You were puzzled until you saw the simple and honest Miao Jiayao's face break into a foolish grin. Suddenly, you understood—this wasn't about adopting a daughter, but about buying a wife for Miao Jiayao. The little girl was still too young, so they were raising her under the guise of adoption until she came of age for marriage.

This meal essentially served as their wedding banquet. A thirty-two-year-old man and a thirteen-year-old girl—the age gap was nearly a full generation. You were inwardly shocked. Miao Jiayao had really lucked out.

However, you knew the girl's family must have been in dire poverty to resort to selling their daughter. As an outsider, you couldn't comment. You agreed to attend the meal and entered the courtyard to put down your daily purchases. While waiting outside, Miao Jiayao noticed the wooden dummy and weapon racks in your yard—clear signs of martial arts training.

His respect for you grew instantly. Martial artists occupied the highest social stratum. The butcher from the neighboring village had only spent a month in a martial arts school, yet he dominated his village completely. Seeing your professional training equipment, Miao Jiayao assumed you must be far stronger than that butcher.

If only he knew the principle that poor students often have the fanciest tools, he wouldn't judge skill by equipment alone. When you emerged, Miao Jiayao's manner became even more deferential.

At the meal in Miao Jiayao's home, you noticed a delicate-looking girl across from you stealing timid glances. Compared to the rough farming families, your refined appearance and fine clothing made you stand out dramatically. The naive girl couldn't help her curiosity.

Miao Jiayao introduced her as Wei Xia, the old couple's adopted daughter. You observed the thin, childish girl—she was still very much a child. After the meal, you gifted them five taels of silver as a wedding present, nearly equivalent to their annual income. The family was moved to tears. Miao Jiayao grew so emotional he nearly asked to become your sworn son—until you pointed out you'd be taking on a son older than yourself.

Back in your courtyard, you arranged various meats and medicinal herbs on the table beneath the peach tree for your daily nutritional regimen. Midway through your meal, you heard faint swallowing sounds outside your gate. Despite the softness, your trained martial artist's senses detected it clearly.

"What are you doing?" you suddenly appeared behind Wei Xia. Startled, she looked between you and the still-closed gate, bewildered by your sudden appearance. When questioned, she stammered incoherently.

In truth, the girl simply felt you were closer to her age than the villagers and wanted to play, but her shyness prevented direct approach. Watching you consume quantities of meat her family couldn't afford in a year had made her mouth water uncontrollably.

Recognizing no malice, yet unwilling to complicate your secluded training, you said, "Go home, and don't come back to spy." The malnourished girl hung her head and retreated.

Your rigorous training continued unabated. The following year, you broke through to early-stage Skin Refining—strengthening flesh and blood while increasing strength to three hundred jin. You'd officially stepped onto the martial path.

You began practicing Cloud Treading Steps simultaneously. This movement technique for evasion sometimes proved more practical than orthodox methods—it could literally save your life. Keeping disaster perpetually one step behind was its own form of power.

Unlike cultivation techniques, martial skills didn't increase realm progression but enhanced combat capability. Their mastery levels progressed from Beginner to Initial Achievement, Minor Achievement, Major Achievement, and finally Perfection.

During this period, Wei Xia returned twice more to secretly observe. You ignored her. The girl remained unaware of her future as Miao Jiayao's wife. You remained singularly focused on cultivation—you loved it too much. Women couldn't distract you, especially another man's woman.

Despite your indifference, rumors began circulating through the village gossip network about Wei Xia eloping with you. Unwittingly, you'd been cast as the villain in their drama. While you held no interest in Wei Xia, Miao Jiayao grew terrified of losing her and confined her to home thereafter.

Years passed swiftly. Seven peach harvests came and went. At twenty-two, few would guess you'd been merely fifteen seven years prior. Your early-stage Skin Refining foundation had solidified completely, and you began sensing the threshold to mid-stage.

Redoubling your efforts, you trained ceaselessly—sleeping only to resume cultivation, like final exam preparations. The daily progress made it exhilarating. "Small daily improvements lead to major advances!" you encouraged yourself.

Though your talent couldn't match Wang Yuanyi's, it was respectable. Your dedication finally bore fruit in the eighth year. One night, a strange tingling traveled your spine as you lay in bed—you'd broken through to mid-stage Skin Refining, achieving six hundred jin strength.

Robust internal energy circulated through you like a twelve-cylinder engine. Your comprehension of the Golden Saber Technique deepened, and Cry of the Swan Goose danced effortlessly in your hands. Cloud Treading Steps also advanced to Initial Achievement level—your footwork became dazzlingly agile.

Light as a feather, you could traverse rooftops without sound. The skill seemed tailor-made for burglary. Coincidentally, funds plundered from the Golden Saber Martial Arts School were nearly exhausted.

That night, you traveled over a hundred li west to Linjiang County's town. Utilizing Cloud Treading Steps, you robbed three wealthy landowners' residences undetected. These tycoons had amassed fortunes through exploitation—you stole without guilt.

Yet even thieves needed principles. "Take wealth, not lives," you reminded yourself—right before decapitating one landlord's son. "You assaulted women publicly—you forfeited humanity." This didn't violate professional ethics, you reasoned proudly. "True professionals love their craft."

Your haul totaled 32,800 taels silver, 4,790 taels gold, plus assorted jewelry—an immense windfall. Returning stealthily, you resumed low-profile cultivation. While your courtyard remained tranquil, Linjiang County erupted in uproar.

Three prominent families robbed simultaneously became the scandal of the century. The true mystery was how such quantities of treasure vanished without trace—normally requiring multiple cartloads. County investigators found nothing, and the case became Linjiang's greatest unsolved mystery.

Little did they know, greater mysteries awaited.