A few moments passed.
The sunlight was bright, and the breeze gentle.
At the peak of the cliff, Ye Xichen lay reclining on the grass, listlessly watching the birds flying across the sky.
He raised his pale palm, shading his eyes, and gazed through the gaps between his fingers at the bustling capital city below the mountain.
“……”
Recalling the family test from yesterday afternoon, Ye Xichen sighed softly, his eyes filled with confusion and daze.
“Sixteen years have passed…”
A low murmur slipped from the lips of this handsome youth.
In Ye Xichen’s heart, there was a secret known only to himself: he had transmigrated here and did not belong to this world.
Unlike Zhang Yuge’s sudden soul transmigration, Ye Xichen had been in this world for sixteen years.
It was less like transmigration and more like reincarnation.
As he grew older, Ye Xichen had come to understand this world a little.
It was an ancient world with cultivators.
Back when he was seven years old, Ye Xichen had stepped into the third level of Qi Refining, becoming the first genius in the Great Zhou Dynasty in hundreds of years, full of ambition and vitality.
But after that, he made no progress whatsoever.
The once prodigious genius had now sunk to a lowly position within his family.
At first, the four great families of the capital city had eagerly competed to introduce their daughters for marriage to Ye Xichen.
But now, he had nothing.
The members of the four great families treated him like dirt and avoided him.
Two months ago, his father had arranged a marriage for him.
Ye Xichen didn’t know the other party but heard she was not from the capital.
It made sense—if she was from a major cultivation family in the capital, which daughter would look favorably upon him?
Although he was useless, the Ye family was powerful and wealthy; it wouldn’t be difficult to marry a girl from a remote small family.
Shaking his head bitterly, Ye Xichen felt a bit wronged in his heart.
After all, he didn’t know what was wrong with his body.
Regular check-ups revealed nothing abnormal; it was truly strange.
He was not someone whose meridians were completely blocked and unable to cultivate.
He could absorb spiritual energy and circulate true qi, and his efficiency was even better than in previous years.
All signs indicated that he had no problems at all, yet when it came time to measure his cultivation, there was simply nothing left.
With a melancholic sigh, Ye Xichen raised his hand.
On his finger was a black ring made from an unknown material, bearing some faint patterns.
It was a ring left to him by his deceased mother, and Ye Xichen always wore it as a token of remembrance.
After lingering for a moment longer, Ye Xichen sat up and headed back to the mansion.
In the capital city, in front of the Ye family’s main gate.
“Master, if the Ye family tries to harm me later, you must come out and help me.”
“I know. With me around, the Ye family is nothing more than a bunch of ants.”
“Thanks a lot, Master.”
Zhang Yuge smiled cheerfully.
Although he had awakened the Sword God System, it was still at a very low level and offered almost no means of self-protection.
Thus, Yun Lan, his cheap master, was crucial, acting as a protective figure during his novice period.
Of course, Zhang Yuge knew Yun Lan had his own agenda for helping him, so he hadn’t told Yun Lan about his system awakening.
Having secured Yun Lan’s promise, Zhang Yuge drew back the carriage curtain and leapt down from the carriage.
Previously, Zhang Qingyao made the household servants kneel on the ground and use their backs as steps to get down from the carriage.
Zhang Yuge had canceled that.
After landing, Zhang Yuge reached out his hand toward Zhang Qingyao, who was traveling in the same carriage.
Zhang Qingyao hesitated for two seconds before extending her hand.
“? IS……”
Zhang Yuge grasped the young girl’s palm with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her slender waist, helping her down from the carriage.
“W-what are you doing? So many people are watching……”
Zhang Qingyao blushed deeply, lowering her head and avoiding the gazes of the household servants and maids.
“Hmm? You mean it’s okay as long as we’re somewhere no one is around?”
Zhang Yuge leaned close to the girl’s ear, grinning mischievously.
It started again.
Zhang Qingyao turned her head away, refusing to look at him.
After being teased by Zhang Yuge the entire way, she had lost all fight in her.
Zhang Yuge released Zhang Qingyao’s waist and politely addressed the two spearman guards standing at the Ye family gate.
“I am Zhang Qingyao of the Ningzhou Zhang family, here to see the Ye family head. Please inform him.”
After one of the guards left, Zhang Yuge lifted his gaze to the resplendent Ye family gate and fell into deep thought.
Lin Yi had told him that after family elders discussed it, they finally decided to hand over Zhang Qingyao.
Zhang Qinglin was far away at the Shenhuang Sect and would not return for several years.
The Zhang family elders were unsure and unwilling to provoke the Ye family, so they chose to surrender her.
How could Zhang Yuge tolerate such an insult?
His sword spirit could not be given away so easily.
Therefore, he petitioned the family elders to pay a visit to the Ye family to cancel the marriage between Zhang Qingyao and Ye Xichen.
At first, Lin Yi strongly opposed it, but Zhang Yuge was adamant, so she could only agree.
The elders didn’t care much about Zhang Yuge’s fate; since he was determined to bring trouble upon himself, they let him go.
Originally, Zhang Yuge planned to go alone to the Ye family, but Lin Yi refused and insisted he bring Zhang Qingyao and the other servants.
After all, Lin Yi didn’t expect Zhang Yuge to successfully cancel the engagement.
Having Zhang Qingyao along was a backup plan in case he couldn’t escape unscathed.
At this moment, the Ye family opened their gates to welcome Zhang Yuge and the others.
Zhang Yuge called to Zhang Qingyao and another maid,
“You two come in with me.”
Zhang Qingyao clung tightly to Zhang Yuge’s back as they entered the mansion together.
Zhang Yuge glanced back and noticed Zhang Qingyao’s small hand tightly clutching his sleeve, her expression heavy with worry.
“Are you nervous?”
Zhang Yuge asked softly.
“N-no! Why would I be nervous?”
The girl retorted stubbornly.
“Oh? Then aren’t you afraid of marrying that Ye family young master?”
“Hmph, it’s better than staying by your side, you pervert.”
“Hehe, then don’t regret it later.”
Zhang Yuge didn’t expose her, letting her hold onto his loose sleeve.
In truth, Zhang Qingyao was already regretting it.
She wasn’t really afraid of marrying Ye Xichen; she just wanted to get a few words in against Zhang Yuge.
After all, she was bullied by him all the time, and it made her furious, so she spoke out stubbornly.
What if Zhang Yuge really abandoned me?
To be honest, although Zhang Yuge always made her do all sorts of outrageous things that nearly got her into trouble several times, once she got used to it, there was a strange thrill and anticipation.
Besides that, Zhang Yuge never treated her unfairly materially.
He didn’t let other household servants bully her either.
Not only that, but the Zhang family servants mostly assumed Zhang Qingyao was Zhang Yuge’s personal maid and dared not provoke her.
In general, all of Zhang Qingyao’s grievances in the Zhang mansion came from Lin Yi’s harshness.
She had heard that Ye Xichen was also unwelcome in the Ye family and was treated worse than she was in the Zhang family.
If she married into the Ye family, wouldn’t it be the same story?
With a fluttering heart, Zhang Qingyao followed Zhang Yuge into the Ye family main hall.