"Family Head Qian."
He spoke, his voice hoarse.
He slowly rose to his feet, as if his legs had stiffened from sitting too long. Leaning on his cane, he took two unsteady steps forward.
"High Person, take it slowly!" Qian Yue hurried to his feet to support him.
The moment Qian Yue's broad, ruddy hands caught Chen Xian by the arm, a panel suddenly appeared in Chen Xian's mind, startling him.
[Name: Qian Yue]
[Realm: Mortal Martial Master (equivalent to Ninth Layer of Dao Disciple)]
[Traits: Socially Adept (yellow), Martial Affinity (white), Business Intuition (white), Hypocrisy (ordinary), Cunning (ordinary), Blood-Irrigated Body (red)]
"What's the deal with Blood-Irrigated Body? I've never seen a red trait before!"
Chen Xian's thoughts raced. Qian Yue was hiding a huge secret!
He thought, "Check trait attributes."
[Blood-Irrigated Body (red): An evil body-tempering art that turns the flesh into a furnace! It forcibly locks the body's vitality at its peak, while increasing the recovery rate of vital energy by 300% and the speed of injury recovery by 300%.]
[Cost: The user must absorb the heart's vital essence of six young boys and girls every day. If the supply is cut off, the body will rapidly age within three days, and cultivation will decline in tandem.]
[Note: Strongly not recommended for copying this trait. Copying cost: 20 Copy Points]
After quickly scanning the trait description, Chen Xian's pupils shrank to pinpoints.
This trait was fucking evil. It cost six lives a day, and all of them were children.
No wonder Qian Yue was nearly sixty, yet showed no signs of age!
There was definitely something wrong with Qian Yue!
"Granduncle, what's wrong?" Deacon Huang called out when he saw Chen Xian staring blankly.
Qian Yue, still supporting Chen Xian, leaned closer with concern. "High Person, are you feeling unwell? I'll go fetch the best medical cultivator in the city!"
"No need. I was just briefly short of breath. I'm fine now."
Chen Xian raised a hand and lowered his eyes without drawing attention, concealing the turmoil in his heart. Then he put on a smile again.
He patted the back of Qian Yue's hand and said with a smile, "Family Head Qian, you're very considerate. I'm not much older than you, yet my health is nowhere near as good as yours. With you at the helm, how could the Qian Family fail to prosper?"
Suddenly praised like this by a High Person from the Xuanyun Sword Sect, Qian Yue was overwhelmed. He stepped back and cupped his hands in thanks. "You flatter me, High Person. I believe you're fit enough to live another hundred years!"
As he offered his flattery, a trace of smugness appeared in Qian Yue's eyes.
Even this High Person thought so highly of the Qian Family. It seemed the marriage would be impossible to call off.
Shangguan Hongyue had close ties to this Sword Sect High Person. As long as she married into the Qian Family, the Qian Family would effectively have the Xuanyun Sword Sect backing them.
From then on, the Qian Family's standing in Ask-Dao City would be as solid as a rock. It might even dominate an entire ward!
Shangguan Hongyue's parents watched the scene in astonishment, too.
They had never imagined that the Family Head Qian who seemed greater than the heavens to them would be so respectful before this old man.
Did their daughter really have such influence?
Still, seeing how highly this old man regarded Family Head Qian, their daughter ought to stop being stubborn, shouldn't she?
The couple exchanged a glance, each seeing the joy in the other's eyes.
The three Qian Family shops in West Second Ward were already as good as theirs.
Shangguan Hongyue, too, stared at Chen Xian in disbelief.
Her eyes were red-rimmed. Whose side was this old geezer on? Wasn't he here to help her break off the engagement?
Her thoughts were in disarray. She felt utterly desolate.
You damned old man. I had you all wrong...
Qian Yue pressed his advantage. "High Person, now that this matter is settled, the Qian Family will certainly offer you ten thousand taels of Dao Silver as a matchmaker's gift."
"Heh."
Chen Xian looked at him and stroked his beard, smiling calmly.
It's over... I hate you, old geezer! Seeing the two of them exchange knowing looks, Shangguan Hongyue's heart sank into despair.
The next moment, Chen Xian suddenly turned to Deacon Huang and said flatly, "Deacon Huang, call off Yue'er's engagement to the Qian Family. I'll decide this myself."
Deacon Huang had been counting on his fingers how long it would take him to earn ten thousand taels of Dao Silver as a deacon. Not paying attention, he replied, "All right, then. Let's call it off!"
Li Youde, who had been wondering how much of the Family Head's reward he might get, jerked his hand. "Clatter!" His teacup toppled over, and tea as red as blood spilled across the floor.
The reception hall fell silent.
No one could believe what they had just heard.
"Huh? Granduncle, what did you just say? Could you say it again?"
Thinking he had misheard, Deacon Huang asked once more.
Chen Xian raised his white brows and said solemnly, "I said to call off the engagement."
Now everyone had heard him loud and clear.
Qian Yue's face stiffened. The ruddy color gradually drained from it, turning ashen, and his breath came out in white puffs.
Deacon Huang glanced at the elderly couple, whose expressions were growing furious. "But the Shangguan couple..."
"His father's leg? When I return to the sect, I'll ask an elder from Gathering Herb Peak to take a look."
Chen Xian glanced at the couple. His cloudy gaze dropped to Shangguan Hongyue's father's right leg, then returned to Deacon Huang's face. He spoke each word with emphasis:
"Today, no one can force a disciple of the Xuanyun Sword Sect to stay. If you can't make the decision, I'll write to Qing Yang right now and ask whether the rules of Ask-Dao City really outrank those of the Sword Sect!"
Hearing Granduncle address the Sect Master by name, Deacon Huang shuddered.
He realized that the Sect Master's uncle seemed truly angry.
No matter how powerful the Qian Family was, they could never outdo the Sword Sect. No amount of Dao Silver was worth more than his own future!
"Granduncle, you're too kind! Since you've spoken, the engagement is naturally void!"
Deacon Huang swiftly drew out the marriage contract. His fingertip swept across it, Dao Power sharpened like a blade, and the absurd contract that had bound Shangguan Hongyue for years shattered into a storm of scraps.
Qian Yue's smile vanished completely. A flash of sinister red light flickered through his eyes, but Chen Xian caught it precisely.
"Since that's settled, the engagement is void. I, Qian, can only accept it. It's just a pity I've lost a good daughter-in-law."
Though he had lost all face, Qian Yue didn't make a scene. He cupped his hands to Chen Xian and Deacon Huang, his tone still courteous.
Chen Xian thought to himself that the man had remarkable self-control. He still hadn't blown his top.
The matter was settled, but someone wasn't happy about it.
"Who gave you the right to decide for my daughter?"
"This is our family business. Why is an outsider sticking his nose into it? I'll report this to that Xuanyun Sword Sect!"
"Yue'er, don't listen to this old fossil. Hurry up and apologize to Family Head Qian. Reinstate the engagement!"
"..."
The Shangguan couple's shrill cries rang out. Hongyue's father, whose leg was injured, even picked up the bamboo pole on the ground and charged at Chen Xian to strike him.
"How dare you insult an elder of my Sword Sect!"
Deacon Huang instantly stepped in front of Chen Xian. The aura of a Ninth-Layer Sword Master erupted, pressing the couple to the ground.
He glared at them coldly. If they weren't the parents of a sect disciple, they would already be two corpses.
The couple clung to each other, trembling. For the first time, they felt a cultivator's authority.
So this was the kind of Dao their daughter cultivated!
"Little Yue, let's go back to the sect."
Chen Xian patted Shangguan Hongyue on the head. The girl was still standing there in a daze.
"Oh, all right. This disciple obeys!"
Shangguan Hongyue nodded blankly, looking at her parents with disappointment. "Dad, I've saved enough money to get your leg treated. I'll find a physician for you tomorrow."
"Mom, I bought a courtyard in South Third Ward. I was going to surprise you with it today. Tomorrow, take Dad and move in. Now we have a home in Ask-Dao City too."
After saying this, she didn't look at her parents again. Instead, she walked out of the reception hall first.
Chen Xian followed behind her. As he passed the miserable couple, he shook his head and sighed. "Parents who don't make plans for their children are a tragedy, a tragedy."
Ignoring the regretful cries behind them, the two walked straight out of Qian Mansion.
Chen Xian glanced back at Qian Mansion's vermilion gates and asked Shangguan Hongyue, "Girl, tell me: what is Blood-Irrigated Body?"
Shangguan Hongyue had just summoned her flying sword. She looked confused. "Old geezer, why are you suddenly asking about one of the Blood Demon Sect's three great evil arts?"