Yan Tianhen’s face didn’t change even though he was facing a Hardened Body Stage cultivator.
“My Dage is ill and doesn’t feel well enough to leave the house, but it’s more than enough for me to represent him today!”
“Nonsense!” Han Wuyun berated, “Does the Lin family know about this atrocity?”
If the Hans had taken the initiative to annul the engagement, then it would be their problem, but if the other party is the one who wants to break it off, then they would be losing a lot of face. Also, Lin Xuanzhi reputation was well-known throughout the continents, everyone knows that he’s a good-for-nothing now. If other people were to know that their Han family’s most talented craftsman young master was asked to annul their engagement by such an archetypical trash, then wouldn’t the Han family lose all their face1?
Han Wuyun was so angry his mouth almost turned crooked.
Yan Tianhen said, “This marriage was set up by my Daddy and Han Yuran’s maternal relatives. Since my Daddy is no longer here, and Han Yuran’s maternal relatives have also pa.s.sed away, both sides’ officiators are no longer around, so naturally my Dage can decide for himself.”
Han Yuran recovered from the shock of being asked to annul the engagement, took a step forward and said in a stern voice, “Why would he request for an annulment? Don’t tell me you’re the one who’s acting of your own accord and came here to cause trouble behind Lin Xuanzhi’s back?”
“Yeah, that’s definitely the case!” Han Yanran recovered from her daze too, then immediately stared at Yan Tianhen and ridiculed, “You d.a.m.n ugly cripple, don’t think I can’t tell that you’ve had malicious intentions from the start. You tried time and again to drive a wedge between my Dage and Lin Dage, what kind of ulterior motives do you have?”
Yan Tianhen glared back at her and said, “I’m not acting of my own accord. When my Dage asked me to annul the engagement, Yuyang Ge was present too. If you don’t believe me you can ask him!”
Everyone’s focus immediately reverted to Duan Yuyang.
Duan Yuyang smiled particularly deviously, just seeing that smirk would make you want to slap him.
“Yeah yeah, or else, how would our Tianhen know where this marriage contract was hidden? If I must say, on such a good day, those who should annul their engagement should just annul it, those who should be getting engaged should just get engaged; both sides wouldn’t interfere with the other and it would be a happy ending for all, don’t you guys think so?”
As Duan Yuyang spoke, he made eyes at the Yuan Tianwen who had a cold and solemn expression on his face.
When Yuan Tianwen saw that, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Annulling the engagement was one thing, but where did the new engagement come from? The crowd couldn’t help but wonder.
The head of the Han family almost gritted his teeth so hard his silver tooth broke, he fumed and said, “Your Lin family has gone overboard!”
“You guys are the ones who went overboard first!” Yan Tianhen frowned and had obviously started to fume too. He said angrily, “When my Dage was bedridden with his injuries, I didn’t see your Dage come visit him very often. And when he did, he only did so because he wanted something from us. My Dage specially requested someone to tailor that robe you’re wearing, and yet you wore it to have a tryst with your lover. You treat my Dage really well, don’t you!”
“Don’t you dare slander me!” Han Yuran was enraged, but what he felt more than his rage was the fear that flashed through his heart– he did have private trysts with Yuan Tianwen, but he was sure that no one knew.
Based on Yuan Tianwen’s strength, if someone was spying on them, he would definitely have been able to sense their presence.
Yuan Tianwen was also inwardly surprised beyond measure, but, it was still just surprise, he didn’t have a trace of the fear that Han Yuran was feeling.
Afterall, he had the strength, his family and his status to back him up. Even if others would overthink it, they wouldn’t dare babble a word of nonsense. Also, he had already treated Han Yuran as his to begin with. If it wasn’t because Han Yuran didn’t want to make things even worse for the Lin Xuanzhi who had just fallen to the bottom by asking him to annul their engagement, he, Yuan Tianwen, would’ve long ago used the privileges in his hand to force the Han and Lin family to annul their engagement.
Even if their actions were discovered by others, Yuan Tianwen would still have a clear conscience. No matter if others say that it wasn’t a gentleman’s behaviour by robbing someone else of their loved one2, he wouldn’t mind it–how could his reputation be compared to the person he loves?
The edges of Yan Tianhen’s lips curved up in a manner similar to Lin Xuanzhi, then he casted a glance across Yuan Tianwen and said, “Don’t tell me, you dare to swear upon your Dao that you have never had a private tryst nor done anything wrong to my Dage?”
“There’s no need.” Yuan Tianwen’s cold voice rang out and said, “I must become Dao companions with Han Yuran. But we were concerned about Lin Xuanzhi’s body, and I had been busy with my missions outside so I didn’t have the chance to come over and clarify this matter. I have two aims for coming here today: the first is to congratulate Yuran on his birthday, and the other is to convince Yuran to annul his engagement with Lin Xuanzhi. As for the compensation required for breaching the contract, I’m willing to take it all upon myself.”
“I say–!”
This really is earth-shattering news!
Yuan Tianwen is a young cultivator with brilliant prospects, in the future he would definitely become the leader of his generation. And the Yuan family is a super influential family, if the Han family could become in-laws with the Yuan family, then they would undoubtedly jump straight to becoming a first-cla.s.s family!
This kind of news is indeed the best kind of news!
Han Wuyun was staring so hard his eyes were about to pop out of its sockets. He was still worrying about the Han family’s face before this, but right now, he was practically going wild with joy.
Han Wuyun hurriedly looked at his son who was standing next to him. Amongst the crowd’s cries of surprise, he lowered his voice, suppressed his excitement and asked, “Why have you never told me that you actually have that kind of relationship with him?”
Han Yuran’s face sank. Even though he was happy, he didn’t think that it was perfect enough.
His reputation, would definitely suffer.
But, at the moment he could only go along with the flow.
Han Yuran muttered to himself for awhile, then said, “Yuan young peak master and my relationship started from affection, but we restrained ourselves with due decorum; we had never crossed the line because of my engagement. My fiance had just undergone such an unfortunate accident, and I didn’t want to be a cold and ruthless person who would hit a person when he was down.”
Yuan Tianwen nodded and said, “I was the one who unilaterally pursued and pestered Yuran from the start, he had never responded to my advances.”
The moment Yuan Tianwen said that, words of adulation began to circulate immediately.
“Han young master is an upright and loyal person after all.”
“Young people would naturally long for attractive partners3. It doesn’t seem as if Yuan young peak master and Han young master had been improper, but instead have been rather frank and open about their relationship. It really makes one envious.”
“Also, Lin Xuanzhi is actually this stingy even though he’s a man. He had already been reduced to that kind of state, don’t tell me he intends to burden Han young master for the rest of his life?”
“Exactly. It’s not like they’re married anyway, they should just hurry and annul their engagement.”
Han Yuran had achieved his goal, the knot in his heart was undone.
But Duan Yuyang couldn’t listen to them any longer. He impatiently knocked a pair of chopsticks against the table and said, “Hey you bunch of spectators, what c.r.a.p are you spouting? And isn’t this perfect, Lin Xuanzhi and Han Yuran can annul their engagement, then Han Yuran can go mess around with that Yuan something, so both sides can get their happy endings. As for the rest, you don’t need to continue with your d.a.m.n bulls.h.i.t, honourable me doesn’t have the time to listen to your groundless flattery.”
Duan Yuyang’s words were utterly vulgar, Yuan Tianwen couldn’t help but frown when he heard them.
When he was younger, Duan Yuyang had gone to his house to stay for a period of time. At that time, Duan Yuyang was still a fair and smooth little ball of jade who would run behind him and happily call out ‘Gege’ everyday. When he would speak, it would be in a really soft and adorable way, like a sweet little spiritual fruit which made others can’t help but hug him in their arms to kiss and pinch his cheeks.
But he didn’t think that after he grew up, he would turn into this kind of wild countryside dweller.
Yan Tianhen nodded, then said, “Since the two of you like each other, then why not just be together. On behalf of my brother, I wish for the two of you to reach old age together and die without descendants.”
Duan Yuyang almost spit his drink out.
Han Yuran saw that it was about time, then put on a face full of grief and indignation as he said, “I, Han Yuran, would think that I had never wronged Lin Xuanzhi in any way. Since he must pour dirty water onto me today and annul our engagement without a shred of consideration for our old ties, then I, Han Yuran, would definitely not invite humiliation upon myself.”
He took out a marriage contract from his storage bag and threw it high up into the sky as well, both marriage contracts faced each other in midair.
“Today, I announce my annulment of my engagement with Lin Xuanzhi. From now on, no matter our weddings and funerals, we no longer have anything to do with one another!”
After he finished, everyone waited for this pair of marriage contracts to self-immolate into ash and scatter amongst the heavens and earth.
However, after a short moment, there was still no reaction.
Han Yuran’s heart abruptly had a bad feeling about this.
When this marriage contract was written, the maternal relatives who had arranged this marriage for him were still alive. This marriage contract was written by his maternal relatives and Lin Xuanzhi’s father Lin Zhan, he didn’t know what kind of clauses were in it.
Don’t tell him, this marriage contract can’t be annulled?
Just as Han Yuran was getting more and more anxious like an ant on a hot stove, a voice as cold and clear as a jade travelled over from the entrance–
“I, Lin Xuanzhi, would henceforth break all ties with Han Yuran. From now on, no matter our weddings and funerals, we no longer have anything to do with one another!”
Within the twinkling of an eye, the two marriage contracts that had not exhibited any signs of activity began to burn up. One white-coloured ash flew towards the east, while the other flew towards the west and scattered into the air.
Their paths were different, neither should obstruct the other.
Han Yuran’s face immediately turned green, his whole body was on the verge of shaking uncontrollably from the extreme anger that he felt.
Because the parties in this pair of marriage contracts were actually unequal; it was a marriage contract that stated Lin Xuanzhi as the husband in the marriage, while he was the wife!
If this wasn’t the case, then he could have unilaterally annulled the engagement and didn’t need to wait for Lin Xuanzhi to speak up before their marriage contract was no longer bound by the heavenly laws!
To Han Yuran, this was practically a huge humiliation!
Han Yuran loathefully looked at the Lin Xuanzhi who wore a white robe. He had his hair lightly tied up with a simple hairpin, which only accentuated his solitary demeanour and celestial appearance. He really wanted to kill him with one strike on the spot!
Yuan Tianwen was surprised too. When two men become Dao companions, there would definitely be one on top, and one on the bottom as the woman in the relationship. But when a marriage is contracted, very few people would make such a clear distinction, most people would set it up such that it was an equal marriage. As for the question of who will be on top or at the bottom, when the couple gets there then they can decide for themselves.
Also, Lin Xuanzhi and Han Yuran hadn’t even been born when the marriage contract was written. At that time, no one knew that Lin Xuanzhi would have the kind of peerless talent that would shock the Five Continents. Plus, at that time the Han family was a second-cla.s.s family whilst the Lin family was a third-cla.s.s family, how bad was their situation such that they would let Han Yuran be the bottom one in their marriage contract……
For a man, isn’t this a kind of insult.
As Lin Xuanzhi walked over, he attracted countless gazes.
His elegance was incomparable and he looked like a celestial being. Even though he had already turned into a good-for-nothing, his magnificence could not be concealed.
1. I think I should’ve clarified this earlier, but the term ‘face’ in Chinese isn’t the literal face, but rather something like dignity/honour. The j.a.panese have something similar, it’s the reason why their samurais would commit seppuku — it’s to protect their honour↩
2. For a 3rd party to use all sorts of means to steal someone’s lover wasn’t considered very virtuous behaviour↩
3. The actual phrase is “年少而慕少艾”, which literally means youngsters admire pretty ladies. It means that youngsters who had just opened their eyes to the world of love/crushes/admiration (i.e. p.u.b.erty) would naturally admire/l.u.s.t after pretty girls/handsome guys↩