Chapter 48: A Disputed Arrangement

A vast mansion stood in the southern part of Qingyuan City. At the entrance, two large golden characters gleamed under the sunlight: Yuan Mansion!

From afar, the mansion looked glorious and magnificent.

Two guards dressed in red stood at the gate, their expressions sharp. Both were at level three of the Body-Refining Realm—an impressive cultivation level for a small city like this.

"Who are you?" one of the guards asked as a young man approached.

With his hands behind his back, the young man replied lightly, "I am Xiao Chen of the Xiao family, here to celebrate my grandfather's birthday."

"The Xiao family?"

One of the guards muttered under his breath before his eyes lit up in recognition. He immediately cupped his hands respectfully. "Apologies, Young Master Xiao. I did not recognize you. Please wait a moment while I inform my master."

Without hesitation, the guard sprinted into the Yuan family's estate.

Moments later, a hearty laugh echoed from within the mansion.

"Haha! Xiao Chen, you're here! You've arrived quite early!"

A man in a red robe strode forward with a dignified air, his movements powerful and steady like a tiger's.

This was Yuan Qingfeng, the second young master of the Yuan family—and Xiao Chen's maternal uncle.

"Uncle Qingfeng!" Xiao Chen greeted warmly, turning toward him with a smile.

"Not bad, not bad! I see you've grown into a strong young man!"

Yuan Qingfeng laughed heartily, patting Xiao Chen on the shoulder with satisfaction.

Back when Xiao Chen's mother still lived with the Yuan family, she had been closest to Yuan Qingfeng. Now, seeing her son standing before him, Yuan Qingfeng couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

"Come, come inside. Your grandfather was just talking about you earlier. He'll be pleased to see you," Yuan Qingfeng said, pulling Xiao Chen into the mansion.

They passed through a grand hall before arriving at a spacious chamber. At the center sat an old man with white hair and a long beard, his sharp yet kind eyes watching them with a smile.

A warmth spread through Xiao Chen's heart. Without hesitation, he knelt before the elder and bowed three times respectfully.

"Grandfather, I, Xiao Chen, am here to pay my respects. I wish you boundless blessings and longevity!"

"Haha! Good! Good!"

The old man laughed joyfully and personally helped Xiao Chen to his feet. "You've come just in time. Sit and join me for a meal."

Soon, a lively banquet unfolded in the hall.

The Yuan family was vast. Aside from Yuan Qingfeng, Xiao Chen had two other uncles and four aunts. However, most were absent—some married into other families, while others managed the Yuan family's businesses elsewhere.

Even so, the gathering remained lively, with dozens of members from the younger generation present.

Among them, a particular figure stood out.

A girl sat quietly at the table, yet her beauty drew every gaze in the room.

Even Xiao Chen took a moment to glance at her.

To his surprise, his grandfather had arranged for him to sit next to her.

She appeared around sixteen years old, with long, flowing black hair and a refined, graceful presence. Her features were delicate, exuding the elegance of a noble young lady.

Midway through the meal, the old man chuckled and turned to Xiao Chen.

"Come, Xiao Chen, let me introduce someone to you." He gestured toward the girl. "This is Mengyao. What do you think of her?"

Xiao Chen blinked. "Huh?"

Caught off guard, he instinctively responded, "She's very pretty."

The old man's smile widened. "That's good! That's good! You two are of the same age. I'm sure you'll have plenty to talk about. You should spend more time together in the future."

The room fell into silence.

Then, a wave of complicated gazes landed on Xiao Chen—a mix of jealousy, envy, and anger!

The reason was obvious.

The Old Master was trying to match Xiao Chen and Yuan Mengyao!

However, everyone knew Xiao Chen's reputation.

A good-for-nothing. A disgrace.

Rumors claimed that his talent was only at level one, that he had never cultivated past the Mortal Realm, and that he wasted his days sleeping instead of training.

And yet, the Old Master wanted to match him with the most beautiful girl in the Yuan family?!

Had the old man lost his mind?

Was he unaware that Xiao Chen was unworthy of her?

Feeling the scornful stares around him, Xiao Chen sighed inwardly.

What was he supposed to say?

He only called her pretty out of courtesy. What else could he have said? That she was ugly?

In the eyes of ordinary people, Yuan Mengyao was indeed stunning. However, Xiao Chen had just met her. He held no special feelings for her, and he had no idea what his grandfather was planning.

Ignoring the looks around him, Xiao Chen simply shook his head. He wasn't interested.

Meanwhile, Yuan Mengyao's gaze lingered on him, her expression unreadable.

A Rival's Return

At that moment, a firm voice echoed through the hall.

"Grandfather!"

A young man strode in.

He wore black robes, his posture tall and commanding. Even standing still, he radiated an intense heat, making the air around him shimmer like a furnace.

"It's Brother Yuan Ye!"

"Haha, Brother Yuan Ye's Fire Yuan Skill has only grown stronger!"

"Of course! He's the number one genius of our Yuan family! He has a level three cultivation talent!"

"Not only that—he recently broke through to level one of the Spirit Incarnation Realm! And now, he's been accepted into Tianyuan Sect as an external disciple! His future is limitless!"

Excited murmurs spread through the hall as the younger generation rose to their feet, expressions filled with admiration and respect.

Yuan Ye was undoubtedly a rising star.

At the same time, several people glanced at Xiao Chen with smirks forming on their lips.

"Haha, this will be interesting. Yuan Ye has always liked Yuan Mengyao. He even swore publicly that he would marry no one else!"

"And now, the Old Master wants to pair Mengyao with Xiao Chen instead?"

"Heh, if Yuan Ye finds out about this, he's going to explode!"

"What's wrong with the Old Master? Does he not know Yuan Ye's feelings? Why would he create a rivalry between them?"

"But Xiao Chen deserves whatever's coming. He should've rejected it outright! What a shameless toad, daring to covet our Yuan family's beauty!"

"This is going to be a good show!"

Just then, a sharp, indignant voice rang out.

"Brother Yuan Ye! You're finally here! Grandpa is actually trying to pair Mengyao with that useless Xiao Chen! It's infuriating!"

The room fell silent.

Yuan Ye's warm smile vanished.

His eyes darkened, and two rays of cold light shot toward Xiao Chen like piercing daggers.

His voice carried the weight of suppressed fury.

"Who do you think you are to match Mengyao?"

"Get out of here!"