Chapter 106: Heading to the Holy Mountain

Su Nanxing watched as Tao Ming and her companions left the Royal Holy Hall and turned to depart himself. Qin Yunji called out, “Young Master Su, why are you leaving?”

Without turning his head, Su Nanxing replied, “I’m going to fetch Mingming.”

Qin Yunji smiled, “Today it’s my turn to be on duty at Xibao Pavilion, so I can’t go with you.”

Su Nanxing waved his hand, indicating he didn’t mind. The Qin family brothers exchanged glances; apart from Qin Yunji, they all went downstairs.

Outside Xibao Pavilion, Su Nanxing mounted his dragon horse and rode from the palace’s back gate to the front. After waiting briefly, he saw the Su family’s carriage emerge at the palace gates.

Su Yanfeng, who was driving, caught sight of Su Nanxing and waved. Su Nanxing called out, “Father,” and climbed aboard. Entering the carriage, he saw Tao Ming chatting with Ruanyuan and sat beside Tao Ming, reaching out to take Ruanyuan in his arms. He nuzzled her little cheek and said, “Ruanyuan was very brave today.”

Ruanyuan, feeling downcast, pouted, “A big villain tried to stab my hand with a little knife just now.”

Remembering what he had seen earlier, Su Nanxing praised her, “You did the right thing, Ruanyuan!”

He then took out the pastries he’d bought before, opened the lid, and said, “Daddy guessed you’d be hungry, so have something to eat first.”

Ruanyuan took a piece, bit into it fiercely, and mumbled, “Mom said what I did was wrong.”

Su Nanxing thought he must find time to discuss this with Tao Ming. Wei River was not like Earth; the law of the jungle prevailed even more fiercely, and a moment’s softness could lead to endless trouble.

Tao Ming, hearing Ruanyuan’s words, hesitated before saying, “Ruanyuan, Mommy isn’t blaming you. It’s just that you’re too little. If that person had hurt you, Mommy would be heartbroken.”

She then placed Nuonuo on Ruanyuan’s shoulder and looked at the two girls seriously. “You’re still just children. From now on, let grownups handle such things—like Daddy, Mommy, Grandpa, Grandma. And…”

Her words were interrupted by Su Yanfeng’s voice, “Seventeen, Mingming, let’s go into Listening Wind Pavilion to discuss matters.”

Tao Ming followed Su Nanxing into Listening Wind Pavilion. Looking up, she saw most of the Qin family’s uncles and cousins and the Su brothers gathered there.

Once Tao Ming was seated, Qin Youchuan looked at Su Yanfeng and said, “Patriarch Su, today’s events were truly unexpected—Ruanyuan possesses an extraordinary flame.”

Su Yanfeng stroked his beard, a satisfied smile on his face. “As expected of a Su family descendant.”

Qin Youchuan, unable to endure Su Yanfeng’s prideful demeanor, retorted, “Since when does the Su family practice fire control techniques?”

Tao Ming felt a headache coming on. Could they stop bickering every time they met?

She secretly pinched Ruanyuan, who exclaimed, “Who pinched me? Daddy, was it you?”

Su Nanxing looked baffled, glanced at the serious Tao Ming next to him, and resignedly said, “I’m just checking if you’ve gotten chubby.”

“I haven’t gotten chubby! I’ve been dieting!”

Thanks to Ruanyuan’s protest, Qin Youchuan didn’t continue bantering with Su Yanfeng.

Tao Ming seized the moment to ask, “Grandfather, Uncle, what about the matter of Sacred Mountain?”

Su Yanfeng replied, seemingly offhand, “It’s been ages since I left the imperial city. It’s time for a change of scenery.”

The Su brothers immediately stood up, chattering: “Father, I’ll go prepare.”

“Father, I’ll fetch Mother.”

“Father, I’ll get my wife.”

Qin Youchuan rose and said, “Mingming, the Qin family will accompany you, too.”

Tao Ming quickly stopped him. “Isn’t that too many people?”

After some negotiation, it was finally decided that Qin Yunjue, Qin Yunqi, Su Po, and Su Pei would accompany Tao Ming’s family to Sacred Mountain.

Su Po could hardly contain his excitement, eager to set off at once.

After a meal, the group assembled at the palace gates with their accompanying guards and boarded the Su family’s carriage for Sacred Mountain.

The Su family’s carriage was said to be even safer than the Zi Li Treasure Car they’d once ridden, so everyone piled into the compartment, with Feng Ying still at the reins.

Sacred Mountain lay northwest of the imperial city, and the carriage ride would take only two hours.

The carriage was full of younger members, so the atmosphere was much more relaxed, especially Su Po, who let himself go entirely, playing with Ruanyuan and Nuonuo in a noisy, cheerful trio.

Tao Ming watched their antics with a smile, then casually asked, “Su Po, weren’t you surprised to see Nuonuo?”

Su Po fiddled with his toy and replied, “Father called us to the study and told us the White Tiger could take human form. I was so curious I wanted to rush straight to Star-picking Courtyard to see for myself.”

“Is that so? But I didn’t see you come.” Tao Ming thought with Su Po’s impulsive nature, he should have dashed over right away.

Su Po glanced at Su Nanxing and cautiously said, “Seventeen said you were new here and needed time to adjust, so he wouldn’t let us visit.”

Su Nanxing quickly explained, “Wife, he’s too boisterous, I was afraid you’d be overwhelmed.”

Tao Ming didn’t contradict him and changed the subject. “By the way, I heard the Su family can build a building in no time. Why is that?”

Su Pei held out his palm, cradling a tiny bean. It quickly sprouted into a tender green shoot. “Sister-in-law, the Su family’s techniques can accelerate plant growth and control them at will.”

Curious, Tao Ming twirled the little shoot in her hand. “Can this be used in combat?”

Su Pei handed her the shoot and answered, “You could hit an ordinary person with wood, but it’s useless against cultivators. That’s why the Su family has always focused on developing formations—to make up for their shortcomings.”

Tao Ming turned the shoot in her hand, thinking the Su family’s techniques were indeed perfect for construction.

Suddenly, she remembered the starlight Su Nanxing had released in the bedroom and turned to ask him, “Why are you different from the others?”

“I don’t know. I was born this way.” Su Nanxing looked innocent.

“So you control light?”

Su Nanxing glanced at the Qin brothers, hesitated slightly, then said, “Actually, it’s a kind of fire, just more refined than what Ruanyuan controls.”

“Oh, so Ruanyuan inherited your abilities.” Tao Ming finally understood.

The Qin brothers exchanged glances. Qin Yunjue said, “From now on, we should call you cousin-in-law. You needn’t worry about us causing you trouble. Besides, with the Qin and Su families aboard Mingming’s ship, we shall advance and retreat together.”

Tao Ming replied in exasperation, “What do you mean, aboard my ship?”

Qin Yunjue tried, “Or tied to your rope?”

...

The carriage stopped, and Tao Ming’s group disembarked. Among the guards, the one who seemed to be the leader spoke, “We’ve arrived at Sacred Mountain. We’ll return and report.”

Tao Ming asked in surprise, “We have to go back early tomorrow. Besides, we haven’t even climbed the mountain yet.”

The guard replied, “Our orders were to deliver the Holy Maiden to the foot of Sacred Mountain. Nothing was said about climbing or returning.”

Su Nanxing said to the guard, “Thank you for your hard work. We’ll ascend on our own.”

Once the guards had left, Su Nanxing lowered his voice, “Seems someone plans to pay us a visit tonight.”

Tao Ming sighed, “If only everyone had come together.”

Standing at the foot of Sacred Mountain, Tao Ming looked up. Before her lay lush greenery, with the summit shrouded in a veil of mist, vague and indistinct.

A stone-paved path wound up the slope, dividing the mountain’s trees in two. Among the treetops, birds could be glimpsed flitting about.

Cradling Ruanyuan in her arms, Tao Ming mused, “Luckily our strength has improved, or we wouldn’t even be able to climb the mountain.”

Su Nanxing, holding Nuonuo, reached out his hand to Tao Ming. “Let me carry her.”

Tao Ming was about to refuse when someone behind them asked, “Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the imperial city?”