Chapter 2

The time it takes to finish a cup of tea.

In the gaze of Second Sister Su Lingxue, who wanted to speak but held back, Su Chen, wearing a wide-sleeved flowing immortal skirt, boarded the carriage.

"Little brother..."

Su Lingxue suddenly grabbed Su Chen's cuff embroidered with flying beasts and birds, her eyes rimmed with tears: "Can you promise sister, this is the last time, okay? From now on, don't be so humble in your flattery, and don't remain obstinate for Lin Jianran."

Over these years, half of the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect's spirit stones, treasures, and cultivation techniques have been sent to the Lin family.

But Lin Jianran only accepts gifts without expressing any stance.

Whenever marriage is mentioned, she puts on a troubled expression, claiming in a nice-sounding way that she still needs preparation, and that Su Chen's performance still needs evaluation.

If one gives oneself too easily, men won't know how to cherish.

Since falling in love with Lin Jianran, Su Chen has become unlike his former self.

As the second sister, Su Lingxue feels both heartbroken and helpless.

"Second Sister." A flash of resolve crossed Su Chen's eyes; knowing the plot, he couldn't help but think of his second sister's tragic ending, a flicker of heartache crossing his face, but since he has transmigrated here, he won't let such a tragedy happen again.

Then he spoke gently: "You've misunderstood; this time I'm not going to the Lin family, but to the Purple Yang Sect to find Liu Liyan."

"This flowing immortal skirt worth eighty million spirit stones—Lin Jianran doesn't deserve it!"

"I'm going to regain the Purple Yang Sect's forgiveness; rest assured, I no longer have Lin Jianran in my heart, and I will never let you suffer injustice again."

Su Chen broke free from his second sister's wrist, boarded the carriage, and drove the black flood dragon away at full speed.

Su Lingxue lowered her eyes, gave a bitter smile filled with sorrow, and said: "Little brother, you don't need to lie to me; I actually don't blame you, I only hate myself for being unable to help you."

"Forget it, go as you wish!"

Over these three years, how crazy Su Chen has been for Lin Jianran is known throughout the Eastern Wasteland.

How could he possibly repent wholeheartedly just because of her single plea?

It's merely an excuse he randomly fabricated to cheer her up.

At this moment.

Some loose cultivators had already heard the wind; seeing the black flood dragon representing the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect, they began to gossip.

"He really went, he really went to the Lin Manor!"

"Yesterday the Lin Manor miss mentioned the flowing immortal skirt in passing, and today this young master of the Heavenly Mystery Dao Sect bought it; looking at this, he probably can't wait to go win the Lin miss's favor."

"Hiss, this young sect master Su is actually so deep in feeling?"

"That's right! Lin Miss merely said that his fiancée‑like parrot looked nice, so he personally took that parrot, and in the end even allowed her to pull out its tongue……"

In the Eastern Wasteland, loose cultivators make up thirty percent; this cultivator knows that without sufficient resources the path of cultivation cannot go far, so most choose to give up and pass the time with gossip.

Soon, this news spread simultaneously to the Lin Manor and the Purple Yang Sect.

Compared to the Lin Manor's current smug complacency, their posture.

As for the Purple Yang Sect, the atmosphere is stagnant and deathly silent.

On the corridor of a certain pavilion, a woman with a dazed expression sat somewhere, her gaze somewhat unfocused as she stared at the carp in the pond that occasionally bubbled up, ripples spreading across the water surface, which, after being refracted by sunlight, cast threads of light onto her flawless face.

As if a thin layer of immortal light had been plated onto her.

Her skin, smooth and white as the moon, her face perfect and flawless.

Sheer gauze perfectly wrapped her figure, her long, fair swan neck, curves with just the right proportion; from afar, she gives the feeling of being admirable from a distance but not to be trifled with.

She is the unrivaled beauty, the pride of the Eastern Wasteland, Liu Liyan.

"Holy Maiden, please don't grieve any further."

"That woman Lin Jianran, putting on a front and acting aloof, appears supremely lofty on the surface, yet every time she accepts Young Master Su's gifts, she is unsparing, and in private she even secretly meets with Ye Xuan, the adopted son of the Ye family; I truly don't know what Young Master Su is thinking, to even lick such worn‑out shoes—truly blind!"

Liu Liyan, her gaze refocused, her eyes icy as a blade: "Who let you speak of him? Don't you want your tongue?"

That stare made the servant's whole body tremble.

With a thump, he immediately knelt: "Holy Maiden, spare my life; I only felt it was too unfair for you, so I misspoke for a moment, speaking ill of Young Master Su."

"Slap, slap, slap!"

The servant slapped himself hard a few times, thereby escaping disaster.

"From now on, within the sect, whoever lets me hear a single ill word about him shall go to the Burial Corpse Cliff to keep company with corpses." Liu Liyan's voice was chilling, each word harsh.

The servant nodded repeatedly, daring not to act rashly.

She couldn't understand.

These servants really can't understand!

Su Chen has been so cold and unfeeling toward the Holy Maiden, yet why does she still constantly think of him, without even a hint of resentment, forbidding anyone in the sect from showing him disrespect!

Even more——

Upon hearing that Young Master Su spent eighty million spirit stones on the flowing immortal skirt just to win a smile from Lin Jianran, the sect leader was so enraged he nearly couldn't catch his breath and almost ascended on the spot; after merely scolding Su Chen twice for being ungrateful and cold‑hearted, the Holy Maiden went and tore down the sect's main hall.

Just why is that!

What does Su Chen have that makes him worthy of such treatment from the Holy Maiden……

"Holy Maiden, Holy Maiden!!"

"Young Master Su has come bearing a heavy gift to apologize at the door."

"Young Master Su has come bearing a heavy gift to see the Holy Maiden!"

One after another, the sect guards' reports rang out, stirring the entire sect.

Liu Liyan sprang up suddenly; in the instant, her previously dull and lifeless eyes sparked with a strange light—first her pupils dilated sharply as she instinctively rose, then she self‑mockingly sat back down.

Sure enough, daytime thoughts bring nighttime dreams; even in broad daylight she's having hallucinations.

Su Chen is currently on the road to the Lin Manor wearing the wide‑sleeved flowing immortal skirt—how could he possibly come back here to her?

How could it be possible, how could it be possible for him to come see her?

Compared to Liu Liyan's dazed denial, the Liu clan member on the hall who was handling sect affairs, still bearing a trace of charm, wore a face of utter disbelief, then, as if recalling something, trembled with rage, her hands shaking.

She slammed her palm heavily onto the armrest of the gilded chair, her face full of anger as she rose and walked toward the square.

"An apology? What a fine apology, Young Sect Master of the Tianxuan Dao Sect—what crime have you committed!!"

The Liu clan, furious and flustered, sneered: "Su Chen, Su Chen, you're here again to humiliate our sect leader's daughter, aren't you? Who doesn't know that for Miss Lin's smile you threw away millions of spirit stones, sparing no effort!"

"What state have you reduced our sect's daughter to? Why won't you let her go? Today, no matter who tries to stop our sect, we will have you enter the Ziyang Sect standing upright and leave lying flat, to repay the three years of humiliation you've inflicted on our sect leader's daughter!"

"Where is that wolf-hearted, dog-gutted scoundrel Su Chen?"

The sect guard reporting the news was so frightened he dared not breathe, and whispered: "Report to the Sect Master, he was led by the sect's servants to find the Holy Maiden."

"Where is Liyan?"

"The Holy Maiden is at the Listening Tide Pavilion on Qingchen Peak."

Liu Sect Master rushed over with a murderous look, deliberately picking up a convenient sword, swearing today she would leave Su Chen missing a few parts.

Then——

Then!! However, the moment she rushed into the Listening Tide Pavilion.

She froze!

The sect also froze!

Before the Liu clan arrived, her mind had already imagined countless scenes of her daughter being bullied, even imagining Su Chen uttering wild, rebellious words that would hurt her daughter.

But, but who can explain to her what the hell this scene is?

In the Liu clan's astonished and dazed gaze, she saw the man who had previously spoken ill of her daughter, holding in his hands the flowing fairy skirt that countless women admired, slowly stepping toward her daughter.

Liu Liyan gazed at the man she loved to the bone as he approached her.

Is this her hallucination?

Why……

Why does Su Chen's gaze toward her today no longer bear annoyance and coldness, but instead become extraordinarily gentle, filling his heart and eyes with only her?

Liu Liyan gazed at Su Chen, dazed and anxious.

Her heart raced.

Thump thump thump!

Sweat beaded on her palms.

Her eyes were full of affection, infatuation, restraint, and tension.

"Liu Holy Maiden, will you still marry me?"