Not Wanting to Get Married (Seeking Recommendations, Collections)

Outside the courtyard gate, Lu Chuan was stunned by Jiang Ziya's words, only then realizing that he had been discovered.

He stood up, smoothed his clothes, and adjusted his breathing, struggling to calm his turbulent heart.

"Hoo!"

After a long exhale, Lu Chuan stepped into the courtyard.

As soon as he entered, he saw a man sitting by the stone table, watching him.

Upon seeing it was him, Jiang Ziya smiled. "So it was you, Lu... Xiao Chuan. Tell me, did you hear clearly while eavesdropping at the wall?"

Lu Chuan hurriedly bowed and apologized, "I beg your pardon, sir. I did not intend to eavesdrop; I merely came to find you after dinner, not expecting that the master was still here with you..."

At that moment, he felt this was exactly like a job interview; the first impression was crucial.

If the first impression was poor, then forget about having Jiang Ziya teach him skills—he probably wouldn't receive a single kind look from him ever again.

Jiang Ziya said with a half-smile, "So you just waited at the gate until you were nearly asleep?"

"Your insight is sharp, sir!" Lu Chuan said.

Jiang Ziya looked at the youth before him and laughed, "Then why have you come to find this old man in the dead of night?"

Having studied the Dao at Kunlun, even though he had not yet achieved immortality, his hearing and eyesight were naturally far superior to those of ordinary people.

Therefore, the moment Lu Chuan arrived at the gate, he had already heard the footsteps, but not knowing who it was, he had not called him out.

He had wanted to see what the person outside the gate was planning to do.

Lu Chuan looked up at Jiang Ziya and suddenly knelt before him.

"Oh!"

Even Jiang Ziya was slightly startled by this sudden kneeling and hurriedly said, "Why are you kneeling to this old man? Get up quickly..."

"Old sir, this junior knows that you are a marvel from Kunlun possessed of great abilities, far from an ordinary man."

Lu Chuan remained on his knees, saying sincerely, "Today, I, Lu Chuan, wish to sincerely take you as my master. Firstly, I wish to learn some skills, and secondly, I wish to serve your daily needs to repay the kindness you showed me by opening my spiritual apertures. I beg you to grant my request."

With that, he kowtowed and remained prostrate.

"You... so that is it."

Jiang Ziya understood after hearing this. He looked at the youth on the ground but remained silent for a long time, his fingers constantly calculating.

"Get up!"

A moment later, Jiang Ziya sighed. Lu Chuan looked up, full of joy, only to see Jiang Ziya shaking his head.

Lu Chuan's smile froze on his face, and in an instant, he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, his heart and body turning cold.

He heard Jiang Ziya say, shaking his head, "You... had better choose another master!"

"Why?"

Lu Chuan grew anxious and hurried to say, "Is it because you blame me for eavesdropping just now, sir? If so, I am willing to kowtow and apologize until your anger is appeased."

Jiang Ziya shook his head. "That is not the reason."

Lu Chuan continued, "Then, sir... do you think my heart is not sincere enough?"

Jiang Ziya shook his head again. "That is not the reason either."

"Then why?"

Lu Chuan said, somewhat unwillingly, "Since you do not blame me for the accidental eavesdropping, and you do not doubt my sincerity, why will you not take me as your disciple and fulfill my desire to learn and repay your kindness?"

Jiang Ziya said slowly, "There are two reasons."

"Please speak plainly, sir."

"Lu Chuan, although you have the aptitude for cultivation, this old man is of shallow learning and cannot teach you. That is the first reason."

Jiang Ziya continued, "Furthermore, although you and I share a connection, it is far too thin. I have calculated that I am destined to have two disciples, but they are both elsewhere; they are not you. That is the second reason. Therefore, I truly cannot accept you as my disciple."

"Is it just like that?"

Lu Chuan muttered. This was a heavy blow to him.

It was just as the saying went: the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

Before coming, he had held great hope for Jiang Ziya, and since he had seen Jiang Ziya the moment he woke up and had been helped to open his apertures, how could that not be a deep connection?

Yet now, Jiang Ziya said the connection was too thin. This was truly...

Too ironic.

Jiang Ziya sighed and advised, "You need not be discouraged. The world is vast, and there are many marvels and extraordinary people. Although you and I lack the fate of master and disciple, if your heart is sincere and your will is firm, you will surely encounter a wise master in the future."

Lu Chuan looked up and smiled, though the smile was bitter and forced.

If one were to speak of the most prosperous sects in the world today, apart from the Chan and Jie branches of the Daoist school, there remained only the Western Sect.

The Western Sect...

Perhaps influenced by online discourse from his past life, he didn't have much affection for the Western Sect. It was called the Western Sect now, but after the Investiture of the Gods, it would become the flourishing Buddhism.

However, if he were truly driven to a dead end, it would not be the worst final resort in the pursuit of immortality.

Then there were the Exposition Sect and the Jie Sect.

If one had to choose the best among these two traditions, it was undoubtedly the Exposition Sect of the Primordial Heavenly Lord. After all, while the final outcome of the Investiture of the Gods saw them suffer eight hundred losses for every thousand enemies defeated, they were, in the end, the victors.

But who would have thought...

Lu Chuan steadied his mind and whispered, "Old Master Jiang, is there truly no chance for me at all?"

Though a look of pity crossed Jiang Ziya's eyes, he shook his head firmly.

"Chuan'er, Chuan'er..."

Just then, Lu Liang's voice came from outside the gate. Seeing Lu Chuan in the courtyard as he passed by, he ran in and asked, "What are you doing here?"

As he spoke, he hurriedly helped the dazed Lu Chuan up and apologized to Jiang Ziya with a smile, "Old Master Jiang, I am truly sorry. This brat has come to bother you again."

"No bother, no bother at all."

Jiang Ziya waved his hand and smiled, "I quite like this child, Lu Chuan, it is just a pity..."

He stopped there and sighed.

"Yes, yes, yes."

Lu Liang nodded repeatedly and said respectfully, "It is getting late, Old Master. In that case, the boy and I shall not disturb your rest any longer."

Jiang Ziya nodded with a smile.

Lu Liang supported the arm of the somewhat dejected Lu Chuan, turned, and walked out the door, his face still wearing its habitual smile.

Jiang Ziya watched the two leave, then looked up at the starry night sky and sighed wistfully.

"You brat, what is wrong with you? You were fine at dinner, why are you acting like a frost-bitten eggplant now?"

Once outside, the smile vanished from Lu Liang's face. He glanced at Lu Chuan, then looked back at the courtyard behind them and asked, "Come to think of it, what were you doing running off to see Master Jiang?"

"Seeking an apprenticeship!" Lu Chuan replied.

Lu Liang shot him a glance and said, "Looking at you, I take it you didn't succeed?"

Lu Chuan gave a reluctant "Mm."

"That's just right."

Lu Liang suddenly chuckled, sounding somewhat gleeful at his misfortune.

"Eh?"

Lu Chuan eyed Lu Liang. Was this really his own father?

Lu Liang laughed heartily, "Since you've recovered, I've been thinking about arranging a marriage for you these past two days. If you were to become a monk, what would happen to the Lu family's lineage?"

"Ah?"

Lu Chuan's eyes went wide.

"Ah what? You're not young anymore, it's time to get married. Look at the Third Young Master, he's the same age as you and he's already married."

Lu Liang rolled his eyes at his foolish son and said, "Though your father doesn't have much talent, I've saved up some money over the years. It's enough to get you a wife and buy a house..."

Only then did Lu Chuan remember that in ancient times, people married very early, often in their teens.

But...

He didn't want to get married right now.

Firstly, because of his past life, he was unaccustomed and ill-adapted to such early marriage.

Secondly, the world was about to descend into chaos. If you didn't have the skills to secure your own life, your own existence would be hanging by a thread—how could you even think about taking a wife?

He had originally thought that even if he couldn't become Jiang Ziya's disciple, he could at least get him to teach him some skills. But after hitting a wall today, he realized he had been too optimistic.

"Father, I'm still young, I don't want to get married yet."

"Young my foot! I already told you, the Third Young Master is the same age as you and he's already married. Anyway, don't worry about it. Leave everything to your father, I'll take care of the arrangements."

"..."

Lu Chuan looked back at Jiang Ziya's courtyard. The surrounding air was chilly and desolate; why did he feel a sense of shared misery?