"Chenchen, you're back."
"Hmm, how's your cultivation going?" Xu Chen walked over, took Wang Li's hand, and asked softly.
"I feel like I'm about to break through." Wang Li had been stuck at the sixth level for a long time, which was a bottleneck that had troubled her. After this trip, Wang Li's mind became more open, and she gained more knowledge and experience. For her, breaking through was a natural thing. Xu Chen nodded and took out a bunch of top-grade spirit stones and put them into Wang Li's storage bag.
"We're back in the sect! Husband's rich now! Focus on your cultivation! Don't worry about him!"
“Okay.” Wang Li smiled as she watched Xu Chen stuff top-grade spirit stones into her storage bag. Now that she was a cultivator, spirit stones and Chinese currency had become equally important to her.
"Cultivate diligently. Once you've stabilized at the seventh level, we'll go home."
"Uh-huh."
Two days later, the Grand Elder of Yaochi Holy Land arrived at Xu Chen's cave. With Xu Chen's permission, Xiao Zi led the old woman in through the visitor passage, accompanied by another woman.
"Young Sect Master, greetings."
"Hello, Elder Mo Xuan. Please have a seat." Xu Chen sat in the main seat of the reception room, and Wang Li stood beside him.
"Elder Mo Xuan, won't you introduce this young lady to me?" Xu Chen glanced coldly at Yun Mo Xuan, then at the young girl beside her. The girl noticed Xu Chen's gaze, her delicate body trembled, and she lowered her head without saying a word.
Yun Moxuan nodded and softly introduced the woman beside her to Xu Chen.
"Young Sect Master, this is the girl who was once engaged to your sect's Yun Qingfeng, and she is also my personal disciple, the Holy Maiden of Yaochi, Su Qianxue."
"There was a previous engagement, interesting." Xu Chen sneered inwardly, quietly watching the nervous girl without saying a word. Seeing that Xu Chen remained silent, Yun Moxuan knew that it was time for her to make her stance clear.
"Young Sect Master, these are our sect's apologies to your sect. Of course, Qianxue will also apologize to Qingfeng in person and ask for his forgiveness."
Xu Chen clapped his hands, his gaze sweeping over the pile of treasures, spirit stones, and resources. He looked upstairs, knowing that Yun Qingfeng was definitely observing as well.
"Qingfeng, come down and accept their apology."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yun Moxuan scanned the upstairs with her divine sense and spotted Yun Qingfeng.
After going downstairs and entering the reception room, Yun Qingfeng quietly looked at the girl who had rejected him. She seemed even more beautiful than in the portrait, with a fairy-like appearance and a pure and innocent look.
"Yun... Qingfeng... it was my fault... I shouldn't have done that... I'm sorry." Seeing her master giving her a meaningful look, Su Qianxue hurriedly apologized to Yun Qingfeng, who had come to her.
"It's alright, it's alright. Our inability to become Daoist partners is simply due to our unforeseen circumstances. I don't blame you." Yun Qingfeng quickly waved his hand, indicating to Su Qianxue that he didn't take it to heart. Su Qianxue looked at this calm man with surprise. Did he really not care? Then why was this happening? Why did his indifferent tone sound so unsettling? Did he only want an apology and no longer have the affection he once had for her?
As the one being pampered, Su Qianxue had enjoyed Yun Qingfeng's pursuit for a very long time. She naturally knew that Yun Qingfeng genuinely liked her, and that it wasn't a forced marriage by their sects. However, she felt nothing for Yun Qingfeng, and coupled with the constraints of the marriage contract, she had only one thought in her mind: how to get away from this man. Now, looking at his peaceful demeanor, Su Qianxue felt a tightness in her chest. She would rather Yun Qingfeng, with the support of his sect, beat and scold her than have him interact with her so indifferently as if he didn't care about anything.
"Young Sect Master, now that we have apologized, we will take our leave."
"Wait, you can't leave yet."
"Young Sect Master, what do you mean by this?" Yun Moxuan was stunned, then a surge of anger inexplicably rose within her. Suppressing her rage, she looked at Xu Chen, simultaneously circulating her cultivation technique and slightly raising her aura. As the head of a sect and a Mahayana cultivator, being forced to play along with this brat had already pushed Yun Moxuan to her limit. Now, his sudden outburst almost made her lose control of her temper, and she felt an urge to slap this brat to death right in front of her.
Seeing Yun Moxuan's furious expression, Xu Chen suddenly felt like laughing. They were the ones who had taken advantage of the Tianquan Sect under the guise of the engagement, and they were the ones who had broken off the engagement and slapped him in the face. He had only asked her to apologize and return what was owed, and this old witch couldn't hold back? Truly hateful. Xu Chen didn't waste any more words. He took out a phantom crystal from his storage bag, and after Wang Li activated it, a massive mountain range appeared before everyone's eyes.
"Elder Yun, this spiritual vein was originally discovered by Qingfeng. Previously, because our two sects had a marriage agreement, my sect gave it to your sect as a betrothal gift. Now, I hope Elder Yun will sign a contract and swear on your Dao heart that you will return the spiritual vein immediately after returning to your sect."
"Young Sect Master, are we really going to go this far?" Yun Moxuan looked at the mountain range in the illusion, her previous imposing manner suddenly vanishing. What she most wanted to conceal, what she most wanted to deceive, was this spiritual vein. According to the sect elders' simple estimate, possessing this spiritual vein meant that the sect wouldn't have to worry about spirit stones for at least the next two thousand years. For this, she had personally led her disciples to apologize, hoping that the Tianquan Sect, or rather, the young sect master before her, would "voluntarily" forget about the spiritual vein, given her sincerity. She didn't care about losing her dignity or being ridiculed. As long as they could get through this, as long as the spiritual vein remained in their hands, she was willing to risk everything.
Su Qianxue's delicate body trembled as she looked at the resolute Xu Chen. Two lines of tears suddenly streamed down her face. Why was she so emotional? Because if her master compromised, it would mean she would be a sinner to the entire sect. At this moment, her heart was filled with regret. If only she hadn't been so selfish, hadn't forced her master to annul the engagement... or had decisively rejected Yun Qingfeng from the beginning... Alas, life has no "what ifs."
Yun Qingfeng remained silent, unsure of how to respond. On one hand was his brother who was advocating for him, and strictly speaking, his superior; on the other hand was the girl he had pursued for a long time and couldn't bring himself to hate, who had almost become his wife.
"There is no room for negotiation." Xu Chen's calm yet firm tone shattered Yun Moxuan's last shred of hope. Yun Moxuan was torn between two choices: refuse and go to war, or agree and ruin her disciple's life. Whichever choice she made, the sect's future would never be as bright as before.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com