The old wooden door of Qingfeng Temple creaked open slowly.
Su Jinse, dressed in blue, stood inside, her expression calm.
Those below the mountain, facing off against each other, froze in place.
Magistrate Li rode forward, pointing at Su Jinse, shouting fiercely, “Witch! You finally dare to show yourself! It’s your evil causing the drought in Qingshi Town! Today, I shall rid the people of your menace!”
The incited refugees behind him joined in the uproar.
“Burn her!”
“Burn the witch!”
Xiao Jue’s soldiers immediately stepped forward, shielding Su Jinse. Xuan Feng whispered, “Miss Su, return inside. Leave this to us.”
Su Jinse shook her head. She pushed past them and took a few steps forward alone.
Her gaze swept over the shouting crowd, landing on the cracked land and withered plants behind them. She sighed softly.
The scene resembled an apocalypse.
She slowly raised her hand.
Everyone held their breath, thinking she was about to use some sorcery.
Yet, nothing happened.
Just as confusion spread among the crowd, someone suddenly shouted, “Look! Up in the sky!”
Everyone raised their heads. The previously clear sky had been covered by a dark cloud.
Then a second, a third…
The clouds gathered rapidly, soon obscuring the sun.
A sudden mountain wind rose, carrying the damp scent of rain.
“Is… is it going to rain?” someone whispered in disbelief.
Magistrate Li’s face changed—how could it be so coincidental?
Before he could react, large raindrops began to pelt down.
At first sporadic, they quickly became a torrential downpour!
After a long drought, sweet rain finally arrived!
The refugees below the mountain froze, then erupted in cheers. They rushed into the rain, letting it wash over them, crying tears of joy.
“It’s raining! It’s really raining!”
“Heaven has opened its eyes!”
Magistrate Li and his thugs were soaked, standing dumbfounded, completely stunned.
Their so-called “ridding the town of harm” had become a huge joke in the face of the sudden downpour.
Xiao Jue watched the slender yet upright figure of Su Jinse in the rain, waves of astonishment surging in his eyes.
Calling the wind and rain?
No—he could sense this wasn’t her power. It was a coincidence, or perhaps she had somehow triggered a change in nature by unknown means.
The downpour dispersed the crowd, and Magistrate Li’s scheme collapsed without a fight.
He watched as the townspeople turned their shouts of violence into awe and gratitude toward Su Jinse, realizing the situation was lost. Reluctantly, he and his men retreated in disgrace.
The crisis was resolved.
Su Jinse returned to the temple, her face pale.
Using her abilities to affect the weather had been too taxing on her current strength.
Xiao Jue followed her in, handing over a wax-paper package.
“A letter from the capital—your elder brother’s.”
Su Jinse took it and opened it.
It was written by Su Muchen. He first asked if she was safe, not trusting the word of the steward, and requested a prompt reply. Then he shifted to the situation in the capital.
The capital was also experiencing a severe drought.
He mentioned sending some salted meat and fine flour through a southern trade caravan, insisting she must collect it from the post station and not refuse. It was his way of making sure his sister wouldn’t go hungry in the remote mountain temple.
Su Jinse knew that obtaining such goods in the capital now wasn’t as simple as “asking someone to send them.”
Her seemingly scholarly, delicate elder brother had likely emptied the family coffers to manage such a delivery.
“What does the letter say?” Xiao Jue asked, his deep voice breaking the silence. “Has it made even a half-immortal like you worry?”
Su Jinse carefully refolded the letter and returned it to the envelope. She looked up at him, her expression calm once more.
“My brother reports he is safe.”
She answered without a single flaw.
Her gaze passed Xiao Jue’s and rested on the rain-washed, lush mountains beyond.