"Dad, I'm back. And I brought someone with me," Chen Mingyue said to her father.
"What's going on? Didn't I ask you to refuse him?" Chen Chuli said to his daughter.
"Something happened. I unintentionally met Ma Liang there..." Chen Mingyue helplessly recounted the events. "I was afraid Ma Liang might take advantage of the situation to harm them, so I brought them back to help. Dad, if you don't want to see him, I'll refuse him and have him leave immediately. Helping them is enough for me to feel I've done my part."
Chen Chuli frowned, surprised by this turn of events. "Mingyue, are you overthinking it? Ma Liang is a bit impulsive, but he's not a tasteless person."
"Dad, I know you want to set me up with Ma Liang, but I really have no feelings for him," Chen Mingyue said, a little annoyed.
"Daughter, your father is doing this for your own good. Think about it, not just anyone is qualified to be a son-in-law to our Ma family," Chen Chuli said. "Although Ma Liang is a bit of a womanizer, it's not a major flaw for a man. He's just young and unstable now. Once you two are married, he'll likely settle down."
"Dad, please stop. Even if all the men in the world died, I wouldn't be with him," Chen Mingyue said angrily.
"You... Ma Liang is a good match for you in terms of background and cultivation. He's just a bit of a philanderer. What man doesn't have flaws? Do you think poor men aren't philanderers? They just lack the means," Chen Chuli shook his head helplessly, unable to do anything about his daughter.
Chen Mingyue had been smart and sharp since childhood, especially in martial arts, where she possessed astonishing talent. At a young age, she already had powerful internal cultivation, surpassing many who had trained for a lifetime. However, this also led Chen Mingyue to have very high standards. Ordinary men simply didn't catch her eye, and finding a man who could conquer her in this world was no easy feat. Ma Liang's character was indeed mediocre, but for a father, these were not insurmountable flaws. He couldn't understand why his daughter disliked him so much.
"Alright, Dad, let's not talk about him. If you don't want to see Ning Beichen, I'll have them leave," Chen Mingyue said, unwilling to continue this conversation. She had her own ideas. It was no longer an era where women had to obey three cardinal virtues and four principles. If she couldn't find a good man, she'd simply remain unmarried.
"Let him go. There's no need to see him," Chen Chuli waved his hand, showing no interest in meeting Ning Beichen.
Chen Mingyue walked out with a nonchalant expression. The Gusu Chen family, while not royalty, was not a place anyone could simply demand an audience with. If Ning Beichen were older, perhaps her father would meet him. But his age was similar to hers, and in her father's eyes, there was no reason to meet him, nor was there any possibility of a connection to their family.
"I'm sorry, my father is not available to see you," Chen Mingyue said apologetically to Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin as she stepped outside.
Ning Beichen frowned, feeling a pang of displeasure. He hadn't expected the head of the Gusu Chen family to be so inaccessible. He hadn't been given any opportunity. It seemed he would have to produce his master's token.
"Miss Chen, is it truly impossible to see the family head? I have something very important to discuss with him," Ning Beichen said, his hand already in his pocket, ready to retrieve the token.
"My father is not someone anyone can simply meet. I'll have to ask you to leave," Chen Mingyue prepared to escort them out. Bringing Ning Beichen and Liu Yilin here was already a great help. If it weren't for her, Ma Liang would have already dealt with him.
Ning Beichen's hand came out of his pocket, but he didn't retrieve the token. He was angered by the Gusu Chen family's attitude. He had come here simply to inquire if their clan had any books related to the Demonic Sect, preferably on how to deal with Heavenly Demon Disintegration. However, seeing the Gusu Chen family's stance, Ning Beichen no longer wished to interact with them. It was true that if he presented his master's token, the head of the Gusu Chen family might meet him. But Ning Beichen disliked their attitude intensely. If Butcher Zhang was gone, did he have to eat pork with hair? There was more than just the Gusu Chen family among the ancient sects in this world. Call the Gusu Chen family stingy, or call Ning Beichen childishly stubborn, but Ning Beichen truly disliked their attitude. Was it just an ancient sect? What was there to be arrogant about! Moreover, their sect was gone, only a family remained. It wasn't even certain if they had any ancient texts passed down. Even if they agreed, they might not be able to find a way to deal with Lyne.
"My apologies, we'll be leaving," Ning Beichen said, standing up and addressing Liu Yilin.
Liu Yilin nodded. On their way here, she had also noticed the Gusu Chen family's arrogant demeanor and had no good feelings towards them.
Chen Mingyue remained indifferent. She could tell Ning Beichen was displeased. But what use was his displeasure or stubbornness? The Gusu Chen family had the right to be arrogant. Not just anyone could befriend the Gusu Chen family.
Outside, Chen Mingyue warned them, "You'd better leave immediately. That Ma Liang is not a good person."
"Thank you for your concern," Ning Beichen replied with a cupped fist salute, and he and Liu Yilin left the grand courtyard of the Gusu Chen family.
"Beichen, are we really going back?" Liu Yilin asked him.
"No, we'll stay here for a few more days. Consider it a break. There's a martial art that is suitable for practicing by West Lake. I plan for you to train here for some time," Ning Beichen said.
"Mmm, I'll listen to you," Liu Yilin said joyfully.
"Then... shall we go back to our original place to stay?"
"The original place was nice. It's quiet, suitable for practice," she replied.
"What if that Ma Liang comes looking for trouble?" Liu Yilin asked with some worry.
"Him?" Ning Beichen scoffed. "That Ma Liang is just a clown who doesn't know the immensity of heaven and earth. There's no need to worry about him. I'm more concerned about whether Lyne will follow us."
"Is that Lyne truly unkillable?" Liu Yilin also began to worry.
"There's nothing in this world that is truly unkillable. But the Heavenly Demon Disintegration technique is indeed very difficult to deal with. Next time he dares to appear, I'll try to prevent him from using Heavenly Demon Disintegration to see if that has any effect," Ning Beichen replied after some thought.