I Want to Marry Cao Ying

Deep within the Pill Pagoda.

Medicinal Fragrance permeated the air, dense and lingering, while faint glimmers of circulating Dou Qi wandered across the four walls.

Shen Wen stood properly at the lower end of the room, eyes on his nose, nose on his heart.

Yet the slight upward curve of his lips betrayed the turmoil in his Inner Heart.

It hadn't been easy!

Ever since he became an Alchemist at the age of six.

His Past Life Memories and that damnable "Wife System" had crashed into his mind together. What kind of life had he lived over these past twelve years?

Other transmigrators either had an Engagement Cancellation Trope or a Trash-to-Treasure Trope. At least they always had a clear target to slap in the face.

But not him.

He had directly become the Final Disciple of the Pill Pagoda's Great Elder, known as Old Monster Lin. His starting point had been frighteningly high, but the pressure had been absurdly immense as well.

If this had been another world, he would certainly have lived quite well.

But this was Battle Through the Heavens.

In the future, a madman named Hun Tiandi would Blood Sacrifice all living beings.

Only Xiao Yan could stop him, but Shen Wen could not place all his hopes on Xiao Yan. He had to rise to the occasion himself!

He did indeed have a Golden Finger.

But his Golden Finger was a little absurd. No, it wasn't the Golden Finger that was absurd.

The absurd part was that he was only six years old.

The "Wife and Concubine System"—the name was simple and crude, and its functions were equally straightforward.

Marry a beauty with a rating above ninety, and he would receive generous rewards. The higher the quality of the wife and the stronger she was, the more outrageous the reward.

However, according to the system, he could only have Three Wives and Four Concubines, which meant seven targets.

Of course, Shen Wen was not greedy. Seven targets were already enough, and in his eyes, there were indeed very few women who could reach a score of ninety.

He had made plenty of mental preparations.

Then, stammering, he revealed it to his Master.

When he wanted his Master to use the Pill Pagoda's connections to help find a few eligible "Junior Sisters" or "daughters of family friends," he was immediately doused with a bucket of Ice Water Mixture.

The look in Old Monster Lin's eyes at the time was as if she wanted to swallow him alive.

The old woman blew her beard and glared, nearly jabbing a finger into his forehead. "At such a young age, you want wives! Don't you know Lust is a Bone-Scraping Steel Knife?

Do you want to imitate those useless Profligates, be hollowed out by Alcohol and Lust at an early age, and squander your Exceptional Talent?!"

No matter how Shen Wen pestered her.

Old Monster Lin would not listen to a single word.

Not only did she sternly refuse, she also placed a terrifying Headband Curse on him.

Before the age of twenty, he had to reach Dou Huang Nine Stars and break through to Rank Seven in Alchemist Rank!

If he failed, forget beauties—even the old lady sweeping the floors in the Pill Pagoda would be beyond his reach!

If he succeeded, Old Monster Lin would risk her old reputation and personally Propose Marriage on his behalf.

Heaven knew how harsh those conditions were.

Dou Qi Cultivation became harder the further one advanced, while Alchemist Rank required a Vast Amount of resources, talent, and time to build up.

For an ordinary person, reaching Dou Wang and becoming a Rank Five Alchemist in an entire lifetime was already a stroke of luck.

Not everyone was Lucky Brother.

One had to know that Lucky Brother had also put in a great deal of effort to reach that level.

Even Shen Wen, with his Exceptional Talent and Old Monster Lin's help.

Had spent the past twelve years living as though in Purgatory.

Every day, he was either tortured half to death by Dou Qi Training.

Or questioning his entire life in Danyun's Pill Room amid all kinds of Failed Black Smoke spewed out by the Medicine Cauldron.

Old Monster Lin personally supervised him, and her Teaching Methods could only be described as inhuman.

Shen Wen had once suspected that the old woman was afraid he would have the energy to think about women, which was why she trained him so brutally.

Fortunately, he had endured it.

Today, on his eighteenth birthday, he had successfully tempered the final strand of Dou Qi until it was Perfectly Smooth, firmly reaching Dou Huang Peak.

At the same time, a Seventh-Grade Pill, the "Form Transformation Pill," had successfully condensed inside his Pill Furnace. The Heaven and Earth Energy Fluctuation triggered when the pill formed had nearly alarmed half the Pill Pagoda.

Now was the moment for him to reap the Fruits of Victory!

At the head of the Quiet Room, Old Monster Lin sat upright, leisurely savoring the Spirit Tea in her cup.

She set down the teacup. No expression could be seen on her Emaciated face as her gaze swept over Shen Wen.

Only after a full ten breaths of silence did she slowly speak. "Wen'er, you have done very well. Two years faster than I expected."

The smile on her face grew even broader. "An eighteen-year-old Dou Huang Nine Stars and Rank Seven Alchemist... Looking across the entire Central Continent.

You are among the very best. Not bad. You have not disappointed me, nor have you wasted your talent."

Shen Wen grumbled inwardly, If you hadn't set such a monstrous target, would I have needed to work this hard?

I've waited a full twelve years!

But there was nothing he could do. If not for Old Monster Lin, he would have died in the wilderness back then.

Although Old Monster Lin had stopped him from marrying wives, she had never lacked in providing resources.

Naturally, he did not resent Old Monster Lin. Besides, while refining pills and cultivating, he had also been keeping track of developments in the timeline.

It was simple.

He only needed to look at Cao Ying's age. Cao Ying was merely eighteen now, which meant there was still some time before the story began.

Which also meant.

At the very least, Xiao Yi Xian and Yun Yun had not yet encountered Xiao Yan.

"It is all thanks to Master's guidance."

Old Monster Lin nodded slightly and finally got to the point. "Since you have fulfilled the agreement, I naturally will not go back on my word. Speak."

She leaned forward slightly, curiosity on her face.

"Which family's daughter have you taken a fancy to? So long as her family background is clean and her character and appearance are proper, regardless of her clan or sect.

This old face of mine still carries some weight. I will personally Propose Marriage for you."

As she said this, Old Monster Lin straightened her back slightly. After all, she was the Great Elder of the Pill Pagoda and a Dou Sheng.

She still had some standing on the Dou Qi Continent. Unless it involved the core figures of those Ancient Clans.

Everyone else would have to show her some respect.

Here it came!

It had finally come!

Shen Wen felt his unreliable heart thumping wildly in his chest, while his blood surged faster through his veins.

Twelve years of anticipation, twelve years of lying low and enduring hardship—wasn't it all for this moment?

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said softly, "Master! This disciple wishes to marry Cao Ying!"

"Cao Ying?"

Old Monster Lin froze for a moment. Naturally, she knew of Cao Ying from the Cao Family, since Cao Ying was also a pill-refining genius.

In terms of talent, Cao Ying could even be said to be second only to Shen Wen.

Old Monster Lin's expression suddenly became somewhat awkward. "How about choosing someone else? Never mind whether the Cao Family would agree—the problem is, haven't you and Cao Ying always been at each other's throats?"

"Every time you compete, she looks as though she wants to swallow you whole."

"Besides, Xuan Kongzi and the others want Cao Ying to become their disciple!"

"If your Master uses her status to pressure them, it may affect the Pill Pagoda's unity!"

"You know what happens if there is no unity—don't make me say it!"

"Then fine, if Aunt Xuan agrees, Dan Chen would work too!" Shen Wen grinned as he listed his other two targets.

"Uh, then Cao Ying it is." Old Monster Lin tapped Shen Wen's forehead. "You've even set your sights on your Aunt Xuan?!"

"Dan Chen is even more out of the question. I'm afraid she would drain all your Soul Power!"

Old Monster Lin shook her head. "Wait here. I'll go ask now!"

"Sure!"

One day later.

Shen Wen had finally relaxed after that tense cultivation when Old Monster Lin gave him several days off. Then he saw someone push open the door and enter.