When he had saved Dong Hongyan and seen the maiden with picture-perfect features, pure as an immortal, even Qin Dongcheng, who had no plans to marry and have children for a long time, couldn't help recalling a line from some wuxia novels in his previous life.
When a life-saving debt can never be repaid, this humble girl is willing to serve you as a maid and attend to your every need.
After all, he wasn't ugly, so he didn't have to worry about being turned down with a promise to repay him in the next life by working like an ox or horse. There was a good chance she would accept him.
Qin Dongcheng had been hesitating over whether to refuse, and how to do it, when, in the blink of an eye, the young lady had become a big sister. Somehow, they seemed to have become brothers—or rather, siblings.
Yet, inexplicably, he felt as though he'd sworn brotherhood with an elder brother in his previous life. He had no idea why.
The beautiful big sister on his back soon became quite familiar with him. After all, he had saved her life, and she had a favorable impression of Qin Dongcheng.
"You're only sixteen? So young! I'm already twenty-one, and my younger sisters are all around twenty. Not one of them is younger than you. It seems you and I aren't quite suited to each other."
"But I have a younger sister, Dong Hongyu. She's also sixteen this year. You two can get to know each other. If you hit it off, there's no harm in getting married. Sixteen is a good age to marry and start a family, haha."
"You look so composed, but you're actually this shy. Have you never been to a place of pleasure? Even if you haven't, surely you have a wife or concubine, or perhaps a maidservant?"
"Oh my! You really don't? No wonder you're so shy. Should big sister send you a few pretty young girls, so you can learn the ropes? That way, you won't be at a loss the next time this happens, and you'll be less likely to fall for the charms of demons and ghosts like the Beauty Snake. Only after you've had plenty of experience with this sort of thing will you stop fearing such seductive tricks."
"I could resist the Beauty Snake's bewitchment not because I have a lot of experience, but because I like fragrant little sisters more than men. They're much better than those sweaty men. But, little brother, why do you smell so nice? It seems to be the scent of medicine. It's quite pleasant."
All along the way, the big sister he'd just met chattered nonstop. She even wanted to buy him some lovely maidservants, which made Qin Dongcheng break out in a cold sweat. He hurriedly declined Big Sister Dong's kind offer.
As they talked, he learned more about Dong Hongyan. She was bold and generous, magnanimous and wealthy, and quite talented. The Dong Family she belonged to even had terrifying figures around the Seventh Martial Realm.
Her personality was completely at odds with her appearance; they were like two extremes.
The few fanciful thoughts he'd harbored had vanished without a trace. A big sister this bold and hearty was simply not his ideal type.
He'd better keep treating her as his big sister. After all, she was rich. During their conversation, she'd given him several bottles of pills, including even one bottle of intermediate-grade pills, precious medicine taken by experts above the Fourth Martial Realm.
Blood-Solidifying Pill!
It could stabilize a Martial Artist's cultivation foundation. If someone advanced too quickly in a short time, it could also help resolve hidden problems. Now Qin Dongcheng could take Blood-Replenishing Pills without worry and raise his cultivation as quickly as possible.
They were extremely valuable, with each pill worth around several dozen taels of silver. Ten pills to a bottle meant several hundred taels.
Add in the other pills, and they were worth nearly a thousand taels of silver. No wonder she was such a big sister—she was incredibly generous.
But he hadn't seen her carrying so many things when he bandaged her wounds. Where had she gotten all those pills?
They soon arrived at the home of Dong Hongyan, located at the center of Osmanthus Garden. It was one of the largest estates there.
Dong Hongyan's mother, her younger sister, and several maids and servant girls lived inside. As for her father, he lived at the Dong Family's old residence, fooling around with his other wives and concubines—or so Dong Hongyan said.
Her father was a terrifying figure in the Sixth Martial Realm. He could kill Qin Dongcheng with a snap of his fingers; he was beyond anything Qin Dongcheng could imagine.
He was already over seventy. Dong Hongyan and Dong Hongyu had been born to him in his later years, and apparently, he had just taken his nineteenth concubine.
Among his children, Dong Hongyan was one of the more talented, so he had always looked after her. Had she been willing, he could have brought her, her mother, and her younger sister to live at the Dong Family's old residence, where the cultivation conditions were better.
Though only twenty-one, Dong Hongyan was already a top expert at the Perfected Realm of the Flesh Phase Realm. She was one of the best among the Inner Sect Disciples. If she could advance to the Tendon Phase Realm within a few years, she would very likely become a True Inheritance Disciple.
After they knocked, a maid quickly opened the door. Seeing Dong Hongyan covered in blood, she cried out in alarm, "Ah... Miss, what happened to you? Come quickly and treat Miss! She's lost so much blood!"
The entire estate descended into chaos. Soon, a crowd of maids and servant girls rushed out. There wasn't a single man among them; Dong Hongyan, Dong Hongyu, and their mother were all women.
At the front was a dignified, beautiful woman, presumably Dong Hongyan's mother, Zhao Li. Her eyes were red-rimmed as she looked at Dong Hongyan in deep concern, making Dong Hongyan's head ache. "Mother, don't cry. They're only superficial wounds. I just lost a bit too much blood. Little Brother Qin has already bandaged me. I'll be fine after a good rest."
Only then did Zhao Li and the others notice Qin Dongcheng. They thanked him repeatedly. After Dong Hongyan had been settled, he politely declined Zhao Li and the others' invitation to stay for a meal and returned to his lodgings.
Everyone in Dong Hongyan's household was female, so staying there felt awkward. He was better off going back to cultivate.
To Qin Dongcheng, the whole affair was no more than a brief interlude.
That very day, Dong Hongyan reported the matter to the Patrol Team. When the Five Elements Sect learned that even a Level Four demon had appeared in Bamboo Forest Valley, they were furious and sent out numerous experts to patrol and search the area. Even the Dong Family dispatched many people to help.
In just a few days, several demons and ghosts were dragged out of hiding and killed. Qin Dongcheng hadn't expected so many demons and ghosts to be lurking nearby. The strongest was a Level Three Demonic Beast. It seemed the Beauty Snake had been the most powerful demon to infiltrate Bamboo Forest Valley. Who would have thought Dong Hongyan would run into it?
He didn't know whether to call her unlucky or lucky.
After killing the Beauty Snake, Dong Hongyan received a handsome reward. She was practically appointed a True Inheritance Disciple already, and several True Transmission Elders clamored to claim her.
After all, with her Flesh Phase Realm strength, she had withstood the Level Four Beauty Snake's bewitching arts and even turned the tables to kill it. That showed just how formidable Dong Hongyan was.
On top of that, her talent had long been plain for all to see. Many people had already recognized her as the next True Inheritance Disciple. This merely brought the process forward.
Qin Dongcheng also gained quite a few benefits.
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