My Host Only Marries the Strong

The Insight Academy Palace ship’s formation array blazed with light as it departed for the Taiyan Sect.

After the ship disappeared beyond the barrier, Echo organized her pill bottles into her storage ring and then reached for Nine Heavens at her waist. The divine blade sang as it left its sheath, its resonance shaking the heavens.

Silver-white sword light shot toward the sky like sunbeams piercing the firmament. The entire town blazed bright as daylight, and instantly a transparent barrier dome descended, sealing the city completely under her protection.

The temperature plummeted when Echo drew her sword. Even though cultivators weren’t bothered by cold, this chill emanated from the wielder’s sword intent. Both women standing several steps behind Echo visibly tensed.

Meng Xiangfei’s body stiffened as she glanced at Echo. She had no idea what techniques Echo possessed. During their confrontation in the Twin Dragon Secret Realm, Echo needed the artifact Water Dragon’s Hymn to break her barrier, but now Echo had become someone she had to take seriously.

Especially since Echo was the type to attack first and ask questions later. Meng Xiangfei had no desire to provoke her. She wrinkled her nose at the decrepit building. “I’ll find my own lodging. Send a message if anything happens.” She tossed a communication talisman to the Taiyan cultivator and left.

Once she was gone, the Taiyan woman immediately turned to Echo with reverent respect. “Senior, your sword intent is incredibly powerful!”

“Mm. You’re a bit weak. I’ll maintain the barrier so you can rest.” Echo said.

The Taiyan cultivator gratefully bowed to Echo and dismissed her own barrier before entering the building to meditate.

Now Echo was alone. She looked around.

Everything was pitch black. Despite thousands of people living in this city, the street was dead silent—not even a cough could be heard.

Echo peeked into the courtyard where the spirit vessel had damaged the low wall, leaving bricks scattered on the ground. The ruined house had its doors and windows closed, with the Taiyan cultivator sitting cross-legged by the campfire with her eyes closed.

The flickering flames illuminated the small room, which offered no privacy. Echo sighed wistfully and retrieved a jade table and small stool from her storage ring, laying out brushes, ink, paper, and an ink stone.

A luminous pearl set in a lamp stand cast gentle light, making her silver hair seem to glow like moonbeams.

In this unseen corner, while cold winter wind whipped dead grass through the ruined courtyard, she sat beneath a bare jujube tree of questionable vitality. In this desolate scene, she ground ink and took up her brush, jade-like fingers gripping the emerald brush handle as she began to write.

[Not seeing you for a day feels like three autumns. Seraphine, I’m doing well, but I miss you.]

Wait, was that too direct?

Echo glanced cautiously at the building, then discreetly summoned two small data panels under the table—one labeled “Romance Strategy Meeting Experience Summary” and the other “Human Love Letters Collection.”

The Romance System said that with existing mutual affection, timely clarification of their relationship status could catalyze a transformation. Writing a love letter at this moment might have unexpected positive effects.

Echo considered this: Seraphine had said they were good friends—better than good friends. This was probably what the Romance System called “more than friendship, less than lovers”—the perfect situation for a little love letter expressing feelings.

But according to the Romance System’s analysis, Seraphine was a host marked with an “Ancient Era” tag, and the Palace Lord of a major sect besides. One could not simply blurt things out to such a lady. The best approach was subtle and gentle—showing proper respect.

Echo learned something new.

Subtle and gentle!

She looked at her letter, picked up the brush, and crossed it out. She pulled out fresh paper.

[The moon is beautiful tonight.]

No good—too many people had used that line. The system needed its own form of subtlety. The Romance System emphasized authenticity!

She crossed that out too and started over.

[Seraphine, I just finished the last steamed bun you bought me in Sunset Glow City. It was so delicious! I want more!]

She held up her completed letter, quite satisfied with this passage: It was a bun Seraphine bought, and it was delicious! This praised Seraphine’s excellent judgment.

“I want more” was an invitation for Seraphine to go shopping for buns together again. A subtle expression of wanting to be with Seraphine. Excellent!

Echo was dissatisfied with two crooked characters, so she carefully took out fragrant paper decorated with peach blossoms and copied everything neatly.

Moonlight streamed through the barrier, bathing Echo in radiance like a moon goddess—untouchably ethereal and divine.

The meditating cultivator in the building caught one glimpse and instinctively held her breath, not daring to disturb this transcendent scene.

Echo finally finished copying, letting the neat (if slightly crooked) letter dry before carefully sealing it in an envelope marked “For Seraphine’s Eyes Only” complete with the date and a small flower doodle.

Oh my!

Echo looked down, long lashes casting shadows over eyes like water, and softly whispered the word “shy.” She realized that being on assignment had its advantages—at least she wouldn’t have to face Seraphine immediately. If Seraphinerejected her, she’d have time to prepare mentally.

But the system doesn’t give up. Once she decides something, she doesn’t quit.

There’s no “quit” in her dictionary!

She pumped her fist encouragingly.

Inside the building, the Taiyan cultivator marveled once again: Truly worthy of theInsight Academy Palace. Such natural bearing and inviolable dignity!

The highly dignified system spent the entire night playing Go with the realm’s spirit Echo’d summoned from the secret realm. When the sun rose high in the sky, she finally said, “Go back now.”

Two golden birds disappeared instantly, as if granted amnesty.

Soon after, the Taiyan cultivator returned from scouting the area, carrying something wrapped in paper—two hot meat buns.

“I noticed senior’s fondness yesterday and took the liberty of buying these. Please accept them.” She offered respectfully.

Echo’s eyes lit up. “There’s a marketplace?”

She’d been sitting here all morning and except for occasional light footsteps, she hadn’t heard any vendor calls.

“The demon cultivator’s whereabouts are unknown, but people still need to live.” the cultivator explained. “They’re still afraid though, so they only come out to do business at noon each day.”

“Thank you!” Echo accepted her buns and gave her a spirit stone from her storage ring. The cultivator seemed surprised but gratefully took it.

“I’m going shopping,” Echo announced. “Let’s wait one more day. If your master doesn’t return by tomorrow, I’ll go look for him.”

“Yes, thank you.” She bowed gratefully.

Echo waved and headed out, thinking that Taiyan Sect cultivators were as polite as she was.

But the moment she stepped over the threshold, something soft bumped into her. Looking down, she saw the same little girl she’d spotted yesterday through the wall.

She stared up at Echo in wonder while her parents rushed over in terror, faces pale as they dropped to their knees. “Our daughter is ignorant and has offended the immortal! Please spare her life!”

Echo stepped around them gently. “It’s fine. Goodbye.”

She was in a hurry—shopping to do!

In her eagerness, Echo used a movement technique and appeared on the main street in the city center. The already sparse crowd went silent, people staring in alarm at this blue-robed, white-haired woman of otherworldly beauty.

Echo tilted her head and focused on a steaming stall to her left, staring fixedly at sesame-covered meat pastries. “What sect used to protect this area?”

The vendor’s knees nearly buckled. Supporting himself against his table, he whispered, “We’re citizens of Yan Kingdom, but there’s a Mirror Moon Sect immortal gate in the mountains a thousand meters outside the city.”

“Oh, they must eat without paying to make you all so scared. Don’t worry—I pay for my food.” Echo said with a slight smile, pulling silver coins from her storage ring. “I pay very well. Please sell to me, thank you!”

⁂

Insight Academy Palace.

The Profound Turtle floated lazily above thick cloud layers, basking in the sun. On its back, cranes called through misty forests.

Deep in the Insight Academy Palace’s secret realm, where time moved slowly in the narrow world of sun and moon, dense spiritual energy filled the air like fog.

A diamond-shaped spirit heart pulsed with energy, feeding constant streams of nearly liquid spiritual mist to the woman seated on the gathering pearl.

Seraphine sat with black hair flowing over her shoulders and dark lashes closed, perfectly still like an exquisitely carved jade statue. Only the gentle rise and fall of her chest proved she was real rather than the masterwork of some legendary puppet maker.

Opposite her on a small meditation cushion sat a round pearl radiating flowing light, also absorbing the spiritual mist.

In the slowly flowing time, the small orb on its cushion brightened and sprouted a pair of large eyes.

“Chi.” The diamond-shaped spirit heart suddenly contracted toward Seraphine, then relaxed when it saw the orb raise two matchstick-thin appendages. The spirit heart floated over, carrying a droplet of spiritual liquid.

“Hello, hello.”

Echo patted the spirit heart gently, indicating she’d leave soon. It sprouted a small flower, which quickly became a small heart. She plucked it with her matchstick arms and tossed it toward the meditating human.

The system is smitten with you today too!

The pink heart dissolved into light before touching Seraphine, as if afraid to disturb her cultivation. But she seemed to sense something, her brows and lashes fluttering as she slowly opened her eyes.

Before her, the small cushion still held the brightly glowing orb absorbing spiritual energy. But in front of it, in the space directly facing her, sat a thick stack of envelopes topped with a vibrant red flower.

Seraphine blinked in surprise, unable to suppress a smile. When did this arrive?

Radiating happiness, she delicately tucked her long hair behind her ear, placed the red flower there, and carefully picked up the envelopes. She opened the first one with trembling hands.

But after reading the first letter, Seraphine’s mouth twitched, and she sighed, “Of course it’s you.”

There couldn’t be a second Echo in this world, and no one could possibly impersonate her.

She clicked her tongue and set the steamed bun invitation aside for last, moving to the next page.

[Seraphine, the meat pastries in Pingjin City are delicious! I’ll eat them with you next time.]

[Seraphine, the small wontons in Pingjin City are also excellent. I’ll bring some back for you.]

[Seraphine, Seraphine! I caught a pheasant and had the head chef at Pingjin’s Myriad Guests Inn cook it—spicy and fragrant! I’ve saved the recipe in my database to make for you when I return!]

Seraphine, Seraphine, Seraphine……

Eat, eat, eat……

“Are you there to eliminate demons or to eat your way through the city?” Seraphine’s face darkened, but she still read every single page carefully before setting the stack of “so delicious!” letters aside and reaching for the next envelope.

[Seraphine, I bought three candied hawthorn skewers and gave one to the little girl next door. She’s lovely and adorable, but I think if we had a baby together, ours would be even more beautiful. What do you think?]

[Author’s Note]:

Work Log…

Report to Main System, I have successfully integrated the word “subtle” into my entire codebase and will perfectly implement the mentors’ guidance to achieve the objective of making the host fall for me!

Main System Response: Excellent work!

You thought my love letters were a little weird, didn’t you? Just wait until you see what I do to win her heart next. Get 20 chapters ahead at Pxtreon➡️LoveisLove520!