Marriage Alliance? A Discarded Pawn!
No matter how loudly one shouts slogans, one must first return to reality.
The first urgent problem to solve is repairing the Dantian.
The Wood Element Ability does offer some help in repairing the Dantian, but its effect is minimal and the speed too slow.
Yan Qingyan lowered her head in contemplation, trying hard to recall memories from this life—what things could repair the Dantian?
Millennium Phoenix Parasol Flower, fifth-grade Revival Pill, Millennium Nine-colored Sacred Flower…
These were the only ones she could remember, none of which she could afford, and even if she could, she wouldn’t know where to buy them.
That Millennium Nine-colored Sacred Flower was a legendary sacred medicine said to revive the dead and regenerate flesh, but it had long vanished from the world.
Yan Qingyan pulled out the three remaining mid-grade spirit stones and twelve low-grade spirit stones from her savings pouch, sighed, and tossed them into the Spiritual Spring Space.
Oh, right—before she collapsed, she had been clutching two low-grade spirit stones. She wondered who had picked them up.
At that moment, the restriction at the door moved.
"Come in… uh…"
Yan Qingyan was about to say "come in," but seeing Elder Yan Shi standing outside, she instantly shut her mouth.
"Qingyan, why aren’t you opening the door? I know you’ve already woken up. I’m here to offer you some guidance."
Seeing the restriction at the door remained unchanged, Elder Yan Shi called out loudly.
In the Cultivation World, Cultivators often undergo secluded meditation. Disturbing someone’s secluded cultivation is taboo, and doing so can lead to irreparable enmity.
In the Yan family, entering someone’s residence without permission is also an ironclad rule.
Seeing that the person inside remained silent for so long, Elder Yan Shi could only chatter outside.
Yan Qingyan’s utterance of "come in" had still been heard by him.
"Look at you—I told you earlier not to go out, and now you’ve suffered a great calamity, right?"
"After you marry, stay obediently at home. Don’t offend important figures like you did that day, causing trouble not only for yourself but also forcing the family head to clean up your mess."
"I have connections to exchange spirit stones for more silver coins. Since you can’t cultivate anymore, remember to come to me. As a elder, I’m naturally willing to help."
"Don’t sulk either. You were never destined to reach Foundation Establishment anyway. This situation is fine—just accept it."
"……"
Outside, Elder Yan Shi rambled incessantly; inside, Yan Qingyan had already entered the Space, unwilling to listen to even half a sentence.
She could easily guess what Elder Yan Shi would say based on his personality, but Yan Qingyan still felt displeased.
This man had already reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, with a lifespan of up to three hundred years.
But Foundation Establishment Stage was his limit.
Yan Qingyan thought, ‘In the future, I’ll also reach Foundation Establishment and come back to slap his face hard!’
……
After an unknown length of time, Elder Yan Shi had left.
This time, the person knocking at the door was a familiar face.
"Come in~"
The visitor was Yan Qingyan’s cousin Yan Le'er, arguably the most well-informed person in the Yan family. Any minor stir within or outside Qingyang City couldn’t escape her notice.
Her skin was fair, her eyes large and bright, resembling a neighbor’s younger sister, looking quite endearing.
‘Truly a world of Cultivation—everyone looks so pleasing to the eye,’ Yan Qingyan thought.
She really didn’t want to see those ugly zombies anymore!
"Qingyan~"
Yan Le'er walked in slowly, holding a crimson contract scroll, her gaze toward Yan Qingyan tinged with sympathy.
"What’s the matter? Speak directly. I can handle it." Yan Qingyan smiled, her crescent-shaped eyes gazing amiably at the other.
In this life, Yan Qingyan did not intend to rely too heavily on her Space like she did in her previous life, but having such a treasure with her gave her a completely different mindset—a sense of security that was simply overwhelming.
Yan Le'er was stunned, clearly not expecting her cousin to be in such a good state of mind. If it were her whose Dantian had been destroyed, her Dao heart would have long since collapsed.
Yan Le'er spoke bluntly, "The family head asked me to inform you of your future arrangements. You are to marry Ling Mochen, the eldest legitimate son of the Ling family's second branch, and settle in Yujiang Village from now on."
Yan Le'er finished speaking quickly, her face filled with indignation. Most of the area around Yujiang Village was inhabited by ordinary people—a remote and impoverished place with no prospects. It was obvious that Qingyan was being completely abandoned.
"Sigh~ If it weren't for that incident with the Biyue Sect envoy, you would have stayed in the city to manage a shop. I saw with my own eyes how the steward changed the arrangements!" Yan Le'er continued.
Yan Qingyan was taken aback. Marriage? And to Ling Mochen?
"Wait!" Yan Qingyan interrupted Yan Le'er's rambling, full of confusion as she asked, "They want me to marry? And to Ling Mochen? Are they sure they haven't made a mistake?"
She knew of Ling Mochen. The Ling family, like her Yan family, was one of the three great families of Qingyang City. Although he was a legitimate descendant, his birth mother had passed away early, and after that, the classic tale of "a stepmother brings a stepfather" unfolded. The second master of the Ling family favored his younger son, investing all his resources in him. Even though Ling Mochen was exceptionally talented, he had no choice but to venture out on his own to seek opportunities.
But the head of the Ling family seemed to have high hopes for his future. Logically, he shouldn't be used for a marriage alliance, right?
Yan Le'er slapped her forehead, her expression somewhat annoyed. Qingyan had been staying indoors these past two days to recuperate, so surely no one had told her yet!
With an equally indignant tone, she said, "You don't know yet, do you? Something major happened! That Yin Siwen took a liking to our cousin Yan Xinna and tried to forcibly take her as soon as he saw her. Of course, Xinna-jie wasn't willing! In the struggle, she shouted, 'The one I like is Ling Mochen.' Good heavens, that one sentence infuriated Yin Siwen so much that he actually ordered his subordinates to destroy Ling Mochen's Dantian!"
"Tsk!"
Yan Qingyan gasped sharply. Good heavens, this Yin Siwen truly knew no bounds!
Yan Xinna was the family head's daughter. She had a bright and captivating oval face, willow-leaf-shaped eyebrows, cherry-red lips, and snow-white, translucent skin—truly stunning. One could say she was the most beautiful woman in their Yan family, aside from their cousin Yan Siyu from the second master's branch.
Biyue Sect… what a damn major sect, raising such a piece of trash!
Once Yan Le'er started talking, she couldn't stop. She continued, "Ling Mochen was crippled within his own family, and the head of the Ling family didn't dare utter a single word of protest. Yan Xinna was taken away, and our family head acted exactly the same. I've only just realized that the three great families of Qingyang City are worth less than a servant in the eyes of those major sects. It infuriates me!"
Yan Qingyan nodded in agreement. The family head's cultivation level was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, and the highest cultivation level in the city was only the city lord at the early-stage Golden Core. But that Yin Siwen from the Biyue Sect was not only at the late-stage of Foundation Establishment himself—his guards were all at the Golden Core stage!
Yan Le'er said the Yujiang Village she was being sent to was a remote and impoverished place, but in the eyes of that group from the Biyue Sect, their Qingyang City probably wasn't much better.
Yan Le'er's complaints continued, "Once that Yin Siwen leaves, the Ling family will come to our Yan family demanding an explanation. The clan head probably felt guilty and compensated them with a large amount of cultivation resources. Hmph! I don't believe a single bit of those resources will end up in Ling Mochen's hands!"
As for the arranged marriage between her and Yan Qingyan, anyone with eyes could see the reasoning. On one hand, they didn't want to damage the harmony between the two families over this matter. On the other hand, both of their dantians were ruined. If they were directly discarded to the countryside to fend for themselves, it would appear too heartless and damage their reputations. So, they came up with this 'elegant' way to send the two away.
But she didn't say this out loud. The person involved was right in front of her, just recovered from serious injuries—no need to upset her further.
Yan Qingyan nodded in agreement. She felt the same way. The clan heads of both families had similar styles—no, actually, this was the prevailing attitude throughout all of Qingyang City.
As for what it was like outside Qingyang City, she hadn't traveled far yet, so she didn't know.
Yan Le'er handed over the vermilion scroll in her hand, covered in golden characters.
It was a blank marriage contract.
"Qingyan, Yujiang Village was originally a subsidiary village under our Ling family's jurisdiction. Three days ago, it was given to the Ling family as compensation and will now be under your joint management. Sign this marriage contract once you arrive in Yujiang Village."
"The clan head wants you to pack your things and set off within the next two days. It seems Ling Mochen already left yesterday."
How utterly impatient.
Yan Qingyan deeply disliked this feeling of having her fate arranged. No one had asked for her opinion beforehand, and no one cared whether she was willing or not. Her independent will was completely ignored, yet she had no means to resist.
Even if this was the norm among the major families of Qingyang City, even if the customs here had always been this way, even if resistance would earn her the label of ingratitude—dislike was still dislike.
But her dislike was directed solely at the two clan heads. She didn't want to transfer her negative emotions onto Yan Le'er, who was merely here to deliver a message, or onto Ling Mochen, whose fate was similarly manipulated.
Just wait and see. Fortunes change over time. She was a woman blessed by fortune, possessing a Spiritual Spring Space!
After a moment of contemplation, Yan Qingyan softly replied, "Alright."
She was relatively satisfied with the current situation. Compared to working as an assistant in those shops, farming suited her better.
After all, she was a Wood Element Ability user.
Yan Le'er let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief. She had been genuinely worried that Qingyan might become agitated—she wasn't good at comforting people.
Yan Le'er then took out a small pouch from her robe, containing tokens to prove her identity and facilitate management.
The two chatted for a while longer, and as sunset approached, Yan Le'er finally left.
Once again, Yan Qingyan was alone in the room. She took out a spiritual plant seed, activated her Wood Element Ability, and instantly, a tender sprout emerged.
Yan Qingyan smiled.
Her Wood Element Ability and Spiritual Spring Space were the things that brought her the greatest sense of security in this perilous Cultivation World.