Choosing a Wife!

Liu Yueru extended her well-maintained hand, lightly flipping through the stack of registers. She snorted coldly, "What standing does our Zhang Family have?"

"The Old Ancestor is still here! How can we let just any random riffraff fool us? Chen'er's wife must be a dragon among men—if not now, then at least she must have been one in the past!"

Zhang Yunhai gave a bitter smile. "Sister-in-law, I understand the reasoning. But the problem is, those with good aptitude have their sights set sky-high."

He pointed at a few names on the register, indignant. "Look at this one, that Li Family girl with the Dual Spiritual Root. I just sent someone to probe her intentions, and she shot back with 'Sparrows cannot comprehend the ambition of swans,' even saying... she'd rather marry a hero among rogue cultivators than a... waste from a noble family."

The last two words, Zhang Yunhai spoke in a very low voice.

Afraid of hurting his nephew's pride.

Zhang Chen just shrugged nonchalantly. Waste, huh? Whatever. Once the system activates, I'll show you what it means to never bully the young and poor.

"And this one, an inner sect female disciple from the Qingfeng Sect. When she heard we wanted to propose a marriage, she kicked the matchmaker out, saying unless Chen'er can withstand three of her swords, don't even bother talking."

The more Zhang Yunhai spoke, the angrier he got. "These women, they act all respectful when they see our Zhang Family people on normal days, but when it comes to marriage, every single one of them gets realistic."

"After all, Chen'er is only at the Third Layer of Qi Refining. In this world where the strong are revered, it's... a bit lacking in appeal."

The hall fell into a brief silence.

This was reality.

The Cultivation World valued Wealth, Partner, Dharma, Location. A Dao Companion was meant to support each other's cultivation.

Marrying a mediocre second-generation heir meant enjoying wealth and luxury, but the path to the Great Dao was essentially cut off.

Any Female Cultivator with even a shred of ambition wouldn't take that road.

"Since the normal methods won't work, we need to change our approach."

Liu Yueru suddenly closed the register, a sharp light flashing in her peach-blossom eyes.

She looked at Zhang Yunhai. "Second Brother, isn't there a type of person missing from your register?"

"What type?"

"The kind who were once geniuses, with high pride, but have now suffered a setback, fallen to the dust, and are in urgent need of resources or protection."

A faint smile curled at the corner of Liu Yueru's lips. "This kind of person has a solid foundation. If we can cure them, we profit; even if we can't, the children they bear won't have poor aptitude."

Zhang Chen nearly choked on an orange slice at his mother's words.

Mom's business sense—it's a shame she doesn't play the stock market.

But this line of thinking, it actually aligns perfectly with his system!

The system gives rewards based on a comprehensive score, with aptitude and Special Physique weighing heavily.

As for current cultivation level, that's not the most important thing.

Zhang Yunhai was stunned for a moment, then his eyes lit up. He slapped his thigh hard. "Sister-in-law, brilliant! This type of person... let me think, there actually is one!"

He rummaged through the bottom of the register for a while and pulled out a slightly yellowed piece of paper.

"Lin Family, Lin Qingxue."

Hearing that name, Zhang Chen's eyebrows twitched slightly.

He remembered that name.

The East Mountain Islands were big, but also small.

Back when the major families gathered, Lin Qingxue was the brightest pearl.

"The Lin Family is just a small Foundation Establishment family under our Zhang Family's banner."

Zhang Yunhai pointed at the information and introduced, "But this Lin Qingxue, three years ago, was a sensation."

"Mutated Ice Attribute Dual Spiritual Root, Earth-grade High-rank Aptitude. She reached Foundation Establishment at fifteen, hailed as a Once-in-a-century prodigy. Even a Major Sect wanted to admit her on special terms."

"But..."

Zhang Yunhai's tone shifted, carrying a hint of regret. "Disaster strikes without warning. Three years ago, she went out for training and accidentally entered an Extreme Cold Secret Realm. Though she came back alive, she was afflicted with Extreme Cold Poison."

"This poison is strange. It not only erodes the meridians but also devours spiritual power."

"Over these three years, her cultivation has fallen from Foundation Establishment Early Stage all the way down to Qi Refining Fifth Layer. The Lin Family exhausted their resources trying to cure her, but her condition showed no improvement. Many have declared she won't live past thirty! Now, she's been abandoned by the Lin Family."

Liu Yueru's eyes lit up. "Mutated Ice Spiritual Root? Earth-grade High-rank? Once at Foundation Establishment? What does she look like?"

"Stunning beauty."

Zhang Yunhai gave a two-word verdict. "Even now, haggard and sickly, her appearance is hard to conceal. If it were three years ago, our Chen'er wouldn't even be worthy of carrying her shoes. But now..."

"It's her!"

Before Liu Yueru could make the final call, Zhang Chen, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

He felt his heart beating a little faster.

Mutated Ice Spiritual Root!

That was a rare species in the Cultivation World, even rarer than an ordinary Heaven Spiritual Root.

A Female Cultivator with this constitution would bear children of absolute top quality!

And if he could help her recover her cultivation through the system's rewards, then she wouldn't just be a good wife—she'd be a great one.

Still a powerful enforcer!

It was practically tailor-made for him.

"Chen'er, are you sure?"

Liu Yueru looked at her son with some concern: "That one's a sickly child—I hear she won't live past thirty, and her temperament is bound to be cold and aloof, hard to get along with."

"Mother, didn't we agree to take a gamble?"

Zhang Chen said seriously: "Sending charcoal in snowy weather is far more memorable than adding flowers to brocade. Besides, your son believes that a good person will be blessed by heaven. Maybe once she marries into our family, with the Old Ancestor's fortune, her illness will be cured?"