Chapter 63

She nodded her little head vigorously once more, craning her neck and peering around as she tried hard to learn.

This was the best thing about being a little cub: she learned wherever she went.

She had learned how to bicker at the Chu Clan’s academy, and now she was learning... how to curse people at the Sun family estate?

With things having escalated to this point, Chu Xingyun had yet to utter a word of reprimand, clearly showing his intent to back Sun Qingrong.

Emboldened, Sun Qingrong showed not an ounce of mercy, tearing into the Wen family with a barrage of vicious insults.

The middle-aged man of the Sun family found himself caught right in the middle, utterly at his wit's end.

Though he despised Sun Qingrong for causing such a scene, a fearful glance at the youth’s sharp spiritual sword kept him from raising his voice. He could only offer a bitter, pleading persuasion instead. "Rong, even if the family treated you and your sister unfairly in the past, I am apologizing to you now. But where on earth is your sister? Don't let her be so willful."

Could they afford to offend the Primordial Sect, yet somehow afford to offend the Wen family?

Hadn't he done all of this for the sake of the clan?

Thinking of his precarious, storm-tossed family, he said with palpable anxiety, "The wedding date is right around the corner. Both our families have placed such great importance on this, inviting countless distinguished and prominent guests. If your sister goes into hiding and the wedding is left without a bride, how will either of our families save face in the future?"

As he put on this deeply wronged and utterly pitiful display, Sun Qingrong merely offered three cold laughs.

Having previously undertaken advanced studies in the imperial court of the Chu clan, Yu Youyou took one look at this pathetic middle-aged man...

The harem of the Zhaodi Emperor was overflowing with beauties who looked utterly pitiful and harbored endless grievances.

When the little cub played around in the palace, she could see seventeen or eighteen of them from morning till night.

With her gaze as sharp as a torch, she saw right through this fellow's act with her shrewd eyes.

He certainly hadn't worn this expression when he was forcing a pitiful female cultivator to marry Wen Shi earlier, right? And now he wanted to play the victim...

Seeing that Sun Qingrong was grinding his teeth again and preparing to speak, Yu Youyou reached out a soft little paw to press down on the beautiful youth's arm.

Noticing him pause in confusion and look over, the cub flashed him a confident, toothy smile, puffed out her little chest, pointed an accusing finger at the middle-aged Sun clansman, and declared, "You... marry him!"

This prompted Daoist Chu, who was always in perfect sync with her, to silently wonder just what his old imperial brother had been teaching the cub back in the Chu harem, causing the corners of his mouth to twitch slightly.

Not knowing whether to praise that old codger or not, he smiled and played the role of his junior sister's confidant, saying, "A matter like marriage should be based on mutual affection, not coercion. Since the Sun siblings are unwilling, there is no need to force the issue."

Noticing the middle-aged man growing anxious, he continued in a gentle tone, "My little junior sister is most considerate and is willing to offer some advice for this predicament."

Lowering his head to watch the cub nod her little head in satisfaction, he continued, suppressing a smile, "If someone is unwilling, then so be it. Since you are so worried that the wedding falling through will make you a laughingstock, and since you are on such intimate terms with the Wen family, you two seem a natural match. Why not have you marry into the Wen family instead? That would preserve the dignity of both houses. Without any reluctance or resentment, you might even achieve perfect marital harmony."

Besides, a gentle husband and a doting marital family—that sounded like an immortal's life.

The middle-aged Sun clansman: ...

Was this human speech?

Could anyone who came up with such an idea be anything short of a demonic overlord?

"I, I..."

Having never been subjected to such sarcasm, the middle-aged Sun clansman's lips trembled, rendering him entirely speechless.

"What? Is the fellow Daoist unwilling either?" Chu Xingyun asked, narrowing his eyes.

Come to think of it, everyone always praised marriage.
When asked who wanted to marry into a family to become a concubine, not a single person made a sound, did they?

Since marrying into the Wen family was such a blissful and fulfilling prospect, and one wouldn't even need to strive anymore, why not take the plunge yourself?

"I... I am a man..."

"It's just a political marriage, what difference does it make who does it? Even if you are a man, surely as long as it is for the sake of the Sun family's secure future, you would be willing to make a small sacrifice," Chu Xingyun said with a smile.

"Mmm!" Borrowing her senior brother's prestige, Yu Youyou relied on the fact that her eldest senior brother was now a powerful cultivator. Her little face was radiant, and the senior and junior brother-sister duo looked every bit like local bullies standing before the pitiful middle-aged Sun clansman.

Nodding vigorously, she clenched her little paw and looked at the middle-aged man with encouraging eyes, then hurriedly glanced over at Wen Shi, whose face had turned iron-blue with suffocating rage, and said sweetly, "Blessings!"

Didn't Old Master Wen invite her to the wedding banquet that day at the Gong clan grounds, and wasn't he extremely happy about it?

Now, she was more than willing to bless the two of them.

If this unruly child hadn't possessed such an illustrious background as the supreme sovereign's only daughter, she probably would have received a thorough beating.

Wen Shi had often heard Gong Miaohua complain in the past that Yu Youyou was a difficult child, and he had thought she was exaggerating.

Yet now, looking at this chubby cub, he felt a surge of fire rise in his chest.

She was simply too infuriating.

How was a child raised to be this aggressive, this willful, arrogant, and devoid of basic manners?

Was this a place where a mere child had any business opening her mouth?

Didn't she know that they were all elders whom she ought to respect?

While he only resented the little cub for jumping around making a mockery of things, Old Master Wen felt his heart skip a beat upon hearing Chu Xingyun's form of address.

Chu Xingyun had always been punctilious with etiquette, yet just now he had merely addressed him as "fellow Daoist" without any honorific, making it abundantly clear that a true rift had formed between him and the Wen and Sun families.

At that moment, his face flushed red with shame, and feeling as though the gaze of every single person present was fixed upon him in utter humiliation, he forced his trembling hands to steady and managed to say to the colorful-robed beauty who was still staring at the cub in astonishment, "Since neither A-Yi nor A-Rong is willing, let this marriage be called off. As for the wedding... it was all, all because this wretched boy Wen Shi was momentarily blinded by delusion..."

Having long established his fame and earned considerable respect within the realm of cultivation, he had not suffered such humiliation in many years. Yet, unwilling to show weakness before others, he maintained his dignity and said with a trembling voice, "You siblings have suffered such a grave injustice; the Wen family will properly compensate you in the future."

"Old Master Wen?" Hearing that the marriage was being canceled, the middle-aged Sun clansman panicked.

"Forget it. A forced melon is never sweet; I have only just come to understand this truth. As for the guests... do not worry about them. I will explain the whole truth of the matter so that the Sun family is not put in a difficult position."

Pausing briefly, Old Master Wen pulled the gloomy-faced Wen Shi away as he said, "Hurry and bring your ancestor back."

Having forced out these words, he stayed no longer and hurried away.

Seeing Old Master Wen and his son depart just like that, choosing to let the matter rest rather than make a huge scene, Yu Youyou craned her neck for a moment before turning her gaze toward the Sun family members who stubbornly refused to welcome their Old Ancestor back home.

The middle-aged Sun clansman instinctively lowered his head, not daring to meet the gaze of this arrogant and untouchable top-tier terror of a child.

Wherever the little cub looked, everyone averted their eyes.

"Many thanks to the Daoist and the sect for coming to our rescue today. If not for all of you, I would have perished together with that beast today." Only then did Sun Qingrong uncomfortably adjust the colorful robes he was wearing.

Seeing the middle-aged Sun clansman scurrying away with his people on tiptoe, he offered a polite excuse to go change his clothes. When he returned, he looked even more like a stunningly handsome youth.

Following closely behind him was a female cultivator of equal beauty, prompting Chu Xingyun to say to Yu Youyou, "Just call her Senior Sister."

"Senior Sister," Yu Youyou greeted. Seeing the beautiful female cultivator step forward, she hurriedly reached out to shake hands with her little paw.

This female cultivator was none other than the protagonist of the aborted wedding, Sun Qingyi. Seeing the cub extend her hand toward her, she instinctively reached out to shake the soft little hand before bowing to Ao Xin and Chu Xingyun.

Both siblings were striking beauties, though Sun Qingyi's features were much gentler, while Sun Qingrong, perhaps due to forcing himself out of seclusion and struggling to control his cultivation realm, exuded an intensely sharp aura.

Without inquiring about how the siblings had hidden themselves or switched identities, Chu Xingyun simply stated, "My master has instructed me to escort you both back to the Primordial Sect."

"Many thanks, Daoist," Sun Qingyi said. "There is a female cousin of mine—the one who helped us deliver the plea for help. Might we bring her along to the Primordial Sect as well? Otherwise, I fear she will suffer harsh torment once the family settles accounts."

She and her brother had been locked away and rendered powerless to seek help; had it not been for that, their plea wouldn't have reached the Primordial Sect so late.

It was only because a cousin with whom she was on good terms could not bear to see her subjected to such humiliation that she risked punishment by the family, secretly traveling to a large commercial shop under the Primordial Sect's jurisdiction to deliver the distress letter, allowing Chu Xingyun to arrive in time.

Now that they were saved, Sun Qingyi could not possibly abandon her cousin. Chu Xingyun gave a slight nod.

It was no great trouble.

He had expected the greatest complication to arise from a conflict with the Wen family, as calling off the wedding would cause them to lose face.

Yet unexpectedly, Old Master Wen had chosen to swallow his pride.

Seeing him nod, Sun Qingyi let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly sent a message talisman to her cousin, telling her to come and rendezvous with them.

Once everyone had gathered, Chu Xingyun had no intention of lingering any longer at the Sun estate. Leading them outside, the very first person they saw standing in the courtyard was Gong Miaohua.

Being with child, she gently stroked her lower belly as she looked with disdain upon the young and beautiful Sun Qingyi, sneering, "So you were the siblings who injured Brother Wen? Ungrateful wretches! If Brother Wen hadn't taken pity on your Sun family, would he ever have deigned to look at you?!"

Having just learned the news of Wen Shi's injury, she immediately deemed these Sun siblings utterly lacking in class.

They were merely one set of descendants among countless others in the Sun family, with no particularly stellar reputation to speak of. Being granted the chance to become Wen Shi's concubine was already a blessing accumulated over past lives, yet they were putting on airs.
Gong Miaohua instantly concluded that Sun Qingyi was full of scheming intentions.

"What, do you think this will make Brother Wen look at you in a different light, make him think you're noble, extraordinary, and unlike anyone else?"

"I took you for the Demon Lord's wife," Sun Qingyi said, entirely unfazed by Gong Miaohua.

In their earlier years, when she and her brother frequented the Primordial Sect in the company of Daoist Sun, they had long since experienced this Immortal Miaohua.

While they might once have shown deference because she was the former sect master's beloved disciple and Sovereign Yu's dao companion, she was now remarried and completely severed from the Primordial Sect. Who on earth still held her in any regard?

Sun Qingyi continued, "Looking at you now, you seem more like a procuress for the Wen family."

Never had she expected someone to dare offend her to her face. Gong Miaohua's expression shifted drastically as she said angrily, "How dare you speak to me with such insolence?!"

"Yay! Good for you!" The cub cheered from the sidelines, rooting for Senior Sister Sun.

"You!" Gong Miaohua glared at her.

"It's... fine too!" Yu Youyou flashed her a bright smile.

"What my little junior sister means is that if Madam is so distressed for Daoist Wen and feels others don't know what's good for them, since you think Daoist Wen is such a prize, you are quite welcome to marry him yourself."

After all, as for a man like Wen Shi, whoever thought he was wonderful should take him... and stop dragging others into fire pits one by one.

Putting an arm around his junior sister—who had finally managed to put on a little healthy weight—Chu Xingyun felt not a shred of respect for this former master's wife.

Her words nearly drove Gong Miaohua to faint in rage, yet not a single soul present felt any sympathy for her. Ao Xin even stood fiercely behind the cub, looking ready to swipe at her again at a moment's notice.