My Host Only Marries the Strong

Jingxing, the realm’s foremost cultivator and current tribulation-stage Venerable, lived in an utterly unremarkable little courtyard within the academy compound.

Before Seraphine could knock, the gate swung open to reveal a small yard filled with books hung out to dry. The Ink-Trace Venerable sat on a stone chair in white robes and a scholar’s cap, a Go board and teapot arranged on his table.

Jingxing looked up at Echo and Seraphine with warm eyes. “You’ve arrived.”

“Greetings, Elder Uncle.” Seraphine bowed, glancing meaningfully at Echo.

Echo quickly cupped her hands in salute.

“Please, come in. I’ve been away from the Insight Academy Palace for quite some time, so I’m airing out mybooks—forgive the mess.” Jingxing said gently.

“Elder Uncle is too kind.” Seraphine replied, pulling Echo to sit at the table.

Echo stared curiously at the books scattered on the ground. This place really needs a City Lord Zhao!

After they were seated, Jingxing poured tea for both of them, showing none of the airs of the realm’s greatest cultivator. He was as warm as any ordinary elder.

Smiling at them, Jingxing said, “I witnessed your performance throughout the trials. Truly outstanding! But even more impressive than your results was conquering the Twin Dragon Secret Realm. What an eye-opening display—heroes are indeed born young!”

He seemed moved by some memory. Seraphine quickly responded, “It was pure luck that Lingren awakened the dragons, and greater luck that she escaped with her life to become the realm’s master. We must apologize to Elder Uncle—we never intended to steal the Twin Dragon Secret Realm.”

Jingxing shook his head with a smile. “No matter. Opportunities belong to those destined for them. The Twin Dragon Secret Realm and I only had a verbal agreement. Whoever it chooses to serve is that person’s fortune.”

“Speaking of which, I should return this to you.”

He opened his palm, revealing a ball of golden light—the energy collected from scale fragments that cultivators had gathered from the secret realm after the second trial. The scales transformed into two small dragons swimming in his palm.

Echo felt the contract between the dragons and herself, her gaze naturally drawn to them.

“Come.” Jingxing said.

Seraphine tilted her head toward Echo. “Hold out your hands.”

Echo obediently extended both palms. The swimming dragons flowed from his hands to Echo’s, transforming into two tiny birds the size of half a finger.

“There are still scattered fragments within the Twin Dragon Secret Realm. Once you gather them all, you can summon the realm’s spirit into this world.” Jingxing told Echo.

Echo nodded, still keeping her mouth shut.

Seraphine narrowed her eyes and kicked Echo’s foot under her skirt, whispering, “Talk!”

I could speak now?

Echo blinked and declared loudly, “Okay, I understand! Thank you!”

She exhaled in relief. Being able to talk felt wonderful.

Seraphine: “……” Always disobedient when she should listen, and overly obedient when she shouldn’t be!

Out of sight, out of mind. Seraphine let her pinky hook around Echo’s index finger and turned to Jingxing. “Elder Uncle, we came to ask you about something.”

“Please, go ahead.” Jingxing replied.

Seraphine hesitated before asking, “May I inquire whether the Twin Dragon Secret Realm has always remained at the Insight Academy Palace? Before the Five Continents Competition, was it ever used?”

“Never,” Jingxing said. “The Twin Dragon Secret Realm has been dormant for several centuries, recovering its strength. It was only brought out for this competition. But since you ask, I assume you discovered something amiss—perhaps regarding Brocade City?”

Seraphine started, surprised that Jingxing knew about Brocade City. “Elder Uncle knows about the city and those soul remnants……”

Jingxing smiled faintly and picked up a white Go stone, placing it on the board.

Echo automatically scanned the board position, her mind flooding with countless strategies. Her fingers twitched as she eyed the black stone container nearby.

Should I make a move? But Jingxing didn’t invite me, and Seraphine would scold me for being rude. Better wait.

She pressed her hands to her knees and watched intently.

A black stone rose on spiritual energy and settled on the board.

Echo blinked in surprise.

Oh! He’s playing against himself.

Gazing at the board, Jingxing spoke in measured tones: “Those soul remnants all belonged to cultivators who died in the battle against the Nine Heavens Sect.”

His words struck Seraphine like a thunderclap. In an instant, her mind was flooded with images of those faceless shadows—remnants of fallen souls. But why were they in the Twin Dragon Secret Realm?

Thinking of those fragments using the dragon’s fragment to manifest in Brocade City, endlessly repeating the same actions day after day, Seraphine frowned.

“Why haven’t they entered reincarnation?”

Jingxing’s smile faded as he looked toward the sky and its sparse clouds. “Seraphine, do you know what happens when incomplete souls enter the wheel of rebirth?”

Seraphine’s face went rigid as she whispered, “Incomplete souls don’t follow human paths. They’re reborn as beasts or plants, slaughtered and trampled, living miserable lives before dying early and returning to the cycle, over and over—”

An unthinkable possibility formed in her mind. Her hair stood on end as she sat up straight, murmuring, “Could those souls be……”

“Exactly.” Jingxing’s voice carried deep sorrow. “When the Nine Heavens Sect demons slaughtered the righteous path, these first victims had their souls extracted. Half were cast into reincarnation, half forcibly retained in the mortal realm. By the time my senior sister and I discovered them, the souls in the cycle had already lived through a hundred lifetimes.”

“Heavenly Dao is constant—the lingering soul remnants weren’t meant to persist. My senior sister and I had no choice but to hide their remnants in the Twin Dragon Secret Realm with soul-preserving techniques, hoping someday we could send them to proper reincarnation, reunite their spirits, and let them cultivate human forms in their next lives.”

“……”

Those few sentences revealed the depths of the Nine Heavens Sect’s evil, chilling to contemplate. To condemn those who resisted their atrocities to eternal non-human incarnations—such vicious, detestable hearts!

Cold fury filled Seraphine’s eyes as she asked, “How can they be sent to reincarnation?”

“Even though Elder Uncle has reached the tribulation stage, you cannot help them pass on?”

“Click.”

Jingxing’s finger settled on the board as another white stone fell, instantly changing the entire game.

Echo had been waiting patiently for his next move and quickly adjusted her mental strategies, restraining herself from staring too obviously at him.

Unaware of Echo’s gaze, Jingxing smiled sadly. “Seraphine, I cannot.”

“Sending incomplete souls into reincarnation isn’t as simple as you think. The other halves have already spent multiple lifetimes in the cycle. Reuniting the fragments requires Heaven Dao’s mercy, and the way to earn Heaven Dao’s mercy is……” He paused, and Seraphine suddenly looked skyward, slowly finishing, “Ascension. Opening the immortal gates.”

Cultivators defy heaven’s will, surviving multiple tribulations. When the great immortal gates open, Heaven Dao yields—the perfect moment to reunite soul remnants! Fresh chapters posted on Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

But Jingxing was already at the tribulation stage. Why would he say he had no solution? Seraphine looked at him in confusion.

Mountain wind swept through the courtyard, rustling the scattered books with soft whispers.

Sitting in that breeze, Jingxing smiled at her. “Not that I don’t wish it. Ascending to immortality has been my only goal since beginning cultivation. But fate is unpredictable. Though I survived the Nine Heavens Sect battle and reached tribulation stage, I lost my immortal destiny in that very conflict.”

He spoke with perfect calm: “Seraphine, my time is nearly up.”

Echo was simultaneously listening to their conversation and watching the Go board when her hand was suddenly pulled up. She looked in surprise at Seraphine’s stiff expression. “Seraphine?” She called her name, then turned to the smiling Jingxing.

“You’re going to die?” Echo asked curiously, voicing Seraphine’s question. “Why?”

Jingxing chuckled. “Just old injuries and lingering illness. That I’ve managed to cultivate this far with my broken body is already Heaven Dao’s grace. Reopening the Five Continents Competition serves both to preserve the righteous path and prepare for something crucial to our future.”

The future?

Seraphine tilted her head uncertainly, meeting Echo’s eyes. Echo quickly curved her lips in a reassuring smile. Seeing that expression, most of Seraphine’s anxiety melted away. She collected herself and asked, “Please enlighten us, Elder Uncle.”

Echo chimed in, “Please enlighten us.”

But Jingxing smiled and changed the subject: “You both came to see me today because you discovered a soul fragment in the Twin Dragon Secret Realm, didn’t you?”

Jingxing knew about the soul fragment?

Seraphine frowned, following his lead: “Elder Uncle, what was that soul fragment? It tried to possess Lingren, but fortunately she was alert and didn’t let it succeed.”

Yes, this system was extremely alert and invulnerable! Echo gave a thumbs up.

Jingxing said, “You should be familiar with the soul fragment’s name—the Nine Heavens Sect demon who slaughtered countless righteous cultivators and terrorized the mortal realm: Zhan Ye!”

Oh!

Echo nodded, then shook her head.

Haha, never heard of him!

She tugged Seraphine’s hand.

Seraphine’s fingers unconsciously relaxed, letting Echo hold her hand while cold sweat filled her palm. She gasped, “ZhanYe isn’t dead……”

“Not exactly undead, but when we destroyed his body and shattered his soul years ago, we didn’t realize his spiritual consciousness hadn’t truly dissipated—it had quietly hidden away.” Jingxing’s hand moved over the Go board as he extended his other palm toward Echo.

“I discovered one spiritual consciousness of his soul by chance, but even I cannot destroy his essence. I could only hide it in the Twin Dragon Secret Realm’s secret chamber, yet you still found it.”

“Unfortunately, my time grows short. The righteous path has weakened, and if that demon returns, I fear we lack the strength to resist.”

“Seraphine, you five hundred cultivators represent the righteous path’s elite, chosen through the Five Continents Competition for your talent and fortune! You and Lingren are the finest among them.”

“This is a matter of life and death for the cultivation world—you must intensify your training and shoulder the responsibility of protecting this realm after I fall.” Jingxing’s tone grew serious.

Seraphine slowly exhaled and stood up.

Echo stood as well, copying her bow to Jingxing.

“Please rest assured, Elder Uncle. Evil cannot triumph over good. I, Seraphine Velka, will inherit my mother’s legacy, eliminate demons and protect the righteous path, never surrendering until death!” Seraphine declared coldly.

No way.

“Seraphine won’t die.” Echo said firmly.

She grabbed Seraphine’s wrist and faced Jingxing. “Eliminating Zhan Ye to protect the cultivation world, ascending to immortality to send the soul remnants to proper reincarnation—I’ve memorized it all. I’ll work hard, and with me here, Seraphine absolutely won’t lose to any demon.”

“I always keep my promises, Venerable Jing. You can depart in peace!”

[Author’s Note]:

Work Log…

Successfully applied human communication techniques. Main System and fellow units, please rest assured!

“A demon’s back? An elder is dying? Seraphine is giving a dramatic monologue? Look, I’ve got this all under control, but you’ll have to check out what happens next on Pxtreon➡️LoveisLove520. You wouldn’t want to miss my impeccable battle strategy! 😈”