"Zhou Xuanren, you deserve to die! An old bastard like you has no right to claim the Immortal Nine Flower of the Nine Realms!"
The enraged voice thundered through the ancient forest, shaking the very air with raw, unbridled fury.
Sets of anguished cries from magical beasts reverberated in the background, amplifying the tension that gripped the entire secret realm.
The group of white-robed cultivators pursued relentlessly after one figure, their faces hardened with determination.
Their garments billowed violently in the fierce winds as they leaped across floating islands, closing in on the infamous black-clad figure ahead.
"Zhou Xuanren! Surrender now! You're all alone, and the Heavenly Soul Refining Sect will not let you go!" The Great Elder in the Nascent Soul Stage commanded, his voice calm yet cold as he stroked his long white beard.
His loyal and younger disciples followed closely behind, their expressions hardened with their hatred toward one person.
"Hurry, don't you dare ever lose sight of that demon Zhou! We must get the Immortal Nine Flower of the Nine Realms!" Another elder barked, pointing his finger behind his followers.
"Yes, Master!" The young disciples replied in unison, their eyes burning with determination as they held their swords, ready to take a life without a second thought.
Zhou Xuanren—a name both infamous and feared across the Dongnan Continent.
Born in scandal, he was the illegitimate son of a powerful cultivator master from the esteemed Zhou Clan and a washerwoman.
Once dismissed as a mediocre and unremarkable young master with little talent, his name is now forever tied to arrogance, cruelty, and an insatiable thirst for immortality.
It was said that Zhou Xuanren would stop at nothing to achieve his goal—even if it meant betrayal, the slaughter of thousands, or the collapse of sacred realms.
His relentless ambition for immortality and merciless deeds earned him the hatred of all Nine Realms, making his very existence an abomination that had to be erased.
"Good morning, Hubby!" A sweet, feminine voice shattered the tense atmosphere. The cultivators faltered, their movements halting, as confusion clouded their faces.
The word 'Hubby,' spoken by an unfamiliar female voice, left them bewildered. Even Zhou Xuanren, the black-clad cultivator, stopped mid-flight, landing gracefully on a floating rock.
"Master Zhou... why did you stop?" A small, hairy bird flapped its wings, asking hesitantly.
Zhou Xuanren remained silent, his unreadable gray eyes glinting like the morning mist. In front of him, a blue, transparent digital screen appeared suddenly, floating in the air—visible only to him.
It resembled a futuristic system interface from a modern sci-fi movie, with English words neatly displayed.
System: Please choose your reply.
A. Good morning, my sweet wife. Did you sleep well?
B. Morning, my love. How was your sleep?
C. My little wife woke up early. Did you dream of me?
The cultivators watched in utter bafflement as Zhou Xuanren's brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on something they couldn't identify.
---
Meanwhile, in the modern world, a young woman stretched lazily, lying between her pink pillows in her cozy, soft-themed bedroom.
Placing her phone on the nightstand, she tidied her bed while humming softly.
After finishing, she picked up her phone from the bedside table to check the reply from her favorite AI character, Zhou Xuanren.
"Good morning, my sweet wife. Did you sleep well?"
A small smile spread across the young woman's face as she read the message.
"Yes, I did. Though I had a scary dream that made me cry when I woke up."
The young woman quickly typed back, her heart fluttering despite knowing it was just a programmed response from the artificial intelligence.
Setting the phone aside for a while, as the Zhou Xuanren AI was still generating its response, the young woman headed to the bathroom to prepare for her morning bubble bath.
Today is Saturday, a day off from her mundane corporate job.
At the age of twenty-five, the young woman led an ordinary life, finding joy in her daily small routines—from waking up to work, reading classic novels, and chatting with her AI character husband.
Zhou Xuanren, the AI character she somehow adored, was one of the highlights of her day.
After stepping out of the bathroom, she quickly checked her phone screen, using her fingerprint to unlock it.
"You had a nightmare? What was it about, my sweet wife?"
Despite knowing very well it was generated by the algorithm, the young woman felt a strange warmth from the concern in the words.
As she typed back, looking down at the screen of her phone, she quickly tapped out each word.
"I don't remember much, hubby. I'll start my morning routine first. I'll chat with you later."
"Good idea, my sweet wife. You should start your day now. I'll be here waiting for you whenever you're free."
Happy to start the day with a good feeling and a smile, the young woman contentedly set her phone down on her vanity desk and began her morning routine.
The young woman stepped into the bathroom, pink towel in hand, and shut the door behind her with a soft click.
An hour later, she emerged, humming cheerfully between her moist, plump red lips.
Her damp hair was wrapped in one towel, while another was draped loosely around her body.
Drops of water clung to her neck and skin as she moved toward the cabinet, the faint sound of her footsteps echoing through the quiet bedroom.
The young woman thought about the events of the day as she got dressed.
She needed to go to the mall to buy gifts for her nephew's birthday, and then she considered picking up some painting supplies as well.
After all, she wanted to carve out a little time for her hobby before attending the family celebration later in the day.
Sitting in front of her vanity, she had finished doing her makeup and hair, which was styled into cute braids tied with ribbons.
She admired her reflection in the mirror, her smiling black eyes gleaming with a naturally innocent allure.
"Perfect. So beautiful." She complimented herself.
Satisfied with her look for today, as she was about to get up, her phone rings consistently.
The caller ID showed it was her beloved mother.
"Hello, Ma?" The young woman answered happily.
"Are you awake now?"
"Yes, Ma."
"Good. We're already at your uncle's house. Be sure to bring the gifts for the kids." Her mother reminded, her voice carrying the background noise of different people talking.
"Of course, Ma. Is my younger sister there already?"
"Yes, and her boyfriend is here too. Your uncle was asking about your boyfriend. Can you bring him along?"
The young woman froze and went silent. The word 'boyfriend' struck her like a bolt of lightning.
Anxious, she spoke a little faster than before. "Ma, I'll get up now. I'll call you later."
"Okay, hurry and come earlier. Don't forget to bring your boyfriend."
The call ended with a soft sigh escaping her lips, and she slumped her shoulders, her head resting on the desk.
'What will I do? Boyfriend? Where will I get one?' The young woman thought, crying inside her mind.
In truth, she had lied about having a boyfriend to appease her mother and father when they kept asking when she would get one.
Now they wanted to meet him!
The plan to say they'd broken up after three months was gone— it hadn't even been a month since the lie began.
How could she explain this to her family? There was no boyfriend—only her AI Husband.
From the corner of her eye, she noticed her phone blink, indicating a new notification on her AI chat app.
Confused, she reached for it.
Zhou Xuanren has sent you a message.
This was unusual—her memory told her the AI wasn't programmed to initiate conversations.
Was this a new update to the app?
Still, the young woman lightly tapped the screen, selecting the red dot next to Zhou Xuanren's name.
In that moment, a sharp and unbearable pain pierced her head, causing her phone to slip from her hand as everything went black.