Chapter 199: Oh, Then Get Married

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The Southern Borders had a warm and humid climate, and cloth was expensive, so it was understandable that people there dressed more boldly compared to other regions.
We can’t force our own views onto others—that would be robbery.
Local environments shape local customs. The clothing style of Southern Border people has regional characteristics. We cannot and should not unify the entire Nine Provinces’ dress code. We must learn to respect differences.
The above was the summary of the Confucian Sect’s failed attempt at increasing Southern Borderers’ clothing coverage.
Of course, “failure summary” was what they called it internally. What they presented to the public was a “research report.”
Jiang Li’s first thought upon seeing the Gu Clan was of that Confucian failure summary.
Gu Clan men were bare-chested and muscular. Gu Clan women used only minimal fabric to cover essential parts—exuding a unique allure.
“Brother Jiang, you’re finally here.” Compared to the phantom he saw through the communication talisman, Commander Mu still felt that seeing the real person was more impactful.
When the Gu Clan heard that the Human Sovereign had arrived, they all came out to welcome him.
Even though the Gu Clan lived in seclusion and knew little of the outside world—knowing nothing of spiritual treasure spirits, the Nine Provinces Council, or even the links between the Nine Provinces and other worlds—they still knew that Jiang Li, the current Human Sovereign, was the strongest in history, the only Mahayana Stage cultivator after the Stairway to Immortality had been severed.
“Human Sovereign Jiang.” Yuan Wuxing saluted along with his disciples.
“Fate really keeps bringing us together.” Jiang Li found it amusing to see Yuan Wuxing and the others again.
“Human Sovereign Jiang, please save Qin Luan. The Gu Immortal is randomly matchmaking and has forced Qin Luan to marry Aguna,” Song Ying said anxiously. “You can see neither of them are happy about it.”
Aguna was the daughter of the high priest.
Whether Qin Luan was unhappy, Jiang Li couldn’t tell—but judging from how Aguna was still clinging to him, she was quite happy with the Gu Immortal’s “reward.”
Even Jiang Li wouldn’t believe that Aguna suddenly came down with soft bone disease and couldn’t stand on her own without leaning on Qin Luan.
After all, Jiang Li had already scanned her with his Divine Sense. Aguna was perfectly healthy, no illness.
Otherwise, he really wouldn’t have dared to assume.
“Sister Song, don’t say such things. The Gu Immortal still resides in the Celestial Realm. What if she senses your badmouthing?” Aguna was shocked upon hearing Song Ying accuse the Gu Immortal of forced matchmaking. Even putting aside the idea of immortals having spiritual perception, just based on the Gu Immortal’s status within the Gu Clan, such words were dangerous.
Only now did Song Ying realize she’d spoken too recklessly and quickly shut her mouth.
She was merely a Golden Core cultivator—how could she dare to criticize an immortal?
“It’s fine, it’s fine. Just idle rumors,” Jiang Li said with a smile when he saw how nervous she was. “If talking about immortals really got their attention, I’d have had a word with the Celestial Realm rulers by now.”
Jiang Li had tried every method imaginable in his pursuit of ascension. This notion—that immortals could sense gossip—might’ve held some truth when the Stairway to Immortality still existed, but now that it was severed, and all connection with the Celestial Realm lost, immortals weren’t going to notice someone cursing them from the Nine Provinces.
Even though Commander Mu was the first to greet him, Jiang Li still felt like letting him sweat a little longer, so he kept chatting with Qin Luan.
“Qin Luan, what about you? Speak your mind. Do you like Aguna or not? Want the love-gu removed?”
Song Ying, Little White Fox, and Aguna were all stunned by how direct the Human Sovereign was. They anxiously waited for Qin Luan’s response.
Qin Luan gave a bitter smile. “Sir Jiang, Aguna and I have only known each other for a few hours. If I already liked her that fast, I’d be a real scumbag.”
Song Ying and Little White Fox let out a sigh of relief, while Aguna looked a bit disappointed.
“To be honest, Aguna is beautiful and charming. I do like her a little.”
“But that kind of affection isn’t enough to get married. The Gu Immortal expects us to wed in ten days. How can any real emotional bond form in just ten days?”
“I don’t think the Gu Immortal is doing the right thing.”
“I believe Aguna feels the same way.” Qin Luan turned to Aguna and said earnestly, “I don’t know much about love, but I do know that being forced into bed never produces true feelings. Only time and shared experiences lead to genuine bonds. Right?”
Aguna nodded blankly.
“And the Gu Clan is secluded. If I marry into it, I may never leave. Wouldn’t that betray the expectations you have for me?”
“So, you agree to remove the love-gu?”
“I agree.”
“Aguna, what about you?”
Aguna bit her lip, replaying Qin Luan’s words over and over. After a fierce internal struggle, she made her decision.
“As a Gu Clan member, I cannot disobey the Gu Immortal. Please, Human Sovereign, make the decision for me.”
Jiang Li nodded, understanding perfectly. Aguna’s meaning was clear—she wanted him to remove the love-gu.
If she were truly unwilling, she wouldn’t have phrased it as being unable to defy the Gu Immortal’s will.
Jiang Li drew his sword and gave a light wave. The love-gu—latched over Qin Luan and Aguna’s hearts—was severed by the Heart Sword, born of the self, guided by will, and returned to the heart.
Even love-gu placed by a Gu Immortal was considered troublesome by Tribulation Stage cultivators, but in Jiang Li’s eyes, it was nothing.
Losing the love-gu left Aguna feeling empty, as if her only connection to Qin Luan had been severed.
Then, she noticed a shadow blocking the sunlight. Someone was standing before her.
“Aguna, your talent is remarkable. The Gu Clan’s seclusion is holding you back. If you’re willing, you can leave the Gu Clan and experience the vast lands of the Nine Provinces. But you lack experience in the world. You shouldn’t travel alone. Qin Luan and his team have some experience. You can journey with them,” Jiang Li said.
Aguna’s eyes lit up. She immediately said, “I’d love to.”
Song Ying and Little White Fox became instantly alert. They had thought the Human Sovereign was on their side—this was unexpected.
Yuan Wuxing nodded. Aguna joining the group could slow down his good disciple’s cultivation pace. The Human Sovereign was clearly on his side.
The high priest approached, hesitating. “Human Sovereign Jiang, this…”
“What? You’re going to just watch your daughter waste her life here, happy with just reaching Nascent Soul Stage?”
Aguna was currently in the early Golden Core Stage, the best of her generation. To reach this level at her age meant her future was promising.
But with the Gu Clan isolated, lacking external contact and short on resources—if Aguna never left, Nascent Soul Stage would be her ceiling.
The high priest sighed. “Very well. The Gu Clan is already planning to end our seclusion. Let Aguna be the first to re-enter the world.”
“Actually, we’ve come to realize that hiding away can’t work forever. We originally went into seclusion to preserve the last soil of Gu techniques, fearing their extinction.”
“But now, we see that we were wrong. It’s not working. We’re cut off from news, stuck in old ways, short on resources. The Gu Clan is worse off than we were when we first hid away. If this goes on, we’ll lose even the Nascent Soul Stage. The Golden Core will become our peak. By then, it’ll be too late,” said the high priest.
The phrase “Gu Clan in seclusion” sounded impressive, like some powerful hidden force, but in truth, the Gu Clan was hanging by a thread.
“So I’ve been discussing with the clan leader. We want to bring the Gu Clan back into the world. Since you’re here, we wanted your opinion.”
“I remember your clan leader is Commander Mu’s fiancée, isn’t she?”
“She is.”
“Oh. Then get married. With a peak Fusion Stage cultivator marrying into the Gu Clan, your reentry into the world will be perfectly secure,” Jiang Li said sincerely.
One less headache for the Human Sovereign Hall, one more chance for the Gu Clan—it was a win-win.
Commander Mu?
There’s no Commander Mu in the Human Sovereign Hall.