"Ah, no!"
"Second Sister-in-law, could you please be more composed? What will I say if someone discovers us?"
Outside Medicine King Valley, Shen Ye looked at the widow from the neighboring village with a mischievous grin. Although she was over thirty, she possessed a fair, rounded complexion and was in her prime, with her only flaw being a cold demeanor.
Shen Ye expertly administered acupuncture and moved qi through the woman's meridians; by the end, she was blushing furiously, her eyes shimmering with desire. A moment later, Shen Ye withdrew his hands and said, "There we are. With the Living King of Hell on the job, I guarantee you'll be a hundred times happier and more harmonious from here on out. Don't forget who dug the well when you drink the water—you'll have to provide me with some 'benefits' in the future..."
Just as Shen Ye was about to continue his teasing, *thwack!* A peanut shell struck him on the head.
A white-bearded old man walked over, huffing and puffing. "You little brat, why haven't you left the mountain yet? How long do you intend to drag this out?"
Shen Ye chuckled. "Master, I can't bear to leave you. I want to stay by your side and serve you tea and water."
The master glared at him, huffing, "I think you just can't bear to leave the widow in the village. You've been peeking at her bathing for years—haven't you seen enough yet?"
Shen Ye broke into a cold sweat, his face burning. He hurriedly shooed the widow away. He couldn't let anyone know about that secret; it would ruin his reputation.
"Old man," Shen Ye asked with a bitter face, "do I really have to leave the mountain?"
Shen Ye had been in an orphanage for as long as he could remember. When he was seven, his master brought him to Medicine King Valley, and he had been there for sixteen years since. Over those sixteen years, his master had taught him medicine and martial arts. He was exceptionally gifted, his skills eventually surpassing those of his teacher. He was so talented that, despite his youth, he had earned the title "Living King of Hell," curing countless people. If the King of Hell sentenced you to die at midnight, Shen Ye dared to keep you alive until eighty!
Medicine King Valley was the most mysterious force in Hua Country; those who emerged from it were god-like physicians and figures of immense power.
His master gently patted Shen Ye on the head, laughing and scolding him, "Don't act like this is a tragic farewell. I'm telling you to go down the mountain to get married—this is a joyous occasion. You've always been thinking of her, haven't you? Now you've finally got your wish."
At the mention of a wife, Shen Ye’s face lit up with a smile. "Old man, is this reliable? I haven't seen Zhong Xue in eight years. What if she's not interested? Wouldn't that be humiliating?"
His master huffed, "They wouldn't dare be uninterested! Are you kidding? It’s their ancestors’ luck that they could marry into my Medicine King Valley. If their family hadn't begged me for this marriage years ago, I wouldn't have bothered to agree. Here is the marriage contract as proof."
Shen Ye laughed, a vision of the pure, lovely girl appearing in his mind, full of anticipation.
His master gave him a serious piece of advice: "Once you're down the mountain, don't just focus on your own fun. Look after your Senior Sisters, too. Remember, keep the fertile water within our own fields. Your Senior Sister, Jun Zhiwei, is the strongest female war god in Hua Country, wielding immense power and commanding a million dragon soldiers. Your Second Senior Sister, Su Linye, is the world's top assassin, known as the Asura Queen. Your Third Senior Sister, Lan Xining, is the CEO of Lanye Group, holding a trillion-dollar business empire. As for your Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Senior Sisters, they are all impressive in their own right; you'll have to find them yourself. I gave them each a task before they left the mountain; remember to ask them how they're coming along with it. Alright, you can get lost now. I’m going to wander the world and pursue the Dao; don't bother me."
Meanwhile, six beautiful girls across Hua Country learned that Shen Ye had left the mountain, and they all let out cries of surprise and delight.
"Junior Brother has finally come down! I'll give him mansions, sports cars, and beautiful women—whatever he wants, he gets!"
"Yay, Shen Ye is finally off the mountain! I'm going to have his children!"
"Hmph, Junior Brother is mine! None of you succubi better try to steal him from me!"
...
In Ningjiang, at the Zhong family residence, Shen Ye arrived with the marriage contract his master had given him.
"I will never marry him!"
A girl with skin like milk, a statuesque figure, and exquisite features said this with ironclad determination. She was Zhong Xue, CEO of the Zhong Group and future chairperson, with a net worth in the hundreds of millions. "Shen Ye, just kill that thought. It is impossible for me to marry you!"
Zhong Xue was incredibly resolute, not giving Shen Ye the slightest face. The joy and anticipation in Shen Ye's heart vanished instantly. This girl had changed a lot from his memories; she was indeed more beautiful, but she was also far more like a stranger.
Shen Ye asked with a dark expression, "Zhong Xue, have you really thought this through?"
Zhong Xue didn't hesitate: "I have. I will never marry a country bumpkin like you! Shen Ye, you and I belong to two different worlds. I am a golden phoenix destined for the sky, and you are nothing but a loach in the mud. Don't go thinking a toad can eat swan meat! I am about to marry into the Chen family; I am to become the noble Mrs. Chen. Are you really so delusional as to think you're a match for me? I'll give you a sum of money; hurry back to your mountains. The outside world is no place for a bumpkin like you—the backwoods are where you belong."
Zhong Xue grabbed a stack of cash—several tens of thousands—and slapped it onto the table.
Her parents chimed in to smooth things over: "Shen Ye, feelings cannot be forced. A twisted melon is never sweet, and I’m sure you don't want to force little Xue, do you? Her status is noble; she isn't someone you can reach. You're a good man; you'll find a girl suitable for you. Just take the money and go back."
Zhong Xue's parents were clearly trying to drive him away, their faces full of disdain.
Shen Ye looked cold. "Zhong Xue, don't forget who saved your life. And don't forget the words you once said to me!"
Eight years ago, when Zhong Xue was critically ill, her family brought her to Medicine King Valley to beg for help. His master had ignored them, and they had knelt outside all night. In the end, it was Shen Ye who softened and brought them in. During the three months Zhong Xue spent recovering in Medicine King Valley, she stayed with Shen Ye all day. They talked about everything and became the best of confidants. Zhong Xue had said that when she grew up, she would marry Shen Ye, and she had even given him her first kiss, calling it a pledge of love.
Zhong Xue looked at him with disdain and said, shameless, "You were the ones who wanted to save me; no one begged you to do it. Besides, saying I’d marry you back then was just a childish joke. Who told you to take it seriously? Furthermore, it's just your word against mine—who can prove I ever said that?"
Shen Ye was infuriated by Zhong Xue's shamelessness. His face turned livid, and his heart was filled with intense disappointment. How could this girl have become like this? The girl he remembered was not this mean-spirited and ungrateful. Shen Ye laughed at himself; was this what he had come down the mountain for?
*Smack!*
Shen Ye threw the marriage contract onto Zhong Xue's face and said, his voice cold, "If you hadn't said you wanted to marry me, and if your Zhong family hadn't proactively written this contract to beg my master, do you think I would have even looked at you? It’s written in black and white right here. How else do you plan to deny it?"
Seeing the marriage contract, Zhong Xue’s expression changed instantly. She hurriedly asked, "Dad, why is there a marriage contract? When did you write this? Why didn't you ever tell me?"
If the Chen family found out about this marriage contract, how could she still marry into their family?
Zhong Xue's father snatched the contract, threw it into the trash can, and said with absolute certainty, "Little Xue, don't believe him. This contract is fake; Shen Ye forged it! He’s just a toad wanting to eat swan meat, deliberately faking a contract. Don't believe his lies!"
Zhong Xue immediately sneered, scolding him with bitter, sharp words: "Shen Ye, I never imagined you would be so vicious as to forge a marriage contract just to get me. You truly are a despicable person—truly, poor mountains and treacherous waters breed evil people! Get out of here, or don't blame me for calling the police to have you thrown in jail!"
Just then, a crisp voice rang out:
"Shen Ye, I am willing to marry you!"