Just as he returned to his courtyard, Fifth Elder Su Bin sent someone to summon him. Su Yu thought for a moment and then followed the man to the Book Storage Pavilion, where Su Bin was leisurely perusing ancient books.
Seeing Su Yu, Su Bin put down the book in his hand and looked at him. After studying him for a moment, he exclaimed with surprise, "Good lad, it was you who struck down Lin Xiu of the Lin Family yesterday, wasn't it?"
The confrontation had taken place on the main street, and there had been many witnesses.
The Lin Family members didn't recognize who Su Yu was, but the Su Family could easily find out from their own investigation.
After pondering for a moment, Su Yu nodded, "It was me. But it wasn't me who made the first move. As I was passing by, that guy launched a water snake spell at me. I had to counterattack."
Su Bin snorted, looked at Su Yu with disdain, and said, "Don't make excuses. You say you were forced to counterattack, but you turned him into a bloody mess in an instant."
Su Yu was helpless; he had only thrown one punch.
It was that the opponent was too weak.
Before Su Yu could speak, Su Bin waved his hand and pulled a bag from his bosom, "That's enough. It doesn't matter how you killed him. The important part is, you killed a cultivator of the Lin Family, and that too, the grandson of the Lin Family's Fourth Elder."
"That's commendable. Take this, it's a Qiankun bag. Although it's just a low-grade magic artifact, it should be useful. Inside are thirty low-grade spirit stones, a reward from the family."
"Remember, the next time you encounter a cultivator from the Lin Family, beat him up, even if he doesn't take the initiative."
"If they actually start a fight, kill them if you can. Of course, if you can't beat them, make sure to run away quickly."
Su Yu didn't catch the latter part of what Su Bin said, because his eyes were gleaming at the sight of the Qiankun bag.
He could be rewarded for such a thing?
Eagerly receiving the Qiankun bag, he cheerfully thanked, "Thank you, Fifth Grandpa. And thanks to the Family Head and the other Elders."
Again, Su Bin waved his hand and said, "If there's nothing else, get lost."
Shrugging his shoulders, Su Yu took his leave.
As he watched Su Yu's retreating figure, Su Bin murmured pensively, "Still at the second level of Qi refinement... Could he be practicing body refinement?"
Thinking of this, Su Bin was startled and couldn't help but be struck with awe.
"Could it be—that particular body refinement technique?"
If it indeed is—
Su Bin looked more and more pleased, looking at the figure of Su Yu disappearing in the distance, and muttered with a sigh, "This kid, he's hiding deep."
...
Upon returning to his courtyard, Su Yu immediately claimed ownership over the Qiankun bag.
The space inside was approximately three cubic feet in size. Small, but ample enough for him.
He placed the low-grade spirit stones he had accumulated, leftover Qi Refinement Pills and his spare clothes and the leftover Spirit Rice inside.
"Now that I have this, it'll be much more convenient when I travel." Su Yu thought to himself.
With the thirty low-grade spirit stones, combined with the fifteen he acquired from killing Lin Xiu, and the twenty-five left in the medicine garden, he now had seventy low-grade spirit stones in total.
"Now I can focus on cultivating for some time."
While Su Yu was engrossed in his cultivation, at the Lin Family, Fourth Elder Lin Hai had also figured out his identity.
"Su Yu? A worthless brat dares to kill my grandson? I will make him pay for this with his life!" Lin Hai muttered through gritted teeth.
Three days later.
The Su family's young miss, Su Zhi, returned from the Yunjian Sect. Family Head Su Peng threw a grand reception for her, which was lively and bustling with excitement.
After two more days, under the pavilion in Su Zhi's courtyard, Su Zhi, Su Yu, and Su Qingyi gathered together.
Su Qingyi kept looking at Su Yu and couldn't restrain himself, "I never imagined that it was you who killed Lin Xiu."
Su Yu shook his head, "As soon as I returned to River City, he made a move on me without saying a word. I had no choice but to fight back."
Su Qingyi looked confused, "Wasn't he at the third level of Qi Refinement? How did you kill him?"
Su Zhi looked at Su Yu with an amused smile, for she knew some insider information.
After pondering for a moment, Su Yu said, "I've also learned Body Refinement Techniques."
Su Qingyi's pupils contracted, and he exclaimed in understanding, "Body Refinement? I see."
His disdain for Su Yu disappeared, and he became much more cordial in his conversation.
As for Su Zhi, Su Qingyi continued to speak to her with respect.
This was because upon returning, Su Zhi had reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement.
Su Zhi began to recount some of the Yunjian Sect's secrets, "Remember Gongsun Yi who ranked first in the makings of a very diligent disciple in our previous examination?"
"He has the Earth Spirit Root talent, and it is said that he has already reached the seventh level of Qi Refinement. He's also been accepted as a disciple by the Sect Master."
Then Su Zhi talked about the general situation of the other people. Not everyone among the thirty beginner disciples was having a smooth cultivation journey.
According to Su Zhi, there are still eleven people who are stuck at the third level of Qi Refinement.
In this regard, Su Yu and Su Qingyi, who were eliminated earlier, might be considered stronger than them.
Su Zhi looked at Su Yu and Su Qingyi and said, "In three years, I plan to compete for the Inner Disciple qualification. At that time, I may need your help."
Before Su Yu could respond, Su Qingyi promptly said, "No problem. Just give us a heads up when the time comes. If it's within our capabilities, we won't hesitate to help."
Su Yu could only reluctantly agree. The task of being promoted to an Inner Sect Disciple of the Yunjian Sect was no small matter.
But as a fellow clansman, he couldn't refuse.
Afterward, Su Yu asked about the affairs of the town under the Yunjian Sect, and about the blood of late-stage first-order monsters.
Su Zhi said, "The market town is much more prosperous than River City, and most of the people there are cultivators. They sell pills, talismans, magic artifacts, formations, and so on."
"If you get a chance, you two can apply to go to Yunshan Market Town. Over there, you should be able to find more resources and opportunities."
"As for the blood of the late-stage first-level monster, it's not scarce in the market. However, it's not cheap either. One drop costs two to three low-grade spirit stones."
After a long chat, Su Yu and Su Qingyi each left with their own thoughts.
Su Qingyi heard about the prosperity of Yunshan Market, and his ambition was clearly even greater. He was eager to go there, resolute in his decision to become a student of alchemy and head to Yunshan Market.
Su Yu also wanted to visit Yunshan Market, but not to settle there, but to buy some resources.
The round-trip time of a week was enough.
But whether to go or not, he was still hesitating.
After all, it was quite risky to cover such a long distance.
After spending half a month in his residence, Su Yu spent a day trying to persuade Fifth Elder Su Bin to escort him to the medicine garden.
The cultivators from Lin Family who were monitoring Su Yu saw Su Bin's escort and had no choice but to flee, grinding their teeth in frustration.
This guy really is scared to death, damn.
Returning to the medicine garden, Su Yu resumed his regular schedule, practiced the Wutong Qingmu Method, Body Refinement, spellcasting every day, and was learning to grow spiritual medicine and understand its growing habits with Su Changyu.
During his free time, he would also hunt a few Land Rock Rats.
He used the beast blood they provide to practice his body refinement.
However, outside, the friction between the Lin Family and Su Family was escalating, and people from the Lin Family often appeared near the medicine garden.
Under these circumstances, Su Yu spent another year in the medicine garden.