Su Yu’s Divine Sense plunged into Leng Fei’s ice-blue Storage Ring. With a thought, he retrieved the first item from the collection.
It was a deep-blue, leather-bound book that exuded a faint, cold aura. On its cover, written in forceful brushstrokes, were the four words: *Canghan Jue Lang Scripture*.
Su Yu picked it up and quickly flipped through it, overjoyed. ’This is it! It’s the ice-element Cultivation Technique Leng Fei used underwater! It can instantly release a cold aura and freeze the water flow. Truly domineering.’
Back in the water, Leng Fei had used this very move to instantly trap the Black Dragon Fish, which had quite surprised Su Yu.
’If I cultivate this ice-element technique and combine it with my Bibo Fish Dragon Skill, my combat power underwater will absolutely soar!’
"This Cultivation Technique is extremely profound. I’m afraid it’s already reached the Profound Tier." Su Yu put the book away, turned his head, and smiled at Qian Qinghong. "Qinghong, I’ll make a copy when I get back and send it to you."
"Alright. In that case, I’ll thank my dear husband in advance," Qian Qinghong said, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents as she gave a mischievous wink.
Su Yu gave a helpless smile and sent his Divine Sense back into the Storage Ring.
Immediately after, he took out the second treasure.
It was a spirit fruit, entirely azure-blue and about half the size of a fist. It was as round as a celestial peach, and faint, natural spiritual patterns flickered across its skin. Even from several steps away, one could smell a light, refreshing fragrance that made one’s pores open.
"This is...?"
A flicker of confusion passed through Qian Qinghong’s beautiful eyes. Despite being knowledgeable and worldly, she couldn’t identify the spirit fruit’s origin at a glance.
Various miscellaneous records he had read flashed through Su Yu’s mind. Then, with a sudden thought, he took out a yellowed, ancient sheepskin scroll from his own Storage Ring.
This ancient scroll was titled *Record of Exotic Treasures of the Nine Provinces*, and it chronicled many rare and wondrous treasures passed down since ancient times. Su Yu flipped through it rapidly, his fingertips flying across the pages, and soon stopped on one particular page:
[Taiyin Azure Soul Fruit]: An ancient wonder. Grows beside ten-thousand-year-old cold abysses, absorbing the essence of the extreme yin. It blooms once every hundred years and bears fruit once every hundred years. The fruit is azure-blue with faint Taiyin spiritual patterns. When consumed by a mortal, it can ward off heat and cold, temper flesh and blood, strengthen the Divine Sense...
"It really is a Taiyin Azure Soul Fruit!"
Su Yu gently cradled the spirit fruit, confirming it once more.
"A rare treasure like this is extremely difficult to cultivate. It can only be nurtured in perennially frigid places like the northern Snow State. The fact that Leng Fei managed to get one shows the Leng family must have some connections in the north."
Su Yu looked up at Qian Qinghong. "Qinghong, this spirit fruit is a great help to me, so I won’t be polite."
"It was your spoils of war to begin with, why do you need to ask my opinion?" Seeing his serious expression, Qian Qinghong leaned forward slightly and pouted teasingly, "What’s this, Brother Su? Are you really starting to treat me like your wife?"
Seeing her sly expression, Su Yu didn’t know how to respond.
He decided to just shut up, sighing internally. ’A beautiful woman’s mood really can change on a whim.’
He picked up the Taiyin Azure Soul Fruit and took a bite.
The flesh was crisp, sweet as nectar.
In an instant, an intensely cold aura rushed down his throat and into his abdomen!
As cold and heat intertwined, the Qi and Blood in Su Yu’s body began to circulate on its own. The frigid Spiritual Qi drilled into every inch of his bones and muscle fibers like fine needles, continuously washing away impurities and nourishing his entire body. Su Yu felt every pore on his body open up, and the foundation of his physical body began to strengthen at that very moment!
At the same time, the system panel in his vision flashed wildly:
[Breakthrough Point Progress +5%]
[Breakthrough Point Progress +5%]
...
In the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, the medicinal power of the spirit fruit was completely absorbed. Su Yu slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air that looked like a white arrow, and with a thought, he summoned his panel:
[Breakthrough Points]: 0 (Progress 55%)
’It shot up by more than fifty percent in an instant! As expected of an ancient wonder!’
A look of pleasant surprise flashed in Su Yu’s eyes. These ancient wonders were truly great treasures; it was just a shame that there were so few ways to obtain them.
He had practically never seen anything like this in the Outer City of Black Stone City.
The Inner City might have them, but the factions there controlled the resources tightly and would rarely let them slip out to the Outer City.
There were rumors before about opening up the Inner City, but he had no idea when any action would be taken.
’Perhaps the pressure from the Black Lotus Sect is still too little...’
Right now, the Inner City was more like a group of lofty masters who didn’t care whether the people of the Outer City lived or died, which was quite irritating.
Pulling his thoughts back, Su Yu began to put away the large pile of miscellaneous items on the table.
"Qinghong, once we’re back in Black Stone City, I’ll sell these miscellaneous items. When I’ve exchanged them for silver taels, I’ll visit you to split the proceeds."
"Brother Su, now you’re just looking down on me." Seeing that Su Yu still wanted to settle accounts, Qian Qinghong sighed helplessly.
She suddenly stood up, stepped forward, and gently pressed a slender, jade-like finger against Su Yu’s lips.
A faint, mysterious fragrance wafted around Su Yu’s nose as he heard her say, in a tone that was both playfully annoyed and serious, "I already got the better end of the deal with the Storage Ring and the Profound Tier materials. Listen to me, don’t be so formal with me again, or I’ll get truly angry."
Feeling the cool, smooth touch on his lips, Su Yu stiffened slightly before nodding.
It was true that Qinghong had contributed a great deal this time. She had obtained the most crucial piece of intelligence, and she had even come personally to help him get the Dragon Tendon.
Especially before he had revealed his true strength, she had shouldered most of the risk for this trip.
But just as Qinghong had said, their trip through the Golden Waterway had brought them much closer. There was no need to be so formal anymore.
...
The treasure ship sailed smoothly with the wind and current for two days. Finally, at dawn, the grand, imposing silhouette of Black Stone City came into view in the distance.
"Brother Su, now that we’re back, I’ll head back to the Qian Family first. If you need anything, feel free to come find me anytime," Qian Qinghong said with a radiant smile.
"Alright. Be careful on your way."
At a fork on Black Stone Avenue, in the faint morning light, Su Yu and Qian Qinghong stood side by side. For a moment, neither of them moved. They watched each other in silence for a good half a minute, then suddenly broke into a smile at the same time. With a tacit understanding, they turned and darted off in the directions of their respective family estates.
「The Su Mansion Entrance.」
As Su Yu rounded the street corner, he heard several guards at the entrance huddled together, excitedly discussing something in a festive and joyful mood.
"What are you all talking about? You seem so happy."
Hearing the voice, the guards saw that their lord had returned. They immediately straightened their backs and gathered around him with respectful expressions.
"My Lord!"
"Greetings, My Lord!"
Su Yu chuckled and waved his hand. "No need to be so formal. Erhu, has something wonderful happened at the mansion?"
The guard named Su Erhu heard Su Yu call him by name in front of everyone and immediately beamed with pride, replying loudly, "Reporting to My Lord! The Madam just broke through to the Flesh Refining Realm yesterday! She’s been waiting for you to come back so she can tell you the good news herself!"
"Also, Commander Su Can finally broke through his bottleneck early this morning and successfully became a Martial Artist! He’s already gone to the Public Security Bureau to register!"
’Zhen’Er broke through to the Flesh Refining Realm?’
Su Yu was inwardly startled upon hearing this. ’That girl is worthy of her Wood Spirit Body! Her cultivation speed is catching up to my own!’
And his third brother, Su Can, had finally become a Martial Artist. That was to be expected. Su Can was already exceptionally talented, and his temperament had been completely transformed after their recent ordeal. With the endless supply of resources from the Su Mansion, his breakthrough was only a matter of time.
’With this, the Su Mansion’s combat strength has grown immensely, and our ability to protect ourselves has greatly increased!’
Now that his third brother had broken through, it was time to select a few of the more talented and loyal guards in the mansion and train them to become Martial Artists as well.
He wasn’t lacking in resources now, so training a few more Martial Artist subordinates wouldn’t be a problem.
Su Yu suppressed these thoughts, smiled, and clapped Erhu on the shoulder. After offering a few words of encouragement to the men, he strode into the mansion.
Behind him, Su Erhu’s face was flushed with excitement, his chest puffed out with pride.
The other guards immediately crowded around him with envious looks, flattering him, "Brother Erhu, My Lord actually remembered your name! That’s so awesome!"
"Of course! Brother Erhu is from Qingxi Village, he’s from the same clan as My Lord!"
"Brother Erhu, tell us, was My Lord already incredibly heroic back in the village?"
This made Su Erhu even prouder. He puffed out his chest and said:
"You’ve definitely asked the right person! Let me tell you, the midwife who delivered My Lord was my next-door neighbor, Second Auntie! The day My Lord was born, tsk tsk, what a scene! Rosy light descended from the heavens, it was like Mars himself had come down to the mortal world..."
...
「Inner Courtyard. The lotus pond was shrouded in mist, quiet and serene.」
Just as Su Yu stepped through the moon gate, a fragrant breeze suddenly washed over his face. A graceful, slender figure, like a startled deer in the woods, instantly flitted before him.
"Brother Su!" a delicate voice called out.
Su Yu looked over.
Zhen’Er’s entire aura had changed. Breaking through to the Flesh Refining Realm had revitalized her body, making her skin even fairer and her figure even more perfect.
A slender waist, long legs, ample peaks, and a perky rear...
Each feature was enough to make other women die with envy.
Combined with her stunningly beautiful face, she looked like a celestial fairy.
"Brother Su~"
Seeing Su Yu staring, completely stunned, Zhen’Er’s heart filled with sweetness. She nestled blissfully into his embrace, took his large hand, and her breath was as fragrant as an orchid as she spoke:
"Your trip to the Golden Waterway, did you manage to get the Black Dragon Fish? You didn’t run into any danger, did you, Brother Su?"
Su Yu snapped back to his senses. He took her soft, boneless, jade-like hand and smiled. "It was more than just a success! Your husband brought back two whole Black Dragon Fish this time! Come, let’s go inside. I’ll tell you all about it."