Several days later.
Supreme Origin Immortal Sect, Flowing Cloud Peak.
Li Qing was sitting in the courtyard of Azure Cloud Residence, leisurely drinking tea.
“The life of a minor side character really is nice. No troublesome nonsense to deal with.” Li Qing smiled.
However, at that moment, faint sound waves suddenly rippled through the void. The sound of drums and festive music rang out, reverberating throughout the entire Supreme Origin Immortal Sect.
“What’s going on? Who’s getting married?”
Li Qing froze in confusion.
Amid the festive music, a woman’s crisp voice suddenly echoed through the air, “Li Qing, if you don’t come out now, what are you waiting for? I have come to marry you.”
“What?”
Li Qing was completely dumbfounded.
Damn it. There was no such plot in the original novel!
At the same time, the entire Supreme Origin Immortal Sect erupted into an uproar.
“Damn, who is Li Qing?”
“No idea.”
“Is this how people do things nowadays?”
“Judging by the power behind that voice, she must be at least a King Realm powerhouse.”
“This is exciting.”
The entire Supreme Origin Immortal Sect was boiling with excitement.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Countless streaks of light soared into the sky and flew toward the outside of the sect.
[Damn it. It can’t be that crazy woman Luo Qiongyan, can it?]
Li Qing’s heart tightened.
He had thought she was only joking.
Who would have expected her to actually come?
[No. I need to get out of here.]
Li Qing had absolutely no desire to become entangled with that woman.
“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”
However, just as Li Qing was preparing to flee, three figures suddenly appeared above Azure Cloud Residence. A faint but oppressive pressure enveloped the surrounding void.
They were actually three King Realm elders of the Supreme Origin Immortal Sect.
The person leading them was an elderly man dressed in white. It was Zhao Tian.
Zhao Tian’s gaze locked onto Li Qing as he said, “You are Li Qing? Elder Luo of Incense Burning Immortal Valley wishes to see you.”
Zhao Tian found it rather strange.
‘This young man looks completely ordinary. Why would Luo Qiongyan of Incense Burning Immortal Valley want to marry him?’
Because the system constantly concealed Li Qing’s cultivation aura, unless he personally took action, he appeared to be nothing more than a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator.
Li Qing hurriedly greeted them. “Greetings, Elders.”
He was inwardly speechless.
‘Seriously? Three King Realm elders came here just to block my escape? Does Luo Qiongyan really command this much respect?’
Li Qing still tried to struggle. “Um… can I choose not to go?”
“No.” Zhao Tian shook his head. “Elder Luo is a perfected King Realm cultivator, only one step away from the Emperor Realm. We cannot afford to neglect proper courtesy.”
Hearing this, Li Qing knew there was no escaping today.
‘Fine. I’ll go meet that woman.’
‘Dream on.’
‘Hmph.’
Li Qing immediately followed the three elders and flew toward the outside of the sect.
Before long, he arrived outside the Supreme Origin Immortal Sect. The moment he did, he saw the sky filled with fluttering red silk. More than 1,000 disciples of Incense Burning Immortal Valley, all dressed in red robes, surrounded a crimson bridal sedan.
An incomparably beautiful woman dressed in magnificent wedding robes stood proudly in the void, resembling a peerless divine maiden descended from the heavens.
“Damn, is that Elder Luo of Incense Burning Immortal Valley? She’s gorgeous!”
“How can such a peerless beauty exist in this world?”
“Why didn’t Elder Luo come to marry me? I admit it. I’m jealous.”
“+1.”
“+1.”
Discussions surged like waves through the surrounding sky.
When Luo Qiongyan saw Li Qing, her lips curved into a captivating smile. “Li Qing, you’re finally here. Since you refuse to marry me, I came to marry you instead.”
Her smile was breathtakingly beautiful.
[Does Luo Qiongyan have something seriously wrong with her?]
[Since when does a woman marry a man?]
[If I agree to this, won’t I become the laughingstock of the entire Eastern Wilderness?]
Li Qing couldn’t help rolling his eyes.
Luo Qiongyan’s beautiful eyes rippled with amusement as she thought, ‘Heh, I couldn’t tell before, but you’re quite the male chauvinist. Just watch how I take you down today.’
“Of course, if you don’t like the idea of me marrying you, then I can simply marry into your household instead.” Luo Qiongyan smiled sweetly at Li Qing. “Today, I, Luo Qiongyan, shall marry into my husband’s household. How does that sound?”
“What? Marry into his household?”
“Did I hear that correctly? A mighty King Realm powerhouse wants to marry into Li Qing’s household?”
“That’s it. I’m so jealous my teeth hurt.”
The surrounding sky erupted into an uproar.
[Damn, what kind of performance is this woman putting on today?]
[She’s a fragment of a Demon Emperor’s soul. Why would someone like her take an interest in a minor character like me?]
[What exactly is she scheming?]
[The only impressive thing I have is my Great Accomplishment Great Wilderness Dao Physique, but something like that shouldn’t be particularly useful to a Demon Emperor.]
[Could she seriously just be after my body?]
Li Qing genuinely couldn’t understand her intentions.
Luo Qiongyan’s lips curled upward as she thought, ‘Can’t figure it out, can you? Controlling you is equivalent to controlling the secrets of heaven itself.’
“I’m sorry, Elder Luo.” Li Qing shook his head. “I refuse.”
“What? Did I hear that right? Li Qing actually rejected her!”
“With a peerless beauty like Elder Luo throwing herself at him, is there something wrong with Li Qing’s head?”
“Li Qing, if you don’t want her, I do! Look at me! Elder Luo, look at me!”
The surrounding sky once again exploded with noise.
Luo Qiongyan smiled beautifully. “Husband, don’t be so quick to refuse. Why don’t you hear what my dowry includes first?”
She gently raised her delicate hand.
More than a dozen disciples of Incense Burning Immortal Valley stepped forward from behind her, each holding a tray. Then someone began loudly announcing the gifts.
“100 bottles of low-grade earth-grade Azure God Pills.”
“100 bottles of mid-grade earth-grade Immortal Herb Dew.”
“100 bottles of high-grade earth-grade Nascent Soul Pills.”
“One supreme-grade earth-grade magical treasure, Twin Azure Primordial Belt.”
“One set of supreme-grade earth-grade treasure armor, Violet God Armor.”
“One high-grade earth-grade magical treasure, Mystic Yang Treasure Bottle.”
“One high-grade earth-grade magical treasure, Wind-Riding Treasure Ship.”
“One low-grade heaven-grade magical treasure, Sky Azure Sword.”
“One low-grade heaven-grade Great Restoration Pill.”
“One supreme-grade heaven-grade dual cultivation technique.”
With every treasure that was announced, the hearts of the nearby Supreme Origin Immortal Sect disciples trembled violently.
Had she emptied the entire treasury of Incense Burning Immortal Valley?
What virtue or ability did Li Qing possess to make a beautiful King Realm powerhouse like Luo Qiongyan go this far for him?
‘Marry into my household instead! I can do anything! I’m especially good at barking like a dog!’
‘Woof! Woof!’
Even Li Qing was dumbfounded.
This dowry alone was comparable to the entire foundation accumulated by some smaller sects.
Only now did he finally realize that this woman was completely serious.
Li Qing gave a helpless smile. “Um… Elder Luo, could you tell me exactly what you like about me? Whatever it is, I’ll change it. Isn’t that enough?”
The moment those words came out, everyone nearly collapsed.
He still refused?
Was Li Qing an idiot?
As long as he agreed to the marriage, his path from the Nascent Soul Realm all the way to the Emperor Realm would practically be paved for him. Yet he refused to live off such a wealthy woman. Was there something wrong with his teeth?
At this point, Zhao Tian and the other two King Realm elders also realized that something was unusual.
For Luo Qiongyan to spend such an astonishing fortune just to marry into Li Qing’s household, Li Qing was probably nowhere near as simple as he appeared.
Female cultivators admired the strong.
That was especially true for a King Realm powerhouse like Luo Qiongyan.
‘There must be much more to Li Qing than meets the eye.’
Luo Qiongyan smiled sweetly. “Husband, do you think my dowry is too small? It doesn’t matter. Once we are married, everything I possess will belong to you.”
[Hmph. She certainly makes it sound convincing.]
[There’s no way she wants to marry me without some ulterior motive. I don’t want trouble following me everywhere. Isn’t eating gossip and getting stronger much better?]
[Besides, there are countless beauties in this world waiting for me to love them. Why should I form karma with you?]
[The karma surrounding you is far too heavy. I really can’t handle it.]
“It’s not that the dowry is too small.” Li Qing spoke calmly. “I simply don’t like you.”
“Damn! Has Li Qing gone insane?”
“With a dowry like that, does it really matter whether he loves her or not?”
“Of course it doesn’t matter!”
The surrounding sky once again erupted into a deafening uproar.
“Buzz.”
At that moment, a dazzling pillar of light suddenly shot into the heavens from the direction of Flowing Cloud Peak.
A terrifying aura belonging to the King Realm swept outward in every direction.
A cold voice followed from afar, carrying an unmistakable edge.
“Heh. I was only in seclusion for a few days, yet someone already dares to come to my sect and steal my Junior Brother.”