Chapter 11: The Second Counterattack Mission

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At thirty-one, with noticeable progress in your life, you hear about Lin Xueru again. Instead of feeling resentful as expected (crossed out), you are surprisingly calm!?

That day, Lin Xueru, dressed in a white robe purer than snow, came down from the Grand Void Mountain, her demeanor as cold and aloof as a Banished Immortal descending to the mortal realm.

She had intended to fulfill her marriage arrangement with you, but it was Duke Xing who ordered the engagement annulled, and she then returned to her sect with no further news.```

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[Please reestablish the engagement with Lin Xueru and renew your former ties.

Reward: Small Success in Sword Dao.]

[Note: As Lin Xueru is now an elder of the Grand Void Sect, the third among the Ten Taoist Immortals, with a Fourth Grade Spirit Aperture Realm cultivation, the host is given a two-year deadline.

Failure to complete the task within this period or failure to complete it at all will lead you to live out your days in solitude!!]```

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"..."

After reading the system's task of turning the tables, Chen Yi was speechless for a moment.

This damned system really clings to the image of him as a wasted middle-aged man.

But what's up with that last description?

Why add so many exclamatory particles after "living out your days in solitude"?

Chen Yi looked over the words again more carefully and noticed the crossed-out text, then it dawned on him.

"Of course, I'm calm about things I've never experienced before!"

After muttering a few complaints, Chen Yi stared blankly at the content on the panel for a while.

Turns out, it's Lin Xueru from the Duke Xing's household who broke off their engagement in that tragic life trajectory.

Duke Xing...

Chen Yi recalled the day Chen Taiping led the troops north, and he had seen this Duke at the Emperor Wei's side, resembling a beardless Confucian scholar.

His appearance was okay, just his judgment was questionable.

"The key point is Lin Xueru, man, an elder of the Grand Void Sect, a fourth-grade Great Cultivator, and the third of the Ten Taoist Immortals."

Chen Yi didn't hesitate much and decided to finish the task as soon as possible.

Leaving aside the identity background and future achievements of this fiancée, just the reward of reaching Small Success in Sword Dao was something he couldn't refuse.

Not to mention the life warning issued by the system about "living out your days in solitude."

"Anyhow, this is definitely going to be worth it!"

Chen Yi had seen the current appearances of the Ten Taoist Immortals, each one an astonishing beauty.

After growing up, Lin Xueru shouldn't be too bad either!

With that thought, Chen Yi glanced at Chen Yuan who was shaking his head nearby and said, "Big brother, about the question you just asked me, I've given it some careful thought."

Chen Yuan looked puzzled: "What question?"

"The marriage arrangement..."

"No no, I don't want to bring a terrifying ancestor into the house!"

"Really not interested?" Chen Yi's face showed a genuinely innocent smile, "I haven't even told you the benefits of the engagement yet."

"Benefits?" Chen Yuan looked at him skeptically, "What benefits?"

"Come here, let me explain in detail."

"The first benefit is that it'll be warm in winter and cool in summer. Just think about it, it's so cold in winter, wouldn't it be nice to have a wife to warm the bed?"

"Right, right, the mansion is too cold."

"The second benefit is she'll be obedient to whatever you say."

"But wait a second, little brother, didn't you previously say that if she tells me to go east, I can't go west?"

"That's because you haven't found the right target. You need to show your manliness and reestablish your authority..."

After a lot of persuasion, Chen Yi patted his big brother's shoulder.

"You think about it here, big bro."

"I'm going to discuss some matters with our mother."

Chen Yuan nodded happily, sincerely praising, "Little brother, you know so much."

Chen Yi thought to himself, he hasn't even used one percent of his abilities yet.

...

Soon after, Chen Yi found Xia Wanwan.

"What? You agree to establish an engagement with Duke Xing's daughter?!" Xia Wanwan asked in surprise.

Chen Yi bluffed solemnly, "Mother, I've come to my senses."

"It's best to secure an engagement early to avoid others holding on to hope."

"And since you brought me the invitation today, you must be quite fond of Duke Xing's daughter. Both emotionally and rationally, I shouldn't be willful and refuse."

"But..."

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Xia Wanwan thought about how she had just finished discussing with Zhou Wanyi, announcing to the public that Yi Er would consider marriage only after his Foundation Establishment evaluation.

Only two hours had passed and she was changing her mind...

After much consideration, Xia Wanwan said, "Fine. Your father also fancies Duke Xing's daughter very much, so let it be her!"

"Father?"

Chen Yi did not expect that Chen Taiping was involved in this matter. Wasn't he far away at Beixiong Pass?

How could he know about Duke Xing delivering his visiting card today?

Realizing she had misspoken, Xia Wanwan coughed twice and said, "About the marriage proposal, actually, it was Duke Xing who approached your father, and that's why your mother accepted his card."

"So you mean father had already agreed?"

"Yes."

Chen Yi: "..."

He said with both warmth and amusement, "Mother, you should have told me directly."

"Since it was Father's decision, it might not be appropriate for you to refuse Duke Xing this way."

If he had known earlier that it was Chen Taiping, his dad who has a habit of setting traps for his son, who made the decision, he wouldn't have rejected the proposal so hastily.

Shouldn't he try to find a way to make Duke Xing back off?

But now, with the [Counter Attack Quest] as a reason, he no longer wanted to refuse.

He might as well go along with Chen Taiping's wishes.

"Yi Er has really grown up."

Xia Wanwan gently touched his head and smiled tenderly, "Mother will go to your aunt now and retract the previous decision."

"After telling the Old Lady, we should send an invitation to Duke Xing Mansion in the name of our Duke Wuan Mansion."

"Okay."

Chen Yi secretly breathed a sigh of relief; this should be considered as completing the task, right?

It went smoother than he expected.

But it was just the system that got his age wrong, otherwise, if he really had to look for the fairy Lin Xueru after being kicked out of the house at thirty...

It would be strange if he wasn't chased away by the Grand Void Sect!

...

The following day.

Duke Xing's Mansion was very satisfied upon knowing that Duke Wu'an Mansion had accepted the invitation.

The same day, Duke Xing Lin Hansong's wife, along with her daughter Lin Xueru, who was not yet three years old, came for a visit.

Chen Yi followed beside Xia Wanwan, eyeing the girl across from him.

She was indeed as described in the invitation, a little beauty, delicate and loveable.

And Lin Xueru was shyly hiding behind Mrs. Lin, occasionally poking her head out to look at him.

Her little face was a mix of curiosity and confusion, looking as if she had no idea what was happening.

It didn't take long for Mrs. Lin and Mrs. Xia, along with Zhou Wanyi who had come to watch, to sit down for a discussion, sending Lin Xueru and Chen Yi out of the door.

The two children stared at each other with wide eyes.

But Lin Xueru looked like she wanted to look but didn't dare to, while Chen Yi was much bolder.

"You, I've seen you before, Chen Yi."

After a long while, Lin Xueru seemed to gather her courage and speak.

"When have you seen me?" Chen Yi raised an eyebrow.

He had only left the mansion twice, once during the Lantern Festival and once when Chen Taiping went north.

Well, it must have been that time on the city wall of Guangyuan Gate.

"That day at Guangyuan Gate, you were held by Grandpa Emperor..."

"Then what?"

"Then, then I..."

Lin Xueru paused, stumbling over her words, not knowing what to say. Her chubby, round face blushed red as she fiddled with the corner of her clothes.

Chen Yi laughed twice, finding this "future wife" quite adorable, and so he quickly changed the topic.

With his worldly experience and what he had learned since arriving in this world, it did not take minutes to make the little girl giggle incessantly.

Even her address for him changed from "Chen Yi" to "Brother Yi".

"Yi Er and Xue Ru are very happy together."

Not far away, Mrs. Lin along with Xia Wanwan and Zhou Wanyi watched the two children, their babyish voices bringing smiles to their faces.

"When they grow up, we will be old."

"Yes..."