After a bit of hesitation, the middle-aged man looked at his youngest son and said softly.
"Xiao, I know you disagree with my arrangements, but I promise it's not as bad as you believe it to be. For the past two decades, the Demonic Cult has reformed, with the Cult Leader advocating for peace and unity between the Northern Wasteland and Jianghu. You're my son, the third in line for the head seat to the Heavenly Murim Alliance. Your marriage with the Cult Leader's daughter will solidify all the efforts of bringing peace not only to the Northern Wasteland and Jianghu, but the entire Central Plain as a whole. I hope you will understand the importance of your decision and not object to the marriage anymore."
After the Family Head spoke up, the older brother followed.
"Little Xiao, if you really hate it that much, then you're free to choose a concubine you truly like. If not that, then you can continue visiting the Azure Pavilion, we won't stop you anymore."
The Family Head's face stiffened upon hearing that, but he managed to force a smile onto his aged face before saying.
"That's right Xiao, you just have to be mindful when going to those brothels. It's not a good look for a son of mine to be seen going to such places."
All while his father and older brother tried to appease him, Xiao was busy gnawing on the bare chopsticks while in thought. Only after his brother and father finished speaking did he raise his head and say with furrowed brows.
"How many times do I have to tell you two that it doesn't matter if I have concubines or not? I don't want to get married, not now or in the future. I have my sword and that's enough for me. If you truly want to unite the Northern Wasteland and Jianghu with a marriage, just have elder brother marry that demoness."
The Family Head sighed and as if he had said this a thousand times before, spoke in an exasperated tone.
"Xiao, your older brother Song-min is too old, the Cult Leader's daughter is only eighteen this year while he's almost thirty. Originally, it was Yoon-min who was supposed to marry her, but…"
Upon hearing the mention of his brother Yoon-min, Xiao stiffened slightly.
The family of three then glanced at the empty chair next to the elder brother Song-min, where there was a bowl filled to the brim with untouched food.
Normally in their conversations, Xiao would then go on to say that he was only seventeen and didn't want to marry someone who was a year older than him. However, after a moment of silence, he surprised his older brother and father by saying.
"Fine, I agree to marry that demoness."
The father and son duo were momentarily dumbfounded, they truly hadn't expected this stubborn brat to agree so suddenly. But soon it seemed as if a weight of a thousand tons that had been piling up for the past two weeks had been lifted off their shoulders. With wide smiles, the two started to console Xiao while picking up several pieces of vegetables and duck meat to put on his plate.
Although he wore an annoyed expression, Xiao still ate everything given to him as he was extremely hungry.
But thinking of something, Xiao asked with his cheeks stuffed.
"Oh, by the way, when is the marriage?"
The Family Head would have scolded his youngest son for talking with food in his mouth, but he let it pass this time and instead smiled before responding.
"The marriage will be held two months from now on your eighteenth birthday."
Xiao thought for a moment then nodded casually before going back to eating.
Seeing this, the father and son subtly glanced at each other from across the table. Then after a moment, Song-min coughed in his fist before looking at his younger brother and said.
"Little Xiao—no, I suppose I shouldn't call you little anymore now that you're so grown. Since you've agreed to the marriage it's only right that you visit the bride's household. So, tomorrow you will head to the Northern Wasteland to visit the Demonic Cult."
Xiao almost choked on the food in his mouth upon hearing this sudden news. He looked up at his brother and father with a stunned expression.
"You two, are you just trying to drive me out of the house? Why should I visit the Demonic Cult all the way in the Northern Wasteland, why can't they just visit us instead?"
The Family Head, seeing his son's discontent quickly stepped in to say.
"What your brother means is that you should get to know the Cult Leader's daughter and more about the Cult as a whole before getting married. Also, you've never left home aside from visiting the academy and those brothels, you can think of this as accumulating experience in the outside world."
Xiao's brows came together into a frown, but after a moment of silence, he said.
"Fine, I heard that the Demonic Cult has the Heavenly Demon Academy, and their top disciples get to learn the Heavenly Asura Blade Arts unlike in the past. I want to see how formidable those so-called Demonic Geniuses are compared to my sword, and if their Heavenly Asura Blade Arts is as good as our Murim Alliance's Divine Origin Sword Arts."
Upon hearing those words, the father and son's expressions drastically change, and feeling of foreboding start to rise in their hearts. Perhaps it was just their wishful thinking that this rigid son and brother of theirs suddenly had a change of heart due to their constant pleas.
The Family Head seemed to want to say something to his son, perhaps warn him to be mindful while in the Northern Wasteland, but after a moment he decided against it. As long as his son didn't cause too much of a commotion then everything would be fine.
Plus, if his son truly revealed his current cultivation at that time, it would cause a massive stir across the Central Plains. It might even overshadow his title of a good-for-nothing and squash all the dissenting voices from the Noble Clans and Great Sects that oppose this marriage.
Seeing that his father didn't say anything, Song-min also chose to remain quiet.
The father and two sons then ate their breakfast in silence. However, unbeknownst to the older brother and father, Xiao's eyes were flickering with a defiant light as he held his head down and ate.
'You want me to go and meet with that demoness? Fine! I'll go and meet her, but don't blame me for what happens afterward. After all, I'm just the wastrel third son of the Heavenly Murim Alliance Leader who can't keep his erection in check when he sees a beauty.'
The defiant light in Xiao's eyes increased even more but he made sure to bury his head in his bowl so as to not reveal his true thoughts to his father and older brother.