Chapter 61: I Still Don't Know How to Address Madam

Zhao Qianxue suddenly buried her face deep in Su Jian’s embrace.

The other’s age was clearly much younger than hers, yet he bore far more pressure than he ever should have.

Su Jian smiled. “As long as you help me earn more money, that’s the greatest support you could give.”

Zhao Qianxue fell silent.

Although Su Jian’s words easily shattered the mood, she had long since grown used to it.

He, too, felt rather helpless these days. There were many ways to make money, true, but his identity was sensitive—who knew how many eyes were secretly watching him?

All he could do was proceed with utmost caution, even if it meant taking a few unnecessary detours. He would rather suffer some roundabout hardships than risk placing himself in danger.

Last time, when he went to Wanbao Pavilion to scrounge, he had already been treading on thin ice.

Morning arrived.

“Ouyang Feng, under the guise of the Disciplinary Office, secretly sent word to Wanbao Pavilion, exaggerating the actions of the Righteous Alliance against them. Elder Liu, already harboring grievances against the Alliance, believed him without reservation.”

Su Jian saw this latest move from Ouyang Feng and could not help but feel gratified.

Yet, such a simple matter—why had Ouyang Feng delayed so long? What had he been doing all this time?

It must have been related to searching for Ouyang Ke’s whereabouts.

Besides, now that Ouyang Feng had nearly completed his tasks, only the matter of eliminating a thousand Righteous Alliance cultivators remained.

In comparison, this final mission was the simplest. The Righteous Alliance was split between the Southern and Northern Leagues, each commanding dozens of immortal sects of varying sizes.

Within the Jin Dynasty, the righteous immortal sects formed the backbone of the Southern League.

In other words, the Righteous Alliance was vast, their foundation deep, and their low-ranking disciples countless.

But all this depended on Ouyang Feng’s movements remaining concealed; if the Alliance discovered him, it would be no different than walking into a trap.

Su Jian shook his head, refusing to dwell on such trivialities.

What happened to Ouyang Feng next was no longer his concern.

“No matter how many cultivators he slays, it won’t shake the foundation of the Righteous Alliance.”

But to disgust them a little—he found that prospect rather entertaining.

The smile would never disappear; it would only move from the faces of the Righteous Alliance onto his own.

Zhao Qianxue was just about to head to her shop, as she always did.

She had resolved to dedicate herself to earning spirit stones—only then could she be worthy of Su Jian’s devotion.

Never once had she thought that Su Jian’s care for her was something she deserved by right.

Though she kept to herself, she understood the world’s cruelty—even kin might turn on one another for cultivation resources.

With Su Jian treating her so selflessly, how could she ever let him down?

Su Jian grabbed her hand and smiled. “Don’t rush. Today, let’s settle the matter of changing our residence. The shop can run itself for a day; the staff can manage.”

Only then did Zhao Qianxue relent.

Compared to the shop, their safety was obviously more important.

Just then, a knock sounded from beyond the courtyard.

Clearly, the visitor was a cultivator; with protective arrays in place, no ordinary folk could come near.

Su Jian glanced at Zhao Qianxue, his tone steady. “Go inside first. If anything changes, remember to use the Grand Shift Talisman and leave at once.”

She hesitated… wanting to face danger by his side.

He waved her off. “Don’t distract me. You know me—if there’s real trouble, I’ll be gone faster than you.”

She pressed her lips together, but in the end said nothing more and returned to the house.

Su Jian then opened the gate. Standing before him was a woman, her face adorned with a gentle smile.

“Greetings, fellow Daoist. I live next door. I’m not sure if my ill-fated husband ever mentioned me to you, nor do I know if you two were acquainted. Forgive me for this sudden intrusion and my boldness,” she said softly.

Su Jian was taken aback; he hadn’t expected that Daoist Ruan—ugly as a weasel—would have such a beautiful, delicate wife.

He sighed, then put on a kindly face. “Daoist Ruan never did mention his lady. He died young, I’m sorry for your loss. You must take care in these difficult times.”

The woman’s expression softened. “I have no one in this world. I hope you will look after me in the days to come, fellow Daoist.”

Su Jian, unmoved, responded politely, “Of course. May I ask your name?”

He, too, was alone—who would look after him?

Pretty or not, there was little about her that piqued his true interest.

And as for taking care of her, it was nowhere on his list of concerns.

With a sweet smile, she replied, “My name is Shen Jingya. You may simply call me Jingya.”

Su Jian’s pupils constricted sharply, but in the blink of an eye, he returned to his calm demeanor.

Shen Jingya?

Damn it!

Back from the dead?

Of course not. Shen Jingya had been killed by the Lord, and her body had been seized by Longhu.

In an instant, Su Jian understood the stakes.

The woman before him, pretending to be Shen Jingya, if not the mastermind herself, must be intimately connected to those behind the scenes.

But he didn’t risk tearing off the mask.

That would have been unwise.

After all, as when dealing with Longhu, he didn’t even know her cultivation. If he acted rashly, it could bring disaster.

He had no intention of burning bridges or fleeing with the Grand Shift Talisman unless absolutely necessary—it was a last resort.

The woman, feigning confusion, asked, “Daoist, is something wrong with my name?”

Su Jian smiled blandly. “You may not know, but my family always said that in the neighboring Cold Mountain City, we have a relative—a descendant of my eldest uncle. I heard his daughter’s name is also Shen Jingya. By seniority, she ought to call me grandfather.”

“Could it be you are my uncle’s granddaughter?”

Though his words were riddled with holes, the woman wasn’t the real Shen Jingya anyway.

She faltered, then forced a smile. “It must be a coincidence. I’ve never heard my family mention such a thing.”

She knew better than Su Jian whether he had any relatives.

But his intent was obvious.

Nothing more than a man’s lust, she thought.

Back at the Biyou Divine Palace, she already knew plenty about Su Jian.

He rescued the situation, laughing, “Let’s each mind our own business. Even if you truly were my long-lost granddaughter, it’s nothing important.”

She smiled. “Then I’ll rely on you in the days ahead… Won’t you invite me in for a cup of tea?”