TheLazyDreamer
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40 Su Ting
🕑 Added 2025-04-20 12:19:19 +0000 UTCTheir journey was short, but meaningful, the city's towering walls came into view.
The familiar skyline of Liyun City brought a sense of comfort. The Su Family manor stood tall among the estates of other noble clans, its walls radiating quiet authority.
As the spiritual boat descended, Su Kang stepped out first, followed by Bai Yunxi and the Moonlight Butterfly.
The butterfly's shimmering wings glinted under the sunlight, a soft ripple of curiosity passing through the onlookers.
Bai Yunxi offered him a brief glance and a nod before making her way to her residence.
Meanwhile, Su Kang guided the Moonlight Butterfly toward the spiritual-beast quarters nestled within the manor grounds.
Standing beside the creature, he said in a firm tone, “I know this may not feel like home, but change is necessary, and you won’t regret it.”
The butterfly didn't respond. It simply lowered its wings and went on.
After arranging its accommodations, Su Kang returned to his residence. He called over the head servant. “Any news from the clan?”
The servant bowed. “A few days ago, Young Master Ting returned to the estate.”
A slow smirk played at the corner of Su Kang’s lips. “It's been a while since I saw that drama prince.”
Su Ting had always been known for his vibrant personality and keen intellect. In his leisure time, he preferred the company of young individuals and consistently sought new adventures.
“Good. Inform the family head and elders that I’m back,” Su Kang said before leaving.
He approached the doors of his brother's palace. He stepped inside to find the palace unusually quiet, there was no sign of the Su Ting.
If Su Ting wasn't home, there was only one place he could be.
If Su Ting wasn’t here, there was only one place he’d be.
“The tavern,” Su Kang muttered, turning on his heel. “When will he stop chasing nonsense?”
He navigated through the bustling streets of Liyun City. The air was thick with the scent of exotic herbs, mingling with the faint aroma of alcohol drifting from the city's many drinking halls.
As he approached the tavern, the sound of laughter and clinking glasses grew louder.
This particular tavern was famous—not just for its top-quality spiritual liquor, but also for its reputation as a gathering place for the city's young elites.
Su Kang had been here before, mostly to drag his brother back home when his antics went too far.
Stepping inside, the familiar atmosphere washed over him.
The scent of roasting meats, the glow of lanterns, the hum of conversations interwoven with bursts of laughter—it was the kind of place that thrived on life and indulgence.
And there, at the center of it all, was Su Ting.
He was holding court at a large table, his presence effortlessly commanding attention.
Young noblemen and women surrounded him, their expressions enraptured as he spun one of his exaggerated tales.
His sharp handsome face was flushed with warmth, a half-filled cup of liquor in his hand as he gestured dramatically.
His sharply handsome face was flushed with warmth, a half-filled cup of liquor in his hand as he gestured dramatically.
His voice rose and fell, each inflection brimming with excitement and mischief.
“…and just as the Winged Leopard pounced, I realized—the exit was blocked!”
Su Ting leaned forward, voice low, eyes gleaming with intensity.
“The beast’s fangs were already halfway to my throat, its breath like a rotting corpse, but I—” He paused, flashing a grin. “—I didn’t panic. I reached for the nearest thing at hand."
Silence fell over the table in anticipation.
Su Ting grinned in satisfaction, basking in the attention.
Su Kang remained in the shadows, arms crossed, an amused smirk playing on his lips.
Then a peculiar sensation tickled the edge of his consciousness. His gaze drifted across the crowd, searching for the source.
At the edge of the gathering, a girl stood apart from the crowd.
Her long, flowing black hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing a porcelain-like face.
Her eyes were a lighter shade of red, and she wore a robe of red and black, embroidered with flame-like patterns.
But what unsettled Su Kang was not her beauty—it was the fact that he couldn’t see through her cultivation.
She looked no older than sixteen or seventeen, yet she carried herself with a stillness that belonged to those much older.
Their eyes met.
For a few tense seconds, neither of them looked away.
Then, as if silently acknowledging each other, they turned aside.
Su Kang frowned slightly, but he decided not made any move on her,.
"Who is she?
"Fate, look at her. Tell me about her destiny." he asked in his mind.
Fate remained quiet for a moment, as if analyzing something deeply.
Then, it spoke.
"10,000 destiny points. Her luck and blessings are of higher quality than yours."
10,000 destiny points? It's equal to mine.
So she is a core formation cultivator. But what is she doing here?
"What do you mean by her quality of blessings is being better than mine?" He asked again.
“This is my newly acquired ability. I can now see the quality of destiny as well,” Fate responded.
Su Kang decided to shelve that discussion for now. His thoughts were elsewhere.
Why is there a Core-formation cultivator?
"Did she wanted to harm my brother for some reason?"
"Or was she an acquaintance of Su Ting?"
He glanced at her again.
She just sat there. Not speaking. Simply… observing. Detached from the merriment around her.
Her expression was calm, but her eyes told a different story.
"She doesn’t seem to be enjoying any of this," he thought.
Does she have business with my brother?
Su Ting, seemingly oblivious to his brother’s thoughts, continued talking animatedly.
“…I grabbed the broken handle, lunged forward, and jammed it right between its ribs! Then—"
“Su Ting,” Su Kang called out, his voice cutting through the atmosphere.
Su Ting’s head snapped up, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of him.
“Elder Brother!” Su Ting called out loudly, his voice rising above the tavern’s din as he looked toward him.
The surrounding guests immediately took notice of Su Kang’s presence—and panic flickered in their eyes. Everyone in Liyun City knew Su Kang had little patience for idle revelry.
“Brother, you’re back!” Su Ting exclaimed, slamming his cup onto the table with a loud thump. The moment the gesture landed, many began quietly slipping away, not daring to linger under Su Kang’s gaze.
Su Kang paid them no attention. His eyes remained fixed on his brother, but a portion of his focus remained on the mysterious girl.
She hadn’t moved. Judging by her expression, she had no intention of leaving either.
“Let’s talk on the way back,” Su Kang said calmly.
Su Ting nodded and gestured for the remaining guests to continue without him. But before departing, he turned and introduced the girl.
“This is Miss Yue, the daughter of the Yue family from the distant Xuantian Empire. She’s quite the talented cultivator—and she’s been sharing tales of her adventures.”
Su Ting grinned, gesturing toward her.
“She saved me from a malicious spirit during a treasure hunt. Since she was looking for a place to rest, I invited her to Liyun City
"It's an honour to meet you, Young Master Su," she said with a slight bow of her head. Her voice was like a gentle breeze, carrying with it an air of dignity and composure.
"Thank you, Miss Yue, for helping my brother,” Su Kang replied sincerely, though inwardly, he remained guarded.
She doesn’t strike me as the type to brag about her deeds.
Su Kang narrowed his eyes slightly, resisting the urge to smack Su Ting for that obvious lie.
What troubled him more than her words was her presence.
The Xuantian Empire lay far to the north. Unlike their homeland, where spiritual veins were sparse, Xuantian was overflowing with cultivation resources and heritage.
Xuantian is prosperous, with deep history and abundant spiritual veins. Jiang State doesn’t even have a single fourth-grade spiritual vein.
Between the two regions lay Heng State, spanning nearly a million kilometers. For her to reach this place, she must’ve traveled an incredible distance.
Why would someone like her travel to such barren lands? Su Kang’s confusion deepened.
Su Kang studied her closely. Her movements were precise, her expression carefully controlled. Her red eyes, unwavering as they met his once more and in them, he sensed secrets yet to be unraveled.
It felt as if she were looking straight through him… seeing beyond his physical form.
Fate’s voice echoed within his mind, sending a jolt down his spine.
“She is using divination techniques to peer into your destiny.”
