Yuan Hongying stood awkwardly in the hall, her head lowered, not daring to look at Chen Lin.
"Have a seat!"
Chen Lin glanced at her. She did look much more haggard than she had several years ago, and her cultivation had not advanced an inch. It seemed she really had been living poorly.
"Thank you, Senior."
Yuan Hongying answered quietly, then sat on a stool at the very edge of the hall.
Her demeanor was worlds apart from that spirited woman she had once been. He had no idea what she had experienced over the years to change her so drastically.
"I'm leaving. It's hard to say whether I'll ever return to Tianfeng City after this journey, so we need to settle your situation as well."
Chen Lin considered his words before speaking slowly.
Then he continued, "I can give you two choices.
"First, I'll issue a statement releasing you from your status as my concubine and restoring your freedom. I won't pursue the matter of your impersonation back then, either. From then on, there will be no ties between us.
"Second, you can continue living as my concubine. I'll likewise issue a statement confirming your status and leave you some cultivation resources. But in that case, you can never marry anyone else for the rest of your life. That restriction will have to be enforced by a contract."
"I choose the second!"
Yuan Hongying raised her head and spoke firmly.
Chen Lin's eyes flickered. He nodded and said, "Very well, then I'll grant your wish. I'll leave this courtyard to you, along with enough pills and other treasures for you to cultivate to the Golden Core Stage. If you run into any trouble, you can ask Manager He and the others for help. If they can't resolve it, go