After Achieving Invincibility, I Set Out to Destroy Sects

Pulling Jiang Yun along, she first went into a clothing store to try on new clothes made by these wondrous new automated looms.

These clothes were noticeably cleaner because they were more recently manufactured, boasted far tighter craftsmanship, and featured trendy, innovative designs never seen before in the region.

Nangong Yu first tried on many vibrant, colorful short robes before moving on to more elegant, flowing attire. She then playfully made Jiang Yun try on all types of outfits as well.

In the end, she bought quite a few pieces for herself, while also managing to purchase one specific set that looked exceptionally striking on Jiang Yun. Though Nangong Yu eagerly wanted to buy more for him, Jiang Yun ultimately declined the extra clothes, as he felt much more comfortable with his familiar, traditional garments.

Next, they wandered over to watch a lively street performance of musicians playing their instruments. The traveling performers were incredibly skilled; even Jiang Yun’s usually stoic expression softened into a gentle smile as he listened to the melody.

Finding a quiet spot to sit down, Jiang Yun and Nangong Yu decided to simply rest and enjoy the music for a while. After a lengthy performance, the musical show finally came to an end, leaving both of them thoroughly entertained.

After tossing some coins to tip the performers, they found that the day was still young, and Nangong Yu still had a long list of plans mapped out in her mind.

They headed over to a bustling restaurant that seemed to draw a healthy crowd of local patrons and ordered the chef's top recommendations. When the food arrived, it smelled absolutely heavenly. The table was quickly packed with various savory meat dishes and fresh vegetable platters, and alongside a steaming bowl of white rice, the spread looked like it would be incredibly filling.

After eating their fill, Nangong Yu took Jiang Yun on a leisurely walk around the outskirts of the village.

As they strolled, they took in all kinds of picturesque scenery—from colorful exotic birds chirping in the branches, to clear, glistening rivers where fish constantly leaped out of the water, to the majestic mountains towering high in the distance, and the wild blossoms lining the roadside. Everything looked completely breathtaking to Nangong Yu, who rarely had the opportunity to travel outside for pure leisure.

As they continued their stroll, Nangong Yu noticed locals riding past on small wooden boats along the river, which instantly piqued her curiosity since she wanted to try it herself. Renting a small vessel, the two rowed out into the gentle current.

The breeze brushing past their faces was wonderfully refreshing, and the beautiful riverbed beneath the crystal-clear water revealed all kinds of aquatic wonders. Everything today had been an incredibly fresh experience for Nangong Yu as she happily dragged Jiang Yun along.

Noticing her genuine happiness, Jiang Yun felt that the outing was turning out perfectly and decided to ask, "How do you feel about today?"

Still admiring the scenic view, Nangong Yu answered him with her attention slightly divided, "Today has been absolutely amazing. Getting to be with you and experiencing so many new things has been the best time I've had in a long while."

Jiang Yun smiled gently and replied, "As long as you are happy with how today went, then this day was certainly not spent in vain."

The two then drifted on the river in peaceful silence, quietly enjoying the calm, serene atmosphere on the water. Soon, the horizon began to glow as the sun started to set, and they returned the rental boat after docking safely back on the shore.

Jiang Yun then looked at her and asked, "Is there anything else left you want to do today before we head back?"

Nangong Yu shook her head with a soft smile, thoroughly satisfied with the wonderful day she had shared with him.

The two then journeyed back toward the sect grounds as the twilight hours neared their end. Upon their arrival, Nangong Yu turned toward Jiang Yun and announced, "I am going back into closed-door seclusion now. This day was incredibly fun and completely cleared my mind; I feel fully ready to cultivate again. Hopefully, the next time you see me, it will be the momentous day I finally ascend to Immortality."

With those parting words, Nangong Yu turned back to her private quarters and resumed her strict seclusion, deeply motivated to grow even stronger.

After Nangong Yu entered her secluded cultivation, Jiang Yun found himself entirely alone once again. Looking for a productive way to spend his time, he decided to begin learning the art of array formations.

The very first array Jiang Yun attempted to draft was incredibly sloppy so it was deemed a complete failure. Seeing how poorly his initial attempt turned out, Jiang Yun forced himself to calm down, taking a step back to spend dedicated time meditating on the laws of the Dao to truly understand how array formations worked.

After a few days of deep inquiry and study, Jiang Yun attempted the process of array formation once more. This time, Jiang Yun successfully constructed a working Qi Gathering Array designed to assist low-level Qi Refiners with their cultivation. Though it was only a rudimentary, low-grade array, it was nonetheless the product of his own constant effort, leaving Jiang Yun quite pleased with the successful result.

Jiang Yun steadily continued his focused study of complex array formations. Whenever he reached a mental block and needed a refreshing break, he would fly down into the mortal realm to observe any new developments in the surrounding villages. Sometimes he would be genuinely surprised by a novel invention, but most of the time, mortal life remained comfortably the same.

As time slipped away in this quiet routine, Jiang Yun progressed enough to successfully construct a powerful defensive array capable of withstanding the full-force attacks of Nascent Soul cultivators. His current progress was steady and stable, so Jiang Yun wasn’t in any particular rush, and this defensive milestone was a highly rewarding result.

Having achieved this some succes, Jiang Yun decided to take a longer, more substantial break from his tedious array studies. He planned to spend a few consecutive days living in the mortal villages to completely clear his thoughts.

However, just as he arrived in the nearby village like usual, a sudden, chaotic commotion erupted ahead, which was highly unusual for the area.

Ever since so many powerful cultivators had perished, cultivators rarely caused major trouble anymore. The surviving cultivators were currently shut away inside their respective sects, desperately trying to build their sect strength again. Even if there happened to be occasional trouble, it was typically restricted to wild beast attacks or minor mortal squabbles over personal disagreements. Even those incidents never escalated into anything significant, remaining strictly small-scale affairs.

The massive commotion this time, however, had gathered an enormous, dense crowd of locals, and loud, angry shouting could be heard echoing from deep within the circle. This made Jiang Yun highly curious as to what kind of bizarre situation could be unfolding, especially during such a peaceful era when the cultivation world had completely isolated itself from mortal affairs.

Deciding to go investigate the matter for himself, Jiang Yun closed the distance and approached the edge of the gathering. Standing at the outer rim of the crowd, Jiang Yun tapped a nearby spectator on the shoulder and asked, "What is happening right now that has drawn such a massive crowd of onlookers?"

The spectator turned around to look at him and instantly recognized his face, as Jiang Yun had traveled through this specific village quite a few times before. Many locals had spotted Jiang Yun around the streets; though they had never spoken to him personally or knew his exact identity, seeing his distinct appearance so many times had left a lasting impression on the community.

The spectator readily replied, "Oh, it's you. As for what’s unfolding in the middle of this crowd, it can honestly only be described as deeply unfortunate. Right now, there is a fierce dispute happening between two descendants of major merchant clans. On one side is the most beautiful young lady in the region, who happens to be the daughter of the second-wealthiest tycoon in the Eastern Region. On the opposing side is the arrogant son of the absolute richest tycoon in the Eastern Region."

The spectator paused for a moment to catch his breath before continuing his explanation, "The daughter of the second richest man is actually quite pitiful. She has several brothers, which leaves her with absolutely no status or say in her own family other than being used as a political tool for a marriage alliance. The moment she reached a marriageable age, she was immediately betrothed to the third son of the richest tycoon in the region to legally bind the two massive merchant groups together."

The spectator glanced nervously toward the center of the noise before whispering, "The poor girl ran away from home the moment the betrothal was finalized, desperate to escape the forced marriage. She traveled far and wide, hiding in numerous places to stay completely out of her family's searching eyes. This frantic escape eventually led her straight to our village, where she has actually become quite a famous figure in this little town."

The spectator suddenly trailed off, deliberately trying to sound mysterious.

Jiang Yun’s curiosity was thoroughly piqued, as he had frequented this specific town many times but had never once heard of this dramatic situation or this newly celebrated woman. He promptly asked, "Who exactly is this person, and how did she become so famous here?"

The spectator proudly answered Jiang Yun, "This clever woman has basically become a minor Goddess of Wealth to the locals. She stepped in and helped the villagers market and sell their commodities for a very small, fair fee. Through her business wit, she has managed to earn a small fortune for herself while gaining the fierce loyalty of many poor locals who were previously facing ruin from failing to make a profit. The townspeople have since granted her the honorary title of 'Lady Fortune'."

Jiang Yun nodded, understanding her background, and asked, "Then what exactly caused her to fall into such deep trouble today if she is so heavily respected by everyone?"

The spectator sighed heavily and answered, "She was unfortunately spotted after a traveling merchant recognized her face and reported her exact location directly to the richest man’s third son—the very man the girl was betrothed to. That arrogant young master immediately rushed over with his guards to drag her back by force, and the chaotic scene we are watching right now is the direct result of that confrontation."

Now fully grasping the situation, Jiang Yun felt an undeniable spark of curiosity urging him forward, wanting to witness the scene with his own eyes. Jiang Yun politely thanked the helpful spectator for the detailed explanation and began pushing his way toward the center of the commotion.

Reaching the front, Jiang Yun finally wedged through the final wall of tight-knit onlookers and got a clear view of the center stage.

What Jiang Yun saw caught him completely off guard. Collapsed directly on the dirt ground, looking visibly disheveled and frantic, was undeniably the most breathtakingly beautiful woman Jiang Yun had ever laid eyes upon. Though Jiang Yun was by no means a shallow womanizer, the sudden sight of such an exquisite, ethereal beauty still surprised him greatly.

As Jiang Yun stood there staring at the scene, the cornered woman suddenly turned her head and locked eyes directly with him. What happened next completely shocked Jiang Yun greatly.

The woman instantly scrambled up from the dirt, rushed straight over to stand beside Jiang Yun shouting, "This man right here is my husband, so you can stop harassing me now! I will absolutely never marry you!"

Jiang Yun froze, looking down at the strange woman in absolute bewilderment as he thought to himself, We have literally never met before in our entire lives. Since when did I suddenly become your husband?