The night was deep and silent.
Su Qing gazed at the incredibly clear, starry sky and the sharply defined moon.
He felt as if he were in a world of his own.
"It's just too beautiful."
It was the first time Su Qing had ever looked at the starry sky with such focus.
The stars were clustered in vast swaths, truly like a Star Sea, and there was a particularly distinct, ribbon-like river of stars.
'How is this so similar to what they called the Galaxy in my past life?'
'I really want to fly up past the clouds and see.'
Su Qing stared up for a long time before reluctantly looking away.
The Wang Family estate was, one could say, ablaze with lights.
'Oh, Great Demon Fiend. Great Demon Fiend.'
'Hurry up and show yourself. How else am I supposed to get my reward?'
Su Qing was standing on the highest point of the Wang Family estate—the roof above the main hall.
From here, he had a basic overview of the entire Wang Family compound.
An entire night passed.
To his surprise, Su Qing found nothing out of the ordinary.
In the morning,
Steward Wang came running over and stuffed ten taels of silver into Su Qing's hands.
"Su Qiren, thank you for your hard work. The Demon Fiend usually doesn't appear during the day. This silver is the Wang Family's payment."
Su Qing was very satisfied, holding the silver in his hand.
"Alright. Since it's daytime, I'll take my leave for a while."
Su Qing was delighted, holding the ten taels of silver.
He ran straight to another medical hall in the County City to pick up some herbs.
Judging by the amount,
the previous medical hall hadn't cheated him.
it would only be enough to synthesize about five Great Replenishing Pills.
He hurried back to the residence the Wang Family had arranged for him.
"Synthesize."
[Synthesis Successful]
...
Five portions of the Great Replenishing Pill were quickly synthesized.
After eating one with satisfaction,
Su Qing began his Cultivation of the Cyan Snake Posture in the main courtyard.
When night fell,
Su Qing was once again called by Housekeeper Wang to attend the evening banquet.
It seemed that every evening, the Wang Family's Direct Lineage from each branch would dine together.
They would also chat about their daily lives.
It was a time to strengthen their bonds and familial affection.
They didn't even mind an outsider like Su Qing being present; in fact, they were especially warm towards him.
'The Wang Family... they're really not bad.'
Su Qing stood on the rooftop,
silently gazing towards a small courtyard in the western part of the Wang Family estate.
Su Qing really wanted to show off a bit.
As the saying goes, 'After a month's absence, a scholar should be seen in a new light.'
'Wang Li, you let me leave the Wang Family back then. Is it now my turn, Su Qing's turn, to help the Wang Family once?'
'Or maybe I can have the Wang Family make Wang Li my maid? The Wang Family certainly wouldn't mind; she's just a disciple from a side branch, after all.'
Su Qing imagined many scenarios of a Dragon King's triumphant return.
The corners of his mouth turned up unconsciously.
'I can't believe I, Su Qing, am about to have a moment like that myself, can I?'
HAHAHA
...
He stood guard there for a while longer.
The sky had not yet brightened,
but the crows of roosters had already begun.
"Demon Fiend! The Demon Fiend has appeared!"
Su Qing heard a member of the Wang Family shouting from the west.
He leaped continuously from rooftop to rooftop.
Just as he arrived, he saw a pitch-black Demon Fiend fleeing from his sight.
In his peripheral vision, he saw a Wang Family member covered in bloody holes. Blood trickled from the corner of their mouth, and their eyes were wide with unwillingness to accept their fate as they knelt on the ground before falling backward.
"Where do you think you're going, Demon Fiend!"
Su Qing roared and gave chase.
Su Qing's speed was immense.
But the Demon Fiend was skilled at turning corners.
After landing just one strike, the Demon Fiend rounded a few corners, and Su Qing lost sight of it completely.
"Where's the Demon Fiend?"
Su Qing silently stared at the Wang Family's buildings.
A short while later, Steward Wang ran over, followed by a large number of disciples from the Wang Family's Direct Lineage. Each held a torch, creating an imposing sight.
"Su Qiren, where is the Demon Fiend?"
Steward Wang asked cautiously.
Wang Zhongping was fully armed, holding a Long Halberd.
Su Qing shook his head. "I don't know. Your Wang Family estate has too many corners. It twisted and turned, and I lost it."
"This..." Steward Wang fell silent.
"We've troubled Su Qiren. Perhaps the Demon Fiend won't strike again today. Why don't you go back and rest, Su Qiren?"
Su Qing said unhurriedly,
pointing at several nearby buildings, "Who lives in these?"
One of the places he pointed to was the very courtyard where he had served as a slave—Wang Li's residence.
What Su Qing found strange was that so many other residences were still lit.
Yet Wang Li's residence was completely dark?
"Oh, those are the residences of a few girls from the Wang Family's side branches."
"Then is this one unoccupied?"
Housekeeper Wang smiled. "Indeed, it is unoccupied, so there's no need for lamps to be lit there."
Su Qing was full of doubts, but he masked them with a casual nod.
"I see. In that case, I will take my leave."
Beneath the torchlight, Steward Wang watched Su Qing leave with a smile on his face.
The moment Su Qing was out of Wang Bing's sight,
his expression turned grim.
"Men."
A few slaves approached.
"Lord Wang."
"You, go investigate that room."
"And you, two of you, go down this well and investigate."
Steward Wang's mood was heavy as he listened to the slaves' reports, which all confirmed that nothing was out of the ordinary.
"Lord Wang, there's nothing unusual in here."
"Lord Wang, there's nothing unusual down the well either."
Hearing this, Wang Bing's mood grew even heavier.
'No, I must report this matter to the family,'
Wang Bing weighed his options and quickly departed.
The crowd dispersed, and everything returned to silence.
But Su Qing returned to the spot, his expression displeased.
'Where is Wang Li?'
'What is Housekeeper Wang hiding?!'
'Why has Wang Li disappeared?!'
Wang Li was, at the very least, an acquaintance of his—someone who, despite their brief interactions, had shown Su Qing a sliver of kindness.
Even the fact that Wang Li hadn't immediately reported his escape to the Wang Family had earned her some goodwill from him.
'But where could Wang Li be now?'
'If Wang Li isn't here, how can I say those cool lines I planned?'
Especially the part where he would confidently declare his name before her: "My name is Su Qing, styled Changqing."
Then he would watch her look of utter disbelief.
...
'She's gone?'
'She's gone?'
'How could Wang Li just disappear?'
A wave of irritation washed over Su Qing.
His gaze shifted to the residence next to the Wang Family's.
"MMMPH! MMMPH!"
A woman, whose mouth was clamped shut by Su Qing, was struggling desperately, trying to scream.
She looked at Su Qing, completely bewildered.
'He has the face of a good person; she wouldn't even mind offering herself to him.'
'So why was he treating her like this?'
"Calm down. I just want to ask you a few questions."
Su Qing said, still holding her mouth shut.
After a moment, she stopped struggling.
Seeing the Clarity in her eyes, Su Qing slowly released his hands.
She didn't scream.
"I recognize you. You're the esteemed guest of the Wang Family."
"Good that you do."
"What about Wang Li from nearby? Why is she gone?"
Su Qing asked, his eyes filled with urgency.
"Wang Li?"
"She... " The woman hesitated, not daring to speak.
After all, seeing the frantic look in Su Qing's eyes, she was afraid he would go berserk if she told him the truth.
"Speak."
"Wang Li is dead."
"She jumped into a well and died."
Hearing this, Su Qing's mind went blank.
'How could she just die so suddenly?'
"How did she die?" Su Qing asked immediately.
"I don't know. She jumped into a well. The rumor is that it had something to do with her failing to watch over a servant,"
the woman said, trembling with fear.
Su Qing's expression had become quite ferocious.
...