Jiang Mang had learned the Xia family secret and was shocked by the peculiar profound spirit of Xia Mei. He also knew that he would feel guilty if he were to possess the mark and not marry her. He also knew that he didn't possess the strength to cancel the marriage. He also had to agree with the patriarch's reasoning that it wasn't certain he wouldn't fall in love with Xia Mei if they spend some time together.
His biggest struggle was that he truly loved Feng Xue and didn't want to hurt her feelings or abandon his love for her as long as she loved him back.
He eventually straightened his thoughts out and honestly wanted to voice his opinion and feelings, but he first wanted to know if he possessed that frost mark.
He thus stripped his upper body robes and revealed his half-naked body while asking Xia Mei: "Do I possess the frost mark?"
Xia Mei also learned for the first time about this rule and wondered if she was fated to be with Jiang Mang. So although she was embarrassed about seeing the boy strip. She honestly looked at his left shoulder and saw a white snow mark that looked like her frost sword.
She knew then that what her father told her was the truth and steeled her heart that she would marry Jiang Mang no matter the cost. She answered the question of Jiang Mang with a determined voice: "You possess the mark."
The patriarch kept his eyes on Jiang Mang the whole time and had already decided to marry his daughter after seeing the mark no matter the boy's following words. He did, however, want to hear them and kept waiting.
Jiang Mang had heard her reply and also steeled his decision in his heart before voicing it with his opinion and honest feelings. He put his robes back on before saying the following words: "I don't want to cancel the marriage anymore as it would be unfair to Xia Mei. I am also not capable of canceling the marriage. I do, however, truly love Feng Xue and will not abandon my love and my promise to marry her unless she doesn't love me anymore."
The Xia patriarch and Xia Mei were both relieved by his words but also troubled by them. Xia Mei was jealous of the fact that her future husband loved another and wanted to marry her. While the Xia patriarch knew that the boy would not cooperate with them if they didn't find a way to indulge his request.
The room had turned silent, and everyone was immersed in their thoughts. The patriarch eventually asked his daughter the question if she was willing to give up the future position of becoming a matriarch. Xia Mei thought deep and decided that such a position is not as important as strength in this world. If she was strong enough, she would be able to retain an exalted position in the family. Thus she answered that she was willing to give it up, which made it easier for her father.
The patriarch had eventually figured out the most suitable way to solve this dilemma and proposed it to Jiang Mang: "I will adopt you into the Xia family and your surname inside the family and when you represent it will become Xia. You will become engaged to Xiao Mei this week and marry after you return from the inheritance ruin. You will retain your identity as a zither palace disciple and are allowed to become its holy child if possible as our family isn't antagonistic with the zither palace. You will be allowed to learn our family techniques as long as they are deemed suitable by myself. You will also be allowed to marry other wives or concubines due to Xiao Mei giving up on the matriarch position.
This, however, comes on two conditions. They will not join the Xia family as will their children not. The second condition is that you have to sire a child with Xia Mei after reaching the King realm and marrying, and that child will be a part of the Xia family and gain the Xia surname."
Jiang Mang agreed to the proposition, and the patriarch continued his words now that the official rules have been established: "Jiang Mang, that proposal came from the Xia family patriarch, but now will I as a father give you another set of conditions. Every wife or concubine you wish to take in the future must obtain Xiao Mei's approval. She will also start to accompany you on your journeys and follow you back to the zither palace when you return to the palace. This will be done to foster your feelings for each other. Then there will be one last condition, which is that you are not allowed to break her heart, or I will personally kill you."
Jiang Mang and Xia Mei were both stunned by these last words. Xia Mei was happy with it as it meant that she was the one who was in control of the relationship. Jiang Mang was a bit hesitant at first but accepted it later because he wanted to be fair to Xia Mei his new fiancee. He also believed that he would be able to make her accept Feng Xue as the person he loves.
Jiang Mang and Xia Mei then left the discussion room and were brought to two opposing bedrooms. They would become engaged in two days. Jiang Mang would also be adopted into the Xia family that day.
Patriarch Xia had ordered the two to become familiar with each other in the coming two days and made Xia Mei tour Ice city the next day. The next day the two spend the entire day touring ice city, which is incredibly beautiful. They also told each other many things about themselves and got to know each other. Jiang Mang had completely accepted the marriage from that day on and prepared multiple ways on how to make it up to Feng Xue. Xia Mei was completely content with having Jiang Mang as her fiancee. She had already fallen for him since he won against her. She also swore to herself to keep him for herself and not accept any other girls, while also make it her goal to make him love her and her alone.
She also made Jiang Mang call her Mei Mei, while she started calling him brother Mang, to close the distance between them. While the two toured the city, they also bought a set of rings to acknowledge their new relationship. Jiang Mang also wanted to give her something to help her cultivation, but he wasn't able to as Xia Mei solely cultivates the sword dao and the inheritance technique the seven styles of the frost sword. She had also only comprehended the sword and frost intent to perfection. In the end, he gave her one minor life formation plate to heal her wounds when necessary and one minor undying fox demon formation plate to be able to attack an early king stage cultivator.