My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!

As April rolled in, the aftermath of the Imperial Examination gradually faded.

Failed candidates had already embarked on their journeys back home.

Some, having witnessed the glory of the Advanced Scholars, secretly vowed to work harder during the next four years in preparation for the next examination.

Others, disheartened, abandoned their dreams of being listed on the golden roster, opting to pursue other paths.

For the new Advanced Scholars, it surely was a time to bask in success.

Those assigned near Chang'an had eagerly begun their appointments, while those with farther destinations were on their way to assume their duties.

Though Ministry of Rites was not far from home, Li Nuo had not rushed to report there but was instead teaching Jiaren and Yiren swordsmanship at home.

He dedicated odd days to Jiaren and even days to Yiren.

The insights Li Nuo had gained from the assassin on the Heavenly Mountain Sword Technique, he shared with them without reservation.

Li Nuo had Housekeeper Wu conduct an investigation, confirming that the Heavenly Mountain Seven Killers were indeed disciples of Heavenly Mountain Sect.

Originally eight in number, due to their frequent misdeeds and violations of the Sect's rules, they were expunged from the Sect and turned to assassination, their hands stained with countless blood, even committing extensive slaughters.

Each one of the eight, taken individually, was not particularly formidable.

Yet their coming from the same Sect and practicing the same form of swordsmanship gave them impeccable coordination during battle; usually attacking together, they could easily annihilate smaller sects and even overwhelm average Grandmasters.

Moreover, having once slain a Grandmaster-level figure added to their fearsome reputation in Jianghu, deterring anyone from recklessly provoking them.

The assassin hailed from the Heavenly Mountain Sword Sect, confirming that the swordsmanship Li Nuo taught was indeed the authentic Heavenly Mountain Sword Technique.

However, being only of the Fourth Realm in cultivation, his understanding of the Heavenly Mountain Sword Technique was limited.

What Li Nuo knew, he had fully imparted to them; they only needed to keep practicing diligently.

In the morning, someone from the Ministry of Rites had visited the Song Residence.

However, they were not urging Li Nuo to assume his role but were inquiring about his and his wife's birth data.

Based on the birth data of the three, the Ministry of Rites would choose an auspicious date.

When the two married last year, it had not been celebrated grandly, and during the Emperor's granting of the marriage, he had mentioned that his wife should also have a wedding ceremony during Li Nuo's marriage to Anning.

This elevated their marital status from being arranged by parents to being decreed by the Emperor.

This not only signified a favor to the top scholar but also reflected the magnanimity of the Royal disposition.

Of course, Li Nuo knew that this was specifically sought by Anning for him and his wife.

Knowing how considerate Anning was and how amiable his wife was, he no longer had to worry about domestic harmony.

Li Nuo glanced at Yiren practicing swordsmanship,

then looked at Anning learning flower arranging with his wife.

Thankfully he married her instead; otherwise, he might never have peace again.

Housekeeper Wu entered from outside and said, "Young Master, tomorrow is madam's death anniversary. You and the young mistress must return to the Li Family to worship with the master…"

Li Nuo had no memories of his mother in this world.

He only knew from Housekeeper Wu that she and his father had been childhood sweethearts, grown up together, and she had passed away from a severe illness a few years after giving birth to Li Nuo.

The next day.

In the early morning, a carriage slowly stopped in front of Li Mansion.

Li Nuo alighted from the carriage, and three other figures also got down.

Going to worship his mother, his wife was now part of the Li Family and naturally had to accompany him.

Anning, being potentially part of the Li Family, could have chosen not to attend, but upon hearing about it, she insisted on coming, and Li Nuo brought her along.

As for Yiren, no one could stop her desire to join.

According to the marriage agreement set previously, she should have been the Li Family's young mistress, so attending the mother's memorial service was reasonable.

A figure slowly walked out from Li Mansion.

Li Nuo approached and said, "Father."

Li Xuanjing nodded, turned to Anning, and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Anning quickly responded, "There's no need for such formalities from you, Father; just call me Anning."

Song Yiren silently stood behind Song Jiaren, a trace of melancholy emerging in her heart.

That respectful title was supposed to be hers to utter.

She stepped forward and politely said, "Greetings, Uncle Li."

Li Xuanjing nodded and asked, "Yiren, how has your mother been these years?"

Song Yiren softly answered, "Thank you, Uncle Li, for your concern. She is well."

Her mother was indeed well but often spoke ill of Uncle Li,

labeling him a villain who had committed numerous misdeeds, yet she found it hard to associate him with the villain her mother described after seeing him in person.

Li Xuanjing boarded another carriage and said, "Let's go."

The coachman was familiar to Li Nuo; it was Huang from the gatehouse, who had joined their household last year.

Li Nuo lifted the carriage curtain and asked Housekeeper Wu, "Are these all the people we're taking?"

The thought of leaving the city with so few worried him.

After all, the number of those wanting him dead was not insubstantial, and adding his father to the mix only invited more danger.

Even though he was accompanied by Housekeeper Wu, Jiaren, Yiren, and Anning—a formidable group—the dangers outside the city were incomparable to those within.

Housekeeper Wu replied, "Master wishes not to disturb the madam with too many people. Don't worry, young master; her grave is not far outside the city, and the Spiegel Bureau agents have already gone to scope out the area beforehand."

With Spiegel Bureau's experts present, Li Nuo indeed felt more at ease.

The two carriages made their way and within about fifteen minutes reached the foot of a hill.

The hill path was rough, so they parked the carriages at the base and walked up.

Having been in this world for quite some time, this was Li Nuo's first venture outside the city.

Breathing in the fresh air, he felt exhilarated.

As the group climbed the path, Li Nuo felt somewhat embarrassed to find that among all of them, he was the most winded.

Even Gatekeeper Huang, treading up the mountain's stone steps, seemed to walk on flat ground.

Although Li Anning, too, was a Law Practitioner, her cultivation surpassed Li Nuo's by two major realms, and her stamina was much better than his.

If only he could reach the Fifth Realm.

Having exile enforced on oneself, from the mountain base to the summit, would only take a few steps.

When Li Anning saw Li Nuo struggling to breathe as he climbed, she said, "Should I carry you?"

Li Nuo repeatedly waved his hand and said, "No need, I can do it."

Struggling to outclimb two old men was one thing; having to be carried by a woman would be utterly humiliating.

Two quarters of an hour later, they arrived midway up the mountain.

Along the way, the path was treacherous, flanked by trees that blotted out the sun, but when they reached this plateau at the waist of the mountain, the view suddenly opened up.

Standing here and looking out, the entirety of Chang'an lay before their eyes.

Who would have thought that just outside of Chang'an City, a small mountain could offer such a perfect spot for sightseeing?

A simple tombstone stood there, solitary.

From the tombstone's location, one could look down on Chang'an, taking in the magnificent view.

Above the tombstone was only a simple line of text.

The grave of my beloved wife Lin Wan.

Standing before the tombstone, Li Xuanjing, usually as impassive as an ancient well, showed a trace of sorrow.

Li Nuo silently squatted down, clearing a few weeds in front of the tombstone.

Song Jiaren and Li Anning also silently squatted beside him, helping with the cleaning.

Song Yiren stood to the side, unsure what she should do.

Seeing wildflowers blooming beautifully in the distance, she walked over, picked a bunch, and gently placed them on the tombstone.

Li Nuo and they cleaned around the tombstone, removing weeds and rocks, then offered incense as a sacrifice in front of the grave.

Li Xuanjing stood in front of the tombstone, his right hand gently resting on it, and said, "Nuo has grown up and even became a top scholar in the Six Arts Examination last year. He married Jiaren last year, and Your Majesty married off the Princess to her; you can rest assured..."

Li Anning, arm interlocked with Song Jiaren, quietly moved back a distance.

Li Nuo, standing before the tombstone and having never met his mother in this world, still felt inevitably moved.

His father's voice, though calm, was full of deep affection for his mother.

Li Nuo looked up at the lush mountaintop, standing here one could look up at other mountains and overlook Chang'an without any obstruction in view.

He seemed to understand why in his memory, his father always stood in the yard, staring blankly in a certain direction.

Suddenly, Li Nuo's eyes flashed as he looked at the tree-covered mountain peak.

He thought it was his own illusion.

The next moment, the light appeared again.

The arrow was so fast it headed straight for Li Xuanjing's heart, too quickly for Song Jiaren and Li Anning to react.

Li Nuo's body almost instinctively moved in front of his father.

The power of Legalism surged within him.

But the Imprisonment Domain of Legalism only caused the arrow's speed to pause momentarily.

Then, the Imprisonment Domain that Li Nuo had set up was broken through.

The arrow continued from his shoulder towards Li Xuanjing's heart.

Li Nuo's Imprisonment Domain expanded again, but could only cause another brief pause.

Those two short stops, however, had been enough.

A withered hand reached out, suddenly grabbing the arrow.

It was Gatekeeper Huang.

He dispelled the True Qi wrapped around the arrow, looked toward the summit, squinted his eyes, and murmured, "A Divine Archer at the Peak of the Fourth Realm..."

At that moment, several of the top experts from the Spiegel Bureau, already half way in the air, were rushing toward the mountaintop.

Song Yiren had just dashed a few meters when, turning her head, she saw Song Jiaren and Li Anning instantly appearing by Li Nuo's side, then quickly changed direction and ran over, asking, "How are you?"

Li Nuo's shoulder had been pierced by an arrow and was still bleeding profusely.

Song Jiaren pressed a few points around his shoulder, and the bleeding finally stopped.

Li Anning, gripping his hand nervously, felt the intense pain from his shoulder; Li Nuo still managed a strained smile and said, "Don't worry, it's just a scratch..."

He turned his head to look at another figure and asked, "Father, are you alright?"

Li Xuanjing shook his head and said, "I'm fine, Jiaren, take Nuo down the mountain first..."

Li Anning, holding onto Li Nuo's hand, anxiously asked, "Are you really alright?"

"I am..."

Li Nuo had barely spoken two words when he suddenly felt the world spinning.

He looked down at the black blood oozing from his shoulder and cursed in his heart, "Damn, this arrow is poisoned..."

Bang!

In that moment, a nearby mound suddenly exploded, dirt and rocks flying everywhere, and over a dozen figures emerged from beneath the ground.

The Spiegel Bureau had checked all the surrounding areas, never expecting anyone to be hiding underground.

Housekeeper Wu's face changed instantly, and he immediately said, "There are more assassins; protect the master and the young master!"

Five of the top experts from the Spiegel Bureau were already converging towards them.

If this Grandmaster were to turn against them on the battlefield, facing two Grandmasters and more than a dozen at the fourth realm, all of them would die here today...