Mountains and giant beasts, cabins in the woods

Liu Xingmo ignored those troublesome matters and engaged in enthusiastic conversations with others.

The difficulties of the Blood Path and the Wood Path, the secrets of cultivation, and practical elixirs...

Those who mastered the skill were mostly outstanding children from families with a strong academic tradition, possessing extensive knowledge and experience. The remaining minority, from ordinary backgrounds, were even more gifted and diligent in their studies.

This was the first time Liu Xingmo had met so many talented peers. After exchanging ideas with them, he benefited greatly and became eager to try his hand at the second-tier cultivation path.

Before we knew it, it was getting late.

The members of the Seven or Eight Society gradually dispersed, leaving only a few people in the hall.

Xu Zihao said apologetically to Liu Xingmo, "Chairman Zhao Zhilong is not usually like this. He is acting very strangely today and has offended you. Please don't take offense."

"It's alright, I won't hold it against him." Liu Xingmo waved his hand magnanimously, then chuckled strangely, "Hehe! Besides, that guy mainly cultivates the Wood Dao, excelling in support and not good at fighting. I'm not afraid of him at all."

"Pah! I've found out the truth. I really misjudged that guy, Zhao." Xu Zijing said disdainfully, "He clearly has a wife who's a fellow practitioner, yet he's eyeing other women. Ha! Men..."

"Does he have a wife?" Liu Xingmo asked.

"Yes, Sister Bai is not only a perfect match for him in terms of social standing, but she treats him extremely well. She's worked hard in her cultivation over the years and has reached the second-stage perfection level," Xu Zijing said indignantly. "That bastard Zhao Zhilong, what more could he possibly want?"

Liu Xingmo saw through the trick.

"Marrying someone of equal social standing" means a marriage between families? Compared to my ideal woman from my youth, she certainly falls short.

Speaking of strength, there is a huge gap between the second and third tiers, and many people can't cross it in their entire lives.

Oh no, really?

Could it be... that Liu San Niang is a very attractive woman?

That's strange; I'd never thought of it that way before. But now that I think about it carefully, that woman really is very strange.

Without joining any faction, relying solely on the profits from a restaurant and the tattered books from the library, he actually advanced to the third tier!

Xu Zijing continued her rambling. Liu Xingmo and Xu Zihao remained silent, which only fueled the girl's anger, prompting her to exclaim repeatedly, "Ha! Men! Ha! This is what men are like!"

Liu Xingmo took his leave.

When I got home, the production and sale of the medicine had already ended.

Su Mali was busy in the kitchen when she unexpectedly found Liu Sanniang there, helping her out.

Liu Xingmo sat at the dining table and saw a basket of cold drinks. He grabbed a piece of fruit wine that had frozen into a block of ice and put it on the ice shaver to grind it.

Soon, a bowl of bluish-purple shaved ice was ready. Taking a scoop and putting it in my mouth, it was cool and sweet, making me feel incredibly comfortable.

It didn't matter before we didn't have it. But now, without a cold drink, summer nights feel unsettling.

Soon, a variety of cold and hot dishes, meat and vegetable dishes, were served. Under the incandescent light bulb, everything was steaming and glistening with oil.

Once all the dishes were served, the host and guests took their seats.

Liu San Niang raised a cup of wine and offered it to Liu Xingmo: "Young Master, congratulations on your advancement to the second rank."

Liu Xingmo also raised his wine cup: "Third Sister, thanks to your help!"

Sumari raised her glass and said, "Cheers!"

After a glass of wine, I felt hot and restless, both physically and mentally.

Liu Xingmo ate a few bites of food and said with a smile, "Mary, when did you and Third Sister become so close?"

“This is called a housewives’ gathering, my dear husband,” Sumali said calmly.

"Young Master, you have no idea how worried Mary was about you these past few days while you were breaking through!" Liu San Niang stared at Su Mary and chuckled. "Mary came to see me five or six times a day, asking when my breakthrough would be over, whether there would be any danger, whether I should ask for help, and whether I should persevere."

"Oh dear, sometimes she comes looking for me in the early hours of the morning, hugs me and cries, like a little girl..." Liu San Niang then looked at Liu Xing Mo and said, "Look at you, you clearly have three suitable insects, yet you still take such a huge risk. What if you can't get over this hurdle?"

Sumali's indifferent face flushed slightly.

Liu Xingmo grasped his wife's hand and said earnestly, "Mary, I'm sorry to have worried you."

"Hmm." Su Mali said only one word, but it contained a thousand words.

"Let bygones be bygones! Anyway, I've risen to a high position, hahaha! Let's drink!" Liu Xingmo raised his wine glass.

Su Mali and Liu San Niang raised their glasses in response.

Laughter and chatter drifted from the windows to outside the fortress, carried by the evening breeze to every household in the city, mingling with countless everyday conversations, and rising into the night sky with wisps of smoke from chimneys.

This was an extraordinary night, yet also an ordinary one.

In the dining room, the dishes on the table were dwindling, and several empty wine bottles were scattered on the floor.

Liu Xingmo was somewhat drunk, and his aura was unstable. The concealment and hiding techniques he had been maintaining gradually loosened.

"Smash!" Liu San Niang slammed her wine cup on the table. She rubbed her eyes, scrutinized Liu Xingmo from head to toe, and exclaimed in amazement, "Young Master! You've truly risen to a high position!"

"Hehe, I'm a naturally gifted person now! That so-called number one genius of Black Dragon Village, one day I'll be the number one genius too, hahaha... Drink!" Liu Xingmo tilted his head back and downed a cup of wine in one gulp.

"Xingmo, what are you going to do next? Are you going to keep it a secret forever?" Su Mali asked.

"Let's keep it a secret for now, that's all we can do." Liu Xingmo was also quite troubled. "Our family has reaped too many benefits lately, I'm afraid outsiders will be envious." He sighed, "Sigh—! Once I advance to the third rank, I shouldn't be afraid anymore..."

"Indeed, young master." Liu San Niang frowned as well. "As the saying goes, it's easier to deal with the King of Hell than with his underlings. The managers are all reasonable people. They're just afraid that some foolish third-tier experts will come and cause trouble. That would be a real problem."

"By the way! Third Sister, you're also a third-tier expert," Su Mali said casually. "Wouldn't it save us a lot of trouble if you married into our family?"

"Pfft!" Liu Xingmo spat out the wine in his mouth.

"Crack!" Liu San Niang crushed the wine cup in her hand.

"Mary, what did you say?" Liu Xingmo's eyes widened.

"Yeah, you're drunk, aren't you?" Liu San Niang was also quite flustered.

Su Mali calmly drank a glass of wine and said, "Third Sister, don't you really like calligraphy? According to Central Plains culture, wouldn't you be willing to be a concubine?"

"I...Isn't that right...I want to...but..." Liu San Niang stammered.

"Mary, are you kidding me? What kind of Western joke is this? I've never heard of it before!" Liu Xingmo was speechless.

"Make good use of your network and do everything you can to maintain the family's prosperity. That's basic etiquette for nobles, you know~" Sumali smiled faintly, her pale face like a ghost. "By the way, you're all from commoner backgrounds, so you wouldn't know."

"This! This! This! This is outrageous!" Liu Xingmo exclaimed.

"It's...it's...it's...that's right..." Liu San Niang's eyes darted around.