Li Jinyao

Inside the small house occupied by the Profound Law Academy in Heaven-Forging Stronghold.

After a busy day, Tang Ruowei followed the others out of the house, stretched towards the dark sky, and took a deep breath.

Her nasal passages were filled with the smell of sulfur, but compared to the day's busyness, it was a welcome relaxation. After a full day of intense mental work, the girl felt her brain was both dizzy and throbbing.

Rubbing her temples, the girl prepared to go back to her room to rest. Although she had only been helping with various calculations and deductions under the guidance of Elder Xu of the Profound Law Academy all day, Tang Ruowei still felt that she had gained a lot from the methods of the Profound Law Academy.

But just as she turned around and headed towards the room arranged by Heaven-Forging Stronghold, a girl's voice came from behind her.

"Hello, junior sister of the Azure Nether Sword Sect."

Tang Ruowei turned her head in surprise and saw a girl as beautiful as herself. She was wearing a long red dress with brocade patterns, with exquisite features, cascading black hair, and a slender figure that was neither too plump nor too thin. The girl's figure was just right. Her face was not as alluring as Su Xiangxue's. She was beautiful, but she seemed like a childhood sweetheart from next door, giving people a sense of closeness.

Looking at the girl who suddenly greeted them, Tang Ruo and Tu Shuwei hesitated and asked, "Who are you, sister?"

"I am a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect, here to help just like you. My name is Li Jinyao."

The young woman introduced herself gently to Tang Ruowei: "I looked around and it seems like there are only two girls here to help this time, the rest are all men, so I thought I'd come and say hello to you after we're done, and get to know you a bit."

"Ah, hello."

Perhaps it was because Huangfu Feng, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect, had given off such a harmless impression that Tang Ruowei didn't react much upon hearing that she was a member of the Heavenly Demon Sect. She naturally introduced herself to Li Jinyao, saying, "Hello, Senior Sister Li, I am Tang Ruowei from the Azure Nether Sword Sect. I am... twenty-four years old this year, and I am at the Foundation Establishment."

In Cultivation world of cultivation, time knows no bounds. Only now, upon reflection, did Tang Ruowei realize how old she was. If she hadn't joined the Azure Nether Sword Sect, she would probably already be a mother of two in the Shangxuan Kingdom.

"Foundation Establishment Stage of twenty-four?"

For some reason, Li Jinyao felt a sense of familiarity in her eyes. She smiled and said, "Junior Sister's progress is very similar to mine. It seems that Junior Sister is no ordinary disciple. May I ask who your master is in the Azure Nether Sword Sect?"

"Yes, it's quite unusual."

Tang Ruowei's eyes darted around as she said, "In the entire Azure Nether Sword Sect, no, I should say the entire Righteous Path Alliance, I'm probably the only Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators whose master is a Qi Refining Stage Cultivators..."

"Qi Refining Stage..."

Li Jinyao was stunned for a moment, then asked in surprise, "Could it be that Junior Sister Ruowei's master is the Sword Ancestor of the Azure Nether Sword Sect?"

Tang Ruowei thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Anyway, that's what the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect and the great demon we encountered before called him... Senior Sister Li also knows him?"

"Hehe, within our Demonic Sect Alliance, those who don't know about the Sword Ancestor are probably only from those second-rate sects. After all, it concerns life and safety. Every Demonic Sect disciple's first cultural lesson upon entering the sect is about the Qingming Sword Ancestor. When we Demonic Sect disciples are out and about, we generally don't casually attack Qi Refining Stage Cultivators."

Li Jinyao smiled and said, "What's more, from the moment I entered the sect, my master has always wanted me to take the Qingming Sword Ancestor as my goal, hoping that one day I could surpass him."

"It seems that Senior Sister is exceptionally talented."

Tang Ruowei asked curiously, "Then, Senior Sister, do you think you have a chance to surpass my Master in the future?"

"That depends on what aspect. Putting aside the skill level I've long surpassed, if it's cooking, laundry, and childcare, I'm very confident I can surpass him."

Li Jinyao smiled.

Cooking, laundry, taking care of the kids...

Tang Ruowei was speechless.

"However, in terms of strength and mentality, I think I could never surpass him."

Li Jinyao smiled and said, "After all, to have been stuck in the Qi Refining Stage for over three thousand years and still persevere to this day without giving up hope of breaking through—that kind of perseverance is something I, at least, don't think I could do. If I hadn't broken through to the next level in two or three years, I probably would have given up on Cultivation and gone back to my hometown to get married."

"Get married..."

Tang Ruowei was stunned for a moment, then realized what she meant.

If someone doesn't break through in two or three years, they'll go back to their hometown and get married. But this woman is still here. Doesn't that mean she's never been stuck in any realm since she started Cultivation?

Moreover, based on her senses, Tang Ruowei felt that the True Essence within this woman's body was steady and powerful, unlike that of a Demonic Cultivator who was advancing rapidly. It was clear that she had cultivated each stage of her cultivation to perfection before breaking through.

Like his master, this is another monster.

She was secretly alarmed.

However, Li Jinyao didn't react. Hearing Tang Ruowei's murmurs, she smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, getting married... don't you think finding a suitable husband and spending your life with him as a wife and mother is better than cultivating to become an immortal? Besides, we Demonic Cultivator don't even know if we can Ascension immortality after passing the Heavenly Tribulation. By the way, speaking of this... Junior Sister Ruowei, when will there be an opportunity for me to meet the Sword Ancestor?"

"Ah?"

Tang Ruowei asked curiously, "Given Senior Sister Li's status, you should have had a chance to meet her even without me taking you... But what do you want to do with her?"

"Let's see if he's suitable to be my partner."

Li Jinyao blinked and answered without hesitation, "My first criterion for finding a husband is that he must be stronger than me so that he can protect me and our family in the future. Moreover, his cultivation level cannot be too much higher than mine, otherwise, if he Ascension immortality, I will be left alone in the Mortal Realm... After thinking it over, Sword Ancestor meets both criteria. I just want to see if it's suitable."

"Ah, no, this..."

Tang Ruowei was a little unsure how to respond. The Young Women opposite her was clearly a promising candidate from the Heavenly Demon Sect, yet she was always thinking about getting married. This reminded her of Su Xiangxue, the sect leader of the Hehuan Sect, who was still a virgin.

Are all Demonic Cultivator this strange?

The girl was lost in thought, completely forgetting how she had been diligently cultivating the Fortune Body Forging Technique in order to defy fate, a sight that seemed incredibly strange to the other disciples of the Azure Nether Sword Sect.

After thinking for a moment, Tang Ruowei said, "Let's put that aside for now, Senior Sister Li, if the Sect Master of the Heavenly Demon Sect knew about your plan, she definitely wouldn't agree, would she?"

"Of course I won't agree, but it's alright. At most two hundred years, my Master will no longer be a match for me."

Li Jinyao smiled radiantly.

"At worst, I'll betray my master and ancestors; after all, I'm Demonic Cultivator."

Seeing that Li Jinyao insisted on seeing him, and recalling Bai Qiuran's usual annoying manner, Tang Ruowei replied, "Alright then, I'll introduce you when Master is free... But let me make this clear, my Master has a particularly nasty tongue, so don't you dare fight him, you can't beat him."