He glanced at the sky. It was already late at night. If the time inside this Grotto-Heaven matched the outside world, then it should be around midnight. There were still eight hours left until tomorrow’s grand ceremony. He could take advantage of the spring pool a little longer. It'd be like having eaten two extra bowls of spirit rice.
He wanted to settle down and cultivate properly. The situation, however, didn’t allow it. He had barely sat down when someone knocked again. This time it wasn’t anyone he knew. The visitor wore a straw hat pulled so low it nearly hid his face. When Liu Xiaolou opened the door, the sight startled him so much he almost drew his sword.
Liu Xiaolou was from Wulong Mountain, and he was especially sensitive when it came to straw hats.
The man didn’t look that old, maybe five or six years older than Liu Xiaolou at most. As soon as the door opened, he asked in a low voice, “Are you Liu Xiaolou, son-in-law of the Su family? No need to be wary. I mean no harm.”
“My apologies, I didn’t recognize you. May I ask who you are?”
“Come with me.”
“It’s late, and my wife may return any moment.”
“Then let’s make it quick. We’ll talk inside.”
He slipped through the door, shut it behind him, took off the straw hat, and let out a breath. Sitting cross-legged by the spring pool, he said, “Brother Liu, please sit.”
The man’s secretive behavior made Liu Xiaolou suspicious, but he figured no one would dare make a move against the Su family here. So he sat down across from him.
“I’m Tu Er, an inner-sect steward. If I’m not mistaken, Brother Liu, you just turned twenty this year, right? You can call me Brother Tu Er, or simply Old Tu. That sounds more familiar.”
“So it’s Brother Tu Er. My apologies. I am new here, and I hardly know any of the seniors in the sect, so I wasn’t aware. May I ask what brings Brother Tu Er to me?”
Tu Er smiled faintly. “You entered the Su family this past New Year, correct? Only a few months ago. It’s no surprise you haven’t heard my name. But have you heard of Elder Cai?”
Of course Liu Xiaolou had. Before he had come here, Su Zhi had given him a crash course on the Danxia Sect, so he had at least a rough understanding.
The Danxia Sect was supported by four great families, though that didn’t mean the sect was jointly ruled by them. Like most sects, the sect was its own entity while the noble clans were their own. For example, Sect Master Cai Qiugong bore the surname Cai, but he wasn’t from the Cai clan of Mount Magu. He was a northerner who had, by chance, joined Danxia Sect. Step by step, he rose from an outer disciple to an inner disciple, then elder, climbing all the way up. Now he was a cultivator in the Soul Refinement stage, more than two hundred years old.
Even so, many of the sect’s elders, inner disciples, and stewards did come from those four families. That was true of most sects these days. At present there were four elders in the sect, three of them from the four families. Unfortunately, after the Su family’s elder passed away thirty years ago, the Su family had no one else who could rise to the position.
The Elder Cai that Tu Er had mentioned, however, did belong to the Cai family. He had been at the peak of the Golden Core stage for many years, and was counted among the foremost figures of that realm in the world.
Liu Xiaolou said, “Elder Cai’s name is renowned. How could I not have heard of him? It’s only a pity I haven’t had the chance to meet him. When I entered the Grotto-Heaven, though, I did come across a Steward Cai.”
Tu Er nodded. “The patrol steward guarding the Grotto-Heaven is also from the Cai family. He is Elder Cai’s cousin's son.”
He paused, then added, “Word has it the Su family recently took in a son-in-law. Elder Cai is very interested and would like to meet you, the Su family’s new son-in-law. He’s at Linhu Courtyard right now. Brother Liu, if you would come along.”
Liu Xiaolou felt rather helpless. Being a son-in-law who married into the Su family was turning out to be exhausting. He was caught in the middle of a whirlpool, constantly dealing with all kinds of troublesome matters. Earning these spirit stones wasn’t nearly as easy as he had imagined.
So he tried to decline. “My wife could return at any moment…”
Tu Er smiled. “Your lady is cultivating by the Thunderstruck Banyan. She’s one of the most outstanding inner-sect disciples of the Danxia Sect. Diligent as always; she won’t be back anytime soon.”
Liu Xiaolou tried again. “And my father-in-law…”
Tu Er was ready for that. “Your esteemed father-in-law is visiting Cai Yaojun and won’t be back for a while either.”
Liu Xiaolou gave a wry smile. “So it seems I have no choice but to go.”
Tu Er chuckled. “There’s nothing to worry about. It won’t do you any harm, and it might even bring you some benefits.”
Seven li north of Danqiu, hidden among several low hills, lay a small lake a hundred or so acres across. Linhu Courtyard stood by its shore, just seven or eight houses in total, all thatched cottages like the Su family’s residence.
The thatched cottage in the center was the largest, like a main hall. Tu Er explained that it was where Elder Cai received guests. Liu Xiaolou thought he was being led there, but instead Tu Er guided him to a smaller house beside it.
“Small” was relative. It was certainly much larger than the room Liu Xiaolou and Su Xi stayed in. Though the outside was covered in plain thatch, the interior was refined. Along the wall stood a row of bookshelves, filled with scrolls whose yellowed covers hinted at their age.
A study belonging to a master at the peak of the Golden Core stage; surely these were rare and precious texts. Liu Xiaolou couldn’t help glancing at them a few more times. Noticing this, Tu Er chuckled. “Those are Daoist scrolls you won’t find outside. If you can earn Elder Cai’s favor, you’ll have your fill of them in the future. With that, your cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds.”
Liu Xiaolou was taken aback. “Brother Tu Er, what do you mean by that?”
Tu Er smiled. “Have a seat. Elder Cai will be here shortly. I’ll bring some wine and food. We can talk over a meal.”
Food and wine? Did he really have the right to drink with a Golden Core elder of a respected orthodox sect? No matter how he thought about it, it didn’t seem likely.
Even his own father-in-law, Su Zhi, was a Golden Core cultivator, mid-stage at that. But Liu Xiaolou had never once shared a private drink with him.
What was going on here? Alarm bells rang in Liu Xiaolou’s mind. After all, he’d grown up being dismissed and looked down upon. Once you got used to that, being treated with sudden warmth by a stranger only made you uneasy. Instinctively, he began to think hard: what did this man really want?
The food and wine were brought in quickly. The wine was Su family’s own brew, Osmanthus Fragrance. The dishes filled the table: spirit beasts, spirit birds, spirit fish, spirit mushrooms, and other rare delicacies. Aside from the Golden Whiskercarp and the ao-shrimp, Liu Xiaolou had never seen any of them before. The spread was so extravagant it left him more rattled than delighted.
What on earth was going on?
Elder Cai entered the study with a broad smile. Though he had lived more than a hundred years, his face was smooth and unlined. Three strands of silver beard framed his features, giving him the air of an immortal.
Tu Er and Liu Xiaolou hurried to bow in greeting. Elder Cai waved it off with a smile. “Sit, sit. I’ve no taste for these formalities. I much prefer speaking with young people. It makes me feel young again, haha…”
He gave a cheerful command. “Tonight’s banquet is in honor of the Su family’s fine son-in-law. Tu Er, sit with us. As for you, I’ll dispense with titles and simply call you Xiaolou. You are the guest of honor. Come, take your seat.”
He placed a hand lightly on Liu Xiaolou’s shoulder and pressed him down onto the seat.
A shiver ran through Liu Xiaolou.
Tu Er poured the wine and urged with a grin, “Quick now, offer Elder Cai a toast… quickly…”
With no choice, Liu Xiaolou forced himself to raise his cup. Elder Cai received it with a smile, drained it in one gulp, then reached out and grasped Liu Xiaolou’s wrist. “Xiaolou, you must drink your cup as well. Tonight we do not part until we’re drunk, haha…”