Three days later.
At the Ding Family's gates.
A luxurious carriage came to a steady stop, driven by the burly coachman, Old Liu.
Shen Xuan, seated inside the carriage, slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was his lovely wife Ding Yuyao's flower-like smile.
She had clearly taken great care with her appearance today,
her face as smooth as jade, her hair like a waterfall of black silk, her bright eyes shining like stars, and her red lips alluringly vivid.
She wore a bright red Water Moon Skirt, edged with gold thread and embroidered with intricate, exquisite patterns that shimmered with iridescent light. She looked like a fairy who had stepped out of a painting.
"Talisman Master Shen, we've arrived at County Assistant Ding's Manor."
Old Liu's voice came from outside.
He was a first-rate expert among ordinary people, yet in Qinglong Bay, he could only work as a coachman.
Shen Xuan opened the carriage door and slowly stepped down.
Behind him, Ding Yuyao hopped out like a cheerful little bird.
She had practiced the Jade Maiden True Scripture for four years and reached Minor Mastery in Internal Force. Among ordinary people, she could just about pass for a second-rate expert.
Returning to the familiar streets where she had grown up, Ding Yuyao felt especially at home.
"Nothing has changed! It's exactly the same as when I left four years ago!"
Old Liu spoke with the gatekeeper for a while, then quickly came back.
"Talisman Master Shen, the gatekeeper went to report our arrival."
"Mm. Stay by my side these next few days."
"Yes!"
Old Liu replied respectfully.
This trip to Hongcheng County would take just over a month. Shen Xuan was paying him a full spirit stone for his work, far above the going rate.
At that moment.
Inside the Ding Family's residence.
When he heard the gatekeeper's report, Ding Yifan gaped in astonishment.
"Say that again!"
"Yes, sir! Second Young Miss and her husband have returned to visit. They're waiting at the gate."
Madam Ding was the first to react.
"Why are you still standing there? Open the main gate at once and have everyone go out to welcome our son-in-law!"
Ding Yifan came to his senses as if waking from a dream.
"Quickly! Open the main gate. Everyone, go out and welcome our son-in-law!"
The couple exchanged astonished looks.
This was their second daughter Ding Yuyao's first return to visit.
She was just as headstrong as ever.
She hadn't even sent word beforehand!
They had been caught completely off guard, with no time to prepare.
"Madam, let's go out and welcome them too."
Ding Yifan took a deep breath, then hurriedly straightened his clothes and went out with his wife.
At the gate, their son and daughter-in-law were already waiting.
Ding Yifan frowned slightly.
"Where's Yuqiong's Family? Why haven't they come yet?"
"Father, I've already sent someone to inform them," his son replied quietly, stepping forward.
"Let's go. We shouldn't keep our son-in-law waiting!"
"Yes."
Ding Yifan and his wife walked at the front, followed closely by their son and daughter-in-law.
Behind them came the steward, guards, maids, and servants, all proceeding in orderly fashion.
Everyone behaved properly. No one dared speak out of turn.
They all knew that the man their second young miss had married was a true Immortal Master!
Madam Ding had boasted about it for ages.
They all felt honored by association.
The moment they reached the gate, Madam Ding thought her eyes were deceiving her. She hurriedly rubbed them, then looked at the fairy before her once more.
She hadn't been mistaken!
It really was her youngest daughter, Ding Yuyao!
Radiant and glowing, with skin as smooth as jade, she was like a fairy descended from heaven—dazzlingly beautiful, a peerless beauty capable of bringing ruin to a kingdom.
She was so beautiful!
Madam Ding swept Ding Yuyao into her arms.
"Yao'er, you're so heartless! You left for four years and never came back to visit me!"
Ding Yifan turned his gaze to Shen Xuan.
A letter from the clan had once informed him that his daughter Ding Yuyao had married a Talisman Master.
Everything was well, except that the man was a little old—nearly sixty.
But Shen Xuan stood before him, calm and composed, with an extraordinary bearing. He looked barely past thirty, mature and steady. There was not the slightest trace of age about him!
It was hard to believe!
"Your son-in-law, Shen Xuan, pays his respects to Father and Mother."
Shen Xuan clasped his hands and bowed.
"Ah! There's no need for formalities, my good son-in-law! Come in, come in!"
Ding Yifan hurriedly returned the bow.
This was an Immortal Master!
Immortals and mortals were worlds apart.
He didn't dare put on airs in front of Shen Xuan.
After they entered, Ding Yifan ordered a lavish banquet to welcome his son-in-law and help him settle in.
Ding Yuyao, meanwhile, took out one gift box after another for her family.
"Mother, this is a Longevity Pill. Mortals can only take one, but it can extend your life by ten years! Keep it safe."
"Elder Brother, this is an Evil Warding Talisman. Hang it in your study to drive away evil, ward off harm, and calm your mind."
"Sister-in-law, this is Spirit Nurturing Incense. Burn one stick at a time to calm your nerves, strengthen your bones, and improve your sleep."
Ding Yuyao handed out the gifts one by one.
In the Cultivation World, these cultivation spirit items were merely low-grade goods, worth only two spirit stones in total.
Among ordinary people, though, they were priceless family heirlooms.
"Little sister, you're back!"
A beautiful woman who looked seven parts like Ding Yuyao walked in through the gate.
It was her elder sister, Ding Yuqiong.
When she got a clear look at Ding Yuyao, Ding Yuqiong couldn't help but stare.
"Little sister, you've become so beautiful!"
At first, she had also felt sorry for her younger sister.
The pampered daughter of an official had turned down the County Magistrate's son and would rather marry an Immortal Master nearing sixty.
Ding Yuqiong glanced at Shen Xuan, seated in the Head Seat. He had an extraordinary bearing, and even their father was smiling obsequiously at him.
Then she looked at her own husband beside her, who was timid and had earned no more than the title of licentiate. She couldn't help feeling a little jealous.
"So this is what the Immortal Master my sister married looks like!"
"If I'd known, I should have married an Immortal Master too!"
After the banquet.
In the study.
Ding Yifan cautiously asked, "Good son-in-law, do you know the Garrison Immortal Master in the county?"
Shen Xuan shook his head. "I don't know him."
Ding Yifan let out a long sigh.
"Does Father-in-law need to ask something of him?"
"I won't hide it from you, good son-in-law. The drought in Hongcheng County is severe, and the County Magistrate is claiming to be too ill to work. He asked me to find the Garrison Immortal Master and have him pray for rain."
"But the Garrison Immortal Master says the County Magistrate hasn't given him any spirit stones, and keeps putting him off. The two of them are at odds, and somehow I've been dragged into the middle of it."
"I went to see the Garrison Immortal Master yesterday, but he turned me away."
At that, Shen Xuan smiled faintly.
"How many spirit stones does the Garrison Immortal Master want?"
"According to the usual arrangement, two spirit stones for a single rain-praying ritual."
Shen Xuan asked, "Why won't the County Magistrate pay?"
"The County Treasury has no spirit stones, and the County Magistrate doesn't want to pay out of his own pocket."
"That's understandable."
Two spirit stones were a considerable sum for ordinary mortals.
"I was planning to visit the temple and pray for blessings anyway. Why don't I go with Father-in-law tomorrow?"
"Then I'll trouble you, good son-in-law!"
The next day.
Shen Xuan and Ding Yuyao got up early and accompanied Ding Yifan to the Garrison Immortal Master's Taoist temple.
"County Assistant Ding, the Immortal Master said he isn't receiving visitors right now."
The temple's attendant spoke to Ding Yifan with an apologetic expression.
Shen Xuan smiled faintly.
His vast Spiritual Sense Pressure settled gently over the attendant.
The attendant's heart shuddered. An indescribably terrifying aura made him choke and bow his head, his whole body going limp.
Then he looked at the man beside County Assistant Ding.
A faint radiance surrounded the man, making him seem as towering as a mountain. The attendant felt like an ant facing a god and couldn't help but prostrate himself.
"An Immortal Master!"
"An Immortal Master even more powerful than Immortal Master Ding!" The attendant struggled to raise his head.
"Go tell Immortal Master Ding that Shen Xuan, a Talisman Master from Qinglong Bay, has come to pay him a visit." Shen Xuan withdrew his Spiritual Sense Pressure and spoke calmly.
"Yes, Immortal Master Shen. Please wait a moment. This humble one will go report to Immortal Master Ding right away!" The attendant struggled to his feet and hurried into the temple.
Ding Yifan's gaze toward Shen Xuan immediately turned strange.
His son-in-law's tone made it sound as though he didn't take the Garrison Immortal Master seriously.
Could it be that his son-in-law held a higher status than the Garrison Immortal Master?
Before you continue