80: Chapter 80 You Shouldn't Accept Your Fate

Chu Sheng resolved the matters at the Qinglan Sect even more easily than expected.

With the token from the Old Man of the Pavilion Guard, the Second Elder indeed didn't dare to act rashly.

Han Li's face turned blue and then pale, over and over, until he finally managed to force a smile.

He respectfully saw Chu Sheng down the mountain.

"Take care, Brother Chu. Please visit us often in the future."

Chu Sheng patted his shoulder, smiling harmlessly.

"Of course, of course."

The moment he turned around, he caught a whiff of a delicate fragrance.

Purple robes like clouds, black hair like a waterfall.

Zhou Wantang, the elder from Danxia Peak, was standing not far away at some point, her beautiful eyes fixed on him.

A Third-rank Alchemist in the True Condensation Realm, she had a penchant for purple.

In the third simulation, she was a femme fatale who had nearly fed him to a Great Demon as medicinal bait.

In the fourth simulation, he discovered that everything she did was to suppress the Beast Tide.

Chu Sheng didn't view her through any rose-tinted glasses.

Zhou Wantang stepped closer and gave him a light sniff.

"Such a strong pill fragrance."

She said softly, "Are you an alchemist, sir?"

Chu Sheng replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I know a thing or two."

A flash of interest appeared in Zhou Wantang's eyes, but just as she was about to speak, her gaze fell upon the Scripture Pavilion token at his waist.

"So, you are one of the Pavilion Guard Senior's people."

She nodded. "Then I won't disturb you."

With that, she turned and left, her purple robes fluttering gently in the wind.

Chu Sheng watched her departing figure, his heart unmoved.

...

The Sect Master never made an appearance.

Chu Sheng knew that the old man in the True Transformation Realm stage must have sensed something.

A stranger in the Ju Zhen Realm appearing in the sect could be hidden from others, but not from him.

But since he hadn't made a move, it was a tacit acceptance.

Chu Sheng cupped his hands in a salute toward the Main Peak from afar and turned to head down the mountain.

As for that Condensing True Great Demon...

He glanced at the mist-shrouded peaks in the distance, suppressing the stirrings in his heart.

"No rush."

He murmured, "If I take it now, the Beast Tide will happen early, and the trouble will be even greater."

The demon refining pot at his waist vibrated slightly as if in protest.

Chu Sheng patted it.

"Don't be impatient; there will be a time for you to eat your fill."

Two days later, Jin Xiao City.

Chu Sheng stood outside the city gates, looking at the familiar city with mixed emotions.

This time, he was going to do something in advance.

He changed into coarse cloth clothes, suppressed his cultivation to the level of a mortal, and disguised his face.

"Qin Shou."

He gave himself a name: "A merchant from Luofeng Town."

After entering the city, he found an inconspicuous inn to stay at and began gathering information.

The Liu Family, one of the three major families in Jin Xiao City.

The ancestor Liu Yuan, at the Peak of True Gathering Realm, was the pillar of the Liu Family.

But his lifespan was running out; he could hold on for three years at most.

Within the Liu Family's direct line, the pro-war faction was led by Liu Chengqian.

That Liu Family Big Young Master had helped Chu Sheng quite a bit in the simulations.

The pro-peace faction was led by Liu Yuanhai, a spineless man who spent every day trying to curry favor with the Chen Family.

Liu Qingyan, the eldest miss of the Liu Family, was at Qi Induction Second Grade.

In the first two simulations, she was his wife, Lady Liu—Liu Qingmei was the new name she took to say goodbye to her past.

The third time ended in regret...

The fourth time, they missed each other...

Her cultivation hadn't been crippled, but her situation wasn't much better.

The Chen Family, another major family in Jin Xiao City.

The family head, Chen Baxian, was in the middle stage of the Ju Zhen Realm and was ruthless.

There was also an ancestor in the Ju Zhen Realm overseeing things.

Chen Baxian had a young son who was born foolish, with an intelligence lower than a three-year-old child's.

He wanted to marry Liu Qingyan.

The marriage alliance was a sham; annexation was the true goal.

Once the Liu Family ancestor died and Liu Qingyan was married off, the Liu Family's industries, connections, and resources would all belong to the Chen family.

"This time, it's even earlier than in the simulation."

The events hadn't happened yet, so there was still room to maneuver.

He could easily take Liu Qingyan away.

But the question was—was the Liu Family worth saving?

Chu Sheng was in no hurry to act.

He observed for another three days.

On the night of the fourth day, in the backyard of the Liu residence.

A slender figure stood by the window, lost in thought while gazing at the moon.

Liu Qingyan.

She wore a moon-white long dress, her black hair flowing down, her brows tinged with a faint sorrow.

Footsteps came from outside the door.

"Miss, the Master requests your presence in the front hall."

Liu Qingyan snapped out of her daze and nodded.

In the front hall, the Liu Family's key decision-makers sat upright and solemn.

Liu Yuanhai stood in the middle with a fawning expression.

"Qingyan, the Chen Family has sent people again. What are your thoughts on that marriage?"

Liu Qingyan looked at him, her voice calm.

"Second Uncle, you know better than I do what the Chen Family's youngest son is like. If I marry into their family, will I be a wife or a nanny?"

Liu Yuanhai's expression stiffened.

"Impudent!"

A shrill female voice rang out. "It's your good fortune that the Chen Family has taken an interest in you! How dare you be so picky?"

The speaker was Third Aunt, the notoriously snobbish member of the Liu Family.

Her husband had died in the mouth of a demonic beast, and she had relied entirely on fawning over Liu Yuanhai to get by all these years.

Liu Qingyan ignored her and simply looked at the old man sitting in the main seat.

The Liu Family ancestor, Liu Yuan.

The old man's hair and beard were completely white, and his face was withered; he sat there like an oil lamp about to burn out.

"Qingyan..."

He spoke, his voice hoarse. "This ancestor can't hold on for many more years. The Chen Family is powerful; if we don't agree..."

"And what if we don't agree?"

A voice rang out from the corner.

Everyone turned to look as Liu Chengqian stepped out of the shadows, his face pale and his steps unsteady.

"Big Brother?"

Liu Qingyan was startled.

"Ancestor, Second Uncle, Third Aunt."

He said word by word, "Qingyan is my sister. I cannot watch her jump into a fire pit."

Liu Yuanhai's face darkened.

"Chengqian, what kind of talk is that? Is the Chen Family a fire pit? That is the number one family in Jin Xiao City! If Qingyan marries into it, she'll live a life of luxury. What's wrong with that?"

Liu Chengqian sneered.

"Then why doesn't Second Uncle let your own daughter marry into it?"

Liu Yuanhai was choked for words.

The Chen Family didn't think much of his daughter.

Third Aunt interjected, "Chengqian, you're just a medicine jar. You don't even know how many days you have left to live, so stop..."

"Enough."

Liu Yuan finally spoke.

The old man stood up, looked at his granddaughter and then at his grandson, and let out a long sigh.

"Chengqian, I know you care for your sister. But have you thought about what the Chen Family will do if she doesn't marry?"

Liu Chengqian grit his teeth.

"At most, we'll fight them!"

"Fight?"

Liu Yuan smiled bitterly. "The Chen Family has two in the Ju Zhen Realm, while we only have me. Once I die, the entire Liu Family will be buried with me."

Liu Qingyan looked at her grandfather's hunched back, her eyes turning red.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

Just then, a voice transmission reached her ears.

"Miss Liu, I have a plan that can bring the Liu Family back from the darkness into the light."

Liu Qingyan's whole body jolted.

SheSuddenly looked up, looked around, but she couldn't see anyone.

The voice transmission rang out again.

"Don't look for me; I'm in the shadows. If you trust me, meet me at the teahouse in the west of the city tomorrow at noon."

The voice vanished.

Liu Qingyan stood where she was, her heart pounding like a drum.

The next day at noon, the West City Teahouse.

Liu Qingyan wore a veil and quietly came to the second floor of the teahouse.

A man sat by the window; his appearance was ordinary, and his aura was also ordinary, just like an average merchant.

She hesitated for a moment before walking over and sitting down.

"Who are you, sir?"

The man looked up at her.

"My name is Qin Shou."

He smiled. "Miss Liu, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Liu Qingyan looked at him warily.

"What did you mean by what you said yesterday?"

Chu Sheng didn't answer directly but asked a question instead.

"Miss Liu, do you think the Liu Family can still be saved?"

Liu Qingyan was taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

Chu Sheng looked at her with a serious gaze.

"I've observed for three days. Right now, there are many in the Liu Family who favor peace and few who favor war. Your second uncle, Liu Yuanhai, only wants to curry favor with the Chen Family. Your Third Aunt follows whoever has power. Your ancestor has the heart but lacks the strength. Only your elder brother, Liu Chengqian, still acts like a man."

He paused.

"Is such a Liu Family worth saving?"

Liu Qingyan fell silent.

After a long time, she looked up, her eyes slightly red but her gaze firm.

"It's worth it."

Chu Sheng looked at her.

"Why?"

Liu Qingyan said word by word.

"Because that is my home. Because although the Ancestor is powerless, he loves us. Because although Big Brother is physically weak, he has never given up. Because I..."

She paused.

"But I... don't want to accept my fate."

Chu Sheng's heart stirred.

This was the Liu Qingyan he knew.

That resilient woman.

The woman who refused to yield despite being forced into marriage and eventually joined forces with him to break the deadlock.

"Fine."

He nodded. "Then I will help you."

Liu Qingyan was stunned.

"You... you'll help me? How?"

Chu Sheng didn't answer but simply looked at her.

"Miss Liu, let me ask you a question first."

"Please, go ahead."

"If you don't marry, how will you deal with the Chen Family?"

Liu Qingyan smiled bitterly.

"If I knew, I wouldn't be..."

"It's simple."

Chu Sheng interrupted her. "I'll just take action."

With those words, he stood up.

Liu Qingyan felt her vision blur, and the ordinary man suddenly changed.

It was still the same face, but his temperament was completely different.

A vast aura rose from his body, like a mountain pressing down, like a deep abyss!

Ju Zhen Realm!

No, it wasn't an ordinary Ju Zhen Realm.

That aura was so solid and vibrant with vitality that it was even stronger than the Liu Family ancestor's!

Liu Qingyan's eyes widened, and she subconsciously took half a step back.

Chu Sheng looked at her and smiled slightly.

"Now, do you believe me?"

Outside the teahouse, the sun was shining brightly.

In the distance, the sound of an argument faintly drifted from the direction of the Liu residence.

Liu Qingyan stared blankly at the man before her, an indescribable emotion welling up in her heart.

"You... why are you helping me?"

Chu Sheng just looked out the window, his gaze distant.

"Because," he said softly, "you shouldn't accept your fate."