A Pretty Daughter-in-Law Meets Her Mother-in-Law!

While the two were arguing, Wei Qing and Jun Wushang had already stepped into the Department of Fate.

This was where everyone from the Heavenly Realm Division came to handle business—claiming or submitting missions, exchanging rewards, changing identities; everything could be taken care of here.

"Kid Wei, congratulations! You're the youngest Earth-rank Warden in the entire Heavenly Realm Division."

Chen Kang, the Department of Fate's manager, was an old acquaintance. He had received Wei Qing and the others every time they came to turn in missions before.

"Brother Chen, quit teasing me." As Wei Qing spoke, he placed ten taels of patterned silver on the counter.

"I really can't get away tonight, and the department head has another mission arranged for tomorrow. I won't be able to drink with the brothers from the division, so sorry for the trouble, Brother Chen—please help me arrange it."

"Sure. Then this brother won't stand on ceremony. Once you're done with your mission, the two of us can drink until we're dead drunk."

Chen Kang did not put on airs either and simply accepted the silver.

"No problem."

As he spoke, Chen Kang took out two new waist badges. "Hand over the old ones. We need to destroy them."

"Alright."

Wei Qing and Jun Wushang obediently placed their old waist badges on the counter.

After Chen Kang checked that everything was correct, he casually pressed the second button from the right inside the counter. A rectangular opening slowly emerged.

The two men's three old waist badges were tossed inside. After a series of crisp cracking sounds, they had been thoroughly crushed into powder.

Sign.

Press their seals.

Receive the new waist badges.

Chen Kang then took out two medicine bottles and pushed one before Wei Qing and one before Jun Wushang.

"This bottle contains your Meridian Opening Pills."

"This bottle contains your Qi Gathering Pills."

Sign again.

Press their seals.

The two tucked the pills into their clothes.

Chen Kang then took out a key and placed it before Wei Qing. "This residence is less than a hundred meters from the Wei Residence. Convenient!"

When he said the word "convenient," he deliberately stressed it.

Chen Kang had only learned of what happened to Wei Qing afterward by chance, so he had deliberately picked a residence close to the Wei Residence this time.

Wei Qing understood at once. Cupping his fists, he said, "Thanks, Brother Chen."

"It's nothing." Chen Kang waved a hand.

"You can go claim your cultivation techniques from the Library Pavilion yourselves later. These are your vouchers."

As he spoke, he handed over two bookmarks stamped with the Department of Fate's seal.

The two accepted the bookmarks, chatted with Chen Kang for another couple of sentences, then turned and headed for the Library Pavilion.

This was their first time setting foot here.

"Er... slips."

Behind the Library Pavilion's counter, an old man reeking of alcohol took a huge swig of wine, let out a belch, and spoke unclearly.

Wei Qing and Jun Wushang hurriedly handed over their bookmarks.

Though they could not sense the slightest martial artist's aura from the old man, how could the Heavenly Realm Division fail to station a powerful expert in a place as vital as the Library Pavilion?

The fact that they could not detect him only meant the gap between their strengths was as vast as clouds and mud.

"Alright, no problem. Pick your own cultivation techniques. You have one hour. Go on."

"Yes, Senior."

As he watched their departing backs, a glint flashed through the old man's originally murky eyes. "Hehe, two interesting little fellows. While that old ghost Sikong isn't around, I need to find a way to lure these two treasures away!"

The Library Pavilion had six floors in total.

The lower four floors respectively corresponded to the four categories of Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow cultivation technique manuals.

Rumor had it that the fifth floor contained Innate-tier cultivation techniques imbued with martial intent.

As for the sixth floor, only the director of the Heavenly Realm Division and the Library Pavilion Master were permitted to enter.

What exactly lay inside was known to no fourth person besides the Great Zhou Emperor and those two.

Wei Qing and Jun Wushang stood in the first-floor hall, looking at the spiraling staircase rising upward.

Jun Wushang whistled. "Good heavens, this place really has quite the grand display..."

His fingertips brushed across the nearest bookshelf. More than a thousand Yellow-tier cultivation techniques were arranged in neat rows, their gold-stamped titles gleaming beneath the lamplight.

Yet neither of them had any interest in these. They went straight up the stairs to the second floor.

The entire floor held only one rosewood bookshelf, divided into upper, middle, and lower tiers. Cultivation technique labels floated before every compartment.

The nine High-Grade Profound Tier cultivation techniques on the highest shelf were protected by golden barriers, and the Returning Origin Art cultivated by Wei Qing was among them.

Jun Wushang suddenly stopped and pulled out a purple-covered Spirit Transformation Art. "Qingzi, I'll study this one here for a bit. Go take a look at the third floor."

"Alright."

Wei Qing answered and turned to climb to the third floor.

The instant his foot landed on the final step, nine luminous pearls lit up in succession.

Three Heavenly Starwood tables were arranged in the shape of the character pin.

Four cultivation techniques floated above each of the tables to the left and right, supported by Bronze Lamp stands shaped like black tortoises.

The two cultivation techniques on the central table were supported by crimson-gold stands shaped like golden dragons.

Wei Qing slowly made a circuit. When he passed the Hegemon Body Art, a line of introduction suddenly projected from the jade slip.

Hegemon Body Art: Treat the flesh as a weapon and temper oneself, primarily strengthening the body and defense.

Upon reaching the highest realm, "Hegemon Body," one could instantly mobilize the strength of the entire body, increasing the body's defensive power tenfold. It was suited for close-range assassins and defensive martial artists.

After reading it, he continued toward the next book.

"Six Heavenly Thunder Strikes": Absorb the power of lightning and store it within the body, granting True Essence the paralyzing and destructive properties of lightning.

The moves could be stacked. Each additional stack increased their power by fifty percent.

"Demon Subduing Staff."

"Trace of Snow Steps."

"Brahma Heaven Art."

After looking through them all, Wei Qing ultimately chose the Six Heavenly Thunder Strikes.

Among the ten Earth-Tier Cultivation Techniques, it was the only Mid-Grade Earth-Tier Cultivation Technique related to blade techniques.

He also selected two Low-Grade Earth-Tier Cultivation Techniques from the ring Yun Tianheng had gifted him, intending to give them to Jun Wushang and Zhang Xue.

With their current meridian strength, the two could not withstand cultivation techniques at the mid-grade Earth Tier or above at all. Forcing themselves to cultivate them would only harm them; low-grade Earth Tier was already their limit.

By the time Wei Qing came downstairs, Jun Wushang had already selected a Spiral Art.

The two then finished registering their choices at the front desk and turned to leave the Library Pavilion.

The instant their backs vanished from sight, the Library Pavilion's doors shut on their own without a breath of wind.

When they looked back again, the old man had already disappeared without a trace.

After leaving the Heavenly Realm Division.

Wei Qing flicked his wrist. The key traced a silver arc through the air and landed steadily in Jun Wushang's palm.

"Bring Aunt Liu over there and settle in first. When we go back later, move directly."

"Alright."

Jun Wushang nodded lightly.

His home truly was rather small—two cramped little rooms, with nowhere for Zhang Xue to stay.

Now that they could move to a more spacious residence, it solved the urgent problem pressing before them.

The three walked side by side along the bluestone road. When the wind blew, the banners outside the roadside taverns rustled, and the scent of wine drifted over amid the cries of street vendors, adding a touch of lively mortal warmth.

Zhang Xue suddenly tugged at Jun Wushang's sleeve, lowering her voice to almost a whisper. "Do you think... Aunt Liu will like me?"

Jun Wushang paused, then laughed softly. "Oh? Is this an ugly daughter-in-law meeting her mother-in-law? Nervous?"

"You brat."

"Our Xue'er is so pretty. How did she become an ugly daughter-in-law? Can't you speak properly?"

Jun Wushang immediately felt a sharp pain in his ear.