“Bang!”

Gu Zhaoxi pushed the door open forcefully and roared, “I refuse!”

He’d already learned from Jun Changxiao that next year he would marry that plastic surgery monster. Naturally, he didn’t agree—after all, he wanted to cultivate the martial dao and participate in the Universe Holy War Grand Finals!

“Refusal is invalid,” Gu Tianxing said, setting down his teacup.

“Dad!” Gu Zhaoxi shouted. “I want to cultivate! I want to become stronger!”

“Getting married won’t prevent you from cultivating or becoming stronger,” Gu Tianxing turned his head. “If you find taking care of children troublesome, your mom and I will help look after them.”

“…” Gu Zhaoxi clutched his head, his spirit completely collapsing.

“Son,” Gu Tianxing said seriously, “The old Gu family needs you to spread its branches and leaves.”

In his youth, he had no concept of reproducing offspring—his heart was set on the martial dao. But the longer he lived, the more he understood how important continuing the family line was.

Dog Cub was still young.

Marrying early meant he wouldn’t be subject to Heavenly Dao punishment.

So he hoped to see a house full of descendants in his lifetime.

“I will never marry!” Gu Zhaoxi rushed out the door, obviously unable to understand his father’s difficulties.

“Haah.” Gu Tianxing sighed.

Mother Gu said, “The child is still young after all. Perhaps he’ll mature by next year.”

“Hopefully.”

Though the old couple were top-tier powerhouses in the Upper Universe, they still had that common parent’s attitude of worrying themselves sick over their son.

—

“Glug, glug.”

In the Eternal Sect dining hall, Gu Zhaoxi gulped down Drunken Life and Dreaming Death wine.

He was very agitated and needed alcohol to drown his sorrows.

Sitting beside him was Ye Xingchen, also very agitated, also drinking heavily.

One agonizing over the past, one agonizing over marriage—at this moment, they could barely be considered companions in misery.

“Bang!”

Suddenly, Jun Changxiao punched Night Emperor out of the dining hall, then sat down gracefully, snatching the wine jar from Gu Zhaoxi’s hands. “Though you’re almost of age, you’re not yet at drinking age.”

“Big Brother,” Gu Zhaoxi said miserably, “I don’t want to get married!”

“I know,” Jun Changxiao took a sip of Drunken Life and Dreaming Death.

Gu Zhaoxi said, “How about we leave the Dutian Realm?”

“Planning to run away from home again?”

“If we don’t leave, next year I’ll have to marry that plastic surgery monster!”

“Are you unwilling to marry at all, or unwilling to marry Qingqiu Lin specifically?”

“…” This question stumped Gu Zhaoxi.

Right—what exactly was the reason?

“Little brother,” Jun Changxiao said, “Qingqiu Lin has both looks and status. What about her doesn’t match you?”

“…” Gu Zhaoxi remained silent.

Though he understood that the ugly duckling he first met was just a servant deliberately pretending, it truly scared him psychologically. So much so that every time he saw Qingqiu Lin, he thought she’d had plastic surgery!

“People living in this world sometimes can’t only consider themselves. They must also learn to consider others, especially close family.” Jun Changxiao said earnestly.

Gu Zhaoxi said, “Big Brother agrees I should marry?”

“Your marriage matters are yours to decide,” Jun Changxiao said.

“However,” he added, “if you refuse the marriage because of racial reasons, there’s no need. After all…”

“I know,” Gu Zhaoxi said. “Sister-in-law isn’t human either.”

“…” Jun Changxiao roared. “We’re discussing your problem—how did it get dragged to me!”

“Haah.” Gu Zhaoxi rested his chin on the table surface. “I really envy Big Brother. You could marry the woman you love. Unlike me—I’ve had no choice since birth.”

“Uncle is also thinking of you.”

“I know, but Qingqiu Lin and I have no feelings for each other.”

“Feelings,” Hua Meigui walked over and sat beside Jun Changxiao, smiling, “can be cultivated after the fact.”

“…” Gu Zhaoxi fell silent.

“Boom—” Just then, the dining hall’s door was violently demolished. Qingqiu Lin, wearing sky-high heels and radiating fury, stormed in and scolded, “Gu Zhaoxi, what part of me doesn’t match you!”

Seeing this, Jun Changxiao tactfully pulled Hua Meigui away.

Before long, “bang bang” collision sounds came from the dining hall, violent energy wave after wave, frightening passing disciples until their scalps tingled.

“What’s happening!” Liu Wanshi rushed over. Learning that Elder Gu and Qingqiu Lin were inside, she immediately turned around and returned, announcing loudly, “Tonight’s dinner time is postponed by one hour!”

—

“Huff, huff!”

While Gu Zhaoxi was being domestically abused, He Wudi, sitting cross-legged in the Heaven’s Mystery Secret Realm, continuously emanated breakthrough momentum.

“Junior Brother He is about to break through!” Su Xiaomo and the others looked on enviously.

Li Qingyang and Lu Qianqian’s breakthroughs needed detailed description, but He Wudi’s was completely unnecessary—after all, he was someone who’d been through it before.

More precisely, as a powerhouse whose level had been reset, unless he broke through to a realm he hadn’t reached in his previous life, any previous level was just re-experiencing the process.

“Whoosh!” After successfully breaking through, He Wudi exhaled a breath of turbid air.

No surprise, no excitement—he viewed it with an ordinary mindset.

He Wudi walked out from the secret realm, raised his head toward the azure firmament, lightly clenched his fist, and said, “One step closer to returning home.”

“Wudi.” At this moment, Jun Changxiao’s voice sounded in his ear. “Come to the study.”

—

“Creak.” He Wudi pushed the door open and entered.

Jun Changxiao clasped his hands together with a smiling expression. “You broke through?”

Seeing this, He Wudi immediately tensed up.

“Sect Master!” He said with a bitter expression, “I really don’t have any more secret manuals!”

“This seat isn’t asking you for secret manuals,” Jun Changxiao said. “Rather, there’s a very serious matter to ask you.”

Not asking for secret manuals?

He Wudi immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Jun Changxiao’s five fingers tapped rhythmically on the table, his expression solemn. “Since you came from a higher-level plane, do you know of any method to enter the Eternal Life Realm?”

“Glimpsing a level higher than Heaven’s Mystery can grant qualification to step onto the path of eternal life, thus enabling entry to the Eternal Life Realm,” He Wudi said.

“No other methods?”

“None.”

He Wudi’s expression changed, alarmed. “Sect Master, you’re not planning to repeat old tricks and smuggle yourself into the Eternal Life Realm, are you?”

“No,” Jun Changxiao said. “The readers would say I’m repeating patterns.”

“Then there’s no shortcut,” He Wudi said.

“What this seat means is,” Jun Changxiao said, “is there a shortcut to glimpse a level higher than Heaven’s Mystery Realm?”

I’m not smuggling into the Eternal Life Realm—I’m taking another shortcut, isn’t that fine?

“…” He Wudi muttered inwardly: “Is there a difference?”

“Uh…” After some consideration, he said, “Probably not.”

He didn’t dare give a definite affirmation. After all, the world was vast with endless wonders—who knew if there was a shortcut to glimpse that level?

“Wait!” Suddenly, He Wudi thought of something and slapped his forehead. “If a shortcut to glimpse a level higher than Heaven’s Mystery truly exists in this world, the only thing this disciple can think of is… the Seven Profound Radiant Light Breaking Incomplete Scrolls!”

“Explain,” Jun Changxiao asked.

He Wudi said, “Senior Seven Profound once made a bold declaration that the seven incomplete scrolls contained his insights into the Heavenly Dao. Any destined person who could comprehend the mysteries within could resolve any confusion on the martial dao path!”

“You mean if this seat comprehends the profound truths within the incomplete scrolls, I can glimpse a level higher than Heaven’s Mystery?” Jun Changxiao said.

“Correct,” He Wudi said with conviction.

—