"Senior Sister Qingcheng, are you really going to marry that Zhao Xingpu?"

In an elegant courtyard of the Baihua Sect, a girl with a hairpin in her hair looked at the sorrowful expression on Luoqing City’s face and asked cautiously.

Before the girl was a small pond where blooming lotus flowers emitted a delicate fragrance. A school of colorful fish meandered within, their tails flicking and occasionally splashing the surface.

"Sigh!"

Luoqing City didn’t answer the girl with the hairpin. Instead, she sighed, lost in thought.

"The Zhao Family is going too far! Why don’t we just run away?" Seeing her senior sister’s expression, a glint of hatred flashed in the eyes of the girl with the hairpin.

As a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Baihua Sect, Luoqing City was entitled to have servants. Although the girl with the hairpin called her "Senior Sister," she was, in fact, an attendant who managed her daily life, little different from a servant. The two had been together for many years and shared a deep bond. Seeing her senior sister in such distress, she naturally felt a surge of resentment.

"Run away? Where could we possibly run to?" Luoqing City stood and gazed at the reflection of her devastatingly beautiful face and exquisite figure in the water, suddenly feeling a wave of disgust.

’If I wasn’t so beautiful, I never would have caught Zhao Xingpu’s eye. He’s used every threat and bribe imaginable to force me to marry him!’

’But... am I really beautiful?’

’If I were truly beautiful, why was he completely unmoved back then, even when I made my feelings so obvious?’

As she thought of the young man in Luoshui City who had saved her from a Demon, a deep sense of longing filled her heart.

’If that young man asked me to marry him, I would agree in a heartbeat. But... that’s impossible now!’

"Yalian, let’s go for a walk."

"Yes, Senior Sister!"

Yalian came over and took Luoqing City’s arm. The two girls then walked slowly toward the courtyard gate.

WHOOSH!

Just as they reached the courtyard gate, before they could even step outside, a figure appeared and blocked their path.

"By order of my Young Master, please halt, Young Madam Qingcheng!"

The newcomer was an old man. As he stood before Luoqing City, the True Qi emanating from his body formed a veritable wall, completely sealing their path.

"Halt? Does your young master intend to strip us of our freedom as well?"

Before Luoqing City could even speak, Yalian’s delicate eyebrows shot up as she cried out.

"Hmph!"

Hearing the girl’s shout, the old man snorted. His eyes flashed with a golden light as he suddenly thrust his palm forward.

SMACK!

Before Yalian could even react, a red, swollen mark appeared on her face as she was sent stumbling to the ground, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth!

"Yalian... You!"

Seeing her attendant sent flying and injured by a single slap, Luoqing City’s anger flared.

"Young Madam, the Young Master’s orders cannot be defied. I suggest you stay put. Otherwise, if I’m forced to do something... untoward, don’t blame me for it!"

Ignoring the girl’s fury, the old man’s eyes showed little respect. He snorted, and the aura around him surged upward, blanketing the entire courtyard in a scorching current of air.

’Peak of Qi Sect?’

Feeling this aura, Luoqing City’s expression immediately grew grave.

’To think Zhao Xingpu would send a Peak Powerhouse of Qi Sect just to watch me... I should feel so honored!’

"I only agreed to a marriage with Zhao Xingpu; I didn’t become his prisoner! Am I not even allowed to leave? Hmph! This is the Baihua Sect, not the Zhao Family’s estate!"

Trembling with rage, Luoqing City scoffed.

"Heh. Calling you ’Young Madam’ is a courtesy. Don’t be ungrateful. Do you have any idea who the Zhao Family is? We are one of the three great families of the Divine Wind Empire! For my Young Master to take an interest in you is a blessing earned over a hundred lifetimes. You should do as you’re told. You think you’re in a position to negotiate?"

The old man clasped his hands behind his back, his eyes filled with contempt and indifference. "It’s true this is the Baihua Sect. But our family’s Old Ancestor is also an Ultimate Venerable Powerhouse. If we were to take someone by force, your Sect Leader wouldn’t dare make an enemy of him over it!"

"You..."

Hearing his utter lack of respect, Luoqing City’s lovely face flushed red with anger, and she trembled from head to toe.

’I’d always heard the Zhao Family was overbearing, but I never imagined they’d be this tyrannical!’

"Heh. Just stay here quietly. When you officially become our Young Madam, I will naturally show you the respect you are due. But if you even think about escaping, don’t blame me for being merciless. A mere Early-Stage Armor Realm cultivator... you’re nothing in my eyes!"

The old man snorted and stood silently at the gate, immovable as a mountain.

CRACK! CRACK!

Luoqing City’s delicate fists clenched so tightly her knuckles cracked, but there was nothing she could do.

’I may be a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader of the Baihua Sect, but he has so many. He would never offend a powerhouse of the same caliber just for me!’

"Senior Sister, just let it go... We can’t stand against a great family like the Zhaos..."

Seeing Luoqing City’s face flush and pale with rage as she trembled, Yalian, who had just gotten back on her feet, ignored the stinging pain in her own cheek as tears streamed down her face.

’When you’re not strong enough, there’s nothing you can do!’

’The weak are prey for the strong. This world is just that cruel!’

"Reporting, Senior Sister Qingcheng. There’s someone outside to see you!"

Just as Luoqing City was despairing and about to return to her room, a female disciple in charge of receiving guests approached from outside the courtyard.

"Who is it?" Luoqing City asked, her voice listless.

"A young man. He says his name is Nie Yun," the receiving disciple said, nodding as she recalled the name he’d given her.

"Nie Yun? He... what is he doing here?" Hearing the name that had appeared in her dreams countless times, she couldn’t help but tremble, though she quickly suppressed it. "I won’t see him. Tell him to leave!"

’I’m already in danger. If he comes here, the Zhao Family will surely kill him!’

"You won’t see him? He said he’s from Luoshui City and that he’s your friend!" the receiving disciple said, taken aback.

"I won’t see him!"

Luoqing City slowly turned away as two streams of tears traced paths down her cheeks.

’To be honest, with my family in crisis, my father missing, and now being forced into this marriage... more than anything, I want someone to comfort me. I want to lean on his shoulder and cry my heart out. But... I can’t.’

’If I do, the Zhao Family will definitely kill him!’

’Even though he can fight a Peak Powerhouse of Qi Sect, his true strength is only at the Armor Realm, just like mine. Facing a behemoth like the Zhao Family—a family with an Ultimate Venerable Powerhouse—he stands no chance!’

"Then I’ll go back and send him away..." Seeing her resolute attitude, the receiving disciple nodded and started to withdraw.

"Won’t see him? Heh. Why not? Since he’s from Luoshui City and a ’good friend’ of the Young Madam, let him in. I’m curious to see just what this brat is up to!"

Suddenly, the old man standing to the side spoke with a smirk. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)