Chapter 98: Chapter 88: Innate Spiritual Qi (2)

Xu Shenzhi was truly in love with this junior sister of his. He had known her since childhood, but her temperament had grown increasingly cold over the years.

They were childhood sweethearts from families of equal standing, and their elders had arranged their engagement long ago. In his heart, Han Ling’Er was already his future dao companion.

Things had been fine in their younger years. But for some reason, ever since they had both entered the Iron Sword Sect in the Prefecture City as Inner Sect Disciples, Han Ling’Er had grown distant, often giving him the cold shoulder.

However, Xu Shenzhi wasn’t discouraged. He firmly believed that with his sincerity and his status as the Young Master of the Xu Family, he would one day melt this iceberg.

"Don’t be overconfident."

Han Ling’Er didn’t even turn her head. Her voice, clear yet devoid of warmth, poured cold water on his hopes. "Your maternal grandfather has repeatedly warned you that Chen Sheng is not to be trifled with. The Xu Family may have some influence in the Prefecture City, but he won’t necessarily show you any deference.

In all things, you must prepare for the worst."

In her opinion, if the Xu Family were like the Ning’an Wang Clan, with deep and intricate roots in the Prefecture City’s Government Office and the Jianghu, then people would naturally scramble to curry favor with them over small matters. But the Xu Family was merely a second-rate family. She truly couldn’t understand the source of Xu Shenzhi’s almost blind confidence.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Xu Shenzhi’s face, but he forced an explanation.

"Even putting the Xu Family aside, I am an Inner Sect Disciple of the Iron Sword Sect. That’s not an ordinary status. Would Chen Sheng really risk offending both my Xu Family and the Iron Sword Sect over some friction between local tyrants?

I’m not underestimating him. Anyone who can push a local power like the Huang Family to this extent must have something special about them. But the smarter a person is, the better they are at weighing the pros and cons. Why would he needlessly make such a powerful enemy?"

From what he had learned, the reason Chen Sheng had been so ruthless with the Gao Family was a matter of vengeance—for the murder of his father and the annihilation of his family. His cruel methods in that case were understandable.

But there was no such life-and-death feud between the Huang Family and Chen Sheng. In fact, in their various clashes, the Huang Family had always been on the losing end.

As long as he revealed his identity and made it clear that the Huang Family was willing to pay a price to quell the incident, any man with a brain, like Chen Sheng, wouldn’t refuse such an easy concession.

Han Ling’Er turned and gazed out the window, clearly unwilling to speak further.

"Junior Sister, how about we make a bet?"

A smile played on Xu Shenzhi’s lips. "If I’m right, and Chen Sheng either comes here of his own accord or shows a respectful attitude, then I win. If I win... you’ll agree to set a date for our wedding. Of course, if I’m wrong and I lose, I’ll give you an Elemental Crystal."

And so, Xu Shenzhi revealed his true intentions.

Upon hearing this, Han Ling’Er’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly. A flicker of complex emotion and struggle crossed her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by resolve. She turned to face Xu Shenzhi, her expression more solemn than he had ever seen.

"Senior Brother Xu, I agreed to accompany you on this trip because... I wanted to take this opportunity to make one thing clear."

"What is it?"

Xu Shenzhi thought nothing of it at first, but seeing her solemn expression, a sense of foreboding began to creep into his heart.

"When our families arranged our engagement, it was a decision based on forming an alliance and mutual support. My own wishes were never truly considered."

Han Ling’Er spoke each word clearly, her gaze unwavering. "If I marry into the Xu Family, then according to the sect’s regulations, the Iron Sword Sect will no longer invest its core resources in me.

My heart is set on the path of cultivation; I have no desire to be entangled in romance. So... I implore you, Senior Brother, to go to the Han Family and dissolve our engagement. Fulfill my wish to seek the Dao.

For this, I deeply thank you, Senior Brother."

The smile on Xu Shenzhi’s face froze instantly. He opened his mouth, but no words came out, managing only to force a smile that was uglier than a tearful grimace.

"J-Junior Sister, you must be joking. Even if we marry, with my status as the Young Master of the Xu Family, how could I let you want for Cultivation Resources? The Xu and Han Families will surely give us their full support!"

Han Ling’Er slowly shook her head, letting out a nearly inaudible sigh.

"Senior Brother, we both know the truth. My aptitude is merely above average, far from being exceptionally brilliant. I am already twenty-two, yet I have only just managed to reach the Marrow Transformation realm. As a woman, it’s impossible for me to get the best resources the Han Family has to offer.

If I marry into the Xu Family, I fear the situation would only be worse. Even though you are the eldest son of the direct lineage, you cannot defy the family’s decisions on resource allocation. My only path is to remain in the sect, cultivate bitterly, and prove I have enough value to fight for that one sliver of a chance... the opportunity to reach the Innate realm!"

"Junior Sister, you... you want Innate Spiritual Qi?"

Xu Shenzhi finally understood the meaning behind Han Ling’Er’s words, and his face paled slightly.

"Correct."

Han Ling’Er admitted it freely, her eyes burning with intensity. "I don’t need to tell you how precious Innate Spiritual Qi is. Senior Brother, can you guarantee that after we marry, you can secure a strand of it for me from the Xu Family?"

Xu Shenzhi fell silent.

Innate Spiritual Qi was the key for a Martial Artist to establish their Innate foundation, to be utterly Transformed. How could one overstate its value?

Such a precious resource was held firmly in the hands of the Government Office and the few top-tier sects and Noble Families in Ning’an Prefecture.

Even the Xu Family, with all its power, might not be able to secure a single strand over several years. Why would they ever use it on a daughter-in-law who was not of their Direct Lineage?

"Ling’Er, I promise you," Xu Shenzhi’s head snapped up, his eyes filled with desperation. "Once we are married, and after I break through to the Innate realm, I swear I will do everything in my power to find a strand of Innate Spiritual Qi for you!"

"The golden window for breaking through to the Innate realm is before the age of twenty-five. I don’t have that much time to wait."

Han Ling’Er’s tone was final. "Senior Brother Xu, as the esteemed Young Master of the Xu Family, you’ll have no trouble finding a dao companion of both talent and beauty. Why waste your time on me? The reason I agreed to this private meeting was to be honest with you.

If you refuse to consent... then I’ll have no choice but to ask the Wang Family..."

"The Wang Family?!"

The color drained from Xu Shenzhi’s face. He cut her off, his voice sharp with a mixture of anger, shock, and panic. "You... for a mere strand of Innate Spiritual Qi, you’re going to give yourself to someone from the Wang Family?!"

Han Ling’Er shot him a speechless, exasperated glance.

"Wang Zilan, the legitimate daughter of the Wang Family, and I are the closest of friends. I was going to ask her to mediate on my behalf—to explain my intentions to the Han Family and your Xu Family in the hope of peacefully dissolving our engagement."

Hearing that she hadn’t fallen for someone else, the tension in Xu Shenzhi’s face eased slightly, only to be replaced by a wave of intense indignation. He took a step forward, his voice turning pleading.

"Six months. Ling’Er, just give me six months. If I can’t find a strand of Innate Spiritual Qi for you in that time, then... then I’ll go to the Han Family myself and call off the engagement. Give me a chance, Ling’Er. Just one!"

"Senior Brother Xu, how could you..." Han Ling’Er’s brows knitted together as she prepared to refuse him firmly.

Just then, a commotion erupted from outside the inner courtyard of the Huang Mansion, interrupting their conversation.

Xu Shenzhi, who had been desperate for a way to change the subject, seized the opportunity. He strode out of the guest courtyard and stopped a panicked-looking member of the Huang Family who was running past.

"What’s happening outside? Why is there so much chaos?"

The man’s face was ashen, and his words tumbled out in a jumble.

"Out-outside... Government soldiers! It’s Chen Sheng! That Slaughter God, Chen Sheng, has brought a large force and surrounded the Huang Mansion! The Patriarch has already gone to confront them, and I... I have to report to the Old Ancestors!"

With that, he yanked his arm free from Xu Shenzhi’s grasp and stumbled off toward the main courtyard.

Upon hearing this, Xu Shenzhi’s expression turned utterly foul.

’Chen Sheng is here?’

’Not only is he here, he brought soldiers to surround the Huang Mansion?’

’Did he not receive my formal notice of visit?’

’Or... does he simply not give a damn about the Xu Family?’

A surge of anger at being slighted, mixed with the anxiety of the situation spiraling out of his control, washed over him.

Xu Shenzhi forced himself to remain calm and said in a low voice to Han Ling’Er, who had followed him out.

"Junior Sister, it seems the Huang Family is in trouble. I must go at once and help them stabilize the situation. As for the matter of our engagement... let’s discuss it after we return to the Prefecture City."

Han Ling’Er listened to the faint sounds of chaos and panic in the distance and sighed softly.

"Very well. I will go with you."

Seeing his junior sister show such concern for him, Xu Shenzhi’s heart warmed.

"Thank you, Junior Sister."

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