Getting Along, Tied by Interests?

"This life might actually work!" Mu Xingqi's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Previously, his longest lifespan was only until the third year, August. In the third year, August, a strange blood palm suddenly descended, leveling their Mu Family to the ground!

But this time, in the simulation, the strange blood palm didn't reappear? Why was that?

Could it be that he indirectly changed something? And thus allowed their Mu Family to avoid this catastrophe of annihilation?

Before, he had once thought it was the work of a Yao Beast. After all, such an astonishing and strange blood palm, capable of covering half their Mu Family, was something he'd never heard of any sorcery being able to achieve.

Therefore, he had always suspected it was the Innate Treasure Technique of a Golden Core stage Yao Beast. Only the Innate Treasure Technique of a Golden Core stage Yao Beast could possess such immense destructive power.

However, in this simulation, he hadn't changed anything either?

Unless...

Mu Xingqi continued to look at the simulation panel. He already had an answer in his heart, but he still couldn't be sure.

[Year 4, February. During the day, your father held his Foundation Establishment ceremony. Your father personally lectured on the Dao, and at the same time, announced to the major powers of Jinzhou County that the Mu Family now had two Foundation Establishment Realm experts stationed!]

[At night, it was officially announced to the public that Mu Xingqi of the Mu Family would be betrothed to Zhang Yutong of the Zhang Family, and a betrothal ceremony would be held. In essence, it was to announce to all major powers the stance of the Mu Family and the Zhang Family.]

[Your parents were delighted to see Zhang Yutong and were happy for you. After all, their son and future daughter-in-law were so well-matched, which put their minds at ease.]

[Of course, many young talents in Jinzhou County shed envious tears upon learning that Zhang Yutong was betrothed to you. They only regretted that they lacked the strength, and their families also lacked the strength.]

[Even Wang Dan, the young master of the Wang Family, who was rumored to be infatuated with Zhang Yutong, did not step forward to question you.]

[The reason was simple: now, your Mu Family alone had two Foundation Establishment Realm experts, not to mention the alliance with the Zhang Family. Even if he were foolish, he wouldn't lack such self-awareness. If he dared to step forward now, tomorrow your Mu Family and the Zhang Family would have the justification to exterminate their Wang Family.]

[This surprised you. You didn't expect these pampered young masters to have brains. Unlike some villains who become stupid as soon as they encounter the protagonist. However, this might also be because you don't have the protagonist's halo.]

[Instead, you missed a good opportunity to show off, which made you feel a little upset for a moment.]

[After you simply went through the betrothal ceremony, your mother asked you to take Zhang Yutong around the family grounds, saying she wanted to leave some free space for you young people.]

[You felt it was awkward, but staying at the scene would be even more awkward. So, you quietly leaned close to Zhang Yutong's ear and asked her to follow you, saying you'd show her around.]

[You had imagined countless scenarios, but they always ended in the most awkward way.]

[You took her for a stroll around the family grounds, but you two just chatted back and forth, talking about trivial things.]

[Like a turn-based game.]

[Unknowingly, you led Zhang Yutong to the Pill Hall. Just as you were about to turn, a nimble figure appeared before you.]

"Brother Xingqi! Aren't you... Oh! Is this sister-in-law?" Mu Xing'er's voice rang out like a lark's song.

[You wanted to pat her head, but she dodged it mercilessly. Mu Xing'er turned and went to Zhang Yutong's side, linking her arm through Zhang Yutong's, acting like an old friend. She said, "Sister-in-law is indeed very beautiful."]

[Zhang Yutong smiled in response. The two girls seemed to have opened the floodgates and began to chat.]

[Watching the two girls laughing heartily, you felt like you weren't needed anymore.]

[But you clearly remembered that although Mu Xing'er's personality was enthusiastic, she was the type who was cold on the outside and warm on the inside – very enthusiastic to acquaintances but cold to outsiders. Why was she so enthusiastic to Zhang Yutong the first time they met today? Could it be because Zhang Yutong was a girl, so they got along better? Perhaps you didn't understand Mu Xing'er well enough yourself?]

[After the two girls finished chatting, you bid farewell to Mu Xing'er and took Zhang Yutong back.]

[Along the way, Zhang Yutong unexpectedly said to you, "I didn't expect you to have such a loving sister."]

[You naturally knew she was referring to Mu Xing'er, so you scratched your head and laughed heartily, "Xing'er and I have a good relationship."]

[Zhang Yutong smiled. You felt her words had a hidden meaning, but you couldn't figure it out at all.]

[Your relationship with Zhang Yutong took a step further, but you knew there was always an insurmountable barrier between you. It was precisely because your relationship was forcibly bound by family interests that your relationship couldn't be considered love, but more like friendship. You both knew this in your hearts.]

[Returning to Muye Hall, the elders of the clan praised you both again. Fortunately, the Zhang Family's ancestor soon arrived with your grandfather.]

[The Zhang Family's ancestor took Zhang Yutong away and comforted you to cultivate diligently, saying she thought highly of you.]

[After discussions between the two families, your marriage with Zhang Yutong was set for three years later. As you were exactly fifteen this year, you would be of age in three years. In this world, men came of age at eighteen, which was somewhat different.]

[Actually, this world is somewhat similar to ancient times. Men and women only need to be sixteen to marry, and women might even marry earlier. However, both families considered that you were still young and should prioritize cultivation, so they left a three-year buffer period, hoping you could successfully break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm within these three years.]

[Achieving Foundation Establishment in three years felt like immense pressure even to you.]

[Year 4, April. You received three Yellow Grade High Rank Qi Gathering Pills from your parents again. With the pills in hand, you gained the confidence to condense the last trace of spiritual power.]

[After taking the three Qi Gathering Pills, you exerted yourself forcefully, determined to condense the last trace of spiritual power.]

[You were fortunate; you successfully condensed ten-tenths of your spiritual power!]

[All the spiritual power in your body had completely liquefied!]

[You now possess attack power comparable to the Foundation Establishment Realm, but it's like a temporary trial card. Because you lack a spiritual platform to restore spiritual power, you can only launch a limited number of attacks. Furthermore, you haven't cultivated any Spirit Tier techniques. Even if you use liquefied spiritual power, it will only slightly enhance the attack power of your existing techniques.]

[This is why your father was so extraordinary after successfully condensing his spiritual platform and achieving Foundation Establishment. Because even if you successfully liquefy your spiritual power, you are not considered Foundation Establishment, but merely a stronger Qi Cultivation stage cultivator. It's like being at the tenth level of Qi Cultivation, you are still only in the Qi Cultivation Realm.]

[You were excited because you were now only one step away from Foundation Establishment – condensing the spiritual platform.]

[You wanted to strike while the iron was hot, but you found controlling the liquefied spiritual power within your body extremely difficult. It was as if this spiritual power was molten iron, and your divine sense was like a three-year-old child with no strength to even tie a chicken, completely unable to control it.]

[It was only now that you understood why your grandfather and father repeatedly emphasized that the most important thing for condensing the spiritual platform was the strength of one's divine sense!]

[You realized that only by increasing your divine sense strength could you condense the spiritual platform faster. However, this was something only those who had condensed a spiritual platform knew. The problem was that improving divine sense either required corresponding spiritual medicines or elixirs, or cultivation techniques for divine sense.]

[Unfortunately, your family had neither of these...]