I Have A Martial Dao World

Chapter 167 167. Li Pei's Proposal for a Marriage Alliance

"Martial arts training really does wonders for a woman's figure~"

Lu Yao muttered while massaging.

And during the massage of the Huiyang point, although Li Pei showed no odd reaction on the surface, her ten toes, which looked like garlic cloves, kept clenching and unclenching—enduring the process was obviously a struggle.

Unfortunately, with two senior sisters watching on, Lu Yao didn't dare entertain any naughty thoughts and honestly completed the entire set of procedures.

~~~~~~~

After finishing the session, Lu Yao's hands were fragrant.

Liao Ya quickly went to help Li Pei get dressed.

The Commandery Princess rose with ease, her face showing no trace of shyness or embarrassment.

The massages given by a Spirit Refining Expert are crucial for Martial Dao cultivation, and martial artists seek them ardently.

And since Spirit Refining Experts are exceedingly rare, and even fewer are willing to give massages, it's a prized opportunity.

If one were to also concern oneself with gender proprieties, they might as well never hope for a massage in this lifetime.

Li Pei moved her body around and praised, "Lu Yao, your 'Art of the Dragon Slayer' has reached a great level of mastery! I regret not coming to you sooner!"

Lu Yao chuckled and returned the compliment, "Yours isn't bad either, my spine still feels toasty warm."

"I dare not compare to you; I just rely on my Inner Breath being a bit more robust, that's all."

Both had benefited greatly and exchanged pleasantries, but Li Pei's compliments were particularly heartfelt.

She was truly amazed! Lu Yao's technique was so skilled it could rank in the top three even in the Imperial City—achievable only through frequent practice!

Thinking of this person's talent and wealth, Li Pei decided to speak her mind.

After some small talk, Li Pei suddenly said to Liao Ya, "Sister, may I have a few words with you?"

Liao Ya saw no issue with it, and the two walked arm in arm to the lakeside pavilion.

Li Pei was the first to speak, "Has Lu Yao become your companion?"

Liao Ya nodded, puzzled as to what the Commandery Princess might mean.

"Sect companions—that's something to be envied. However…" Li Pei hinted, "Forgive my frankness, but have you ever considered a political marriage for your sect?"

Liao Ya was taken aback upon hearing this.

Li Pei continued with sincerity,

"I am a prince's daughter, in need of a respectable husband, and your junior brother is a suitable match.

You can rest assured, I don't mind a man having multiple wives and concubines, and after the marriage, Liao Qe would still be Lu Yao's woman.

In this way, your junior brother gains a royal wife, and our relationship will grow even closer.

This is a mutually beneficial arrangement. As the head of the family, you surely see the advantage in this."

Stunned, Liao Ya tried to remain composed.

But she quickly gathered her thoughts. After all, the woman before her came from the royal family, where marriages were treated less as unions founded on love and more as alliances and cooperations.

Her junior brother's wealth and talent were enough to win a Commandery Princess's favor!

Liao Ya, showing an awkward yet polite smile, said, "Commandery Princess, this seems improper..."

This matter wasn't only about Liao Qe. She... she also didn't want to share him with others.

Li Pei, oblivious to this, continued,

"Miss Liao, did you know? I was the one who kept the news of Lu Yao achieving Spirit Refining Oblivion under wraps. Otherwise, your doorstep would've already been worn down by visitors.

The Liao Family cannot accommodate a genius like Lu Yao. Who knows how many glamorous vixens will throw themselves at him in the future? But with me there, you won't have such worries.

I am not a domineering person; we will get along just fine~"

Liao Ya was at a loss for words and didn't know how to respond.

Li Pei, however, didn't rush her. They sat for a while, enjoying the evening breeze,

Li Pei brushed her hair aside and smiled, "Sister, this is just a proposal, no harm done if it doesn't work out. We royal women are often used as tools for political marriages. It's rare for me to have some say in the matter, so I want to find someone I can at least tolerate..."

The Commandery Princess smiled a lonely, wistful smile and finally sighed.

"Ah, if it doesn't work out, let's not mention it to Lu Yao, so as to avoid awkwardness. We're still good sisters~"

Liao Ya nodded lightly, and the two of them walked back to the room arm in arm.

~~~~~~~~

At this moment, Lu Yao was performing a thorough massage on Liao Qe.

Watching his skilled techniques and focused demeanor, Li Pei knew how he had trained to achieve such proficiency.

Only when one cared deeply about the person in their hands would they meticulously attend to every detail of the massage, achieving extraordinary results.

Li Pei envied Liao Qe's blissful expression, as if her soul had soared to the heavens, thinking: She must be able to enjoy massages full of love from her beloved every day.

However, no trace of emotion showed on Li Pei's face, after a few laughs and chats with the three of them, she excused herself and left.

After her departure, Lu Yao and Liao Qe eagerly asked what the two had discussed outside, but Liao Ya fobbed them off, claiming it was private girl talk and revealed nothing.

~~~~~~~~

The Shun Dynasty had been having a whale of a time recently.

The great powers were on the verge of warring amongst themselves, leaving no one to bully them;

The leader of the Mahayana Church had encountered mishaps, struggling mightily under the ferocious attacks from all sides, and on the verge of collapse.

The lure of "Out-of-Body in 5 Years" drew domestic and international forces into action, fighting their way to the Mahayana Church's stronghold—Jinling.

The continued absence of Hong Renkun confirmed for everyone—he really was in trouble.

In light of these circumstances, both the court and the common people were jubilant, feeling as if fortune had finally turned in their favor.

As for the recent sharp increase in cases of robbery, murder, and disappearances amongst the commonfolk, they were but trivial matters.

Meanwhile, Lu Yao and the two sisters had finally reaped the full benefits of the "Sigh of the World's Inaction Scroll."

Liao Ya and Liao Qe had both entered the "Calm and Steady" realm, gaining the abilities of "Body Moves at Will" and "0.5 Times Speed."

Originally, it would have taken fate for the two women to achieve this realm, especially the mischievous Liao Qe, but now they could even look forward to reaching the "Oblivion Realm."

Lu Yao read Hong Renkun's writings every day, deepening his understanding of the Fetal Breath Realm.

However, a breakthrough in Spirit Refinement required some opportunity, which couldn't be rushed.

In terms of Martial Dao cultivation, his bone marrow had almost been completely cleansed—an elementary practice within the Marrow-Cleansing Realm, without much difficulty.

The next steps, "Spinal Cord and Brain Marrow," were the crux of the matter, and also where countless individuals hit a wall.

~~~~~~

Days of study led Lu Yao to develop a certain admiration for Hong Renkun, the leader of the Mahayana Church whom he had never met.

Regardless of the man's personal character, his proficiency in Spirit Refinement was undeniable, and his summarization skills were remarkable, having written a book that could readily serve as a textbook.

The entire text lacked any obscure language, all written in plain terms, almost as if afraid others wouldn't be able to learn it.

Many of his annotations also provoked deep reflection, such as comparing the power of the mind to brain waves.

~~~~~~

At this moment, Su Er Ya respectfully presented today's newspaper: "Master Lu, Izumo Country has deployed troops to Goryeo; the Government Forces have surrounded Jinling."

The young girl was literate and always summarized the important news upfront.

Lu Yao took the newspaper and began to read.

The deployment of Izumo forces to Korea was nothing surprising, for the intentions of Sima Zhao were known to all.

Government Forces encircling Jinling... the Mahayana Church was doomed.

Merchants of the great powers, various national churches, martial arts sects, the Imperial Court, and even militias formed by rural landlords...

All of them hoped to obtain the Mahayana Church's Mystic Cultivation Manual.

A thought struck Lu Yao:

"The 'Tome of Worldly Resignation' is good, but after all, there is only one copy, far from enough for three people to share.

Yunzhou is less than 300 kilometers away from Jinling, reachable within a day; why don't I go?

With numerous powerhouses gathered, even if I don't gain much, just watching the chaos to broaden my horizons would be great—"

The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, rushing to call over his sisters to discuss it.