Breaking the Engagement? Sorry, the Li Family Only Gives Divorce Letters!

Li Zhiyun frowned at those words. After a few seconds of silence, he slowly withdrew his oppressive aura.

Shangguan Yun and the two women felt the weight lift from their bodies and scrambled to their feet.

Shangguan Yun dusted himself off, his face flushing red, then turning pale. He looked thoroughly humiliated.

Shangguan Yan trembled with anger. When had she ever suffered such humiliation in her life?

"Li Zhiyun, fine. Very fine!" Shangguan Yun gritted his teeth and pulled a marriage contract from his robes. "Since your Li Family cares nothing for old ties, then today, this contract..."

Before he could finish, Li Zhiyun sighed and reached out to take it.

"Hey."

At that moment, a cold laugh rang out.

"Break the engagement? The Li Family only gives divorce letters!"

Everyone in the hall froze.

Li Yao strode forward and stood in front of Li Zhiyun. He turned to Sun Zhiyun. "Mom, bring me a brush and paper."

Sun Zhiyun paused, then her eyes lit up. She nodded quickly. "All right! Mom will get them!"

She went to the study and returned in under a minute with brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.

Li Yao took the brush, dipped it in ink, and swept his hand across the page, writing in swift strokes.

Shangguan Yan's face turned livid. "Li Yao, what do you think you're doing?"

"What do I think I'm doing?" Li Yao said without looking up, still writing. "Your Shangguan Family came here to break the engagement. That's a slap in the Li Family's face. Since you've shown us no kindness, don't blame me for returning the favor."

"The Li Family never accepts a broken engagement."

"If you want to end this marriage, there's only one way: a Divorce Letter!"

He finished the last character, tossed aside the brush, picked up the Divorce Letter, and cleared his throat. Then he read aloud:

"The daughter of the Shangguan Family is lacking in virtue and unfit to be a wife of the Li Family. I hereby divorce her. From this day forth, neither owes the other anything."

"From now on, Shangguan Yan, you and I have nothing to do with each other!" The hall fell so silent that a dropped needle could have been heard.

Shangguan Yan's face flushed crimson. Even her lips trembled.

"You... you... you!"

She was too furious to speak. The hand she pointed at Li Yao shook.

Li Yao looked utterly unconcerned. He held out the Divorce Letter to her. "Take it. Don't be shy."

"People of the Li Family have always acted decisively."

"Oh, and if you don't like how this Divorce Letter looks, I can write you another one with a decorative border. After all, a distinguished young lady of the Shangguan Family deserves a prettier Divorce Letter. Consider it one last thoughtful gesture from me."

Shangguan Yan shook with rage. She gritted her teeth and took the Divorce Letter, her hand trembling.

"Li Yao, you... just you wait!"

"I'll remember the humiliation you dealt me today!"

"From now on, the Shangguan Family and the Li Family are sworn enemies!"

Li Yao couldn't help laughing.

"Sworn enemies? Are you sure?"

"Your Shangguan Family descends from a mere squad leader who served under my grandfather. Now that you've climbed your way into the ranks of the top Great Families, you think your wings are strong enough to fly on your own?"

"Three generations of the Li Family have defended this country. What does your Shangguan Family have? That paltry little bit of skill your father possesses?"

"And you actually dare say that."

Shangguan Yun's face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

"Enough!" he roared. "Yan'er, we're leaving!"

He turned and walked away. Qing Yinyin and Shangguan Yan hurried after him.

At the doorway, Shangguan Yan looked back at Li Yao, her eyes full of hatred.

Li Yao paid it no mind. He waved at her. "Take care, Miss Shangguan. Remember to keep your eyes open when you choose your next man. If he's worse than me, how embarrassing would that be?"

Shangguan Yan was so furious she nearly ground her teeth to pieces, but in the end, she followed her parents out the door.

Just then, a voice suddenly sounded in Li Yao's mind.

Ding! Mission complete: Uphold the Lineage's dignity.

Reward: Background Value +20,000 points.

Host's current Background Value: 120,000 points.

Li Yao paused, then broke into a grin.

"Haha! Twenty thousand points in the bag. Nice!"

He was still basking in his delight when his ear suddenly started to hurt.

"Ow, ow, ow..."

"You little brat! Of all the things you could be, you chose to be a lovesick lapdog? Don't you know a lapdog can lick and lick until he's left with nothing?"

Once the Shangguan Family had left, Li Zhiyun could hold back no longer. He grabbed Li Yao by the ear and began scolding him.

"Think about it. How many resources have you taken from this family? Were you not going to be satisfied until you'd poured the whole family fortune into chasing her?"

"And that's bad enough, but are you blind too? Who at Imperial Capital University doesn't know Yang Xiaoran has someone else she's always held in her heart?"

"Dad, Dad, ease up! My ear's going to come off! It's going to come off!"

Holy chovy, did that many people know the original Li Yao was a lovesick lapdog? Even Mom and Dad knew, and they spent all year guarding the border.

Sun Zhiyun had already picked up a feather duster. She was waiting for Li Zhiyun to finish so she could have her turn.

"Ow, ow! Dad, how many hands has that news passed through? I cut ties with Yang Xiaoran today."

"Let go, let go! My ear really is going to come off."

At that, Li Zhiyun released Li Yao's ear.

Li Yao hurriedly rubbed it.

"That hurt like hell."

Li Wenbin watched from the side, thoroughly amused, then quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. "Master, the young master has changed. Please don't be angry with him."

"The young master used to be a lovesick lapdog, but now he's truly standing up for himself."

Li Wenbin told Li Zhiyun and Sun Zhiyun what had happened that day, including how Li Yao had knocked out Yang Xiaoran and Lin Yun with a slap each.

Only then did Li Zhiyun's dark expression ease a little.

"Hmph. At least you've shown some backbone, boy."

Sun Zhiyun walked over to Li Yao and tenderly stroked his cheek.

"My son, did it hurt when you hit them?"

Li Yao paused, then smiled.

"No, Mom. I've got thick skin."

"You child..."

Sun Zhiyun gave Li Yao a token tap on the head, her eyes full of affection.

"Come on. The Demon Race is growing restless, and Father's health is worsening by the day. Now that things here are settled, the two of us should get back to the border."

Li Zhiyun sighed and turned toward the door.

Sun Zhiyun watched Li Zhiyun walk away.

Then she looked back at Li Yao and gave a soft laugh.

"Yao'er, you really did your mother proud today."

"I never thought much of Shangguan Yan. She wasn't good enough for you."

"What you did today finally let your mom vent some anger."

Li Yao chuckled. "Don't worry, Mom. When I find a girlfriend, she'll be a hundred times better than Shangguan Yan."

"She'd better be." Sun Zhiyun smiled and patted his shoulder. "But you need to work hard on your cultivation. A sharp tongue alone won't be enough."

"Don't worry, Mom. I know what I'm doing."

Sun Zhiyun gave him a few more reminders, then headed toward the door as well.

"Wait!"

Li Yao called out to Sun Zhiyun just as she was about to leave.

"What is it, Yao'er?"

System, I want to redeem the Nine-Turn Profound Art, Li Yao said silently.

Ding. Background Value deducted. Nine-Turn Profound Art redeemed. Current Background Value: 70,000.

With a thought, the Nine-Turn Profound Art appeared in Li Yao's hand.

"Mom, while I was traveling, I stumbled into a cave dwelling and found the Nine-Turn Profound Art inside. Take it with you. You, Dad, and Grandpa should all switch to cultivating it. It's a Heaven-Rank Cultivation Technique."