I accidentally Married the Leader of the Noble Path

“Next, I’ll trouble you, dear, to guide Xiaoqi in cultivation,” Qin Nan said.

“Why not do it yourself?” Shangguan Rouyue asked.

“Because I don’t want you getting jealous,” Qin Nan replied with a shrug.

“When have I ever gotten jealous?” Shangguan Rouyue retorted, visibly displeased.

“Alright, alright, my mistake,” Qin Nan said dismissively.

Despite her irritation, Shangguan Rouyue proceeded to teach Yang Xiaoqi the basics of cultivation, assuring her to ask questions if she didn’t understand.

For some reason, Xiaoqi seemed cautious around Rouyue, speaking haltingly and appearing nervous.

Probably just shy

Since childhood, Xiaoqi has always been introverted. Having had little interaction with Shangguan Rouyue, her timidity was understandable. Even so, Xiaoqi posed many questions, which Shangguan Rouyue patiently answered.

Eventually, Shangguan Rouyue suggested that Xiaoqi stay and practice her breathing techniques on-site.

The area had been transformed into a spiritual haven by Shangguan Rouyue, rich with concentrated spiritual energy. Training here was far more effective than elsewhere.

Observing Xiaoqi’s progress closely, Shangguan Rouyue found her to be surprisingly quick to grasp concepts, often understanding with just a few words.

After dinner, a joyful Xiaoqi returned home.

…

Recently, more villagers started coming to Qin Nan for treatment, leaving him quite busy and delaying his cultivation.

Most of these injuries were caused by wild beast attacks, ranging from minor wounds to severe ones. Some villagers didn’t even make it in time for treatment and lost their lives.

It seemed the same beast was responsible for all these attacks.

Qin Nan realized it was the spirit beast. He hadn’t expected it to still linger near Niujiao Village.

Since there were no known lairs for such beasts nearby, Qin Nan initially assumed it was just passing through and wouldn’t stay long. He was wrong.

The beast remained in the vicinity, attacking villagers who ventured into the mountains, creating significant problems for those who relied on gathering herbs or hunting.

The villagers were now too afraid to enter the mountains freely.

Yesterday, the village chief organized a group of over ten armed villagers to track and kill the beast.

They found it but failed to kill it. The beast’s speed was too great, and several villagers were injured in the process.

Fortunately, their collective efforts managed to wound the beast and force it to flee, preventing further casualties.

Qin Nan knew all of this because he was the one treating most of the injured.

Today, the village chief visited Qin Nan alone. He, too, was injured but had already been bandaged yesterday. Today, he came to change his dressing.

The village chief was a sturdy, authoritative elder. In his youth, he had been the best hunter in the village. However, age had taken its toll on his physical abilities, leaving him with only his reputation.

After Qin Nan finished treating him, the village chief spoke directly, requesting Qin Nan’s help in eliminating the beast.

Of course, this was essentially a request for Shangguan Rouyue’s assistance.

“These are herbs and seedlings we’ve gathered as payment. I hope they’re enough,” the chief said.

“They’re enough,” Qin Nan replied.

He had already planned to deal with the beast. Letting it continue to harm the villagers would be troublesome.

Since the chief had come to him with a reasonable offer, Qin Nan had no reason to refuse. It was an opportunity to help the villagers and earn their gratitude.

Relieved by Qin Nan’s agreement, the village chief left in high spirits.

“We’ll collect herbs and take care of that troublesome beast along the way,” Qin Nan said.

“Understood,” Shangguan Rouyue replied.

After some light preparation, Shangguan Rouyue carried Qin Nan and flew toward the mountains.

The village chief had already informed Qin Nan of the areas where the beast often appeared, so finding it shouldn’t be too difficult.

With Shangguan Rouyue’s strength, there was no way the beast could hide.

However, they didn’t need to search long—the beast came to them instead.

While prioritizing herb gathering, the two unexpectedly encountered the beast after about half an hour.

It was a one-eyed wolf, a first-rank spirit beast. Although it was a wolf, its build was much larger and more imposing.

Among first-rank beasts, it was considered high-tier.

No wonder the villagers couldn’t handle it.

Having heard the villagers’ descriptions, Qin Nan immediately recognized it. There was no mistake.

“I’ll handle this. I need some practice, so don’t step in,” Qin Nan said confidently.

“Be careful,” Shangguan Rouyue said.

Qin Nan drew a long blade he had purchased during a recent trip to Yangshun Town.

With his strength, all he had lacked was a suitable weapon. This blade fit him perfectly, allowing him to unleash his full potential.

As Qin Nan approached, the one-eyed wolf crouched, its single eye glinting with ferocity, ready to strike first.

Grinning, Qin Nan dashed forward, leaping into action and swinging his blade.

The wolf dodged quickly but still got nicked, leaving a shallow gash on its forehead.

Enraged, the wolf roared and lunged at Qin Nan.

Instead of meeting it head-on, Qin Nan sidestepped to maintain a safe distance, baiting it into attacking again.

True to its nature, the beast lacked intelligence. Seeing Qin Nan retreat, it continued its relentless charge.

Seizing the moment, Qin Nan advanced suddenly and struck mid-air, knocking the wolf to the ground.

The wolf lost one of its forelegs, greatly reducing its speed and strength.

Taking advantage of its weakened state, Qin Nan didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward and struck repeatedly until the beast lay lifeless.

And so, the beast that had terrorized the villagers was eliminated.

“That was close,” Qin Nan said, collapsing onto the ground, panting heavily.

Though he feigned exhaustion, he wasn’t truly tired—he had even killed second-rank beasts before. He was merely keeping a low profile.

Shangguan Rouyue didn’t notice, feeling relieved as she watched him catch his breath.

“Now that this beast is gone, the villagers will be happy. Wifey, could you cut off its head as proof? Without the body, they might still worry,” Qin Nan said.

“Alright,” Shangguan Rouyue replied, slicing off the wolf’s head with a flick of her fingers.

Spirit beast corpses decompose quickly after death, leaving nothing behind if not preserved. With the wolf’s head as evidence, the villagers would finally be at ease.

After resting, Qin Nan stood up, brushing leaves and dirt off his clothes.

“This beast was strange. It didn’t live here before, so why did it stay in this area?” he wondered aloud.

Shangguan Rouyue paused, considering his words.

“If I’m not mistaken, there might be a treasure nearby. Spirit beasts are highly sensitive to the presence of rare treasures. If one is nearby, they’ll linger, waiting for it to mature before consuming it,” she explained.

“A treasure? We have to find it! We can’t let it go to waste,” Qin Nan said excitedly.

“Yeah,” Shangguan Rouyue nodded in agreement.