The Red Phoenix Baleful Intent Is Still Chasing Me!

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua was stunned.

He understood every word, but once they were strung together, why did they suddenly stop making sense?

What did he mean, the Third Princess's Consort had long been betrothed to a daughter of the Eastern Bian Li Clan?

Then had Li Huixi come to the Bian Kingdom's Capital City ostensibly to eliminate the Demon Empress, but actually to steal the Princess's Consort?

Come to think of it, Zhang Yuan was quite a remarkable fellow. He was betrothed to the Li Clan Daughter while also getting involved with the Third Princess, tying himself to two major Golden Core powers at once.

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua shifted his gaze to Li Zhongshuang, and realization dawned.

So that was it.

Someone with the potential to become a True Lord might not be rare across the world, but such a person was exceedingly precious to the Eastern Bian Li Clan.

This young woman was probably the only member of the Eastern Bian Li Clan's younger generation with that potential. No wonder Li Huixi cared so much.

Li Zhongshuang's thoughts stirred despite herself.

Did Little Ancestor mean to help me steal the groom?

But Little Ancestor had always stayed out of worldly affairs, and the [Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper] had been refined by his own hand. Why was he now helping me steal the groom...?

How strange. A True Lord's thoughts truly were unfathomable.

Still, if he intended to steal the groom for her, shouldn't Little Ancestor ask what she wanted?

She had only met Zhang Yuan twice, and their betrothal was nothing more than a written Marriage Contract. Whether they were even suited to each other remained uncertain.

Were the children of aristocratic clans so powerless over their own marriages, even illegitimate daughters?

Just then.

A beautiful woman with a dignified bearing approached. She was Chu Miaofu, the Foundation-Building Heavenly Being who had attacked Dongfang Caibai alongside Li Houjin the previous night.

"Ancestor, someone at the gate requests an audience. It is the Third Princess's Consort," Chu Miaofu said to True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua, looking past Li Huixi with impeccable poise.

Of course she had noticed Li Huixi and Li Zhongshuang, but she did not know either of them and naturally assumed they were both Qi Refining juniors.

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua was surprised.

What a coincidence. They had just been discussing the Third Princess's Consort, and now he had come calling. Still, what business could the Third Princess's Consort have with him?

Oh... he had come for the [Linked-Chain Baleful Force].

With a brief divination, True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua understood the whole story.

"Let him in," True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua said.

Zhang Yuan was here?

Li Zhongshuang's expression froze. She involuntarily retreated two steps and moved behind Li Huixi.

She really did not want to meet Zhang Yuan face-to-face.

Li Huixi glanced at her, puzzled.

Before long.

Chu Miaofu returned with Zhang Yuan and his companion, who were looking around.

"Master, have you ever met a True Lord?" Zhang Yuan asked quietly.

"No." Xiao Yuanjun shook her head.

When the two of them decided to visit the Chu Clan, they had originally intended to speak with the Foundation-Building Heavenly Being, Chu Miaofu, and have her relay their request to the clan's True Lord.

After all, even a Heavenly Being was difficult to meet, let alone a Golden Core True Lord.

Yet the moment they stated their purpose, Chu Miaofu led them to see the True Lord.

Since when had Golden Core True Lords become so easy to meet? Or was this particular True Lord of the Chu Clan simply approachable?

With those questions in mind, Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yuanjun stopped before the pavilion.

Looking up, they saw three people inside. Two were familiar faces, Li Zhongshuang and Li Huixi, while the third was a Daoist with the bearing of an immortal.

[True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua].

The Daoist's title appeared in Zhang Yuan's and Xiao Yuanjun's minds simultaneously, and they immediately knew he was the Chu Clan's Golden Core True Lord.

"We lower cultivators pay our respects to the True Lord."

Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yuanjun offered simple bows as they spoke.

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua nodded amiably in acknowledgment, then turned his gaze to Zhang Yuan and sized him up.

He was certainly good-looking, with a dignified presence and handsome, striking features. No wonder women liked him.

But his cultivation was only at fourth-turn Qi Refining, worse than that of some rogue cultivators.

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua's gaze was gentle. Though it lacked the soul-shaking, murderous power of a Foundation-Building Heavenly Being's gaze, Zhang Yuan and Xiao Yuanjun still felt pressure bearing down on them.

That pressure came from a True Lord's Dao status.

"What brings the Princess's Consort to me?" True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua asked, despite already knowing the answer.

Zhang Yuan steadied himself and drew a firm line. "You misunderstand, True Lord. I have no interest in being the Third Princess's Consort. I have never wished to become anyone's consort."

"I came because I wish to trade with the Chu Clan for a strand of [Linked-Chain Baleful Force]. I hope you will grant my request."

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua considered briefly, then smiled. "Certainly. But what are you willing to offer in exchange?"

Neither servile nor arrogant, Zhang Yuan replied, "At tomorrow's wedding, provided my life is not endangered, I am willing to follow the Chu Clan's commands, eliminate the Demon Empress, and restore a bright, peaceful sky to the Capital City!"

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua shook his head. "That is not enough."

Zhang Yuan paused, then asked gravely, "What else would you have this lower cultivator do?"

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua glanced at Li Huixi and Li Zhongshuang beside him, letting his gaze linger on Li Zhongshuang. After a moment's consideration, he smiled. "It is quite simple. There is a young woman in our Chu Clan, lovely in appearance and reasonably talented, who is in need of a suitable husband. Would you be willing?"

"If you agree, the [Linked-Chain Baleful Force] will be delivered immediately."

At those words.

Everyone present froze.

Xiao Yuanjun's expression turned peculiar.

The [Red Phoenix Baleful Intent] had already been refined, and its drawbacks had been counteracted by the [Golden Carriage Baleful Intent].

Why was this brat Zhang Yuan still caught in the Red Phoenix's sway, with marriage prospects descending on him wherever he went?

Could Zhang Yuan himself be the source of all this?

Could being a little handsome really have such an outrageous effect?

The corner of Zhang Yuan's eye twitched.

It seemed he would never escape marrying into someone else's family in this lifetime.

"Please understand, True Lord. My heart already belongs to someone," Zhang Yuan declined tactfully.

"In that case, I will not force you. Still, I am curious. What family's daughter could possibly compare with a daughter of our Western Bian Chu?" True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua asked with a beaming smile.

That question was exceedingly sharp. Li Huixi, Li Zhongshuang, and even Xiao Yuanjun, who had accompanied him, waited with keen interest to hear Zhang Yuan's answer.

Zhang Yuan's head felt ready to split.

He had made up the claim that his heart belonged to someone. Asking him to invent a person too, and fool a True Lord in the process, was rather more than he could manage.

Hmm? I don't actually need to make anyone up. There's someone right here!

In a sudden flash of inspiration, Zhang Yuan grinned and immediately pointed toward Li Huixi and Li Zhongshuang. "True Lord, the person I love is right here!"

As Zhang Yuan spoke, the atmosphere froze once more.

Especially for Li Zhongshuang and True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua.

The crystal in Li Zhongshuang's right eye trembled, her left eye shifted slightly, and for some reason, her heart began to pound.

Zhang Yuan shouldn't know exactly who he's betrothed to. But is he pointing at me now...?

True Lord Xuanqing Tianhua was horrified.

Li Zhongshuang had yet to prove and attain Celestial Human, so her perception remained at the Qi Refining level, and she could not tell exactly whom he was pointing at. As a Golden Core True Lord, however, he knew that Zhang Yuan was pointing at Li Huixi.

Have you lost your mind?

The Heaven-and-Earth Lesser Monarch of the Azure Sky Dust-Stained Realm is the person you love? How did you fall for him?

Even if you really have lost your head, couldn't you keep it buried in your heart? Why insist on saying it aloud? Are you trying to get this old Daoist killed?

What misery! If I'd known this would happen, I would never have asked that damned question.

Li Huixi remained calm. He greeted Zhang Yuan and said, "To think we would meet again. You and I truly do share a bond of fate."