7: I'm sorry, I can't obey your order.

Inside the palace.

A woman with a beautiful and clear face sat at the head of the palace, dressed in a green skirt. Her long, cloud-like thick and silky hair was tied up, revealing her fair and slender neck. Her figure was graceful and elegant, both cold and dignified.

Even more striking were the woman's delicate eyebrows, shaped like willow leaves, exuding a hint of sharpness.

The woman was none other than the Sect Master of the Saint Essence Sect, Mu Yunxi.

At this moment, hearing Lin Yang's words as he stepped into the palace, Mu Yunxi's delicate brows furrowed slightly.

"Lin Yang, the Sect Master asking you to annul the engagement is for your own good! With your status, let alone a mere abandoned daughter of a small Family, even a Princess of the Cloud Utmost Empire would be marrying up to you."

Seeing Mu Yunxi's slight frown, Great Elder Gu Jianghe understood immediately and spoke up to persuade him.

How powerful and prosperous was their Saint Essence Sect, having stood in the Eastern Desolation for tens of thousands of years, deeply rooted, and with the Holy Emperor Sect in the Central State watching over them. Their strength was that of a hegemon throughout the entire Eastern Desolation.

And Lin Yang, as a personal Disciple of the Saint Essence Sect's Sect Master, and one of the Four Great Dao Children, held an unparalleled status among the younger generation of the Eastern Desolation. How could he lower himself to marry an abandoned daughter of a small Family?

"Alright, Lin Yang, you don't need to worry about this matter. We Elders will make the decision for you."

"That's right. If the Dao Child feels guilty for breaking the agreement, we can just give her more compensation. If that's still not enough, it wouldn't be out of the question to make an exception and give her a slot to become a Saint Essence Sect Disciple."

"Presumably, a small Family in an Empire hasn't seen much of the world. After receiving the compensation, they will surely joyfully annul this engagement."

Hearing the Elders say this, Lin Yang truly wanted to cry but had no tears.

Although in the minds of most people, a mere engagement set by Elders could be discarded if sufficient compensation was provided.

It was no big deal.

But how could the imagination of a Child of Destiny be understood by Mortals?

Not only would they not think that exchanging an engagement for Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Pills was a good deal, but they would instead consider it a great humiliation.

In the future, they would definitely seek you out to settle this matter!

If that little wife was the Xiao Huohuo type, it would be fine. At most, it would be a three-year agreement, and if he was defeated and lost some face after three years, so be it, it wouldn't be life-threatening.

But what if that little wife was the Mu Yunli type?

At that time, she might just press him to death with a single finger!

At this thought, a cold sweat broke out on Lin Yang's back, and in his mind, terrifying scenarios of being tortured and killed by his little wife in various ways unconsciously emerged.

"The engagement, I will not annul it!"

At this moment, Lin Yang, whose survival instinct was overflowing, could no longer care about the consequences of offending his Master and the Elders.

"Lin Yang appreciates the good intentions of Master and the Elders. However, this engagement was left by Lin Yang's deceased Elder. Annuling it would be destroying my Dao Heart, so I cannot obey!"

To prevent the Elders from forcing him to annul the engagement, Lin Yang's attitude was resolute, without any room for discussion.

"Annuling the engagement equals destroying his Dao Heart? This..."

Inside the palace, Mu Yunxi and Gu Jianghe, along with the other Elders of the Sect, all had their expressions change slightly, revealing expressions of incredulous surprise.

The Cloud Utmost Empire was merely an inconspicuous small country among the myriad nations of the Eastern Desolation, and the Nangong Family was a third-rate Family they had never even heard of before.

Was Lin Yang crazy or foolish?

Such an unknown abandoned daughter of a small Family, who probably wouldn't be wanted even if thrown at the Sect's gate, was actually regarded as a treasure by Lin Yang?

Could it be that Nangong Xueli was a Reincarnation of a Heavenly Immortal?

"Lin Yang, before stepping onto the Peak of Cultivation, a Cultivator should maintain a clear mind and have few desires. You are being so emotional, have you forgotten how I usually teach you?"

After a moment of stunned silence, Mu Yunxi immediately flicked her sleeve, her willow-like brows slightly furrowed, and a hint of anger, akin to 'hating iron for not becoming steel,' appeared in her Phoenix eyes.

Once a Revered Master, always a father.

Ever since taking Lin Yang as a Disciple, Mu Yunxi had treated him like a half-son, sparing no effort and spending much time personally guiding him.

Now, seeing Lin Yang's successful Cultivation and the imminent opportunity to step into the broader Central State for further self-improvement.

Yet, at this crucial moment, Lin Yang revealed a side of being reluctant to part with romantic affections.

How could this not anger her, his Revered Master?

Mu Yunxi believed that with her Disciple Lin Yang's Aptitude, even if he went to the Central State, where Prodigies gathered like clouds, he would surely stir up a storm.

At that time, he would even have the chance to meet the Saintesses and Fairies of the Central State.

With such a boundless future awaiting him, how could he have time to waste on an abandoned daughter of a small Family?

That would undoubtedly be self-sabotage!

"I will give you one last chance. Tomorrow, have Elder Gu take you to the Nangong Family in the Cloud Utmost Empire to annul the engagement in person. Then, return and continue your secluded Cultivation, preparing to undergo the Ancestral Land Trial. Do you understand?"

"Hiss~"

As Mu Yunxi's cold words came out, the entire palace fell silent, and all the Elders present gasped sharply.

"Lin Yang, quickly apologize to the Sect Master."

"Tomorrow, annul the engagement obediently. Don't be mischievous."

Some Elders, seeing the Sect Master's anger, quickly gave Lin Yang a discreet look and secretly transmitted a message to him to quickly concede to the Sect Master.

"To anger the Sect Master for an abandoned daughter of a Family, it's not worth it!"

The Elders were all secretly urging Lin Yang to quickly agree to the Sect Master's request and not be stubborn.

Otherwise, if the Sect Master truly became enraged, today's situation might become completely unmanageable.

Lin Yang secretly glanced at Mu Yunxi's cold, jade-like face, and couldn't help but swallow, feeling immense pressure.

But this engagement, he absolutely could not annul it!

Nangong Xueli, she was the Child of Destiny recognized by the System!

If he annulled the engagement, he would definitely not have a good outcome in the future.

Even a millennia-old Sect might vanish into thin air because of this annulment.

After pondering for a moment, Lin Yang gritted his teeth, and enduring immense pressure, he raised his head, cupped his hands towards Mu Yunxi at the head seat, and said in a deep voice:

"Apologies, Master, my decision is made. Regarding the annulment of the engagement, this Disciple truly cannot obey!"