Chapter 61 Part 1

“Tomorrow night?” Sheng Gan’s eyelid twitched as he shifted his gaze to Sheng Xu. “Xuxu, are you only staying home for one day? This is your home. It’s already late July now, and your fiancé is about to be decided.”

“Can I decide that?” Sheng Xu gently tugged Lu Wuqi’s hand, signaling her to stay quiet for now. “Whether I’m here or not won’t affect your choice of who to cooperate with.”

Sheng Gan was at a loss for words for a moment, but he pressed on. “But that is your fiancé, after all. We still hope you’ll get along well with him. It’ll be good for all of us.”

“Then tell me after it’s decided.” Sheng Xu said flatly. “It’s getting late, Cousin. If you have nothing else, go back and rest. I want to rest too.”

Sheng Gan frowned. The reason he’d stayed was to properly discipline Sheng Xu and keep her from getting too wild.

But Lu Wuqi’s appearance hadn’t been part of his expectations. Thinking of how she could be so unreasonable and persistent, Sheng Gan started to feel a headache coming on.

“Fine, I’ve said what I needed to. Listen or not, up to you.” Sheng Gan tsked. “Just remember, Sheng Xu—you’re a Sheng family member. Sheng blood runs in your veins. The Sheng family raised you and protected you all these years.”

With that, Sheng Gan shot the two of them a meaningful glance before turning and leaving.

“Wuqi, come to my room for some tea before you go.” Sheng Xu said, leading Lu Wuqi toward the stairs by the hand.

“Okay.” Lu Wuqi followed Sheng Xu’s footsteps.

Their hands had been tightly interlocked since getting out of the car, and they didn’t separate until they reached the space that truly belonged to Sheng Xu.

Sheng Xu had no intention of brewing tea. Instead, she took a bottle of fresh-squeezed juice from the fridge—Lu Wuqi’s favorite—and handed it to her.

“Xuxu, do you want me to leave a bit more spiritual power for you? I can head back a little later.” Lu Wuqi unscrewed the cap after taking it and sipped a little.

“No need. I don’t plan to practice at home or use spiritual power. What I have is plenty.” Sheng Xu smiled, her expression exceptionally gentle.

“Wuqi, I’ll message you before the sun sets tomorrow. If you don’t hear from me, it probably means I’ll be leaving a day late or something. Don’t worry about me.”

Lu Wuqi frowned instinctively. “You can message me anytime. You don’t have to wait for something to happen. We should stay in touch.”

Lu Wuqi hadn’t been too worried at first. After all, both the Sheng family and the people who wanted Sheng Xu were wearing the mask of gentlemen—they wouldn’t stoop to outright shameless acts.

But hearing Sheng Xu say it like that suddenly made Lu Wuqi feel uneasy again.

“Don’t overthink it. I just said it out of habit. Of course we can stay in touch.” Sheng Xu keenly noticed the change in Lu Wuqi and quickly reassured her. “I’ll message you whenever I have time. Just don’t find me annoying or think my messages are disturbing your cultivation.”

“I won’t. I’m very focused once I get into the zone.” Lu Wuqi paused after saying that, feeling it didn’t sound quite right.

“My concentration is good, and I don’t have high requirements for my training environment.” Lu Wuqi rephrased it slightly, then took another small sip from the juice bottle. “Tomorrow, I’ll probably pick up a mission. I need more points to buy more things.”

“Good. Be safe. I’m still counting on you to be my driver.” Sheng Xu said with a smile.

After sitting and chatting for about ten minutes, it was time for them to part.

Over these past ten-plus days together, neither Lu Wuqi nor Sheng Xu had broached the subject of their relationship.

Lu Wuqi held back because she didn’t feel strong enough yet. She couldn’t protect Sheng Xu or shield her from all harm, so she stayed silent.

Sheng Xu’s reasons were even easier to guess. She had too many concerns and worried that making things explicit would bring trouble to Lu Wuqi—or even put her in danger.

After a tight hug that used full strength, Lu Wuqi politely declined Sheng Xu’s offer to see her out, but she was still escorted to the front gate.

“Xuxu, wait for me to pick you up.” Lu Wuqi said, waving.

“Okay. Drive safe, and message me when you get home.” Sheng Xu raised her hand and waved until Lu Wuqi’s figure faded into the distance.

Sheng Xu closed the gate again and turned to head back to her room to think of ways to speed up the spiritual power conversion in her body.

But as she turned, someone appeared in her view—unexpected, yet not entirely surprising.

“Father.” Sheng Xu called out, lowering her head slightly.

“Are you turning in?” Sheng Tuo asked.

“Not yet. I’ve been staying up late lately. It’s not my usual bedtime.” Sheng Xu answered honestly.

Living with Lu Wuqi these past days might not have been thrilling, but Sheng Xu had met many people and experienced things she never would have otherwise. It had been full of novel encounters.

“Good. Come with me. Let’s talk.” Sheng Tuo turned and headed toward his study first.

“Yes, Father.” Sheng Xu replied, following obediently behind Sheng Tuo.

Sheng Tuo’s office was on the third floor. After climbing the stairs in silence, Sheng Xu finally sat down in a chair.

“You should know the Grand Elder is visiting tomorrow, right?” Sheng Tuo spoke first. “Any thoughts?”

Sheng Xu pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “Not really. The Grand Elder isn’t coming for me. He probably wants to reach some agreement with the Sheng family.”

Sheng Tuo pressed the button to brew tea, a hint of guilt in his expression. “True, but he’ll be bringing his youngest son. If possible, the Grand Elder hopes you’ll host the boy. You’re around the same age—you might get along.”

“Father, we all know their intentions perfectly well. They know we know. So why the pretense?” Sheng Xu said, her voice firmer than before.

“Father, if I could cultivate, would I still need this so-called marriage alliance?” Sheng Xu asked.

She wouldn’t tell anyone else, but she wanted to test the waters with her own father—to see if he’d stand by her.

“You can cultivate now?” Sheng Tuo’s voice rose instinctively. He knew his daughter never made baseless assumptions.

“I’ve made a little progress lately. Maybe in a while.” Sheng Xu omitted the key details and looked up at Sheng Tuo. “Father, if I could become a celestial master too, could I choose my own partner?”

Sheng Tuo opened his mouth. He desperately wanted to say yes, cleanly and decisively.

But he couldn’t anymore. If this breakthrough had come a few years earlier, he might have protected his daughter. But now…

The Sheng family had already accepted many benefits from the Mystic Gate. No matter if Sheng Xu became a celestial master or not, as long as her constitution didn’t change, those people wouldn’t let her go.

They might even strip away her chance at real power once they learned of it, forcing her back to only absorbing spiritual power without using it.

“Has your constitution changed?” Sheng Tuo asked, a trace of hope in his words.

Sheng Xu shook her head firmly. “No, but I’ve found a way to cultivate. With enough time, my constitution will change too.”

“How much time?” Sheng Tuo asked.

“A year at best, three at worst.” Sheng Xu said.

Half a year could bring her spiritual power conversion speed to level 4 celestial master level. At minimum, she’d reach level 5 celestial master—enough for self-protection.

“Xuxu, you know our agreement with the Mystic Gate. Your marriage alliance partner is about to be set, with the engagement ceremony on New Year’s Day.” Sheng Tuo said with a light sigh.

“Xuxu, we don’t have a year. Your fiancé will be announced at the internal exchange meeting, and the ceremony is on New Year’s Day. It’s set—has been for a long time.” Sheng Tuo repeated the key points.

“So Father, you’re saying I have to accept this marriage alliance fate? Even if I can cultivate, it changes nothing?” Sheng Xu asked calmly.

She wasn’t surprised. She’d expected this before coming home.

One miracle was enough. She couldn’t expect them to keep happening.

“Don’t let word of your cultivation get out, or they might rush the engagement.” Sheng Tuo’s gaze fell on the boiling teapot as he picked it up to brew.

“What I just said was as a member of the Sheng family.” Sheng Tuo continued. “What comes next is purely as your father.”

“If you really can cultivate, keep it secret. The fewer who know, the better.” Sheng Tuo handed her a cup of tea.

“The New Year’s Day engagement can’t be changed, but I’ll drag out the wedding as long as possible—up to a year.”

“I’m sorry. As your dad, I’m pretty useless. I can’t give you full freedom or do much more. Pushing the wedding a year after the engagement is my limit.”

“If you can’t protect yourself by then, hide. Don’t tell me or your mom your whereabouts. Evade the Sheng family’s search—and the Mystic Gate’s.”

Sheng Xu was slightly stunned. “Father…”

“The one who brought you back is Lu Wuqi from the Imprint Moon Sect, right?” Sheng Tuo asked next.

Sheng Xu hummed in affirmation. “Yes, it’s Wuqi.”

“The rumors about her are about seventy percent true. She’s highly valued by the Imprint Moon Sect Master and carries serious weight officially. If you really don’t want the marriage alliance, she might be able to help.” Sheng Tuo analyzed rationally.

He didn’t know the extremely close relationship between his daughter and Lu Wuqi, but he could tell Lu Wuqi valued her a lot. That was enough.

“Father, Wuqi is my friend. I won’t use her.” Sheng Xu frowned.

“It’s not using her—just asking a friend for help.” Sheng Tuo blew on his teacup. “Lu Wuqi has caught the attention of many Mystic Gate higher-ups, but none dare act.”

“With her, you’re both safe and not safe. You get my meaning?” Sheng Tuo said.

Seeing the stubbornness in his daughter’s eyes, Sheng Tuo adjusted his words. “Alright, scratch that. When you’re in trouble, you can ask friends for help. If they can’t handle it, seek official aid.”

“The Sheng family is nominally neutral. If you go official, we might condemn you or use family honor to guilt-trip you. Just announce you’re cutting ties with the Sheng family. With that pretext, they won’t push us too hard.”

“But that would drag you and Mom down with me.” Sheng Xu’s brows knit in distress. If not for her parents, she’d have gone official long ago.

“No, our cultivation levels aren’t low. We’re pillars of the Sheng family now. At worst, we’d lose power.” Sheng Tuo smiled, swallowing the rest.

Beyond losing power, they’d probably be sent on grueling, thankless tasks.

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