Zhang Ruochen, Lin Fei, and the maidservant Yun'er sat inside an ancient carriage drawn by a Lingma, slowly leaving the Yunwu Royal Palace.
The Lingma was not a regular horse but a type of savage beast with a single horn on its head, standing over three meters tall, resembling a small elephant. It could run five times faster than an ordinary warhorse, with the strongest Lingma capable of traveling three thousand li in a day.
After traveling for some time, the Lingma carriage gradually came to a halt.
Zhang Ruochen stepped out and gazed at the grand, gilded gates in the distance. Above them hung a plaque, framed in gold, with two bold, vigorous characters: "Lin Residence."
His heart stirred. Wasn't his mother's surname also Lin?
Judging by the grandeur of the residence, the Lin family was no small household—it was clearly a distinguished and powerful clan.
If his mother's family was truly this prominent, why had they not supported her? Why had she been constantly humiliated by the other concubines in the prince's manor?
There had to be more to the story.
Lin Fei also stepped out of the carriage, her eyes lingering on the familiar yet distant gates. She said softly, "Chen'er, I'm sure you've been eager to see Ningshan. Now that you've awakened your Divine Martial Seal, I'm certain you'll have a lot to talk about with her. Keep working hard!"
To this moment, Zhang Ruochen still had no idea who Ningshan was. The more he heard Yun'er and Lin Fei mention her, the stranger it felt.
Following Lin Fei's lead, Zhang Ruochen and Yun'er entered the Lin Residence.
When a royal consort returns to her family, she should, in theory, be greeted with great ceremony. Yet Lin Fei and Zhang Ruochen were received by no more than an elderly steward at the gate.
The steward escorted Lin Fei into the inner residence, while Zhang Ruochen and Yun'er were left in the outer courtyard, attended by two maidservants.
The atmosphere felt off to Zhang Ruochen, but he couldn't place why, so he remained silent.
"Ninth Prince, aren't you going to see Ningshan? She should be at the training ground right now, along with the younger members of the Lin family," Yun'er suggested.
Having heard Ningshan's name several times now, Zhang Ruochen's curiosity grew. Who exactly was this girl? It couldn't hurt to meet her.
"Alright, let's go to the Lin family's training ground," Zhang Ruochen agreed with a nod.
Inside the Lin Residence's inner hall, the Lin family patriarch, Lin Fengxian, sat regally in a grand armchair.
He appeared to be in his thirties, with neatly trimmed mustaches above his lips. He glanced toward Lin Fei, who sat opposite him, and said, "The Ninth Prince is a descendant of the Yunwu Royal Family. Now that he's awakened his Divine Martial Seal, he should go to the Royal Family's library to select a cultivation technique. So why has the Lady Consort come to the Lin family asking for one?"
Lin Fei bit her lip gently and replied, "I'm not asking for it. I'm requesting that, as Chen'er is your own nephew, you might be willing to provide him with a cultivation technique out of family love."
Bang!
Lin Fengxian scoffed, slamming his hand on the table. "Now you remember to come begging me, your elder brother? Now you want to talk about family love? Three years ago, when I came to the prince's manor to beg for your help, did you consider the love between us then? You knew perfectly well that Chen Yu was my legitimate son, a once-in-a-century genius of the Lin family. All you had to do was plead with the prince, and he would have been spared. But you didn't…"
"Three years ago…" Lin Fei, on the verge of tears, was filled with bitterness. She tried to explain, but Lin Fengxian cut her off.
"Leave! The Lin family severed ties with you long ago. Don't ever return, Consort Lin."
With a thud, Lin Fei knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face. Choking on her sobs, she cried, "Brother, are you truly this heartless? I need to see our father."
"Father has gone to the Tianmo Ridge. He won't return for three months, so you won't be seeing him today," Lin Fengxian said coldly. "There's something else. Ningshan is about to be engaged to the Seventh Prince. Tell the Ninth Prince to stay away from her."
Lin Fei's face turned pale. "You know how much Chen'er has always liked Ningshan. If he learns she's to marry the Seventh Prince, it will break his heart. But why the Seventh Prince?"
Lin Fengxian explained, "The Seventh Prince awakened a seventh-grade Divine Martial Seal at the age of three. His talent is unmatched. With his current martial prowess, no one among Yunwu Commandery's younger generation can compare. A marriage between Ningshan and the Seventh Prince will greatly benefit the Lin family's future."
"Ningshan and Chen'er have known each other since childhood, and they grew up as close companions. Yet you'd sacrifice her happiness for the family's benefit? Will she truly be happy in such a marriage?" Lin Fei asked, her voice filled with despair.
"You misunderstand," Lin Fengxian said coldly. "This was Ningshan's own decision."
The Lin family's training ground was vast, about the size of half a football field.
Several young members of the Lin family, all dressed in blue martial robes, were practicing martial techniques. Some practiced fist techniques, others swordplay or blade arts.
These youths were the elites of the Lin family, each of them having awakened their Divine Martial Seals. Their focus on cultivation was unwavering, with senior members of the family offering guidance. It was a scene full of vitality and growth.
Zhang Ruochen nodded in acknowledgment. "The Lin family is certainly one of the great clans in Yunwu Commandery."
Suddenly, his gaze fell upon a slender girl in the training field, and he couldn't help but feel awestruck.
The girl appeared to be only fourteen or fifteen, with a petite, delicate frame. Her willow-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and snow-white skin gave her an ethereal beauty.
She wielded a sword that radiated a faint starlight, surrounded by a light blue glow. Sword energy spiraled around her body, following her movements like a dancing phoenix or a graceful dragon. Her swordplay was exquisite, bordering on perfection.
"Externalized true energy, with the sword moving at her will. Her martial cultivation is at least at the mid-stage of the Huangji Realm, far stronger than the Eighth Prince," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
"Isn't that the Ninth Prince? What's he doing at the Lin Residence?" a young Lin family disciple sneered, glancing at Zhang Ruochen.
"He must be here to see Ningshan. Too bad she couldn't care less about him."
"I heard he's awakened his Divine Martial Seal."
"Hah! Awakening the seal at sixteen? What can he possibly achieve? If he weren't Ningshan's cousin, he wouldn't even be allowed inside the Lin family's gates."
"I've heard Ningshan is soon to be engaged to the Seventh Prince. What a perfect match they make!"
"Haha! They say the Ninth Prince has always had a crush on Ningshan. I wonder how he'll react when he finds out about the engagement?"
The young Lin martial artists stopped their training, casting mocking glances at Zhang Ruochen, their laughter filled with ridicule.
Even Lin Ningshan stopped her sword practice. She glanced briefly at Zhang Ruochen standing outside the training ground, and with a flick of her slender arm, her starlit sword flew effortlessly back into its sheath five meters away.
Lin Ningshan walked over to Zhang Ruochen, sizing up his thin frame. "Cousin, long time no see. I heard you've also awakened your Divine Martial Seal?"
When they were young, Lin Ningshan and Zhang Ruochen had been close playmates, practically inseparable. But after Lin Ningshan awakened her Divine Martial Seal, she had spent most of her time cultivating, gradually drifting apart from Zhang Ruochen.
Three years ago, after that incident, she hadn't visited the Yunwu Royal Palace again. Despite Zhang Ruochen's constant illness, he would still visit the Lin Residence, even if it was just to catch a glimpse of her, which made him happy.
However, their meetings became increasingly rare, and in the past six months, she hadn't seen him at all. Instead, she sent a maidservant to dismiss him whenever he came.
"So, she's my cousin," Zhang Ruochen thought. Having no emotional attachment to her in his current life, he remained calm and replied humbly, "Yes, I've awakened the Divine Martial Seal, though Her Majesty says it's of no particular grade, so it can't compare to yours."
Lin Ningshan nodded, raising her chin proudly like a swan. "You're already sixteen, so being able to awaken your seal is a blessing. You should focus on your cultivation. Though you won't become a powerful martial artist, at least you'll be healthier and won't spend your life bedridden. You can finally live like a normal person."
Zhang Ruochen frowned slightly but nodded. "I will work hard to improve and catch up with you."
Lin Ningshan, knowing that Zhang Ruochen had feelings for her, assumed he still harbored hope of pursuing her.
"Cousin, my cultivation is already at the mid-stage of the Huangji Realm, and I'm just one step away from the major stage. With your talent, I doubt you'll ever reach the mid-stage. You should focus on steady, practical cultivation instead of chasing after impossible dreams. If you aim too high, it will only backfire," Lin Ningshan said, her words heavy with meaning.
Zhang Ruochen's frown deepened.
Lin Ningshan looked at him with a trace of pity. "Cousin, there's something I need to tell you, and I hope you won't be too upset. In three months, after the prince leaves seclusion, I will be engaged to the Seventh Prince."
The young Lin martial artists snickered, eager to see how Zhang Ruochen would react to this news.