak herself for Thirteenth Young Master, but he didn’t come home this winter. Yesterday she said since you’ve come from far away without winter clothes, you should have it to keep warm. Looks like it fits you well enough.”

“A two-headed sable? A spirit beast?”

“Yes. Very intelligent.”

“Then… this cloak must be worth quite a bit? A few spirit stones, maybe? Never mind that. You just mentioned Thirteenth Young Master? Is he…”

“He’s the second wife’s legitimate son. He turned fifteen this year. Last year he went to the South Sea Sword Sect to study under Grand Swordmaster Bai Changzhen. Out of all the brothers and sisters in the family, the young lady is closest to him.”

“Shenwu Manor has such a deep family heritage. Why send him away to study?”

“Our family’s beast-taming techniques have been passed down for generations, but Thirteenth Young Master doesn’t care for them. He only trains halfheartedly, some days not at all, and his progress has been slow. Last autumn, he suddenly said he wanted to learn the sword, so the master of the house called in a few favors within the sect to have Swordmaster Bai take him as a disciple.”

“This Swordmaster Bai… what level is he?”

“They say he’s in the late Golden Core stage. His cultivation itself isn’t anything extraordinary, but his skill in swordsmanship is exceptional.”

Liu Xiaolou was at a loss for words. Late Golden Core, and in this little maid’s mouth it was “nothing extraordinary”? How high was their standard here?

Seeing him fall silent, Susu asked, “Young Master…?”

Liu Xiaolou sighed. “My teacher’s greatest wish was to break through the Foundation Establishment stage, but he died without ever achieving it. Compared to great houses like yours… what kind of immortals are we cultivating to become?”

Susu paused, and a trace of pity welled in her heart. “Foundation Establishment is no easy feat. Even in the Su family, there are many who can’t reach it. Otherwise, why would the young lady have sought a husband that way? You’re a fine-looking gentleman. Your time will come.”

Liu Xiaolou gave a bitter smile. “Is that a compliment about my looks? What good are looks? The real difficulty in cultivation is resources. To tell you the truth, I’ve barely eaten spirit rice in my life…”

By lunchtime, Susu came over carrying a food basket. Among the four delicate dishes she set out, two were things Liu Xiaolou had never tasted before. She placed them in front of him and said, “Young Master, this is golden-whiskered dragon carp from White Dragon Pool in Shenwu Mountain, and this is ao-shrimp from beneath Elephant Trunk Cliff. Both are good for cultivation. Please, have a taste.”

The dragon carp, once steamed, was pure white and tender. The ao-shrimp, pan-fried in oil, came out a deep purplish red, enough to make one’s mouth water at a glance. Liu Xiaolou picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks, and the moment it touched his tongue, the delicate sweetness filled his mouth. Before he could swallow, Susu placed a peeled shrimp in front of him, and with one bite his very soul seemed to float away. Both fish and shrimp carried a faint trace of spiritual energy that, once eaten, transformed into small streams of true qi within the body. Though the amount was slight, taken over time it would surely bring great benefits to cultivation.

The other two dishes were wild greens unique to Shenwu Mountain. They were not spirit plants, yet their fresh, fragrant taste was a rare delight.

Susu chuckled softly. “Young Master, there’s no need to rush. No one’s fighting you for it.” She reached into the lower layer of the food basket and brought out a pot of wine, filling his cup. “This is fruit wine brewed in the sect itself, called Osmanthus Fragrance. Please try it, but don’t drink too much.”

And indeed, it was not something to drink in large quantities. With just one cup, the floral sweetness of osmanthus filled his senses, carrying a potent spiritual energy that spread warmly through his stomach and along his meridians. Liu Xiaolou immediately felt lightheaded, a pleasant buzz setting in. At his modest third layer of Qi Refinement, he didn’t dare take a second cup.

“What a wine! It’s better than Bamboo Leaf Green!”

“Bamboo Leaf Green? Do you mean the one from Tianmu Mountain? Osmanthus Fragrance is one of the finest spiritual wines in the southeast. Even here at Shenwu Manor, we only receive six jars a year. Butler Song had this sent especially to warm you up. There’s only this one pot, so you should use it sparingly.”

Seeing Liu Xiaolou quickly stopper the jar, Susu laughed. “Young Master, have another cup. If you finish it, I’ll find a way to get more.”

He shook his head. “I want to save it. When I return to Wulong Mountain, I’ll visit my teacher’s grave and let him have a taste too.”

Susu froze for a moment, then hurriedly pulled out two bowls of rice from the food basket. “Young Master, this is spirit rice from Ewe Ram Mountain.”

Liu Xiaolou’s face lit up. “You’re too thoughtful.” He shoveled a big mouthful in, chewing with a blissful expression. “Mmm… delicious…”

“I asked the kitchen,” Susu said. “They told me Ewe Ram Mountain isn’t far from Wulong Mountain. Haven’t you had it before?”

Liu Xiaolou spoke between hurried bites. “Mmm… the dryness makes it fragrant… Is this last year’s new harvest?”

Susu looked a little embarrassed. “The kitchen said it’s actually from the year before last. There was a lot left in storage, so they didn’t buy any last year. Is it not good?”

Liu Xiaolou devoured both bowls of spirit rice along with all the dishes on the table, then patted his stomach in satisfaction. “Good!” he declared. Then he chuckled. “From the year before last… who knows, maybe I even helped harvest some of it.”

As Susu cleared away the bowls and chopsticks, Liu Xiaolou scratched his head in embarrassment. “Oh no… I forgot to invite you to eat with me. I just finished it all myself.”

Susu smiled. “It wouldn’t be proper. I’ll go to the kitchen later.”

“You’ll be eating the same food?” he asked.

“Of course not,” she replied. “This is the master’s table fare. What I get isn’t as good, but it’s still not bad. I can eat things like this fairly often.”

Liu Xiaolou tilted his head. “Susu, I get the feeling you have some cultivation, right? With food this good, your cultivation level shouldn’t be low.”

“Hardly worth calling good. The young lady just gives us a bit of guidance when she has time, that’s all. Most days we’re too busy to really cultivate. It's just enough to keep our bodies strong so we can work better.”

“What layer are you at?” Liu Xiaolou asked.

“Fourth layer,” she replied.

“And Xiaohuan?”

“She came later than I did, but her progress is faster. She’s already at the third layer. The young lady says her talent is better than mine, and that she’ll achieve more in the future.”

“And your… young lady?”

“She’s the most talented in the Su family, and also the most diligent. Last year she finally reached the Foundation Establishment stage, stepping into the true threshold of cultivation. Master says she’s now officially a cultivator, and the Su family’s future rests on her.”

“How old is she, exactly?”

“She turned twenty on the eighth day of the last twelfth lunar month.”

Liu Xiaolou let out a silent sigh. There was just no comparison. She was only three months older than he was, yet she had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage. He couldn’t even imagine how she cultivated. Even her two maids, constantly running around serving her, cultivating only in their spare moments, were both stronger than he was. How could he possibly compete?

He thought of his teacher’s lifelong wish, something that was only the starting point for people here. Honestly, it was enough to make anyone despair.

Liu Xiaolou pushed open the window, letting the cold wind strike his face. He let it blow away the heaviness in his chest and reignite his fighting spirit.

Master, the wish you couldn’t fulfill... I’ll fulfill it for you....