Divorced?

Back in Ye Chen's courtyard.

A rough knock slammed against the wooden door, rattling through the silence.

A servant, dressed in the green robes of the Ye family, mid ranked, stood outside, his face clouded with frustration.

He'd been scolded earlier by the elders, even though he hadn't done anything wrong.

He always did his work without complaint, so why was it never enough?

Deep down, he couldn't help but blame Ye Chen for his bad luck.

If it weren't for that useless waste...

It's like when a lion is wounded, even the hyenas circle in for the kill.

Ye Chen had hit rock bottom, his reputation in tatters.

Since he was branded a rapist, even those who had never met him began to despise him.

In such circumstances, it was only natural...

"Hey, trash! Get up! The elders want you to meet the maiden of the Frozen Palace!"

"They're already outside, so stop hiding in here like a coward."

"Bastard, why don't you just die?"

"Because of you, I was scolded."

"Do you have any shame?"

"Why don't you just kill yourself?"

The servant in the green robe barked like an angry dog.

It was almost as if he wanted to tear apart the waste behind the door.

Just as he was about to knock once more, the door was suddenly flung open, and a boy in a black robe stepped out, his face marked with slight bruises.

Though these bruises did not diminish his energy, the passive influence of the Heavenly aura around him only intensified the servant's irrational urge to lash out.

The servant's anger surged uncontrollably.

So what if Ye Chen had healed somewhat? He was still considered worthless, unable to use Qi.

"What's this? You think healing a few bruises will change anything? You're still useless. Holy Maiden is here to deal with you. Today, you're going to become a laughing—"

Before the servant could finish, Ye Chen stepped forward and, without warning, hugged him as if he were a brother.

To be honest...

Ye Chen had no desire to follow the path of a typical protagonist.

Shouting?

Face-slapping?

Nah... It sounds extremely ridiculous to him.

Even the novels he had read were all villain-centric, featuring noble, almighty figures who commanded respect wherever they went.

He despised the clichés that bound protagonists to ridicule and diminished the intelligence of others.

But now that he was the son of destiny, he intended to change everything.

So, the better option was to become stronger and evolve into an existence that no one could offend.

And...Ye Chen couldn't bring himself to hate the servant.

In his eyes, the servant was a pitiable character, controlled by the heavens.

Besides...as a spy, it wasn't the first time he had been hated, the entire Bald Eagle Empire had cursed him throughout his previous life.

On the other hand...

Caught completely off guard, the servant stood frozen.

"Don't worry friend. After today, you won't have to see me again"

Ye Chen said softly.

The servant froze, his mind racing.

This wasn't the reaction he had expected.

Ye Chen, once the proud genius of the Ye family, wasn't fighting back or lashing out.

Instead, there was a strange tranquility about him.

Something about this felt---wrong!

He pushed Ye Chen away, confusion flashing in his eyes.

"What the hell..Who is your friend? What's gotten into you?"

"Stop acting so strange. Just get to the hall before the elders drag you out."

Ye Chen smiled and nodded, then stepped past him, heading toward the hall.

He also wanted to see his fiancée- The Frozen Maiden.

Behind him, the servant stood for a moment, scratching his head.

He couldn't quite place it, but something was different about Ye Chen today.

For a moment, he even felt a twinge of guilt for his harsh words.

Unbeknownst to him, an invisible golden light had quietly vanished from his eyes, restoring his lost rationality.

But that was all he didn't apologize or anything.

Instead, he just awkwardly followed the fallen genius.

...

In the grand hall of the Ye Clan.

Several elders were gathered, their faces painted with anxiety, shame, and reluctance.

At the center of the hall, in the seat of the Patriarch, sat a woman in a white robe. Beside her was another girl in her late teens, coldly staring at them.

These two were Guardian Xue Lian and the Candidate for Holy Maiden, Zhao Yumu.

The elders below were dissatisfied with the women occupying the Patriarch's seat, but none of them had the strength to challenge such authority.

Today, the Ye clan had to endure this humiliation.

The elders believed all of this was happening because a so-called waste had lost his cultivation unknowingly.

At this moment, the door flung open.

Ye Chen entered the hall, and all eyes turned to him.

Some of the elders exchanged wary glances, while others simply sighed in resignation.

They had all known this day would come, and there was nothing they could do to stop it.

For Ye Chen, It was the first time he saw his fiancée, Zhao Yumu, the Maiden of the Frozen Palace.

She was as coldly beautiful as the legends says.

Her icy blue robes shimmered with an enchanting light, and her eyes were sharp and clear.

Her black hair cascaded down her back, unruly and unrestrained, while her skin was as pale as frozen snow.

Though she appeared youthful, a girl in her teens, but she was actually much older than Ye Chen, her body was matured and well developed where it should be.

In short her appearance was flawless.

In the modern world, even the most thousands of celebrated models would pale in comparison to her beauty.

When Ye Chen looked at her, she glanced back briefly but soon looked away, finding him unremarkable.

With their breakup approaching, she saw no reason to continue staring at someone she barely knew.

As she looked at Ye Chen, her expression grew more serious. She was a cultivator at the late stage of the Golden Core realm, far beyond anyone in Xianglan City.

Naturally, she sought a husband who could surpass her in cultivation.

"Ye Chen," she said finally, her voice was cold and clear.

"This is the first time we've met in person, which shows just how distant we are. And now that you've lost your cultivation, this difference will only create a larger void between us."

"Even if this engagement was arranged by our ancestors, it must end. I believe you can find happiness with a mortal woman."

"The engagement between us is over. It was nothing more than a childish agreement between our families, one that should never have been made."

Ye Chen stood before her, expressionless.

He had expected this.

There was no pain, no surprise in his eyes, only quiet acceptance.

This accident had only solidified his belief that he was, indeed, the son of destiny.

Perhaps this woman would one day regret her decision, tormented by guilt like a heroine from a fable.

Or maybe she was a villainess who failed to grasp the immensity of the heavens.

Either way, it had nothing to do with him.

He smiled faintly and nodded.

"I agree. At present, I'm not worthy of the Holy Maiden. There is no need to be tied down to a relationship with no good outcome."

In truth, even when he searched his memories, he found nothing significant about Zhao Yumu.

There was no anger or resentment, no fiery emotions like the original protagonist would have when encountering something like this.

What Ye Chen didn't realize was that the original course of events had shifted completely.

In the predestined path, he would have fallen in love with this very girl, who would then have broken his heart.

Listening to him, both Xue Lian and Zhao Yumu were surprised.

Xue Lian, who had conducted thorough research on his personality, was particularly taken aback.

Seeing his humble and gentlemanly demeanor, she found herself appreciating him.

Many young men would have lost their composure in the face of what he had endured, yet he was smiling

It was extraordinary.

Now that things were settling, Zhao Yumu expressed her relief.

"Don't worry, Ye Chen. I promise I'll make it up to you. It's the least I can do for everything that's happened."

"Besides, even before I arrived, the Frozen Palace had already decided to offer you compensation."

Ye Chen raised his hand, stopping her.

"There is no need, Maiden Zhao"

"When I lost my cultivation, the only reason I survived this long was because my fiancée was the Maiden of the Frozen Palace."

"If it weren't for that, I can't even imagine what my end would have been, let alone surviving for nine months."

"For this, I only have gratitude for Maiden Zhao and the Frozen Palace."

"But, there is indeed something I hope you could help with."