Matchmaking

Morning, in the little courtyard.

Vajra Fist · Experience +1

Having just finished practicing his fist technique, Wang Chen lowered his arms and let out a long breath.

He was bare-chested, wearing only shorts below, his light bronze skin covered in glistening sweat.

The muscles across his chest, arms, waist, abdomen, and thighs bulged in solid knots.

Brimming with power!

Compared to when he had first crossed over, Wang Chen had grown a full two inches taller.

Although his Physique had only increased by 1 point, his Qi and Blood Power had become several times stronger.

The body-tempering effects of the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma, combined with Vajra Butter and the Vajra Fist, were truly outstanding.

Wang Chen felt that if he practiced for a few more days, his Physique attribute could increase again!

Most importantly, the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma was a body-tempering technique that cultivated both inside and out. Aside from his skin, flesh, tendons, and bones, his internal organs and meridians had also been strengthened.

This meant that when Wang Chen used the Great Accomplishment level Gengjin Finger again, he could fully withstand an even greater output of Mana.

A man had to be a little harder!

Wang Chen patted his rock-hard chest, thoroughly satisfied.

"Cluck cluck!"

Several half-grown pullets gathered around him, calling out at him.

Another young rooster stood nearby with its head held high.

Wang Chen smiled, grabbed a large handful of Rice Bran from his Storage Bag, and placed it in the feeding trough before the Chicken Coop.

The hens and rooster immediately crowded around to peck at it.

Wang Chen casually cast a Cleanse Art, clearing away the chicken droppings on the ground, then headed to the kitchen to wash up.

After bathing and changing into fresh clothes, he was just about to go to the meditation room to cultivate.

A voice called from outside the little courtyard: "Wang Chen, is Wang Chen home?"

The voice was unfamiliar.

Wang Chen paused, then went out and opened the courtyard gate.

An old woman in her fifties or sixties stood outside, smiling at him with narrowed eyes.

"Granny Wang?"

The original owner's social circle had been very limited, and he knew few neighbors.

But he had memories of this woman before him.

"Who else could it be?"

Granny Wang said with a chuckle, "This old woman has brought you good news today. Won't you invite me in for a seat?"

Wang Chen came to his senses. "Uh, please come in, Granny."

He carried a stool out from the house and invited Granny Wang to sit in the courtyard, then moved to boil some water.

Wang Chen's house was very small. Apart from Old Sun, no one usually came by to visit.

There was really nothing to entertain guests with.

"No need for the trouble."

Granny Wang stopped him. "Wang Chen, sit down too. This old woman has something to tell you."

Wang Chen had no choice but to sit across from her.

Granny Wang glanced at the young hens strolling around the corner and asked, "Wang Chen, have you ever been betrothed?"

Betrothed?

Wang Chen instinctively shook his head. "No."

"Then that's wonderful!"

Granny Wang clapped her hands in delight. "Do you know Widow Fan, who lives south of the garrison?"

"She's taken a liking to you!"

Widow Fan?!

A voluptuous woman with hips wider than her shoulders instantly surfaced in Wang Chen's mind.

It seemed that he had run into her two days ago when he went to fetch spring water on the other side of the mountain.

Only then did Wang Chen remember that Granny Wang's specialty was playing matchmaker and bringing people together.

So she had come to arrange a match for him!

Wang Chen was completely dumbfounded. "Granny, I'm only seventeen!"

Widow Fan was already in her thirties, wasn't she?

"What's wrong with seventeen?"

Granny Wang reproached him, "My eldest son got married at sixteen, and now he already has three children!"

By the customs of this world, men came of age at sixteen.

At seventeen this year, Wang Chen was indeed of an age to start discussing marriage.

It was only because his father had died early, leaving no elder by his side to arrange such matters.

Though cultivators differed from ordinary folk.

Unless one possessed outstanding Spiritual Root talent or a powerful background.

Most people's immortal paths were dim and distant, and countless people married and settled down early.

"No."

Wang Chen truly did not know whether to laugh or cry. "Granny Wang, do you really think Widow Fan and I are suitable?"

He was neither drawn to widows nor into mature women.

He really had no interest in Widow Fan!

"How are you not suitable... oh dear!"

Granny Wang raised a hand and lightly slapped her own face. "Listen to this mouth of mine—I didn't explain myself clearly."

It was not Widow Fan herself who had taken an interest in Wang Chen.

Rather, she wanted Wang Chen as her son-in-law!

Widow Fan's husband had died several years ago.

Because her man had accumulated quite a few Merit Points while alive, Widow Fan had exchanged that sect contribution for tenant-farmer status, relying on twenty-five mu of Spirit Field to raise her two daughters.

In fact, there were quite a few cases like Widow Fan's in the Yunyang Sect outer sect.

There were always cultivators with families in tow who left the mountain gate to seek adventure for one reason or another, only never to return.

Widow Fan was considered quite fortunate; even after losing her husband, she had been able to obtain tenant-farmer status.

Though she could no longer enjoy the sect's benefits, she was undoubtedly far better off than Rogue Cultivators outside, whose lives hung by a thread from one day to the next.

"The eldest girl just turned fourteen this year."

Granny Wang's tongue was as nimble as a drumstick. "She's lovely as fresh water and very capable besides. Marry her, and I guarantee you won't lose out."

"Get engaged this year, marry next year, then have a big fat boy the year after that—what a harmonious, beautiful life that would be!"

Impressive!

Wang Chen had nearly been talked into it.

But reason still held the high ground in his mind. "Thank you, Granny Wang, but I truly have no plans to marry."

He quickly thought of an excuse. "I cultivate the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma. I cannot break my virginity."

This was not something Wang Chen had pulled out of thin air.

The Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma was best suited to a body whose primal yang had not yet leaked; cultivation would yield twice the result with half the effort.

Of course, this did not mean that cultivating this technique barred one from marriage.

As long as one broke through to the fourth level, the realm of Vajra Indestructible, there would be no problem at all.

But before that.

If Wang Chen failed to preserve his chastity, all his previous efforts would surely go down the drain.

This was also one reason why many people were unwilling to cultivate the Heavenly Dragon Vajra Righteous Dharma.

This technique was easy to begin but difficult to advance through—how many men were willing to endure hardship as monks all their lives?

Wang Chen, however, had the Cultivation Panel as a cheat, so he could naturally ignore this problem.

Naturally, he would not tell Granny Wang about that.

"You cultivate a Buddhist Sect technique?"

Granny Wang's eyes widened in surprise. "Monks aren't good people!"

Wang Chen gave a simple-minded grin.

Seeing how firm Wang Chen's attitude was, and that he even had the excuse of his cultivation technique, Granny Wang understood that the situation could not be forced.

She was certainly not going to earn this matchmaker's red envelope.

She could only take her leave in disappointment.

After seeing Granny Wang off, Wang Chen wiped away a bead of sweat, feeling utterly exhausted.

Granny Wang's mouth was simply too persuasive!

Yet Wang Chen could barely look after himself, and he carried a heaven-shaking secret. There was no need to drag anyone else down with him.

Even if he reached the age where urges arose, how simple and carefree it would be to seek one night of pleasure at the Gathering of Beauties Pavilion!

Wang Chen thought it over and extinguished the last trace of that thought in his heart.

Cultivation—cultivation was what mattered!

Bang! Bang!

"Wang Chen!"

He had just sat down cross-legged in the quiet room when someone began pounding on the courtyard gate again.

Who was it now?

Wang Chen was thoroughly annoyed.

What kind of day was this? Why had people been coming one after another?

But with the door being hammered so hard it shook and rattled, he had no choice.

He went out to open it once more.

The first update is here—please vote!

PS: I saw discussions in the comments about merit. The book has actually mentioned this before: doing good deeds does not earn Human Virtue. There's a very deep piece of foreshadowing behind this merit setting, and there's no need to worry about the numbers collapsing either. The answer will reveal itself in time, so I won't spoil it now.