"My good disciple, I have divined that your fated marriage has arrived. I've arranged a match for you. Go to Jiangbei City at once and propose to the second daughter of the Shen Family."
"Your *Supreme True Dragon Art* has yet to achieve a breakthrough because you haven't found your fated opportunity. This journey west should bring you what you seek."
***
What the hell? This is so unreliable! He's marrying me off without even asking for my opinion?
After reading his master's message, Lin Tang was utterly bewildered.
He had been taken in by his master while on the run and had been living in seclusion in these deep mountains ever since. With his vengeance unfulfilled, how could he possibly start a family? He had never even considered marriage.
Besides, what was so interesting about women? Could they be more satisfying than growing stronger through cultivation?
No way. I have to go see if she's ugly and if she has a fierce personality. If she's a tigress, I don't want her!
Lin Tang pouted, then sprang into action, using Qinggong to head west. He also wanted to see for himself what this so-called opportunity truly was.
「Late at night.」
Passing by a wide lake, Lin Tang braked to a sudden stop.
"Huh?"
His eyes widened. He saw an exceptionally beautiful woman walking step by step toward the center of the lake. Soaked to the bone, her figure was revealed to be incredibly voluptuous.
Is she trying to kill herself? What could drive someone so young to despair?
Lin Tang leaped forward and grabbed her arm. "Hey—holy shit!"
He never expected that the instant they made contact, the True Qi within his body would spiral out of control, being madly absorbed by her.
Am I being drained by some seductress using an Evil Skill to supplement her yin with my yang?
But then he discovered that after the True Qi circulated once through her body, it returned to him, growing stronger and stronger. The bottleneck in his Cultivation Technique began to loosen.
This was… a breakthrough!
Could this be the legendary Dual Cultivation? So she is my fated opportunity!
The sudden realization struck Lin Tang, and his body grew feverish as his consciousness became hazy. His hands no longer obeyed his commands.
"You—!"
Shen Youling's beautiful eyes flew open. She tried to struggle but found herself unable to control her own body, growing flustered and overwhelmed by passion.
Have I run into a lecherous fiend?!
***
「The next morning.」
The windows of the car by the lake were steamed up, obscuring the intimate scene within.
Lin Tang felt refreshed and clear-headed, more powerful than ever before.
Haha, I've finally broken through!
He was about to laugh aloud when his gaze met a pair of icy cold eyes.
"Uh—"
Lin Tang awkwardly lowered his gaze, only for his blood to surge once more. Last night had felt like a fantasy, but what he saw before him now was stark reality.
This figure… It's magnificent!
She was curvy and perfectly proportioned, her fair skin so smooth it seemed to glow.
"Shameless!" Shen Youling's face was an emotionless mask, but she looked as if she wanted to gouge out the eyes of this beast who had taken advantage of her predicament.
"Would you believe me if I said it was all a misunderstanding? Besides, you're the one who made the first move last night…" Lin Tang forced himself to look away, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness. Last night had truly been beyond his control. He had been completely set up by the *Supreme True Dragon Art*.
"GET OUT!!!"
Shen Youling felt like she was about to collapse. She couldn't understand why she had thrown herself into his arms.
「One hour later.」
The car entered Jiangbei City. Lin Tang looked around in every direction, clicking his tongue in amazement.
I haven't been down the mountain in years. The city has changed so much!
Seeing his wide-eyed, rustic demeanor, a pang of bitterness struck Shen Youling's heart. She had turned down countless young masters from wealthy and powerful families, yet her first time had been taken by a country bumpkin. It was too much to bear.
She took a deep breath, and after weighing her options, she made a decision. "If you agree to one thing, we'll consider last night's events settled. If you refuse, I swear I will make you pay!"
"Whatever it is, you can count on me," Lin Tang agreed readily. Now that his divine art was perfected, he could go anywhere in the world. He didn't believe there was anything he couldn't accomplish.
Seeing his arrogance only deepened her disgust. She gritted her teeth and said, "When I give birth to the child, you will be its father in name."
"No problem!" Lin Tang snapped his fingers. Just being a father? That's too easy… Wait a second. What?
His head snapped up, his face a mask of horror. "You want me to be a stand-in father?"
So she's already pregnant and looking for a fall guy? But that's not right! Last night was clearly her first time…
"What kind of nonsense are you thinking?" The typically icy Shen Youling couldn't hold back any longer. "Can you stop being so filthy!" she said furiously.
She explained that she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had originally planned to end her life. Now, however, she had changed her mind and decided to have a child. Since they hadn't used any protection last night, there was a chance she might conceive.
"Terminal illness?" Lin Tang was startled. He studied her seriously for a moment. "But you're not sick at all. You must have been fooled by a quack."
He had inherited his master's top-tier medical skills. He could tell she wasn't sick, and even if she were, he could cure her.
"Hmph!" Shen Youling couldn't even be bothered to reply.
Grandmaster of national medicine Sun Siwei diagnosed me personally. How could he be wrong? This guy can't even take a pulse, yet he claims he can diagnose illnesses just by looking? What a ridiculous act.
Having reached an agreement, Shen Youling acted with swift efficiency, taking him straight to the registrar's office to get a marriage certificate.
Lin Tang stared at the brand-new document, scratching his head. "I'm married? Just like that? And your surname is Shen?!"
He was stunned.
No way. Could it be such a coincidence? Is she the marriage partner my master arranged for me? Incredible! My old master truly is a master of heavenly divination.
"What's wrong with the surname Shen? You have a problem with it?" Shen Youling frowned, finding him more displeasing by the second.
Just then, several cars pulled up, and a young master hopped out, flanked by several burly bodyguards.
"Xie Changchun, what are you doing here?" Shen Youling's heart sank. In Jiangbei, the Four Great Families—Xie, Li, Zhou, and Wang—were all incredibly powerful. The Shen Family had grown rapidly in recent years but was still leagues behind them.
"I got a tip that you actually registered your marriage with some punk. Is it true?!" Xie Changchun's eyes were bloodshot as he strode forward, roaring, "I've chased you for almost a year, and you wouldn't even let me touch your hand! And now you drop your high-and-mighty act to marry this piece of trash? You're slapping me in the face, you bitch!"
Shen Youling was stunned. She never thought the usually refined young master of the Xie Family could be so vulgar. His furious tirade made her chest heave with anger, but she forced herself to remain calm. "Mr. Xie, you've had too much to drink…"
"Screw you!" Xie Changchun raised his hand to slap her.
Shen Youling considered dodging but hesitated and remained still. If taking one slap can eliminate the Xie Family's hostility, perhaps it's worth it…
"Hey, you're insulting my wife and you're about to hit her. Did you ask for my permission?" Lin Tang stepped unhappily in front of Shen Youling, grabbing Xie Changchun's wrist.
Although this wife had come into his life far too suddenly and without any emotional foundation, he had agreed to get the certificate, so he considered her his woman. He would never allow anyone to bully her.
"Huh?" Xie Changchun froze, taking a few seconds to process the situation. His shock quickly turned to murderous rage. "Who the hell do you think you are, getting in my way? You're courting death!"
Instantly, his bodyguards drew their knives.
Shen Youling's face fell. She wasn't the least bit moved by Lin Tang stepping up to protect her. On the contrary, she thought he was more trouble than he was worth. She shot him a look, urging him, "What does this have to do with you? Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Xie!"