66: Chapter 66: A Fourth-Grade Magical Artifact is Changed, the First Wife Takes Charge of Taking a Concubine, and the Shen Family Mansion is Established!

[You step onto the stairs of the fortress.]

[There are dried bloodstains on the stone steps.]

[On the watchtower, Qin Yao leans against a stone pillar, her hands clutching the hem of her clothes.]

[She stares at the earthy yellow bead in your hand.]

[The earth spirit bead.]

[Clan Master Zhao's soul-bound artifact.]

[This bead followed the old man of the Zhao family for twenty years; the blood of thirty-seven members of the Qin Family was just one of its many debts.]

“Where is Clan Master Zhao?” her voice is very soft.

[You place the earth spirit bead in front of her.]

[“Dead.”]

[Qin Yao looks down at the bead.]

[She doesn't reach out to take it.]

[Her lips purse a few times, and her shoulders begin to tremble.]

[“Thirty-seven people.”]

[She says a sentence.]

[“My father, my mother, my second uncle, my cousin, and even that thirteen-year-old kitchen maid...”]

[She squats down, covering her face with both hands.]

[Sobs leak through her fingers, intermittent and broken.]

[You stand in front of her, unmoving.]

[About twenty breaths pass.]

[Qin Yao suddenly stands up and plunges into your arms.]

[The hands clutching your lapels are shaking, and tears soak the fabric of your chest that was blasted by the golden light pillar.]

[You don't push her away.]

[You raise your hand and pat her back.]

[“That's enough. The living are dead, and the dead can finally rest in peace.”]

[Qin Yao says something muffled against your chest.]

[You don't press for details.]

[Age 36, April 25th. Afternoon.]

[You take Qin Yao and leave Jiulong Mountain.]

[On the return journey, her eyes are still red, but her steps are much steadier.]

[At dusk, the city walls of Yunzhou appear in your field of vision.]

[You go to Shens Shop first.]

[Hu Wansan is squatting behind the counter checking the accounts; seeing you enter, his legs go weak and he nearly drops his abacus.]

[“Shopkeeper! You've finally returned! Miss Qin is also—”]

[“She's fine.” You interrupt him.]

[“Hu Wansan.”]

[“Present!”]

[“From today on, Qin Yao is the assistant shopkeeper of Shens Shop. Purchasing, appraisal, customer maintenance—teach her every part of the business, one by one.”]

[Hu Wansan looks at Qin Yao, then back at you.]

[“In the future, there will be more times when her word is law in the shop than yours. Do you understand?”]

[Hu Wansan grins and bows repeatedly with hands cupped.]

[“Understood, understood! Miss Qin's eye for appraisal is more than ten times better than mine. I've long hoped for someone who could hold down the fort.”]

[Qin Yao wipes the corners of her eyes and nods slightly to him.]

[“Shopkeeper Hu is too kind. I will have to rely on you in the future.”]

[You don't stay any longer, leaving the shop to the two of them and turning to return to the back courtyard.]

[Age 36, April 25th. Late at night.]

[The children are already asleep. Liu Qingqing is doing needlework under the lamp.]

[You close the door and empty over a dozen storage bags onto the table.]

[Opening them one by one.]

[Clan Master Zhao's storage bag is the richest.]

[Three thousand seven hundred spirit stones, over ten bottles of various grades of pills, and spirit grass materials piled up on half the table.]

[The highlight is in the innermost layer.]

[A palm-sized bronze mirror with inscriptions carved on the back—a fourth-grade spirit tool, heart-protecting mirror.]

[You press it to your chest and pour in spiritual power.]

[A layer of pale gold light spreads from the surface of the bronze mirror, covering the vital areas of your chest.]

[Unlike the passive defense of the dark iron shield, the heart-protecting mirror triggers actively, specializing in defending against assassinations and sudden raids.]

[You directly replace the third-grade dark iron shield.]

[Opening Clan Master Ling's storage bag, there are just over five thousand spirit stones.]

[Inside lies that three-inch-long golden flying sword.]

[The jinhong sword. A fourth-grade metal-attribute flying sword.]

[The blade is as thin as a cicada's wing, with restrained golden light.]

[Metal-attribute spiritual power focuses on slaughter; combined with the one-second invisibility of Phantom Raid, it is enough to pierce armor and penetrate bodies in an instant.]

[You place the shuangluo sword deep into your storage bag and switch to wearing the jinhong sword.]

[The final item was found in the storage bag of the Ling Family elder.]

[Wood Spirit Cauldron. A fourth-grade precious cauldron. A wood-attribute spirit treasure.]

[The cauldron is emerald green throughout; wood-attribute spiritual power can stimulate medicinal properties and accelerate the maturation of spirit grasses.]

[You take a look.]

[You push it to the other side of the table.]

[Liu Qingqing stops her needlework, her gaze sweeping over the emerald green cauldron.]

[“For you,” you say.]

[She picks it up and turns it over.]

[“Fourth-grade?”]

[“Yes. Your wood-attribute spirit root can make use of it; in the future, you won't have to ask others for help when refining pills or nurturing herbs.”]

[Liu Qingqing sets the cauldron down by her hand.]

[“Are they all killed off?”]

[“Wiped out. Neither family head escaped; even the bone fragments in Jiulong Mountain have been frozen to dust.”]

[“What about Qin Yao?”]

[“She's settled. Assistant shopkeeper at the outer shop, Hu Wansan is training her.”]

[Liu Qingqing picks up her needlework again, asking no more questions.]

[Age 36, May 3rd.]

[Qin Yao comes to the back courtyard to find you.]

[She stands at the courtyard gate, hesitating for a moment before walking in.]

[“Big Brother Shen, there's something I want to tell you.”]

[You are drinking tea by the stone table.]

[“Sit.”]

[Qin Yao sits down, her hands placed properly on her knees.]

[“I've already gotten the hang of the shop's business. But I... for the future arrangements, I want to hear your thoughts.”]

[You set down your teacup.]

[Before you can speak, Liu Qingqing walks out of the house.]

[She carries a plate of freshly baked pastries and places them in front of Qin Yao.]

[“Eat.”]

[Qin Yao hastily stands up.]

[“Sister Liu.”]

[Liu Qingqing sits across from her and takes a bite of a piece herself first.]

[“No need to be so formal.”]

[Qin Yao holds the pastry.]

[Liu Qingqing swallows the pastry and glances at you.]

[You hold your teacup, unmoving.]

[Age 36, May 15th.]

[Liu Qingqing invites you and Qin Yao to the back courtyard of the Liu family.]

[The three of you sit under an old locust tree.]

[Liu Qingqing gets straight to the point.]

[“Qin Yao, I'll ask you one question; answer me truthfully.”]

[Qin Yao sits up straight.]

[“For your sake, he charged into Jiulong Mountain alone and killed two Foundation Establishment old monsters. What are your feelings toward him?”]

[Qin Yao lowers her head, the tips of her ears turning crimson.]

[“I...”]

[“That's enough.” Liu Qingqing waves her hand. “I can tell just by looking at you.”]

[She turns to look at you.]

[“Shen Ji.”]

[“Yes.”]

[“I know this girl Qin Yao well, and she works steadily. I have no objections.”]

[Her tone is very flat.]

[“But let me say the unpleasant things first. The family rules cannot be disrupted; if you marry in, it will be as a concubine. I have the final say in all matters, large and small. Those with ability can take on more responsibilities, but don't think about competing for status.”]

[She looks toward Qin Yao.]

[Qin Yao stands up and gives a formal, proper bow.]

[“I will keep Sister's kindness engraved in my heart. I will follow the rules.”]

[Liu Qingqing nods.]

[“It's settled then.”]

[She stands up and pats her skirt.]

[“You set the date. Don't be extravagant with the banquet; keeping spirit stones for cultivation is better than anything else.”]

[You watch the two women walk toward the courtyard gate, one after the other.]

[They are talking about the quality control of new spirit grasses in the shop, their tone familiar.]

[You pick up your teacup and take a sip.]

[This home is now stable.]

[Age 36, June 1st.]

[You buy a large three-entry mansion in the north of the city.]

[The plaque is hung—Shen Residence.]

[On that day, Qin Yao marries in.]

[There is no grand banquet, only Hu Wansan and a few close relatives from Liu Qingqing's family are invited.]

[At dusk, Qin Yao stands in the central hall in a red dress.]

[You lift the bridal veil.]

[The red candles reflect on her face; there are tears in her eyes, but a smile on her lips.]

[Shen Tian pulls Shen Yue along as they run under the corridor.]

[Liu Qingqing sits in the main seat drinking tea, her expression indifferent.]

[You stand in the central hall, looking around.]

[A three-entry mansion, children at your knees, with fourth-grade artifacts and over ten thousand spirit stones lying in the warehouse.]

[Ten years ago, you were still struggling at Qi Refinement Level 2.]

[As of today, you have finally established a foundation in Yunzhou City.]

Shen Ji leans back in his chair, looking at the words "Shen Residence" on the light screen.

A fourth-grade jinhong sword paired with Phantom Raid—this damage output could hold its own even against someone at foundation establishment level 3.

The heart-protecting mirror provides close-range defense, and the Wood Spirit Cauldron rounds out his internal affairs.

Offense, defense, and support have all taken shape.

The text on the light screen continues to scroll.

Age thirty-six has just passed the halfway mark; there is still half a year of simulation left to run.

The Zhao family is gone, and the Ling Family is gone. In the short term, no one in Yunzhou City will dare to cause trouble again.

But what about outside Yunzhou?

Clan Master Zhao was from Chishui City. The Zhao family of Chishui City would not have only one Foundation Establishment Level 2.

His finger hovers above the light screen.

The next line of text slowly emerges—

[Age 36, July 9th. A letter from Chishui City is delivered to the Shen Residence gatehouse.]

Shen Ji's finger stops.