*Ding*
*Ding*
Crystal clear rings of a class could be heard echoing out in the hall that suddenly went silent.
All attention was turned to the Emperor’s third Concubine, Li Sua.
Her face which was usually stuck on a stern expression was now all smiles. Seeing the attention on her she cheerfully said.
“Family and guests, I want to announce the betrothed of my daughter Li Ling to the first son of the Tang Noble Family, Tang Long.”
Li Shen wasn’t hiding his discontent and was seen with a deep frown on his face.
Li Ling was seated next to her mother and she was looking up at her mortified by her words.
“Mother you-”
Li Ling was cut off by her mother who turned to Li Shu, her husband, and said.
“The preparations have already been made, but we only need your blessing his Majesty.”
She bowed respectfully as she said that.
Li Shen turned to his father and his frown deepen.
‘You know about this?’
‘…’
‘Father I can feel the connection and that you haven’t left. Answer me, you knew that woman was going to force this marriage on Ling’er? Are you really going to agree? Ling’er is still young to have her life being decided like this.’
‘…’
‘Father-’
Li Shen wasn’t getting any response so he began to yell, but Li Shu suddenly spoke from his position at the table.
“The marriage between our Li Clan members and the talented members of the Noble Families have long since become tradition, and had even become a norm.”
Li Shen saw his father glance at him while saying that as if he was saying it for him.
‘Are you saying your hands are tied? You’re the Emperor, just refuse it what can they do?!’
“The Tang Noble Family has always been loyal to us and as a Top Noble family they have made numerous contributions to the Royal Family.”
After sending that mental message, his father once again spoke and glance at him.
‘So even as the Emperor, to keep the peace between us and the Nobel Families you're forced to make distasteful decisions?’
Li Shen was annoyed but he knew what position his father was in. He had discovered this fact already, that the powerful had responsibilities they have to fulfill.
“So I give my blessings to this engagement and in the future when the Tang Nobel family joins us as a branch Family we can cultivate a harmonious relationship.”
Li Ling heard her father and her eyes teared up before she lowered her head. Her hands in her lap clasped together tight.
Li Shu didn’t look at Li Shen this time but Li Shen still gathered the meaning behind his words.
The Noble Families' threat of betrayal is always a possibility, but if they become a part of their Li Clan as branch members the Li Clan’s interest and theirs would align.
‘Our rise would be their raise and our fall would be their fall as well.’
Li Shen knew about politics and understood his father’s decision but seeing Li Ling’er unhappy made his heart clench.
However, unexpectedly, Li Shu spoke once more.
“But as a father, I can’t help but want to protect my daughter’s happiness.”
Li Shu then turned to Tang Long who was sweating buckets under his gaze before saying.
“Young man, I’ll agree to your Clan's proposal, but if you can’t make my daughter agree to it then it will be called off.”
Tang Long was stunned, including Li Sua.
“But his Majesty-”
“My words are final Sua.”
Sua looked at her husband for a moment and saw how serious he was. She eventually let out a sigh while nodding before she sat down.
Li Ling who was initially devastated now had a broad smile on her face. She never expected her father to leave the decision to her.
Li Shen was glad as well but his gaze towards Tang Long became cold.
“Yes, his Majesty!”
Tang Long could only accept such an agreement, and now he was thinking of ways to court Li Ling.
While walking back to his group Tang Long suddenly felt a burning sensation in the back of his head.
He turned around to see Li Shen glaring at him.
‘The hell is this trashy prince glaring at me for?’
Tang Long thought before he turned away.
‘This bastard better not think of trying anything. Like I’ll allow my Ling’er to be married to him. NEVER!’
Coincidentally, a similar situation like this had occurred not too long ago.
Lu Shin watched this play out and his smile turned into a grin when he saw the bitter look on Li Shen’s face.
Out of spite, he burst out laughing drawing a few people's attention.
Lu Feng elbowed him to shut up, but he continued to snicker, his shoulders shaking intensely.
Li Shen looked in his direction. He and Lu Shin's gaze met across the hall. He saw the mocking look in Lu Shin’s eyes as if he was saying, “Serves you right, how does it feel?”
Li Shen realized this and he glared back at him.
‘This fucking bastard! My situation is different, this is MY little sister! How can I have some boy fawn over her like she’s some rare five-star meat to be acquired?!’
Li Shen said totally not biased.
Plus it wasn’t like he wanted to marry Lu Yue.
Li Shen glared at Lu Shin some more before he move his attention back to Tang Long, and he frowned a bit.
‘Since he came up here I’ve been sensing something strange from him.’
His eyes narrowed when he saw Tang Long glancing toward Yang Su before heading back to the crowd.
“…?”
Li Shen’s frown deepen before he thought of something.
Unnoticeable dark flames appeared in his eyes and he looked at Tang Long.
“This…?!!”
Li Shen was shocked to see a mix of violet and gold aura emanating from between his eyebrows and his chest.
“What is that? I sense an overwhelming amount of cardinal sins developing within those auras, mainly pride and envy. It’s too much for a normal person, if this continues it might form-”
Li Shen’s eyes flickered intensely.
“This is the formation of a heart devil. This bastard is halfway from going mental, how is it possible for a Meridian Opening Realm cultivator to form a heart devil? I never read someone developing one so early in their cultivation, it was usually when one is on the path of seeking their Dao does this situation has a higher chance of happening.”
Li Shen frowned in thought, but his mind went back on when Tang Long glanced towards Yang Su.
Even now while in the crowd, Tang Long was taking glances toward him.
‘Yang Su? Why would Yang Su be the cause of his heart devil forming?’
As Li Shen was thinking this, Little Snow in his lap suddenly stood up and moved across to Lu Yue.
“Huh? Little Snow you-”
Li Shen went to grab Little Snow but he froze.
His eyes that still had the Cardinal Sins Manipulation Art activated remained fixed on Lu Yue.
He was surprised by what he saw and wasn't exactly sure how to react.
He retrieved his hand and allowed Little Snow to remain on her lap. While looking at her patting Little Snow, he spoke to his father.
‘Dad, why did you agree to the Profound Sword Sect's marriage proposal? Is it just to reconcile with the Star Bound Continent?’
‘The marriage proposal wasn’t made between the Profound Sword Sect and us, it was made between us and the Lu Clan specifically.’
‘Why?’
‘...Son, Lu Yue was found abandoned in a forest by the Lu Clan and Profound Sword Sects Patriarch. She has a weird constitution that allows her body to develop pure Yin and Yang essences. The Patriarch allowed her to cultivate their Ancestral Clan’s Yin Yang cultivation methods and she was a prodigy.”
“However, a year ago they discovered that because of her cultivation, the Yin and Yang essences being developed inside of her have become too much for her body to handle. It was to the point that it was sucking away her life span little by little. But they discovered a way to curb it and it’s by baring a child with someone with a strong Soul, perhaps legendary Supreme grade soul.”
“Shen’er, I think you should ask her if you want to know more.”
A mix of emotions rose in Li Shen’s heart. This entire situation had just become more complicated.
He looked at her closely and he saw or rather sensed an intense emotion of sadness behind her indifferent and cold exterior.
‘So if I don’t agree to our marriage, she might die?’
While Li Shen was contemplating this revelation and the other Noble Families presented their gifts, a loud bang resounded out before a raging tempest rushed in from the now wide-open entrance of the hall.
Everyone felt the pressure weighing on their shoulders and was shocked by this person’s unbridled actions.
The crowd all turned to the entrance to see old man Ghuanyu strutting inside, a dark look covering his face.
“What is this I hear about my grand nephew being attacked?! I sent him here on my behalf to congratulate the Second Prince but he was attacked by him?! How preposterous?!!”
The walls of the hall tremble from his shout and a few people had to cover their ears.
“Grand uncle!”
Shiming yelled before he quickly approached Ghuanyu.
Seeing him, Ghuanyu's expression soften and he quickly held Shiming before asking.
“Ming’er, are you alright?”
Shiming shook his head and said.
“I received injuries to my soul that would take months to heal.”
Shiming wasn’t lying, Li Shen’s attack had indeed caused him severe damage to his soul, albeit he purposefully didn't block the Soul attack and instead took it head on.
Ghuanyu’s expression turned solemn at his words and he sent his Divine Will inside of Shiming to examine his soul. Seeing the damage it sustained, his anger-filled eyes that seemed to be spouting flames landed on Li Shen.
“You despicable brat, this is your doing.”
Ghuanyu stepped forward as if he was about attack Li Shen.
The people in the crowd seeing this was dumbfounded.
Does he dare to?
Li Shu who saw this coldly said.
“Clan Leader Ghuanyu, what do you think you intend to do to my son?”
Ghuanyu sneered at Li Shu and said.
“Young man, as a father you failed to discipline you're useless son. He injured my grand nephew and most of the youths here, it is only fair he receives punishment for his actions.”
Ghuanyu then pointed at Li Shen and actually made an attack.
Bang!
Two intangible forces slammed against each other just in front of Li Shen.
The shock wave of the blast impacted the people nearby knocking them away.
It also reached Li Shen as well as Lu Yue next to him, but they suddenly warped away by Little Snow, appearing next to the table soon after.
Lady Ying quickly approached her son to confirm he wasn't injured.
Lu Shin as well as the people from the Profound Sword Sect had dark looks on their faces when they saw Lu Yue could've been hurt by that attack.
“You fucking old coot!! You almost hurt my sister!!”
Lu Shin roared furiously at Ghuanyu, and Lu Feng shared his sentiments as his expression had become grim.
However…
“Bastard, your target is that trashy prince, can’t you aim better?!!”
Lu Feng almost cracked his skull open with a chop to his forehead.
Li Shu’s cold voice echoed out in the hall.
“You are not qualified to discipline my son Ghuanyu. You have gone too far with this stunt of yours and I can not overlook it.”
A threatening light then appeared in Li Shu’s eyes, but Ghuanyu looked at him and only snorted before saying.
“A mere clone is threatening me, how laughable.”
Li Shu’s heart dropped at that and his face visibly changed.
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