The more Liu Xiaolou thought back on Lord Xingde’s behavior before they parted, the more certain he beca that his guess was right. That secret eting between Lord Xingde and Zhou Qiniang must have been when they agreed on a ti to run away together.
By now, it’s been about three months since that eting; it was just enough ti for Lord Xingde to fully recover from his injuries. And while Liu Xiaolou had been completely focused on refining the formation disk during that period, Lord Xingde had probably been using the ti to make all kinds of preparations. His wounds must have completely healed by now.
If they really did plan to leave after three months, it should be happening right around these few days.
Liu Xiaolou chewed on so cured at while thinking about it, quietly worrying for Lord Xingde.
Maybe it wasn’t too hard for Zhou Qiniang to sneak out once, but taking her away for good.... that wouldn’t be so simple.
The Zhou family wasn’t just any ordinary household. They ca from a long line of cultivators and were affiliated with the Qingyu Sect. That kind of prominent background didn’t forgive easily. Could Lord Xingde really handle the consequences? If they caught him, it’d probably an death.
All Liu Xiaolou could do was hope the Zhou family let their guard down a bit, and wish Lord Xingde and Zhou Qiniang the best of luck.
As for helping them... was there anything he could actually do?
Thinking about that made Liu Xiaolou feel helpless.
He let out a sigh, stood up, and left the house where he’d been cultivating for days. He headed to Tiann Market to try and find out where Wei Hongqing had gone.
Back at the Hongji Restaurant in the market, Liu Xiaolou ordered a regular jug of wine and a small plate of side dishes to go with it. He drank slowly, waiting for the right mont. Then he waved a waiter over and asked, “Hey, I’m looking for soone. Last na’s Wei. A little older than , good-looking. Very striking, actually. Though, if I’m being honest, just three points below .”
The waiter raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “You’re asking about soone with the last na Wei? And his first na is...?”
“Hongqing,” Liu Xiaolou said. “He used to co here pretty often to drink.”
“What do you need him for?” the waiter asked again.
“He’s a good friend of mine. He once told that if I ever needed to find him, I could ask for him here.”
The waiter nodded. “Please wait a mont, sir. I’ll go check with the manager.”
Before long, the manager ca out personally and led Liu Xiaolou to a private room in the corner on the third floor. As soon as he walked in, he saw Wei Hongqing already sitting inside, grinning.
“There you are! I knew it had to be you,” Wei Hongqing said, laughing. “Only you would go around telling people I’m just a little less handso than you. Ha!”
Liu Xiaolou grinned back. “Alright, maybe I exaggerated a little. You’re not three points below\... just one.”
Wei Hongqing imdiately called for more food and wine.
“Looks like you’ve made it big, huh?" Liu Xiaolou asked. "So, did everything work out? Did you actually manage to get into the outer sect of Tianmu Mountain? The manager and staff here seem to treat you with a lot of respect.”
Wei Hongqing laughed. “Can you bla them? This restaurant, Hongji, is actually owned by the Lu family of Tianmu Mountain. I’m the one managing it now.”
Liu Xiaolou sat up a little straighter, clearly impressed. “Wow, so you’re raking in cash every day now? Congratulations!”
Wei Hongqing chuckled. “Well, the money still belongs to the Lu family. I just collect it for them. And pick up bits of gossip and rumors while I’m at it. That’s all.”
After sharing three cups of wine, Liu Xiaolou took out a small box of letters and handed it to Wei Hongqing. “I was on my way back from Xingde Mountain, and stopped to rest for a few days in Yangliu Bay. That’s where I found this box. Thought you should take a look.”
Wei Hongqing chuckled. “I already searched that place once. Didn’t expect sothing would slip through. Nicely done, Xiaolou.”
He opened the box and read through the letters one by one. After a while, he laughed. “An ancient immortal’s cave dwelling... Ha. So he actually believed it.”
“I couldn’t really make sense of the letters myself,” Liu Xiaolou admitted. “And I couldn’t rember much either. I just felt like you were the one who should have them. Maybe they’ll be useful to you.”
Wei Hongqing nodded. “They will.”
“That’s good,” Liu Xiaolou said. “You’re one of us, from Wulong Mountain. We’re all rooting for you.”
Wei Hongqing smiled. “If you’re not in a rush, why don’t you stay here for a while? I’ll make sure there’s plenty of good food and wine. If I can find the right opportunity, maybe I can even take you on a little trip into the blessed lands of Tianmu Mountain. I’ve been there once. It’s an incredible place.”
Liu Xiaolou sighed. “That kind of luck isn’t ant for . Even if I saw it, what good would it do? I’d just end up envious. And if that envy ssed with my state of mind, it’d do more harm than good. Better not. I appreciate the offer though, truly. I already lost quite a bit of ti going to Xingde Mountain. I plan to head back to Wulong Mountain and focus on cultivation; strengthen my foundation, increase my energy, and break through as soon as I can.”
Wei Hongqing nodded. “Sounds like a good plan. So, how did it go at Xingde Mountain? Did you finish the formation disk?”
Liu Xiaolou went on to tell Wei Hongqing everything that had happened while he was up in the mountains refining the formation disk. Wei Hongqing was genuinely happy for him.
As they chatted, the manager knocked and stepped into the room, handing Wei Hongqing a small slip of paper. After reading it, Wei’s expression shifted, part surprise, part amusent. And he passed the note to Liu Xiaolou.
Liu Xiaolou read it, and his heart sank. He didn’t know what to say.
The note said that the Zhou family of Dongting Lake had mobilized in force to hunt down the rogue cultivator Lord Xingde from Xingde Mountain.
“Does this have anything to do with you?” Wei Hongqing asked.
Liu Xiaolou let out a long sigh. “Lord Xingde and a woman from the Zhou family were deeply involved. But her family never approved. They looked down on him for being a lone cultivator with no background, so...”
“So now he’s pissed off the Zhou family?” Wei Hongqing said.
“I’m afraid it’s worse than that. I think he ran off with Zhou Qiniang.”
Wei Hongqing blinked, then burst out laughing. “I heard Lord Xingde’s already past fifty; never thought he’d pull sothing like that. Bold move! I kind of respect it.”
Liu Xiaolou gave a wry smile. “They’ve been in love for years, at least ten, from what I know. But the Zhou family insisted on splitting them up. Worse still, they arranged for Zhou Qiniang to marry an elder from the Jinting Sect, as his second wife. I figure Lord Xingde finally had enough. Honestly, who wouldn’t?”
Wei Hongqing leaned in, intrigued. “The Jinting Sect, huh? Which elder? Do you know?”
“His last na is Zhao,” Liu Xiaolou said.
Wei Hongqing burst out laughing, holding his stomach. “So it’s Zhao Yongchun? That elder is sothing else. He’s got the softest spine you’ll ever see. His first wife had him under her thumb for decades; whenever she gave an order, he obeyed without question. Never dared to step out of line. If Zhou Qiniang’s marrying him, she’s in for a sweet deal. That whole household will end up taking orders from her! Ha!”
Liu Xiaolou shook his head, clearly not amused. “Wei, co on. Don’t joke about this. Lord Xingde has always treated really well. Isn’t there anything you can do to help him?”
“This one’s tricky. I can’t really step in. Not from where I stand. The Zhou family holds real weight in the Qingyu Sect. They’re not just so minor affiliate clan. If I get involved, it could end up dragging in the Lu family of Tianmu Mountain too.”
Liu Xiaolou sighed. “Yeah, the Zhou family’s definitely in the Qingyu Sect’s good graces. That marriage was arranged by one of their elders.”
Wei Hongqing shook his head. “Exactly. That’s the point. And honestly, it’s not a bad match. You said it yourself; Zhou Qiniang’s already over thirty. Marrying an elder from the Jinting Sect? That’s not misfortune, it’s a blessing.”
Liu Xiaolou nodded. “I get it. You just found your footing at Tianmu Mountain. Better to play it safe and not stir up trouble.”
Wei Hongqing thought for a mont. “Don’t be too quick to give up.”
He stepped out briefly, then ca back and poured Liu Xiaolou another cup of wine. “I’ve asked soone to look into it; see if we can dig up any information. In the anti, just sit tight here and wait. You’re in good hands.”
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