"If you were the Immortal Supreme, omniscient and worshipped by countless beings, able to peer into life and death, knowing fate itself, what kind of woman would you seek as your cultivation partner?"
A deadly question.
His lips quivered a few times, and cold sweat slid down his cheeks. The dusty memories from his past life gave Jiang Feng a bit of ptsd, and he hadn't expected that he couldn't escape this ordeal even after being reincarnated into a cultivation world.
"Who would have thought Liu Xianzi... you have quite a sense of humor, haha."
Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he didn't know much about the beautiful woman in front of him. He only knew that this fairy was named Liu Tangxi, and she seemed to have descended the mountain to complete a task assigned by her sect, having now stayed at his family's inn for three months.
"Hm?"
The corners of her eyes lifted slightly, along with her brows. This motion made her appear somewhat adorable, and a sense of oppression filled her phoenix eyes, which carried a hint of doubt. She quickly grasped the meaning behind "humor".
"Answer my question first."
"...To marry someone as beautiful as you."
His face carried a falsely ingratiating smile, so sickening that he disgusted even himself. When it comes to flattering fairies, one should simply answer as they wish.
"Smooth talker, were you able to deceive your little fiancée with such words?"
His face flushed red, clearly, his attempts to charm that young girl had not gone unnoticed by this fairy.
Well, though he might not excel at winning over an older maiden, he could still handle a younger one. He dared not dwell on this topic any longer, swiftly shifting the subject.
The fairy before him wasn't the type to kill without a word. Though she appeared aloof, she was approachable enough to converse with; one could hardly feel much emotional fluctuation from her – after all, as a cultivator, her temperament would surely be different from ordinary people.
She probably didn't have much ill intent in asking such matters – perhaps it was a whim, or maybe she had encountered some romantic troubles…
But still!
He feared that speaking the raw truth might get him impaled by her sword; who knows how old this fairy, who appeared to be no more than twenty-four or twenty-five, was this year.
"I didn't expect you would inquire about marriage matters, I thought people like you, who are devoted to cultivation, never cared about such things."
"This is a significant matter in life. Those who claim they don't care are just pretending to be carefree, merely making excuses for not finding a suitable partner. Even cultivators are, after all, mortal with flesh and blood, ascending step by step until now. At your age, I too had fantasized about what my future husband might look like, someone I've never met."
He couldn't help but feel respect.
He genuinely hadn't expected this seemingly ethereal fairy could view the issue with such clarity. This was the first time Jiang Feng mustered the courage to carefully examine the fairy sitting opposite him, her gorgeous yet icy face was not a façade, but tranquil.
"Judging by your tone... are you being given a hard time at home?"
She hit the nail on the head.
"Tch."
Discontented, she clicked her tongue. The calm expression on her face finally fluctuated, now showing irritation.
"You sure have a knack for guessing a woman's thoughts."
"Ahem, that's too kind of you to say. It's just that I often encounter troubled guests who come to drink in silence and vent their sorrows. As we talk, I realize quite a few are being pressured into marriage."
A smile that was both awkward and courteous. As for the guests, they were just an excuse.
Because in his former life, he had no clue how many times he had been dragged to blind dates. Perhaps you yourself might not wish to go, but there was a kind of pressure.
It's called 'the elders wanting grandchildren'.
And another kind of pressure.
It's called 'around twenty relatives waiting for you at the village entrance during the New Year, looking to see if you brought a woman home'.
For a moment, he felt a wave of sympathy for the high-and-mighty fairy. He never thought that even in this world of cultivation, one couldn't escape the elders' matchmaking. It was a relief that in this life his parents had arranged a marriage for him early on; otherwise, in a few years, the person pouring out his woes might be him.
Meanwhile, Liu Tangxi merely turned her head to gaze out the pitch-black window, her irritation growing at the thought of those elders' unsightly faces.
In the outside world, she was known as Liu Tangxi of the Blade of Jade, but within the sect, she was nonetheless a junior, no matter how strong her abilities were.
With a mere "I'm doing this for your own good," one can establish an unassailable moral high ground.
There's no choice but to hold one's nose and endure.
Her age among cultivators wasn't considered old; she belonged to the younger generation. It was just that her master passed away early, leaving her as the sole survivor of this lineage. Combined with the constant pursuit of evil cultivators in the exterior realm, one misstep could lead to a tragic death in a foreign land.
Therefore, the elders in the sect repeatedly urged her to ensure the continuation of Swordmaster Peak's lineage; if she hadn't been resolute, they would have likely resorted to forcing her hand rather than merely urging marriage.
Of course, that was only part of the reason.
"With your qualifications, it shouldn't be too difficult, should it?"
She filled her cup with wine on her own initiative.
At this point, Jiang Feng began to empathize, feeling a sense of comradery. Every family has its own struggles, especially since he himself had passed through such a stage of life. However, he also felt a tinge of curiosity.
Do cultivators really worry about marriage? How old are you exactly? How high are your standards?
"As difficult as ascending to the heavens."
She shook her head, reverting her gaze, and spoke with a serious tone, "Do you remember the question I asked you earlier?"
"Well..."
For a moment, he couldn't help but be torn between tears and laughter. No wonder she asked him what kind of Dao companion he wished to marry—was she waiting for his answer here?
"Your expectations are too high. To seek an Immortal Supreme as a match is a bit exaggerated."
"I am not being unreasonable. Simply defeat me in a fair and square battle."
Feelings evoked the concept of marital combat.
Suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, he could understand the mentality of desiring strength that a cool and detached fairy might possess. After all, most females look for a sense of security, and it's perfectly normal to wish for a husband stronger than oneself.
"So, if you were powerful and influential, whom would you marry?"
She repeated the question.
With a sigh, Jiang Feng knew he could no longer evade the question. He could get away with a joke the first time, but if he didn't give an honest answer the second time, he might truly anger this formidable junior.
Their eyes met, but in Liu Xianzi's eyes shone a hint of curiosity. She had always been intrigued by this question, but it would be unnatural for someone with her status and temperament to go back to the sect and ask such a thing.
Neither would it be realistic to ask someone she knew well; hence, it was perfect to have someone like Jiang Feng, whom she was only somewhat acquainted with.
"I..."
Seeing Jiang Feng begin to speak, a hint of anticipation flickered in Liu Xianzi's eyes. What sort of answer would this young man provide her?
She seldom interacted with the opposite sex, understanding men only in terms of their physical bodies—acupuncture points, weaknesses, Golden Cores, and how to inflict lethal wounds.
She didn't want to marry early, but the sect elders had pushed so far that she had no choice but to consider it. In her mind, a marriage should naturally progress on its own.
It's not that she was narcissistic, but she truly felt good about herself.
Speaking of appearance, her body was fairly presentable. In terms of talents, she excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. As for her cultivation, no one among her peers could surpass her.
Logically, male cultivators stronger than herself should set their sights on female cultivators of equal status and strength as Dao companions, as that would be most beneficial. At least, that's what she believed.
But there's always a bit of the unexpected in everything.
The young man just offered a polite, albeit somewhat awkward, smile.
"...I would marry someone who is eighteen years old."