35: The proud prince breaks off the engagement, and the good-for-nothing draws his sword!

Two days later, Luoyun Town, Chen Family Manor.

The sun was high, but the manor gates were tightly shut. On the street outside, townspeople, in twos and threes, craned their necks, pointing and whispering about the manor.

The festive atmosphere was completely gone, replaced by a strange mix of anticipation, pity, and schadenfreude, as if watching a good show.

Yuelai Inn, third-floor superior room.

The windows were shut, and the curtains drawn low.

In the center of the room, a light screen condensed from water vapor floated silently.

On the light screen, the scene inside the Chen Family Manor's main hall was clearly reflected.

Wang Duojin moved a stool, sat up straight, holding a handful of melon seeds, watching with great interest.

"Revered Master, this Divine Ability of yours is too amazing! It's even better than clairvoyance and clairsentience! The picture quality, the sound reception—it's perfect!"

Su Linger stood quietly at the side. She looked at the glum faces of the Chen Family Elders on the light screen, then at the lone figure of the young man standing below the hall. A hint of complexity flashed in her clear eyes.

Ye Chenfeng stood by the window, his sword sheathed, his gaze on the light screen, his expression unruffled, as if he were looking at a landscape painting unrelated to him.

"Watch the show quietly."

Chu Xuanjin's voice came from the main seat.

He leaned back in the Grand Tutor's Chair, holding a cup of still-warm tea, his posture languid, as if merely enjoying an ordinary afternoon play.

On the light screen, within the Chen Family main hall, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost solidified.

Chen Family Clan Chief Chen Tianxiong sat in the main seat, his face ashen, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly.

Below, on both sides, sat more than a dozen Chen Family Elders, all with their heads bowed, silent.

Below the hall, a young man in a faded blue robe stood with a straight back, not uttering a word.

He was Chen Fan.

Just then, a commotion came from outside the manor gate.

"Distinguished guests from Yanxia Sect have arrived!"

A high-pitched announcement broke the deadly silence of the main hall.

Chen Tianxiong's body visibly stiffened.

All the Elders instinctively raised their heads.

A group of people, led by the terrified Chen Family servants, strode into the main hall.

At the forefront was a young woman in a fiery red palace dress.

She was about seventeen or eighteen, with a beautiful face, but her brows carried an indelible arrogance, like a high and mighty Phoenix looking down on a hall full of chickens and dogs.

She was Xu Lingfang.

Beside her was a middle-aged beautiful woman in Yanxia Sect Elder attire, with a Golden Core Late Stage cultivation, her aura sharp, her gaze sweeping over everyone with undisguised contempt.

"Xu Family, Xu Lingfang, greets Clan Chief Chen."

Xu Lingfang merely nodded slightly, not even bending her waist, her tone cold and distant, as if greeting a stranger.

Inside Yuelai Inn, Chu Xuanjin's Heavenly Dao Dharma Eye had already penetrated the light screen and landed on the young woman.

[Name: Xu Lingfang]

[Bone Root: Profound Rank High Grade (Fire Spiritual Root)]

[Luck: Crimson (Protected by the Sect, Luck is flourishing)]

[Heart-Nature: Arrogant and conceited, narrow-minded, hindered Dao path, Golden Core is the limit.]

"What a pity," Chu Xuanjin secretly thought.

With such talent, if she had a good Heart-Nature and Opportunity, it wouldn't be impossible to reach Nascent Soul.

But with her current demeanor, Golden Core would be her limit.

On the light screen, Chen Tianxiong forced a smile and stood up.

"Niece Lingfang has returned. After three years apart, your demeanor is even better than before. Quick, please take the honored seat."

"No need."

Xu Lingfang interrupted him directly, her voice clear and cold.

"I came today for only one matter."

She took out an exquisite brocade box from her bosom and threw it directly onto the ground.

The brocade box sprang open, revealing an ancient jade pendant engraved with the character "Chen".

"This was the token of our engagement back then. Today, I, Xu Lingfang, return it to its rightful owner."

She raised her eyes, her gaze finally falling on the young man who had not uttered a word since she entered.

That gaze held no trace of past affection, only cold scrutiny and disgust.

"Chen Fan, we were always two different paths. Three years ago, I was young and ignorant. Now, I am a Personal Disciple of the Yanxia Sect, with boundless prospects."

"And you are still a good-for-nothing in this Luoyun Town."

"Our engagement will only become a blemish and a laughingstock on my cultivation path."

"Today, in front of the Elders of both families, I officially announce."

"The engagement between you and me, Xu Lingfang, is hereby nullified!"

Every word was like a resounding slap, fiercely striking the faces of everyone in the Chen Family.

Chen Tianxiong's face turned a purplish-red.

"Xu Lingfang! You... you are going too far!" An ill-tempered Chen Family Elder suddenly stood up and roared angrily.

"Presumptuous!"

Before Xu Lingfang could speak, the middle-aged beautiful woman from the Yanxia Sect beside her snorted coldly.

A terrifying pressure belonging to a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator erupted!

The Elder was struck as if by a heavy hammer, instantly spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsing to the ground.

"A mere declining Family dares to shout in front of my Yanxia Sect?"

The middle-aged beautiful woman's eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"Today, I merely accompanied Lingfang to dissolve an unsuitable marriage. If you don't know what's good for you, I don't mind making it so that there will be no more Chen Family in Luoyun Town!"

The entire hall fell into a deadly silence.

All the Chen Family members felt a fear that originated from their very Souls.

Inside Yuelai Inn, Wang Duojin forgot to crack his melon seeds.

"Damn, this old hag is ruthless!"

Su Linger's brows furrowed even tighter.

She disliked this feeling of bullying others through power.

On the light screen.

Chen Fan, who had been silent all this time, finally moved.

He slowly raised his head, and a fire ignited in his dim eyes.

It wasn't anger, nor humiliation.

It was a calm that was almost insane.

He didn't look at Xu Lingfang, nor at the middle-aged beautiful woman.

His gaze fell on the dust-covered jade pendant on the ground.

He smiled.

His laughter was soft, yet it sent an inexplicable chill through everyone present.

Inside Yuelai Inn, Chu Xuanjin's eyebrows raised slightly.

The classic line he had been expecting did not appear.

Chen Fan did not rage, did not roar.

He merely smiled.

Then, he moved.

His movements were as fast as lightning!

He didn't pick up the jade pendant.

Instead, he drew the rusty iron sword from his waist, and like a lone wolf cornered, he fiercely lunged at the high and mighty Xu Lingfang!

"Bitch! Die!"

A roar, filled with suppressed madness to the extreme!

This scene exceeded everyone's expectations!

The arrogance on Xu Lingfang's face was instantly replaced by shock.

She hadn't expected this Trash in her eyes to dare draw a sword against her!

"Courting death!"

The middle-aged beautiful woman's eyes blazed with murderous intent; she didn't even bother to make a move.

She merely flicked a finger.

A visible burst of Qi, arriving later but striking first, accurately hit Chen Fan's chest.

Bang!

Chen Fan's body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, the iron sword in his hand shattering inch by inch.

He slammed heavily into the main hall's main pillar, then rolled to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth, instantly staining the ground in front of him red.

He struggled to get up, but his vision went black, and he completely fainted.

The entire hall was silent.

Chen Tianxiong looked at his son lying in a pool of blood, his eyes bloodshot, his body trembling violently, yet he dared not utter another word.

The middle-aged beautiful woman snorted coldly, as if she had merely stepped on an annoying ant.

"Marriage contract."

She coldly uttered two words.

Chen Tianxiong's body slumped.

He waved his hand, and a trembling servant handed over the already prepared Annulment Document.

The middle-aged beautiful woman took the document, didn't even look at it, and directly burned it to ashes with Spiritual Fire.

"From now on, we are strangers."

She cast one last glance at the dispirited Chen Family members in the hall, then led the complex-faced Xu Lingfang, turned, and strode away.

A grand drama of engagement annulment thus concluded in a manner that was almost a complete crushing.

Inside Yuelai Inn, the light screen dissipated.

Wang Duojin's mouth hung open for a long time.

"This... is that all?"

"A common man's rage is futile." Ye Chenfeng slowly sheathed his sword, his voice devoid of emotion.

Su Linger looked at the empty room and softly said,

"He's so pitiful."

Chu Xuanjin stood up from his chair and stretched.

"The show is over."

His tone sounded somewhat unenthusiastic.

"This child's Heart-Nature is too poor; he is impulsive and easily angered, not worth cultivating."

He had originally thought that if this child could endure humiliation and utter that classic line, he wouldn't mind giving him some pointers and forming a good connection.

But now, it seemed there was no need for that.

"Revered Master, then we..." Wang Duojin asked.

"You all continue to Cultivate, or you can go to the Market to look around. If you see anything you like, buy it."

Chu Xuanjin waved his hand.

"Tomorrow morning, we leave this place."

"Yes!"

The three Disciples bowed and withdrew, each leaving the room.

Chu Xuanjin sat alone in the room, his eyes closed, but his Divine Thought had not dissipated.

His attention was not on the unconscious Chen Fan.

Instead, it fell on the unremarkable black ring on Chen Fan's finger.

"It's normal for a young man to get hot-headed."

"However, the old fellow in this ring should be stirring by now."