Ling Huo stood opposite, his presence unmistakable. He Comes from the Ling family, one of the four main families serving under the imperial family.
As the young master and son of the family head, he carried an air of authority.
Su Yan recalled how her grandfather had accepted Ling Huo as a disciple, hoping to sway the Ling family's loyalty away from the imperial family.
She couldn't understand why this guy couldn't mind his own business. He always found excuses to talk to her, much to her annoyance.
"How annoying," she thought.
Ling Huo's face flushed with embarrassment when she addressed him as "Grandpa's disciple." He clearly had a name.
"Nothing, Senior Sister. I just wanted to see who this new guest might be," he said, glancing at Hun Yu. "By the way, Senior Sister, my name is Ling Huo. You can call me Junior Brother Huo."
Su Yan looked disgusted. She despised lecherous types like Ling Huo and couldn't fathom why her grandfather had accepted him as a disciple.
"No, thanks. I'd rather not," she replied coldly, turning to leave.
"Wait!" he called after her.
She turned around, her expression questioning.
"Senior Sister, please accept these gifts I brought for you." He produced several boxes. "And this Realm Breaking Pill," he added, opening one of the boxes to reveal a pill inside.
The Realm Breaking Pill could help an Elementary Realm cultivator increase one or two ranks or even advance to the next realm if they were at the ninth rank.
"Hmm, sorry, but I don't see any reason to accept such gifts. You should use them yourself," she said.
Undeterred by her rejection, Ling Huo turned to Hun Yu. "How about I give it to this brother?"
Hun Yu, sensing Ling Huo's ulterior motives, rejected the offer immediately. "No, I have no need for gifts."
He could see that Ling Huo wanted to use him to get close to Su Yan.
From Ling Huo's actions, it was evident he had a crush on her, which wasn't surprising given she was considered one of the most beautiful women in the empire after Yun Xiu.
But using him to get close to her? No chance. Even if Ling Huo offered his entire fortune and life, Hun Yu wouldn't agree because it was Su Yan's personal decision, and she clearly didn't want to engage with Ling Huo.
"You! Who do you think you are? You, a mere body tempering cultivator, dare to reject me?" Ling Huo shouted, drawing his sword in anger.
Su Yan, observing the situation, swiftly drew her sword. In just two or three moves, she had Ling Huo on the ground, unable to fight back.
The difference between them was clear: she was at the peak of the Elementalist Realm, while Ling Huo was only at rank one.
Ling Huo, lying on the ground, gasped, "Senior Sister, you... you fight against me for a mere body tempering guy..."
But Su Yan didn't reply. She and Hun Yu walked away, leaving Ling Huo to glare at Hun Yu with eyes full of hatred, as if he were his lifelong enemy.
Yun Xiu, who had been observing, frowned at Ling Huo's hateful gaze towards Hun Yu. The unpleasant expression on her face mirrored the tension in the air.
After about three hours of climbing the mountain at full speed, they finally arrived back.
As they arrived, they were greeted by Yun Xiu. Her gaze immediately fixed on the weapon Hun Yu was holding.
"Oh, interesting choice," she said, taking the sword and examining it closely. "The quality is very good, and this sword appears to be a good fit for you."
She handed the sword back to Hun Yu and turned to Su Yan. "Little Yan, the Elders have decided to make you the captain of the team for the Falling Star Tournament.
You are free to choose the best options for your team."
Su Yan nodded. She had come here to train under the sect master partly because of the Falling Star Tournament, which was held every fifteen years.
When the last tournament took place, she was only two or three years old.
She had heard that Sect Master Yun had participated in the previous tournament when she was around fourteen or fifteen years old. The next tournament was in six to seven months, and her goal was to win it.
"And another thing, your grandpa called for you. He wanted to tell you something," Yun Xiu added.
Su Yan looked puzzled. What could her grandpa want to tell her? "Okay, Sect Master. I will be back soon," she said, heading off.
Now, only Hun Yu and Yun Xiu remained.
"Did you encounter any trouble this time?" Yun Xiu asked.
"No, just a weird guy, but Su Yan took care of him," Hun Yu replied.
She already knew the "weird guy" Hun Yu mentioned was Ling Huo from the Ling family.
She had heard the news about the great elder accepting a kid from the Ling family as a disciple, but the matter hadn't been significant enough to grab her attention.
Turning her gaze to Hun Yu, she thought about how he had unknowingly created many enemies.
Meanwhile, Su Yan had arrived at her grandpa's residence. She entered without knocking or hesitation. Her grandpa sat silently inside.
"Did you call for me, Grandpa?" she asked, taking a seat.
The old man nodded. "Yanyan, there is a matter I wanted to discuss with you," he said. "You remember my disciple, right?"
She nodded. How could she not remember? She had just beaten that guy before coming here.
"Good," her grandpa continued. "I have decided to arrange a marriage between you and him."
Su Yan's eyes widened in shock. The sword she was holding fell to the ground. "What!?" she exclaimed in horror.
An arranged marriage? She despised the idea, and now her beloved grandpa was telling her he had arranged a marriage for her? How could she accept such a thing?
"Yanyan, you won't understand my goodwill behind this," the old man said gently.
Su Yan's anger flared. "Goodwill? How can this be goodwill, marrying me off without even asking my opinion?" she shouted.
Tears streamed down her face as she ran away. The grandfather she had admired so much had just sold her without a second thought.
She would rather die than be forced into a marriage, especially with someone like Ling Huo.
After she left, a figure walked into the room. "Father, is this necessary?"
"Of course it is. If things continue like this, our sect will soon be destroyed. The empire is waiting like a snake for an opportunity to strike, and if the imperial family attacks, we cannot resist. We simply don't have the power we once did."
"So, it is essential to marry Yanyan into the Ling family? That family is associated with the imperial family, and she will be safe there," Su Yan's father, and the grand elder's son, replied.
...
In a quiet place near a pond, Su Yan sat throwing rocks into the water, one by one. She replayed her grandfather's words in her mind, each repetition fueling her anger. "Humph! Either I die or kill that Ling Huo."
As she muttered, she sensed someone approaching. Turning around, she saw Yun Xiu.
"Sect Master?" she said.
"What happened, Little Yan? I've been watching you for quite some time. Why do you look so sad?" Yun Xiu asked.
Su Yan hesitated. "Nothing. I was just thinking."
Yun Xiu walked closer. "You can tell me. Think of me as a big sister."
Yun Xiu had been on her way somewhere when she noticed Su Yan. Observing her for a while, she could tell something was wrong.
Overwhelmed with sadness, Su Yan couldn't help but hug Yun Xiu, tears streaming down her face. Yun Xiu gently placed her hand on Su Yan's head, comforting her.
After some time, Su Yan stopped crying and told Yun Xiu everything about the arranged marriage her grandfather had planned.
Yun Xiu listened silently, unable to understand the grand elder's reasoning for arranging a marriage with the Ling family. She knew she had no right to interfere in their family's matters.
"Okay, don't worry. I'll see what I can do to convince your grandfather," she said. "Now, let's go. Don't you want to win the tournament? You should be training hard."
Hearing about the tournament, Su Yan's mood brightened. Yun Xiu took her hand, and they disappeared.
In just a few moments, they arrived at Yun Xiu's home.
"You are at the peak of the Elementalist Realm, infinitely close to the next realm," Yun Xiu muttered.
"Here, take this," she handed Su Yan a pill. "Eat it and sit down."
Su Yan did as Yun Xiu instructed. In the next moment, she felt a surge of qi entering her body and being absorbed. The feeling of a breakthrough grew stronger and stronger until, with a boom, she broke through.
"Congratulations on reaching the Spirit Manifestation Realm," Yun Xiu said as Su Yan opened her eyes. She noticed Hun Yu standing beside Yun Xiu.
Su Yan thanked the sect master, her respect for Yun Xiu growing even more.
Hun Yu also congratulated her. At around 18 years old, she was already at the Spirit Manifestation Realm, while he, at 20-21, was only at the third rank of Body Tempering.
Su Yan's previous sadness and anger disappeared, replaced by happiness. She jumped and hugged Yun Xiu, who didn't mind her behavior, seeing her as just a young girl.
Realizing Hun Yu was watching, Su Yan coughed in embarrassment and backed away. "Let's get back to training," she said.
...
Meanwhile, Ling Huo returned to his house within the sect, a privilege granted by his status. On the table, he noticed a letter sealed with his family's emblem. He recognized it instantly. Opening it, he read the contents:
Ling Huo,
This is your father, Ling Sho.
I have something important to tell you. Recently, I had a conversation with the Grand Elder, your master, and we concluded that an arranged marriage between you and Su Yan is necessary. It doesn't matter if you agree or not; the matter has been decided.
As he read the letter, a grin spread across his face. "Su Yan, you humiliated me today, but let's see who will humiliate whom in the future," he muttered, burning the letter to ashes.
He silently thanked his master for arranging the marriage. "And that boy you're with, I will personally kill him in front of you.
No, better yet, I will marry you in front of him, then kill him before your eyes," he muttered, his fists clenching as he remembered the humiliation caused by Su Yan. Word had already spread throughout the sect that he was beaten by her.