“This is the Wind-Chasing Xuan Eagle, a flying demon beast tamed by the He family. Traveling ten thousand miles in a day is nothing for it.”
Noticing his hesitation, Steward Lou whispered the explanation.
“Flying demon beast?” Lou Xingyao repeated softly, a sudden sense of foreboding crawling through his chest. Could it be… that following Mrs. He to Canglan City would mean riding this very eagle?
“Yes, Fifth Young Master. You will be carried by this Xuan Eagle on your journey with Mrs. He.” There was a trace of envy in Steward Lou’s tone.
Although he spoke of the eagle as if he knew every detail, this particular beast had already reached the third-tier level of a demon beast, equivalent to a human at the Foundation Establishment stage.
A beast of this caliber was far beyond what a family like the Lous, living humbly in Pingyang County, could normally maintain. Only by basking in Mrs. He’s favor could they even see it, let alone ride it.
“Is there really no other way to travel?” Lou Xingyao’s suspicion was confirmed. He looked at the Xuan Eagle, then at himself, and back at the eagle again, his expression turning grim.
A demon beast is not like a human cultivator, it would not consciously suppress its aura. The Xuan Eagle’s oppressive aura at this moment was even stronger than Lou Shaohui’s threat the previous day.
Were it not for the unexpected star energy in his body, Lou Xingyao might have struggled even to breathe. Even so, he could no longer approach the Xuan Eagle, let alone ride it.
“Fifth Young Master, this Xuan Eagle belongs to the He family…” Lou Shi had thought Lou Xingyao might be displeased, but when he turned to look, he realized the situation was far more serious than imagined.
Their Fifth Young Master’s face had suddenly turned pale, a faint sweat forming on his forehead, an obvious sign of extreme pressure.
Lou Shi realized that Lou Xingyao was still a mortal who had yet to draw energy into his body.
He scrutinized him closely and, upon noticing the empty waist of Lou Xingyao, a flicker of surprise and understanding appeared in his eyes.
“The family head also instructed me to give this jade pendant to the Fifth Young Master. I neglected it for a moment, please forgive my oversight.”
Lou Shi took a small jade pendant from his pouch, about half the size of a palm, and presented it to Lou Xingyao.
At a glance, Lou Xingyao recognized its origin. It was a Tenglong Pendant, a magical artifact that could block the oppressive aura of any cultivator below the Foundation Establishment stage.
In the Lou family, such pendants were not rare. Favored young masters and young ladies often had one.
Lou XiaoWu had once possessed one, a relic left by Lou Yiyi, but it had been stolen years ago. Lou Xingyao hadn’t expected to obtain one in this situation.
He also knew that Lou Shaohui would not have bothered with such small matters but he did not call attention to it.
“You flatter me, Steward Lou. Please convey my thanks to the head of the family for his consideration.”
As soon as Lou Xingyao reached out to take the Soaring Dragon Pendant, he immediately felt a wave of lightness wash over his body.
Glancing again at the Chasing Wind Mystical Eagle, its fierce presence no longer seemed as intimidating as before.
He fastened the pendant around his waist just in time to see Lou Shaohui and Madam He, along with their entourage, slowly making their way toward him from not far off.
Madam He looked exactly as she had yesterday, her face calm and expressionless, like a still lake untouched by wind. But Lou Shaohui, that so-called kind uncle of his, wore a grin so wide it could almost touch the sky.
When the group drew near, Lou Xingyao finally caught the tail end of Lou Shaohui’s conversation.
“Madam He, don’t worry,” Lou Shaohui said earnestly. “I’ve already spoken to my nephew about everything that needs to be said. It’s just that once he leaves for Canglan City, it may be difficult for us to meet again. As his uncle, I only wish to share a few heartfelt words before he goes.”
“Please, Master Lou, go ahead,” Madam He replied impassively, stepping aside to give him space.
Lou Xingyao had no choice but to bow politely. “Greetings, Uncle.”
Lou Shaohui sighed, adopting a tone of deep sentiment. “I never thought time would pass so quickly. Xingyao, you’ve already reached the age for marriage.”
Xingyao lowered his eyes, saying nothing. What was there to say? In the Tianming Continent, men couldn’t even marry before sixteen, he had only just turned fifteen!
Of course, Lou Shaohui knew that perfectly well, but he didn’t intend for Xingyao to reply. He simply kept talking, his voice dripping with false affection.
He praised the fortune of being able to marry into the Zhou family, spoke at length about their deep roots and immense influence in Canglan City, and then reminded him that the Lou family was far less powerful.
Once he arrived, he must place his husband’s household above all else, mind his words and deeds, and never bring trouble upon himself or the Lou family.
His tone was so serious that, to an outsider, it might almost sound like genuine concern. But to anyone who listened carefully, it all boiled down to one cold message: A married child is like water spilled, gone for good.
Whether a daughter or a son, once married off, they no longer belonged to the Lou family.
Had it been the original Lou Xiaowu hearing this, he might have been heartbroken. But unfortunately for Lou Shaohui, it was Lou “Niugulu” Xingyao standing here now.
Not only did he feel no sadness at all, he almost wanted to laugh because Lou Shaohui’s words suited him perfectly.
If the Lou family chose to abandon him first, then when the time came, he could stand on the moral high ground and point fingers at them all he wanted.
Ever since inheriting Lou Xiaowu’s memories, Lou Xingyao had harbored deep resentment toward the entire Lou clan. Not only toward those who had bullied Lou Xiaowu, but also toward the elders who stood by and did nothing.
Had any one of them stepped in to stop the bullying, things might not have spiraled out of control.
Lou Xiaowu had been too forgiving, even in his final moments, he held no hatred toward anyone, not even his tormentors. That kindness, however, wasn’t something Lou Xingyao shared.
He was the type to hold a grudge and long ones at that. If not for this sudden marriage arrangement, he would already be planning a few “accidents” for those bullies.
Originally, he had intended to cut ties with the Lou family as soon as possible, to completely sever any karmic bond between them.
If he ever sought revenge later, he didn’t want Heaven to mistake it as him turning against his own kin and doubling his tribulation lightning.
Yet on the Tianming Continent, family bloodlines were like ancient clan ties in old China, deep and binding. Breaking them wasn’t as easy as simply walking away.
He had thought it would take a great deal of effort, but who would’ve thought the heavens would grant him a perfect opportunity?
If a married son also spilled water, then once he married Zhou Hanshan, he would naturally be free from all Lou family ties. No more karma. No more burden.
The thought filled him with quiet delight. His resistance toward this absurd marriage weakened considerably. He quickly lowered his head, afraid that the smile tugging at his lips would give him away.
“Don’t blame your uncle for being heartless,” Lou Shaohui continued solemnly. “The He family is wealthy and powerful, and they have a Golden Core cultivator backing them. Your uncle is powerless to help. Still, don’t worry, after all, I’m Madam He’s brother-in-law. I have some standing in her household. She promised me she wouldn’t mistreat you.”
His words were meant to sound comforting, but Lou Xingyao’s downward gaze made it look as though he were grieving. Lou Shaohui, mistaking silence for sorrow, faltered mid-speech. After a long pause, he sighed again.
“Your uncle can only do so much for you.”
The heavy, helpless tone might have sounded moving, had Xingyao not already known about the private deal between him and Madam He. To outsiders, Lou Shaohui might seem compassionate; in truth, he simply wanted to save money.
He wasn’t just stingy, he was creative about it. To avoid paying for dowry expenses, he had willingly sold his nephew into marriage as a substitute bride and then had the audacity to make it sound like an act of noble sacrifice.
Lou Xingyao could only marvel. He had seen miserly men before, but never anyone this shameless. Still, since he wanted to cut ties anyway, the less the Lou family contributed, the better. In that sense, Lou Shaohui’s stinginess was doing him a favor.
Raising his head, Lou Xingyao looked at him with wide, glistening eyes full of supposed gratitude, “Thank you, Uncle.”
His slightly round, fawn-like eyes naturally carried a trace of innocence. Coupled with his superb acting skills, that innocence multiplied severalfold.
Even a cold, calculating man like Lou Shaohui felt a strange pang of guilt, as if he had just tricked a child. The words he’d meant to say next caught in his throat, neither spoken nor swallowed.
At that exact moment, Madam He’s young maid stepped forward, as though sensing the awkwardness. “Master Lou, it’s getting late. Madam asked me to inquire when will the Fifth Young Master be ready to depart?”
“Now,” Lou Shaohui said quickly, his relief almost palpable. “Please thank Madam He for her patience.”
He waved his hand hurriedly, practically pushing Lou Xingyao toward the maid.
Xingyao exhaled quietly. Dealing with someone like Lou Shaohui was exhausting, especially since every word and gesture had to match Lou Xiaowu’s timid personality. If he spoke too long, he risked slipping out of character.
“Please follow me, Fifth Young Master,” said the maid, her expression softening once she received permission to depart.
Though she didn’t treat him with much respect, neither did she look down on him the way the Lou servants had. Her attitude was neutral like one might show a stranger which was already an improvement.
From that alone, Lou Xingyao could tell that his journey ahead wouldn’t be too unbearable.
And indeed, the trip to Canglan City proved uneventful. Madam He completely ignored his existence, and her attendants, following her lead, did the same.
For an ordinary fifteen-year-old boy, such cold treatment might have been difficult to endure.
But Lou Xingyao, though housed in a fifteen year old’s body, carried the mind of a thirty-year-old man. For him, being ignored was a blessing, it meant no acting, no pretenses.
What truly tested his patience wasn’t their attitude, but the relentless pace of travel.
They flew day and night, stopping only once when the Mystical Eagle needed rest. Though the creature’s back was as comfortable as a first-class airplane seat, even that luxury couldn’t ease the fatigue of an entire month’s journey through the skies.
After so long, time itself began to blur. Lou Xingyao could only measure the passing days by the dwindling number of fasting pills he had consumed.
Just when he started to wonder if the journey would ever end, he heard the maids chatting excitedly nearby.
“We’re almost there! I thought I’d never see the ground again, flying for so long makes me sick.”
“Tell me about it. But Madam had no choice; the Zhou family’s been urging her to hurry.”
“At least she promised us a month’s leave once we return. I can’t wait to rest!”
“Same here! When I’m rested, let’s go shopping. Before we left, I saw the prettiest… ”
Their cheerful chatter trailed off as the Mystical Eagle began to descend, and soon, a vast city wall emerged in Lou Xingyao’s view.
The wall stretched across the land like a slumbering dragon, so wide that even from thousands of meters above, its end was invisible. Within its embrace sprawled a boundless city, majestic and grand.
As the eagle dove lower, a towering city gate came into sight. Upon it were three bold, powerful characters, each one carved as though by blade and lightning, radiating unyielding might:
Canglan City.
God! I can’t wait for Lou family, especially Uncle to have their retribution! Xingyou need to revenge Poor XioWu!
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The translator would like to formally submit a coffee request.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Crossing OverChapter 2 · Lu XioaWuChapter 3 · UncleChapter 4 · Substitute MarriageChapter 5 · Travelling Through BookChapter 6 · SpaceChapter 7 · InheritanceChapter 8 · ExplanationChapter 9 · He familyChapter 10 · CompensateChapter 11 · WeddingChapter 12 · LeavingChapter 13 · SuspicionChapter 14 · Change SurnameChapter 14 · Change SurnameChapter 15 · SummaryChapter 16 · Family BusinessChapter 17 · ResettlementChapter 18 · DeterminationChapter 19 · TreatChapter 20 · Enter the TaoChapter 21 · Private TrainingChapter 22 · BreakthroughChapter 23 · ExperienceChapter 24 Part 1 · Questions and AnswersChapter 24 Part 2 · Questions and answersChapter 25 · GiftChapter 25 Part 1 · GiftChapter 26 Part 1 · Sword IntentChapter 26 Part 2 · Sword IntentChapter 27 Part 1 · SelectChapter 27 Part 2 · SelectChapter 28 Part 1 · PastChapter 28 Part 2 · PastChapter 29 Part 1 · ConfessionChapter 29 Part 2 · ConfessionChapter 30 Part 1 · TradeChapter 30 Part 2 · TradeChapter 31 Part 1 · Male LeadChapter 31 Part 2 · Male LeadChapter 32 Part 1 · LuckChapter 32 Part 2 · LuckChapter 33 Part 1 · GuessingChapter 33 Part 2 · GuessingChapter 34 Part 1 · SystemChapter 34 Part 2 · SystemChapter 35 · OpportunityChapter 36 Part 1 · LingquanChapter 36 Part 2 · LingquanChapter 37 Part 1 · Hundred Flowers PartChapter 37 Part 2 · Hundred Flowers PartChapter 38 · Worth itChapter 39 · SaintessChapter 40 · ExperimentChapter 41 · Vampire SystemChapter 42 · NotesChapter 43 · WarningChapter 44 · PlanChapter 45 · Fellow VillagersChapter 46 · AssimilationChapter 47 · IlliterateChapter 48 · Pak WahChapter 49 · Sudden EnlightenmentChapter 50 · Wen ZhiChapter 51 · CarrierChapter 52 · LeavingChapter 53 · Follow UpChapter 54 · OutrageousChapter 55 · OnceChapter 56 · TeasingChapter 57 · Playing aroundChapter 58 · Beast fireChapter 59 · Watching a PlayChapter 60 · Extermination of the entire clanChapter 61 · ChoiceChapter 62 · PossessionChapter 63 · CalculationChapter 64 · GuaranteedChapter 65 · Grand OpeningChapter 66 · Grand OpeningChapter 67 · Protecting one’s ownChapter 68 · Secret RealmChapter 69 · BetrayalChapter 70 · DetailsChapter 71 · FramedChapter 72 · MeetingChapter 73 · KillChapter 74 · MapChapter 75 · FoundationChapter 76 · Strange Phenomenon!Chapter 77 · ExchangeChapter 78 · LetterChapter 79 · ShortcutChapter 80 · God of Slaughter!Chapter 81 · Poison PillChapter 82 · Lou ShuChapter 83 · ProgressChapter 84 · An attemptChapter 85 · Movement and StillnessChapter 86 · Good intentionsChapter 87 · ChangeChapter 88 · Childhood friendChapter 89 · ThoughtsChapter 90 · Old storiesChapter 91 · HeritageChapter 92 · TestChapter 93 · LoverChapter 94 · Heartfelt wishesChapter 95 · MasterChapter 96 · TeachingChapter 97 · IllusionChapter 98 · Mutual RestraintChapter 99 · ObstructionChapter 100 · PalaceChapter 101 · Core TechniqueChapter 102 · OathChapter 103 · Dual cultivationChapter 104 · AccessChapter 105 · VulnerabilityChapter 106 · DensityChapter 107 · WantedChapter 108 · EntrustChapter 109 · RevisitChapter 110 · MonitoringChapter 111 · Secret RealmChapter 112 · NourishChapter 113 · InventoryChapter 114 · Get Rich QuicklyChapter 115 · ElderChapter 116 · Grand FormationChapter 117 · Heaven’s WillChapter 118 · BountyChapter 119 · GainChapter 120 · BlameChapter 121 · ChattingChapter 122 · GuessChapter 123 · Zheng TianChapter 124 · SparringChapter 125 · Sword intentChapter 126 · KenshinChapter 127 · Auditing a classChapter 128 · CoincidenceChapter 129 · ContradictionChapter 130 · RouteChapter 131 · CostChapter 132 · ConfiscatedChapter 133 · Holding a grudgeChapter 134 · SupportChapter 135 · DeteriorationChapter 136 · Unable toChapter 137 · PriceChapter 138 · VariantChapter 139 · Start AnewChapter 140 · ShamelessChapter 141 · Black PotChapter 142 · Benefiting fromChapter 143 · PieChapter 144 · DifferencesChapter 145 · DetoxificationChapter 146 · Current situationChapter 147 · TeasingChapter 148 · IntelligenceChapter 149 · Returned GiftChapter 150 · Old debtChapter 151 · FleshChapter 152 · OpeningChapter 153 · GrudgesChapter 154 · RegretChapter 155 · Gang fightChapter 156 · GentleChapter 157 · ComplaintChapter 158 · ScreamsChapter 159 · GeniusChapter 160 · ConcernChapter 161 · Hidden StoryChapter 162 · StingyChapter 163 · Guilty conscienceChapter 164 Part 1 · StruggleChapter 164 Part 2 · StruggleChapter 165 · Win or LoseChapter 166 · TasteChapter 167 · Shifting The BlameChapter 168 · MoonlightChapter 169 · Past EventChapter 170 · RegretChapter 171 · RetributionChapter 172 · Cause and EffectChapter 173 · BackgroundChapter 174 · FlatteryChapter 175 · HonestChapter 176 · BookkeepingChapter 177 · FarewellChapter 178 · GuidelineChapter 179 · BottleneckChapter 180 · HabitChapter 181 · Casual ChatChapter 182 · Flowing WaterChapter 183 · RumoursChapter 184 · Seeking AdviceChapter 185 · PityChapter 186 · FormationChapter 187 · BasicChapter 188 · Fake TombChapter 189 · BewareChapter 190 · TraceChapter 191 · DiscussChapter 192 · Ancestral preceptsChapter 193 · Loose CultivatorChapter 194 · AllocationChapter 195 · Thank you for your kindnessChapter 196 · ExplanationChapter 197 · ErrorChapter 198 · Culinary skillsChapter 199 · Starry SeaChapter 200 · ComparisonChapter 201 · FrustratedChapter 202 · Don’t watchChapter 203 · LonelinessChapter 204 · NoChapter 205 · Exposing ShortcutsChapter 206 · CraftsmanshipChapter 207 · Bottom LineChapter 208 · StrikeChapter 209 · Ten GoldChapter 210 · Pretentious