Peerless Beauty

A peerless beauty entered Long Chen's sight. Her brows were like willow leaves, her eyes like autumn water, her skin as white as jade, and her lips like crimson dots. Her waterfall-like hair cascaded down to her waist. Seeing Long Chen enter, their eyes met, causing Long Chen's heart to pound wildly.

The maiden seemed like an immortal who did not partake in worldly affairs. Because of her presence, the entire room felt like a fairyland. Long Chen stared blankly at the woman, completely mesmerized.

A faint blush rose on the maiden's jade-like cheeks, and she averted her gaze from Long Chen. Seeing this, Madam Long couldn't help but clear her throat and say, "Chen'er, haven't you met Meng Qi yet? She is your fiancée, betrothed to you since before birth."

Mentioning his fiancée, Madam Long's face was filled with joy. Long Chen, however, was greatly shocked. He had such a marriage arrangement, yet he didn't even know about it.

"Greetings, Miss Meng Qi." Seeing his mother constantly giving him meaningful glances, Long Chen finally reacted and gave a slight bow.

A blush appeared on Meng Qi's delicate face, and she returned the bow. However, her cherry lips moved, but she didn't utter a single word.

Seeing this, Madam Long smiled slightly and said, "Meng Qi, you and Long Chen are both young. You two chat first; I'll go prepare some food."

With that, Madam Long gave Long Chen an encouraging look and withdrew, leaving the two of them alone in the room.

Facing a celestial being, Long Chen felt somewhat at a loss for the first time. After a long pause, he managed to stammer out, "Please, have a seat."

Meng Qi gently shook her head and glanced at Long Chen. A complex emotion flickered in her beautiful eyes as she said, "Long Chen, there's something I want to tell you. Can we go somewhere else?"

Long Chen was slightly taken aback but nodded. The two left the Long family residence and found a secluded spot. To Long Chen's utter astonishment...

Meng Qi extended her jade-like hands and slowly formed seals in front of her chest. Seeing the hand seals, Long Chen almost cried out in shock, as he recognized the ability of those seals – Contract Summoning, a skill unique to Beast Tamers.

"Buzz."

Suddenly, the space rippled, confirming Long Chen's thoughts. A monster with a lion's head and an eagle's body, over three zhang long, appeared before them, exuding a powerful aura.

Although Long Chen couldn't cultivate before, he knew basic common knowledge from the Monster Compendium. This monster was a Lion-Eagle, a terrifying Rank 2 magical beast.

This Lion-Eagle before them had clearly not fully matured, but its combat power was such that even an ordinary expert in the Blood Condensation Realm would not be its match.

However, the seemingly ferocious Lion-Eagle was exceptionally docile in front of Meng Qi, lying obediently on the ground.

Meng Qi gracefully walked towards the Lion-Eagle and slowly mounted its back. She then said to Long Chen, "Come up."

Long Chen glanced at Meng Qi and saw a hint of panic flash in her eyes. He pondered for a moment before finally climbing up.

Stepping onto a monster's back was a first for Long Chen, and he couldn't help but feel nervous. He knew these things could eat people if they went berserk.

"Whoosh."

The Lion-Eagle suddenly spread its wings, its massive body carrying the two of them straight into the sky. The moment the Lion-Eagle took off, Long Chen almost fell off.

Suddenly, a jade hand steadied him, alleviating his embarrassment. Seeing Meng Qi's face tinged with a hint of amusement, trying to suppress a smile, Long Chen felt a wave of awkwardness.

"I... I get a bit dizzy on flying things," Long Chen said with a slight smile, offering a flimsy excuse.

Meng Qi couldn't help but chuckle but then suddenly seemed a little embarrassed and turned her face away.

The Lion-Eagle flew at great speed, and in a short while, it had flown out of the Imperial Capital and landed on Falling Sunset Mountain outside the city.

Dusk was approaching, and the setting sun, like blood, illuminated the entire Imperial Capital. It was a breathtakingly beautiful scene.

The two stood on the mountaintop, neither speaking. Long Chen looked towards the Imperial Capital, a hint of helplessness flashing in his starry eyes.

"Long Chen, I..." Meng Qi hesitated for a long time, then finally took a deep breath and opened her cherry lips.

"Are you here to break off the engagement?" Long Chen didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the Imperial Capital.

Meng Qi's heart trembled, and disbelief appeared on her delicate face. "You... you knew?"

"I guessed," Long Chen slowly retracted his gaze and looked at Meng Qi's flawless, jade-like face. "Thank you."

"Thank me?" Meng Qi was a little confused.

"Thank you for not mentioning it in front of my mother, for not making her sad, and for saving my face. That's why I want to thank you," Long Chen said with a smile.

Meng Qi looked at Long Chen. In the past few days, she had thoroughly investigated Long Chen's situation in recent years.

She had imagined how Long Chen would react upon hearing this news – how angry he would be, how frantic, perhaps even how he would curse her out. But she had never expected to encounter this situation today.

"I know you are a proud daughter of heaven, capable of controlling a Rank 2 magical beast at such a young age. As for me, I am merely a mortal. We are people from two entirely different worlds. You are not wrong in doing this, and there's no need for you to feel sad," Long Chen said with a gentle smile that was warm and comforting.

Yet, seeing that smile, Meng Qi's heart ached inexplicably. This young man before her had already experienced too much misfortune. Was it too heartless of her to add salt to his already bruised wounds?

"Give me a few days. I will persuade my mother to break off this engagement. I promise you, I won't make you wait too long."

After speaking, Long Chen turned and slowly walked away. The afterglow of the setting sun cast upon his slender figure, making him appear somewhat desolate on the mountain path.

Watching Long Chen's retreating figure, tears welled up in Meng Qi's beautiful eyes, and she instinctively covered her cherry lips with her hand.

"Was what I did right or wrong?"

Behind Meng Qi, another maiden slowly approached and softly comforted her, "Sister, since you've already said it, let's resolve it completely. However, this Long Chen is indeed quite pitiful."

The two maidens watched Long Chen's figure until he completely disappeared from view.

After descending the mountain, Long Chen's mood grew increasingly dejected. The moment he first saw Meng Qi, he had felt a deep sense of admiration for her. Her ethereal demeanor, like a celestial maiden from the ninth heaven, made it impossible for a mortal like Long Chen not to be moved.

However, the admiration that had just begun to blossom was doused with a bucket of cold water before he could even express it. No one would feel good in such a situation. Long Chen's Soul Force was exceptionally powerful, making him highly sensitive to the emotions of others.

When Meng Qi displayed her strength and summoned the Lion-Eagle, he had already sensed that things were not going well, which led to the subsequent conversation.

"Lost the engagement before it even began."

A wave of bitterness washed over Long Chen. He wanted to scream. He had endured so much grievance and oppression without crying, but this time, he truly felt the urge to weep.

He could sense that Meng Qi was a kind woman. Otherwise, there would have been no need for her to consider his feelings; she could have simply broken off the engagement directly.

Long Chen didn't want to break off the engagement either, but what could he do? Beg and plead with her, crying and sniveling?

Fine, if it could actually salvage the situation, Long Chen wouldn't mind losing all dignity and doing just that. The problem was, even if he did, it would be utterly meaningless.

It was better to part amicably. Though his heart ached, Long Chen endured it. By the time he returned home, it was already dark.

As soon as Long Chen walked in, his mother began interrogating him, demanding to know what he and Meng Qi had said to each other, what progress had been made, and if there had been any intimate contact.

A feeling of helplessness washed over him. After managing to fend her off for a while, Long Chen asked, "Mother, how exactly was my engagement to Meng Qi arranged? Why didn't you ever mention it to me?"

Upon hearing Long Chen's question, a flicker of pain appeared in Madam Long's eyes, though she quickly concealed it.

She told Long Chen that their families had been very close back then. Long Chen's father and Meng Qi's father were sworn brothers who had bonded as deeply as blood brothers. They had even declared that if they had children, a boy and a girl would be married to each other.

Long Chen pursed his lips slightly. You guys were all high-spirited and proud, but it's brought me nothing but misery.

"Mother, I think Meng Qi and I are not a good match," Long Chen said, biting the bullet after a long moment of thought.

"What?" Madam Long's expression shifted slightly, and she looked at Long Chen with disbelief.

"Ahem, Mother, please don't get agitated. I mean, I think Meng Qi and I are not a good match, after all..." Long Chen said with some difficulty.

"Nonsense! What crazy talk is this? Meng Qi is like a celestial fairy descended to earth, how could she not be a good match for you?" Madam Long was furious and couldn't help but scold him.

"Mother, please listen to me. Love is about mutual consent; that's what makes it meaningful. You arranged this marriage without our consent. Isn't that a bit too arbitrary?" Long Chen said with a smile.

"You... you're going to make me so angry I die!" Madam Long couldn't hear any of Long Chen's words and was so angry that tears started to stream down her face.

Long Chen felt awkward but couldn't tell her the truth. He could only stand there. As Madam Long cried, she suddenly asked, "Chen'er, tell Mother the truth, did Meng Qi go back on her word?"

"How could that be? Meng Qi is a good girl. It's just that I feel it's all too sudden, and I can't accept it," Long Chen said quickly.

"Don't say anymore, child. It's your parents who have failed you."

Madam Long wasn't foolish. She knew Long Chen's temperament well. After a moment's thought, she realized it wasn't as simple as he made it sound. She hugged Long Chen and wept.

"Mother, it's not as bad as you think. I just said we're not suitable now, not that we won't be in the future," Long Chen said with a smile.

"I plan to break off the engagement first. Then, your son will use his own abilities to pursue her again and she'll still become your daughter-in-law. Wouldn't that be a happy ending for everyone?" Long Chen said with a grin.

"Hmph, it's not that simple. Meng Qi is as beautiful as a celestial fairy; countless people are pursuing her. Once the engagement is broken, what chance will you have?"

Madam Long sighed and continued, "You're right, though. Such things can't be forced. Since it's your engagement, and you're grown up now, you can make the decision."

"Thank you, Mother." Long Chen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Madam Long took an old wooden box from under the bed, retrieved a thin piece of paper from it, and handed it to Long Chen. "This is your engagement contract. If you want to break the engagement, just destroy this contract."

Long Chen took the thin piece of paper. His heart felt like a jumble of emotions. His beautiful, celestial-like wife was gone just like that. He truly felt unwilling.