CHAPTER 8: CALL OFF ENGAGEMENT
Haochen's quick shift caught her off guard, creating a tiny ripple of unease. Back in the capital, her beauty and strength always pulled in crowds, guys fawning over her with eager smiles, feeding that pride as the Yang family's golden girl. And here was Haochen, brushing past her with barely a look. First time for everything.
The old man wearing those wooden glasses rose to his feet, his expression hard and unyielding.
"Family head Long, we came here on orders from Granny Yang, the matriarch of the Yang clan, to end the betrothal between Long Haochen and our young lady, Yang Mei here. He said pointing at the beautiful young lady beside him.
After some back-and-forth talks, the family head decided that your son Haochen just isn't good enough for the Yang family's golden daughter." The man's words hung in the air, and the entire hall fell silent for a beat.
"On top of that, our young miss has secured a spot at the prestigious Taishan Imperial Academy, something your Long family could never swing," he added with a sneer.
Canceling a betrothal like this across the entire Imprint Continent wasn't just embarrassing for the individual involved; it dragged the whole family through the mud.
"What is the Yang clan trying to pull? Do they think they're better than us Longs?" shot back one of the elders sitting to Yuxuan's left.
"Exactly, they're making a fool of the entire Long family. Who do these Yangs think they are? Can't even handle marrying off their own girl?"
"Back then, when Haochen was at his peak, you lot were all over us to seal the deal. Now you want to turn the whole Nightless City against us? Not on my watch."
Mutterings like that rippled through the elders in the hall. All the while, Yuxuan stayed quiet, his face darkening. Not only had Haochen shamed him personally, but now the entire Long family was getting dragged down because of this betrothal mess. Disappointment etched deep lines into his features.
Haochen watched the back-and-forth with a blank stare. He'd taken plenty of hits and insults over the years, and he wasn't about to let anyone pile on more.
"So, what does Family Head Yuxuan have to say about this?" The old man straightened up, unleashing a heavy wave of his aura that pressed down on everyone in the room like an unwelcome weight. "Is the Long family ready to go up against the Yang clan's strength?" The hall went dead quiet once more.
"This is straight-up bullying," Xiaotong whispered under her breath, just loud enough for Haochen to catch it.
"What makes the Yangs so high and mighty?" Haochen fired as he walked forward a bit.
"You want out of the engagement? Fine. Weren't you the ones who talked Yuxuan into that marriage alliance back then? Already regretting it? Yuxuan, what are you holding out for? Can't the Long family take even one loss?
Haochen stood his ground and shot back, sending a wave of surprise through the hall.
Over the past two years, this was the first time he'd spoken out so sharply in front of everyone.
"Butler," Yuxuan called, and the butler stepped out. He returned just a few minutes later, carrying the marriage contract.
Haochen grabbed the contract and ripped it apart right there in front of them all. "Starting today, I, Haochen, have no ties to the Yang family. And let me make it clear: it's me, Haochen, who's done with you people from the Yang family." He snapped.
"Give me five years. By then, I'll rise so far that your Yang family couldn't even afford my hair," Haochen fired right back, not skipping a beat.
"Five years? Who do you think you are, some kind of heavenly reborn ruler? If you manage to get back even a bit of your old power in five years, I, Yang Chen, will kneel and beg you myself," the bearded middle-aged man shot back.
"Our young miss isn't going to waste her best years on a nobody like you," he added.
"Elder Yang Chen, right? Five years from now, I, Long Haochen, challenge you to a duel to the death in the capital. You got the guts to accept?" Haochen taunted, which only pissed off the Yang family more.
"Fine, if you're so eager to die, we'll settle it on the life-and-death platform in five years," Elder Yang Chen replied.
The Yang group stormed out of the hall, faces twisted in fury. They couldn't wrap their heads around a nineteen-year-old kid talking to them like that.
"I can't believe the Long family is just a bunch of spineless rats. In the face of real power, you're all nothing," Haochen snapped before he too stormed out, his mother trailing close behind.
"How is this loser even still breathing?Does that mean those useless assassins haven't made their move?" Muchen wondered to himself, his fist clenching into a tight knot.
"Don't worry he only has five years to live anyway." Yize comforted Muchen.
—–——
"Xiao Bao, don't stress. I'll scrape together whatever cultivation resources I can for you. It might not match what your brothers get, but I know you'll turn things around," Luoxin said softly, giving his shoulder a gentle pat with a light cough escaping her lips.
They made their way back to the courtyard, and Haochen headed right to his room. He crossed to the corner and pulled out his bone-piercing sword, the blade curved wickedly sharp, its handle carved from the remains of some ancient god, pulsing with a deep, mysterious energy.
"Been a while," Haochen murmured in his mind, running his fingers along the edge. In five years, I'll make sure everyone who's ever sneered at me regrets it, they won't be able to afford me anymore. But how? Reaching Law Tempering level in five years? That's impossible. Unless miracles are still at work."
"I'm worried that once the Bai Family finds out the engagement with the Yangs is off, they'll want to call theirs off too." I need to speed things up, but how?
Old Gu might have a way. As he stared at the hollow black-and-white bead, it flickered with a soft light, and suddenly Haochen felt himself pulled inside.