“May I ask how to address the young master?” Steward Long asked with a smile.
“Xu Zimo,” Xu Zimo replied.
“Does the young master have any Clan?” Steward Long continued to ask.
“My parents are still alive, but I’ve been wandering the world as a rogue cultivator for so long, I haven’t returned home in years,” Xu Zimo said.
“If there’s a chance, you should invite your parents to stay here in the Qin residence,” Steward Long said as he led Xu Zimo into a courtyard.
“This is where you’ll be staying, everything has already been prepared. I live in the courtyard next door. If you need anything, feel free to find me.”
Xu Zimo nodded slightly.
As Steward Long was about to leave, Xu Zimo turned and asked, “Uncle Long, I heard that becoming the son-in-law grants access to the Thundercloud Cave. Is that true?”
“The lord did say that. For the details, you’ll have to ask him yourself,” Steward Long replied with a smile.
“Then nothing else for now,” Xu Zimo nodded.
He could sense there was something the Qin Clan was hiding from him, but he couldn’t be bothered to dig into it. He just wanted to see the Thundercloud Cave.
Or rather, he planned to visit every place related to thunder in the coming days.
The courtyard was rather simple.
There was a large, sturdy northern poplar tree in the center of the yard.
A cold wind blew through, and a few dead leaves slowly drifted down in the breeze.
Xu Zimo walked into the house. The room was clean, clearly well-maintained.
He wasn’t in a rush. As night fell, he simply lay on the bed and went to sleep.
After all, the people from the City Lord’s Mansion would come find him sooner or later.
His consciousness entered the True Fate World. The Seven-Face Infernal Archon and the others were training within it, everything proceeding as usual without any disturbance.
Xu Zimo began cultivating as well. Until dusk, when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
His consciousness returned to the outside world.
The room was pitch black and completely silent.
Xu Zimo glanced toward the bedhead and saw a woman standing there quietly, staring at him.
“What is it?” Xu Zimo sat up in bed, trying to light the lamp.
He recognized the woman. It was Qin Shuang, the Qin Clan’s daughter who had appeared on the stage earlier, his supposed bride-to-be.
“Don’t light the lamp,” Qin Shuang said calmly.
“W-what are you trying to do?!” Xu Zimo pulled his clothes tighter, nervously asking.
“Shameless! What are you thinking?!” Qin Shuang said angrily upon seeing his reaction. “If you want to live, you should leave the Qin residence.”
“Why should I leave?” Xu Zimo calmly lit the lamp in the room and smiled. “I finally latched onto your father’s big tree. I’m about to make it big.”
“You really think things come that easily?” Qin Shuang said coldly.
“I’m not afraid. And now that you’re my wife, shouldn’t you take off your veil and let me have a look?” Xu Zimo said with a smile. “Don’t worry wifey, no matter how ugly you are, I’ll still treat you well.”
“You’re impossible to reason with!” Qin Shuang replied and stormed out angrily.
“Why not just stay tonight and keep me company?” Xu Zimo called after her.
Her footsteps quickened even more.
“I’ve warned you. If you don’t listen, don’t blame me.”
Watching her leave, Xu Zimo chuckled.
“Interesting. Very interesting.”
Meanwhile, in the Qin residence, Qin Feng was seated at the head of the main hall.
Steward Long stood respectfully behind him.
“He hasn’t run off, has he?” Qin Feng asked.
“Miss secretly went to his room, but he hasn’t run yet,” Steward Long shook his head.
“That girl Shuang’er…” Qin Feng sighed. “Keep an eye on him. Even if you have to tie him up with rope, don’t let him leave.”
“Understood,” Steward Long nodded. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “But I don’t think Miss likes him.”
“Whether she likes him or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that she chose him herself, understand?” Qin Feng fell silent for a moment before saying, “No matter what, I won’t let Shuang’er die in front of me.”
“What a pity for Miss. She’s been kind-hearted since childhood,” Steward Long shook his head and left the hall.
The night passed without incident.
Xu Zimo noticed that after entering the Qin residence, no one came to manage or question him. They simply dumped him in the courtyard and left him alone.
Early in the morning, servants brought breakfast to the courtyard.
The breakfast was lavish and made entirely of rare herbs.
Xu Zimo glanced at it. “Nine Yang Flower, Scorching Sun Grass, Seven Star Fire Flower, Blazing Sun Leaf…”
All of it was made from fire-attributed herbs.
“Are they trying to burn me alive...?” Xu Zimo muttered.
“Young master, the lord instructed that you must finish it all,” the servant said.
Xu Zimo smiled. Under the servants’ watchful eyes, he finished the meal bit by bit.
Normally, with his physique, fire-type herbs wouldn’t have any effect on him.
But this time, he felt something different. After ingesting the various herbs, they triggered a reaction.
His body burned with heat, as if a fire was raging inside.
The flame circulated through his body along his meridians.
From burning hot to warm and comfortable, Xu Zimo let out a light breath.
After the servants left, with nothing else to do, Xu Zimo wandered around the Qin residence.
He casually asked a servant, “Where is your master?”
“Greetings, young master,” the servant bowed quickly. “The master is in the garden.”
Following the directions, Xu Zimo walked for a while and heard the sound of beautiful music.
The melody was clear and joyful, flowing gently like water under a small bridge. It felt peaceful.
But Xu Zimo could hear a faint sadness within it.
Not in the tune itself, but in the heart of the person playing it.
As he walked further, the area was filled with blooming flowers of all kinds, vibrant and in full bloom.
At the heart of this floral sea stood a pavilion.
A gentle breeze passed, and inside the pavilion were a woman and a middle-aged man.
The woman wore a white long dress. The hem of her skirt stretched out a meter along the floor, blending seamlessly with the white sea of flowers.
Before her was a harp.
It was Qin Shuang, focused intently on playing the harp.
Qin Feng stood at the edge of the pavilion with his hands behind his back, listening quietly.
As Xu Zimo approached, Qin Feng suddenly opened his eyes.
A wave of pressure burst forth from him.
In the next moment, his figure flickered and appeared on the path outside the sea of flowers.
“What are you doing here?” Qin Feng asked coldly, glancing at Xu Zimo.
“Looking for you,” Xu Zimo replied.