Chapter 269: Betrothal

Yun Che's words immediately stunned everyone. Whispers rose from all directions, with people constantly shaking their heads, indicating they knew nothing about it. Everyone's gaze was particularly strange. After all, Su Ling'er was still too young, having just turned ten this year. If it were a betrothal arranged from birth or an innocent childhood promise, it would be normal. But Yun Che was a full-grown adult! This seemed a bit mismatched.

Given the current situation, anyone would conclude that this was likely a fabricated excuse designed to crush Su Hengyue's faction and their ambitions.

Su Hengshan was also momentarily dazed, but quickly reacted. He glanced at Yun Che, then stated calmly, "That's right! Yun Che is the most outstanding young talent I've ever seen, and I admire him greatly. In terms of aptitude alone, he surpasses Su Haoyu tenfold! You all witnessed this yourselves. Furthermore, he saved my daughter's life, so I have betrothed her to him. Once she turns sixteen, they will marry on an auspicious day!"

Su Ling'er blinked her innocent, watery eyes, her face filled with bewilderment. After all, she was ten years old now, not a two- or three-year-old child. While she might not fully grasp the meaning of "betrothal," she understood the basic concept. She looked at her father, then at Yun Che, her heart pounding as she felt confused and at a loss.

"Nonsense!" Su Hengyue gnashed his teeth, erupting in fury. "Su Hengshan, don't take everyone for fools! This boy is clearly just a temporary helper you brought in. This so-called betrothal is nothing but a pretext! Otherwise, why would no one here know about it?"

"Haha, I simply haven't announced it publicly yet. Do I need everyone's permission to betroth my own daughter?" Su Hengshan said coldly. He surveyed the surroundings and calmly stated, "It seems no one quite believes it. Very well, I, Su Hengshan, will now announce it publicly..."

He looked at Yun Che, and Yun Che looked back at him. Su Hengshan's gaze was complex, while Yun Che's was incredibly resolute and calm. This was the meeting of eyes between two men who deeply loved the same girl. In each other's gaze, one clearly saw pure, unadulterated fatherly love, while the other saw a devotion that made his heart tremble... a devotion that would last until death.

Looking into Yun Che's eyes, Su Hengshan's gaze and inner turmoil instantly calmed. All his apprehension transformed into a wondrous sense of tranquility.

His previous emotions had been entirely consumed by the shock Yun Che had delivered. Although he detested Su Hengyue and his son, he had to admit that Su Haoyu's aptitude was exceptionally high, unmatched within the Tai Su Sect. Yet, such a genius had suffered a crushing defeat before Yun Che, who was two or three years younger, failing to last even three moves. Furthermore, Yun Che's subsequent strike had severely injured Li Yunji, who possessed Earth Profound Realm strength. To possess such astonishing power at such a young age was, in his understanding, simply incredible.

A young man with such strength must surely come from the most elite sect in the Fusu Nation... No! The sect he hailed from might even be among the top tier across the entire Azure Cloud Continent!

Although the Tai Su Sect dominated the Jiangdong region of the Fusu Nation, they would never dare to dream of a disciple like this emerging among their younger generation. The sect Yun Che belonged to must be one that the Tai Su Sect could only worship and look up to. Su Hengshan was absolutely certain of this, without a shred of doubt. The same thought also crossed the minds of almost everyone present.

In terms of background, the question was whether Ling'er was worthy of him; he was entirely worthy of his daughter.

Yun Che's appearance was one in a million, and his inherent temperament and eyes, as deep as the starry sky, were unmatched. While these might have been secondary to Su Hengshan, Yun Che's profound and soulful care for Su Ling'er, and the repeated demonstrations of his unwavering resolve to protect her even with his life, deeply moved him. Although Yun Che and Su Ling'er had only met that morning, Su Hengshan perceived and felt this connection with astonishing clarity, and was equally surprised by it.

And for a father, what could be more reassuring than entrusting his daughter to someone willing to protect her with his life?

At the same time, Su Ling'er's unconditional and undeniable attachment and trust in Yun Che were also clear for all to see.

Su Hengshan had initially been unable to judge Yun Che's character. Yet today, Yun Che, who could have remained completely uninvolved, had forcefully stepped forward, placing himself in danger. This was a kindness shown to Su Hengshan and to the Tai Su Sect, and Su Hengshan sensed that Yun Che's actions were entirely for Ling'er's sake.

All things considered, if he could entrust his daughter's future to such a person, he could be completely at ease regarding her entire life. If there was one minor imperfection, it was that Yun Che was already married, meaning his daughter would be a secondary wife.

Su Hengshan, who had never considered Su Ling'er's marriage before today, now felt a profound sense of peace. With a smile, he announced in a slow, resonant voice, "Today, I hereby declare that my young daughter, Su Ling'er, is betrothed to Young Master Yun Che. My daughter is still young; they will marry on an auspicious day once she turns sixteen! All those present can bear witness!"

Su Hengshan's words were firm and clear, betraying no hint of falsehood or reluctance. After speaking, he smiled and nodded gently at Yun Che, his eyes soft. It was the gaze of a father scrutinizing his future son-in-law, and even the most discerning observer present could not detect any pretense.

Yun Che swiftly stepped forward, knelt on one knee, and said sincerely, "Your humble son-in-law, Yun Che, thanks esteemed father-in-law for your acceptance!"

"Yun Che, you must understand clearly: our Tai Su Sect daughters never marry outside the sect. If you wish to marry my daughter, you will become a member of my Tai Su Sect from now on!"

Yun Che nodded without hesitation. "I understand! From today forward, I, Yun Che, am a disciple of the Tai Su Sect! I will share in the sect's honor and disgrace!"

Yun Che looked up at the stunned Su Ling'er and smiled slightly. *Ling'er, back then, I never even gave you the smallest promise. I owe you far too much. This place is an illusion, a beautiful dream. In this dream, let me give you everything I can.*

"Hahahaha, excellent!" Su Hengshan stepped forward, helped Yun Che to his feet, and had him stand beside Su Ling'er. Facing Su Wangji and Su Hengyue, he declared, "Great Elder, Yun Che is now my son-in-law, and therefore a son-in-law of the Tai Su Sect, which naturally makes him a member of our sect. In terms of age, he is younger than Su Haoyue, and as for his aptitude, haha, I'm sure you witnessed it clearly just now. Everyone present heard your proposal earlier with absolute clarity. I trust that with your esteemed elder's prestige and authority, your word is absolute. Therefore, from now on, and in the future, the matter of the sect's most precious treasure will be entirely at my discretion. I presume you will have no objections."

Su Wangji's old face stiffened, looking utterly grim and speechless. His previous words had been entirely intended to help Su Hengyue succeed, but he hadn't realized that in the blink of an eye, they had become a massive pit for himself to fall into.

"Su Hengyue, do you have anything else to say?" Su Hengshan asked, glancing sideways.

"Hmph!!" Su Hengyue's gaze was dark, and his hands, pressed against Su Haoyu's chest, trembled continuously.

"Hehehehe!" A grating sneer echoed as Hei Mu Qingya, who had been observing from the side, stepped out. He slowly approached Su Hengshan, followed closely by two black-clad elders from Hei Mu Fortress. Hei Mu Qingya stopped less than three steps from Su Hengshan and raised a hand, saying, "My sincerest congratulations, Sect Master Su, on finding such an excellent son-in-law! Not only have you settled your daughter's lifelong future, but the sect's most precious treasure has now completely fallen into your hands."

"Hei Mu Qingya, the Tai Su Sect's most precious treasure is vital to our sect's prosperity; it belongs not to any one person, but to the entire Tai Su Sect. Hmph! Furthermore, matters concerning my Tai Su Sect are none of your business, you insidious outsider. I haven't even settled the score with you for instructing someone to harm my daughter! I'd like to see what kind of explanation you'll offer today." Su Hengshan's voice was sharp.

"Heh, Sect Master Su, there's no need to get angry. An explanation will certainly be provided. But before that, there's something I need to remind you of," Hei Mu Qingya said, his eyes narrowing, emitting a dangerous glint. "The reason you're so pleased with yourself right now is entirely because of this son-in-law of yours, who appeared out of nowhere. With your son-in-law present, it's true that Su Haoyu isn't the foremost young talent in the Tai Su Sect. But what if he suddenly... disappeared?"

As Hei Mu Qingya finished speaking, his body suddenly flickered, darting towards Yun Che like a black bolt of lightning. A hand, surging with profound energy, abruptly seized Yun Che's chest.

"Old Villain Qingmu, how dare you!!"

Su Hengshan's expression changed, then exploded in rage. Just as he was about to act, the two elders behind Hei Mu Qingya moved to intercept, completely blocking his attack and preventing him from stopping Hei Mu Qingya.

Hei Mu Qingya possessed initial Sky Profound Realm strength, and very few in the Tai Su Sect could contend with him. Additionally, Hei Mu Qingya had attacked suddenly after drawing close, and the Tai Su Sect's elder-level powerhouses were too far away to intervene in time. They could only watch helplessly as Hei Mu Qingya charged directly towards Yun Che.

Hei Mu Qingya was a man of extremely despicable character, but no one had expected him to stoop so low as to ambush a junior in broad daylight, in his capacity as fortress master!

While Hei Mu Qingya and Su Hengshan were speaking, Yun Che had already positioned Su Ling'er behind him, his senses acutely sharpened. Su Hengshan might not have noticed, but Yun Che was extremely sensitive to killing intent and had long ago detected a sliver of murderous intent locking onto him from Hei Mu Qingya. As Hei Mu Qingya suddenly charged, Yun Che's brow furrowed, his 'Burning Heart' activated, and with a loud roar, "Cloud Sealing, Sun Locking" was instantly released.

*Bang!!*

Hei Mu Qingya's palm struck the barrier of "Cloud Sealing, Sun Locking." With a dull thud, a massive recoil force erupted from the front, catching him off guard and forcing him back several steps.

Yun Che and Su Ling'er, shielded behind him, remained completely still and unharmed. However, "Cloud Sealing, Sun Locking" was directly shattered by Hei Mu Qingya's palm.

Hei Mu Qingya was greatly astonished, unable to believe that he had been repelled by this young man. Both shocked and enraged, he let out a low growl, his body surging with ten parts of profound energy, and launched another punch towards Yun Che. "Junior... die!!"

Yun Che remained calm and composed. He quickly picked up Su Ling'er, preparing to evade using 'Star God Broken Shadow.' If he could just dodge this one more attack from Hei Mu Qingya, the Tai Su Sect elders and disciples would arrive, and Hei Mu Qingya would no longer be able to harm him or Su Ling'er.

Just then, a frigid wind suddenly swept up. Within the cold wind, snowflakes drifted down. A long white ribbon, carried by the wind and snow, floated lightly to meet Hei Mu Qingya's palm, as if merely lifted by a gentle breeze.

*Boom!!!!*

The moment the seemingly weightless white ribbon brushed against Hei Mu Qingya's palm, it unleashed an overwhelming, mountain-toppling force. Hei Mu Qingya cried out, all five of his fingers snapped, and his entire body was sent flying far away. Behind him, a burst of cold wind followed, sweeping away all the charging Hei Mu Fortress disciples. For a moment, the sky was filled with countless black figures, scattering like a swarm of locusts, their screams piercing the air.

This sudden turn of events left everyone stunned on the spot. Even those who were fighting simultaneously ceased their actions. A snowy white figure, accompanied by ice spirits floating in the air, slowly drifted down in front of Yun Che.