My Host Only Marries the Strong

“BOOM!”

Seraphine’s whip shattered the final mechanism as she kicked open the tower door and burst out of the Flame Array.

The sulfurous smell and scorching heat instantly receded. In the cool air of early winter, Seraphine’s body temperature dropped. She frowned and wrapped her weapon around her arm—the artifact blazed with golden-red flames, casting light on her snow-white skin.

The blazing heat made Seraphine lift her chin with satisfaction, raising her eyebrows as she surveyed the area.

Her eyes still held the cold intensity from battle, and when she looked up with that sharp, piercing gaze, the cultivators who’d been approaching to chat suddenly felt intimidated and froze in place.

They’d all witnessed Seraphine’s methods in the water mirror—decisive action, exceptional wisdom. Despite only being at Golden Core middle stage, she’d broken through the array formation ahead of those with higher cultivation levels. Truly admirable.

Seraphine didn’t look at them, instead focusing on the crowd behind them. Among all the spectating disciples, one silver head stood out distinctively, holding Nine Heavens and a jade flute, waving them around as if afraid she couldn’t see, alternating between raising them up and down.

“Seraphine turned her head away—she probably didn’t see me. Should we move closer?” Echo suggested.

Error, who’d transformed into her true form to support Echo with her head, obediently swam forward through the crowd. The surrounding people startled at first, then showed expressions of “oh, it’s you again” and good-naturedly made space.

“Is this good enough?” Error looked up with her large eyes and asked.

Echo watched Seraphine talking with the master in profile and thought for a moment, making a “ding” sound.

“Wait, I’ve got a great idea,” she said.

She clapped her hands and gripped Nine Heavens, releasing a stream of spiritual energy. The ice-cold spiritual power contained no killing intent as it shot up to Echo’s head with a “whoosh,” forming the words: “CONGRATULATIONS TO SERAPHINE ON WINNING FIRST PLACE IN THE FLAME ARRAY CHALLENGE!”

Cold spiritual energy illusions even had snowflakes floating around them—truly a perfect combination of artistic flair and practicality!

Shi Yingyue, who’d just flown out of the Flame Array, landed and immediately saw this display. Her face changed as she murmured, “Did I fall behind again?”

The disciples who’d experienced the Twin Dragon Secret Realm felt this deeply, thinking Fellow Daoist Shi’s use of “again” was particularly apt.

Master Mingyan glanced at the illusion in the sky. She was very serious and disliked such flashy nonsense, frowning as she said, “What nonsense is this?”

Seraphine said quietly, “Please don’t blame her, Master.”

“Fine. The time and energy spent on such frivolous displays would be better used for cultivation.” After speaking, Master Mingyan handed Seraphine a jade token marked with flame insignia.

Her expression immediately softened when looking at Seraphine. “This is the key to the Insight Academy Secret Realm. By tomorrow morning, you must be at the Insight Academy Forbidden Grounds. The secret realm will automatically close and send you out after thirty days.”

“The Insight Academy Secret Realm is a space opened by the Dao Saint—time moves ten times slower inside than in the outside world. You must treasure this opportunity and cultivate well within the secret realm.”

Seraphine accepted the token. “Yes.”

Error stretched her head up higher, and the tree roots supporting Pine Child pushed upward as well. Error asked, “What are they saying?”

She remotely controlled the spiritual energy illusion to sway left and right, casually saying, “The department head is talking to the grade’s top student—stuff like study hard and take care of your health.”

Error blinked her large eyes, thinking: What’s a department head? What’s a grade’s top student? This dragon doesn’t know. Would asking make me seem ignorant?

But this dragon was trapped in a cave for so long she nearly died—being ignorant is understandable. She looked at the others with her green eyes.

Water Dragon’s Hymn asked, “What are department head and grade’s top student?”

Error was delighted, looking at Water Dragon’s Hymn and saying happily, “You really are an ignorant divine artifact!”

“Oh,” Water Dragon’s Hymn said calmly. “Explain.”

Error swayed up and down, making Echo bounce on her head. She thought about how she and Orb played chess together until dawn so many nights—she and Orb were the best of friends in the world.

Echo said, “Department head is Master Mingyan, grade’s top student is Seraphine.”

Everyone who’d been listening with perked ears: ? What kind of title is this? So confusing. Isn’t Master Mingyan’s title Mingyan Hermit?

“Wait, that’s not right.” Echo thought about it and said, “Master Mingyan is the homeroom teacher, Seraphineis the top of the class, and the grade’s top student—that’s me!”

“Haha!”

“Oh,” Water Dragon’s Hymn said. “I understand.”

“The one at the very bottom…… is Qiu Shuangshuang.”

Xue Mengtao, standing beside Siyi, seemed to realize something and said quietly, “That should be me. I achieved Foundation Establishment later than Junior Sister Qiu, and she’s four years younger than me.”

“That’s not how it’s calculated,” Siyi laughed. “We only look at current strength.”

Water Dragon’s Hymn rarely showed interest in people, glancing at Xue Mengtao. “Crying contest? You can’t beat QiuShuangshuang.”

Error immediately asked, “What about compared to Master Pine?”

Master Pine’s eyes reddened with anger. “I told you it rained a lot this year!”

Water Dragon’s Hymn looked ahead, expressionless.

Pretending not to hear when you can’t answer—how embarrassing for divine artifacts! Error swished her tail, thinking only she, the beautiful dragon Error, deserved the title of the world’s only true dragon!

In the future.

At that moment, a gentle voice asked, “What about me?”

Several people turned around to discover that the Insight Academy Palace’s Headmaster had appeared at some point—and they wondered how long he’d been listening.

Echo, standing proudly atop the dragon, turned her head and greeted Jingxing, “Hello. You’re the principal.”

Jingxing looked somewhat bewildered, smiling as he gestured for everyone bowing to him not to be so formal.

“Lanzhi had to leave on urgent business. I couldn’t find anyone else in the academy, so I came to get you all,” Jingxingsaid gently. “If you have time, could we speak privately?”

Ah, Echo felt a bit troubled. But she really doesn’t have—

“Elder Uncle.” Seraphine called out, using her coiled whip to wrap around Echo’s ankle and pull her down from the dragon’s head.

Error glanced at Seraphine’s expression and quickly transformed into human form, standing behind Seraphine. Since she was quite tall, she couldn’t really hide.

Pine Child became the tallest person present.

Echo patted her chest.

Seraphine suggested, “Elder Uncle is looking for me and Lingren? How about we talk while walking.”

Jingxing nodded and began walking forward. Echo gestured “go play” to Water Dragon’s Hymn and was pulled along by Seraphine’s whip.

After they left, the quiet crowd breathed a sigh of relief.

Someone said, “The Venerable, despite being a Tribulation stage cultivator, has no airs at all. A true gentleman of our age should be like this.”

“But I wonder what the Venerable wants with Palace Lord Velka? Speaking of which, Palace Lord Velka’s mother was once a disciple of Insight Academy Palace, which is why she addresses the Venerable as Elder Uncle.”

“Truly a gathering of geniuses—as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. How enviable.”

Siyi turned around with a gentle smile. “Everyone here is a contemporary genius—why belittle yourselves?” She smiled and nodded, leading Xue Mengtao away from the academy.

The remaining people smiled and shook their heads, continuing to watch the others still navigating the challenge in the water mirror.

Master Mingyan, standing with hands behind her back, also watched the water mirror. Thinking of Seraphine’s brilliant performance within it, her eyes glazed over with wistfulness: “Seraphine Velka… Yunong Velka… Yunong……”

⁂

Seraphine walked half a step behind Jingxing, her weapon coiled around her wrist. The long whip blazing with golden-red flames stretched out, its end wrapped around another person’s wrist.

“Elder Uncle, what brings you here personally?” Seraphine’s brow furrowed as she asked quietly, “Have you discovered traces of the soul remnant?”

Jingxing shook his head with a smile. “I’ve already notified the Ten Directions Sect leader to watch for unusual activities within the continent. As for the Northern Border……”

He paused. “The array sealing the Demon Realm is located in the Northern Border. I’ve sent Lanzhi to investigate.”

Legend had it that the Nine Heavens Sect committed countless evils in ancient times—within their territory, vengeful souls lingered and bones littered the ground, attracting many ruthless demonic cultivators to ally with them.

After the great war with the Nine Heavens Sect, that blood-soaked land was sealed away. The Divine Continent was reorganized into Five Continents and Two Domains—besides the Demon Realm that had claimed millions of lives, there was also the desolate, bitterly cold Snow Domain.

Hundreds of years had passed, and the human race living in the Five Continents had long forgotten that ancient suffering. Demonic cultivators seemed to exist only in novels.

Hearing that Jingxing had sent Lanzhi to check the Northern Border’s seal, Seraphine’s face changed. The unextinguishedbattle fire from the Flame Array ignited in her pupils as she said coldly, “Is there movement in the Demon Realm?”

“Are there still living things in the Demon Realm?”

Jingxing said gently, “Zhan Ye’s soul remnant hasn’t been destroyed. I dare not make assumptions about the current state of the Demon Realm, even I. However, the Northern Border has the major Mysterious Yin Sect standing guard, and their sect leader hasn’t sent me any messages, so things seem relatively peaceful. But I’m looking for you two about another matter.”

He said this while turning back to glance at Echo with a slight smile.

Seraphine looked back in confusion. The person being led by the whip was swaying as she walked behind them, having picked up a branch to idly sweep at the grass beside the path. Discovering Seraphine looking back, Echo’s eyes lit up as she quickly showed a bright smile.

Seraphine thought helplessly: Silly child.

Jingxing chuckled. “The Taiyan Sect leader in Central Continent sent an urgent message—there seems to be demonic cultivator activity in Central Continent. The elite from all Five Continents are at the academy, so he’s asked me to dispatch personnel to help. Today I called Lanzhi to the academy to discuss this very matter.”

Seraphine immediately understood what was happening. Her lips moved as she thought: Please forgive Echo, Elder Uncle. Echo never gives anyone face. After considering, she asked, “When do we depart?”

“You just cleared the Flame Array and need to enter the secret realm for cultivation—your name isn’t on the expedition list.” Seeing Seraphine about to speak, Jingxing raised his hand and continued, “Besides the medical cultivators from Thousand Beauty Valley, this time the Insight Academy Palace is only sending Soul Transformation stage and above cultivators to Central Continent.”

“You are the future of the Five Continents. With an uncertain future ahead, your priority is to cultivate well.” He consoled her, “There are very few Soul Transformation and above cultivators in the Five Continents—few people can harm them.”

“Yes.” Seraphine lowered her eyes and responded, pulling Echo forward. “Did you hear that?”

“Mm-hmm.” Echo nodded and asked, “Seraphine, should I go?”

Seraphine felt troubled, remembering the scene in Twin Dragon Secret Realm when she’d sent Echo to fight the twin dragons.

But demonic cultivator disturbances were no ordinary matter—Echo was equivalent to her eyes, her sword. In all the world, there was no one she trusted more than Echo. Having her go investigate the truth would give Seraphine peace of mind.

But she also felt uneasy.

“Go,” she said softly, reaching up to adjust the jade pendant at Echo’s waist. The two of them looked into each other’s eyes.

Echo thought happily: Seraphine’s eyes are so bright.

Not a shred of awareness about going out on business.

“Elder Uncle.” Seraphine turned to look at Jingxing.

Night had fallen by now, moonlight casting everything in silver. Seraphine stood in the moonlight holding Echo’s hand and asked softly, “Elder Uncle, the Profound Turtle roams the Five Continents—in all these years, have you ever found news of the ‘Phoenix Codex’?”

Jingxing looked away, as if not wanting to see Seraphine’s dimmed expression. He said slowly, “When your mother had you, she resolutely gave up searching for the ‘Phoenix Codex.’ She chose to spend her remaining time with you. Twenty-eight years have passed now, and I’ve never found news of the ‘Phoenix Codex.’”

“It’s my failing.”

“Elder Uncle speaks too harshly,” Seraphine said with a smile instead. “If the ‘Phoenix Codex’ were so easily found, our family of three generations wouldn’t have waited all these years.” She changed the subject, asking about Echo’s departure time.

Jingxing sighed. “The spirit vessel heading to Central Continent is waiting at the docks. The sooner the departure, the better.”

Seraphine nodded. “Understood.”

“Respectfully send off, Elder Uncle.”

Echo belatedly bowed.

Both of them watched him leave.

As soon as Jingxing’s figure disappeared, Seraphine narrowed her eyes and pulled Echo close. Echo instinctively said, “I didn’t cause any trouble!”

The system didn’t do anything!

It’s precisely because you didn’t do anything that Elder Uncle had to come find you personally. Seraphine snorted with laughter.

“Enough, I won’t waste words. Just be careful with your words and actions in Central Continent, take good care of yourself, and promptly inform me of anything you say or do. Understand?”

Echo thought: I understand, I understand! She’s a system trying to court a human—she’ll definitely satisfy you!

Seeing Echo’s currently obedient expression, Seraphine couldn’t help sighing inwardly, feeling somewhat anxious.

Come to think of it, this was Echo’s first time venturing out independently—and it wasn’t some beast-slaying, treasure-hunting adventure in a secret realm, but something requiring interaction with many people.

“……”

“Don’t go around threatening to fight everyone you dislike!” Seraphine instructed quietly. “At least ask mefirst.”

Don’t worry, don’t worry—the system has a crush on you. Echo made a flower cradle with both hands, holding a little flower inside.

Any more instructions would become tedious even to Seraphine herself. She took out a hundred boxes of spirit stones and spirit pearls from her storage ring and handed them to Echo.

Before Seraphine could speak, Echo’s eyes lit up as she clapped her hands. “I’ll buy lots of delicious food to bring back!”

The academy has run out of food!

Humans say: to capture someone’s heart, first capture their stomach. Echo smiled and traced her finger around where Seraphine’s stomach would be.

Wait for me to capture you.

The tickling sensation came through her clothes, making Seraphine’s body tremble. Her whip cracked as she slapped away Echo’s restless hand, saying in a somewhat stiff tone, “Stop being improper—forget it, just go.”

“Oh!”

A silver system appeared in the bubble above Echo’s head, carrying a small bundle, wearing a little hat, and holding up a small sword. “Please rest assured, Seraphine—I’ll bring you back presents!”

“I’m departing now!”

Seraphine took a deep breath, watching Echo leave while turning back every few steps. She couldn’t help raising her hand to wave back.

“Won’t Palace Lord see her off?” Siyi’s gentle voice asked.

Seraphine had glimpsed her figure earlier. Hearing this, she snorted. “No need to see her off—we’ll meet again soon.” Sending her off would only create unnecessary worry.

Siyi approached with a smile, looking at her contradictory expression, and walked alongside her toward Phoenix Perch Terrace.

The two spoke in low voices, and after combining the information they’d recently learned, Siyi frowned. “If demonic cultivators truly intend to rise again, the various sects should be warned in advance.”

“But that might alert them prematurely,” Seraphine said. “Let’s wait for Lingren and the others to investigate and return, to clarify whether it’s related to demonic cultivators. Even if it is, it’s not necessarily connected to the Nine Heavens Sect.”

Siyi nodded. Seeing Seraphine’s worried expression—whether for the departing Fellow Daoist Xi or concern about future circumstances—she smiled and took out the book Sword Seeks Phoenix—Immortal Realm Chronicles of Love and Vengeance from her storage ring, offering it to her.

“This is a newly published tale book—I guarantee you haven’t read it. Would Palace Lord like it to pass the time?”

Seraphine snorted and accepted the book, casually flipping through a couple pages. “At a time like this, how could I have the leisure to read— Huh?”

Her gaze fell on the opened illustration. Under moonlight and flowers, two figures lay among fallen blooms in the grass—both wearing dresses, one in blue-green with white hair, the other in red with black hair. Their hair was disheveled, fingers intertwined, foreheads touching, lips meeting.

Seraphine’s heart thundered as her face instantly reddened. She snapped the book shut with a “crack.”

Tonight’s moonlight was particularly bright, illuminating the blush on her face in a way that stirred the imagination.

“Such a pity Fellow Daoist Xi left in such a hurry,” Siyi said methodically, tapping the book with her finger and smiling at Seraphine. “This book has such a smooth, interconnected plot, writing the story of Phoenix Girl and Xi Ling Immortal’s meeting, understanding, and falling in love so poignantly. Yet Fellow Daoist Xi only flipped through it casually without careful consideration. Truly regrettable.”

Lingren wasn’t regretful at all. She’s just an impenetrable stone!

Seraphine touched her cheek, pretending to be calm. “Then I’ll take it back and read it when I have time.”

Siyi smiled even more gently. “Together with Fellow Daoist Xi?”

“……” Seraphine pressed her lips together, hummed softly, and covered her face with both hands as she walked forward in the moonlight.