Chapter 1: Do You Still Want a Wife?

That night.

In the Great Yin Dynasty, on the Yu River, a torrential rain poured down.

"Sir, it was hard for me to cultivate, please spare my life. I had no choice before, but now, I truly want to be a good demon. I can become a vegetarian. I am willing to serve as a slave or a servant..."

On the riverbank, a beautiful woman with tearful eyes looked pitiful.

"You have the appearance of Bai Niangzi, but unfortunately, I don't have Xu Xian's big heart."

A man in a straw raincoat, holding a cold blade, emerged from the rain, looking at the alluring beauty with a sigh of regret.

The beauty raised her head in confusion: "Ah, sir, what do you mean?"

"Oh, I mean... I'm good at slaying snakes, but day snakes... cough, cough, I don't have Xu Xian's preferences."

As he spoke, a blade of light flashed through the water curtain, like a bolt of lightning, instantly piercing the demon woman's abdomen.

Pitying beauty?

It doesn't exist.

The beauty's shocked expression froze instantly.

A moment later.

She collapsed, blood gushing from her abdomen, her demon core shattered.

Under the rain, the woman quickly revealed her true form—a white snake demon that fed on human hearts and livers.

Glancing at the corpse, the man's mind conjured up an ancient book. Golden characters flew out of the book and entered the snake demon's forehead, revealing two items—[Intermediate Experience Pill] and *The Art of Allure*.

The [Experience Pill] could be swallowed directly, greatly increasing one's cultivation!

As for *The Art of Allure*... it couldn't be cultivated by men, and he didn't know many women, so he decided to feed it to his sword.

With a thought, the ancient book flipped a page—

*Golden Book Holder: Li Nu*

*Wu Dao Cultivation: Fifth Rank Supreme Master*

*Confucian Dao Cultivation: Fifth Rank Initial Stage of Eloquence*

*Combat Skills: Breath Concealment Technique, Thunder Blade Technique (increased power in thunder and rain), Wind Piercing Fist, Thousand Leaf Palm, Shadowless Kick*

*Spiritual Techniques: Pointing a Deer as a Horse, Paper Crane Message, Leaf Blindness*

*Constitution: Literary Qi into Bone (reconstructs Confucian foundation), Heaven's Gifted Talent (rapid Wu Dao progress)*

*Treasure Vault: 2nd Rank (Fine) Xiu Chun Sword, fed 99/100 times (evolves when full), Water Repelling Pearl (increased power in water battles, obtained from killing a mermaid demon), Ice Heart Jade (calms the mind, obtained from killing a century-old snow demon), Five Poison Pearl, Soul Suppressing Talisman...*

*Good Fortune: Misfortune harbors good fortune, 7 days remaining*

...

"Phew! Finally at the peak of the Fifth Rank Supreme Master. At least I have some means to protect myself now."

Li Nu exhaled a deep breath.

In the path of Wu Dao, it takes ten years just to hone one's muscles and bones, let alone the three thresholds of [External Strength], [Internal Strength], and [Hidden Strength]. One could say that a Fifth Rank Supreme Master is enough to earn a formidable reputation in the martial world.

Of course, to stir up the political arena, he still lacked a lot.

Speaking of politics, Li Nu's mind was filled with a humiliating memory...

A year ago.

Top scholar... offending the imperial concubine... demoted to a prison guard... destroying his Confucian foundation... dying on the way home...

After taking over, he inherited everything from the original body, but the memory of how he got drunk and offended the imperial concubine at the new scholar banquet was blurry.

Clearly.

He must have been framed.

The original body's temperament was fiery, and he publicly destroyed his Confucian foundation to prove his innocence.

This was the root of a scholar. Once destroyed, one could no longer store literary qi, effectively cutting off their path in Confucianism and politics.

As for the *Golden Book* in his mind...

After nearly a year of practice, he had figured out the rules. By slaying evil demons, he could obtain various rewards from the golden book.

It was because of this mysterious book that he reached the Fifth Rank Supreme Master in just one year, giving him the confidence to return to the political arena and uncover the mastermind behind his downfall.

Cruelly kicking the snake demon's corpse into the river, Li Nu quickly disappeared into the rain.

...

The next day.

After the rain, the sky cleared, and the morning light shone.

"Have you heard? A snake demon's corpse was found in the Yu River. Its abdomen was sliced open by a thunder blade, and its demon core shattered. It was a gruesome sight... It's said to be a [Sixth Rank Incarnation] great demon!"

When demons reached this realm, they could shed their demonic features and appear human. As long as they didn't use demonic power, they were hard to detect. This was the confidence of the demon woman to hide in a place of pleasure and debauchery.

A rough man poked his crotch and leered, "They say snake demons have a natural allure, and their skin is so smooth it can be pinched. I really want to taste that demon woman!"

His companion exclaimed, "Damn, brother! Your taste is unique, I'm truly impressed..."

"Brother, are you crazy for a wife? The matchmaker Zhang is eating tofu pudding at that table. Why don't you give her some match money and ask her to introduce you to some smooth-skinned young ladies?"

"Ha ha ha ha..."

In the teahouse, laughter filled the air.

"The daughter of the Zhang family in Taihe Lane is sixteen years old. You can marry her for fifty taels of silver. The question is, do you have the money?"

The woman at the next table, Zhang Da Cu, slurped her tofu pudding, put down her bowl, and rolled her eyes.

The rough man laughed loudly, "Fifty taels? Old Zhang must be crazy for silver. With that money, I could visit brothels for three years without repeating. Hey! Being a new bridegroom every day, changing brides, how enjoyable!"

"Vulgar!"

"Shameless!"

"Ha ha!"

"By the way, Aunt Zhang, didn't the Chen family's daughter you introduced to Brother Nu fall through? Listen to me, don't aim for those noble ladies. Brother Nu, though handsome, is just a prison guard."

"So what if he's a prison guard? A prison guard still eats the emperor's salary, which is better than you poor fellows. Besides, Brother Nu is proficient in poetry, calligraphy, and music, and he has a thriving shop by the Yu River!"

Zhang Da Cu said irritably.

She had truly worried a lot about Li Nu's marriage, after all, Li Nu had once helped her!

The man being scolded didn't mind, laughing heartlessly, "But Brother Nu's prison guard is different. He's a 'personal appointment' by the emperor. No official in the government would dare to promote him."

Zhang Da Cu was speechless.

A prison guard is a minor official, with no rank. The emperor's action was indeed very annoying!

This wasn't an era where looks mattered. Otherwise, the beautiful courtesans on the Yu River could have married into wealthy families.

People cared more about one's family background.

Li Nu had offended the emperor, and his future was bleak. Who would dare to marry him?

However, local girls might not work, but perhaps an outsider had a chance. After all, in those days, anyone who left their hometown had some trouble, and they didn't have so many rules.

A few days ago, didn't a new family move into the neighboring Taihe Lane? The young lady, though veiled, seemed quite graceful and likely hadn't been betrothed...

Thinking of this, Zhang Da Cu's eyes lit up.

...

"Hey, isn't that Brother Nu? Flying fish robe, Xiu Chun sword, he's indeed a fine man, but what a pity..."

Seeing Li Nu approach the teahouse, people shook their heads and sighed.

Their city had finally produced a top scholar, but he ended up in such a tragic state...

The flying fish robe and Xiu Chun sword were naturally bestowed by the emperor.

Confucian scholars were high and mighty, while martial men were crude and wild.

For a scholar, wearing martial attire instead of a Confucian robe was a blatant humiliation! But Li Nu was satisfied with this outfit, parading around the city, as if to show that he had abandoned literature for martial arts and willingly fallen from grace.

"Brother Nu, do you still want a wife?"

Zhang Da Cu walked out of the teahouse and hurriedly greeted him.

"Of course, Aunt Zhang, do you have a suitable candidate?"

Visiting courtesans was one thing, but marrying a wife was another. He couldn't let himself down as a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which can be translated as "time traveler" or "穿越者" in this context).

However, the previous matchmaking attempts hadn't gone well, which had hurt Li Nu.

"How about an outsider?"

Zhang Da Cu felt a bit embarrassed, but afraid of offending Li Nu, she quickly added, "But Brother Nu can rest assured, the young lady is beautiful and gentle, a perfect match!"

"Alright..."

Li Nu smiled.

Regardless of the era, marrying an outsider was considered a step down, but he didn't care.

He had two requirements for his partner.

Beautiful.

Kind.

Of course, if she could fit in his hand... that would be even better!

Moreover, with [Good Fortune] lasting six more days, he couldn't waste it. The recent failed matchmaking attempts might be setting the stage for a good match.

This [Good Fortune] was indeed wonderful.

Destroying his Confucian foundation was a dead end, even a Confucian sage couldn't solve it. But with the blessing of "Misfortune harbors good fortune," the literary qi that should have dissipated fused into his bones, forming a unique and alternative "constitution." His Confucian cultivation even advanced to the [Fifth Rank Initial Stage of Eloquence]!

Of course, reconstructing his Confucian foundation was his trump card. Anyone who had seen it, whether human or demon, was already dead.

"Alright, I'll leave it to you, Aunt Zhang. I'm looking forward to your good news!"

Zhang Da Cu left happily, her steps as nimble as a young man's.