Chapter 147: Entering the Qin Family

Guided by Qin Shou, the two had walked for an indeterminate length of time before finally arriving in front of a courtyard. The courtyard appeared somewhat dilapidated, clearly suffering from years of neglect; patches of weeds and moss had taken root in places. Though not particularly large, the courtyard was certainly bigger than the modest siheyuan that Su Yi had initially imagined.

“Judging by the scale of this courtyard, Brother Qin, your family must have once been quite influential, right?” Su Yi whispered, glancing around. He recalled Qin Shou mentioning that his family had produced several Dou cultivators, with the strongest reaching the seventeenth level—a mere step away from the peak eighteenth level. By this measure, the Qin family must have once rivaled the Liu family of Changling City and was only slightly behind the flourishing Qina clan.

Though in the mightier Lunluo City such standing might be considered modest, it still qualified as a mid-sized family. Compared to that, the Qin family’s current status was truly incomparable—this was the reality of their decline.

“We were indeed quite well-off before, but now many have left or passed on. Our numbers have dwindled sharply. Though the courtyard isn’t small, very few people live here, and even fewer servants remain,” Qin Shou said wistfully, a heavy sigh escaping him. His voice carried a lingering bitterness—perhaps still unsettled by recent events.

Stepping forward, Qin Shou pushed open the worn gate and led Su Yi inside. Near the entrance, a servant quickly approached to greet Qin Shou, who waved the person off with a gesture and said, “You may go now. Inform the madam that we have visitors in the front hall.”

The servant obeyed and withdrew. Su Yi followed Qin Shou along the path toward the front hall. Along the way, they passed by very few pavilions, pools, or servants. Aside from the one servant they had just seen, there were no maidservants or guards in sight. Given the Qin family’s current plight, spending money on such luxuries was evidently out of the question.

The courtyard was modest in size, so it wasn’t long before they reached the front hall. The swift journey was somewhat jarring for Su Yi, who had spent the last three years at the auction house—there, the paths were typically lined with bluestone.

“Sigh, Su Yi, my hospitality is lacking. Please don’t take offense,” Qin Shou sighed as they settled down. After all, Su Yi had saved his life; otherwise, he would now be a lifeless corpse. In a sense, Qin Shou’s safety was a great boon to the family, since most of their income came from his mercenary work. Such gratitude deserved better treatment.

The front hall was indeed somewhat aged. Though meant for receiving guests, it looked inferior even to ordinary rooms. It was clear that Qin Shou was carrying this family nearly alone—no small feat. Su Yi pondered this for a moment, then offered a faint smile. “Brother Qin, there’s no need to say that. I’m just a guard at the auction house. My life isn’t so refined.”

“Oh?” Qin Shou looked at him intently. “I recall you once said you were just a regular staff member at the auction house. Is that true?” Previously, Qin Shou had believed this, as Su Yi had seemed quite ordinary. But after witnessing his strength, he had begun to doubt it. Could an ordinary employee really be so formidable?

“Heh, before my Dou Qi was lost, I was indeed a minor captain of the guard unit. But as you’ve seen, once I could no longer cultivate Dou Qi, I became just an ordinary worker. If it weren’t for some connections at the auction house, I’d probably have been kicked out long ago,” Su Yi chuckled.

“I see.” Qin Shou nodded thoughtfully, then asked with curiosity, “You mentioned you’re now focusing on body cultivation and that your strength surpasses mine. What level did you reach when you cultivated Dou Qi?”

Su Yi paused briefly before answering, “Level ten Dou Zhe.”

“What?!” Qin Shou’s eyes widened in shock. Such talent was extraordinary. To become a level ten Dou Zhe by eighteen was a prodigious gift—one unmatched even by the city’s recognized martial prodigy who ranked first at the recent martial competition. That man had just crossed into Dou Mastery but was already in his twenties. Compared to him, Su Yi was even more impressive. And this was the most conservative estimate, considering the time and effort needed to abandon Dou Qi cultivation and then rebuild such formidable strength in body cultivation.

After a moment, Qin Shou sighed deeply. “Su Yi, with such talent, it would be a shame for you to remain an ordinary person.”

“Not to hide anything from you, Brother Qin,” Su Yi smiled faintly. “Actually, I ranked in the top five of this year’s Changling City martial competition.”

“Really?” Qin Shou raised an eyebrow, a mixture of surprise and delight on his face. But considering Su Yi’s previous level ten Dou Zhe strength and his current power, placing in the top five was hardly surprising. His astonishment faded, replaced by joy. “That’s excellent! I was also among the top five. Perhaps we’ll meet again at the imperial capital competition.”

Qin Shou knew that the top five at the martial competition were usually Dou Qi cultivators. Someone like Su Yi, who specialized solely in body cultivation, was unprecedented. While this might have posed difficulties participating, Su Yi’s age and strength likely earned him special consideration. After this thought, Qin Shou refrained from asking further. Su Yi smiled quietly upon hearing these words.

“Then I look forward to seeing you again in the imperial capital three years from now, Brother Qin.”

Just as Su Yi finished speaking, the curtain at the back of the hall slowly parted, revealing a young woman. Her appearance was graceful and beautiful—clearly the model of a virtuous wife and mother. She carried a tray with two steaming cups of tea. Her delicate figure swayed subtly as she walked forward, accentuating her elegant curves.

The young woman gently set the tray on the table, then extended her slender hands to lift one cup and offered it to Qin Shou. Her voice was soft and serene as she said, “Husband, please enjoy the tea.”

Her tone was soothing and pleasant, evoking a subtle warmth deep within. Qin Shou responded with a slight hum, accepting the cup and holding it carefully. He then gestured toward Su Yi and said, “Madam, allow me to introduce—this is Su Yi, the one who saved my life.”

“...Su Yi, this is my wife,” Qin Shou added, pointing to the woman.

Su Yi nodded slightly to her and smiled gently. “Since I’ve already called Brother Qin by his given name, may I call you Sister-in-law?”

Hearing this, a fleeting, subtle emotion crossed the young woman’s eyes before vanishing. She gracefully lifted the other cup of tea and approached Su Yi, bowing slightly as she said softly, “Master Su, please.”

Her hands, delicate and white, emerged from the sleeve, complementing her shapely figure and gentle demeanor—a truly captivating sight. Lowering his gaze, Su Yi reached for the warm cup. As their fingers brushed, the unexpected sensation of her smooth, warm skin sent a ripple of discomfort through him.

Whether intentionally or not, the young woman seemed startled, quickly and naturally withdrawing her hand. Qin Shou took a sip from his cup and then set it aside. His expression darkened as he spoke quietly, “By the way, Madam... I heard our family invested in the Extreme Medicine Workshop and put our name on the records... What’s going on with that?”

“That... was done by Qin Ren,” the woman replied with a subtle change in expression, seemingly worried. Her voice wavered slightly.

“My younger brother?” Qin Shou frowned, unaware of her unease. His voice grew sharp with anger. “Hmph! That boy is usually irresponsible, but now he’s taken this ridiculous and costly action? Does he think money grows on trees? It’s utterly nonsensical!”

As his tone hardened, the woman’s eyes flickered with anxiety, and her complexion paled inexplicably. Qin Shou, oblivious to this, snorted again and asked, “Why didn’t you stop this meaningless act?”

“I...” The woman glanced at him, hesitating and stammering. Finally, in a low voice, she said, “Men handle affairs outside; women manage the household. What could a woman like me say?”

Her modest, obedient answer momentarily caught Qin Shou off guard. Her gentle, soft voice eased his anger considerably. After all, their marital bond had always been strong, and Qin Shou deeply cherished this beautiful and gentle wife. His long absences only deepened his sense of indebtedness, so he rarely lost his temper with her.

Moreover, faced with such a tender and compliant woman, few men could remain stern and cold-hearted. Qin Shou was still in his prime, after all. Su Yi watched quietly, nodding to himself. Among the women he had met, this young wife’s beauty might not be top-tier or rival that of fiery beauties like Lie Feifei, but her gentle, kind nature was equally alluring.

(Seeking applause!)

&^^%# Martial Peak 147_Chapter 147: Entering the Qin Family — Update Complete!