Chapter 224: The Princess's Tears
Zi Ying watched the many eager young men below, a faint smile appearing on his face. He said, "Let me add one more thing. My daughter Zi Xia is eighteen this year. The talented youth who marries her must not be over twenty-two years old."
"It's over. There's no hope."
As soon as Zi Ying finished speaking, many faces showed expressions of disappointment. Indeed, the Zi Mansion was selecting only the most outstanding young talents, and those over twenty-two were not eligible.
"Alright, now, anyone who wishes to become my Zi Mansion's son-in-law may step onto the long corridor and engage in sparring challenges."
Zi Ying said calmly. As his words fell, two figures simultaneously stepped onto the corridor, arriving before Zi Ying. They exchanged a glance.
"There's no need to be polite with me. Just challenge directly."
Zi Ying waved his hand. The two men nodded slightly and began to fight. Both possessed strength in the Spirit Martial Realm, and one of them was even at the Second Layer of Spirit Martial Realm. The outcome of the battle was obvious—the one at the Second Layer of Spirit Martial Realm won.
Below the corridor, many young men secretly fumed. The Second Layer of Spirit Martial Realm... it seemed that those at the First Layer of Spirit Martial Realm had no hope.
At this moment, among the crowd, Lin Haojie saw that everyone was silent, as if waiting for someone else to challenge first. A cold smile appeared on his face as he said indifferently, "Uncle, Haojie has long admired Zi Xia. If I could become the Zi Mansion's son-in-law, it would be my greatest honor."
As he spoke, Lin Haojie took a step forward, leaping directly over the heads of the crowd and landing on the long corridor.
"Pfft!"
Zi Yi's face was as pale as paper. She let out a muffled groan, and a mouthful of blood spilled from her lips.
Just now, she had sensed something unusual about Lin Haojie, and a stifling pressure had built up in her chest, making it hard to breathe. When Lin Haojie's words fell, she could no longer hold it in. The blood that had been suppressed in her chest burst from her mouth, and her gaze was utterly desolate.
Lin Haojie had whispered sweet nothings to her just last night. After a night of intimacy, he now openly declared in front of her that he wanted to marry another woman. So what was she, Zi Yi, supposed to be?
"Sister Zi Yi, what's wrong?"
Zi Ling, standing beside her, saw Zi Yi inexplicably spitting blood and was startled.
"Cough, cough!"
Zi Yi coughed, her mind going blank. Her chest was filled with pent-up frustration that she couldn't release. There was not a trace of color in her face.
"Zi Yi, you brought this upon yourself. I warned you."
Lin Feng's words still echoed in her ears, now so clear and sharp. How ridiculous—she had even warned Zi Ling to be careful of Lin Feng, not realizing how foolish she herself was.
After a moment, Zi Yi raised her head and looked at the handsome figure on the long corridor. A pale smile appeared on her desolate face, a smile that was eerily strange.
"Zi Yi, what a foolish woman. I actually thought I had found a dragon among men."
Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, Zi Yi mocked herself, feeling the irony so deeply.
In the distance, Lin Feng saw Lin Haojie step onto the corridor and glanced over. He happened to see the smile on Zi Yi's face and shook his head inwardly. She had brought this on herself—who could she blame?
"Zi Xia, you must have long understood my feelings, right? Today, I will act in front of everyone to win your hand and make you my wife, Lin Haojie."
Lin Haojie spoke tenderly to Zi Xia, just as he had whispered to Zi Yi the night before. Zi Xia's face flushed with shyness, and she nodded slightly.
Lin Haojie smiled in satisfaction, then turned his gaze to the young man on the corridor and said coldly, "Get down yourself."
The young man looked at Lin Haojie, his eyes flickering. Then, gritting his teeth, he said, "I've long heard of the Golden Rain Sword's reputation. Since I've encountered it today, I must witness it for myself."
With that, his body trembled, and he lunged directly at Lin Haojie.
A cold smile flashed in Lin Haojie's eyes. His long sword swept out, and a rain of golden light scattered across the world. The long corridor was covered in specks of golden radiance, dazzling and beautiful.
When the sword rain disappeared, the golden light remained, but the challenger had already fallen to the ground, motionless. Lin Haojie had killed him outright.
"So ruthless!"
The crowd's hearts trembled. This was supposed to be a sparring match, yet he had struck with such cruelty.
Lin Haojie swept his gaze across the crowd, his eyes filled with arrogance. He said coldly, "Zi Xia is the woman I love. Today, anyone who tries to stop me from marrying her will be my mortal enemy. Don't blame me for being merciless with my sword."
The crowd's eyes all froze. Lin Haojie's methods were indeed ruthless. With such a declaration, even fewer dared to step forward.
Not to mention Lin Haojie's own strength, the power behind him was enough to make anyone think twice.
"Zi Xia, Haojie treats you well."
Zi Ying said with a light smile. The crowd's eyes widened again. This was clearly a hint—he, Zi Ying, wanted Lin Haojie to become his son-in-law.
Sure enough, no one else stepped onto the corridor. Seeing this, Zi Ying smiled faintly.
"Since no other talented youth is willing to come forward, then this matter is settled. Zi Qiong, Zi Xia."
"Father!"
Zi Qiong and Zi Xia stepped forward, their expressions solemn.
"You two, perform the blood sacrifice to the ancestors."
"Yes." Zi Qiong nodded slightly and said, "For the blood sacrifice to the ancestors, the couple must kneel three times and bow nine times before the ancestor statue, and swear an oath together."
With that, Zi Qiong's gaze fell on Duan Xinye. Duan Xinye remained expressionless, still silent.
"No need. You and Zi Xia can perform the three kneels and nine bows, and the blood sacrifice to the ancestors."
Zi Ying said calmly. He understood that Duan Xinye would not cooperate, so it was fine to skip it. It was just a ceremony. What mattered was everything that would happen after entering the forbidden ground.
Zi Qiong and Zi Xia exchanged a glance, then walked to the massive statue. They knelt three times and bowed nine times before it.
After finishing, both stood up and muttered something under their breath. Then, they cut their fingers, letting drops of blood glisten. They pressed their bleeding fingers against the two small holes on the statue's chest, allowing the blood to drip into the holes and enter the statue.
"Rumble!"
A rumbling sound echoed as the statue's chest slowly opened, forming a door. Behind it lay the palace at the mountain's peak.
This statue was the only entrance to the palace, and it could only be activated by the blood of the Zi Mansion's direct descendants, opening the statue's door.
Seeing the stone door open, a glint of excitement flashed in Zi Qiong's eyes.
"Alright, Xinye, Haojie, follow Zi Qiong and Zi Xia into the forbidden ground."
"Good." Lin Haojie's figure flickered, and in an instant, he was beside the entrance, his eyes filled with anticipation. As for Duan Xinye, she remained standing there, motionless.
"Xinye, didn't you hear me?"
Zi Ying's face turned cold, and his voice grew heavier.
"I won't go in with him."
Finally, the silent Duan Xinye spoke. Her words made many people's eyes narrow.
From her tone, it seemed she was unwilling to become Zi Qiong's wife.
Zi Ying and Zi Qiong's eyes also narrowed, a cold glint flashing in them.
"Have you considered the consequences?"
Zi Ying said coldly, his voice laced with threat.
"I won't go in with him." Duan Xinye repeated. Then, she removed all the purple ornaments from her head and threw them to the ground. She even tore off the purple wedding robe she was wearing.
Her black hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Without the purple glow around her, Duan Xinye's beauty did not fade in the slightest. It was a pure beauty, a gentle beauty. Her aura remained noble.
"It seems you've forgotten our agreement."
Zi Ying's face was dark and cold. He hadn't expected Duan Xinye to regret it at this moment.
"A coerced agreement is still called an agreement?" Duan Xinye laughed, a free and easy laugh. "Stop threatening me. I won't let him defile my body. I won't marry him. I have someone I love."
As she spoke, a dagger appeared in Duan Xinye's hand. Under the shocked gaze of the crowd, she placed the dagger against her throat.
Everyone's hearts trembled violently. Duan Xinye was about to kill herself to make her stance clear. Such a beautiful woman—was she really going to wither away like this?
"Stop!"
Zi Ying and Zi Qiong's faces changed drastically, but all they saw was the free and easy smile on Duan Xinye's face.
"I just hope that before I die, I can explain to him. Lin Feng, I really didn't know." Duan Xinye's eyes looked up at the sky. The unrestrained figure seemed to appear before her again. In her beautiful eyes, two teardrops slowly slid down.
"Lin Feng, I really didn't know!"