The path to immortality through martial arts begins with being forced into marriage!

"Master...Master, wake up!"

"Don't scare Tang'er!"

"Tang'er, don't cry yet, let's get down to business!"

"The Cui family line cannot die out; Yi'er is the only direct descendant left!"

"No matter what, we must leave an heir for the Cui family!"

"Not only you, but my sister-in-law will too later... Sigh, I just hope that we can both receive the protection of the Cui ancestors and succeed in one go, so that the Cui family line can continue!"

The heart-wrenching cries of a young child rang in his ears, abruptly pulling Cui Yi back from the darkness.

My head was throbbing, my throat was so dry it felt like it was on fire, and my whole body was so weak I had no strength left.

After finally opening his eyes, Cui Yi was somewhat bewildered by the unfamiliar surroundings.

"I...I've time-traveled?"

The room, with its antique charm, was simply furnished but exceptionally tidy, clearly having been meticulously organized, and the air was filled with a strong aroma of traditional Chinese medicine.

Before Cui Yi could fully adjust, he realized someone was pulling down his pants.

???

The sudden blast of cold air jolted Cui Yi awake, but his weakened state prevented him from getting up immediately.

With great difficulty, he turned his neck and saw a small, thin figure sobbing beside his bed.

She was a little girl with an innocent, childlike appearance, wearing a faded coarse cloth dress, with two withered yellow braids hanging down her shoulders.

Beside the young girl was a rather young-looking woman whose impressive figure was still evident despite her coarse linen clothes. She was also blushing and muttering something to herself.

Perhaps sensing Cui Yi turning his head, the little girl suddenly raised her head, her face red from crying, her eyes swollen like walnuts.

But those eyes were surprisingly bright, and they were wide open in disbelief.

"Sir! Are you alright?!"

"Who are you......"

As soon as Cui Yi uttered his question, a memory that did not belong to him instantly flooded into his mind.

The original owner of this body was also named Cui Yi, and came from a once-illustrious family of cultivators.

The Cui family.

At its peak, the Cui family ancestor was renowned for his three demon-subduing techniques, protecting the people within a thousand miles from invasion and earning the respect of all.

However, times have changed, and the family line has declined. By the time of the original owner's generation, the family had fallen into ruin, leaving only an empty title and this dilapidated old house.

Ironically, the original owner, a direct descendant of the Cui family, was of mediocre talent, unable to cultivate true qi or inherit the Cui family's unique skills, and was instead weak and sickly.

The original owner's parents and brother also perished in a monster attack three years ago, leaving him all alone.

The little girl in front of me is named Tang'er. She was a child bride that Cui's mother bought from famine refugees many years ago.

As for the woman next to him, she was Xu Yunyan, Cui Yi's sister-in-law who had not yet married into the family.

Xu's grandfather received favors from the Cui family and rose to prominence. He was also engaged to Cui Yi's brother, Cui Yan. Unfortunately, fate was unkind, and the Cui family suffered such a massacre.

According to common sense, this betrothal should have been called off with Cui Yan's death, and the Xu family had even come to persuade their daughter to go back and find another family.

However, Xu Yunyan considered herself Cui Yan's widow and stubbornly stayed.

For the past three years, this unmarried woman has taken on the responsibility of caring for her brother-in-law and future sister-in-law.

A few days ago, the original owner suddenly fell into a coma due to a serious illness. Instead of helping him, the so-called relatives in the clan took the opportunity to come to his door and forcibly took away the last few valuable ancestral items and land deeds of the family, claiming that the young members of the clan were too young and needed to be taken care of by their elders.

Desperate, Xu Yunyan and Tang'er listened to the words of the village elders and, clinging to their last hope, got married to bring good fortune.

Unexpectedly, this surge actually brought the soul from another world into this young body.

"Sir, would you like some water..."

Seeing that his eyes were unfocused, Tang'er hurriedly wiped her face with her sleeve.

The little girl staggered to the table, poured a bowl of warm water, carefully carried it to the bedside, and used her thin shoulders to support Cui Yi's upper body, feeding him little by little.

The cool water slid down his burning throat, and Cui Yi felt much better, his muddled mind clearing up a bit.

However, there was a strange object attached to it.

At first, Cui Yi thought it was a hallucination caused by physical weakness, but when he shook his head to try to dispel the dizziness, the phantom did not disappear. Instead, it gradually solidified and enlarged in the depths of his consciousness.

This is not an illusion!

Consciousness seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, sinking into a chaotic and unknown place.

In the darkness, the outline of a small tower slowly emerged, with only the first floor visible. The upper floors were hidden in the chaotic mist and could not be clearly seen.

Although it is only one layer, it exudes an unparalleled aura that seems capable of suppressing all the myriad paths of the heavens!

This tower looks kind of familiar.

Isn't this an old family heirloom?!

He'd worn it around his neck like a pendant since I was little, and I never imagined we'd travel through time together!

Cui Yi's eyes narrowed, and his divine sense directly entered the first level of the small tower, whereupon two lines of text appeared out of thin air in his mind.

"The Nine-Layered Pagoda is the foundation of the Dao; with your longevity, you will illuminate the path of change!"

"Cui Yi, lifespan remaining: 21 years!"

Besides these two lines of text, there are two books floating in front of me.

One book is called the Qi-Gathering Technique, and the other is called the Three Demon-Subduing Techniques!

These two books were clearly the ancestral martial arts techniques and skills of the Cui family.

After some exploration, Cui Yi understood that the purpose of the first level of the tower was to accelerate the comprehension and learning of cultivation techniques and martial arts by burning one's lifespan.

To put it simply, it's just like skipping the combat process in a game.

The consumption is the same, only the process is omitted.

In the original owner's memory, the Qi-guiding technique and the incantation of the three demon-subduing techniques passed down by the Cui family were the most basic introductory things. The original owner had mediocre talent and had never been able to master them.

And now, you can actually learn it by spending your life on it!

only......

Is spending your life on this too high a price to pay?

This is not something that can be restored like physical strength or energy; it is a real, non-renewable resource.

He only has 21 years left to live in this life. If he wastes even a little, he will become a true short-lived ghost!

But soon, Cui Yi noticed a line of small gold text below.

[Note: Slaying demons and monsters, killing those who are deeply sinful, and ensuring the continuation of one's lineage can all earn merit and compensate for one's own lifespan.]

Cui Yi's heart skipped a beat, almost leaping out of his chest!

It can prolong life!

This short line of text instantly changed the nature of the first level of the pagoda!

The existence of the Nine-Layered Pagoda has transformed from a desperate, desperate, and insane choice into a high-risk yet high-reward hunting tool!

Cui Yi never expected that having many offspring could also be a way to prolong life.

"Sir, thankfully you're alright..."

Recalling what she had just witnessed, Tang'er sighed with lingering fear.

This shout also pulled Cui Yi out of his sea of ​​consciousness.

"Why are you calling me...Master? Weren't you always called Young Master?"

Upon hearing this, Tang'er blushed slightly: "Because the uncles and aunts in the village said that after getting married, the young master will no longer be a child."

"Tang'er is also the young master's wife, so naturally she should address her husband as 'Master' just like other married women."

Cui Yi then showed a look of sudden realization, so that's what happened.

"It sounds awkward to keep calling me 'Master' all the time. From now on, you should just call me 'Young Master'."

"Yes, young master!"

"Um, could you help me pull up my pants first...?"