"Look at this matter, can you make the decision? If you can, then it's settled. Your wife will need to provide the recipe for manufacturing it, and the reward will be made up later."
Qi Yu nodded, a few thoughts flashing through his mind. Headmaster Wang was a former chief priest who had left behind many connections in the court. His wife had found the right person. However, he wondered how his wife, who was clearly illiterate and living deep in the mountains, knew about Chief Priest Wang's affairs. "Alright, I will submit this prescription as soon as possible."
Seeing Qi Yu agree, Wang Shanzhang stroked his beard and continued, "Your wife is quite an extraordinary person. Yesterday's incident at the mountain stronghold has been widely circulated among the people. Welding Lady was not afraid of powerful figures, kicked bandits, and refused to kneel before officials. She rescued the Dong family's daughter from the stronghold. I heard that the Dong family's Chen Cuihua still has her virginity mark. She has gained another wave of good reputation."
Qi Yu simply nodded and responded with a few "hmm"s. However, Headmaster Wang couldn't help but advise, "Qi Yu, the preliminary examination for the imperial examination is in two days. You should work harder. The greater your wife's reputation, the more likely she is to have an affair if she meets a better man who offers her an olive branch. The greater a woman's power, the greater her ambition. As her son-in-law, you will have to endure some hardship for a while."
"Yes, disciple understands." Qi Yu lowered his head and kept the words in mind, while clenching his fist. He knew the consequences better than anyone else. Without Li Xiaoxiao, he would have no dignity as a man.
Qi Yu clenched his fists tightly inside his long sleeves, the veins on his hands bulging, before finally putting on an indifferent expression.
Seeing that he had heard what was said, the headmaster said no more. "Alright, go study." Qi Yu replied and hurriedly walked towards the academy, his heart filled with complicated feelings. Now that his wife had found a steward, he didn't need to wash her clothes or do anything for her. And now that she was still innocent, she could easily kick him aside. If she remarried one day, he would become a laughing stock in the world.
After finishing his studies for the day, Qi Yu left the school and hurried home. He still hadn't delivered the hairpin he bought last time. Ironically, the money he had was given to him by his wife. Using his wife's money to buy a hairpin for her was truly absurd.
After finishing school, Qi Yu rode an oxcart back home, but Li Xiaoxiao was still fast asleep. The steward was cooking, and the craftsmen, who had been working all day, were heading home. When they saw Qi Yu on the way, they couldn't help but tease him a bit.
"Li family, when do you need a young husband or something? I can be Li Xiaoxiao's concubine. It's a fortune, something to be envied."
"Your wife is truly beautiful; you're a lucky boy."
"......"
A wave of insulting laughter swept over him. After getting away from the group, Qi Yu pretended not to hear anything and remained silent. When he got home, he saw his wife sleeping. He gently stroked her delicate face with his large hand. The thought that he was just a live-in son-in-law who had to rely on the woman in front of him for everything made him realize that he used to be able to numb himself with the excuse that this was just how things were. But reality had slapped him hard in the face. The man withdrew his hand, clenched his fist, and quietly left, taking an axe to the back mountain.
He found a few trees and chopped them down one by one with an axe. He was a man, a man, not a coward.
The trees not far away swayed their branches and leaves, as if saying, "Look, this coward has no status at home, so he comes to vent his anger on us again. What bad luck!" A gust of wind came from afar, and the surrounding branches shook wildly.
Qi Yu silently set a goal in his heart: in this life, he would surpass Li Xiaoxiao. Since he was going to be a powerful minister in the court, he would also be unparalleled in martial arts, so that no one in the world would dare to laugh at him.
Just as Qi Yu was still immersed in his own world, he suddenly sensed something was wrong. He swung his axe, and the large tree in front of him crashed to the ground. "It's been the time it takes for an incense stick to burn. Who is it?"
He turned around and saw a man with a full head of white hair standing on a small tree. There were clearly only a few leaves on his feet, but he stood steadily.
"Not bad, your alertness is good, but your martial arts skills are too poor. Are you interested in learning from me?"
Although the man had a full head of white hair, his face was exceptionally handsome, with a fox-like face, five parts evil and three parts Taoist immortality. However, his pair of azure eyes made it impossible to see his true nature. While Qi Yu was still hesitating, the man's figure disappeared from the spot and suddenly appeared in front of Qi Yu. Although this technique was different from Li Xiaoxiao's, it could achieve the same effect.
Qi Yu had heard that Li Xiaoxiao was highly skilled in martial arts, and probably no other woman in the martial arts world could reach such a level. In particular, her ghostly figure could disappear from the spot in an instant and reappear unexpectedly from another place, finally delivering a fatal blow to the enemy.
"Yes." Qi Yu replied firmly, his eyes filled with fighting spirit.
The man stepped back a few paces and casually tossed a book on the ground. It read "The Record of Becoming a God." "My name is Ye Linghua. I have currently cultivated to the ninth level. Once I reach the tenth level, I will be able to enter any realm as if it were empty, ascend to godhood, and surpass your wife."
"When you reach the first level, you will see the secret of the second level, and only then will you be qualified to be my disciple." After saying this, the man disappeared from the spot.
The message left in the air was, "Next time you kill someone, handle it properly. I've taken care of the aftermath for you; consider it a small gift."
Qi Yu's heart skipped a beat when she heard this. She picked up the book in her hand, but she couldn't recall the man's name or appearance. She only remembered his words.
Could this be a scam? But he couldn't resist the temptation before him. If he surpassed his wife, he would become a hero and would no longer be a despised son-in-law. His wife would nestle in his arms and say, "Husband, I'm counting on you."
However, upon opening the book, only four lines of text came into view: "Those who become gods must have a firm will, a body stronger than ordinary people, and break through the limits of the physical body in order to enter the realm." That was all.
Qi Yu recalled that when he was with his wife, she once said, "As long as a person breaks through their limits, they can unleash their potential and the spiritual energy within their body." Every time his wife went up the mountain, she would tie a solid iron sandbag to her feet.
So, my wife already knew all along?
After putting the book in his bag, Qi Yu continued chopping trees. Since Li Xiaoxiao inspired him to enjoy chopping trees last time, his arms had become stronger without him realizing it, and he was chopping trees faster and stronger than before.
Amidst the frantic swinging of the axe, Qi Yu seemed to grasp something, but this feeling was elusive, leaving him only to continue this singular action.
......
Deep in the forest, just as the green snake was about to search for a missing green snake, a white-haired man suddenly appeared in front of it. At that moment, the green snake hurriedly walked away, wishing it could get away as soon as possible.
"Little snake, you just left like that? Is that the new master you chose? Then you'd better watch out. Ten years from now, I will take her life, just like before. Haven't you given up yet? As long as you behave, the wound on your face will heal, right? Why keep this disgusting appearance? It makes me want to vomit."
A terrifying sound came, and the green snake produced a dagger in its hand, its eyes gradually turning sinister.
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