The Betrothal Gifts

Li Hao poured all the grievances of the past few days into that single strike. How could Tian Boguang, who excelled at lightness skills but had only just entered the Houtian realm, possibly withstand a sword swung in a fit of fury?

Two swift strikes, and Tian Boguang's arms were severed from his body.

"Ah!" Seeing Tian Boguang in such a sorry state, Yi Lin couldn't help covering her mouth.

She had no reason to pity Tian Boguang. If her husband hadn't intervened, Linghu Chong would already be dead, and she herself would surely have suffered a fate worse than death at Tian Boguang's hands.

"My next strike will take your life." Li Hao was excited beyond measure. He hadn't expected Yan Shisan's Thirteen Sword Strikes of Life-Taking to be so powerful. Tian Boguang's inner strength was on the same level as his, yet he had been utterly helpless.

"Brother, please stay your hand." Just as Li Hao was about to try killing someone for the first time in this comprehensive martial world, a booming voice stopped him.

"Who are you? One of Tian Boguang's accomplices?" Li Hao asked curiously.

The newcomer stood about two meters tall, making him a giant by the standards of this world.

"No, no. I have no ties to him whatsoever. I'm Iron Hand of the Six Doors in the Capital City. Three years ago, this man violated nine women in the Capital City, and I've been pursuing him ever since. But his lightness skills are peerless, and I've never managed to catch him. So today, I hope you'll do me a favor and let me take him back to the Capital City to face the authorities." Iron Hand cupped his hands politely.

He had no choice but to be polite. Tian Boguang was famous throughout the martial world, and Li Hao had crippled him with just two strikes. If Iron Hand tried to fight him, he'd probably be signing his own death warrant.

"So you're Iron Hand of the Four Great Constables! I wonder if Divine Marquis Zhuge is still in good health." Li Hao said with a cheerful smile. Damn, what did the Four Great Constables have to do with The Smiling, Proud Wanderer? They'd barged into the story and left his brain completely overloaded.

"My master is in excellent health. May I ask your name, brother, and whether you know him?" Iron Hand was taken aback. Divine Marquis Zhuge had retired decades ago, yet this young man still knew of him. He was no ordinary person!

"I'm Li Hao, the Amorous Sword. I've only heard my master mention the Divine Marquis, so I hope you'll forgive my bold question. As for this fellow, he bullied my wife, so I was a little heavy-handed." Li Hao patted Yi Lin's pert rear as he introduced her.

"You two are truly... unusual!" Iron Hand searched for words before finally settling on "unusual."

Damn, you young people really knew how to have fun. A nun who hadn't even left her order, cuddling up with a man like this—he wondered if they played mahjong together at night, too.

"Heh, don't you think it's rather romantic? Take Tian Boguang with you. Without his arms, he won't be able to commit any more misdeeds." Li Hao said nonchalantly.

"Then thank you for understanding, Young Hero Li. This is my token. If you ever need anything, you can take it to the authorities and ask for help." Iron Hand handed over his waist token.

This young man knew of Divine Marquis Zhuge, and from what he said, he'd heard of him from his master. Judging by how Li Hao treated him, their masters might well have been old friends.

He had to make the acquaintance of such a talented young man.

"Certainly, certainly." Li Hao accepted the token without hesitation. It represented official authority and might come in handy someday.

"Thank you for saving my life, senior. Linghu Chong of the Huashan Sect is deeply grateful." After Iron Hand left with Tian Boguang in custody, Linghu Chong hurried over to offer his thanks.

"Senior Brother Linghu, I should be thanking you. If you hadn't held Tian Boguang off, I might not have survived until my husband arrived." Seeing that Li Hao didn't care for Linghu Chong, Yi Lin thanked him herself.

"The Five Peaks Sword Sect stands together. When a junior sister is in trouble, of course I—"

"Enough already. Dear, where should we go next?" Li Hao wrapped an arm around Yi Lin, reluctant to let go.

The system really was amazing. It could even figure out Yi Lin's exact measurements from the robe she wore.

"Dear, we came to Hengyang to attend Uncle Liu Zhengfeng of the Hengshan Sect's Golden Basin Hand-washing ceremony. So I should go to his home first and meet up with my master and the others. Then I'll tell them about us." Yi Lin felt a little embarrassed as she said this.

A nun leaving her order to marry a man was probably the biggest scandal the Mount Heng School had ever seen.

"Don't worry. With your husband here, I guarantee the betrothal gifts will satisfy the old nuns." Li Hao said without a hint of restraint.

Watching Li Hao flirt with Yi Lin right in front of him, Linghu Chong seethed with resentment. Damn it, he'd taken dozens of blows and lost several pounds of blood, yet he hadn't gotten so much as a hair in return. Li Hao had gotten all the benefits.

Boundless resentment darkened Linghu Chong's heart.

What Linghu Chong didn't know was that Feng Qingyang had taught him the Nine Solitary Swords because he'd seen him getting beaten so badly by Tian Boguang. Now that Tian Boguang was gone, he had no idea what would become of the Nine Solitary Swords.

At the foot of Mount Heng, in the manor of Liu Zhengfeng, the Hengshan Sect leader's junior brother, gongs and drums rang out. Lanterns and decorations adorned the place, and people streamed in and out, making it a lively scene.

Li Hao had arrived there with Yi Lin two days ago. She had already taken off her nun's robes and changed into ordinary women's clothing.

Once her hair grew back in a few months, she'd be a stunning beauty, without a doubt.

Thinking back to their return two days earlier, Li Hao remembered how Abbess Dingyi had looked at him with nothing but disdain as he held Yi Lin close. No matter how she looked at him, she found fault with him.

At first, Li Hao hadn't wanted to humor her. But then he thought that she had raised Yi Lin for more than a decade, and he couldn't bear to make Yi Lin unhappy.

So he had presented his betrothal gifts: fifty Lesser Rejuvenation Pills.

When they saw all fifty pills, Abbess Dingxian, Dingjing, and Abbess Dingyi had worshipped him in unison.

One Lesser Rejuvenation Pill meant another life. As long as you still had a breath left, it could restore you in an instant. Moved by Li Hao's sincerity, the three abbesses agreed to let Yi Lin leave the order. From then on, Yi Lin would be a lay disciple of the Mount Heng School.

The Mount Heng School's head nun had even tactfully suggested that if Li Hao was sincere, he could take his pick of the school's young female disciples.

Li Hao thought it over, then decided against it. Aside from Yi Lin, none of the Mount Heng School's disciples appeared in the Gallery of Beauties. As for using them as bodyguards, their martial skills were too weak, so he politely declined Abbess Dingxian's offer.

That night, Li Hao served tea to Abbess Dingyi, then slipped into Yi Lin's room.

Through a night of passion, Li Hao praised the Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon countless times. After studying it with the system, his combat prowess had increased more than tenfold, while the improvement in his stamina was beyond measure.

Although he couldn't match the Yellow Emperor's feat of bedding a thousand women in one day, seven women in one night seemed well within reach.

It certainly lived up to its reputation as an Ancient Divine Tome, just as the system had described it.

In the morning, Yi Lin hobbled out to pay her respects to Abbess Dingyi.

Seeing Yi Lin in such a sorry state, Abbess Dingyi handed her an ancient book. Li Hao didn't know what the book contained. He only knew that when Yi Lin picked it up, her little face turned bright red.