*knock* *knock*


    Ashen knocked on the door before a beautifuldy wearing agreen loosetop that revealed her shoulders and a matching long skirt opened the door.


    "Ah, young master Ashen. What brings you here?" The green-haired mature woman asked.witha polite smile.


    She didn''t expect him to visit her alone. She thought one of her daughters was here to talk to her.


    Ashen, smiling kindly,replied: "Mam, I have somethingthatI need to discuss with you.Can Ie in first?"


    The blue-eyed beauty was reluctant, however, she agreed.Thiswashishouseafterandhe was only going to talk.


    Ashen went in before making himselffortable on the bed. Veli''s mother was quite surprised at Ashen''s boldness, however, she kept quiet as she sat on a chair before asking: "What do you need to discuss, Young master Ashen? Please tellme"


    Ashen, revealing aseriousexpression, leaned forward as he asked: "Mam, I need to ask you somethingvery important. Can I?"


    Shiyue''s mother, gettingserious, nodded, giving her permission.


    Ashen, maintaining his seriousness, continued: "Mam, Since yesterday, I''ve been addressing you as mam..."


    Shiyue''s mother leaned a little forward, listening carefully. She wasfullyfocused when Ashen revealed a bright smile before asking: "Can you tell me your name?"


    "What?"Shiyue''s mother askedwith an incredulous expression:"Why were you so serious to ask this?I thought it was somethingimportant"


    Ashen, however,shook his head as he met her gaze with his: "It is important.For someone as beautiful as you, your name must be equally beautifndI do not dareto not take itseriously!"


    Seeing hisseriousand confident gaze when he called her beautiful, alittleblush crept up on her face before she hid it. Who wouldn''t like tobeplimented?


    "Beautiful? Aren''t I an old woman now?" She asked with a puzzled expression.


    "Huh? Haven''t you seen yourself in mirror? Who wouldn''t call you beautiful? I would say that you''re beautiful enough to make any man''s heart pound!"


    Ashen wasconfident and seriouswhile speaking all thiswhichmadeher face turn rosy with excitement.She felt happy at beingplimented like this.


    "You''re good at flirting! I''m sure you must have a lot of women after you with your looks and that tongue of yours!" Sheplimented him with a happy smile.


    "NoNo, You misunderstood. I''m not flirting, Iwasjusttelling the truth. I''ve never flirted with anyone before!" Ashen rified with a wronged expression.


    "Haha,Yesyes, I understand. As for my name, it is Bi Suying!" Bi Suying replied with a lightugh.


    "Then, I''ll address you as Lady Suying from now. Is it alright?" Ashen asked.


    "Hmm, I am alright with that!" Bi Suying nodded in agreement.


    Lady Suying was what mostof thepeople called her, so she wasfortable with it.


    Then, Ashen turned serious as he asked: "Lady Suying, what have you thought about the proposal of staying here? Have you not made up your mind even now?"


    A troubled expression appeared on Bi Suying''s face in response to his question.She answered: "Young Master Ashen,It''s not easy to act as your maid.If I agree, the Bi family''s reputation will sufferandthey will cut off its rtion with me, Ican make this much sacrifice to be with my daughters, however, what I''m afraid of is that the family willtreat my daughters unfairlyand there will be no one to savethem"


    "Also, the sect will know that you''re making me a fake maid to make me apany my daughters. They will not allow it!"


    "Sigh, Mother and daughter are sure alike," Ashen thought internally before replying: "Lady Suying, I think your worries are unfounded. Sister Shiyue and sister Veli are both geniuses of the Bi family. They''ll never think oftreating them unfairlybecause of your decision.Even if they do, I promiseyou thatI''ll help themout.


    As for the sect, you don''t have to worry about it. The sect promised me two maidsandithasn''t sent them yet, so I''m sure they wouldn''t make a scene of me epting you as my maid. Just trust me!"


    As he said this, he released a bit of his aura for Lady Suying to see. As soon as she sensed it, her eyes widened in shock: "O-Origin realm? You''ve already reached the Origin realm?"


    Ashen nodded lightly, confirming her doubts.


    "How old are you again?" Lady Suying inquired, carrying the baffled expressionthat had appearedon her countenance.


    "I''m 20 right now!" Ashen answered with a smile.


    "Origin realm at 20... What kind of talent is this?" She murmured with wide eyes open.


    "Wait, if it is him, can''t he stand on his words? His talent is enough to make me trust him, however, what if he went back on his words? Wouldn''t it spell doom for us?" Her mother pondered as her eyes widened in realization.


    Though,Ashen was worthy of her trust butshejustcouldn''t hand her and her daughters'' fate in his hands.


    Wouldn''t he be able to act as he liked with them?


    At least her family couldn''t decide her fate on a whim, right?


    Contemting this, She expressedherconcern to Ashen: "Young Master Ashen... I trust that you can protect us from the Bi family, but what if you suddenly decided to retrieve your support from us? Wouldn''t we be unable to save ourselves from the Bi Family? I don''t want to take such arisk"


    Ashen nodded, acting as if pondering on the solutionof thisbefore lighting up his eyes in realization: "How about I take an oath? Would that make you trust me?"


    Lady Suying''s eyes widened in surprise before nodding to show her agreement: "Of course, if you take anoaththen there is no need to doubtyou"


    "Alright!" Ashen smiled at her before raising his three fingers in the ssic position of oath-taking.


    He dered: "I, Fang Ashen, take an oath to protect Lady Suying and her daughters from the Bi family to the best of my capabilities till they stay under my care. I''ll not ask them to leave my care, however, if they leave on theirownthen they aren''t my responsibility. If I break my oath, let my cultivation be stagnantandmy heart turn demonic. Let the heavens bear witness to my oath!"


    "Fang Ashen? Young master, I think I heard you say Fang instead of Wang!" Lady Suying asked with concern on her face.


    Ashen shook his head before replying with a smile: "NdySuying, I think you heard wrong because wang and fang are simr topronounce"


    -----------------------------------


    (A/N - Thanks for reading. ^..^)