"I must say," the self-proclaimed big shot drawled, his voice filled with mock admiration, "you have a… unique talent, Li Xian'er! I've never seen someone wield the power of… well… looking this unattractive."
A wave of laughter rippled through the suitors, who exchanged smirks and chuckles. Li Xian'er felt a sting of embarrassment creep up her cheeks, but she kept her head high, her heart steady. (This is just a test. I've faced worse. They're laughing now, but one day…)
"Oh, what an honor!" Tian Ming said, bowing sarcastically to her. "Truly, I don't think any of us have ever been blessed to see such… raw talent in being plain."
"I can't believe we're even standing here after marriage vows for this!" Wei Jun added, covering his mouth as he stifled a laugh. "Not three minutes in, and I'm already looking for a way out."
Meanwhile, the so-called "big shot" strode around the hall with his chest puffed out, clearly pleased with the chaos he was creating. He eyed Li Xian'er with exaggerated pity, shaking his head. "What a tragedy, really," he continued, with a sigh. "These young men, strong and handsome, tied to… well, this." He gestured at her dismissively, his gaze dripping with fake sympathy.
Li Xian'er clenched her fists but didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction. (They think they're in control, but they don't know what they're messing with.)
Zhi Rui, catching on to the joke, pointed at her and laughed. "Seriously, was there no one else left? How did it come to this?"
One of the elders raised his hand, attempting to restore order. "That's enough," he warned, his gaze shifting between the "big shot" and the suitors. "You don't understand what you're rejecting here. Li Xian'er possesses a strength that—"
"Oh, please," interrupted the "big shot," with a dismissive wave. "What strength could she possibly have? The strength to repel men? Because, I must say, she's doing an impressive job."
The suitors burst into laughter again, openly mocking and jeering now. Li Xian'er felt a pang of humiliation, but she kept her gaze steady. She would not give them the satisfaction of seeing her hurt.
"Look, this is ridiculous!" Liang Chen spoke up, pointing an accusing finger at her. "I mean, do we even know if these… 'powers' of hers are real? This is all just some scheme to keep us stuck in this farce of a marriage, isn't it?"
One of the elders sighed, his voice stern. "You're underestimating what lies dormant in her."
But Zhao Ren, the "big shot," leaned in with a smirk, clearly enjoying the drama he'd stirred up. "Why don't we all just call it quits now?" he suggested smoothly, planting seeds of doubt. "Walk away while you still can. She's clearly not worth the wait."
The suitors exchanged glances, nodding in agreement. "Divorce is the only option!" Wei Jun declared, his face alight with newfound resolve. "I won't let my life get wasted on—" He trailed off, eyeing her distastefully.
"Exactly!" agreed Tian Ming, his tone full of mock determination. "We're bound to her by some old promise, but it's clearly a mistake. We're not going to waste our lives waiting for something that'll never happen."
Li Xian'er kept her chin raised, enduring the harsh words with quiet strength. (They can insult me all they want. I know who I am, and I know my power.)
Just then, an elder stepped forward, his expression filled with grave concern. "You all speak so lightly of rejecting her, but do you truly understand the consequences?" His voice echoed in the hall, demanding silence. "Divorce her, and you may very well be turning away from your own destiny, from a future of strength and prosperity that only she can provide."
The suitors looked at each other, uncertain. Zhi Rui hesitated, frowning. "But… she doesn't even look like someone who could possess great power."
Another elder, his voice calm but firm, interjected, "Appearances mean nothing. What lies within her is beyond your comprehension."
"Oh, please!" scoffed Zhao Ren, still pretending to be a wise authority. "Do you really expect us to believe that? Look at her! There's no sign of strength, beauty, or power here. Only a dull, unremarkable girl with no place among powerful men like yourselves."
Li Xian'er bit her lip, her heart pounding with anger and frustration. (They don't know… they don't see… But I'll show them all one day.)
"Do you think we should listen to them?" murmured Zhi Rui, glancing uncertainly at the elders. "What if there's some truth to this?"
Wei Jun shrugged, crossing his arms. "Truth or not, I don't see any benefit to staying. I'm not going to waste my life on a chance."
Another elder spoke up, his voice calm yet filled with authority. "You were all brought here for a reason. Destiny brought you to her because she possesses the power to change the fate of those around her. If you reject this path, you're not just abandoning her—you're abandoning your own futures."
The words hung heavy in the air, making the suitors pause. For a moment, a flicker of doubt crossed their faces.
Zhao Ren, sensing that his influence might be slipping, quickly stepped in again. "Oh, come on! Are you really going to believe this story about fate and destiny? Do you really want to be tied to… this?" He gestured dismissively toward Li Xian'er.
"Exactly," Liang Chen agreed. "We don't want to waste our lives on some promise our ancestors made. It's ridiculous!"
But just as they were all murmuring their agreements and doubts, a deep, resonant voice filled the hall, silencing everyone.
"Perhaps you all need a reminder of what it means to break such vows."
The hall grew cold, as if an unseen presence had entered. The air grew thick, heavy with an ancient energy that sent chills down their spines. The suitors looked around, their expressions filled with unease.
"What… what is this?" Tian Ming stammered, his eyes wide.
An elder stepped forward, his face solemn. "This is a warning, a reminder from the ancients. You made a vow, a promise bound by destiny. Breaking that promise is not a decision to be taken lightly."
Liang Chen swallowed, his bravado fading. "Are you saying… there's a curse?"
The elder nodded, his eyes narrowing. "Rejecting her means rejecting a future of strength, power, and prosperity. You will never know what you could have had, what destiny had in store for you."
The suitors exchanged uneasy glances, the weight of the words sinking in.
For a moment, Zhao Ren faltered, his smirk slipping as he looked around. But he quickly regained his composure, laughing loudly. "Oh, come on! A curse? Really? Are we in some old tale?"
The suitors laughed nervously, though some of them looked doubtful.
Li Xian'er took a step forward, her gaze steady. "You can laugh all you want," she said, her voice calm but strong. "But one day, you'll see what you missed."
Zhao Ren rolled his eyes, sneering. "Oh, please. Enough with the empty threats, little girl. You're no goddess. You're nothing but a plain, weak—"
Suddenly, the air shifted, and the elders raised their hands, chanting softly. A brilliant light enveloped Li Xian'er, illuminating her form with a soft, golden glow. It wasn't her full power—far from it—but it was enough to make the suitors stare, their eyes wide with shock and awe.
She stood in the glow, her face calm, her gaze piercing as she looked at each of them in turn. For a moment, her true strength, her potential, shone through the dull exterior they saw.
The suitors backed away, their faces pale.
"What… what was that?" Wei Jun whispered, his voice filled with awe.
One of the elders lowered his hands, his face serious. "That was just a glimpse of her power. A taste of the destiny you would share, should you choose to stay."
Li Xian'er held her gaze steady, her heart swelling with newfound strength. (This is just the beginning. They'll see who I am soon enough.)
Zhao Ren, trying to mask his surprise, let out a forced laugh. "Hah! Just a parlor trick, nothing more. Don't let them scare you into staying."
But as he looked around at the silent, awestruck faces of the suitors, his confidence wavered.
Li Xian'er's voice was soft, yet filled with determination. "You can choose to leave. But remember… once you do, there's no coming back."
The suitors looked at each other, uncertainty flickering in their eyes.
And as the hall fell silent, the weight of their decision pressing down on them, one of them finally spoke.
"I… I think we need to reconsider."