Chapter 12: The Marriage Engagement

"Chu Feng, the Central Province Continent is a long journey away, filled with countless dangers."

"Your strength is still relatively weak right now. Why not cultivate for a while longer and raise your cultivation stage before heading to the Central Province Continent?" Chu Tianyue advised.

Chu Tianyue still hoped that Chu Feng would stay with the Chu Clan for a while — at least until the clan grew stronger before he left.

"My mind is made up. There's no need to say anything more," Chu Feng said calmly.

Chu Feng knew full well that his current cultivation stage was too low, and that reaching the Central Province would be no easy feat.

But staying in the Chu Clan wouldn't help him grow stronger either.

Only by venturing out and tempering himself in the world could he seize a Fortuitous Encounter and grow powerful quickly.

"Sigh... Then when do you plan to leave?"

Seeing how resolute Chu Feng was, Chu Tianyue knew there was no point in further persuasion. He could only hope that Chu Feng would stay a little longer — long enough to teach them the Mystic-grade cultivation techniques and spirit techniques before departing.

"I haven't decided yet. Don't worry — I'll help the Chu Clan settle everything before I go," Chu Feng said softly.

"That's a relief!"

Chu Tianyue visibly relaxed at those words.

"Go ahead and cultivate. I'll head back now."

With that, Chu Feng rose and prepared to leave.

Chu Tianyue and Chu Wenshan both stood up to see him off.

After Chu Feng left, Chu Tianyue turned to Chu Wenshan with a face full of excitement:

"Wenshan, today has been truly exhilarating!"

"Not only did we eliminate Chu Maode's faction, but we also obtained Mystic-grade cultivation techniques and spirit techniques. From this day forward, our Chu Clan will surely rise and become a top-tier noble family in the Cangfeng Empire!"

Chu Wenshan was equally excited, saying with joy, "Indeed! With Chu Feng here, the ceiling for our Chu Clan's future may not be limited to just the Cangfeng Empire!"

"True! It's a shame Chu Feng wants to head to the Central Province Continent. If only he could stay in the Eastern Desolate Continent forever!" Chu Tianyue said with a look of regret.

"Even if Chu Feng goes to the Central Province Continent, he'll come back," Chu Wenshan said softly.

"The Central Province Continent and the Eastern Desolate Continent are so far apart, with the Endless Sea between them. Once Chu Feng heads to the Central Province Continent, who knows when he'll return." Chu Tianyue sighed.

"Clan Master, we could arrange a marriage for Chu Feng — give him something to be attached to here in the clan. That way, he'll definitely come back someday," Chu Wenshan said with a light smile.

"Chu Feng did have a marriage engagement with the Liu Clan before. But after we received word that Chu Feng had been expelled from the Qinglan Sect, the Liu Clan sent a message saying they wanted to break off the engagement."

"I didn't agree at the time — I told them to wait until Chu Feng returned to discuss it," Chu Tianyue said, his brow furrowing slightly.

Three years ago, after Chu Feng became the Young Clan Master of the Chu Clan, Chu Tianyue had arranged a marriage engagement between Chu Feng and Liu Hanyan, the eldest daughter of the Liu Clan, with the agreement that they would wed three years later.

Originally, Chu Feng and Liu Hanyan were supposed to marry this year. But when word spread that Chu Feng had been expelled from the Qinglan Sect, the Liu Clan began having second thoughts about the engagement.

"Hmph! Good riddance. The Liu Clan is unreliable. This is the perfect opportunity to find Chu Feng a better match!" Chu Wenshan said with a light snort.

"Indeed. I'll ask Chu Feng for his opinion later," Chu Tianyue said with a gentle nod.

* * *

Shortly after, Chu Feng returned to his small courtyard and began meditating in cultivation.

Chu Feng was desperate to grow stronger and had no desire to waste a single moment.

The Chaos Art was the most supreme cultivation technique. The moment Chu Feng activated it, Spiritual Energy from several miles around surged violently toward him — yet the Spiritual Energy was far too thin, and the cultivation effect was barely noticeable.

"The Spiritual Energy in the Eastern Desolate Continent is far too sparse. It seems I must make my way to the Central Province Continent as soon as possible," Chu Feng muttered, his brow furrowing slightly.

The Desolate Remnant Realm was merely a lower-tier world. Compared to the Upper Realm where Chu Feng had lived in his previous life, the Spiritual Energy here was incomparably inferior.

To grow powerful quickly, he had to advance to a higher-tier world without delay.

* * *

The next day.

The sun was already high in the sky.

Chu Feng stretched lazily and slowly rose to his feet.

He had not slept the entire previous night, spending it all in seated meditation and cultivation.

Though his cultivation stage had not advanced, his foundation had been steadily consolidated and refined.

Chu Feng opened his door and found Uncle Chen standing guard outside.

Seeing Chu Feng emerge, Uncle Chen immediately had someone bring water for him to wash up, and arranged breakfast as well.

While Chu Feng was eating breakfast, Chu Wenshan arrived.

"Chu Feng, these are some of the resources confiscated from the Grand Elder's faction. The Clan Master asked me to bring them to you."

As he spoke, Chu Wenshan handed Chu Feng a storage ring.

"Mm."

Chu Feng did not refuse, and accepted the storage ring.

Back in Dusk City, the previous owner of this body had been robbed and beaten to death, leaving Chu Feng penniless.

Now that cultivation resources were being offered, Chu Feng saw no reason to be coy — he accepted them without hesitation.

"Chu Feng, we're thinking of finding you a wife. What do you think?" Chu Wenshan asked.

"A wife?" Chu Feng was momentarily stunned.

In his previous life, Chu Feng had lived for over a thousand years and had never once been with a woman, let alone taken a wife.

The very concept of marriage was utterly foreign to him.

Now, hearing Chu Wenshan speak of finding him a wife, Chu Feng was briefly at a loss.

But of course, Chu Feng couldn't just marry anyone — it would have to be someone he actually had feelings for.

In his previous life, Chu Feng had encountered countless Holy Maidens and divine women. An ordinary woman simply wouldn't catch his eye.

"Well — taking a concubine would work too!"

"The Clan Master's idea is that since you're leaving, he'd like you to leave behind an heir for the clan," Chu Wenshan said with a light smile.

"I have no intention of taking a wife or a concubine at the moment," Chu Feng declined flatly.

Chu Feng would be leaving the Desolate Remnant Realm — and even the Desolate Remnant Realm itself — very soon. He had no desire to leave behind attachments here.

"Chu Feng, please reconsider," Chu Wenshan urged.

"There's no need to press the matter. I said I won't marry, and I won't," Chu Feng said, his expression turning somewhat cold.

"Sigh..." Chu Wenshan could only sigh helplessly.

Suddenly, a black-robed guard walked in and reported:

"Young Clan Master, the Clan Master requests your presence in the reception hall."

"Is there a guest?" Chu Wenshan asked, a little puzzled.

Being summoned to the reception hall clearly meant a visitor had arrived, but Chu Wenshan hadn't heard anything about guests coming today.

"This subordinate is not certain, but it seems a Miss Liu has arrived," the black-robed guard replied.

"Miss Liu?"

Chu Feng searched through his memories and found that the only Miss Liu he knew was his fiancée — Liu Hanyan.

Good.

Liu Hanyan had come at just the right time.

Chu Feng had been meaning to settle the unfinished business left behind by the previous owner of this body. With Liu Hanyan here, he could dissolve their engagement right now.

"Chu Feng, Liu Hanyan may be... here with ill intentions," Chu Wenshan said.

Recalling what Chu Tianyue had mentioned yesterday — that the Liu Clan intended to break off the engagement — Chu Wenshan suspected this visit was precisely for that purpose.

"It's fine," Chu Feng said with a faint smile, understanding what Chu Wenshan meant.

The Liu Clan had surely heard the news about him having his cultivation crippled and being expelled from the Qinglan Sect.

This visit was almost certainly to call off the engagement.

But that suited him perfectly — Chu Feng had been wanting to dissolve the engagement himself.

He had even been thinking of going to them first and offering some form of compensation.

Now that they had come to him, Chu Feng could save himself the trouble.

"Let me go take a look."

Chu Feng rose calmly, stepped out the door, and made his way toward the Chu Clan's reception hall.