Chapter 452

The young man at the head of that team wore a white robe, his handsome face showed a sickly pallor, and his aura was cold.

He was the young master of the Xiahou family of the Third Continent, Xiahou Rui.

Xiahou Rui showed a rather helpless expression, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're still pretending?!" Cang Li raised an eyebrow.

"Miss Xiao, I came intending to watch the Sea Hunt Event held during your Fusang Festival, cough… I didn't expect to end up in the wrong place. My health is poor, so I move slowly, and before I could reach the viewing area of the Sea Hunt Event, I ran into you. As soon as you arrived, you assumed I brought my family members with ill intent, cough…" Xiahou Rui said while coughing; his breathing grew much lighter, his handsome face grew even paler. He paused, then continued.

"Miss Xiao, I know you have no feelings for me, but you cannot defame me just to dissolve the marriage contract. I cannot bear that accusation… cough…"

He looked up at Xiao Lingwei, his eyes filled with an unspeakable sorrow and inferiority; he pressed his lips together and whispered, "I know that with my chronically ill body, I am unworthy of you…"

He lowered his long eyelashes, bearing an indefinable, pitiable expression.

At that moment, the young woman standing beside Xiahou Rui glared at Xiao Lingwei with displeasure and said coldly, "Miss Xiao, since you are dissatisfied with this marriage contract, withdraw early; why must you keep our young master hanging!"

"Over the years, countless women have sought to marry our young master; among them are many who are more outstanding and more beautiful than you, yet our family head and the young master insist on honoring the contract! And you?! By humiliating our young master so, you are despising the Xiahou family!"

Third Elder sighed deeply, "Miss Xiao, considering your young age, we will forgive your fault."

Xiao Lingwei knit her brows.

"Ya ya ya," Cang Li laughed, "Don't change the subject again; we already know your petty scheming."

Ying Wuji slowly lifted his eyes, his voice icy: "Beneath Fusang Island lies a stone tablet that connects to the Demon Realm. You intend to go to the Demon Realm to find the herb Mo Tian Cao that could extend your young master's life, so you proactively approached the ambitious Xiao Ming and formed a pact with him. You plan to use the turmoil caused by Xiao Ming, then slip into the sea floor amid the chaos, attempting to activate the stone tablet and open the gate to the Demon Realm."

As soon as those words were spoken, Xiahou Rui's complexion stiffened slightly, and his gaze sharpened in that instant.

How could he know!?

The atmosphere on the scene grew subtle.

Ying Wuji continued, "Second Senior Sister, your maternal grandfather probably still doesn't know; the elite disciples he believes the Xiahou family sent are merely assassins hired by the Xiahou family across the cultivation world. These people have no connection to the Xiahou family. Once the matter is exposed, the Xiahou family can disavow responsibility and claim your maternal grandfather defamed them."

Opening the Demon Realm entrance would mean demons entering the cultivation world.

Ying Wuji's gaze grew even colder.

Xiahou Rui let out a light sigh, "Companion Daoist, have you perhaps misunderstood something? We were unaware that beneath Fusang Island there existed a stone tablet leading to the Demon Realm…"

Third Elder's expression darkened, and he said, "If you have no evidence, you cannot make us take the blame. The Xiahou family acts with integrity and would never do such a thing."

"Is that so? Then that's best," Cang Li said with a smiling tone.

Immediately, Cang Li extended a hand, "Everyone, then please. The Sea Hunt Event is underway; shall we go watch it together?"

Xiao Lingwei finally spoke, "Please."

Xiahou Rui's expression remained unchanged.

Instead, the Xiahou family members glanced at Xiahou Rui with slightly different expressions, as if waiting for his decision.

"My health is poor now; I fear I cannot accompany you. I wish to return and rest," Xiahou Rui said, then coughed weakly a few times.

Xiao Lingwei said, "Then we will accompany you back."

"No need," Xiahou Rui said, his face slightly cold. "Since Miss Xiao doesn't like me, why feign affection? If you wish to break off the marriage, I… cough… can agree to it."

"Fine, then let's dissolve the marriage contract." Xiao Lingwei, never one to dawdle, saw no reason to linger now that the other side was willing.

Xiahou Rui's expression faltered; he looked up with a hint of loneliness toward Xiao Lingwei.

Third Elder immediately spoke, "Miss Xiao, our young master only spoke in a moment of anger; it cannot be taken seriously. This marriage contract was arranged by our family head and your father, so its dissolution requires both of their approvals."

Xiao Lingwei frowned, "Xiahou Rui, you cannot decide?"

Xiahou Rui pressed his pale lips together, saying nothing.

"If you cannot decide, then why say these words to me? Aren't you mocking me?" Xiao Lingwei's face hardened, and she said bluntly, "I can decide this marriage contract; I wish to dissolve it with you. If you agree, you may pursue your own happiness. As the girl beside you mentioned, there are many girls better than me; you can simply not choose me."

"Miss Xiao, how can you speak like that?!" the young woman beside Xiahou Rui blushed slightly and quickly interjected.

Third Elder sighed lightly, "Miss Xiao, I know your words now are also spoken in a moment of anger and cannot be taken seriously."

"Xiahou Rui, speak." Xiao Lingwei ignored them and addressed Xiahou Rui directly.

Unexpectedly, Xiahou Rui's body swayed and he fainted.

"Young master!" Third Elder and the young woman hurriedly supported the collapsing Xiahou Rui.

The young woman, angry, said, "Miss Xiao, don't you know the young master is ill? Why are you so aggressive? Are you deliberately trying to bring the young master to his death?!"

"I am a physician! I will examine him!" Cang Li raised his hand.

Third Elder replied in a deep voice, "No need, we have a physician here as well."

Cang Li clicked his tongue twice, "One physician cannot replace two."

"We have three physicians, so we don't need your pretentiousness," the young woman sneered.

Ying Wuji slightly lifted his eyes, "Third Senior Brother, go examine him. If he dies on Fusang Island, wouldn't that implicate Second Senior Sister?"

"Alright."

Cang Li readily agreed and headed straight toward Xiahou Rui and the others.

"Stop!" the young woman shouted urgently.

Cang Li raised an eyebrow, "Why are you in a hurry? Is your young master merely pretending to faint?"

He rushed to Xiahou Rui's front, snatched Xiahou Rui's hand, and took his pulse. By the time the three physicians tried to intervene, it was already too late.

Cang Li showed a shocked expression.

"Your young master…"

"…won't live beyond three days!"

Without waiting for anyone's reaction, Cang Li turned to Xiao Lingwei and Ying Wuji and said, "Let's quickly send the Xiahou young master back; if he dies without seeing his relatives, he may die with a lingering regret!!!"

"Xiahou young master, why is your fate so tragic!"

"Second Senior Sister, you are inhumane, how can you bring up dissolving the marriage contract at this moment! The Xiahou young master is about to die, not that he cannot die; at most you would become a widow, but he will lose his life!"