1: break off an engagement

Nanming Divine Continent!

Ming Domain!

Chu Dynasty, Fengyan County Wang Family!

Xu Qing looked at the bustling Wang Family courtyard, filled with people laughing and enjoying themselves, and felt completely out of place!

As an outsider, he had been in the Wang Family for a year, and had been neglected for a year!

He walked past the courtyard, led by the butler, and headed towards the study!

Although he didn't know what it was about, he vaguely understood what was about to happen!

He didn't expect such a clichéd plot to happen to him!

That's right! It was a broken engagement!

But it was understandable. He had been in this world for sixteen years. Sixteen years ago, he was just an ordinary wage earner on Blue Star, but he was unexpectedly reincarnated into this world, becoming the Young Lord of Xu City in the Chu Dynasty!

Now, sixteen years later, Xu Qing was also sixteen years old, and he had witnessed the magical and magnificent, as well as the cruel, aspects of this world!

Just a year ago, his Family, the Xu Family, suffered a catastrophe after accidentally obtaining a rare treasure and the news leaked out!

The entire main branch of the Xu Family, which had only developed for over two hundred years and had fewer than a hundred clansmen, all within five generations, faced a disaster at the end of the year. Nearly seventy percent of the main branch's clansmen were wiped out by that mysterious powerhouse!

Xu Qing and a few of his cousins happened to have joined nearby Sects, which allowed them to escape the massacre!

In addition, some clansmen who were away, as well as his second uncle's Family who had returned to Mount City Yue Family, survived!

Although Fengyan County immediately dispatched powerhouses to investigate, their expressions became inexplicably grim after examining the scene. They offered no explanation, merely granting Xu Qing the title of City Baron, and then dropped the matter!

The hatred for his father's death and the destruction of his Family could not go unavenged. After sixteen years in this world, he had received the care of his parents and the love of his clansmen. How could he forget all those past events!

However, the attitude of the Fengyan County powerhouses made him realize the strength of his enemies!

He could only swallow his anger and follow the Fengyan County powerhouses to Fengyan County, seeking help from the Family behind his fiancée, Wang Yan!

Yet, a year passed. Aside from meeting Wang Yan's father, the current Family Head of the Wang Family, Fengyan Marquis Wang Changfeng, at the very beginning, he had been neglected by the Wang Family for an entire year!

However, all of this was within Xu Qing's expectations!

After all, the strength of the Xu Family and the Wang Family was inherently unequal!

The strongest in the Xu Family, his father Xu Chu, was merely at the Late Stage of the Yuanhai Realm, while the Wang Family Old Ancestor was a powerhouse at the Middle Stage of the Marquis Realm. Wang Changfeng was even the Fengyan Marquis appointed by the royal Family, a powerful existence at the Perfection of the Yuan Ling Realm!

The path of martial arts, the Cultivation Realms are Body Tempering Realm, Tongmai Realm, Zhenyuan Realm, Yuanhai Realm, Yuan Ling Realm, Marquis Realm, King Realm... Among them, the King Realm is further divided into three Realms: Fengwang, Profound King, and Heavenly King. The current Chu King is a Fengwang Realm existence!

Above the Heavenly King, there are even higher levels, but such existences, for the Chu Dynasty, only exist in legends!

And the Yuanhai Realm is the fourth Realm of martial arts, while the Marquis Realm is the sixth Realm!

It seems there is only one Yuan Ling Realm separating them, but the chasm between them is like that between heaven and earth!

Throughout the entire Chu Dynasty, with its territory spanning millions of miles, fewer than fifty people could be bestowed the title of Marquis, while Yuanhai Realm cultivators were abundant!

The Chu Dynasty, occupying one-fifth of the Nanming Divine Continent's territory, boasts one capital and eighteen counties, governing ninety major cities and one thousand eighty minor cities!

A Yuanhai Realm cultivator can serve as the Lord of a minor city, holding the title of Viscount; however, a Marquis Realm powerhouse who enters officialdom will inevitably hold the esteemed position of Marquis!

Such existences, within the Chu Dynasty's golden-Rank forces, are generally considered Old Ancestors!

The Xu Family's ability to intermarry with the Wang Family was also due to Xu Qing's great-grandfather, who was a close friend of Wang Changfeng's great-grandfather. The two had once arranged a marriage contract for their descendants!

For various reasons, this marriage contract fell upon Xu Qing and Wang Yan!

If it were before, it would have been fine. Although Xu Qing was the Lord of a small city, he possessed a Profound Grade Middle Stage Aptitude. With the Xu Family's resources, he could at least Cultivate to the Yuanhai Realm, and Wang Yan's Aptitude was similar to Xu Qing's, so the two families' marriage would have been unremarkable!

But just three years ago, Wang Yan suddenly Awakened the Star Moon King Physique and began to Cultivate under the Sect Master of the Jade Maiden Palace, a great Sect in the Ming Domain!

This Physique is a King Grade Physique; once the King Physique reaches Major Achievement, she can comprehend the Concept of stars!

Aptitude is divided into Mortal Grade, Profound Grade, Spirit Grade, Marquis Grade, King Grade, and Honored Grade..., with each Grade further divided into Initial Stage, Middle Stage, and Late Stage!

The difference in Aptitude is too vast!

Because of this, the Wang Family had thoughts of backing out, but constrained by the marriage contract and their own status, they never brought it up!

From that moment on, Xu Qing anticipated this day!

And now that his Family was destroyed, although he held the title of Baron, to a Marquis Family like the Wang Family, he was merely an insignificant figure!

The most important factor was Aptitude!

If he weren't Profound Grade, but Marquis Grade, even if there was a gap with King Grade, this marriage wouldn't have reached its current state!

"Young Master Xu, we've arrived! The Marquis is in the study!"

The butler's words interrupted Xu Qing's thoughts!

"Thank you!"

Xu Qing clasped his fists towards the butler!

He then stepped forward and knocked on the door!

"Creak!"

The door opened by itself, without a breeze!

Seeing this, Xu Qing entered the study, only to see a middle-aged man dressed in luxurious black robes, his back to Xu Qing, his hands clasped behind him!

"Xu Qing greets Uncle!"

Xu Qing bowed respectfully!

"You're here?"

Wang Changfeng turned around, his expression calm as he looked at Xu Qing!

Wang Changfeng was tall, with a resolute and chiseled face that exuded a cold and stern aura. His eyes were like deep, cold pools, icy and sharp, making people dare not look directly at him.

He wore a luxurious black robe, embroidered with exquisite golden patterns, which further enhanced his imposing and extraordinary presence.

Upon seeing Xu Qing, Wang Changfeng's gaze softened slightly, as the Wang Family was ultimately in the wrong regarding this matter!

"I invited you here today; I presume you already understand what it's about!"

"Indeed, Uncle, I understand!"

Xu Qing's expression was calm; although there was some reluctance, under the circumstances, he could only choose to yield and hand over the marriage contract!

When strength is unequal, one has no say!

Looking at the marriage contract, Wang Changfeng's gaze softened even further!

He then spoke, "If you are willing, I will choose a direct daughter from the Family. I wonder if you..."

"Thank you, Uncle, but I bear a deep blood feud and do not wish to implicate the Wang Family, so I can only decline your kind offer!" Xu Qing refused!

Although he knew that if he agreed, he would certainly become the son-in-law of the Wang Family, ensuring a lifetime of comfort and even the possibility of further Cultivation in the future!

However, the blood feud must be avenged. If he were to become the son-in-law of the Wang Family, he would inevitably be constrained by them, making it impossible to seek revenge!

Although he didn't know who his enemy was, Xu Qing was very clear that the opponent was at least a Marquis Realm powerhouse, otherwise, with the Wang Family's methods, they would have long since avenged Xu Qing and used this Opportunity to propose dissolving the marriage contract!

But a year had passed, and the Wang Family had made no move, clearly indicating that this feud could not be avenged with the Wang Family's help!

"Very well! However, if you change your mind, my offer still stands!"

Upon hearing Xu Qing's words, Wang Changfeng was not surprised. Although he hadn't met Xu Qing in the past year, he was aware of his every move within the Wang Family!

Knowing that this young man was shrewd and capable of enduring, Wang Changfeng admired him considerably!

However, the gap in talent between Xu Qing and Wang Yan was too vast!

To put it bluntly, a King Physique, if it doesn't perish prematurely, will certainly become a Fengwang Realm powerhouse in the future!

Such an existence could already occupy a region and establish a King Rank force!

While Aptitude is not as crucial in the later stages of the martial Dao Realm, without Opportunity, Aptitude in the early stages of Cultivation determines a person's Upper limit!

According to Xu Qing's talent, without Opportunity, his Lifespan would at most reach the Yuanhai Realm, lasting only two hundred years, while a Fengwang Realm powerhouse's Lifespan is three thousand years. Thus, it was better to end it early!

Thinking of this, he took out the storage ring he had prepared beforehand!

"These are some Cultivation resources, a small compensation from this Marquis. Additionally, Xu City is without a Lord, and the Lord of Xu City still belongs to your Xu Family!" Wang Changfeng said!

"Thank you, Uncle!"

This time, Xu Qing did not refuse!

People should have integrity, but integrity cannot feed one. To seek revenge, Cultivation resources are indispensable. The compensation from a Marquis Realm powerhouse would certainly be enough for Xu Qing to Cultivate for a long time!

"Father!"

After Xu Qing left, a young girl walked out from the partition!

The girl was only sixteen years old, dressed in a magnificent white gown, her dark hair flowing. Her almond eyes were clear and cold to the bone, yet they exuded a captivating beauty, astonishingly talented and peerless.

"This matter is settled! You can now return to your Sect and Cultivate with peace of mind!"

Meanwhile, after leaving the study, Xu Qing returned to his small courtyard to pack his belongings and prepare to leave!

It was at this moment!

Ding...