Refining the Mountains and Rivers

In a room, the sounds of smashing continued for a long time as if a storm were raging inside. The maids and guards stood outside with their heads bowed down deeply, in fear that anger would be vented upon them.

The young master had been in a bad mood recently, but he was in especially poor spirits today.

After smashing a jade table with a single kick, Lei Jinyun panted for breath. He had nearly ruined the entire room but the anger in his heart only increased, causing his eyes to turn faintly blood red.

With a creaking sound, the door opened. Lei Jinyun turned and roared, "Who let you come in, screw off!"

There was the sound of footsteps followed by a calm voice. "Pass down a sealed command. Anyone who dares to leak out what happened today will be severely punished. In addition, send for people to come here and clean this place up. Have it restored to its original condition as soon as possible."

After relaying his orders, a man walked over. His name was An Taiping. He had the appearance of a 50 year old man and his bearing was dignified and collected. He cupped his hands together and said, "I greet the eldest son."

Lei Jinyun drew in a deep breath and squeezed out a smile. "I had no idea that teacher arrived. I was disrespectful. I ask for your forgiveness."

An Taiping was a famed scholar in Roc City. He was a grand authority with a long line of inheritance behind him. Lei Qianjun had personally visited him several times before he agreed to come here to teach. He possessed an extremely high status.

He stood up straight and looked at the disciple he had painstakingly cultivated. He said in a slow voice, "I am your teacher. Our rise and fall have already become one, so why would I care about things like this? But if the City Lord were to learn about what happened today, have you thought about that?"

Lei Jinyun's complexion changed. He forced out a smile and said, "Teacher is correct. This disciple understands. I am just…I am just upset, so I couldn't help but vent my anger."

An Taiping lightly sighed. Sometimes, he understood Lei Jinyun. It was because the way the City Lord handled his affairs was far too obscure and deep; it made his thoughts impossible to grasp.

Lei Jinyun was the eldest son and was considered qualified in all aspects. No matter how one looked at it, he was the best choice for inheriting the throne in the future.

But unfortunately, he was forced to retreat again and again by a little girl. In recent years there had been numerous mistakes in his performance.

It was rare for a woman to take the throne, but that didn't mean it was without precedent. And the love that the City Lord felt for Lei Xiaoyu surpassed all reasonable imagination. One couldn't help but think of the possibilities.

"Young master, you must remember how precious your status is. You are the center of attention of all parties and everything you do will be magnified countless times over, becoming a certificate of your actions in the outside world. As long as you do well, the future will be yours. After all, it is difficult for a mere woman to obtain the approval of everyone! Moreover, you have chosen well in marriage. Your wife's family will be a great boost to you. They will not allow your status to be challenged."

With An Taiping's identity and standing, when he took a stance he always left room for himself. Today was the first time he had given such a straightforward analysis.

Lei Jinyun had a gratified expression. "Teacher, I understand. This disciple will closely follow your advice and will not disappoint you."

An Taiping shook his head, "Young master, you do not need to fear disappointing me. Rather, you should not disappoint the status that the heavens have granted you. It's fine as long as you do not make any mistakes. The throne shall surely be yours in the future."

An hour later, An Taiping bid his goodbyes and left. Lei Jinyun's tumbling heart finally managed to stabilize. Still, as he thought back to how his father had unexpectedly agreed to let an outsider use the Soul Casting Array Formation, he couldn't help but feel his heart twitch.

He was his father's genuine son and also the eldest son! How could he not compare to a woman? And he couldn't even compare to a boy she had found in the garbage!

Lei Jinyun couldn't imagine it!

When he returned to his room after dinner, Lei Jinyun waved his hand and dismissed the maids. He grabbed onto his wife and without another word, moved towards their bed.

The two fell down together.

As if knowing how angry he was, his normally conservative and reserved wife let loose her restraints, allowing Lei Jinyun to obtain the maximum satisfaction.

A long time later, when the clouds and rain disappeared, Lei Jinyun stroked the woman lying against his chest. He said in a quiet voice, "Thank you."

His wife pressed into his arm. She changed her posture and shook her head, "Since I married you, I'm yours."

After a pause, the woman said in a light voice, "I know you are angry, but we cannot violate your father's will."

Lei Jinyun was silent for a moment. "I understand."

"You don't." The wife lifted herself up, exposing her naked upper body. "The Soul Casting Array Formation is a treasure of the Lei Family. Besides their direct bloodline lineage, anyone else that enters needs a jade slip. We cannot violate your father's will, but if Qin Yu makes a mistake, we will have a chance."

Lei Jinyun furrowed his eyebrows together. "What are you saying?"

The wife lightly said, "Our Shi Family has always been friendly with the Blackpool Family. Several days ago, my father sent me a message. A Wu Family Elder will be passing through Roc City and you should step forward to entertain him. It should be within the next few days."

"Blackpool Wu Family?"

"Yes, this is a chance."

"But today, teacher warned me not to be reckless."

"Your teacher was correct. It is our best choice to adapt to the changes as they come. But you have to remember that you are the eldest son. Not only will you face your father's tests but there are also many people observing you in secret, determining if you are worthy. Qin Yu was allowed to use the Soul Casting Array Formation, but he is only Lei Xiaoyu's friend. In fact, we aren't the only ones who are unhappy about this.

"If you make your move now, you can prove your stance and also borrow the momentum of the situation. Even if your father knows, he won't say anything. Because with your status you have the qualifications to take a stand in some matters. If you make your voice known, that is good for all of us."

A cloudy expression covered his face for a long time. Then, Lei Jinyun hugged her into his arms and fiercely intruded into her body. "Since this is the order of my wife's father, I will agree to it. Winning over the support of my wife's family is also something I should do!"

…

Five days later, the Soul Casting Array Formation gradually quieted down. The shattered edges of space began to slowly reform.

Taking in the last wisp of the strange strength and absorbing it into his body and soul, Qin Yu opened his eyes and let out a foul breath.

Shua -

A sharp light flashed in his eyes.

Qin Yu stood up, his bones cracking and popping, the sounds linking into a single stretch. But now, even though his mortal body had received harvests, what he truly cared about was the growth to his soul.

Carefully examining himself, Qin Yu couldn't help but smile. This was indeed worthy of being the Soul Casting Array Formation; the effects were better than he expected.

At this current speed, he would at most need to borrow the array two more times before his soul absorption rate returned to normal.

Looking around at the array formation which had fallen silent, Qin Yu stepped out.

If he could, he would choose without hesitation to cultivate here for several months until he digested all the soul treasures he refined.

But what a pity, every time the Soul Casting Array Formation was used there was a necessary maintenance period afterwards to ensure that it could continue functioning at maximum output.

This was all recorded in the jade slip.

He smoothly passed through the long channel. When he reached the outside, a cool breeze blew past him. Right now, the stars were shining high in the skies.

He came to a sudden stop. In a little pavilion not too far away, there was a soft couch.

Lei Xiaoyu was lying on top of it. Her eyes were shut as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.

Two maids stood by her side. They had noticed when Qin Yu arrived and a look of hesitation crossed their faces.

Qin Yu raised a hand, preventing them from waking Lei Xiaoyu up. He said in a soft voice, "How long has she been here?"

A maid bowed, "Reporting to Sir Qin, since the same day you entered, the miss has been standing guard here and hasn't left."

Qin Yu was silent for a moment. He turned around and sat down, looking at the sleeping Lei Xiaoyu. She seemed to be experiencing a wonderful dream right now as a light smile hung on the edges of her lips.

The two maids glanced at each other before quietly leaving the pavilion, allowing space for the two of them.

Looking at the peacefully sleeping Lei Xiaoyu, Qin Yu closed his eyes. His thoughts traveled far into the distance.

A moment later, the little blue lamp's voice resounded in his mind. "I know what you are going to say but my answer will not change. Saving her is far too difficult. Even if you insist, I will refuse."

Qin Yu said in a low tone, "Is there no other way?"

"In truth, there are many methods to save her. But besides me taking action, the simplest way is to obtain the body of an Origin God. Do you want me to inform you of other ways to save her?"

"No need." Qin Yu lightly said. After ending the connection, he opened his eyes and looked at Lei Xiaoyu, suppressing the waves in his heart.

It wasn't that he didn't want to save her, but his abilities were limited.

Unconsciously, the night passed. When the rays of the sun started to shine down, Lei Xiaoyu opened her eyes. The moment she saw Qin Yu, a bright smile blossomed on her face.

"Big Brother Qin!"

Qin Yu smiled. "You seemed to be sleeping well last night so I didn't wake you up. The Soul Casting Array Formation needs to undergo maintenance for the next few days, so is there anywhere you would like to go?"

Lei Xiaoyu nodded. "Yes! But Big Brother Qin, don't you need to rest?"

Qin Yu said, "I already rested last night. If there's nothing else, let's head out."

The place Lei Xiaoyu wanted to visit was within a quiet and lonely bamboo grove. It was in a remote courtyard at the southwest corner of the City Lord Mansion.

This courtyard was called the Bamboo House. It was cleaned well but there was a sense of desolation. It was clear no one had lived here for a long time.

Qin Yu was puzzled. Why did Lei Xiaoyu want to come here? He swept his divine sense around. This courtyard was ordinary, without anything special about it.

"Alright, we're here. Big Brother Qin, come with me." Lei Xiaoyu smiled as she pushed open the door and walked in.

Then, they strolled through the courtyard. Lei Xiaoyu walked in front, guiding Qin Yu through the various places.

She opened every door. Even if she didn't go in, she wanted Qin Yu to take a look.

The courtyard wasn't large, but with all the stops and pauses, they used up an entire hour.

Qin Yu wasn't impatient. He could feel that Lei Xiaoyu was happy walking through here. That alone was enough.

The last place was the bamboo grove they saw before. Without caring for how dirty she got, she personally dug out a few fresh bamboo roots.

"Alright. Let's go. You're in luck today. My fried bamboo shoots are a top-class dish."

Qin Yu smiled, "Then I'll wait in anticipation."

After cleaning their hands, they put away the bamboo shoots. When the two arrived in front of the door Lei Xiaoyu suddenly stopped. She turned around and put her hands around her mouth, shouting, "Mother, I brought a friend to see you today, his name is Qin Yu! I hope that he can satisfy you."

As she finished speaking she didn't look at Qin Yu. She walked forward with a red face.

Qin Yu silently followed. He cupped his hands together and bowed at the courtyard doors.

Reality proved that Lei Xiaoyu hadn't been lying. Her cooking skills were unexpectedly good. In particular, the clear and fresh bamboo shoots caused Qin Yu to give them a thumbs up.

Across from him, Lei Xiaoyu gently smiled. She helped Qin Yu to another serving, poured some wine for him, and occasionally had some herself.

After finishing eating, without letting the maids intervene, she personally cleaned up and then put a plate of fruits on the table. She smiled and said, "Big Brother Qin, thank you for helping me fulfill another wish of mine. I didn't tell you this before, but this Bamboo House used to be where my mother lived. I was afraid you would be uncomfortable about it."

Qin Yu shook his head. He thought for a moment and asked, "Where is aunty?"

Lei Xiaoyu said, "She died. When I was five years old." She wiped her eyes and smiled. "After that, the Bamboo House was sealed up. It was only last year when I was an adult that I had this place cleaned up. So, when I introduced you before, that is only what I heard others say. The memories of my childhood are already blurry."

Qin Yu said, "My apologies…then was that doll left behind by aunty?"

Lei Xiaoyu nodded. "Yes. That was the only thing she gave me. But I accidentally lost it later. So I really appreciate Big Brother Qin for helping me find it."

Qin Yu changed the topic, "Is there anything else you want to do?"

Lei Xiaoyu tilted her head. "There is." Her face flushed red. "Tomorrow, my big brother is holding a banquet to receive an honored guest from far away. Many people will be invited…Big Brother Qin, you know that my father loves me, and since I've already reached this age…at every banquet, people will come to bother me…so if possible, I hope that you can attend together with me…"

"A shield, huh?" Qin Yu thought for a moment, picking up a grape and eating it. "Okay. I'll do the best I can so you aren't bothered in the future."