NOVEL NEXT Chapter 41: I Choose Him
Days passed uneventfully and quickly, and as such, a week passed…
The night before Spark's departure, at Merchant Wei's mansion, within his office—unlike the usual—Merchant Wei wasn't busy counting goods or gold. Today, he just stood solemnly facing the window, his gray hair riding the wind silently as he gazed at the moon…
"Father, you called for me…" Cai'er said the moment she stepped into the room, but she quickly noticed the heavy atmosphere. Her ever-doting father seemed to be out of it today, and she could guess why.
Her face drooped as she clenched the hem of her dress, letting the silence linger longer…
Letting out a burdened sigh, he finally spoke—his pain-filled words breaking the silence. "For you to have asked Spark to accompany you to Nightmare Paradise means you've already made your choice." This was the first time Spark's name left his mouth.
His words weighed on her heavily. Clenching her dress tighter, she answered resolutely, "Yes."
The answer affected the old man considerably, and his back hunched slightly as though he had suddenly aged a few more years. His wrinkles deepened, and his eyes reddened. "Why?" he questioned.
Cai'er stayed silent, not knowing what to reply at first. Then he questioned once more, his voice stained with guilt. "Why? You can have any man you wish for under the stars—even immortals would lust for you. With that method you acquired, you can use any man you want to ascend to the heavens in a single step…
So why? Cai'er, why choose him? We know nothing of his background. We know nothing of who he truly even is. So why?
I thought the plan was for him to just help you retrieve it?"
The more the elder spoke, the more his voice went hoarse.
Closing her eyes, then steeling herself, Cai'er responded—her voice certain. "Father, I've walked the immortal lands. Even if my time there was brief, I met all kinds of outstanding individuals. I even met some who had backgrounds I couldn't even imagine.
But I can tell you for sure, Father—even among those countless geniuses, none is comparable to him."
The elder finally turned around, his gaze cutting through the shadows to meet hers. "And how do you know this?" he asked, this time his voice a little colder.
Cai'er smiled faintly. "Father, the Extreme Yin physique I possess doesn't just provoke the masculine instinct of men toward me—it does the same for me. It grants me the most heightened sense and intuition for finding the most perfect mate.
It works based on my instincts. And as much as men can feel the overwhelming Yin energy I emit, I can feel the Yang energy of every man…
And I can tell you this, Father—Spark is injured. He is in what is probably his poorest state yet. But even with these factors, the Yang energy he emits is so overwhelming, my Yin physique always feels suppressed in his presence.
At first, I wanted to meet him on a whim—just to use him to gain the Nether Marriage certificate that was stolen along with other goods by Slade. But then I met him, and I understood…"
When she reached this point in her speech, she met her father's gaze. Unable to bear the pause, Elder Wei inquired, "Understood what?"
Her face burst into a brilliant smile. "I understood that if other men could help me ascend the heavens with one step, then he can take me to reach the heavens beyond the heavens."
The elder frowned in skepticism. He didn't understand how that could be possible. How could a mortal be better than an immortal?
Seeing her father's doubts, she took a few forward steps toward him, then bowed. "Father, you might not believe him. I won't ask you to do that… I only ask for you to trust me."
Elder Wei gazed at his most beloved daughter in silent contemplation. Honestly, he never expected Cai'er to run into a fortuitous encounter during her time in the immortal lands.
She found an ancient scripture—or to be more specific, it was an ancient certificate crafted by the heavenly laws for the technique: Nether Marriage Transcends Six Paths.
Coincidentally, this technique could only be used by maidens with special constitutions like Cai'er's. Normally, her Extreme Yin physique could only benefit the first man to deflower her. After that, she would lose too much life force—or even die outright—due to the man attaining her Yin to balance his Yang.
But with this certificate, as long as she signs a vow of marriage to a man, and he does so in return, they could perform dual cultivation, which would bolster their speed of cultivating regardless of their path—be it Qi, Spirit, Essence Weaving, or Martial Arts.
But before she could activate this certificate technique, she needed power of any kind—be it Qi, Spirit, or Will. Hence why she asked Spark to escort her to Nightmare Paradise. Though that wasn't the only reason—the journey toward the gates would be perilous, and she needed an expert to keep her safe until she arrived.
But this motive was mainly secondary. She planned to sign this certificate with Spark. Remembering the day she met him, she couldn't help but blush.
She stepped into his room, and right before her sat a bandaged figure meeting her gaze—his sapphire blue pupils alight with curiosity, not lust. But that didn't attract her attention. What did was the towering light brought by his figure.
While some men just had a flame in their belly, some had the flame engulfing their figures. And the best she had seen was a man who radiated a flame that was at least four feet high.
But before Spark, they all paled in comparison. She couldn't even classify the Yang energy she saw as a flame. The sun—it blazed just as bright as the sun. She remembered the thought that ran through her mind as she saw it. But even with her shock and awe, she never once betrayed this expression.
She even went closer to him to take a good look—and indeed, she wasn't wrong. Right there and then, she made up her mind. He's the one.
Seeing his daughter's resolute appearance, Elder Wei knew he couldn't sway her choice, and he could only trust her. "I will trust you… and remember, no matter how it turns out, Father will always still be here for you till the end."
She smiled. Since the death of Viscount Ji, the Vermilion Fruit—which was nigh impossible to attain previously—was now in the market, and her father had expended various resources to get his hands on as many as possible.
Indeed, his love for her knew no bounds. Whispering beneath her breath, she replied, "I know, Father."
And the elder hugged her tightly, as though never wanting to let her go. She was, and would always be, his treasure…
Right now, he wasn't a merchant or a schemer—he was just a loving and doting father.