I Don't Want to Be Arranged Off Like a Chess Piece or a Gift

A flash of near-fanatical light flickered in Qian Daoliu's eyes as he said, "You are a descendant of the Angel God, with the purest divine blood flowing through your veins. He is the successor to the Sea God, destined to ascend to the throne of a god. Both of you are chosen by the gods! If you were to unite, what kind of existence would your offspring be? It would be an unprecedented divine bloodline, inheriting the power of both the Angel and the Sea God! Its talent and future would be limitless! This is not just for Martial Soul Hall; it is for the continuation and sublimation of our Angel Clan's bloodline!"

"Fourth, looking at the grand ambition of Martial Soul Hall to unify the continent, an alliance with Sea God Island is the option with the lowest cost and the highest return. Sea God Island possesses Bo Saixi, a ninety-nine-level Peerless Douluo, along with the Seven Sacred Pillar Guardians—eight Title Douluos in total! If this power could be used by me, who on the continent could stop us? Tiandou, Star Luo, and even the Upper Three Sects would be fragile as glass under the combined force of two god-level powers! This would allow us to minimize casualties and achieve unification much faster!"

Qian Daoliu stated these four points in one breath, each one resounding and filled with temptation and persuasion.

He watched the shifting expressions in his granddaughter's eyes and knew that she had been swayed to some extent.

Finally, he sighed, adopting the tone of an elder—slightly mournful—and threw out the fifth point, the one that struck deepest at her heart:

"Fifth, and most importantly... Xiao Xue, you know that you are already twenty-one years old."

Qian Renxue: "...?"

"An ordinary woman of your age would already be a wife, perhaps even a mother."

Qian Daoliu spoke with earnest concern, his voice tinged with worry: "You spend your days busy with infiltration, schemes, and cultivation, yet your own life's happiness has been consistently delayed. Your grandfather is getting old, and I only hope that in my remaining years, I can see you find a good home, and see our Qian family branch out and our bloodline continue. If you keep delaying like this, how will I have the face to meet the ancestors of the Qian family when I pass on!"

As he spoke, Qian Daoliu even raised his sleeve to wipe away non-existent, imaginary tears from the corners of his eyes.

Qian Renxue: "..."

She looked at her grandfather, who was usually so majestic and god-like, now putting on the pathetic act of a lonely old man longing for a granddaughter-in-law. The resistance, anger, and grievance in her heart were instantly replaced by a sense of profound absurdity and deep helplessness.

She opened her mouth, but found her throat felt blocked by something, unable to utter a single word.

Every one of her grandfather's reasons was like a heavy boulder pressing down on her heart.

From interests to the future, and then to family affection... he had effectively blocked every path she might have taken to argue back.

Could it be... that she really had to accept this absurd marriage, with an age gap of nine years?

Qian Renxue gazed at the massive angel statue on the dome of the Worship Hall, her violet eyes filled with confusion, struggle, and a trace of curiosity—one she hadn't even realized herself—toward that mysterious successor of the Sea God.

The Worship Hall was silent, save for the sound of her slightly rapid breathing echoing softly in the vast space.

The soft radiance cast down by the Angel God statue made her beautiful profile appear somewhat hazy.

After a long time, she let out a long, soft sigh, as if trying to exhale all the conflict and helplessness in her chest.

She raised her violet eyes to look at Qian Daoliu, the initial shock and resistance gone, replaced only by a deep exhaustion and a trace of imperceptible compromise.

"Grandfather..."

Her voice was somewhat dry as she said softly, "Even if you and Sea God Island agree to this marriage, what about... that successor of the Sea God, that boy named Li Qing? Is he willing... to marry a stranger nine years his senior? You may not care about the age gap, but for us, the parties involved, this is not something that can be easily ignored. He is still only a twelve-year-old child; his thoughts are equally important."

Qian Daoliu looked at the pride and reserve of a young woman in his granddaughter's eyes, as well as her instinctive resistance to having her fate chosen for her, and felt both gratified and helpless.

He softened his tone and explained, "You need not worry too much about that. Since Bo Saixi has already agreed to this matter, given her status and character, she will certainly handle it properly. She will guide the child and help him understand the significance of this union. Furthermore..."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of certainty: "It has been a long time since the Sea God agreed to the alliance six years ago. If the child had strong objections, or if Bo Saixi could not convince him, given the style of Sea God Island, they would have certainly sent word to politely decline long ago. Since there has been no news, it means that within Sea God Island—at least for that child—this has not caused any irreconcilable conflict. Perhaps he himself is not opposed to it."

Upon hearing this, Qian Renxue's delicate brows remained tightly furrowed.

It was not that she didn't trust Bo Saixi's ability or her grandfather's judgment, but... pinning the happiness of her entire life on the guess that a boy she had never met might not be opposed to it left her feeling a deep sense of unease and passivity.

After all, no matter how one looked at it, she, Qian Renxue, was the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall, the most legitimate heir.

Possessing the Angel bloodline and the Six-Winged Angel martial soul, one could say that in terms of background and talent across the entire Douluo Continent, she was in a league of her own.

Thinking of this, she fell silent once more.

A moment later, her slender fingers unconsciously tightened around her cuffs. Finally, she shook her head firmly, looked up to meet Qian Daoliu's gaze, and her eyes regained their usual coldness and sharpness, carrying the decisiveness of a Martial Soul Hall Saintess: "Grandfather, I understand your good intentions, and I am clear on the immense benefits this alliance could bring. However, my marriage is, in the end, my own business. I hope... at least in this matter, I can have some right to choose for myself. I do not wish to be treated like a bargaining chip or a gift, to be arranged so easily."

Her voice was not loud, but every word was clear, carrying an unquestionable strength: "As for the cooperation with Sea God Island, I believe there are other ways. For example, establishing a mutual defense pact, agreeing to non-aggression, sharing intelligence, or even acting in concert on certain major events. These can all be achieved through negotiation; it is not necessary to bind ourselves together through marriage, which is the most intimate yet uncontrollable method. I believe that as long as there are sufficient common interests, cooperation can be just as solid."

Qian Daoliu looked at his granddaughter's stubborn eyes, his helplessness deepening.

He knew that while Qian Renxue appeared cold, she was actually extremely proud and independent inside, especially when it came to major matters involving her own destiny; she had more personal conviction than most.

Forcing her would only be counterproductive.

Otherwise, she would never have convinced him to let her participate in this so-called plan to usurp the nation.