White Forest Town.
Gao Huan watched a woman slowly pass by nearby, leading her toddler along.
The child had a sturdy little head and an endearingly plump face. Still unsteady on his feet, he clutched his mother's hem tightly with both little hands.
As Gao Huan watched, a smile unconsciously softened his eyes.
Just then, a head bearing a thoroughly flippant expression popped up behind him. It was Qifu Zhen.
Following Gao Huan's gaze, he watched the woman and child recede into the distance, then clicked his tongue, his voice full of envy. "When will I finally have a family of my own?"
Gao Huan glanced at him and smiled. "You're different from me. Both your parents are still alive. Once you go home, why worry about finding a marriage that suits you?"
Qifu Zhen curled his lip and waved a large hand. "I'm a cultivator now, after all. How could I still take a fancy to ordinary women? If I marry, it'll be someone like an immortal maiden."
He paused, then added, "Of course, I'll have to be choosy about her temperament. Ideally, she should have a few fewer tricks up her sleeve than your wife."
Gao Huan scolded him with a laugh. "You rascal. Asking for a beating, are you?"
Qifu Zhen chuckled without dodging, merely nudging him with an elbow. "Still, marrying an immortal woman is one thing, but you can't go back on your promise. You still have to take me home to bring glory to my ancestors."
Gao Huan nodded. "That day will come."
Then his lips moved slightly as he sent Qifu Zhen a couple of private instructions through voice transmission.
As Qifu Zhen listened, his grin gradually faded and his expression shifted. He asked quietly, "You want me to impersonate you and hold