499: Chapter 499 The Pervert

"Young Miss Ling Hui does not agree to this marriage; she explicitly stated she is unwilling to take a Dao Companion. Even if the other party were to marry into the Family, she still wouldn't be willing."

The Liu Family treats its descendants equally, with no distinction between men and women. Each of Liu Xuan's daughters has a bright future on the Great Dao.

Marriage and childbearing have a greater impact on female Cultivators. Therefore, as long as they have a heart for cultivation, they usually do not think about getting married or having children.

The Family provides them with immense support, so they do not need to lower themselves to curry favor with others.

So far, among all of Liu Xuan's daughters, those who have married can be counted on one hand, and not a single one has given birth.

The Liu Family of the Star Academy is now illustriously powerful. Even for a matrilocal marriage, there are countless Cultivators who want to establish a connection with the Liu Family, forming lines too long to count.

"It's good that Ling Hui isn't being foolish!"

Liu Xuan stood up. With one spatial teleportation, he appeared outside the Star Secret Realm, and with another, he was at the Affairs Hall of the Star Immortal City.

The Star Academy is divided into two: the south is the Peach Blossom Palace, and the north is the Star Immortal City, which is primarily True Lord Haoran's territory.

True Lord Haoran spends long periods at the front lines of the battlefield. All affairs of the Star Immortal City are handled by his eldest daughter, An Yunmiao, who serves as the equivalent of a City Lord.

Ling Hui is one of An Yunmiao's deputies. Because of her deep background, she is also her most capable assistant.

When Liu Xuan arrived, An Yunmiao was receiving a beautiful middle-aged woman and a handsome young talent, while Ling Hui stood behind An Yunmiao.

"Junior Brother Liu is here! Please, take a seat!"

Seeing Liu Xuan appear, An Yunmiao's impatient expression finally softened slightly. She smiled and invited Liu Xuan to sit.

After Liu Xuan was seated, An Yunmiao introduced, "This is the young talent of our Gentlemans Academy, Ye Jinghong. Like me, he is a Named Disciple of Lady Yaoguang."

"This is a Senior of the academy, True Lord Nianci. She is of the same generation as my father and is a direct lineage descendant of Lady Yaoguang's Dao!"

An Yunmiao's tone grew slightly heavier as she gave Liu Xuan a meaningful look, hinting that this person's strength and status were extraordinary and that he should not offend her too much.

Lady Yaoguang was not a newly ascended Dao Lord like Daoist Lord Lihuo; she was a world-renowned top-tier powerhouse who had already been a Soul Transformation Middle Stage Demon Sage many years ago.

Rumor has it that Lady Yaoguang was the natal spirit beast of the Beast Taming Sect Leader's Dao Companion. After her master died, the Beast Taming Sect Leader did not find her a new master but instead treated her as a member of the sect.

Founding the Gentlemans Academy as a member of the Yao Race and establishing a Human Race Dao lineage, Lady Yaoguang was even one of the several successors chosen by the Beast Taming Sect Leader.

Although True Lord Nianci and True Lord Haoran are both at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, she is a descendant of Lady Yaoguang's Dao lineage and one of the academy's Great Scholars, placing her status a level higher than True Lord Haoran's.

If not for this, An Yunmiao would have kicked them out long ago. Why bother with some damn Qilin Son?

Liu Xuan casually cupped his hands to the two of them and then reached out to beckon his daughter, Ling Hui, over.

"You weren't bullied, were you?" Liu Xuan asked with concern.

"No!" Ling Hui shook her head slightly, a soft smile appearing on her naturally serious and cold face.

Ye Jinghong couldn't stand it anymore. It was one thing for a mere Golden Core True Person from the Desolate Southern Border to be rude to him, but he actually disregarded his teacher as well!

"Head of the Liu Family, I heard you are a Disciple of True Lord Haoran and can be considered half a member of the academy. Since you've met a True Lord of the academy, why do you not bow?"

Liu Xuan casually cupped his hands again. "I have lived in the Desolate Southern Border for a long time and do not know the proper etiquette. I hope the True Lord can forgive me!"

"You..."

Ye Jinghong stood up abruptly, wanting to say more, but was interrupted by a wave of True Lord Nianci's hand.

"Enough! Our Gentlemans Academy convinces people with virtue and doesn't care for these empty formalities. Let's get to the main business!"

True Lord Nianci did not get angry at Liu Xuan's slight rudeness. She looked at Liu Xuan and spoke slowly.

"This worthless Disciple of mine fell in love with Miss Ling Hui at first sight and hopes to become Dao Companions. I ask Little Friend Liu to fulfill this."

"Xiao Hui, are you willing?" Liu Xuan turned back to ask.

"Your daughter is not willing!"

Liu Xuan spread his hands and looked at True Lord Nianci. "Senior True Lord, you heard her. It's not that I'm unwilling to fulfill it, but Xiao Hui herself is unwilling."

"In a cultivation Family, how can children's marriages be decided by themselves? Is Little Friend Liu making sport of me?"

True Lord Nianci's gaze turned slightly cold, and a faint Nascent Soul pressure began to spread.

"Sigh!" Liu Xuan gave a light sigh. "Since you put it that way, I won't pretend anymore!"

"This worthless Disciple of yours is not worthy of my Ling Hui. Get lost as soon as possible!"

"What did you say?!!"

Ye Jinghong was stunned for a second, then stood up in a rage, his Golden Core power surging wildly as he could no longer maintain his elegant demeanor.

"I said you're a toad lusting after swan meat. A person like you wanting to be my son-in-law is pure wishful thinking!"

"I'll kill you!"

Ye Jinghong had never suffered such humiliation. Consumed by rage, he waved his hand, and the character for 'Kill' condensed, carrying a hint of the Dao Rhyme of slaughter as it pressed down towards Liu Xuan.

Liu Xuan narrowed his eyes. The stars shifted, and the light in the hall instantly dimmed. A Sword of Stars descended from the sky, passing through the hall.

Just the aftershock of the sword light shattered the 'Kill' character technique condensed by Ye Jinghong, while the Star Sword Qi remained completely unscathed.

Boom!

A semi-circular runic barrier bloomed from True Lord Nianci's body, blocking the Sword of Stars. Both dissipated almost simultaneously.

The aftershock echoed in the hall, blocked and absorbed by a layer of shimmering white starlight power. When it ended, not even a fraction of damage had been caused to the hall.

True Lord Nianci stared fixedly at Liu Xuan. To unleash such a powerful strike while still holding back—this boy's control over Formations had reached an incredibly terrifying level.

The top-tier Rank 4 array, the Circumference of Heaven Stars Grand Array, had been used by the Peach Blossom Demon Lord to withstand the true body of the Demon Saint Xuanyu. True Lord Nianci had naturally heard of its fame, but she hadn't expected Liu Xuan, a Golden Core True Person, to be able to control it so freely.

"This is the Gentlemans Academy's Qilin Son?" Liu Xuan sneered. "Provoked by just a few words and attacking to kill in a fit of rage—where is your cultivation, where is your heart of benevolence?"

Liu Xuan cupped his hands toward the north with a look of utter sincerity. "Lady Yaoguang founded the Gentlemans Academy to teach us benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness, as well as gentleness, kindness, respect, thrift, and humility. This is the Way of a Gentleman!"

"And you..." Liu Xuan pointed at the still-dazed Ye Jinghong. "You are merely a person without virtue or benevolence. How dare you pose as a Named Disciple of Lady Yaoguang?"

"Regarding today's matter, I will certainly ask my father-in-law, True Lord Haoran, to report it truthfully. I will ask the Goddess to strip you of your status as an academy student, lest you soil the word 'Gentleman' of the academy!"

With such a heavy accusation leveled against him, Ye Jinghong was instantly dumbfounded. He looked at his teacher, True Lord Nianci, with a confusion tinged with panic—more panicked than when he had been easily defeated by Liu Xuan just now.

'Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness! Gentleness, kindness, respect, thrift, and humility!'

True Lord Nianci silently recited the words Liu Xuan had just spoken. It was the first time she had heard such a concise summary.

The Gentlemans Academy was born out of the Confucian Dao of the Central Continent, pursuing status, order, and rules.

Liu Xuan's summary of the standards for a gentleman was very accurate and highly overlapped with Lady Yaoguang's philosophy.

But the problem was, could Liu Xuan really be the one to say such things?

Who was Liu Xuan? Dissolute and debauched, a man who loved lust as much as his life—a recognized Lustful Demon!