"Give up the marriage?"
Hearing this, Zhao Qingluo felt a wave of confusion in her heart. This decision was hard to make. No matter which way she chose, she would lose something.
When it came to talent, she only had a slightly above-average spiritual root. If she hadn't shown a desire for the Dao from an early age, and if she wasn't a direct descendant of the Qiyue Zhao Clan, she probably never would have reached the Golden Core stage.
If she broke off the marriage, she would lose her status as a personal disciple of Shengya Mountain. That would mean her path would end here, with no hope of further progress.
Was it worth giving all that up for a fleeting love?
Zhao Qingluo questioned herself.
After enjoying the perks of being a personal disciple at Shengya Mountain, it was impossible to go back to the poor cultivation conditions of the past. Even though Wei Tu had solid skills as an alchemist and talisman maker, and was wealthier than most cultivators at his level, supporting another Golden Core cultivator would be a stretch. Maybe he could manage for a while, but would he really keep pouring resources into her if she was nothing but a "pretty face"? That was a real question.
On top of that, after breaking off the marriage, she and Wei Tu would both have to compensate the Zhao Clan for their losses. The amount wouldn't be small. It could even leave them both broke and ruin decades, maybe even a hundred years, of cultivation.
Zhao Qingluo hesitated. The pressure of what came after breaking the marriage felt suffocating.
"Is there really no other way but to call off the marriage?" Zhao Qingluo pursed her lips, looking a bit lost.
From her perspective, giving up seventy years of status to get the personal disciple spot and a flood of resources from Shengya Mountain was an obvious bargain. Reputation was invisible and intangible—why fight for it?
Giving up so much just for a bit of status wasn't something Zhao Qingluo could accept.
"Princess, I'm not forcing you."
"You and I are both cultivators. You should understand what being a Dao companion means. It's not just about dual cultivation—it means walking the path together, helping each other all the way."
Seeing Zhao Qingluo's reaction, Wei Tu understood how she felt. He let out a sigh and shook his head.
He knew this choice was way too harsh for her. Maybe in times of crisis, Zhao Qingluo would fight to the end with him, never backing down. But he didn't want to gamble on that chance.
In the end, their ways of life and cultivation were just too different.
Zhao Qingluo was born into a cultivator clan. Even when her main branch fell, it wasn't long before she found another opportunity and rose again. But he was different. He started as a stable boy in the mortal world, fighting for everything himself step by step, never depending on anyone else.
Their attitudes and lives were worlds apart.
Before they ever got close, they were each other's idealized crushes. But once they actually got together, it would all fall apart.
"I'll give you three days to think about it. If you don't agree... just pretend I was never here."
Wei Tu got up and cupped his hands in farewell.
Up to now, he'd known plenty of women, but the ones who could really touch his heart were few and far between.
'It must be because of that time we spent together... or maybe the little teleportation talisman I gave her under the moonlight.'
Wei Tu thought back to those days.
But—
Just as he reached the door, a pair of soft, cool, and faintly fragrant lips touched his cheek, then moved towards his mouth.
"Alchemist Wei, my heart has never changed. Even if... we can't be Dao companions, I'd still be willing to be your dual cultivation partner." Zhao Qingluo's cheeks turned pink and she bit her lip gently.
She'd given up her own status and couldn't bear the fallout. She couldn't expect Wei Tu to give her a Dao companion's title in the future.
But if she couldn't be his Dao companion, at least she could be his dual cultivation partner.
She caught the loophole in Wei Tu's words.
In her heart, she hoped that after these forty-five years, she could try to win him back.
Both the path and the partner—she wanted them all.
"Qingluo..."
Wei Tu sighed, not sure how to refuse her affection. After all, he'd avoided women for over two hundred years. Now, with Zhao Qingluo acting like this, he really felt his resolve wavering.
Besides, after Zhao Qingluo decided not to break off the marriage, it wasn't like he felt nothing for her.
"These forty-five years, for the reputation of the Zhao Clan, I can't give myself to anyone else. But..."
Zhao Qingluo gently touched Wei Tu's chest. As her knees slid lower, she started to untie his robes.
"This..."
Wei Tu's breathing quickened. He caught Zhao Qingluo's arm just in time, stopping her from going further.
If things went too far today, it would be impossible for him to think straight about their relationship in the future.
"Alchemist Wei, just say yes to me this once, alright? I can't make up my mind, not because I'm selfish, but because the consequences are just too much..."
Kneeling at Wei Tu's chest, Zhao Qingluo's eyes turned red and tears slipped down her cheeks.
"All right."
Wei Tu's heart softened and he let go of her arms, letting her do as she pleased.
Soon, Zhao Qingluo's dress slid off her shoulders as she knelt, revealing her delicate figure. She wrapped herself tightly around Wei Tu and didn't let go.
The two of them finally did what they hadn't finished doing in that mountain valley more than two hundred years ago, when they fought for the Foundation Establishment Pill.
...
Half a day later.
When it was all over, Zhao Qingluo pulled her clothes tight around her. Her eyes, clear as the moon, stared at Wei Tu. She pressed her lips together for a moment, then swept her sleeve and left the quiet room.
"Wei Lang, see you in forty-five years. I won't give up easily..."
Zhao Qingluo called out from a distance.
'No matter how hard it is to let go, in the end... the path comes first.'
Wei Tu tied his robe, speaking softly to himself.
In fact, he and Zhao Qingluo were very much alike—putting the Dao above all else, not letting emotions take over. If he hadn't had so many lucky chances, he probably would've made the same choice she did.
"But now that Qingluo isn't my Dao companion, I don't have to care so much about her reputation."
Wei Tu shook his head.
Everyone makes their own choices. He couldn't force Zhao Qingluo to break off the marriage.
After resting for a bit, Wei Tu left his guest room to find Zhao Huamin, ready to head down the mountain and leave Shengya Mountain.
"Luckily, you two didn't make a serious mistake. Qingluo is still pure. If the ancestor had found out otherwise, I really couldn't bear the consequences..." Before Wei Tu could say anything, Zhao Huamin greeted him with a look of relief and said this straight out.
She had kept a close eye on Wei Tu and Zhao Qingluo's meeting, but out of respect, she didn't eavesdrop or spy on them. Still, after seeing the way Zhao Qingluo left, as someone with experience, she understood what had probably happened between the two.
"Alchemist Wei, since you two have already made your decision, I... will go report to the ancestor," Zhao Huamin continued.
She saw there had been some "entanglement" between the two and assumed Zhao Qingluo had chosen to break off the marriage.
"There's no need to rush," Wei Tu stopped Zhao Huamin and said in a calm voice, "Qingluo chose another path. You don't need to report this to your ancestor."
"What?" Zhao Huamin was surprised.
Although she hadn't really expected Zhao Qingluo to break off the marriage, she still thought Wei Tu had a decent chance of convincing her. She hadn't imagined that Wei Tu would really fail.
"Our Zhao Clan still has plenty of young women of the right age. Alchemist Wei, if you don't mind..." Zhao Huamin started again, bringing up the topic from a few days earlier.
Zhao Qingluo might not be good at judging people, but as her cousin, Zhao Huamin thought Wei Tu had the potential for Nascent Soul and would probably achieve it one day.
Wei Tu shook his head, about to politely refuse.
But right at that moment—
A wave of qi suddenly locked onto him from several hundred steps away.
Wei Tu's brows furrowed as he looked in that direction.
There, a young Daoist in an ornate golden robe, wearing a high crown, stood deep in the peach blossom grove. He had a half-smile and stared straight at Wei Tu. Next to him was a beautiful woman with porcelain skin and jet-black eyes.
"Situ Yang?" Zhao Huamin frowned and named the Daoist in the crown. It was clear Shengya Zhao Clan didn't think much of this Dao Child, who had run off with Zhao Zhujun.
"So you're Wei Tu?" Situ Yang flew over, with spinning halos of light behind him. The sight was like a Daoist god in a temple.
"Dao Child Situ, Alchemist Wei is an honored guest of Shengya Zhao Clan. Please show some respect for your status," Zhao Huamin said coldly, stepping in first.
Just then, Zhao Zhujun, following Situ Yang, stepped forward with a faint smile. "Third Aunt, why scold Dao Child Situ? Didn't this Alchemist Wei do the same—getting involved with our clan's women?"
"You planted a spy at my side?" Zhao Huamin's eyebrows shot up, her face going cold.
She wasn't just angry at Zhao Zhujun for the spy—she was even angrier that Zhao Zhujun was siding with outsiders. Zhao Qingluo was only pushed forward by the clan to cover up the scandal. Now Zhao Zhujun, instead of repenting, wanted to ruin Qingluo's name. It was a slap in the face to the clan!
"Third Aunt, there's no need to say it like that. I had a part in covering up the family's shame too." Zhao Zhujun's smile faded and her voice turned cold.
Twenty-five years ago, after the scandal broke, her privileges and status as a personal disciple were stripped away and handed over to Zhao Qingluo. She didn't dare defy the Zhao Clan, but she wasn't afraid to make trouble for Zhao Qingluo.
"Situ, do it!" Zhao Zhujun glanced at Situ Yang and called out quietly.
As soon as she spoke, with a "swish," the halos behind Situ Yang's back turned into countless brilliant swords of light, shooting toward Wei Tu.
"Be careful, Alchemist Wei!" Zhao Huamin was alarmed at the sight.
Situ Yang's cultivation was also at the late Golden Core stage, just like hers, but as a Dao Child, his strength was on another level. She was no match for him, much less Wei Tu, who was only at mid-Golden Core.
"Parlor tricks," Wei Tu said calmly, not flustered at all. He flicked his sleeve and summoned the blue soft sword he'd taken from Qi Chengchu. The blue sword rose into the air, transforming into a giant azure-scaled serpent. Its tail lashed out, easily smashing through the swords of light.
"A third-rank top-grade magical weapon?" Situ Yang was surprised. He hadn't expected a lowly Golden Core from the backcountry to have such a weapon.
"But you're just struggling uselessly," Situ Yang said flatly. He made a hand seal, and the halos behind him formed a heavy ancient talisman. With overwhelming force, it battered the giant serpent, leaving it battered and dim.
"Recall!" Wei Tu saw that the talisman was specialized for subduing magical weapons. He stayed calm, called back the blue sword, and then unleashed several talismans in rapid succession.
"So many talismans on you? I guess these are your lifesaving cards," Situ Yang sneered. He kept up his attack with the ancient talisman while summoning another halo of light as a shield against Wei Tu's talisman attacks.
But—
After a few moments of battle, Situ Yang suddenly realized that Wei Tu's talismans seemed endless. In just a short time, Wei Tu had already used at least twenty third-rank talismans.
Meanwhile, Situ Yang felt like an idiot, just standing there taking the hits.
Seeing that he still hadn't taken Wei Tu down after so many moves—and instead was being forced into the defensive—Situ Yang was furious. He instantly shot forward, ready to use real force to overwhelm Wei Tu and make him surrender.