Su Yu looked down.

In his arms, the exquisitely beautiful face that was usually cold and sharp had now shed its defensiveness and rigidity.

Her slightly flushed cheeks, the elegant arch of her nose, and her parted, rosy lips all exuded the stunning allure of a young woman deep in a drunken slumber.

His gaze drifted involuntarily down from her radiant face.

Her ink-black, close-fitting martial attire perfectly accentuated her tall, graceful, and buxom curves. As the carriage swayed gently, the sleeping girl seemed to feel a bit stuffy. She let out a soft murmur, and her hand subconsciously pulled open her tight collar.

A sliver of snow-white skin was instantly exposed to the air, tinged with a faint pink from the alcohol.

Su Yu’s gaze swept over it inadvertently. He caught a glimpse of the white cloth binding that tightly restrained her magnificent peaks, and he could almost feel the astonishing elasticity straining to break free from beneath it.

’Look no evil, see no evil...’

Su Yu’s breath hitched. He quickly and unnaturally averted his gaze, trying to center himself and forcibly suppress the heat stirred by his vigorous Qi and Blood.

THUD!

The carriage wheel seemed to have rolled over a jutting stone, and the compartment lurched violently.

"Ngh..."

Qian Qinghong, deep in sleep, let out a soft cry. Her delicate body trembled and she burrowed deeper into Su Yu’s embrace, pressing most of her weight against him, nearly knocking him flat onto the soft couch.

Feeling the astonishing softness against his chest, Su Yu gave a wry smile. He raised his hands, intending to gently push her upright.

But when his gaze fell upon her delicately furrowed brows, his heart softened for no reason. His hands hovered in mid-air before he slowly lowered them, merely adjusting his posture to let her rest more comfortably.

’Perhaps being the Patriarch of the Qian Family isn’t as easy as it seems, especially for a woman like her.’

Silence returned to the carriage.

The carriage continued its unhurried journey through the Outer City of Black Stone City. Outside the window, the sky gradually darkened, and the bustling streets fell quiet.

Su Yu remained as still as a statue, allowing the young woman in his arms to sleep soundly.

...

Almost an hour later, the carriage came to a steady halt outside the Qian Estate.

"Qinghong, we’re here," Su Yu said, gently patting her shoulder.

Qian Qinghong’s long eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her bright, beautiful eyes. When she saw Su Yu’s handsome face so close to hers and realized the extremely ambiguous position she was in, she didn’t panic or shriek shyly like an ordinary woman.

She simply sat up from his embrace in a completely natural manner and stretched languidly, showing off her stunning figure.

"Brother Su, my apologies. I was just a little tired." Qian Qinghong straightened her slightly disheveled collar. "Come on, I’ll take you to see the Great Elder."

Su Yu nodded in silent understanding. The two of them lifted the carriage curtain and, one after the other, walked into the Qian Family estate.

...

「Qian Family Inner Courtyard, Main Hall.」

Great Elder Qian Lusheng dismissed the servants and personally poured Su Yu a cup of steaming, fragrant tea.

"Friend Su, try this tea of mine."

Su Yu nodded slightly, picked up the teacup, and took a gentle sip.

His standards were far higher than before. He had tasted quite a few exquisite teas, including the special Inner City Cloud Mist Spirit Tea gifted by Commander Li Jingxuan, the Yun Jin Spirit Tea from Yu Linglong, and the valuable teas sent by various major powers after the Dinglong Association.

Coupled with his keen sense of taste, a single sip was all he needed to discern the true essence of the tea with extreme precision.

The moment the tea entered his mouth, there was none of the light sweetness of ordinary spirit teas. Instead, it carried an extremely heavy bitterness. But after this bitterness slid down his throat, an exceptionally long-lasting, sweet aftertaste bloomed at the base of his tongue.

The sensation was like the desolate and stark tranquility of a wind-swept desert.

"Excellent tea."

Su Yu set down the teacup and praised it sincerely. "This tea is slightly bitter at first, but its flavor is as rich and enduring as a lone plume of smoke in the great desert. When the bitterness fades and the sweetness arrives, the mind becomes exceptionally clear. It embodies the true Zen of the ascetic lands of the Western Regions. I fear this tea wasn’t grown in the Central Province; it’s not something an ordinary person could obtain!"

"HAHAHA! Friend Su, you truly have excellent taste and insight!"

Qian Lusheng’s eyes lit up.

He had always been obsessed with the art of tea. These leaves were something he had obtained in his youth, bartered from a great Buddhist Practitioner while traveling through the deserts of the Western Regions.

Su Yu’s commentary had hit the nail right on the head, making him view Su Yu in an even more favorable light.

"Great Elder, since Brother Su is such an expert on your precious spirit tea, as an elder, you can’t be stingy, can you? Why not give him a few pounds?" Qian Qinghong, seeing her chance, immediately chimed in with a grin, pushing things along.

"Qinghong, siding with an outsider already! I only have a little of this Western Regions treasure left!" Qian Lusheng chided her with a laugh, but then stroked his beard and said generously, "However, since Friend Su is a connoisseur who understands tea, I’ll share half a catty with you later."

Su Yu hurriedly cupped his fists in thanks.

"Alright, we’ve had our tea. It’s time to discuss business."

Qian Lusheng’s smile vanished, his expression turning serious. "Friend Su, I invited you here today because I am amazed by your talent and foundation in Martial Arts. Therefore, on behalf of the Qian Family’s Elder Council, I would like to formally invite you to become a Tributor for our Qian Family."

Hearing this, Qian Qinghong, who was at his side, also nodded slightly, a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

Su Yu didn’t agree immediately. Instead, he asked, "I am grateful for the Great Elder’s high regard. However, I have always been accustomed to freedom and dislike ceremony and restrictive rules. What are the specific requirements and obligations of a Qian Family Tributor?"

The terms for being a Tributor could vary from family to family. Take the Cai Family’s agreement with him, for example; it was very flexible, more like an investment, which was why he had almost never visited the Cai Family, let alone participated in their affairs.

But for a major clan like the Qian Family, the position of Tributor could sometimes be very strict, not as casual as a normal Martial Artist holding a nominal post.

Qian Lusheng seemed to have expected this question. He stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Friend Su, you can rest assured. For a peerless prodigy such as yourself, my Qian Family would never impose any mandatory restrictions. Because the position I am inviting you to take today is that of our Qian Family’s Chief Tributor!"

’Chief Tributor?’

At these words, a flash of surprise crossed Qian Qinghong’s beautiful eyes. She had only guessed that the Great Elder would invite Su Yu to be a Tributor, but she never expected it would be for the chief position!

As the Patriarch, she knew better than anyone the weight that the title of Chief Tributor carried. In the hundred years the Qian Family had been established in Black Stone City, only one person had ever been worthy of this honor!

That master had broken through the shackles of the Profound Bone Realm and stepped into the Divine Storage Realm over a decade ago. Afterward, he left Qing Province to travel to places like the Central Province.

The Qian Family’s rapid rise in Black Stone City back then was, to a large extent, thanks to the influence of that very master!

"As Chief Tributor, not only will our Qian Family place no mandatory conditions to restrict your freedom, but..."

Qian Lusheng stroked his beard and added:

"First, each month, the Qian Family will give you a portion of the net profits from our core trade routes as your Monthly Allowance. Regardless of profit or loss, the monthly guarantee will be no less than one thousand taels of Snowflake Silver!"

"Second, and this is the most important promise: if you ever run into trouble in Black Stone City in the future, you need only say the word. The Qian Family is willing to mobilize the full strength of our clan to take action for you once, unconditionally!"

As he spoke, Qian Lusheng’s aura shifted. "Right now, our Qian Family’s Elder Council alone has five Muscle Forging Realm experts! With that kind of foundation, we have the confidence to face any power!"

’A guaranteed monthly allowance of one thousand taels!’

’And one unconditional strike from five Muscle Forging Realm experts!’

Hearing these terms, Su Yu’s heart, which was usually as still as an old well, couldn’t help but throb violently a few times.

’Aren’t the terms Qian Lusheng is offering a little too good?’

’This is a clear declaration that they’re betting the entire clan to back me. They’re obviously gambling on my future, and it’s a much bigger bet than the Cai Family’s!’

"Friend Su should understand my meaning. Besides this promise, as Chief Tributor, you can also come to the Qian Family for help with anything you need on a daily basis."

"So, what do you say? Is Friend Su willing to become the Chief Tributor of my Qian Family?"

"Since the Great Elder thinks so highly of me, it would be ungracious of me to refuse." Su Yu wasn’t coy in the slightest. He rose decisively and cupped his fists. "I accept the position of Chief Tributor!"

"HAHAHA! Excellent!"

Qian Lusheng laughed with immense satisfaction. "From now on, Friend Su is one of our own! Come, drink your tea!"

Qian Qinghong, standing to the side, was visibly overjoyed. If the Great Elder hadn’t been sitting in the main seat, with her bold personality, she probably would have already rushed over to give Su Yu a fierce bear hug.

"Great Elder," Qian Qinghong said, taking advantage of the harmonious atmosphere. "Earlier, at the Black Water River, I promised Brother Su that I would help him find the subsequent parts of the Bibo Fish Dragon Skill. Are there any new leads on that Cultivation Technique?"

Hearing this, Qian Lusheng’s smile faded slightly, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. "This matter is indeed a bit tricky."

He set down his teacup and, without keeping them in suspense, explained frankly, "The Bibo Fish Dragon Skill is the foundation our Qian Family used to establish ourselves on the water in the early years. But what many people don’t know is that this Cultivation Technique actually originates from Liangzhou in the far north."

"For many years, the Patriarchs of the Qian Family have searched for the subsequent parts of the technique, but their efforts have always come to nothing. It’s only recently that there’s been a breakthrough."

"The Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall?" Qian Qinghong’s beautiful eyes flashed as she picked up the thread with sharp intuition.

"Correct." Qian Lusheng nodded. "The Flying Fish Skill used by Ding Mianyue shares the same origin as our family’s Bibo Fish Dragon Skill in terms of Qi and Blood circulation and the essence of water combat! It’s even highly likely that these two techniques were originally two volumes of a single Cultivation Technique!"

Hearing this secret, Su Yu couldn’t help but feel a surge of intense curiosity.

’I always felt there was something special about this Bibo Fish Dragon Skill. It seems I was right.’

"My Qian Family ancestors also migrated here as refugees from Liangzhou. Perhaps, several hundred years ago, the Qian ancestors had some kind of profound connection with the founder of that Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall."

Qian Lusheng looked at Su Yu and promised, "Friend Su, rest assured. Now that we have a lead on the subsequent parts of the technique, I will personally go and negotiate with the master of the Flying Fish Martial Arts Hall. As long as we can obtain the technique, I will immediately make a copy and present it to you with both hands!"

"Then I will have to trouble the Great Elder." Su Yu cupped his fists in thanks.

After settling the matter of the Bibo Fish Dragon Skill, Su Yu changed the subject, his gaze burning as he looked at Qian Lusheng. "Great Elder, there is one more thing I am quite curious about. On the stage today, that extremely domineering roar you used to suppress the entire arena... was that the legendary sonic wave technique?"