In the backyard of the main peak of Lingyun Sect, a middle-aged man dressed in a spotless white robe, with his hair and beard neatly combed, sat quietly in front of a table. His brush remained in his hand for a long time, splashing drop after drop of ink onto the fine Xuan paper.

"Sect Master, a disciple guarding the peak reports that people from the Tang Clan have arrived." Liu Xi, dressed in white, stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

Upon hearing the name Tang Clan, Kong Tingxuan felt a chill run down his spine, his heart heavy with unease. In the past two years, they had sent countless people to inquire about the engagement, hoping to meet the parties involved. But his daughter had long since run away; where could he find her? He could only turn them away time and again.

After this happened several times, the Tang Sect inevitably began to have doubts and their attitude became increasingly firm. At some point, rumors began to circulate in the Immortal Realm that Kong Qingyan, the daughter of the Lingyun Sect's leader, had left the Immortal Realm many years ago and was even having an affair with a mortal, violating the rules of the Immortal Realm.

The cultivators of the immortal realm are high above and have always looked down on mortals. If it weren't for the Kong family's great fortune, they probably wouldn't have been qualified to enter the immortal realm. It's like an ordinary person accidentally entering high society; wherever they go, they seem out of place and become the subject of gossip.

There are laws between the two realms that prohibit marriage, yet everyone knows this.

Therefore, whether for her own sake or for the sake of Lingyun Sect's reputation, Kong Qingyan had to marry into the Tang Clan. Only by marrying into the Tang Clan could she clear up the rumors and live in peace.

A hundred years ago, a man who cultivated immortality married a mortal woman, and he still vividly remembers the bloody scene.

Thinking of the many others who had come to inquire about the situation and made sarcastic remarks behind his back over the past year, Kong Tingxuan couldn't help but feel some resentment towards his daughter. If she hadn't run away from her arranged marriage and had an affair with an ordinary man, things wouldn't have come to this.

"Send all your disciples to find Kong Qingyan as soon as possible and kill that scholar for me." Kong Tingxuan clenched his fists, having made up his mind.

With undisguised surprise in his eyes, Liu Xi lowered his gaze, not daring to let the other party see his expression, and simply bowed and said yes.

"Go and bring the Tang Clan members in!" Throwing away the brush in his hand, he irritably crumpled the paper into a ball, and a flame rose from Kong Tingxuan's palm, instantly extinguishing the paper ball into ashes.

Under the dazzling sunlight, a woman in red gracefully approached. The vibrant red on her body resembled a burning flame, lively and energetic, seemingly possessing an endless charm that could burn everything away.

"Sect Master Ling, my father asked me to give you my regards." Tang Chi bowed slightly to show his respect, then raised his head slightly, revealing his handsome face and unruly eyes.

"Nephew, what brings you here?" Kong Tingxuan sensed something amiss the moment he saw Tang Shi. He put on a fake smile, stepped forward, and took Tang Chi's hand as if the two were very close.

"Uncle Kong is an elder, so it is only natural for me to pay him a visit." Tang Chi spoke with great poise, demonstrating his good upbringing.

Hearing this, Kong Tingxuan felt a sense of comfort. He straightened his back and opened his mouth, about to put on airs as an elder, but Tang Chi quickly interrupted him.

"By the way, Uncle Kong met Miss Qingyan a few days ago." Upon hearing this, Kong Tingxuan instantly lost his airs as an elder, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.

"You saw Qingyan, so how is she?" Kong Tingxuan cautiously glanced at Tang Chi's face, his heart pounding like a drum. Counting the days, Qingyan should be six months pregnant. If he had seen her then, she would probably have been heavily pregnant, and then everything would have been exposed.

Tang Chi glanced at Kong Tingxuan with a half-smile, then avoided answering the question and asked instead, "Uncle Kong, don't you want to know where I met Miss Qingyan?"

"Hehe, Qingyan is in seclusion cultivating, how could you possibly run into her outside? You must have mistaken her for someone else." Regardless, the first thing to do is deny it.

"Is that so? Even if Tang Chi has mistaken someone for someone else, surely the people in the Enforcement Hall wouldn't mistake someone for someone else?" Tang Chi smiled ambiguously. Even now, he still wouldn't admit it. This is clearly a matter for your Lingyun Sect, yet you insist on dragging your Tang Clan into it and making a fuss over it. Since that's the case, don't blame him for being impolite.

"The Enforcement Hall?" Kong Tingxuan's face turned pale. The people in the Enforcement Hall were not to be trifled with; they were responsible for maintaining order in the immortal realm, and anyone who violated the order would be arrested and punished by them—essentially the yamen (government office) of the mortal world. Kong Jingyan was definitely in for a rough time after being caught by them.

The people of the Enforcement Hall have great authority and high status. They are all highly skilled cultivators, and there are many old monsters who act as their protectors. Kong Qingyan's unauthorized escape to the mortal world to get married violated the rules, and she is also pregnant. I'm afraid this matter will not end well.

“Nephew, Qingyan is young and doesn’t understand things. Our two families can settle this privately. Why bother going to the court? Just tell me what you want.” Although he was annoyed by his daughter’s disobedience, he couldn’t bear to see her suffer, so Kong Tingxuan forced a smile.

"Uncle Kong, didn't you say before that Qingyan was going into seclusion to cultivate? Why have you changed your mind now?" Tang Chi's face showed a hint of sarcasm.

"Heh...hehe..." Even Kong Tingxuan, who was thick-skinned, couldn't take it anymore. He chuckled twice and couldn't speak for a long time.

“Uncle Kong, you should know that this marriage was arranged by you and my father, but why did you never tell us that Kong Qingyan was unwilling? As a result, it has become common knowledge, and now both families are in a dilemma.”

Tang Chi's calm facade shattered. Previously, their two families had only made a verbal agreement; it was Kong Tingxuan who publicized it. And now, with the trouble stemming from Kong Tingxuan's daughter running away from the arranged marriage, it was the Kong family who stirred up trouble everywhere, yet the Tang family was dragged into it all.

Over the course of three years, Kong Tingxuan clearly had the opportunity to be honest with them and resolve the matter peacefully, but he deliberately dragged it out until now, clearly because he coveted the power of the Tang Clan.

Kong Tingxuan's expression was also not very pleasant. After all, he had been superior for thousands of years, how could he tolerate a junior pointing fingers at his face and cursing him? "I am your elder, how can you talk to me like this?"

"You don't deserve to be treated as an elder by me at all." Tang Chi's expression was unpleasant.

Just then, a figure drifted in from outside the door. She wore a light green dress, her black hair was tied up with a hairpin, and she had delicate features and graceful manners. However, her expression was slightly anxious, and she reached out and grabbed Tang Chi's sleeve, pleading with him.

"Nephew Tang, we were wrong in this matter, and I apologize to you. But Qingyan is our only daughter, so please be lenient!" She had been listening outside for a long time. Her husband was too proud to apologize in exchange for their daughter's life, but she couldn't bear to part with her daughter.

"It's too late. See you at the Enforcement Hall tomorrow!" Tang Chi shook his head, pushed away Madam Kong's hand, and turned into a wisp of green smoke as he left.