Gu Xianer’s Little Sister, the Shen Family’s Good-for-Nothing Live-in Son-in-Law of the Heavenly Tide Realm

During this period, considering the matter of the Demon-Burying Abyss, Gu Changge had been thinking... of going to Peach Village to ask Tao Yao about it, and while he was at it, in his capacity as shifu, to check on his disciple Yao Yao.

However, Gu Xianer was not in the clan at the moment. If he went alone, it would more or less... make those old fogeys of Peach Village suspicious, making them think he had ulterior motives toward... Peach Village.

So he decided to keep waiting in the clan for a while longer, until Gu Xianer finished handling her own affairs and returned, and in the meantime, get everything on his plate properly arranged.

But then Gu Changge received a piece of news that surprised him quite a bit.

“Young Master, Xianer-xiaojie left the clan half a year ago, and there has been no word from her since.”

His subordinate said respectfully.

“During this half year, she hasn’t sent back any news at all.”

Gu Changge’s brow furrowed slightly. He couldn’t quite figure out what that girl was up to.

Back when he was at the Taixu Divine Tomb, he had already noticed she had something weighing on her mind, but since she didn’t bring it up herself, Gu Changge didn’t pry.

Given Gu Xianer’s personality, if it was something she could resolve herself, she very likely wouldn’t trouble anyone else.

Especially since this matter involved her parents.

“No, Young Master. When Xianer-xiaojie returned to the clan back then, she didn’t give any instructions. She then left alone, and refused to have the family send any experts to accompany her.”

The subordinate answered.

“Understood. You may leave.”

Gu Changge nodded, his fingers tapping the table at an unhurried pace.

He had been planning to wait for Gu Xianer to return so he could bring her along to Peach Village—it would have made for a proper excuse.

From the looks of it now, he wouldn’t be able to wait for her.

If handling such a small matter took half a year, who knew how much more time she would waste?

“The Heavenly Tide Realm... it is rather close to the Boundary Marker Sea. In this great war against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, it may well be affected.”

“Speaking of which, back then her grandfather went there to hunt for her, attempting to brew Superior Blood Essence, but unfortunately ran into the tides of the Boundary Marker Sea, was gravely wounded, and in the end vanished without a trace.”

“As it happens, the Heavenly Tide Realm is the Overworld where Gu Xianer’s mother’s family resides. Her parents went there to search for her grandfather, and they haven’t returned to the Gu Family in over a decade now.”

Gu Changge recalled the information he had obtained back when he ordered his men to search for traces of Gu Xianer’s grandfather.

Under normal circumstances, Gu Xianer going to find her parents and grandfather shouldn’t have involved so many twists and turns.

After all, behind her stood the Longevity Gu Family. Even if her parents still harbored grudges over what happened back then and were unwilling to return to the Gu Family...

...there was no way they would let Gu Xianer stay there indefinitely.

Thinking of it this way, Gu Changge suddenly caught a whiff of a familiar old trope.

Even if it wasn’t directly about Gu Xianer, it was surely inseparable from her.

“Someone, prepare my carriage. We’re going to the Heavenly Tide Realm.”

Gu Changge’s eyes narrowed slightly, his expression rather intriguing, and then he gave the order.

He had a feeling that in this war against the Eight Wastelands and Ten Domains, the Heavenly Tide Realm was bound to bear the brunt of it. After all, among the many Overworlds adjacent to the Boundary Marker Sea, the Heavenly Tide Realm was very much at the forefront...

The Heavenly Tide Realm—an ancient world of outstanding people and spiritual land, with boundless territory.

Though it was far from being as vast as the Beyond, among the many neighboring Overworlds, it was absolutely one of the foremost worlds.

Within it, mountains and rivers stretched grand and majestic, towering without end. Looking down from the vault of heaven, one would find that among its many great cities, spiritual qi steamed upward and immortal mist curled around them, like holy lands of the mortal world.

The places where living beings gathered were especially prosperous—divine cities floating in the sky, silver waterfalls like cascading silk, colorful mist swirling, clouds rising in splendid rosy hues.

In the Heavenly Tide Realm, aside from the many ancient clans, there were those Holy Lands with long legacies, standing high above, overlooking all living beings.

Within every ancient city, wisps of divine mist of different colors could be seen curling about. Experts sat in command, powerful figures emerged generation after generation, and young prodigies were numerous.

In this world, the level of cultivation was extremely high—in certain respects, it could even rival some of the remote corners of the Beyond.

Of course, compared to the true Beyond, it fell far short; the two could hardly be mentioned in the same breath.

Because in terms of foundation, legacy, and the rules of heaven and earth... the gap was enormous.

Over the years, quite a few experts of the Heavenly Tide Realm had ascended to the Beyond, leaving behind many legends that countless living beings and Cultivators yearned toward.

At times, experts from the Beyond could even be seen descending upon this world, seeking out cultivation seedlings of outstanding talent to bring back to the Beyond for training.

And so, over time, the Beyond was no longer considered mysterious in the eyes of the Heavenly Tide Realm’s inhabitants—yet it still held supreme significance.

At this moment, in the Shen Family, within a towering ancient palace.

A number of elders with powerful auras were gathered here, discussing certain matters.

As one of the several ancient clans with long legacies in the Heavenly Tide Realm, the Shen Family possessed unimaginably terrifying might within a radius of tens of millions of li.

Even the several Holy Lands of the Heavenly Tide Realm with even older foundations were quite wary of them.

Because the Shen Family had countless threads of connection to a certain terrifying power of the Beyond—even visitors from the Beyond were sometimes quite courteous toward them, not daring to slight them.

This matter was no secret among the great powers of the Heavenly Tide Realm.

Inside the palace, several elders with powerful auras and grave expressions were discussing matters, suppressing their anger.

From time to time, the sounds of fierce quarreling leaked out, startling many Shen Family clansmen among the distant mountain peaks.

“Since Xian’er is unwilling, then let this matter be dropped. Is our dignified Shen Family really unable to produce some compensation?”

“It’s true that he saved Xian’er’s grandfather and maternal grandfather back then, but that was over a decade ago. Xian’er is grown now... As for the Marriage Agreement, she can make her own decisions.”

“Are you really going to force her?”

“Let me ask you all one thing—do you dare? The blood of the Gu Family’s direct line flows in her veins... Who among you dares to make decisions about something like this?”

“If Xian’er had been born in the Beyond, she would surely be a goddess renowned throughout the world. How could some trash of unknown origins possibly be worthy of our Shen Family’s heaven-blessed daughter?”

The elder who spoke was imposing even without anger. His lips were somewhat thin, and his words were rather sharp and cutting.

But the things he said left everyone in the great hall unable to refute him.

“But this matter was promised to them in person over a decade ago, and a letter personally written by Xian’er’s grandfather was left behind. If word of this gets out, wouldn’t it disgrace our Shen Family?”

Hearing this, the elder beside him, whose features were kindly, gave a bitter smile, looking quite helpless as well.

“Disgrace? What disgrace? Three years ago that fellow came knocking on our door himself. Our Shen Family treated him as the savior of Xian’er’s grandfather and maternal grandfather—we treated him courteously and with full courtesy. Knowing his body’s special condition, his shattered Spiritual Sea, how many heavenly treasures, Heavenly Herbs, and longevity fruits did we find for him? Have we ever mistreated him?”

“It was agreed clearly back then—if after three years his body hadn’t recovered, the Marriage Agreement would be void, and our Shen Family would owe him nothing.”

“Now the three-year deadline has passed. Has his body shown the slightest improvement?”

“And yet that fellow actually clings to our Shen Family, refusing to honor the agreement from three years ago. How am I supposed to swallow this?”

The sharp-featured elder said in boundless fury.

Hearing this, the others couldn’t help but smile bitterly as well. That agreement three years ago had actually only been made half in jest. A shattered Spiritual Sea—with the Shen Family’s wealth and foundation, how could that possibly be unsolvable?

They had said it back then only to express that it was a minor problem; if it couldn’t be solved, then naturally there would be no need to honor the Marriage Agreement.

Because in their eyes at the time, the person behind Li Xiu was extraordinary, someone worth befriending deeply.

But that fellow just happened to be... peculiar. No matter how many heavenly treasures went down, his shattered Spiritual Sea showed not the slightest change.

No one knew what exactly was going on with his body.

This left them feeling helpless. The words back then had only been a verbal agreement, with no evidence left behind.

Now, even if they wanted to honor it, the other party was playing the rogue, and there was nothing they could do.

Worse, it would give people something to gossip about—they’d say the Shen Family burned bridges after crossing the river, turning their backs and refusing to acknowledge their word.

And now that Shen Xian’er had brought the matter up again, saying she didn’t want to marry a cripple, they too felt their heads ache, finding it hard to resolve.

Yet this matter had been settled jointly by her grandfather and maternal grandfather back then.

“Elders, there is no need to say more.”

“In this life, I only wish to pursue the Great Dao. I do not intend to marry or bear children. Even without what happened three years ago, I would not agree to this Marriage Agreement.”

“When my maternal grandfather and grandfather return, I will explain this matter to them personally.”

Just then, a young girl walked in from outside the hall.

She looked to be only thirteen or fourteen years old.

She wore a moon-white long dress. Her features were breathtakingly beautiful, her skin snow-white and delicate, her figure tall and slender. Her whole being exuded a cool, tranquil aura, as if nothing in the world could move her.

Even her tone of voice carried not the slightest ripple.

Seeing the girl walk in, everyone in the great hall was momentarily stunned, then smiled bitterly.

The elder who had spoken earlier revealed a kindly smile and said, “Rest assured, Xian’er. Your older sister is in the clan now as well. With her here, no one will force you into anything like this.”

“As for the Marriage Agreement, just tear it up and be done with it.”

“How could trash with a shattered Spiritual Sea like that possibly be worthy of you?”

The girl named Shen Xian’er nodded at his words and said, “Thank you, Second Grandfather. I understand.”

At this, the people in the great hall said nothing more.

Although Shen Xian’er had been born into the Shen Family, half of the Gu Family’s direct-line blood flowed in her veins. If the Gu Family learned of this, they would certainly not let her remain here.

It was only due to special circumstances that Shen Xian’er’s parents did not want the Gu Family to know of her existence.

Otherwise, she would have long since gone to the Beyond to cultivate—there was no way she would still be in the Heavenly Tide Realm.

“Then the matter of Li Xiu is settled. In a moment, this old man will personally go speak with him.”

The elder who had spoken earlier continued, his words carrying considerable dissatisfaction toward... that man named Li Xiu.

Everyone nodded and said nothing more.

At the same time, in a valley where spiritual mist drifted ethereally, like a realm of immortals.

A man, a woman, and a young lady were there, also speaking softly about these matters.

The man was quite heroic in bearing, his aura powerful, his features resolute.

The woman was very beautiful, and the way she looked at the young lady carried doting affection.

The young lady wore a flowing fairy dress with wide sleeves, beautiful beyond the point of suffocation. Her hair was like clouds, her features delicate and exquisite without a single flaw to be found, her skin fair and fine like the most flawless mutton-fat jade.

Her expression was rather cool and aloof, carrying an immortal air of one detached from worldly strife—it was none other than Gu Xianer.

“This matter was decided by your little sister herself, so you don’t need to worry about it.”

“Your sister’s temperament is very much like yours, but her heart holds only the Great Dao. Back then, your grandfather and maternal grandfather should never have arranged this Marriage Agreement for her.”

This couple was, naturally, Gu Xianer’s parents.

At this moment, the two of them spoke with some sighs, bringing up Shen Xian’er’s matter and telling Gu Xianer she needn’t concern herself with it.

“I know. Xian’er’s affairs are for her to decide herself. No one can force her.”

Gu Xianer nodded at their words, appearing very mature and steady before her parents, every bit the older sister.

That said, her heart still held some worry.

Half a year ago, she had received news that something had happened in her mother’s family.

She was somewhat worried, and since she hadn’t seen her parents in over a decade, she came to the Heavenly Tide Realm alone.

Only after arriving did she learn that during the years she had been missing, her parents had believed something had happened to her. Heartbroken to the point of despair, and thinking to leave behind an heir, they had given her a little sister.

She happened to be three years younger than Gu Xianer, named Shen Xian’er.

However, because of what happened back then, her parents harbored grudges against the Gu Family and had been unwilling to return all these years. They even gave the child the surname Shen rather than Gu.

They had never told the Gu Family about any of this.

Had Gu Xianer not come here in person, she would never have known she had a little sister.

As for Shen Xian’er’s temperament—though it seemed similar to her own, her heart held only the cultivation of the Great Dao, with no other distractions whatsoever.

Her own cultivation talent was also extremely outstanding, unmatched among her peers.

Even if she went to the Beyond, she could shine brilliantly, becoming a Young Prodigy who swept all before her, invincible in her domain.

All of this, Gu Xianer had only ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠learned after coming to the Shen Family.

As for the Marriage Agreement, that had to be traced back over a decade.

At that time, her grandfather had gone hunting near the Boundary Marker Sea, attempting to catch fierce beasts containing special talents, in order to brew Superior Blood Essence for her cultivation.

But unexpectedly, he encountered the tides of the Boundary Marker Sea and was swept into a land of certain death, gravely wounded.

After her parents learned of this, they brought clansmen here to search for him.

Yet Gu Xianer’s parents searched for a long time without finding any trace of him.

Then they heard the shocking news of the upheaval from the Gu Family. Heartbroken and utterly despairing, they returned to the Shen Family to live in seclusion.

On the Shen Family’s side, after Gu Xianer’s maternal grandfather emerged from seclusion and learned of the matter, he too led experts rushing over, attempting to find traces of her grandfather.

As it happened, her little sister had just been born at that time.

Unfortunately, though the man was found, her maternal grandfather and grandfather both ended up trapped within that place together.

The two were trapped in that perilous land for many years, their lives hanging by a thread.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, a mysterious old man suddenly appeared, saved the two of them, and personally treated their injuries.

By this old man’s side was a young child.

This child was named Li Xiu. The old and the young were of unknown origins, very mysterious.

To repay the old man’s great kindness, and considering his extraordinary methods...

Gu Xianer’s maternal grandfather and grandfather conferred, revealed their origins, and promised to repay the old man’s great kindness in the future. At the same time, they intended to have the newborn Shen Xian’er take him as her master.

Unfortunately, the old man did not agree, saying he did not take disciples.

The two then changed their approach. Seeing that the child by his side was not young, they promised a marriage instead. To this, the old man... did not hesitate at all.

And that was how the Marriage Agreement between Shen Xian’er and Li Xiu came ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to be.

Originally, the Shen Family clansmen had nearly forgotten about the matter, because after the old man agreed back then, he left with the child, vanishing without a trace.

Even though the Shen Family inquired everywhere, they found no clues or traces of them.

Everyone had thought the matter was nothing more than a jest, and no one took it seriously.

But three years ago, a young man named Li Xiu suddenly came knocking on their door, holding the letter jointly written by Gu Xianer’s maternal grandfather and grandfather back then, demanding the Marriage Agreement be honored.

This stunned everyone in the Shen Family—no one had expected the events of back then to actually be real.

Considering that the other party had done them a great kindness, the Shen Family did not make things difficult for Li Xiu. Not only did they let him move in, they also tried to find ways to repair his shattered Spiritual Sea.

As for that mysterious old man from back then, the Shen Family... never saw him. Suspecting that Li Xiu was his disciple, they did not slight him either.

However, Li Xiu’s Spiritual Sea was quite peculiar. Not only was it shattered, it couldn’t gather even the slightest wisp of spiritual qi. No matter how many spiritual medicines went down, it was like clay oxen sinking into the sea—there was not the slightest sign of recovery.

Over time, he became a laughingstock in the surrounding area.

The Shen Family had a good-for-nothing live-in son-in-law.

This matter also left the Shen Family’s face without anywhere to rest.

But it had been their own promise back then, so it wasn’t easy to go back on their word.

And Shen Xian’er happened to be someone whose heart was set solely on cultivation, deeply averse to such matters. In three years, she had only met Li Xiu a mere handful of times.

“This Li Xiu—his bearing and self-cultivation are not simple. For these three years, he’s spent every day in that courtyard of his, tending flowers and planting grass, paying no mind to anything else. That kind of leisure ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠is not something ordinary people can match.”

Mrs. Shen sighed and said, “If only his Spiritual Sea weren’t damaged, it would be fine. But he just happens to be a cripple who cannot cultivate. Sometimes, I even feel like he’s some old monster who has seen through all the vicissitudes of the mortal world...”

“Doesn’t this just wrong Xian’er? Father and the others should never have made such a casual promise back then. Of all the ways to repay a debt, why did they have to use Xian’er’s lifelong happiness?”

Hearing this, Father Gu smiled bitterly and said, “It’s useless to talk about this now. Let’s see how the clan handles it. In any case... no one dares to force Xian’er.”

Gu Xianer nodded and said in a cool, clear voice, “In this matter, we are indeed in the wrong. But over these three years, the Shen Family has expended a great many resources, so in truth we owe him nothing anymore. When the time comes, we can just give him... some additional compensation. If that mysterious shifu of his returns and is dissatisfied with this, we can have him name other terms.”

Her thinking was simple: even if they were in the wrong, she couldn’t let her little sister suffer.

At that moment, a divine rainbow descended from beyond the valley.

It was none other than Shen Xian’er, who had left the palace. Hearing these words, she glanced at Gu Xianer and said, “Thank you, jiejie.”

“Oh, right, Xianer. We’ve been busy dealing with your sister’s affairs this whole time, so as for your own matters... we don’t really know much about them. What do you plan to do about the Gu Family now?”

“What happened back then—at the end of the day, it was the Gu Family that wronged us. Gu Changge was so young, yet his heart was already so vicious. You used to cling to him so much back then, and yet he could still bring himself to do it.”

Mrs. Shen suddenly asked, her expression somewhat pained. When she mentioned the Gu Family, she still carried some resentment.

Father Gu, at the side, also fell silent. This was the reason they had not returned to the Gu Family all these years—they truly could not accept these things... The grudge remained in their hearts.

Little Gu Xianer, so young, had endured all of this...

If not for their current lack of strength..., they would have wanted to go before Gu Changge in person and demand to know why he had done such a thing.

Hearing this, Gu Xianer shook her head and explained, “Mother, this matter was actually a misunderstanding. You don’t need to worry anymore. The clansmen of our branch are doing very well now, and Gu Changge is not as terrible as you think.”

“He simply had unspeakable difficulties of his own.”

This matter concerned Gu Changge’s secret. Although she knew the parents before her cared about her, she would not expose it because of that and invite unnecessary trouble.

“Jiejie...”

Shen Xian’er looked at Gu Xianer. In truth, she had known since childhood about what had happened to Gu Xianer—she knew of her sister’s tragic childhood experiences and felt deep sympathy for her.

At times, she had even believed Gu Xianer was no longer among the living, and had planned to avenge her jiejie once her cultivation was accomplished.

As for the Gu Changge her parents spoke of—though she had never met him, she too harbored hatred toward him. She had never imagined that a fellow clansman, Gu Xianer’s own cousin no less, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could do something so vicious and heartless at such a young age.