Chapter 63

Chapter 63: Showing Up at the Door

Hu Zhuo stared at Hu Qing like she’d grown horns. “Sis… you think we got played by Xun Ru Tang?”

Hu Qing looked genuinely surprised. “Haven’t we already been played? She didn’t blurt out ‘I’ll hand over everything’ on impulse. She’d been planning that for a long time.”

She grimaced. “I just don’t know if she would have done it for anyone who could shelter her… or if she specifically targeted me.”

Then she looked at him flatly. “Tell me—when has anyone ever come knocking on our door?”

Hu Zhuo opened his mouth, then shut it. He didn’t want to say it out loud. It made their home sound like cursed ground.

“Stop standing there,” Hu Qing said. “Deal with the Xun family businesses. Take over what we can. Transfer what we can’t. Keep what we need. Sell what we don’t.”

Hu Zhuo spread his hands. “Sis… do you think we have the manpower?”

Manpower. She’d never had any.

“What about Chun Lie?” Hu Qing asked. “When is he coming back?”

Hu Zhuo sighed. “Sis, Chun Lie isn’t really one of us. He has his own sister.”

Hu Qing waved him off. “Then dump it on Mission Hall. If you can’t handle it, give it to Zhaohua Sect.”

It hadn’t been hers to begin with. And if she handed it to the sect, would Yu Liu Ya really shortchange her?

Besides, she had no interest in building her own household of staff. More people meant more trouble.

Hu Zhuo, for all his confusion, slowly understood one thing: his sister was soft-hearted. She couldn’t ignore a pregnant woman in distress. Taking benefits in return was only fair—and it also kept people from trying to corner her into doing free favors.

Sure enough, once word spread that Hu Qing had stood up for Xun Ru Tang, some people had entertained bad ideas. If begging for help could get them close to Hu Qing…

But Xun Ru Tang had paid with an entire clan. The cost was too high. Most people quietly killed their schemes.

Hu Qing went straight home. There was still one living mouth in the house, sending her messages to come back and cook.

She really did owe him.

Hu Zhuo stayed behind in the vast, empty Xun family mansion, scratching his head. He wasn’t built for managing assets.

Then he did the sensible thing: he called a professional.

Wan Tong arrived on Windfire Wheels. The moment he stepped inside, his eyes rolled around as if they had a mind of their own. “Our family head is unbelievable. First she swallowed the Chun family, then she swallowed the Xun family. Now the Hu surname is basically a legend in Baoping Ward.”

He slung an arm around Hu Zhuo like they were old friends. “So—Heaven’s Grace Continent has a top-grade cave estate. Does our sis want it?”

These days, he was a seasoned Gold-Medal Sales Guy. Baoping Ward land barely made his heart beat. Heaven’s Grace Continent was the real hot market.

Hu Zhuo said, “My sis said from now on, if she wants something, she’ll just take it.”

Wan Tong choked. He glanced around the mansion. “I mean… looking at this place, that’s not even new behavior.”

“You’re telling me you can get land my sis can’t?” Hu Zhuo didn’t buy it. “My sis has a ridiculous backing.”

Wan Tong grinned and pushed down Hu Zhuo’s raised thumb. “Brother, let me teach you something. It’s not about who you know. It’s about time.”

Hu Zhuo blinked.

Wan Tong laughed. “I personally supervised the build for Hu residence. Has it changed in all these years?”

Hu Zhuo said honestly, “The tree got really tall.”

Wan Tong spat theatrically. “Any cultivator can grab things. But for someone like our sis, doing everything by force is a waste of time. With a talent like me—” he thumped his chest—“a few spirit stones solve ten thousand headaches.”

He leaned in. “If it were you, would you spend spirit stones to buy convenience and save time for cultivation… or run yourself ragged over scraps?”

Hu Zhuo hesitated. “I’d rather save money.”

Wan Tong sucked in a breath like he was offended on behalf of the heavens. “No ambition.”

Then he patted Hu Zhuo’s chest instead. “You’ll understand once you reach that level. You never see great experts personally handling chores.”

He pointed at the roof. “Why did you call me? Because your sis doesn’t want to waste her precious cultivation time on errands.”

He patted Hu Zhuo again. “Get it?”

They weren’t selling land. They were selling service.

They were selling time.

Hu Zhuo still frowned. “If cultivation time matters so much, why don’t you cultivate properly?”

Wan Tong shrugged. “I can’t sit still. I like this. Every time I close a deal, my spiritual energy runs smoother. Other people advance by seclusion. I advance by making sales.”

He grinned. “That Chun family head estate deal? After it closed, I really did rise a small step.”

He clapped his hands. “Enough talk. Show me what you got. Our friendship is deep. Brother will give you a good price.”

Meanwhile, Hu Qing returned home and found Shui Xin sprawled in the courtyard, one arm stretched toward the gate like a tragic actor reaching for the light.

“You—” Hu Qing didn’t know whether to laugh or scold. She walked over and nudged his shoulder with her foot. “Get up. I’ll cook. Stop embarrassing yourself.”

Shui Xin didn’t move. He struggled to lift his head, failed, and slammed his face back down with a thud.

Hu Qing’s expression changed. She bent down fast to grab him—

An icy sword tip appeared beside her throat, pressed close to her artery.

Hu Qing froze mid-reach.

She let out a short, dry laugh without moving anything else. “May I ask which Senior has honored this humble home? Junior failed to welcome you.”

She’d just killed an immortal. With Zhaohua Sect’s character—and with Chan Ming’s name behind her—someone was likely watching her movements. A Mahayana Stage Ancestor wouldn’t have time, but an Integration Stage Ancestor might be assigned to protect her in secret.

But this visitor had come without a sound. That wasn’t something an Integration Stage could cover.

An immortal?

Even Shui Xin, stubborn as he was, hadn’t managed to warn her. This person had waited until she returned.

Had she left the gate unsealed? The barrier open?

Hu Zhuo’s sense of security was a disaster.

A clear, cool voice came from behind her. “You’re Hu Qing?”

Hu Qing kept her smile in place. “Yes, yes. That’s me. Should I turn around so Senior can get a good look?”

A soft laugh answered her. No words. The sword didn’t move.

Hu Qing tested her luck, turning slowly, straightening as she did. The blade didn’t cut her.

When she finally saw the person behind her, her eyes widened.

A beauty in red stood there, stunning enough to topple cities.

Not human.

Both demon clan and devil clan could take human form, and once you’d seen enough, you could recognize them at a glance. It wasn’t about extra eyes or tails. It was something deeper, a bone-level difference.

Hu Qing didn’t know why, but her first instinct screamed demon clan.

Why would a demon immortal come for her? She wasn’t close to the demon clan in the Little Li Realm at all.

The red-dressed beauty covered her mouth and laughed lightly, as if Hu Qing’s confusion delighted her. “Do you really not know why I’m here?”

Hu Qing forced a pleasant smile. “Beauty… could you put your sword away first?”