208: Looking up at the starry sky

"Sister Jiang, want to go out for a drink?"

Su Quan stood at the entrance of Jiang Sui's cave, calling inside with a smile.

"Sure. Little Su, you're working at the Heavenly Grade Mineral Vein now, and you're a favorite in the eyes of the Lin family stewards. You're making a fortune, so today I'm definitely going to fleece this wealthy person!" Jiang Sui laughed as she walked out.

The two walked and chatted, arriving at the same tavern in the Lin family market.

Over the years, they had become regulars there.

"Oh, the two ladies have arrived! Please, come in!"

The waiter at the Nascent Soul Realm greeted them enthusiastically, found a secluded table, and asked, "What would you two ladies like to have today?"

Su Quan said, "Ten jars of Spirit-Shedding Wine, and just bring out a few meat dishes as you see fit."

"Wow, Old Jiang, I only get to enjoy this luxury—tasting the Spirit-Shedding Wine—when I'm eating with you."

Jiang Sui smiled and narrowed her eyes.

Her appearance hadn't changed; she still looked as she had ten years ago, only with a bit more of the vicissitudes of time.

Soon, the wine and food arrived.

Su Quan and Jiang Sui each poured a bowl, and the rich aroma of the wine drifted through the tavern, drawing frequent glances from many patrons.

For people at the bottom like them, the Spirit-Shedding Wine was a rare treat; many of the Lin family's collateral female clan members couldn't bear to taste it.

"Come on, bottoms up!"

"Bottoms up!"

As the crisp, fine wine went down, the fatigue from days of labor seemed to be somewhat relieved.

"Little Su, did you know?"

Jiang Sui drank a large bowl of wine in one gulp. Her tone was somewhat low as she sighed, "Tie Cui is dead."

"Dead? What happened?"

Su Quan was startled.

He had some impression of Tie Cui; back when they were in Mine Cave No. 9, they had a decent relationship.

"Because she took one extra look at a direct-line male cultivator of the Lin family, her eyes were gouged out, her limbs were chopped off, and she was tortured to death." Jiang Sui laughed at herself with a hint of mockery.

She and Tie Cui had been captured by the Lin family as Mine Slaves thousands of years ago.

They couldn't exactly call themselves close, but there was a sense of shared sorrow.

She had originally thought that as long as they worked hard enough and long enough for the Lin family, they would receive some respect, but she hadn't expected to still be humiliated and slaughtered like a dog.

"It must be that Young Master of the Lin family. I've heard of him, too. He's not old, but his heart is truly vicious."

Su Quan took a sip.

"I'm just feeling resentful, big sister. Sigh, with such a vicious little beast who does all kinds of evil, life will only get harder in the future." Jiang Sui could only sigh.

"Forget it, let's not talk about him."

Su Quan changed the subject.

If such words were overheard by someone with bad intentions, they would surely die.

"That's true, let's drink, let's drink, don't ruin the mood!"

The two exchanged cups, quickly satisfying their appetites.

After leaving the tavern, Su Quan suggested, "Let's go to Lin Cui Mountain to rest for a while."

"Sure, the timing is perfect, the scenery at Lin Cui Mountain must be nice. Let's go!"

Jiang Sui laughed and led the way.

But just then, the area in front of the market suddenly became noisy.

The wails of women approached from afar.

Looking in that direction, they saw an Immortal horse with a magnificent appearance galloping over. Sitting on its back was an effeminate youth wearing black Dragon robes. He was shouting excitedly, holding an immortal binding rope in his hand, with several Mine Slaves tied behind it.

Dragged by the Immortal horse, they were covered in wounds, their breathing weak, and they could only despairingly beg for mercy and wail.

"Hahahaha, giddyap, giddyap, giddyap!"

"You bunch of cheap dogs, don't block my path."

"Get lost!"

The Immortals scattered, but a few Mine Slaves were unlucky enough to be standing in the middle of the road, and because the Immortal horse was too fast to dodge, they were hit hard.

"Ah—"

The women screamed and were thrown heavily into the distance, their bones broken in countless places.

"Hey, hey, hey, I'll f*** your father, you dog bastards. Are you blind? Daring to collide with my Immortal horse? Let's see if Young Master doesn't kill you today!"

The effeminate youth's temper flared, and the immortal binding rope lashed straight at these Mine Slaves.

Seeing this, the surrounding Immortals were all mourning the fate of these unlucky ones.

Of all people to offend, they had to offend this little Devil King of the Lin family.

He was the male heir born to the Lin Family Old Ancestor only a few decades ago, enjoying thousands of favors and protection. He was the apple of the Lin family's eye; from the Mine Slaves up to the Family Head, no one dared to disobey the words of this fifty-something-year-old toddler.

This had fostered his arrogant, despotic, and lawless personality.

Not to mention killing a few Mine Slaves, even the Lin family's servants and collateral female clan members had died by his hands in no small numbers.

"Boss, save me!"

One of the Mine Slaves was Su Quan's subordinate.

She had also come to the market to relax during her two days off, never expecting to encounter such a disaster.

Su Quan's expression was indifferent; he took a slight step back, hiding outside the crowd.

He had only worked with that Mine Slave simply; there was no deep friendship, and he was not stupid enough to bring trouble upon himself out of a moment of hot-bloodedness.

Bang, bang, bang!

Their heads exploded like watermelons, and red and white matter flowed all over the ground.

Three Immortal Mine Slaves had fallen just like that.

"Hahaha, satisfying, truly satisfying!"

Lin Changshou laughed loudly, continuing to ride the Immortal horse and galloping away. Only after he completely disappeared at the end of the market did the atmosphere shift from heavy and murderous to relaxed.

Su Quan's face was as heavy as water. He glanced at the corpses, a strong sense of urgency rising in his heart.

His strength needed to be improved as soon as possible; who knew which day such a whip would fall on his own head.

...

Lin Cui Mountain.

The moonlight was gentle, and the evening breeze brushed his face.

The world was silent, with only the rustling of the forest.

Su Quan and Jiang Sui found a lawn and lay down, hands behind their heads, looking up at the brilliant starry sky above. Their restless mood calmed down unconsciously.

Both enjoyed this beautiful moment, and neither spoke first.

Gradually, the night deepened.

Jiang Sui spoke hoarsely, her words filled with frustration: "Little Su, tell me... can we still get out of the Lin family alive?"

"Sister Jiang, why bring this up again?"

Su Quan smiled.

"Because I was just thinking, if... if I were those unlucky ones, knocked down to the side by the Immortal horse, would I have any chance of survival?" Jiang Sui's voice was low as she asked casually: "If it were me who fell, would you save me, Little Su?"

"No!"

Su Quan said coldly.

"That's right, you wouldn't!"

Jiang Sui breathed a long sigh of relief: "That is the rational thing to do. If it were you, I wouldn't save you either."

Su Quan stared at the starry sky and smiled faintly: "Our lives are like ants, and life and death are not in our own hands. Throwing one's life away for nothing is the most meaningless thing."

"However, if one day I can escape from here and Cultivate into a divine art, I guarantee I will definitely avenge you!"

"Hahaha, good sister, with those words from you, I'd be content even if I died!"

Jiang Sui laughed loudly.

When the laughter gradually faded, Su Quan picked up the conversation: "Now to answer your initial question, I think we can both get out alive."

"If you get out alive, what is the first thing you want to do?"

"Get out alive?"

Jiang Sui was stunned, then sighed leisurely: "The thing I want to do most is to return to the Lower Realm to see my husband and children. Little Su, you don't know this yet, but I have over eight hundred husbands. I don't know if those stinky men have been cheating on This old lady all these years."

How many?

Eight hundred!

Even with Su Quan's composure, he was startled.

"I say, Sister Jiang, aren't you afraid of being poked to death?"

"How could that be? Your Sister Jiang has great abilities. Little Su, you should still be a virgin, right? If we can both make it out alive in the future, I'll introduce you to hundreds or thousands of men. I guarantee once you get a taste of it, you'll understand the joy of having many men."

The corner of Su Quan's mouth twitched unnaturally.

"Sister Jiang, you can't go three sentences without talking about men!"

"Of course not. It's just a pity that I, Sister Jiang, probably won't have the chance to touch a man again in this life." Jiang Sui scratched her hair and mocked herself: "Getting out of the Lin family alive, how is that possible! Since the Lin family was established, no Mine Slave has ever been able to leave alive."

"Their so-called promise of letting people go after working for a million years is nothing but a void dream."

"Accept your fate, just dig mines properly, living one day at a time. Thinking about anything else is meaningless."

Su Quan suddenly said: "Sister Jiang, I don't think so. I don't want to dig mines for a lifetime, and I don't want to be trapped in this tiny cage for a lifetime."

Jiang Sui was dazed and said softly: "Then what can be done? We are just ants..."

"You're right!"

Su Quan interrupted her directly: "We are indeed as humble as the mud and dust of the world right now."

"But even dust has the right to look up at the starry sky."

"Look up at the starry sky..."

Jiang Sui slowly chewed on these words. Her gaze fell on the firmament. The night sky of the Immortal Realm was so brilliant and vast, like a mysterious man wearing a veil, making one unable to help but want to pursue and explore.

"So, what I mean is, never give up hope!"

Su Quan sat up, winked playfully at the woman, and gave a thumbs up.

At this moment, Jiang Sui seemed to have grasped something. She didn't say it out loud, but clenched her fists tightly and said earnestly: "Yes, thank you, Su Tian. I know what to do now!"

"If there really is a chance to get out, I will definitely make the Lin family pay in blood!"

"Damn it, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not bully a young girl because she is poor!"