Five days later, on a sunny afternoon.
Jiangyue Pavilion.
Su Heng swallowed the last piece of demon meat sent by Li Daoxuan, tilting his head back.
He felt the nutrients within being digested and broken down in his body, stimulating the growth of vast patches of altered tissue.
He looked at the river in front of him, his gaze calm and his muscles relaxed.
The attribute panel silently appeared in his line of sight.
He allocated all fifty attribute points he had just accumulated to Cold Ice Charm.
Its realm instantly leaped from the matured seventh level to the complete eighth level. A new special effect emerged in the description column of the cultivation technique.
[Cold Ice Charm Level 8 (Special Effects: Cold Ice Power, Bone Power, Delay, Freeze)]
The Delay special effect could reduce the opponent's inner strength speed during combat, decrease their power, and expose many flaws.
The Freeze effect, meanwhile, would cause the surrounding temperature to drop sharply for a short time as power burst forth.
This would lead to a freezing effect.
This effect could have miraculous results during combat.
In everyday life, however, Su Heng could immediately think of even more uses for it.
A basin of cold water had already been prepared in front of him.
With a contemplative expression, Su Heng lightly brushed his hand over the wooden basin, carrying a touch of cold power in the palm of his hand.
A cracking sound ensued.
The cold water in the wooden basin quickly formed a layer of transparent ice.
The ice thickened and expanded in volume, transforming the cold water in the basin into a massive solid in an instant.
"Not bad, not bad..."
Su Heng looked at the scene before him, his face breaking into a satisfied smile.
With a slap, he shattered the massive ice block, then removed pieces of ice and placed them in a wooden wine cup nearby.
Grabbing the cup, he took large gulps of the chilled drink.
"Ha!" Su Heng wiped the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, a look of delight appearing on his face.
Baihua County belonged to a subtropical monsoon climate; by May and June, the weather had already become somewhat scorching, especially in the afternoons.
In such weather,
having a chilled drink was naturally a particularly refreshing experience.
"Previously, we also had an ice cellar at home, but it was ultimately not as convenient as this," Su Heng reflected.
With Cold Ice Power, he could prepare dishes like sashimi and chilled fresh fruits. If he had the chance, he would bring some for Su Li to try.
Thump, thump, thump!
The sound of knocking interrupted Su Heng's thoughts.
He stood up to open the door.
Outside stood a slender figure in a leather coat and long pants, outlining her hips and legs.
"I've come to say goodbye," Chen Murong stepped back and looked up to barely see Su Heng's face.
"Are you going on a business trip?" Su Heng stepped aside, inviting Chen Murong into the room.
"Yes," Chen Murong nodded, "I'm not sure when we'll meet again, so I thought I'd come say goodbye and prepare some gifts."
Chen Murong flashed a shy smile.
"You're too polite," Su Heng shook his head and pushed a cup of chilled fruit wine towards her.
Chen Murong picked up the cup, took a sip, and exclaimed "Ha!" She then looked up in surprise, "Where did you get an ice cellar?
Su Heng merely smiled and did not reply.
"This is truly a fine life," Chen Murong said nonchalantly.
He turned and returned to the outside viewing platform, took out paper and pen, and wrote down a line of small characters.
"If you ever encounter an unsolvable problem in the future, you can send a letter to this address, and perhaps I could be of some help."
Su Heng handed her the folded rice paper.
The address written on the rice paper was exactly the estate Su Li had purchased in the inner city of Baihua County a few days ago.
Although the Luo Family had been annihilated and the turmoil in Changqing County had passed,
the extensive death and exodus of the population had made Changqing County no longer a suitable place to live. Moving earlier to the county seat would ensure safety.
Moreover, according to the news revealed by Li Daoxuan.
The number of demons would continue to increase in the future, while the Demon Suppression Bureau was understaffed.
Eventually, a large metropolitan area centered around the county seat would inevitably form, which was foreseeable information.
Preparing earlier could do no harm.
As for the expenses incurred, that was the least of the concerns.
On one hand, the Su Family managed a trading guild and was quite wealthy. On the other hand, Su Heng still had a great deal of rare jewels from the Xu Family's treasure. These items, which he found rather cumbersome, had their value when used in these areas.
Chen Murong reached out to take the rice paper, seeing the handwriting on it, a smile appeared on her face.
She carefully tucked the rice paper into her bosom.
She brought her hands together and bowed deeply to Su Heng, "Thank you."
Chen Murong left the room, turned around in the courtyard to wave at Su Heng, and then disappeared under the bright sunlight.
It wasn't until Chen Murong was out of sight
that Su Heng coughed lightly twice, and the servant waiting outside for a long time quickly walked in.
"Sir, your letter," the servant presented a letter sealed with red clay with both hands, and once Su Heng took it, he hurriedly left.
The clay seal emitted a faint and distant sandalwood scent.
This fragrance was a mark of Li Daoxuan's identity.
"A handwritten letter from Li Daoxuan; it should be about tomorrow's Deputy Governor selection," Su Heng frowned as he opened the letter.
He quickly scanned the content, his expression gradually turning serious.
*
*
*
"Dingtian, as of today, there's not much I can do for you. But since you need the White Snake Demon Scale from the top of the Demon Suppression Tower, no matter what, I will get it for you,"
In the Hong Family's earthen fort.
Hong Wendao set down his teacup and spoke indifferently to the young man in front of him.
The young man had a handsome face and a robust stature; even at home, he wore black Mystic Iron Armor, crafted entirely of metal. Already imposing with his stature exceeding two meters, clad in that armor, he looked from a distance like a moving iron tower, impregnable and unshakable.
This young man was Hong Dingtian.
The undisputed strongest among the younger generation in Baihua County, encompassing the six major families and the Demon Suppression Bureau.
Barely in his early thirties, he had already reached the monstrous stage of integration with demon corpses, plus innate superhuman strength and an indestructible body.
Hong Dingtian's strength was no inferior to some of the family heads.
In Baihua County.
Although the strength of the Hong Family had always been the strongest,
it had never been to the extent of far outstripping the other families.
It was precisely Hong Dingtian's emergence that established the current situation. A significant part of the reason the alliance of the six families could be formed was also due to Hong Dingtian.
With his powerful talent and strength, coupled with a unique charismatic personality,
he was like a Stabilizing Pillar.
Simply standing, he naturally gathered all forces around him.