Chapter Sixty-Nine: No Rabbit, But There Is a Rabbit Leg

The young girl choked back tears and said, "I raised this rabbit myself. I could recognize it even if it were reduced to ashes... Look at its glossy fur—how could it possibly be a wild rabbit?"
Su Jian felt a pang of remorse. Why hadn't he taken care of things properly? He should have used a fire spell; no matter how glossy the fur, it would have been obliterated. He hadn't paid attention to such trivial details before.
The little girl, exhausted from crying, gradually calmed down under Zhao Qianxue's comforting words.
Su Jian now realized the misunderstanding, but felt no guilt. In fact, he rather wished she would cry a little longer.
If this were a scam, a few burly men should have rushed out by now, looking to demand justice from him.
Su Jian smiled and asked, "Young lady, what is your name?"
"Hmph, villain," she retorted, turning her face away and refusing to engage with him.
Su Jian laughed and continued, "Villain, what is the name of this village? How many families live here?"
He was uncertain how to integrate himself here, and this little girl seemed the perfect entry point.
Such remote villages might be wary of outsiders. Perhaps, it would require additional payment.
Li Ling'er’s face darkened and she corrected him, "I am Li Ling'er. Don’t call me anything else, you villain."
Su Jian no longer teased her and pressed, "You still haven’t answered my question."
Li Ling'er sniffed, "First, compensate me for my rabbit. I want one exactly the same."
"I have no rabbit, but I do have a leg," Su Jian said, noticing the roast was nearly done. Considering Li Ling'er might still be useful, he tore off a rabbit leg and handed it to her.
Li Ling'er stared wordlessly.
Zhao Qianxue, witnessing Su Jian’s ruthless gesture, couldn’t help but smile.
"Ling'er, my husband and I have eloped and are now homeless... We have some money; please take it. We truly regret eating your rabbit."
Li Ling'er refused the money. To her, her rabbit could not be measured in silver.
She snatched the rabbit leg from Su Jian's hand and ate it angrily.
Su Jian raised an eyebrow. "Are you turning your grief into appetite?"
Li Ling'er pouted, "No. My rabbit belongs in my stomach, not in the belly of a villain like you."
Su Jian was momentarily at a loss for words.
Li Ling'er ate with gusto, and Su Jian’s appetite was piqued as well.
Zhao Qianxue took the opportunity to repeat Su Jian’s previous question.
"Sister, our village is called Lingxiu. We have about two hundred families..."

Su Jian decided not to fuss with this immature young girl.
He interjected, "Little one, why don't you take me to see your village chief?"
Li Ling'er replied with pride, "My father is the village chief. I could take you, but you must agree to a condition."
Su Jian couldn't help but laugh.
Li Ling'er was taken aback.
"What are you laughing at?"
Su Jian grinned even broader. "You’ve said you’re the chief’s...good daughter. Why should I agree to your condition? I’ll just follow you—surely the chief won’t be far."
Such a coincidence—it was as though a pillow was delivered just when he needed to rest his head.
Li Ling'er huffed, "Villain!"
She couldn't really refuse to go home; night had already fallen.
Soon after, the three feasted. Li Ling'er, still mourning, buried the rabbit’s bones and fur.
Only then did she leave with a complicated heart.
Shortly thereafter, they arrived at Li Ling'er’s home.
The village chief was nothing like Su Jian had imagined.
He looked neither like a rustic old man nor a mountain dweller, but rather cultured and amiable, with an impressive bearing.
No wonder Su Jian had sensed Li Ling'er was not an ordinary village girl, but a lively spirit from a prominent family.
Li Lingguang, upon learning Su Jian’s purpose, paused thoughtfully, his face full of suspicion.
"I don’t think you’re here for an elopement. It seems more like you’re hiding from trouble."
Su Jian said nothing.
He didn’t believe the man had read him so well.
It felt more as if this elder had seen through their cultivation, and was making an educated guess.
Could it be... Li Lingguang was a hidden master?
But they carried shielding devices—only those at the Grand Ascension stage could see through their cultivation.
Su Jian was speechless. Was his luck so rotten that he stumbled upon a supreme master everywhere he went?
Regardless, he could not admit it. That would be giving himself away.
Perhaps he was overthinking.
Still, some powerful figures did enjoy playing dumb to catch others off guard...

But Li Ling'er herself had no cultivation to speak of...
By rights, Li Lingguang would not watch her age and die without intervening.
Li Lingguang chuckled, "Young lovers who elope don’t usually run to such remote places to suffer."
Su Jian replied, "Her father thought the same, so we decided to go against expectations."
Li Lingguang seemed surprised. "You’re quite resourceful. I can help you find lodging, but have you thought about how you’ll make a living?"
Su Jian answered honestly, "We still have some savings. Perhaps later, we’ll do business in Hanshan City."
Li Lingguang nodded, saying no more.
Su Jian ventured, "Chief, you don’t seem like a mountain villager. You have the air of a dignitary."
He seemed like a man with a story.
Li Lingguang brushed the comment aside, "I am a scholar, full of righteous energy. Naturally, my spirit is above the ordinary."
Li Ling'er suddenly suggested, "Father, hasn’t our old courtyard been vacant a long time? Why not let Sister Xue and her husband stay there?"
Li Lingguang immediately refused, "No, no. The ancestral home cannot be sold or leased. Don’t speak nonsense."
Su Jian interjected, "Chief, we could rent it."
He sensed Li Lingguang’s reaction was odd—there was likely some secret hidden within that old courtyard...
"The old courtyard is dilapidated and still enshrines the ancestors of the Li family. You’d better follow me," Li Lingguang said, beckoning them to come along.
They were led to a small house at the east end of the village, where they faced the choice of renting or buying.
Su Jian was unfamiliar with the prices in such rural villages.
"What is the price of this little house?"
Li Lingguang casually replied, "Five hundred taels of silver. If you want to rent, it’s fifty taels per year."
Su Jian paid immediately. Five hundred taels sounded substantial in ordinary society, but even a single spirit stone was worth over a thousand.
And that was only the nominal exchange rate.
No one in their right mind would exchange spirit stones for silver.
Li Lingguang took the money and left with Li Ling'er.
As she departed, Li Ling'er couldn’t resist tossing another "villain" in Su Jian’s direction.