"My apprentice, I'm returning to the Upper Realm to find your master's wife. It's time for you to descend the mountain and make a life for yourself."
Qin Guan, having just finished moving an entire mountain, returned to his dwelling to find a letter from his master.
"That old geezer is definitely up to no good!" A bad premonition struck Qin Guan after he read the first line.
"Twelve years ago, in a moment of carelessness, I accidentally slapped the Old Ancestor of the Qingzhou Nan Family to death. As compensation, I secretly sold you to them before he passed, signing a marriage contract on your behalf. So, go and be their son-in-law..."
The corner of Qin Guan's mouth twitched. Twelve years ago... he was only four years old, and his master had already sold him off. And to think he had trusted that old man so completely. What a shameless old scoundrel...
Marrying into his wife's family... He had never imagined he would become a live-in son-in-law. To him, it was the ultimate disgrace for a man. A man should be proud and stand on his own two feet. How could he lower himself to live off a woman?
At this thought, Qin Guan felt a wave of helplessness. It was his master who had pulled him from a pile of corpses, raised him, and passed on all his skills. In his heart, he had long since come to see his master as a father.
It was only natural for a son to pay his father's debts.
It seemed he had to accept this fate, whether he liked it or not...
"Sigh..." Qin Guan sighed and read on.
"You little brat, were you just cursing me in your head?"
Qin Guan was left speechless. His master was an old monster who had lived for ages, yet he still acted like a child. When would he ever mature?
"Take good care of that tower. It is very important to you. Do not lose it, or I swear I will personally beat you to death!"
"Also, if you ever find yourself in a mess you can't get out of, open the red brocade pouch. It might help you."
"Finally, don't complain about me selling you off. I'm sending you off to enjoy life! Qingzhou is teeming with beauties, and with your current power, you can do as you please there."
Qin Guan: "..."
After finishing the letter, he picked up a Storage Bag from the table and opened it.
Inside were a red brocade pouch, a marriage contract, and a small black tower.
His eyes lit up at the sight of the Little Black Tower. *A real treasure!*
*Swoosh!*
The moment Qin Guan held the Little Black Tower, it transformed into a streak of dark light and shot into the space between his eyebrows.
Qin Guan tried to communicate with it, but the black tower completely ignored him.
"Full of character. I like it."
Qin Guan smirked and paid the Little Black Tower no more mind. He knew that artifacts of this caliber had their own consciousness; he would have to build a bond with it over time.
…
Half a month later, within the borders of Qingzhou.
A ferry moved slowly across the vast expanse of a river.
Standing on the deck was a stunningly beautiful woman. Dressed in white, her face was as flawless as jade. A golden-phoenix patterned sash cinched her slender waist, perfectly outlining her enchanting figure.
"Miss, get back!" an old man in a green robe suddenly appeared before the woman, shielding her with his body.
"What is it, Old Xu?" the woman asked, surprised.
The green-robed elder stared into the distance, his expression grave. "Someone formidable is approaching!"
The woman was taken aback. She had never seen Old Xu so tense before.
Just then, dense ripples spread across the calm river. An instant later, the water's surface erupted as if a bomb had gone off. Countless fish, terrified, leaped from the water and fled in a panic.
*Splash!*
The rippling surface began to churn violently, with fierce waves crashing against the shore.
"An... an earthquake! It's an earthquake!" the boatman shrieked in terror, hugging the mast for dear life.
The green-robed elder made a gentle pressing motion with his palm, and the violently rocking ferry instantly steadied.
Suddenly, the sky darkened.
"A fly... a flying mountain!" the boatman screamed, staring at the sky in horror as a small hill whistled over the ferry.
*Whoosh!*
Before they could recover from the shock, a red pillar of water erupted from the riverbed about thirty meters away.
In the next instant, a young man shot out of the water. Enveloped in a faint red glow, he moved with incredible speed, like a cannonball launched from the river, flying straight toward the descending hill.
"My apologies!"
In mid-air, Qin Guan, now holding the small hill, gave a brief bow toward the ferry before plunging back to the riverbed.
On the river's surface, the small hill moved with incredible speed, vanishing from sight in moments.
"I've always heard there were immortals in this world, but to think this old man would be lucky enough to see one moving house! What fortune! My ancestors must be smiling down on me!" After Qin Guan was gone, the boatman kowtowed repeatedly in the direction he had disappeared.
"That young man was no simple figure," the green-robed elder said, his face grim.
The white-robed woman smiled. "How does he compare to you?"
Old Xu gave a wry smile. "I'm not confident I could take him. If I were, do you think I would have let him get away so easily after startling you, Miss?"
"Hehe," the woman giggled, covering her mouth. "This is the first time I've ever heard you admit something so readily, Old Xu."
"His Gang Qi is immense. You don't pick a fight with a warrior like that unless you're prepared to die," Old Xu said seriously. "As far as I know, none of the great families in Qingzhou have someone like him. To have achieved so much at his age is exceedingly rare. Could he also be heading for... that place?"
The woman's delicate brows furrowed. "Investigate him."
As the words left her lips, a figure in the shadows silently departed.
…
Three days later, in Luyun City of Qingzhou, Qin Guan finally arrived at the Nan Family estate.
Nan Yunqi, the Head of the Nan Family, stared at the marriage contract on the table in disbelief.
"Can this marriage contract be real?" his wife, Yang Hongmei, asked, her expression sour.
"It's in the Old Ancestor's own hand," Nan Yunqi confirmed with a nod before turning his gaze to Qin Guan.
Qin Guan was tan, with sharp, chiseled features that gave him a handsome, rugged look. But his coarse linen clothes and the shoes riddled with holes made him look utterly destitute.
His poverty was one thing, but more importantly, there wasn't the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Power coming from him. He was clearly a mortal, a commoner with no cultivation whatsoever.
"Father, if you force me to marry such a good-for-nothing, I'd rather cripple my own cultivation and die!" A young woman shot to her feet. She was an icy beauty with a stunningly curvaceous figure that would ignite a man's desire to conquer her.
This was Nan Qiao, the very woman Qin Guan was betrothed to. Seeing his sloppy appearance, her eyes filled with undisguised revulsion.
Having just awakened her Yin Spirit Body, her future was bound to be limitless. How could she ever be interested in a common mortal? Marrying him would mean being shackled for life, her brilliant prospects utterly destroyed.
"Qiao'er, calm down!" Nan Yunqi shot to his feet, terrified by her threat to cripple her own cultivation.
Ever since the fall of their Old Ancestor, the Nan Family's power had plummeted, reducing them to a third-rate clan. Now, all their hopes for a revival rested on Nan Qiao!
Nan Yunqi turned to Qin Guan with a troubled expression. "Young Master, to be honest, we knew nothing of this marriage contract our Old Ancestor signed. This is all very sudden, and our Qiao'er is understandably having trouble accepting it. I feel it would be best to postpone this matter. How about you two spend some time together first, and we can discuss the marriage later?"
It wasn't just Nan Qiao who found this unacceptable; he, her father, couldn't accept it either. If Qin Guan were just an ordinary young man, it might be one thing. But he had no cultivation at all. How could a mere mortal be worthy of his exceptional daughter?
Now that Nan Qiao had awakened her Yin Spirit Body, it was only a matter of time before the great powers came clamoring for her. Her future was bright. She should be marrying a peerless genius, not... this.
"Why are you wasting your breath on him? He's completely unworthy of our Qiao'er!" Yang Hongmei suddenly interjected, her eyes dripping with contempt as she glared at Qin Guan.
"Forgive me for being blunt, but just look at yourself. You reek of poverty. You have no family background, no power. What right do you have to marry my daughter? The Nan Family is a great and powerful clan, you should know that. You and Qiao'er are from two different worlds. This is a classic case of a toad lusting after a swan!"
She silently cursed the Old Ancestor. Had his brain turned to water? Did he get his head caught in a door? How could he have found such a pathetic fiancé for his own granddaughter? It was utterly infuriating!
Yang Hongmei's words were harsh, but they were true. It was an undeniable fact that Qin Guan was not worthy of Nan Qiao. Several of the Nan Family's core members in the hall nodded in silent agreement.
Qin Guan found the situation both infuriating and laughable. He could understand their shock—anyone would be taken aback by a sudden marriage contract. But was there really a need for such public humiliation?
"So, the Nan Family intends to break the contract?" Qin Guan glanced at Yang Hongmei before fixing his gaze on Nan Yunqi.
Nan Yunqi's expression soured. He was known throughout Luyun City as a man who kept his promises, and the Nan Family's reputation was sterling. Breaking this contract would be a serious blow to their good name.
"Ah! I have an idea!" Yang Hongmei, who had been so disdainful just moments ago, suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She turned to Nan Yunqi. "Rou'er isn't married yet, is she? Let's just have her take Qiao'er's place!"
Hearing his wife's suggestion, Nan Yunqi frowned. Nan Rou was his eldest daughter. She had been afflicted with a strange illness since childhood and didn't have much time left. How could she marry in Nan Qiao's place?
While Nan Yunqi hesitated, Yang Hongmei had already sent someone to fetch Nan Rou.
Qin Guan's gaze fell upon Nan Rou. She was slender, with skin as white as snow. Like a delicate flower trembling in a gentle breeze, she had a gentle, moving beauty. But her complexion was like the first snow of winter—pure, yet tinged with a sickly pallor.
After a quick glance, Qin Guan's brow furrowed. *Her vital essence is depleted, and a cold poison has seeped into her very bones,* he thought. *Without treatment, she won't last five days.*
"Oh, Rou'er, come here!" Seeing Nan Rou, Yang Hongmei rushed to greet her with a beaming smile, a complete reversal of her usual attitude toward the girl.
Nan Rou approached, and Yang Hongmei pointed at Qin Guan with a wide grin. "Rou'er, your father and I have found a wonderful husband for you. Go on, take a look!"
Hearing this, Nan Rou gave Qin Guan a puzzled glance before quickly lowering her eyes.
Just then, Nan Yunqi's frown eased. Nan Rou didn't have long to live. If she married in Nan Qiao's place, it would not only solve their current predicament but also allow her to be married and, in a way, have a complete life.
With this in mind, Nan Yunqi brought the marriage contract before Nan Rou and said softly, "Rou'er, this young man was originally betrothed to your sister, but she absolutely refuses to go through with it."
He let out a soft, guilty sigh. "Your mother passed away when you were young, and I've been so busy with family affairs all these years that I've had little time for you. If you marry this young man, at least you'll have someone to look after you. Do you understand your father's intentions?"
Nan Rou twisted the hem of her dress, her head bowed in silence, her thoughts a mystery.
Seeing Nan Rou's silence, Yang Hongmei grew impatient. "Honestly, what is there to hesitate about? Look at this Young Master Qin! He's strong and handsome, clearly a considerate man who knows how to take care of someone. Your sister is giving up such a fine husband for you; you should be grateful!"
*How can this woman be so shameless?* The corner of Qin Guan's mouth twitched. One moment she was looking at him with utter disgust, and the next she was praising him to the heavens. Her hypocrisy was truly a sight to behold.
"That's right! My sister and this good-for... and this Young Master are a perfect match!" Nan Qiao chimed in, nodding eagerly.
"Please, stop. I agree," Nan Rou said suddenly in a low voice.
Seeing Nan Rou agree, Nan Yunqi laughed heartily. "Haha! That's my girl! So obedient and understanding!" He then turned to Qin Guan. "And what are your thoughts, Young Master?"
"I accept," Qin Guan replied with a faint smile. His master's goal was simply for him to become a son-in-law to compensate the Nan Family and help them grow. It didn't matter who he married. Besides, Nan Rou was far easier on the eyes than Nan Qiao.
As for her cold poison, curing it would be a simple matter for him.
"Oh, how wonderful!" Seeing Qin Guan agree, Yang Hongmei clapped her hands, her eyes curving into joyful crescents.
She hadn't expected him to agree so readily. After all, the sickly Nan Rou was a far cry from her own vibrant daughter. *The poor are easily satisfied,* she thought smugly. *He probably would have been thrilled to marry a serving girl.*
Nan Qiao also breathed a sigh of relief. The sudden appearance of this useless fiancé had given her a real fright. Thankfully, that dying invalid had taken her place.
"Excellent! In three days, I will arrange a grand wedding for you both!" Overjoyed to have the problem solved, Nan Yunqi made the decision on the spot.
Yang Hongmei's expression shifted again. Covering her nose with a silk handkerchief, she shot a disgusted look at Qin Guan. "Rou'er, what are you waiting for? Take your darling husband to get washed up. He's starting to smell!"
"Follow me."
Nan Rou quickly led Qin Guan away.
Before long, Nan Rou brought Qin Guan to a small courtyard. It was in a remote corner of the estate, overgrown with weeds and surrounded by crumbling brickwork. It looked completely deserted.
"You live here?" Qin Guan asked, puzzled.
"Yes." Nan Rou nodded. She glanced around furtively. "Young Master Qin, you should leave now, while no one is watching!"
"What, you look down on me too?" Qin Guan raised an eyebrow.
Nan Rou gave a bitter smile. "It's not that I look down on you, Young Master. It's that I'm not worthy of you."
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Qin Guan waved his hand dismissively. "Worthy or not, what does it matter? The fact that we've met proves we're fated to be."
Nan Rou shook her head, her expression darkening. "Young Master Qin, the truth is, I don't have much time left. I don't want to bring you harm by forcing you to marry a dying woman."
Qin Guan was taken aback. This girl was so kind-hearted, thinking of others even as she faced death. At this thought, he reached for her wrist. Startled, Nan Rou instinctively tried to pull away.
"Don't be afraid," Qin Guan said gently, placing his fingers on her wrist. "I just want to check your pulse."
*The cold poison has penetrated her bones and is starting to consume her organs. I can use Gang Qi to protect her heart meridian, then use an Ice Silver Flower to fight the poison with poison. That should cure it.*
"Your cold poison can be cured." In just a moment, a solution had already formed in Qin Guan's mind.
Nan Rou gave a bitter smile. "Young Master Qin, please don't joke around. My illness is incura—" She broke off, suddenly trembling violently. A layer of frost visibly crept across her paper-white cheeks, and her limbs began to stiffen. The sight was horrifying.
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