Chapter 5: Fiancée: Don

A gentle breeze brushed past the two of them, and they both lost themselves.

One lowered their head, fingers entwined, the twisting speed quickening until their nails were about to be pulled out.

The other, after a moment of shock, raised their head and looked toward the sky; the Flowing Water Mist Formation glittered with a crystal‑clear light, that layer of mist enveloping the heavens, blocking outside scrutiny, and from the mountains and forests a faint fragrance of spiritual herbs drifted forth.

Amid the dense leaves, pink flower petals fell, landing on their heads, shoulders, and hands; Chen Chuyang pinched a petal, sniffed its fragrance, then released the flower to let it drift away on the wind.

The awkward atmosphere lasted a quarter hour, neither speaking a word; Chen Chuyang glanced at the bashful, embarrassed girl beside him and said, "Does your father consent?"

The girl lifted her head, shook her head with a smile: "No."

"My father certainly won't agree; he even scolded my mother soundly."

"My sister wouldn't agree either—she dotes on me the most; how could she let me marry into this?"

Her gaze flicked cautiously toward Chen Chuyang, wanting to see his reaction.

Chen Chuyang remained as calm as ever, just as he had been since childhood, and still was now.

He was indifferent to everything, as if nothing could stir his inner calm.

Shang Hongxue couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, but she knew this was Chen Chuyang's true nature, so… she didn't expect anything.

"My sister wants to take me to the Heavenly Heart Sect; she's been taken on as a disciple by its people, and from then on she could leave Longshe Cheng and soar to great heights—my sister doesn't want me to stay in Longshe Cheng for the rest of my life."

"She wants to control her own fate, dislikes being arranged by others, and doesn't want to just be married off like this."

Shang Hongchen was a woman with her own views, and also someone unwilling to remain in Longshe Cheng.

She could never properly marry Chen Chuyang and become a wife.

Chen Chuyang also understood her nature; after all, she was a genius, proud, which was quite normal.

"What do you think?"

Having spoken those words, Chen Chuyang felt a twinge of regret and wanted to take them back, but it was already too late.

He turned his head away and looked elsewhere.

Shang Hongxue happened to lift her head and gaze at Chen Chuyang; the two were in perfect sync.

"I don't want to leave."

Shang Hongxue gathered her courage and spoke those words from her heart.

She wanted to stay.

The Heavenly Heart Sect was not a place she wanted to go.

Her sister is a genius; going to the Heavenly Heart Sect would bring her a brighter future, but she is not like her sister.

She and Chen Chuyang alike are ordinary folk—or rather, she is even less than an ordinary person: her body is weak, congenitally frail, with a disease contracted before birth that weakened her constitution, making cultivation impossible to compare with others; as a child she grew up steeped in medicine jars, and having finally reached adulthood, she dislikes… leaving Longshe Cheng.

Her body does not allow it, and moreover, she wants to stay.

"I like Longshe Cheng."

"I also like this place."

Her glance, she furtively stole a look at Chen Chuyang.

This scene naturally did not escape Chen Chuyang's eyes.

He understood the girl's thoughts, but he—

"Your sister might force you to leave, after all, your body might be healed if you went to the Heavenly Heart Sect."

Her body, Chen Chuyang knew, was notorious in Longshe Cheng for being stubborn; therefore her father consulted many doctors, even a few pill refiners, but none could resolve it—the congenital disease root could not be eradicated.

From childhood she was weak and scrawny—she used to weigh less than a rooster.

Fortunately, Shang Hongchen protected her, so she wasn't bullied.

"Your father and they will also compromise for the sake of your body."

The Heavenly Heart Sect, being a major sect, surely has a way to cure her.

Shang Hongchen also insists on going to the Heavenly Heart Sect.

Shang Hongxue fell silent.

She naturally knew.

But she truly did not want to leave.

"I don't want to go."

Gritting her teeth, she lifted her head, the girl's gaze fixed on Chen Chuyang.

Waiting for a reply.

Chen Chuyang drew a deep breath, gestured, and a wisp of qi condensed.

Afterward, beneath Longshe Shan, in the Yu Tang, a flower drifted before him—a lotus.

A lotus like white jade.

A third‑grade spirit herb, the White Jade Lotus, was a lotus cultivated to maturity by Chen Chuyang; he had originally kept it for himself, intending to use it in pill refining for maximum effect.

"Go."

The White Jade Lotus entered Shang Hongxue's body and merged with it.

Shang Hongxue offered no resistance the whole time; this was not the first time she had accepted such a thing.

This was also why she and Chen Chuyang were so familiar with each other.

"The White Jade Lotus can nourish your body, gradually conditioning it, but the White Jade Lotus cannot cure your disease root."

"Your illness is congenital, not easily healed; if—"

"If his cultivation were a bit higher, the chances would be greater."

"For now, he still dare not act."

"Moreover, healing would require… certain special measures, which between a man and a woman are not… appropriate to use."

"Don't tell anyone about this."

"I know, Brother Chuyang."

Shang Hongxue nodded happily; after the white jade lotus entered her body, she felt a warmth, her body also felt much lighter; over these years, being able to gradually recover some complexion, thanks to Chen Chuyang.

Chen Chuyang nodded, watching the girl go down the mountain.

"It's a pity, a third-grade spiritual medicine—Longshe Shan has few third-grade spiritual medicines."

That was a good treasure Chen Chuyang had cultivated for several years, considered one of Longshe Shan's more precious things, at least able to rank among the top three.

The whole fish pond only has this one white jade lotus; the others haven't sprouted yet, nor have they matured.

That spiritual spring on Longshe Shan can only nurture one white jade lotus.

"I hope this girl recovers soon."

"Shang Hongchen, what a trouble—if she wants to leave, she can just leave; insisting on coming to break off the engagement, isn't that stirring up trouble?"

"I hope my peaceful life won't be disrupted."

……

Shang Clan.

Shang Hongchen looked at her mother Jiang Luolan, then suddenly stood up.

"Mother, I disagree—what is Chen Chuyang? He's not worthy of my sister; Hongxue cannot be hoped for."

"My affair, I will settle it myself; Mother, if you don't help me, please don't stop me—I guarantee I can make the Chen Clan agree to break off the engagement."

Shang Hongchen disagreed with her mother's plan; her sister cannot become her sacrifice.

The Heavenly Heart Sect is important, but that is not… she exchanged her sister's happiness for it.

Jiang Luolan pulled Shang Hongchen, speaking earnestly: "Hongchen, listen to Mother."

"Mother also knows this is no good, not good for Hongxue, but Hongxue does not object to this."

"You don't want to marry Chen Chuyang, but Hongxue is willing."

Shang Hongchen, hearing this, widened her eyes.

"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible—how could Hongxue possibly take a liking to……"

The words trailed off.

Shang Hongchen widened her eyes, staring at her mother Jiang Luolan, thinking of some things, then thinking of her sister's attitude toward Chen Chuyang, which is better than toward her older sister—seems, like, perhaps……

"I need to ask my sister about this; I cannot… cannot sacrifice Hongxue."

Jiang Luolan nodded: "Stay calm, don't be irritable, and don't scare Hongxue."

"You sisters talk it over; if it really doesn't work, I'll have your father go to the Chen Clan."

Shang Hongchen nodded; for now, this is the only thing to do.