"Young master, can you manage this evening?"

Lin Miao stumbled, almost losing his balance, and nearly fell.

Liansuo covered her mouth and giggled. It was just like her; if it were her sister Lianxin, she would never make such a "blatant" joke.

However, after guarding for an afternoon, Liansuo’s heart was already fluttering.

Returning to Snow Mountain Residence.

It was already lamp-lighting time, and the front door was closed. To avoid being noticed, they entered from the back door.

"Huh, where’s Lianxin? Why hasn’t she come out?" He returned with Liansuo, so Lianxin should have felt it.

Extending his senses, Lin Miao found Lianxin’s location in the front hall.

There was another person with Lianxin, whose cultivation level was very high, at least at the Peak of Meridian Passage Realm...

As for senior sister Sun Youwei, she was in her room, quietly talking with Ling Yu’Er, without any issues.

...

Currently talking with Lianxin in the front hall was Helian Wanwan, who suddenly sensed something. Her cultivation had been at the Peak of Meridian Passage Realm twenty years ago, stuck at this breakthrough for so many years, and she heard that there was a Celestial Essence Fruit at the Li Hen City auction.

She rushed over without pause, but didn’t expect to meet her disciples there in Li Hen City.

Lianxin and Liansuo, although her disciples, were not the most talented, ranking just in the middle among them.

Nevertheless, after entering the inner court from the outer court and being taken as her disciples, she did not manage them much.

It was just that these two girls were too beautiful, and being twins, too many people coveted them, leading to some criticism within the sect.

Thus, the idea of sending them away was considered, so as to not disturb the male disciples who couldn’t focus on their cultivation properly.

Who would have thought that after being sent away, they would encounter such opportunity? In less than a year, the two girls advanced from the lower grade of Blood Fusion to Meridian Passage Realm, crossing two minor realms and one major realm in one go, according to her estimation as their master.

If they cultivated diligently, it would take at least ten years.

Females, no matter how good their aptitude, initially advance faster than males, but post-twenty, even with the same aptitude, males advance rapidly, while females slow significantly, explaining why there are far fewer female masters at the Celestial level.

Moreover, for females wanting to advance to the Celestial level, achieving Meridian Passage Realm before thirty is much less likely compared to males.

Males have a good chance of advancing to the Celestial level if they reach the Peak of Meridian Passage Realm before forty, while females need to do so by thirty-five or even thirty to match that likelihood.

Why this happens, no one knows, but men and women are just different.

Helian Wanwan herself advanced to the Peak of Meridian Passage Realm at thirty-eight and has been stuck at that level for twenty years; in two more years, she’ll be sixty.

Once a full cycle passes, she’ll likely lose hope, as advancing to the Celestial level beyond sixty is extremely rare, and only possible with late martial training and phenomenal aptitude.

Helian Wanwan doesn’t consider herself capable of surpassing that.

Thus, she is determined to obtain that Celestial Essence Fruit.

"Huh..."

"What is it, Master?" Lianxin asked anxiously, noticing her master’s strange expression.

"Oh, nothing. Tell me about your and Suosuo’s husband. How does he treat you?" Helian Wanwan inquired. In terms of cultivation, Lianxin and Liansuo ranked among the top three of her disciples.

Among her many disciples, only her eldest disciple and her nephew had reached the Meridian Passage Realm, the rest were at the Blood Fusion Realm.

Lianxin and Liansuo were originally further back in cultivation, but now, they rank in the top three.

Helian Wanwan is reluctant to send them for an alliance marriage, yet she knows that even if not sent, they would still be arranged to marry into the Yue royal family by the sect, at which point they might not have the same opportunities.

She is truly curious how a simple alliance marriage not only bestowed the Snow Mountain Sect with two true disciples at the Meridian Passage but also opened a new path for the Snow Mountain Sect, allowing them to avoid being controlled by the Yue royal family.

Although the Snow Mountain Sect is a super-first-class sect, it still needs support from the secular society, such as talents and resources.

Helian Wanwan is from the Yue kingdom herself, and her family is one of the nobility there, although her ancestry originates from the Central Plains...

Thus, she doesn’t hold much reverence for the Yue royalty.

The status of a Yue noble is not higher than that of a Snow Mountain Sect elder, and less than thirty percent of the Snow Mountain Sect disciples come from the Yue country, with the rest being descendants of Snow Mountain Sect members or from the Da Li.

Therefore, those in power at Snow Mountain Sect, notably, those descendants, are from Da Li, possessing the best innate talents.

The current Sect Leader, the Celestial Monarch Xue, hails from Da Li. Among the five Celestial Monarchs of the Snow Mountain Sect, three are from Da Li, with one each from Yue and native origins.

The martial arts of Da Li surpass those of the Yue kingdom; there’s no avoiding this.

Her eldest disciple, also from Da Li, named Tu Lei, was taken on during his early wanderings in Jiangnan.

He is exceptionally talented and possessed superior physical attributes, breaking through to the Meridian Passage before thirty. However, even when considering breaking-through age, Tu Lei does not surpass Lianxin and Liansuo.

Yet now, at forty, Tu Lei’s cultivation is nearly on par with Helian Wanwan’s own.

This disciple of hers is bound to have a place within the Snow Mountain Sect, and might even become a prominent figure like the Celestial Monarch.

However, it’s a pity for Lianxin and Liansuo. Although they are still considered disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect, their future positions there will only be honorary. After marriage, apart from being able to cultivate the sect’s techniques, all other benefits will be withdrawn.

Currently, the cultivation resources for Lianxin and Liansuo are all provided by Lin Miao.

The dowry that the Snow Mountain Sect should provide must still be given, as the benefits the sect has gained from this marriage alliance are significant.

Even to maintain this relationship, they have to provide a generous dowry. However, since Lin Miao has not yet formally married, this matter hasn’t been scheduled.

But Helian Wanwan, having been through this herself, can obviously see that Lianxin had lost her virginity and has become a woman. If not, why else would someone help her breakthrough to the Meridian Passage?

That blood of the python and the red fruit, which of these are not rare fortunes that even her as a master would find tempting?

If she had the python blood for cleansing and the red fruit, perhaps she could depend on her own strength to breakthrough as well.

"Master!"

Liansuo called out, which slightly surprised Lin Miao. It turned out to be the master of these two girls; no wonder there was a familiar aura, and such profound cultivation.

"Junior Lin Miao greets Senior Helian." Lin Miao stepped forward, bowed, and greeted. Even though he had never met Helian Wanwan, he had heard about her before from Bai Feng the Heroine, Su Chen’s mother.

She was known for her fiery temper and straightforward personality.

"So you are Lin Miao?" Helian Wanwan looked him up and down. Indeed, he was a fine young man and would be a suitable match for her two disciples.

However, these two disciples of hers, even becoming principal wives would more than suffice, yet they were to be concubines. She felt a bit displeased.

As their master, she had to fight for her disciples’ interests somehow.

"I am indeed the one, Senior."

"Do you think my two disciples are worthy of you?"

"Certainly, they are naturally qualified."

"Then, can one be your principal wife and the other your secondary wife, are you willing?" Helian Wanwan asked directly.

Upon hearing this, Lianxin and Liansuo’s expressions changed. How could their master propose such a thing? This would not only trouble Lin Miao but also make him doubt their past actions...

"In my eyes, there can only be one principal wife, and that is my childhood sweetheart and senior sister." Lin Miao replied calmly and confidently. He could take many concubines, but Mrs. Lin could only be Sun Youwei.

The two gazed at each other, neither willing to give in.

Unconsciously, Helian Wanwan exerted pressure, but Lin Miao didn’t back down at all, his eyes never blinking once.

This young man actually possesses such pride and cultivation skills!

Helian Wanwan was surprised. Although he was only at the Blood Fusion Realm, he could easily withstand the pressure of her peak Meridian Passage Realm, completely unaffected.

Lin Miao thought, even if it was the pressure from a Celestial Essence Master, he wouldn’t be fazed. He had encountered Celestial Essence Masters before.

"Good lad, you’re candid enough."

"Thank you for your understanding, Senior."

"My two disciples have endured hardships since childhood and learned from me without much care. They are simple-minded and easily deceived. No matter what, as their master, I must ensure their lifelong happiness." Helian Wanwan withdrew her pressure and said, "You’ve passed my test."

"Does Senior mean that there are no other obstacles for me to marry Lianxin and Liansuo?"

"Their parents are still alive. Although Yue women have the freedom to choose their husbands, their parents also have the right to betroth them to anyone. Moreover, Yue women are not concerned about chastity; even if they’ve been married before, they can remarry, as long as the woman is willing."

"Isn’t that similar to Beihu?"

"Yue is originally part of the northern tribes, just a bit more civilized than Beihu, not as savage. Truly, many customs are similar to those of Beihu."

"Could it be that their parents have betrothed them to someone?"

"The brother of Yue Country’s king, Grand General Yuwen Hu, a notorious tyrant, has long coveted Lianxin and Liansuo. He had proposed to the sect a while ago, but the Sect Leader didn’t approve. However, when Bai Feng suggested giving them to you as concubines, the Sect Leader agreed without hesitation," Helian Wanwan explained.

"Senior Helian, why is this?"

"I don’t know. I once asked the Sect Leader about this choice, and the Sect Leader simply said that our Snow Mountain Sect cannot be led by the nose by the Yue royal family. We cannot give them whatever they want; otherwise, they’ll exploit us endlessly!" Helian Wanwan said.

"This may not be the real reason, but it’s at least one of the reasons."

"Indeed, I think the same way. But since the Sect Leader won’t reveal the true cause, we shouldn’t ask too many questions. Anyway, these two are yours now. Even if Yuwen Hu gains their parents’ consent, he can’t do anything."

Yes, Yue is a thousand miles away, and even with good relations with the Da Li, Yuwen Hu couldn’t possibly venture inside the Da Li Dynasty to capture them.

As long as Lianxin and Liansuo remain in the Da Li, they are safe. Yuwen Hu is a Grand General of Yue and would never risk entering the Da Li.

"Senior, regarding Lianxin and Liansuo’s parents’ safety?"

"You don’t need to worry about that. At most, Yuwen Hu can use gold and silver to bribe Lianxin and Liansuo’s parents, trying to have them betrothed to him. But if he attempts to harm their family, it touches the bottom line of the Snow Mountain Sect."