When they saw the characters “Dongfang” on the floating pavilion, many people couldn’t hide the envy in their eyes.
“It really is the Dongfang Clan.”
“You think they’re here to fulfill the marriage agreement?”
“Unlikely. I still don’t get why the Dongfang Clan would fancy Zhou Shian.”
The more they discussed, the more bitter they felt.
The Zhou Clan’s patriarch, Zhou Wuwen, was visibly emotional too.
The loft hovered above the Zhou Clan estate as two figures descended from within.
When the citizens of Wangtian City saw the two who emerged, they looked as if they’d just suffered a heavy blow.
“Uncle Zhou.”
Dongfang Qingxin walked up to Zhou Wuwen and bowed politely as a junior.
Behind her, Zhou Shian’s emotions stirred upon seeing Dongfang Qingxin.
Then his gaze shifted to Shen Qingqiu. He was stunned—this woman was even more beautiful than Dongfang Qingxin.
Shen Qingqiu frowned deeply as she stared at Zhou Shian.
This… is what those brainless female leads admire?
She stared straight at Zhou Shian.
“If you don’t need your eyes, I can dig them out for you.”
Zhou Shian awkwardly scratched his nose upon hearing her.
The Zhou family members’ faces darkened.
How embarrassing.
“This elder sister, please don’t be angry. Shian just wasn’t prepared to see someone so beautiful and lost focus for a moment.”
The girl beside Zhou Shian, dressed in a white gauze dress with red agate tassels in her hair, spoke calmly and unhurriedly.
After speaking, she even pinched Zhou Shian.
“Please forgive me, young lady. It was my fault.”
“Staring at another woman in front of your fiancée? Your behavior makes me question your character.”
Zhou Shian’s face turned grim at Shen Qingqiu’s words, and he snorted coldly without replying.
Zhou Wuwen noticed and gave a faint smile.
“Qingxin, let’s return inside first.”
Dongfang Qingxin nodded.
Inside the main hall, everyone was seated.
“Qingxin, is there something important that brings you here today?”
Dongfang Qingxin stood, gave a respectful bow.
“Uncle Zhou, I ask your forgiveness. I came today to annul the engagement.”
The moment those words fell, silence descended on the hall.
Many Zhou Clan members looked at Zhou Shian with faint ridicule.
They finally got to see this guy suffer for once—so many girls had been smitten with him before.
“This is my compensation.”
Zhou Wuwen showed no emotion upon seeing it.
Shen Qingqiu also stayed quiet. As expected, the father of a Chosen One was never simple.
At the very least, his demeanor was leagues above the average person.
…
Meanwhile, back in the Dongfang Clan.
A shadow guard appeared inside Dongfang Wudao’s palace.
“Divine Son, Qingxin and Miss Qingqiu have gone to the Zhou Clan in Wangtian City of the Zhentian Realm.”
“Also, we’ve found some connections between the people around Zhou Shian and the Ye Clan of the Shocking Heaven Realm.”
“The Zhou Clan had a good relationship with the Ye Clan before their internal upheaval.”
“Oh? Interesting. Since that’s the case, let’s pay the Ye Clan a visit.”
Dongfang Wudao stood up and walked out.
He mounted Chenghuang and vanished into a spatial vortex.
…
Ye Clan, Shocking Heaven Realm.
Patriarch Ye Yang stared at the invitation in his hand.
“Your clan’s Divine Son wants to visit my Ye Clan?”
“That’s right. He’ll be arriving soon.”
Ye Yang’s eyes held confusion. He hadn’t expected the Dongfang Clan to have already selected their Divine Son.
So well-hidden. Not a single leak.
“The Ye Clan welcomes the arrival of the Dongfang Divine Son.”
The shadow guard nodded and vanished.
Ye Yang gave the order.
Moments later, Chenghuang emerged from the void.
Seeing Dongfang Wudao, the Ye Clan members were visibly shocked.
Clad in white brocade, long silken hair falling naturally, a vermilion mark between his brows, descending on Chenghuang—it was as if a celestial being had descended to earth.
“I didn’t expect you, Nephew Dongfang, to visit our Ye Clan. A surprise, truly.”
In other words: we have no business with each other—why are you here?
“There are matters to discuss. Ones that concern the life and death of the Ye Clan.”
“If the patriarch isn’t interested, then I won’t waste my breath.”
Ye Yang’s face darkened. Dongfang Wudao’s sharp tongue was enough to choke someone.
“You must be joking, Divine Son. Please, come in.”
“After you, Patriarch.”
Inside the palace, Dongfang Wudao faced Ye Yang without fear.
Even in the ancestral grounds, several ancestral gazes turned to observe.
“If you have something to say, Nephew, go ahead.”
Dongfang Wudao looked at Ye Yang. That was a cue, wasn’t it?
“Patriarch Ye, you know about the engagement between our Dongfang Clan and the Zhou Clan, yet you still sent someone to interfere. A bit disgraceful, no?”
Ye Yang opened his mouth, ready to retort, but no words came. It was true that his daughter had been staying at the Zhou Clan and was getting close to Zhou Shian.
“There’s only an engagement, not a marriage. A good man will always attract suitors. It’s not like others are fools.”
An elder chimed in.
Ye Yang nodded along. “Indeed. Besides, our Ye Clan and Zhou Clan are on good terms.”
“Then why is it that all these years, it’s been our Dongfang Clan supporting the Zhou Clan?”
“You Ye Clan want the results without doing the work. I must say, I admire such shamelessness.”
The hall fell silent.
Dongfang Wudao openly accused the Ye Clan of underhanded tactics—and they couldn’t refute him.
Because he was right.
Ye Yang mulled over his words. He sensed that Dongfang Wudao wasn’t just here to pick a fight—he had another purpose.
Was the Dongfang Clan planning to break off the engagement and came to extort compensation?
They’d invested a lot. And now that the Ye Clan was meddling, Dongfang Wudao had come knocking.
“We’re no longer pursuing the engagement. Since we’ve given up, how we proceed has nothing to do with your Dongfang Clan, right?”
As soon as Ye Yang said that, everyone in the hall understood.
The Dongfang Clan had given a lot. Now they were backing out, and seeing the Ye Clan’s involvement, they’d come to demand payment.
Ye Yang looked at Dongfang Wudao with mockery in his eyes—so your Dongfang Clan’s methods are just as dirty.
Dongfang Wudao revealed a look of “surprise” with a touch of awkwardness.
“Forgive my boldness, then.”
He turned and left.
Watching Dongfang Wudao’s retreating figure, the Ye Clan elders began to smile.
Then they turned to Ye Yang.
“Patriarch, what do you make of it?”
“We’ve had nothing to do with the Dongfang Clan all these years. When he showed up, I was already suspicious. He just became the Divine Son—of course he wants to show his presence. Still too young.”
…
As Dongfang Wudao left, a shadow guard appeared beside him.
“Divine Son, shall we send clan experts? How dare they disrespect you…”
“No need. He’s busy now basking in the elders’ flattery—riding high on spring breezes.”
The shadow guard pondered a moment.
“I see. No wonder Divine Son had me write ‘Divine Son’ on the invitation.”
“They’ll think you’re showing off your new status. That you came just to prove yourself.”
“Send some of our clan’s experts to the Zhou Clan in Wangtian City.”
“When someone’s beloved gets hurt… they’ll do something reckless. And when that happens—everything changes.”