Chapter 30: Mountain Oaths, Sea Vows — This Heart, Unchanging

"Boyfriend?"

The middle-aged man raised his brow, his sharp gaze like a knife sweeping toward the youth who had suddenly appeared.

All the cultivators in the coffee shop turned their focus to Lu Xun.

Lu Xun's hand, still resting on Chu Youqing's waist, had not yet been withdrawn; the lingering starlight on her body flowed along his fingertips.

In everyone's perception, Lu Xun was clearly an ordinary person with no cultivation.

The Chaotic Divine Body is extraordinarily abnormal; not exceeding Lu Xun by a few major realms, making his strength hard to detect.

"Madam Chu," the middle-aged man suddenly laughed, "Even if your daughter wants to refuse the marriage alliance, she should at least find a decent shield."

"Please understand, Head of the He family; the child doesn't know better. I think we should just let this matter go."

Murong Yan sighed.

Although she also wanted to ally with the He family through marriage, Chu Youqing was too stubborn, and Lu Xun's parents had shown kindness to her family, so she was no longer willing to press the issue.

"Madam Chu, aren't you reconsidering? My He family also possesses an ancient spiritual root holder named He Huan; he opened nine meridians four years ago, and in just four years his strength has already broken through to the Fourth Realm."

"If Chu's niece marries her, any sons born with spiritual roots can take the Chu surname."

Seeing this, the Head of the He family quickly raised the stakes.

"Really?"

Those words made Murong Yan's eyes light up.

"Indeed."

The Head of the He family guaranteed it.

Murong Yan, who had originally planned to give up, felt her heart stir once again.

"Madam Chu, you surely know the odds of offspring having spiritual roots when two spiritual-root holders unite."

The Head of the He family continued his persuasion.

Murong Yan clasped her hands together, her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes filled with struggle and hesitation.

"Mom! I'm not marrying anyway!"

Chu Youqing reiterated her statement.

She knew her mother's heart condition.

That is, after giving birth to her daughter, she never had another child.

For a great clan, the more children, the better.

Chu Youqing's father lost influence in the Chu clan, and having only one child, a daughter at that, surely had something to do with it.

A Chu-surnamed descendant with an ancient spiritual root, even as an outsider's grandson, is too important to Chu Youqing's parents.

Being of the Chu surname means he is a grandson, not an outsider's grandson.

So, Chu Youqing felt that Murong Yan was very likely to be swayed.

"Youqing, you're still young; you don't understand that gratitude and love are not the same thing..."

As expected, Murong Yan began to persuade Chu Youqing.

"Mom, don't mention love; having me marry into the He family is an outright insult to the word 'love'."

Chu Youqing's single sentence silenced her mother, leaving her speechless.

"Chu's niece, with your talent, if you come to my He family, you will surely receive countless affection; we will mobilize the clan's full strength to aid your cultivation."

The Head of the He family promised.

"That still won't do; no matter how good the He family is, it can't compare to Lu Xun—I'm not marrying."

Chu Youqing snorted.

"Head of the He family, let me think it over."

Murong Yan spoke again, torn.

She had many hidden troubles she hadn't told Chu Youqing about; these years, being unable to bear children, she had suffered greatly in the Chu family.

But actually, being unable to bear children isn't her fault...

"Oh, by the way, Madam Chu, I almost forgot to mention: a few years ago, my He family obtained a copy of the heaven-rank cultivation manual, the Heavenly Derivation Same Heart Manual; if Chu's niece practices dual cultivation with He Huan using that manual, given his strength, she could break through to the Fourth Realm in at most two years."

Seeing this, the Head of the He family upped the ante.

"Heavenly Derivation Same Heart Manual?"

The surrounding onlooking cultivators stirred with some commotion.

"What cultivation technique is this?"

"A heaven-rank top-tier dual cultivation technique; years ago, countless experts fought bloody battles over it at a civilization stele on the Starry Sky Ancient Road—yet the He family managed to obtain a copy."

"Heaven-rank top-tier? No wonder they're so eager to ally with the Chu family through marriage."

The cultivators' whispered discussion reached the ears of several people present.

The Head of the He family, feeling the outcome was certain, waited calmly for Murong Yan's reply.

Murong Yan was indeed moved.

She had heard of the Heavenly Derivation Same Heart Manual.

It is a dual cultivation technique.

Unlike other dual cultivation techniques, the Heavenly Derivation Same Heart Manual is a proper, orthodox method that benefits both parties.

He Huan of the He family is already near the Fourth Realm; if he dual cultivates with Chu Youqing and is willing to feed his own cultivation back to her, the benefits she would gain are unimaginable.

The Head of the He family's claim that she could break through to the Fourth Realm in two years might not be empty talk.

This time, Murong Yan was completely moved.

As a mother, she ultimately only wishes well for her own daughter.

Murong Yan no longer hesitated.

She turned to look at Lu Xun, pleading: "Lu Xun, Youqing owes your parents a kindness; once our situation improves, I will give you a hundred thousand Dark Energy all at once—will you leave Youqing?"

The Chu family is inferior to the Murong family; after her husband lost his influence, she can no longer produce much Dark Energy.

"Little brother, if you are willing to leave the Chu niece, our He family will give you a hundred thousand Dark Energy."

The Head of the He family saw an opportunity; as soon as he spoke, he dropped a bomb.

Hundred-thousand-unit Dark Energy!

This is a whole cubic unit of Dark Energy, worth at least ten billion.

The He family, in order to obtain Chu Youqing, is truly willing to spend a fortune.

"Lu Xun..."

"Don't worry."

Lu Xun patted his girlfriend, his gaze sweeping over Murong Yan and the Head of the He family.

"Little brother, just nod, and the hundred-thousand Dark Energy will be deposited into your card right away."

The Head of the He family promised.

Lu Xun's voice was low and calm, yet as cold and hard as ten-thousand-year-old profound ice, steadfast.

"Sorry."

"Don't even mention a hundred thousand Dark Energy——"

"Even ten million, a hundred million, a billion... even if the heavens collapse and the laws are annihilated, as long as Youqing does not abandon me, I, Lu Xun, will never leave her even half a step."

His words were like iron, ringing as they struck the ground; in his plain tone lay an unshakable resolve.

Lu Xun's words moved Chu Youqing.

Chu Youqing's eyes like cold stars, she lightly raised her bare hand, her fingers intertwining with Lu Xun's; amidst the surging spiritual power, her voice clear and cold like a sword's chime.

"I, too, will not leave Lu Xun."

"Even if reincarnation reverses and life and death swap——"

"This heart, unchanging."

Their breaths mingled, and in the void a faint Yin-Yang Dao diagram coalesced, as if the heavens themselves bore witness.

"Good!"

Around, onlooking cultivators shouted approval.

"You, you... Youqing, you have let me down too much!"

The two's words were like a mountain oath and sea pledge, but in Murong Yan's view, it seemed her daughter had been completely brainwashed by a yellow-haired delinquent.

She pointed at Chu Youqing, so angry she couldn't speak.

"Chu Youqing, you, you... you've grown wings, huh? I won't care for you anymore—you'd better fend for yourself."

In her fury, Murong Yan turned and left, straight out of the coffee shop and into the airport.

She actually intended to return to Rong Cheng.

Well,

Did you just drive the mother-in-law home angry?

Lu Xun said, the first meeting with his mother-in-law was very satisfactory.

If full marks are 100, Lu Xun gave himself 98.5.

The reason he didn't give 100 is not because he fears arrogance, but because Lu Xun has 1.5 speech.