18: Chapter 18 Third Life, Reborn as the Boss of the Opponent's Family (Part 5)

The Spirit Sword Sect closed its gates for the holidays, and Yun Qingxue returned to Yunshui City from the sect.

The two families had long since coordinated, and having chosen an auspicious day, Yun Qingxue accompanied her parents to the Chen family. This was considered their first formal meeting.

The meeting place was set in the warm pavilion of the Chen family's back garden.

By the time Chen Shi arrived, Yun Qingxue was already waiting there.

She was wearing a moon-white dress, her hair tied up with a simple jade hairpin. Her features were cold and aloof, and her skin was fairer than snow.

Sitting there, she resembled a lonely winter plum blossom, ethereal and refined—truly living up to her reputation as a beauty.

Seeing Chen Shi approach, Yun Qingxue stood up and offered a slight bow, her voice as cold and clear as spring water: "Second Young Master Chen."

Chen Shi snapped out of his daze and quickly returned the bow, smiling as he said: "Miss Yun, there is no need for such formalities. Please, sit."

After they sat down, there was some initial awkwardness, but after chatting for a few sentences, they gradually relaxed.

Although Yun Qingxue had a gentle personality, she was not the type of stiff and reserved young lady of a noble house.

As a sect disciple, she was knowledgeable and spoke with gentleness and courtesy, showing no signs of looking down on Chen Shi because of her superior aptitude.

Having lived through many lifetimes, Chen Shi was also well-traveled and knowledgeable. His witty conversation and lack of bad habits or arrogance left a favorable impression on Yun Qingxue.

Back and forth, the two chatted quite congenially.

Of course, this had nothing to do with them both being attractive; they simply hit it off.

In the days that followed, the two often arranged to meet and go out together.

Sometimes they strolled through the city temple fair, sometimes they went to the mountains outside the city to practice swordsmanship, and sometimes they just sat by the lake talking.

Their feelings gradually warmed through these interactions, adding a touch of genuine affection to what was originally a family alliance.

After the New Year, as the weather began to warm, Chen Shi prepared generous gifts and accompanied Yun Qingxue to the Yun Clan in Yunshui City to pay his respects to her parents.

Yunshui City was even more prosperous than Pantie City, where Chen Shi resided.

As the leading family in Yunshui City, the Yun Clan's residence was exceptionally grand. Two stone lions stood before the vermilion gates, and the guards at the entrance all possessed steady auras, clearly showing they were trained martial artists.

Hearing that Chen Shi had arrived, Family Head Yun Hong and his wife personally came out to welcome him. Their attitude was very warm and polite, and they did not put on airs as elders.

After all, both sides knew that this marriage alliance was based on their optimism regarding the bright future of the Chen family's eldest son, whose potential was limitless.

Since Chen Shi was the younger brother of Chen Xuan, there was no need to put on elder airs and risk damaging the relationship between the two sides.

Of course, since his future parents-in-law were giving him so much face, Chen Shi naturally would not appear arrogant or rude.

He respectfully presented the generous gifts he had brought and entered the mansion with Family Head Yun Hong and his wife. His conversation throughout the way was appropriate, neither overbearing nor servile, which made Family Head Yun Hong and his wife even more satisfied.

That evening, the Yun Clan hosted a lavish banquet to receive Chen Shi. In addition to the main members of the Yun Clan, they also invited several elders from the clan, local dignitaries, and even some of Yun Qingxue's peers from the Spirit Sword Sect.

At the banquet, everyone exchanged toasts, and the atmosphere was very lively.

But just then, an untimely voice rang out.

The speaker was Lei Yi, the legitimate son of the Lei Family, one of the three major families in Yunshui City.

His older brother, Lei Ren, was the number one disciple of this generation in Yunshui City. At eighteen, he had already broken through to the peak of the Stone Skin Realm and had been crazily pursuing Yun Qingxue.

He had long regarded this number one beauty of Yunshui City as his own possession, and now that Chen Shi had jumped in to interfere, he was already nursing a belly full of anger.

However, not daring to jump out himself, he had his younger brother come forward, prepared to teach Chen Shi a lesson.

Lei Yi held his wine cup, looking at Chen Shi with a mocking smile, his tone filled with undisguised sarcasm: "Second Young Master Chen, I've heard so much about you."

"When I was at the Spirit Sword Sect, I could hear the prestige of the Eldest Young Master Chen every single day. I had long wanted to see what his younger brother was like, but I didn't expect that meeting in person is not as good as hearing the rumors."

In every word, he was implying that Chen Shi was just a good-for-nothing relying on his older brother's fame, and that without him, he was nothing.

The atmosphere at the banquet instantly turned cold. Family Head Yun Hong's expression darkened, and just as he was about to rebuke him, Chen Shi raised a hand to stop him.

Chen Shi held his wine cup, his face still bearing a faint smile. He looked at Lei Yi and spoke unhurriedly: "Young Master Lei, you are too kind."

"My older brother's prestige is far-reaching, and as his younger brother, I naturally share in that honor."

"However, Young Master Lei, you have been barking like a dog for a long time, yet it seems you are only at the peak of the Ox-Skin Realm?"

"With such big talk, I thought you had already broken through to the Stone Skin Realm, or perhaps even the Iron Skin Realm."

"Furthermore, sometimes when you don't like someone, as the master, you should stand up yourself instead of letting your dogs bite people at will."

These words left Lei Yi flushed red, while Lei Ren's face beside him turned the color of liver.

Lei Yi, driven by shame and anger, slammed the table and stood up, pointing at Chen Shi and shouting angrily: "What face do you have to mock me?"

"If you have the ability, come down and spar with me."

"Your brother can fight across realms; as his younger brother, surely you aren't unable to even bridge the gap within a small realm, right?"

"I want to see just how capable you, Second Young Master Chen, really are!"

Chen Shi put down his wine cup and slowly stood up, looking at Lei Yi as if he were looking at a mad dog that bites.

He swept a glance over him and roughly determined that he could win.

Since he could win, there was naturally no need to indulge him.

He said calmly: "Very well, I'll stretch my muscles today and personally come down to beat the dog."

"Although I don't have my brother's talent and bearing, dealing with small fry like you is something I can easily manage."

Soon, a group of servants came and cleared an open space in the middle of the banquet hall.

The two each held a wooden sword and stood on opposite sides of the open space.

After all, it was his first visit to the Yun Clan, and even though his mood had been spoiled, Chen Shi did not want to cause bloodshed.

As for the Lei brothers, they naturally dared not be arrogant.

This was the Yun Clan's home turf, and furthermore, they couldn't afford to offend his older brother. They only wanted to make him lose face and try to ruin this marriage.

Following Family Head Yun Hong's command, Chen Shi and Lei Yi began to fight, their sword lights dancing as they clashed.

After dozens of rounds, Chen Shi discovered that Lei Yi actually had some skill; he was indeed worthy of being an Outer Sect Disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect.

Moreover, his realm was slightly higher than his own, and his strength and speed were greater, but Chen Shi was no pushover.

The combat experience from his many lifetimes was naturally not something this young man could compare to, and he quickly found an opening.

A move from the "Cold Star Sword Technique" directly broke through Lei Yi's sword defense, striking him right in the chest and sending him stumbling to the ground.

The entire room was in an uproar, and everyone at the banquet was stunned.

No one had expected that this seemingly laid-back and easygoing Second Young Master of the Chen family would be so skilled.

He could actually fight across realms. The people present praised him one after another, saying he was worthy of being the younger brother of the prodigy Chen Xuan.

Chen Shi twitched the corner of his mouth slightly, not knowing if they were praising him or trying to undermine him. If he were truly a fourteen-year-old boy, he might have developed a psychological shadow.

Yun Qingxue sat to the side, and seeing him achieve victory so cleanly and efficiently, a trace of a smile flashed in her eyes.