Chapter 75 – The Fiancée in the Broken Engagement Revenge Story…

“She’s just some elder’s daughter—if she threw herself at me and offered to warm my bed, I still wouldn’t want her!”

“And who can say for sure who’ll be the one basking in glory a few hundred years from now? Even if I’ve ended up a good-for-nothing now, it doesn’t give you people the right to look down on me!”

Wen Feng, known in the sect for his gentle temper, now had a vein visibly pulsing on his forehead from anger. His knuckles whitened around the hilt of his sword.

“Remember this—this isn’t your so-called Yongchang Sect annulling the engagement. It’s me who finds your elder’s daughter unworthy and wants to end this betrothal.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Wen Feng drew his sword and held it to Li Qing’s neck. The blade gleamed coldly, its sharp edge slicing slightly into the skin. That faint chill made Li Qing shiver instinctively.

“If you’re dissatisfied, there’s no need to wait a hundred years. We can settle this here and now.”

At this point, Li Qing was already a cripple with his spiritual roots destroyed, while Wen Feng was the personally taught disciple of a Yongchang Sect elder. Anyone could see this was Wen Feng bullying someone far beneath him—but considering what Li Qing had just said, no one felt Wen Feng was in the wrong.

She was the only daughter of a respected elder, an outstanding young cultivator even by the standards of the broader cultivation world. And yet, in the mouth of a useless cripple like Li Qing, she became a woman not even worth picking up off the street. Who wouldn’t be furious?

“You’re obviously just bullying me!”

Li Qing’s face turned red with rage, his eyes bulging like brass bells. The sword’s edge had already broken the skin of his neck, and the sting of death made his legs go weak.

Seeing him collapse to the ground in cowardly fear, Wen Feng gave him a hard kick, sheathed his sword, and turned to the Li family head with a slight bow.

“This is a personal matter between myself and this man, who dared insult my junior sister. It has nothing to do with Yongchang Sect or the Li family. I ask for your understanding.”

“Today, I don’t care if it’s some mutt or mangy cat who insults her—I won’t let them off.”

With that, Wen Feng led the Yongchang Sect’s people out of the Li household.

The Li family head watched them go, thinking about the prior agreement—that they’d stay a few days and scout for any talented youths to bring into the Yongchang Sect. All that had now been ruined by Li Qing.

After personally seeing the guests out, the smile on the family head’s face vanished. He turned back to the main hall and gave Li Qing a vicious kick.

“Yongchang Sect came here politely and clearly explained that the elder’s daughter is devoted to cultivation and uninterested in romance, which is why they wanted to cancel the engagement. But you just had to burn all bridges and claim you were rejecting them?”

“You ever bother looking at yourself lately? Even the beggars in this city wouldn’t want you!”

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Did this brat have to go and offend them like that? If the Yongchang Sect had decided to take offense, the whole Li family would’ve been dragged down with him!

“Someone drag Li Qing out! Fifty strikes with the paddle. Let him learn a real lesson. If he acts this foolish again, I’ll kick him out of the family myself!”

With a flick of his sleeve, the Li family head stormed off, not wanting to see that disgrace of a son another second.

Meanwhile, after leaving the Li family, Wen Feng was still simmering with anger. It wasn’t until he encountered a spirit crane messenger midway that he finally snapped out of his fury.

The message? Elder Xie, who had been stuck at the Nascent Soul Stage for years, had successfully transcended his tribulation—and leapt straight to the Tribulation Stage!

When Wen Feng returned from the mortal realm, he noticed that even ordinary disciples treated him with more deference. Some even tried to cozy up to him.

To be more accurate, it wasn’t just him—any disciple from Muxiu Peak now found themselves the center of attention.

In the past, their status was somewhat special, being personal disciples of an elder. But Yongchang Sect had quite a few elder’s disciples. Nothing too rare.

Now, though? They were the disciples of the only cultivator in the realm to reach the Tribulation Stage. Their status had changed dramatically.

In the cultivation world, it was widely known that alchemists were usually weak in terms of combat and relied on pills to influence others. But everyone at Muxiu Peak—from elder to disciple—seemed to have broken out of that mold.

First came the Tribulation Stage elder. Then, several Muxiu Peak disciples gained enlightenment during his lightning tribulation and broke through one after another.

No one knew much about the innate talent of the newer disciples, but those few who had been in the sect for some time had originally been average—so unremarkable that not even a single elder had bothered to take them as disciples.

But after joining Muxiu Peak, their cultivation advanced so rapidly over the years that onlookers couldn’t help but be envious.

And it wasn’t just in cultivation. Even in alchemy, Muxiu Peak disciples were now all capable of successfully refining pills. The quality wasn’t high, but compared to those who spent decades just trying to get started, the gap was glaring.

All of a sudden, the entire cultivation world was buzzing about Muxiu Peak of Yongchang Sect. Even a few old hermits came out of seclusion to pay visits, humbly asking Xie Hui how he had managed to teach his disciples to be so capable.

Back when Xie Hui had first arrived in this world, he’d already had a feeling that he wouldn’t end up stuck in a bottleneck for too long like the original soul.

But he hadn’t expected to leap all the way to the top of the cultivation ladder so soon. After breaking through, his understanding of Heaven and Earth also changed. He could faintly sense that something was wrong with this world’s Immortal Ascension Path—the Tribulation Stage seemed to be the ceiling.

As for those trying to gather information or approach him with ulterior motives, Xie Hui had the Sect Leader brush all of them off for him. He also publicly announced that, after returning from a training journey with his disciples, he would host a celebration banquet.

Having said that, Xie Hui promptly dumped the mess in the Sect Leader’s lap, took all his disciples from the peak, and left the sect to explore various secret realms across the cultivation world.

According to rumors, a secret realm had recently emerged near the Southern Sea, and it might contain a rare treasure—Mermaid Tears.

Mermaids were creatures known only through legend. It was said that their tears turned into pearls, and Mermaid Tears could even bring the dead back to life and regrow flesh and bone.

Since no one had ever truly seen it, the legend of the Merman’s Tear was wrapped in an even greater air of mystique.

Some scoffed at the idea, believing it nothing more than a fabricated myth. If the Merman’s Tear really did exist, why had no one ever seen it?

Of course, there were also those who believed in it wholeheartedly. They thought that the merfolk race had once existed, but for various reasons had mysteriously vanished. Perhaps, somewhere in a hidden realm, a Merman’s Tear had been preserved.

As for the Merman’s Tear—Xie Hui had encountered it quite a few times during past missions. He had even seen actual merfolk. It was true that their tears turned to pearls, but all that talk about raising the dead or regrowing flesh from bone was utter nonsense.

Other than being slightly more beautiful than regular pearls, Merman’s Tears didn’t have much practical use. A certain young girl, who had only grown older and not outgrown her love for pretty things, would probably adore them.

Xie Hui did indeed want to avoid all those people who had crowded into the sect to ask questions. At the same time, it was about time for these disciples to go out and gain some experience.

Keeping them locked up within the sect to cultivate endlessly was not wise—broadening their horizons was just as important. In Yongchang Sect, every three years, there would be a major selection, and likewise every three years, an elder would lead the disciples out to train.

Usually, the ones leading such trips were outer sect elders. For an inner sect elder like Xie Hui to personally lead disciples out was rare.

Wen Feng had only just returned to the sect and hadn’t even had time to rest before he hurriedly set out again, following the instructions his master had left behind.

Considering that one disciple had yet to catch up, Xie Hui deliberately slowed down his pace. Training his disciples wasn’t just about taking them to secret realms—teaching them how to read people was just as important.

Previously, Xie Hui had thought it commendable that his disciples were so single-minded in their cultivation. But now that they were out in the world, he realized each of them practically wore naïve and easy to trick on their foreheads.

He couldn’t allow the disciples he personally raised to turn out to be clueless simpletons. Everything that needed to be taught, he made sure to teach thoroughly.

Wen Feng finally caught up with his master and the others. That night, as they rested at an inn, he waited until all the other junior brothers and sisters had fallen asleep, then knocked on his master’s door in the quiet of night.

“Come in.”

Only after hearing his master’s voice did Wen Feng push the door open and step inside.

This was an unspoken rule among those on Muxiu Peak: if you had made a mistake but didn’t want to lose face, then you came to admit your fault in the middle of the night.

“Master, this disciple has let you down after what you told me before we set out.”

Xie Hui already knew everything Wen Feng had done through the system. Seeing the child kneel before him in apology, he reached out to help him up by the arm.

“You did nothing wrong in protecting your junior sister’s reputation.”

Xie Hui had long understood this disciple’s temperament. Though gentle in nature, he had his bottom line, and he would not tolerate anyone crossing it. He treated his junior brothers and sisters like true family. There was no way he would stand idly by while Li Qing insulted his junior sister.

It wouldn’t have mattered which junior sister Li Qing had insulted—Wen Feng would not have turned a blind eye.

In the original world of the client, the client had indeed withdrawn the engagement after Li Qing became useless, dissatisfied with his downfall. Even though he had sent a gift, it still hadn’t been handled gracefully.

But in this world, Xie Yin was only twelve years old. No matter how one looked at it, she was still a child. Breaking off the engagement after the spiritual vein mining was complete and sending a personal disciple to deliver the apology—no one could find fault with that.

If Li Qing still intended to treat them as targets for humiliation like in the client’s original world… Xie Hui wouldn’t mind letting Li Qing experience what it felt like to kick a stone with all his strength.

“You’ve worked hard on this trip.”

Xie Hui handed Wen Feng a white jade bottle filled with a batch of pills he had previously refined.

“I can see your cultivation is at a bottleneck. Your temperament and cultivation base are both solid—breakthrough is near. What you lack is merely a trigger. Take this pill right before your breakthrough. It will guarantee your success.”

Wen Feng accepted the jade bottle and bowed to his master.

“Yes, Master.”

Others might worry that consuming too many pills would leave behind pill toxins in the body. But disciples from their peak didn’t need to be concerned about such things.

Even if there was residual pill poison, it would just mean taking another batch of detoxifying pills to cleanse it—nothing more.

Their group did not travel by flying sword; instead, they made their way toward the South Sea by foot. The lessons of the real world had made the disciples more cautious, no longer as gullible and easy to trick as they were when they had just left the sect.

After settling down at an inn in a town near the South Sea, Wen Feng broke through that very same day. The other disciples, who had similar cultivation levels, also gained insights during Xie Hui’s tribulation and advanced by several stages.

With the help of Xie Hui’s pill, Wen Feng successfully broke through and entered the Golden Core Stage.

This secret realm in the South Sea, aside from the rumored Merman’s Tear, didn’t contain anything particularly rare. However, in the client’s memories, this time, the secret realm supposedly held a remnant of the ancient era—a merman egg. It was the last known merman in existence.

The story about Merman’s Tears reviving the dead was false. But the tale of a merman egg being able to reconstruct one’s spiritual roots—that was true. Li Qing had used this exact merman egg to rebuild his roots. Afterward, his previously average aptitude had become a heavenly spiritual root.

They had chosen this secret realm simply because its opening coincided with their timing. It wasn’t until they arrived that Xie Hui realized they might run into Li Qing.

But Xie Hui wasn’t the least bit worried. Even if Li Qing did as he had in the client’s memories—rebuilding his roots with the merman egg—Xie Hui had full confidence in his ability to protect his disciples and his daughter.

…

On the day the secret realm opened, Xie Hui did not see Li Qing. He glanced around casually and, seeing nothing unusual, withdrew his attention and led his disciples into the realm.

Although this secret realm didn’t contain many treasures, it had a strict set of rules. No matter how high one’s cultivation was outside, upon entering, everyone was suppressed to the Golden Core Stage.

Even someone at the Tribulation Stage like Xie Hui was no exception. The moment he entered the realm, he immediately felt his body go hollow.

“Daddy, why did we have to come to this secret realm? The spiritual energy here isn’t even as good as what we have on Muxiu Peak.”

Xie Yin wore a bright red dress adorned with exquisitely detailed embroidery. She looked radiant and vibrant, just like when she was a child, with an elegant hairpin on her head. The delicate tassels hanging from the hairpin swayed with her movements, emitting a pleasant, tinkling sound.

At first glance, the hairpin simply looked exquisite, but in truth, each tassel was a high-grade magical artifact.

While others in the secret realm were moving with extreme caution, afraid of attracting unwanted attention, this young girl paid no heed at all. It was her first time formally entering a secret realm, but with her father behind her, she showed no fear whatsoever. Her attitude made it seem as if she were simply strolling through her own home.

A few people were initially displeased with her casual and careless demeanor, but once someone beside them whispered her identity, they quickly averted their gazes.

The only daughter of the sole Tribulation Stage cultivator in the cultivation world—forget about her being arrogant; even if she wanted to ride a couple of people like horses, regular cultivators would fight tooth and nail for the privilege.

This secret realm near the Southern Sea opened once every fifty years. Though it lacked valuable treasures, it was filled with numerous non-lethal trials and was widely regarded by major sects as the perfect training ground for new disciples.

Xie Hui noticed the many trials up ahead but made no move to warn them, hiding his presence in his black robes at the rear, appearing no different from an ordinary elder.

At first, the disciples did find the trials somewhat troublesome, but once their vigilance was raised, they managed to avoid most of them. The few they did trigger caused no real harm—not even a strand of hair was touched.

Watching from behind, Xie Hui began to wonder if he had chosen too easy a secret realm for them.

While others stumbled about in disarray, his group remained spotless—no dirt, no wrinkled robes.

After about six months in the secret realm, just as they neared the exit and were passing through a stone gate, Xie Yin suddenly felt something heavy drop into her arms. Looking down, she found a vivid green egg nestled against her chest.

Baffled, her first instinct was to fling it away. Her half-year of experience in the secret realm had taught her to be wary of strange and suspicious things. Her gut told her this weird egg was trying to scam her.

But before she could toss it, a shrill and petulant girl’s voice rang out.

“You’re so rude! We searched so long for that treasure, and you just grabbed it without even asking if it already had an owner! Return it right now and apologize!”

Xie Yin had originally planned to toss away the freeloading egg, but upon hearing this girl’s tone, her rebellious streak flared up. She stuffed the egg firmly into her robes and snapped back without a hint of submission:

“You say it’s yours and that makes it true? What, does it have your name written on it? Or are you expecting it to bark in recognition?”

Xie Yin was always polite to polite people, but someone who came out of nowhere yelling and demanding an apology deserved no such courtesy.

“You! How dare you speak to me like that! Kill her—someone, kill her now!”

Before Xie Yin could even respond, over twenty senior brothers and sisters had already drawn their swords and stepped in front of her. At the lead, Wen Feng glanced at the group opposite—none of them looked above the Golden Core Stage—and smirked with open disdain.

“Who did you say you were going to kill?”

The air grew tense for a brief moment before a man in dark robes stepped out from behind the bratty girl. His voice was raspy and somewhat forced as he attempted to ease the situation.

“It’s just a misunderstanding. Let’s all keep the peace. We’ll take our leave now.”

Xie Hui stood quietly behind his disciples, not even needing to reveal himself. When he had accepted these disciples, he had anticipated this exact moment—not for anything else, but simply to enjoy the sight of such a handsome, disciplined group drawing their swords in unison. It was, in a word, satisfying.

Watching them walk away, Xie Yin looked down again at the mysterious egg in her arms. She casually stuffed it into the box she used to store spiritual herbs and carried it out of the secret realm with her.

The moment they exited, a message from the Sect Leader arrived—everything was already arranged for the celebration banquet in honor of their return.

After all, this was the only Tribulation Stage elder in the cultivation world. The celebration of his successful breakthrough attracted even those ancient monsters who rarely showed their faces.

The banquet was already in full swing when a disciple suddenly rushed in, his face filled with urgency.

“Reporting to the Sect Leader—there’s a mortal man outside, requesting an audience with Elder Xie.”

Before the disciple could finish his sentence, a man in black robes stepped through the door, sword in hand.

“No need to announce me. I am Li Qing. I’ve come to congratulate Elder Xie of Yongchang Sect on successfully advancing to the Tribulation Stage.”