Chapter 111: Marriage Pact

“Oh oh oh…” He Pingsheng didn’t understand why Qiao Huizhu wore that expression, so he could only nod and say: “Then I won’t ask!”

Such matters are useless for cultivation; better not to ask.

“Now the question arises!”

Qiao Huizhu sat on a stone bench, leaning forward slightly, her face drawing closer to He Pingsheng.

Then she whispered: “You killed my dao companion—I can’t marry anyone else!”

“Aren’t you going to make it up to me?”

He Pingsheng leapt up as if bitten on the tail: “I… how do I make it up?”

“He’s dead—how am I supposed to make it up to you?”

“Does Xiao Bufan have a younger brother?”

Qiao Huizhu’s face darkened instantly.

She said nothing, just stared at He Pingsheng for over a dozen breaths before saying: “Brother He, you don’t seem that foolish?”

“Don’t you understand what I mean?”

He Pingsheng had calmed down by now; he looked at Qiao Huizhu and asked tentatively: “You mean… you want me to replace him?”

“Pfft…” Qiao Huizhu burst out laughing. “Finally got it?”

He Pingsheng’s face flushed red. “This… this… wouldn’t it be too much of a burden on Senior Sister?”

“Don’t say that!” Qiao Huizhu said. “Still, for us two to become dao companions, it won’t be easy.”

“Our Tianfu Mountain’s Ancestor said he respects my choice!”

“But to become my dao companion, he has one condition!”

He Pingsheng asked: “What condition?”

Qiao Huizhu said: “The Ancestor said, only when you reach the Golden Core realm can we formally become dao companions!”

“What?” He Pingsheng’s mouth fell open: Golden Core?

Even though he possessed the Treasure Basin, a miraculous artifact, Golden Core still felt impossibly distant to him.

According to Master Yuxuan’s theory, anyone who achieves Foundation Establishment by thirty and Golden Core by a hundred is already a heavenly prodigy.

So if I want to reach Golden Core, I’ll need at least eighty more years?

This…

“If you find me acceptable!” Qiao Huizhu said, “Then agree now—what happens later, we’ll deal with later!”

He Pingsheng had an ordinary face and mediocre cultivation.

His family background was nonexistent.

Previously, Qiao Huizhu had seen him three times, yet never given him a second glance.

But by sheer accident, in that secret realm’s cave, under the influence of medicinal power, she spent one night with He Pingsheng, who had collapsed from spiritual sense exhaustion.

Things had changed since then.

At first, Qiao Huizhu thought she could just let it go.

After all, He Pingsheng himself didn’t even know.

Yet over time, this ordinary-looking, mediocre cultivator had grown increasingly important in her heart.

When she broke through from Qi Refining Level Twelve to Foundation Establishment, He Pingsheng had once become her spiritual obstacle.

So three years later, after much deliberation, Qiao Huizhu finally revealed everything to her aunt and came with her to Grand Void Gate.

Otherwise, she would never have sought him out again in this lifetime.

“Of course, don’t answer me yet!” Qiao Huizhu said. “I still need to explain the risks to you.”

“Besides our Ancestor’s condition, there’s another point!”

“It’s the Xiao family!”

“The Xiao family will interfere!”

He Pingsheng said: “Xiao Bufan’s dead—what’s the point of their interference?”

Qiao Huizhu shook her head. “It’s not that simple. The Xiao family wants me to re-arrange a marriage with one of their disciples.”

“The intended groom is Xiao Xuan!”

“I don’t know Xiao Xuan well, but if I refuse him and bind myself to you, I fear he’ll come after you.”

“He’s currently only at Qi Refining Level Ten, but I’ve heard he’s the Xiao family’s top genius.”

“For certain reasons, he only began cultivation at age twenty.”

“In just three years, he rose from an ordinary mortal to Qi Refining Level Ten.”

“He’s also twenty-three, like you.”

He Pingsheng felt a pang of unease.

Three years—Qi Refining Level Ten?

What a monster.

“Then… why didn’t he cultivate during the first twenty years?” He Pingsheng asked again.

Qiao Huizhu said: “They all thought he was a mortal without any spiritual root—until they discovered he wasn’t rootless, but possessed the rare Void Spiritual Root!”

“Void Spiritual Root?” He Pingsheng said. “What kind of spiritual root is that?”

Qiao Huizhu said: “I don’t know either, but that’s not the point—the point is, are you afraid?”

“If you’re afraid, pretend I never said anything.”

“If you’re not afraid, let’s make our marriage pact!”

Qiao Huizhu hadn’t come today with the absolute necessity of forming a marriage pact with He Pingsheng.

She had two goals.

First, to form a marriage pact with him and become his dao companion, thus dispelling her spiritual obstacle.

Second, for He Pingsheng to reject her outright—that too would cut off her spiritual obstacle.

Either outcome would do!

Though the second result would sadden her, make her struggle to accept it.

“Brother He, do you… agree?” Qiao Huizhu looked at him earnestly, her large eyes filled with anticipation.

He Pingsheng nodded. “The first time I saw Senior Sister, I thought you were a celestial being—I even wondered if you’d used a disguise talisman to become so beautiful!”

“The second time I saw you, I thought: if I could ever become your dao companion in this life, it would be my greatest fortune.”

“I lost my parents when I was ten and became an orphan. Senior Sister Qiao, you don’t despise my lowly origins, my plain looks, or my mediocre cultivation!”

“So why should I refuse you?”

“Therefore, becoming your dao companion—I welcome it with all my heart!”

In that moment, He Pingsheng thought deeply.

He considered whether she was manipulating him.

It was possible.

But so what?

If she truly was scheming, would refusing her make her stop?

If not through marriage, she’d scheme another way.

So when considering the marriage pact, you can ignore the possibility of manipulation entirely.

Just be more cautious going forward.

Besides, a dao companion offered to you—someone you desire—is a gift from heaven. To refuse would be to defy the Dao, to betray your own heart.

As for the Xiao family? Xiao Xuan?

No need to consider them.

Just ignore them!

Hearing He Pingsheng’s words, Qiao Huizhu smiled.

For her, this was the ideal outcome.

He Pingsheng had agreed—now things were simple!

Yu Ning had no reason to oppose.

Moreover, because of He Pingsheng’s matter, the long-secluded Chongyang Ancestor had left his meditation hall to personally preside over the marriage pact ceremony.