A Spark to Light the Way

The ceremony had ended and all guests had left already, Li Jianfeng and Huo Yan had also left to fulfill their duties as Patriarch and City Lord respectively. Currently only Li Tianyan and Huo Lianhua remained in the hall.

An awkward silence hung in the air. Huo Lianhua stood near one of the grand hall's ornately carved pillars, her posture elegant yet distant. The soft glow of moonlight streaming through the high windows seemed to enhance her otherworldly beauty, her delicate features resembling a goddess descended from the heavens. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall of midnight, and her crimson robes, embroidered with golden phoenixes, shimmered faintly as she shifted slightly, gazing toward the empty hall.

Li Tianyan was seated casually atop one of the chairs made of Spiritwood while he tapped his fingers lightly against the armrest, his eyes fixed on her. For someone who always found the right words, he, too, was at a loss. He couldn't help but notice the faint flicker of exhaustion in her usually radiant amber eyes, a reminder of the day's endless formalities.

Finally, he broke the silence with a light tone carrying his characteristic glibness. "Miss Lianhua, if I didn't know better, I'd think you're avoiding to look at your dear fiancée."

Her gaze shifted toward him with and unreadable expression. "I wasn't avoiding anything," she said simply, her voice was calm but devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

Li Tianyan chuckled, leaning forward slightly. "Well, now that the hall is empty and the ceremony is over, what do you think of your soon-to-be home and... husband?" He raised an eyebrow, his tone carried a hint of teasing but wasn't at all overbearing.

Huo Lianhua's lips curved into a faint smile, but it was one of polite detachment rather than amusement. "The Li Clan has a fine hall, and the ceremony went especially smoothly," she replied, sidestepping the second part of his question with practiced ease. Her voice was steady, her words deliberate, neither cold nor warm.

Li Tianyan tapped his chin as if in thought. "You've already mastered the art of diplomacy, I see. But surely, as my fiancée, you should at least address me by something more endearing. 'Husband,' perhaps?"

For the first time, a hint of surprise flickered across Huo Lianhua's face, though she quickly concealed it. She rolled her eyes ever so slightly, the motion graceful rather than dismissive. Without bothering to respond to his playful request, she turned toward the entrance of the hall. "It's late. I should retire to my quarters."

Li Tianyan watched her retreating figure, a grin tugging at his lips. Despite her cool demeanor, there was an undeniable charm to her unflappable nature. He leaned back in his chair, muttering to himself, "Hard to crack, but certainly not impossible."

Originally, Li Tianyan didn't think too much about the engagement, to him, their union was just a way to fulfill their fathers' lifelong wish and strengthen their respective families, however, being given such an otherworldly beauty out of the blue, How could he let the opportunity pass him by?

To the citizens of Qinglong City however this was like manner from heaven, the Li Clan was undoubtedly the strongest power in the Azure Cloud Kingdom, however due to their status, when they settled in Qinglong city, they chose not to interfere with the city's affairs, however, with the union between the Li Clan and the City Lord's Estate, Qinglong City would definitely rise to the top of the 12 cities with a single leap! No one could question the Integrity of the Li Clan for interfering anymore because they were already a force in tandem with the City Lord's Estate.

As Li Tianyan leaned into his chair, relaxing with a cup of wine in hand, he didn't realize that his father was standing at the entrance watching him with amusement.

"Sigh... she left already?" Li Jianfeng said as he walked into the hall and sat on the seat across from Li Tianyan.

Li Tianyan nearly spilled his wine at the sound of his father's voice, his usual composure faltering for a brief moment. "Father, you startled me," he said, quickly regaining his calm. "Shouldn't you be busy with official duties?"

Li Jianfeng chuckled, pouring himself a cup of wine from the same jar. "I've done my part for the day. Now, I thought I'd see how my son, the future heir of my Li Clan was holding up after his big moment."

Li Tianyan raised an eyebrow, swirling the wine in his cup. "Holding up? I think I did rather well, don't you? The ceremony went smoothly, and everyone seemed satisfied."

Li Jianfeng's smile deepened as he leaned back in his chair, his sharp eyes studying his son. "Indeed, you carried yourself well. But that's not what I'm asking, Tianyan. A union like this is more than just ceremonies and toasts. It's a foundation for the future, yours, hers, and the entire clan's."

Li Tianyan sighed, setting his cup down. "I understand that, Father. But let's be honest this engagement wasn't my idea, nor hers. It's an alliance, plain and simple."

Li Jianfeng nodded, his expression turning serious. "True, but alliances are only as strong as the bonds that hold them together. Huo Lianhua may have agreed to this union for her estate's benefit, but she is now your fiancée. How you treat her and how you approach this relationship will define more than just your personal life it will define the Li Clan's future."

Li Tianyan hesitated, his usual glibness failing him. "She's… not exactly easy to approach," he admitted.

Li Jianfeng laughed, a hearty sound that echoed through the empty hall. "You're my son, Tianyan. The heir of the Li Clan. Is there a woman you can't conquer? "

Li Tianyan glanced at his father, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one engaged to a prodigy who's already leagues ahead of you in cultivation."

Li Jianfeng leaned forward, his tone firm yet encouraging. "Listen to me, Tianyan. Your worth isn't measured by cultivation alone. You have a sharp mind, a way with words, and a charisma that can disarm even the most stubborn opponents. Never doubt your worth, not even for a second!"

Li Tianyan stared at his father for a moment, the weight of his words sinking in. Finally, he nodded, his smile growing more confident. "You're right, Father. If I can't believe in myself, how can I expect her to?"

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Li Tianyan sat cross-legged in his dimly lit room, The Nine Realms of Chaos loomed ahead of him like a mountain he had to climb, but the first step, Realm of Primal Elements felt like the hardest. At first, it all seemed too much. He couldn't even begin to fathom what it would take to comprehend something like this.

But then, like a flicker of light in the dark, a whisper brushed against his mind. The essence of the elements—fire, water, earth, wind—wasn't just stuff you controlled, he realized. It was chaos. Raw, untamed chaos, that didn't play by any rules. They weren't these neat, predictable things; they were forces, constantly shifting, constantly changing.

His senses sharpened. He could feel it now. The heat of the flames, the chill of ice, the weight of mountains, the flow of rivers. But more than that, he could feel something deeper. Beneath the surface of everything, there was a pulse, like a heartbeat—chaotic, unpredictable, but alive.

He focused on it. Let it wash over him, like diving into the deep end of an ocean. The fire burned in his mind, not in a destructive way, but in a way that made him understand it. He wasn't trying to control it. He wasn't trying to shape it. He was just… letting it be. The chaos in the flame was the same chaos that ran through everything. They were connected.

It hit him in that moment. The elements weren't just things, they were expressions of chaos. Every element was its own chaotic dance—constantly fluctuating, constantly evolving. The fire didn't need to be controlled, and it didn't need to be tamed. He just had to understand it for what it was. Something that would burn bright, and then fade, only to start again. A never-ending cycle.

The warmth of the flames seeped into him, and for the first time, he felt it—a spark, like a tiny seed of understanding blooming in his chest.

He reached out his palm in front of him, and beckoned.

A spark lit!

Bang!

The tiny spark released a chaotic force that immediately blasted him away and caused him to spit out a mouthful of blood, however his eyes didn't hold any pain at all, his eyes were overflowing with endless excitement, he had already gained a sliver of comprehension.

Normally one wouldn't be able to use any elemental techniques until they had formed a Golden core, however this Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator had just created what seemed to be a spark... If anyone else were here they would undoubtedly pass out from the shock!