# Chapter 3445: Writing the Marriage Contract with His Own Hand
"He is a God Venerable, we…"
"What's there to be afraid of? The God Ancestor is right here in Kunlun Realm."
Calamity Venerable and over a dozen deities from the Thousand Star Civilization arrived outside the bamboo pavilion.
Other deities surrounded the area from all sides.
Zhang Ruochen remained very calm as he brewed tea, saying, "All honored guests have traveled from afar. Why be so furious? Why not sit down and have a cup of Confucian tea?"
Calamity Venerable was the first to launch his attack, saying, "Drink what? Hurry up and take out the marriage contract."
"What marriage contract?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"Are you daring to do something but not owning up to it? Someone's elder has come knocking, and you're still playing dumb. I'm embarrassed for you. You've lost all face. Girl, come here!"
Calamity Venerable waved at the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden.
Yu Chenjing walked over with light, graceful steps like a refined lady, her head lowered as she came to stand beside Calamity Venerable. Her demure appearance was like that of a young lady deep in the inner chambers. She was a completely different person from the spirited, heroic Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden of the past who wielded a feather fan and wore a silk scarf.
"Look, look—what a fine girl. Because of what you did back then, she's become so haggard! If you don't take responsibility, I'll have to enforce the family law!" Calamity Venerable said fiercely.
Zhang Ruochen's gaze finally fell upon Yu Chenjing, and he smiled, saying, "So it's the Heavenly Maiden. Long time no see. Have you come because of that marriage contract from back then?"
Yu Chenjing remained silent.
This was what the elders had instructed—she was to say nothing and leave everything to them.
Yu Cangsheng's eyes blazed like fire as he said, "Zhang Ruochen, are you admitting it?"
The wind blew through the bead curtains hanging from the bamboo pavilion's crossbeam, producing a pleasant clattering sound, like pearls falling onto a jade plate.
Zhang Ruochen said unhurriedly, "My actions back then were indeed extreme. But later, the Heavenly Maiden and I cooperated many times and formed a deep friendship."
"At the Dragon God Hall, didn't I save the Heavenly Maiden's life? And I also helped you make up for the weakness in your state of mind, didn't I? I thought that the Heavenly Maiden, being broad-minded, had long since stopped caring about that matter!"
Yu Chenjing had indeed let it go long ago. Although she thought Zhang Ruochen had been quite despicable back then, their subsequent cooperation had turned hostility into friendship.
In fact, she felt he was even more charming when he was being bad. Every time she recalled it, she had an unusual feeling.
When he was serious and solemn, there was instead a great sense of distance.
Just like now—sitting there steadily, ignoring the gazes of all the deities from Thousand Star Civilization, he unconsciously displayed the aura of a God Venerable, making people involuntarily feel a sense of awe.
Yu Chenjing thought of what the God Ancestor had said earlier: now that the Starry Sky Defense Line had been destroyed and ancient powerhouses were emerging one after another, no one knew when Thousand Star Civilization would turn to ashes. They had to plan several escape routes, and Sword Realm needed to have a seed of Thousand Star Civilization.
Before coming, her grandfather had sent her a secret message: "The new generation of Kunlun Realm is full of experts, which must be related to Zhang Ruochen's First-rank Divine Path. This is a sign of an Ancestor's emergence. When an Ancestor attains the Dao, the entire realm prospers. Thousand Star Civilization cannot miss this opportunity to ride the wave of fortune! Do you have feelings for Zhang Ruochen—even just a trace?"
At this moment, Yu Chenjing suddenly spoke up, saying, "Ruochen God Venerable's words are somewhat unfair. How can you only remember the help you gave Chenjing, but forget that Chenjing also helped you a great deal? The attack on Xumi's sacred site, the battle at Peacock Manor, and the defense of the Central Imperial City against the Hell Realm army."
"If we're talking about debts of gratitude, when has Chenjing ever owed you?"
"Now the young master Ruochen has become God Venerable Ruochen. A divine dragon soaring into the nine heavens—do you have to be faithless to the feelings of the past?"
At this moment, Yu Chenjing showed no sign of being haggard. Her eyes were as bright as stars, and she was clearly eloquent and sharp-tongued.
Zhang Ruochen said, "'Faithless' isn't quite the right word to use here, is it?"
Seeing Zhang Ruochen's momentum diminish, Yu Chenjing pressed her advantage, walking into the bamboo pavilion and looking directly into his eyes, saying, "Why isn't it right? I can be broad-minded about the marriage contract and not pursue it, since we have indeed shared life-and-death experiences. But how can you act as if it never happened? And even think that you have a favor over me, that you can use that favor to cancel the debt?"
Yu Chenjing blinked her long-lashed eyes, almost saying the word "scumbag" without actually uttering it.
The deities outside the bamboo pavilion fell silent.
It seemed they didn't need to intervene at all. As long as Zhang Ruochen still had any face left, he absolutely couldn't out-argue Yu Chenjing in a verbal duel.
Calamity Venerable was also greatly surprised, realizing he had underestimated this Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden. For her to be sealed as the inheritor of an ancient civilization, she was indeed no pushover. This way…
The child she bore probably wouldn't be stupid.
Yu Chenjing said, "I've actually always had a doubt. Since we've long been close friends, why has Ruochen God Venerable never returned the marriage contract to Chenjing? It couldn't be that you really forgot, could it?"
"In truth, the marriage contract and that belt were destroyed in a battle long ago. It's not that Ruochen intentionally failed to return them," Zhang Ruochen said.
Yu Chenjing said, "Then the God Venerable does remember? Since you remember, you've never said a single word about dissolving the engagement. Could it be that a woman's honor means so little in your eyes?"
Seeing that the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden was sharp-tongued and had Zhang Ruochen firmly cornered, Calamity Venerable immediately played the good guy, sending a voice transmission: "Don't keep resisting. A person must have some bottom line. I think that girl makes a lot of sense. It's not scary to do wrong things; what matters is making amends in time. Ah, who told you that you're the most outstanding descendant of our Zhang family? This old man can only side with family this time, regardless of who's right or wrong!"
Before Zhang Ruochen could speak, Calamity Venerable said in a grave, earnest tone, "Deities have descended upon Kunlun Realm, and the outside world must already be buzzing with rumors. Since things have come to this, there's no hiding it. Rather than letting gossip spread in the future and damage the Heavenly Maiden's and Thousand Star Civilization's reputation, why not turn hostility into friendship and enemies into in-laws? This old man will make the decision—another day, I'll take Zhang Ruochen to Thousand Star Civilization to propose marriage."
Zhang Ruochen stared at Calamity Venerable, his eyes full of question marks.
Calamity Venerable transmitted: "I'm helping you! You will be the master of Sword Realm in the future. You need to learn to cherish your reputation. Being romantic isn't scary, but what's scary is if the world thinks you lack responsibility and a sense of duty. Then who will submit to you? Stop glaring and show your stance quickly. Or do you want the Thousand Star God Ancestor to go complain to your Grandmaster? How much would that break your Grandmaster's heart?"
This time, Zhang Ruochen had to admit he was indeed in the wrong.
He had done what he did back then to protect himself. If the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden had later tried to harm him, he wouldn't have felt any guilt at all.
But it just so happened that he and the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden had become good friends, and he had received her kindness many times.
You reap what you sow.
As a person, you have to bear the consequences of your youthful indiscretions.
Just as Zhang Ruochen was about to speak, the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden immediately said, "There's no need for a marriage proposal! After all, Ruochen God Venerable already has a family. Chenjing is the future inheritor of Thousand Star Civilization—how could I be someone's concubine? Empress Chi Yao and Hall Master Wu Yue are figures that Chenjing simply cannot afford to provoke. I only ask that the God Venerable stop deceiving me with lies and return the marriage contract and the token of love."
The deities of Thousand Star Civilization were all silently applauding.
The marriage contract and token of love—Zhang Ruochen clearly couldn't produce them.
Yu Chenjing's tactic was essentially retreating in order to advance.
Calamity Venerable was stunned. The women Zhang Ruochen had gotten involved with were all so shrewd and formidable. He couldn't help but feel fortunate that the women he had encountered in his own life hadn't been this troublesome.
"Hurry up. What she wants are two promises. One is that she won't be a concubine, and the other is that she won't be bullied by Wu Yue, Chi Yao, and the others. Can't you do that?" Calamity Venerable transmitted again.
Zhang Ruochen stared into Yu Chenjing's bright, beautiful almond-shaped eyes and said, "Have you made up your mind? Is this truly what you want deep down? Actually, there's no need for this. Given our relationship, if Thousand Star Civilization ever faces danger, I will never stand idly by. How about this—use the marriage contract and that token of love in exchange for me owing you two favors?"
"And what about my honor? The way you treated me back then—how many favors is that worth?"
Yu Chenjing said, "Do you know that back then, on the marriage contract, you used your own sacred blood to write the words 'I am willing'?"
"In all these years, why have you never taken the initiative to mention dissolving the engagement? If you don't mention it, I will always think you are still willing. How was I to know you had forgotten?"
When her words reached this point of deep emotion, all the sharpness in her eyes disappeared, leaving only tears and bitterness.
The experiences they had shared back then had long been etched into her heart. Every time news of Zhang Ruochen came from the stars, she had always paid close attention.
But Zhang Ruochen had already flown too high and gone too far.
If it weren't for Thousand Star Civilization truly needing to take the path of Sword Realm, and if it weren't for the elders' persuasion, she could have cut off her thoughts, pursuing only the divine path and seeking only the prosperity of her civilization. The two of them would never have had much intersection again.
At most, when they met again, they would exchange a simple "long time no see."
Seeing the depth and seriousness in her eyes, Zhang Ruochen no longer avoided the issue, saying, "Chenjing, the marriage contract and token of love from back then—I truly cannot return them to you anymore."
"But I can write a new one!"
"Whoosh!"
With a wave of his arm, brush, ink, paper, and inkstone appeared on the stone table.
He picked up the brush and wrote: "Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden Yu Chenjing is gentle, graceful, beautiful, intelligent, and clever—she is a woman I admire. Today, I, Zhang Ruochen…"
The brush moved across the paper, rustling like whispered words.
The deities of Thousand Star Civilization all nodded secretly, seeing Zhang Ruochen's sincerity.
The original marriage contract had been written by Yu Chenjing under Zhang Ruochen's coercion.
Now, Zhang Ruochen was taking the initiative to write it in his own words. This marriage contract contained an apology for his past actions and showed respect for Yu Chenjing.
For a God Venerable, for the sovereign of a realm, to be able to go this far was already very difficult.
Since the matter had blown up so big, it could finally give the outside world an explanation without damaging Thousand Star Civilization's dignity. Not only could Yu Chenjing continue as the Thousand Star Heavenly Maiden, but her position as inheritor could become even more secure.
Zhang Ruochen handed the marriage contract to Yu Chenjing, then untied the belt from his own waist with both hands and placed it in her palm, saying, "Sword Realm may not make it to the end. No one knows how the situation will develop in the future. But from today onward, as long as I, Zhang Ruochen, exist for one day, you will exist for one day. Let time prove all of this!"