Western Province, Cloud Edge Town.
Ashton Todd followed Stella Gibson out of the station, Stella striding ahead while Ashton dragged a suitcase behind.
"Ashton Todd, hurry up! My great-uncle is getting anxious."
Stella spoke as she turned to chide him.
Ashton couldn’t help but roll his eyes, "Then why don’t you carry the suitcase yourself?"
Knowing they were traveling far, they should have brought Greta along, her strength is imnse, carrying a suitcase effortlessly wouldn’t be a problem.
Stella stopped in her tracks with arms akimbo,
"Why is it such a hassle for you to carry my suitcase? Is this the attitude of soone asking for a favor?! Old Todd, are you getting a bit feeble?"
Stella didn’t bother to lower her voice, and passersby exiting the station couldn’t help but glance at Ashton upon hearing her words.
Ashton, under the inquisitive gaze of the crowd, almost lost his composure and quickly dragged the suitcases forward,
"Shut up, let’s go."
Stella laughed heartily, and as they exited the station, they saw a luxury car parked at the exit. A middle-aged man in black clothes was waving towards them,
"Stella! Over here!"
Stella, upon seeing the person, imdiately dashed over with delight,
"Seventh Cousin! Why are you the one picking up?!"
"Heard you were coming back, so I specifically ca."
The middle-aged man, known as Seventh Cousin, glanced at Ashton behind Stella, surveyed him with a slightly satisfied look,
"Heard you’re bringing a friend ho, borrowed the family’s new car for you, didn’t embarrass you, right?"
"Embarrass what? He knows what our family does."
Stella ushered Ashton into the car, which drove towards the north of the town. Ashton inadvertently looked outside and noticed the car entering a distinctly funeral-thed street.
As evening approached, the street was devoid of pedestrians, giving a slightly eerie vibe with various fashionable paper offerings displayed.
Stella rolled down the window and poked her head out. Soon, folks from the shops greeted them,
"Stella’s back?"
"I’m back, Third Granny."
"Stella, co by the house, Granny made so tea sweets, they’re delicious."
"Sure thing, Seventh Aunt."
The car drove slowly along, with Stella greeting like a celebrity returning to the village. Ashton listened closely and realized almost everyone seed related to her.
Perhaps noticing his astonishnt, Seventh Cousin remarked,
"Stella is indeed the pride of our family."
Then he asked Stella, "Why didn’t you bring Greta this ti? Great-uncle misses him."
Stella replied simply,
"Gave him a vacation, though he’s a guardian, he should occasionally check on his brood."
Seventh Cousin’s disappointnt was evident, but he soon struck up a conversation with Ashton.
Ashton had known about Stella’s importance due to her contract with Greta, but didn’t expect them to hold such regard.
When the car finally stopped, Ashton glanced at the funeral parlor nearby and couldn’t help but take another look.
Without asking further, Ashton followed Stella into a Chinese courtyard.
As they walked inside, they saw many people sitting, chatting, and they visibly quieted for two seconds upon seeing Ashton.
"Stella’s back?"
A middle-aged woman approached, glanced at Ashton and the empty space behind her, and asked with so disappointnt,
"Greta’s not back yet?"
"Greta has his own matters, stop worrying about him."
Stella said, ignoring so visibly disappointed family mbers, and directly introduced to the crowd, "This is Ashton Todd, my colleague."
"Boyfriend, right?"
Soone joked, and a young aunt smiled lovingly, "You know, they truly match our Stella."
"Haha, coming back to et the parents then."
Stella hastily intervened,
"He’s here on business, Cousin-in-law, can you prepare so food for us? We need to head back to the village to pay respects to my great-uncle."
Upon hearing this, Seventh Cousin rely said, "Why don’t you stay with us? I wanted to show you the new urns we fired, mixed with soil from the mountain, they’re of top quality."
Stella finally relented, and amidst their enthusiastic company, managed to eat dinner.
As for Ashton, he experienced the strange sensation of being under scrutiny from so many people, making the food taste bland.
Before coming, he knew Stella’s family had a unique heritage, but hadn’t expected it to be so vast.
Throughout the al, he overheard many stories about the family from those around him.
For instance, the funeral street they had passed was all part of the family’s industry.
For instance, the funeral business in Cloud Edge Town and Western Province was essentially monopolized by the family.
And there’s also a nationwide funeral group by the Gibson Family, its business spans geomancy exploration, grave selection, tomb sales, and all essential funeral items.
In essence, anything funeral-related was covered by the Gibson Group.
As one family mber remarked, the tis have changed, and their clan must make suitable adjustnts.
Ashton listened in silence, and his perception of Stella changed.
Originally thinking she was just a regular office worker like him, who would’ve thought she was actually a funeral princess.
Ordinary people might shun that industry for its ominous nature, although Stella, as a child, didn’t escape bullying from schoolmates.
But Ashton was no ordinary person.
"If you had said your family was this wealthy earlier, I wouldn’t have asked you to split those five bucks for two starchy sausages with ."
Ashton comnted,
"And I spent quite a bit paving my way in the Underworld, wouldn’t you sponsor so?"
To expedite research on an array to curb Shurath’s malevolent thoughts, liberating Five-Colored’s Divine Soul from Misfortune Cave, Ashton’s frequent trips to the underworld couldn’t be avoided.
Though Lord Yama and Ivan had issued him a special Passage Order, he couldn’t escape dealing with Ghost ssengers and Wandering Souls.
Stella glanced at him,
"Always trying to save on paper money ingots, you’re stingy to death!"
The two habitually quarreled, and by the ti they finished dinner, night had fallen.
Seventh Cousin drove the two to the village, Stella remarked,
"This treatnt is only because you ca; when I was little, Seventh Cousin used the hearse to pick up."
Seventh Cousin responded,
"It wasn’t as strictly regulated before; now national regulations prohibit using hearses to transport people."
His tone carried evident regret by the ti he finished that sentence.
The road into the village was a bit long, the car drove alone in the darkness, emitting a slightly eerie feeling, yet neither Seventh Cousin nor Stella seed bothered.
Only now did Seventh Cousin casually inquire about Ashton’s purpose for visiting.
Originally thinking he was here to et Stella’s parents, but now since they’re to et the great-uncle, questions must be asked.
Ashton answered,
"I’m currently researching an array, but it involves complex structures related to the Underworld, hence I’m looking for special materials."
For instance, thousand-year-old corpse soil.
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