The Death of Haoyun Li

Clear Pool Sword Dao is divided into nine forms. Each form originates from battle-hardened sword techniques honed on the battlefield. Though they appear ordinary, when combined with the proper cultivation method and an understanding of the Clear Pool Sword Intent within water, one can suddenly emerge from the water to launch a surprise attack with these battlefield-honed sword techniques, catching enemies completely off guard.

Li Shuidao is a beginner, currently just familiarizing himself with the movements. To truly master this tricky sword technique, he still needs to find a deep pool.

Li Shuidao leaped up, his sword light flashing as he weaved back and forth in the small courtyard. The nine forms of swordplay flowed like water, swift and continuous, dazzling the eye.

Xia Ruoxue stood quietly to the side, watching Li Shuidao's movements. A complex expression flickered in her beautiful eyes.

This is my husband...

As time passed, Li Shuidao's sword moves became more familiar. His body seemed to merge with the sword, each move filled with agility and power.

The air in the small courtyard seemed to vibrate with his swordplay, sword light scattering and shadows intertwining.

When Li Shuidao sheathed his sword, the sword shadows still seemed to shimmer on the moss of the wall.

Taking this opportunity.

Xia Ruoxue, who had been standing for a while, quickly stepped forward and spoke the words she had prepared: "Husband, you work too hard. If you feel tired, please rest more. I will always be by your side."

Hearing this, Li Shuidao was slightly stunned, then frowned and asked, "Are you coming to pay your respects?"

Xia Ruoxue was a bit flustered and could only nod.

"How is this small courtyard?" Li Shuidao asked, gesturing to the yard.

"This courtyard is truly beautiful," Xia Ruoxue replied, following his lead.

"This is our new home. I will live here for half a year. After half a year, I will go to the Five Poisons Sect. You will remain here and continue to be my Li Family's daughter-in-law."

"I am willing to honestly be the Li Family's daughter-in-law," Xia Ruoxue said with a firm and sincere tone. "However, I have one request."

"What request?" Li Shuidao inquired.

"I beg my husband to release Lin Yunzhi," Xia Ruoxue said, immediately kneeling and even kowtowing to Li Shuidao.

"You are begging your own husband to release your lover?" Li Shuidao's gaze was distant.

"I am willing to be the Li Family's daughter-in-law. Keeping Lin Yunzhi is useless now, please let him go," Xia Ruoxue's eyes welled up with tears again.

Li Shuidao appeared to be in deep thought.

I'll be leaving in half a year, and this woman certainly won't be pregnant. Gossip will inevitably arise then, and she'll face ridicule from the family.

A woman captured and forcibly separated from her beloved, forced to marry a man she's never met, and then to bear the weight of gossip for a lifetime.

"First, you will come with me to see Mother and Father and pay your respects. Then, I will ask Fourth Uncle to release Lin Yunzhi. After half a year, I will leave the family and go to the sect. You can leave then too. You don't need to be my Li Family's daughter-in-law for your entire life," Li Shuidao said in a deep voice.

At these words, Xia Ruoxue trembled, her mind buzzing.

She hadn't expected Li Shuidao to plan on abandoning her completely after half a year.

Then why did he forcibly take her?

What did she even mean to him?

Was it just because she was a bit good-looking that she should be snatched and toyed with at his whim?

"I have no intention of betraying my husband; I just want to make a clean break with my past feelings. Please, husband, don't abandon me," Xia Ruoxue cried profusely, like someone drowning.

Li Shuidao was slightly taken aback.

The immense shock from his Master's Wife, Qin Yue'e, had made him believe that women in this world would treat marriage like a fleeting encounter, just like in his past life.

So, he had proactively proposed separating after half a year. This was actually him showing kindness, not heartlessly abandoning her.

Has this woman accepted her fate?

That's right...

If all the women in this world were like Master's Wife, then in this agrarian civilization, the entire world would cease to continue...

"I understand. You may rise," Li Shuidao said gently.

Xia Ruoxue carefully stood up, looking nervously at her husband.

Knock, knock, knock...

The sound of knocking on the courtyard gate was somewhat urgent.

Li Shuidao opened the gate and saw a member of the Li Family.

This person was named Li Shuiqi, a cultivator from the same class as Li Shuidao.

"Brother Dao, something's happened... Come out, I need to tell you," Li Shuiqi said mysteriously, his eyes glancing unintentionally at Xia Ruoxue.

Clearly, he didn't want Xia Ruoxue to hear what he had to say.

"Xiaoxiao... You and Madam stay in the courtyard and wait for me to return."

"Yes, Young Master," Luo Xiaoxiao replied.

"Husband..." Xia Ruoxue was about to say something when she saw Li Shuidao slam the door shut and leave.

Xia Ruoxue could only sigh helplessly.

Outside the small courtyard.

Several cultivators appeared, all of them skilled members of the family. They hid in the shadows, their expressions quite tense.

Li Shuidao lowered his voice and said, "Late last night, a man disguised himself as a Li Family servant to steal the bride..."

"I know. This person's name is Lin Yunzhi, Xia Ruoxue's childhood sweetheart. How dare two mortals cause trouble in our family? Uncle Four apprehended him on the spot," Li Shuidao said.

"Uncle Four is dead," Li Shuiqi said with a grave expression.

"What did you say?" Li Shuidao was shocked.

"Around midnight, an immortal cultivator descended from the sky, rescued Lin Yunzhi, and killed Uncle Four in passing. By the time the Patriarch arrived, that person had already left on a flying mount. The flying Yao Beast was extremely fast, but the Patriarch chased for a long time and they still escaped."

"The Patriarch is back?" Li Shuidao inquired.

"Mhm... The Patriarch sent me to ask about Lin Yunzhi's identity?"

"Ask Xia Ruoxue?"

Li Shuiqi nodded.

"She probably doesn't know," Li Shuidao said after a moment of thought.

"Why?"

"If she knew her lover was connected to cultivators, she would have likely revealed it when Uncle Tianxi captured him."

"Brother Dao makes sense."

"You all stay here. I'm going to see the Patriarch," Li Shuidao said.

The Li Family gathered before a makeshift morgue set up on an open space. Tragic wails echoed mournfully.

Haoyun Li's body lay within the white tent. His face was pale, and his body bore clear claw marks from a Yao Beast, indicating he was brutally killed by a ferocious beast.

Close relatives of the Li Family, including Li Shuiting, Xiao Cui, and seven or eight others, were gathered around the body. Each of them had haggard faces, their eyes wet with tears.

Li Shuidao approached the body, his heart extremely heavy.

Haoyun Li was the father of Li Shuilang and Li Shuiting. He was the officiant at yesterday's wedding and was now a cold corpse.

The cold wind blew, and the white tent trembled slightly, as if conveying Haoyun Li's resentment and injustice.

Li Shuiting's tears flowed like a spring. She trembled as she said, "Brother Dao, my father did capture a mortal yesterday. But after locking him in a wooden pen, he didn't pay him any mind. No one was guarding that mortal at the time. If the cultivator wanted to rescue him, he could have just taken him. Our Li Family wouldn't have troubled a mortal. But why did he have to come to my home and kill my father!?"