The Matrilocal Husband

Juyao Island. As the name implied, the island took its name from the demon race. Many years ago, internal strife had broken out within Xuantian Palace. The demon race had repeatedly seized the opportunity to invade the mainland, slaughtering mortals and low-level cultivators en masse, leaving the Hidden Sun Realm bathed in rivers of blood and scenes too horrific to behold. It was not until the four lineages made peace and Xuantian Palace united as one that they managed to organize an effective counterattack, driving the demon army completely out of the Hidden Sun Realm. Juyao Island was one of the landmark battlegrounds of that great war. From then on, Xuantian Palace ceased its internal squabbles and gradually regained its strength, growing more powerful by the day. Though the demon race launched multiple offensives, they all ended in failure; the farthest they ever advanced was Juyao Island, where their momentum always broke. Today, Grand Elder Tong Lingyu personally oversaw Juyao Island, directing Xuantian Palace's cultivators against the demons. To Xuantian Palace, Juyao Island was practically another sacred ground. After years of cultivation and fortification, Juyao Island had been built into an impregnable bastion. The entire island and the vast expanse of surrounding sea were enveloped by a grand formation, cloaked within dense mist. Should the demon army press down in full force, Juyao Island would serve as the sturdiest fortress. Within the mist, guards patrolled under strict vigilance. Squads of cultivators entered and exited, many exuding formidable auras, their hurried movements adding to the tense atmosphere. At that moment, three streaks of escape light flew in from the direction of the Hidden Sun Realm. They were none other than Shi Xue, Liuli, and Qin Sang. In recent years, Shi Xue had spent most of her time on Juyao Island assisting Tong Lingyu. There had been a few matters at the Snow Listening Tower, but only days after her return, new developments had arisen on the front lines, prompting her to rush back accompanied by Qin Sang and Liuli. As the three drew near, a beam of light shot out from the depths of the mist, emanating an intense hostility as a warning. Shi Xue signaled for Qin Sang and Liuli to halt, then raised a medallion and waved it forward. The beam came to a sudden stop, revealing a patrol squad. The leading Core Formation cultivator bowed with calm deference and greeted her, "Greetings, Lineage Master Shi." Shi Xue nodded and gestured behind her. "This is my junior sister Liuli, and Snow Listening Tower's Guest Elder, Daoist Qingfeng." The man glanced at Qin Sang and Liuli, unclipped a token from his waist, held it in his palm, and half-closed his eyes. The token glowed faintly, as if resonating with somewhere on the island. At the same time, both Qin Sang and Liuli felt as though they were being scrutinized. It was their first time on Juyao Island, and such inspection was necessary, even when escorted by Shi Xue. Moments later, the guard's expression softened, and he stepped aside to clear the way. A pathway opened within the mist. The three flew slowly forward. Just as they set foot on Juyao Island, a streak of light landed before them—it was Elder Mei. "You're here," Elder Mei greeted them with a smile. She then produced two medallions and handed them to Qin Sang and Liuli. "Refine them with a drop of blood, and you won't need to go through such trouble to enter in the future... Follow me, the Grand Elder is waiting for you." The four conversed as they walked, and Shi Xue seized the opportunity to inquire about the war. "As you know, in the last major battle, although we abandoned the outer islands, we evacuated in good time, so our losses were minimal. Neither side gained much advantage, nor were there heavy casualties, and in the end we both sounded the retreat rather hastily, ending on an anticlimax." Elder Mei briefly summarized the previous clash before continuing, "That old demon Tianpeng is ambitious and certainly wouldn't be content to leave it at that. The Grand Elder anticipated as much, but we did not expect them to stage a comeback so quickly, and with such overwhelming momentum. If it were merely an assault like before, there would be no cause for concern. But a few days ago, we spotted some unfamiliar faces among the demon army..." Pausing, Elder Mei glanced at Qin Sang and said, "Thanks to Daoist Qingfeng's earlier intelligence, we identified their origins without breaking a sweat. It turns out they are all demon kings loyal to Great Sage Jiutou!" Shi Xue's expression shifted slightly. "Could Great Sage Jiutou be joining the war as well?" Great Sage Jiutou had been renowned for many years. Its indifferent nature was known to all. Over the years, Great Sage Tianpeng had always fought alone, while Great Sage Jiutou showed no inclination to intervene. This had once led people to suspect whether Great Sage Jiutou had run into trouble, suffered grievous wounds, or even perished. All things possessed spirit, each following their own path. The demon race's heavenly tribulations differed from those of humans; even across different bloodlines, the intervals between tribulations varied. Thus, humans had no way to accurately gauge Great Sage Jiutou's condition. Of course, this also had something to do with the state of the battlefield. There were no great cultivators in the Star Sand Islands, and Xuantian Palace had previously stood by as a bystander, so Great Sage Tianpeng had never encountered any truly formidable opponents. If his life were endangered, Great Sage Jiutou would likely not sit idly by while his kin faced destruction. "We cannot rule out that possibility," Elder Mei said. A silence fell over them. There was something they left unsaid: Xuantian Palace possessed two late Nascent Soul powerhouses in the Palace Master and the Grand Elder. Even if the demon race struck with all their might, the palace had nothing to fear. The problem, however, was that the Palace Master had not appeared in public for a very long time. Anyone with discerning eyes could tell that the Palace Master's condition was likely worse than expected. Xuantian Palace produced a steady stream of Nascent Soul cultivators and possessed immense overall power, capable of contending even against two demon Great Sages. But if the Palace Master could not take the field and no one could hold back Great Sage Jiutou, severe casualties would be inevitable. None could guarantee that misfortune would not fall upon their own heads. Only Qin Sang remained relaxed, unburdened by much worry. His sole concern was whether this demon uprising would affect the Sacred Ground. As they spoke, the four ascended to the highest peak of Juyao Island. A grand hall had been erected atop the mountain to serve as a council chamber. The various elders, hall masters, and representatives of Xuantian Palace's four primary lineages and the strongest remaining branches were mostly present, including several who had been unable to attend the wedding ceremony. Qin Sang deliberately hung back half a step to keep a low profile. Still, quite a few gazes fell upon this matrilocal husband of the Snow Listening Tower. Naturally, their looks held no contempt. Even as a "matrilocal husband," one required sufficient strength and talent to earn recognition, and Qin Sang clearly possessed the qualifications to stand on equal footing with them. Shi Xue introduced Qin Sang to several Daoists he had not met before, and they exchanged courtesies. After taking their seats, they waited for a few more people before Tong Lingyu arrived. Wasting no words, she got straight to the point. With the two demon Great Sages and the Sacred Ground at stake, each lineage held its own views, arguing back and forth. Here, the influence of the four primary lineages became evident—any unreasonable proposal could be vetoed outright. With Qin Sang and Liuli seated behind her, Shi Xue had ample backing and argued vigorously for her branch's interests. Qin Sang kept to his station, observing without uttering a word. It was late into the night before a begrudging consensus was reached. If the situation did not improve, a large contingent would have to remain behind to guard Juyao Island when the Sacred Ground opened. Those like Qin Sang, who held the qualifications to vie for the Body Cleansing Pool, would definitely go to the Sacred Ground. In return, they would undertake more dangerous missions beforehand as compensation to those who could not enter. And other arrangements of that nature. Between the different lineages—and even within a single lineage—various games of interest played out in intricate tangles that had to be balanced, severely testing the abilities of Tong Lingyu and each lineage master. Qin Sang and Liuli were assigned a reconnaissance mission deep into the front lines. So long as his eligibility was not revoked, Qin Sang had no objections, perfectly willing to bear the burden.