80: Guest Elder

Frost Radiance's voice carried a sob. "I was so worried about you! I saw so much lightning striking you, I was worried to death!"

Yan Qingning stroked her head.

Her tone was doting.

"Am I not right here?"

"I almost thought Master was going to die..."

As Frost Radiance spoke, large tears fell, landing on Yan Qingning's hand, icy cold.

Yan Qingning patted her back without saying a word.

Once Frost Radiance had mostly finished crying, she asked softly:

"Frost Radiance."

"Hmm?"

"Do you know... why I chose to undergo tribulation here?"

Frost Radiance's body stiffened.

She looked up, her eyes still red, but her gaze was somewhat evasive.

She released her hold on Yan Qingning and took a small step back, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.

"I... I don't know," she stammered. "I was asleep..."

Yan Qingning stared at her.

In those sapphire-like eyes, there was panic, guilt, and... fear.

"You really don't know?"

Frost Radiance lowered her head, her voice as small as a mosquito's:

"I really don't know."

Yan Qingning didn't press her further.

She let go of Frost Radiance and looked out the window.

The tower boat was sailing above the clouds; outside the window was a rolling sea of clouds and the black ash gradually settling in the distance.

This black ash covered a hundred-mile radius like snow.

Leaving the world...

...with nothing but gray and white.

The clouds were dyed golden-red, like burning cotton wool.

It was beautiful.

But the void in her heart grew larger and larger, as if it were about to swallow her whole.

Frost Radiance landed on the sword hilt.

Although she stayed within the sword, she had gradually come to understand some things.

Daddy wanted Master to forget Daddy.

Daddy wanted to leave Master.

Master's Heart Demon was too severe; Daddy was saving Master.

Frost Radiance had already betrayed Daddy's trust; how could she let Daddy's painstaking efforts go to waste?

So she couldn't say... The next day.

At the entrance of the Su Residence in Qinghe County.

Jiang Xun stepped down from the carriage and straightened his robes.

Then he walked to the front gate and said to the servant guarding it:

"Please announce that Jiang Xun has arrived."

The servant sized him up.

The newcomer wore ordinary blue-gray cloth clothes and a copper half-mask on his face; the half of his face that was exposed was calm, and his gaze was as deep as a pool of still water.

He had an extraordinary temperament.

The servant didn't dare be negligent and bowed, saying:

"Please wait a moment, Young Master."

After saying that, he turned and entered the residence.

Jiang Xun stood at the door and looked up at the plaque of the Su Residence.

The two characters for "Su Residence" were written in a bold, vigorous style, glinting with dark gold light in the morning sun.

Before long, Su Qinghe walked out from inside. She was wearing an Emerald silk dress, looking like a little girl from next door.

"Young Master Jiang, you're here." Su Qinghe walked up to Jiang Xun, intending to lead him into the residence.

Jiang Xun dodged her reaching hand.

"Miss Qinghe, you can just lead the way in front."

Su Qinghe didn't mind and just giggled, "Then follow me closely, Young Master."

The two of them entered the Su Residence.

It had to be said that the layout within the Su Residence was quite large, with pavilions and towers scattered throughout.

The verandas wound and twisted; after passing through several courtyards, they finally saw Su Jinhe in a garden.

Jiang Xun stepped forward to greet Su Jinhe, "Miss Jinhe."

"Young Master Jiang, we meet again."

Su Jinhe led Jiang Xun to a stone stool to sit down.

"Miss Jinhe, when should we go to the Demon Suppression Division?"

"No rush. I'd like to take the liberty of asking first: what is your cultivation level, Young Master Jiang?"

After a few seconds of pondering, Jiang Xun said:

"I am untalented; I am only at the Seventh Stage of Qi Refining."

"Seventh Stage of Qi Refining?" Su Qinghe's small mouth dropped open. "That amazing!?"

She stared straight at Jiang Xun, her eyes sparkling.

Jiang Xun thought he would draw a round of sighs, but it seemed he had still reported too high a level.

Jiang Xun said, "It came from hard cultivation; it's not really that impressive."

"You are being modest, Young Master. Among the Cultivators I've met, not a single one has reached your current Realm at your age," Su Jinhe said.

"Is that so?"

Jiang Xun scratched his head; he had already hidden his cultivation level quite low.

Su Changfeng was famous in Qinghe for being at the Eighth Stage of Qi Refining; being one stage lower than him, neither high nor low, he thought it would be ordinary enough.

Su Jinhe suddenly stood up and gave Jiang Xun a slight bow.

Jiang Xun quickly reached out to support her.

"Miss Jinhe, what are you doing?"

"I actually wanted to ask you to agree to something," Su Jinhe said.

"Brother Changfeng was kind to me. If there's anything you need, and if it's within my power, I certainly won't refuse."

Only then did Su Jinhe say, "Actually, I would like to invite you to serve as a Guest Elder for my Su Family."

"This..."

Jiang Xun hadn't expected this; he had thought it would be about killing an enemy or something.

"You only need to agree. You don't need to do anything specific. Every month, my Su Residence can pay you three thousand taels of silver."

Su Jinhe remained standing, waiting for Jiang Xun's answer.

She continued, "If you need cultivation resources like Spirit Stones, my Su Residence can also do its best to provide them."

Jiang Xun was silent for a moment before saying:

"I'd like to ask, are there very few Cultivators in Qinghe County?"

Su Qinghe also stood up. "In all my years, besides my brother and those few in the Demon Suppression Division, I've only seen three Cultivators in total, and you're one of them, Young Master Jiang."

Jiang Xun was stunned. He hadn't expected there to be so few Loose Cultivators in the Mortal world.

But then again, even in a place directly under a Sect's jurisdiction like Yunshan Town, the townspeople wouldn't see an Immortal more than a few times a year.

Or rather, they didn't deign to interact with Mortals.

Jiang Xun said, "Since there are so few Cultivators here and there doesn't seem to be much danger, why do you still need me?"

Su Qinghe suddenly grabbed Jiang Xun's hand. "Young Master Jiang, just agree. Our family certainly won't treat you poorly."

"Always cultivating and cultivating, it's so tiring!"

Su Jinhe looked at her sister. "Qinghe, don't be so rude."

Scolded by her sister, Su Qinghe reluctantly let go.

Su Jinhe explained to Jiang Xun:

"You know, ever since my brother became a Cultivator, he's rarely been home."

"My father stopped counting on him, and then he had my sister and me in succession. Unfortunately, we are both women."

Su Qinghe said:

"Back when my brother was still a Cultivator, no one dared to mess with our family's business."

"But ever since my brother's cultivation was crippled, although those people are still somewhat wary, over the years, some have long since become restless."