Chapter 74: Thinking Spirit, You Are the Younger One

Chen Yuqiu angrily exclaimed, "Are you still audacious enough to act like this in my Chen family?" He continued, "We've already been very polite by not driving you out, out of respect for the friendship between our two families."

"Hmph!" Zhong Qizhen snorted, hands clasped behind his back. "Chen family, have you forgotten my identity? I am a core disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect! If I declare that anyone who dares to marry Chen Siling will be my enemy, do you think anyone would still dare to marry your daughter?"

Chen Yuqiu and Liu Qinmin's expressions drastically changed. The status of a core disciple of the Azure Cloud Sect carried immense weight. Even a city lord wouldn't dare to offend them, let alone an ordinary family. If he truly made such a declaration, who would dare to marry her? Chen Siling might end up alone for the rest of her life.

"You're shameless!" Xu Youran angrily retorted. "If you can't have her, you'll ruin her?" Zhong Qizhen retorted, twisting the truth, "The Chen family insulted me first! They left my marriage arrangement to be decided by a good-for-nothing! Isn't that a direct insult to me, Zhong Qizhen?"

He glared coldly at Chen Yuqiu. "You have only two choices," he declared. "Either Chen Siling stays with me for a few days, and once I'm tired of her, I'll naturally let her go, free to marry whoever she wishes. Or, she'll never be able to marry anyone for the rest of her life!"

Xu Youran trembled with fury. How could such a shameless person exist? She was grateful that Jiang Fan had broken off the engagement, otherwise Chen Siling's future would have been ruined. However, if Zhong Qizhen truly committed to his threats, Chen Siling's future would still be destroyed. Would she, in the prime of her life, be ruined by a bully like Zhong Qizhen?

Seeing Chen Siling's tearful face, filled with helpless sorrow and indignation, Xu Youran felt immense heartache. For years, Chen Siling had taken care of her; otherwise, Xu Youran's own situation would have been far more difficult. Suddenly, an idea struck her. She looked at Jiang Fan, then at Chen Siling, and after a moment of thought, gritted her teeth slightly. "Who says no one dares to marry Siling?" she declared.

As Chen Siling looked on in confusion, Xu Youran grabbed Jiang Fan's arm, pulling him to his feet. "Jiang Fan," she said, "you marry Chen Siling!" Jiang Fan looked utterly bewildered. He wrote, "Youran, what are you talking about?" Her sudden words left him completely baffled.

Xu Youran, however, bit her red lip, her expression complex. "It's not nonsense," she said, "I've thought about this seriously for a long time." She gazed at Jiang Fan, her eyes filled with reluctance. "If I am forced to go to the Azure Cloud Sect and you don't pass the assessment, you'll need someone to care for you. Siling already has feelings for you, and I trust she will treat you well in my stead."

She had contemplated this for a long time. On the day she was to leave, even if she didn't want to be separated from Jiang Fan, she would likely be forcibly taken by Li Qingfeng. In that scenario, Jiang Fan would be left all alone. It would be better to use this opportunity to fulfill Chen Siling's wishes.

Jiang Fan wrote in astonishment, "But what if I also make it into the Azure Cloud Sect? If I'm bound to Chen Siling now, how will she ever marry anyone else in the future? You'd still be harming her this way; absolutely not!"

Xu Youran's eyebrows arched slightly. Given Zhong Qizhen's animosity toward Jiang Fan, there was no way he'd make things easy. The likelihood of Jiang Fan passing the assessment was slim to none. Yet, even on the off chance, she had to be prepared. So, with an inquiring gaze, she began, "Siling, if Jiang Fan and I were to marry, would you still be willing to..." She suddenly found it difficult to finish. Asking the Chen family's only daughter, such a beautiful and intelligent lady, to become Jiang Fan's concubine? This would be an insult! Not only would Chen Siling likely never agree, but even the Chen family head would surely refuse.

"I, I am willing," Chen Siling replied. What stunned Xu Youran was Chen Siling's face, blushing like the evening sky, her beautiful eyes brimming with shy tears. She shyly turned her face away, her voice barely audible.

"Siling," Xu Youran stammered in astonishment, "do you understand what I mean? I'm asking you... to be a concubine." Chen Siling's fair cheeks grew even redder. "I know," she whispered, suppressing her shyness, "I am willing." Xu Youran's mouth dropped open in surprise. Willing to be a concubine? She turned to look at Jiang Fan, muttering, "What on earth does Siling see in you to be willing to humble herself to this extent?" She couldn't fathom it.

Zhong Qizhen scoffed upon hearing this. "Junior Sister, you're too naive," he said. "How could a prominent family like the Chen family allow their only daughter to become a concubine? What good is it if you and Chen Siling agree? The Chen family head must give his consent! If you ask me, it's better to just hand Chen Siling over honestly..."

His words were suddenly interrupted. Chen Yuqiu's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed joyfully, "Youran, can you truly make that decision?" Who was Jiang Fan? A three-star Soul Master! At the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, he was a transcendent, colossal figure. For the Chen family's daughter to become the woman of such a person was like their ancestral graves billowing green smoke! No, it was like they were ablaze! An unquenchable inferno! He had never dared to dream of such immense fortune, and now it had suddenly fallen into his lap. However, he was uncertain of Jiang Fan's attitude.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fan raised his pen to write something, but Xu Youran snatched it away, giving him a gentle glare. "Siling is in trouble; what's wrong with helping her?" Jiang Fan was left anxious and helpless. Xu Youran ignored him and addressed Chen Yuqiu, "Uncle Chen, as Jiang Fan's future legal wife, the decision to take a concubine naturally rests with me. As long as you agree, then I have no objections." According to custom, the legal wife held the authority to decide if her husband could take a concubine. Her agreement meant the matter was settled.

Chen Yuqiu was overwhelmed with joy and immediately knelt. "On behalf of the entire Chen family, and our ancestors, I humbly thank Miss Xu for your immense kindness!" Such a grand gesture startled Xu Youran, who quickly rushed forward to help him up. "Uncle Chen," she stammered, "are you trying to overwhelm me?" She had merely saved Chen Siling. Why involve their ancestors? She had no idea that her decision had effectively bound the Chen family to a three-star Soul Master, guaranteeing their meteoric rise in status from then on.

Chen Yuqiu's excitement was difficult to contain. Liu Qinmin, standing beside him, felt a pang of bitterness and resentfully pinched his waist. She meant: "You're actually happy about our daughter becoming a concubine? Even if it's out of necessity, you shouldn't be so pleased! How much dignity will our daughter lose?"

Thinking they were now family with Jiang Fan, Chen Yuqiu lowered his voice and explained the full story. "Jiang Fan is our Chen family's three-star Soul Master!" "What?!" Liu Qinmin shrieked in shock. "He's the one who..." "Shh! Keep it a secret," Chen Yuqiu quickly interrupted her. Liu Qinmin immediately fell silent, looking at Jiang Fan with immense surprise and joy. With a delighted expression, she grabbed Xu Youran's hand. "Youran, thank you, Auntie thanks you so much. You are truly a great benefactor to my Chen family. Please accept my bow too?"

Xu Youran, flustered, helped her up, her mind racing with questions. What was wrong with the Chen couple? Had she done something truly extraordinary? To receive such a grand bow from them. After calming them down, she announced, "The matter is settled then. From now on, Chen Siling will be my husband Jiang Fan's concubine." Then, turning to Zhong Qizhen, she said, "You can give up now, can't you?"

Zhong Qizhen's chest heaved, brimming with boundless rage. He shouted, feeling utterly humiliated, "Your Chen family would rather let your daughter be a concubine than grant my wishes? In your eyes, am I truly worse than a good-for-nothing? This is an insult to me, and an insult to the Zhong family! Just wait for my father to come and seek justice!" With that, he stormed off in a rage.

Jiang Fan's face was utterly speechless. Chen Siling was on a blind date with someone else, but somehow, she ended up as his concubine. He was just supposed to be vetting the suitor! Yet, with things having progressed this far, there was no other option.

After a moment of thought, he took out his last remaining Transcendence Pill, several vials of high-grade Qi Cultivation Liquid, and the high-grade Yellow-tier cultivation manual. "Since we now have a formal relationship," he wrote, "these gifts are appropriate. Take them as soon as possible, then ask Elder Li Qingfeng to test your spiritual root to see if you can also enter the Azure Cloud Sect."

Chen Siling, without even looking closely at the items, accepted them with a deep blush. Jiang Fan also felt awkward. Just then, a servant suddenly reported, "Young Master Jiang! Young Master Jiang! Patriarch Xu requests your immediate return. The Qin family has come to our door, specifically demanding an explanation from you."