Chapter 100: The marriage proposals

On the opposite side of the platform, Wang Zongyao turned toward Tang Wuying with a broad, almost gentle smile.

“Brother Tang,” he said lightly, “your Bai Ye truly impressed me. Even learning a pseudo-Heaven-rank high-grade martial art at his age is in and of itself an achievement. Pity that he was born in our Li Wei’s era.

Tang Wuying’s face darkened like thunderclouds rolling in. He snorted once, the sound sharp and cold.

“Brother Wang’s schemes run deeper than I expected,” he said stiffly. “I underestimated Fengyue City. Losing is losing. The Black Silk Treasure Armor is yours.”

Without another word, he reached into his spatial ring and produced the armor—a sleek, dark garment that shimmered faintly with inner light. He extended it toward Wang Zongyao, hand steady despite the visible tightness in his jaw.

Wang Zongyao accepted it with both hands, smile widening.

“Then I must thank Brother Tang.”

Tang Wuying gave another cold snort and turned to leave.

But he paused mid-step.

He turned back slowly, eyes narrowing.

“Brother Wang,” he said, voice low. “There’s something I don’t understand. May I ask?”

Wang Zongyao was still admiring the armor, fingers tracing the intricate patterns with obvious pleasure. “Of course. Go ahead.”

Tang Wuying’s frown deepened, but he pressed on.

“What level… has Li Wei actually reached? Why can’t I see through his cultivation at all?”

Wang Zongyao finally looked up, momentarily startled. He hesitated—just long enough for the silence to stretch—then answered carefully.

“I don’t know his exact level either,” he said. “I only know that he is strong. Strong enough to be valued by the Wang Clan.”

The words were vague. Deliberately so.

Tang Wuying’s pupils contracted sharply.

Valued by the Wang Clan.

That single phrase carried far more weight than any number or realm title. At Ryan’s age, to defeat a nine-star Upper Elite so casually, so effortlessly… could it really be that he had already stepped into the Exalt realm?

Tang Wuying drew in a sharp breath.

Everything clicked into place.

No wonder Wang Zongyao had remained calm from the very beginning.

No wonder he had dared to wager so confidently.

This wasn’t arrogance.

This was certain.

“So that’s how it is…” Tang Wuying thought bitterly, a sour taste rising in his throat. “I came here thinking I would trap him. In the end, I was the one who walked into the snare.”

His gaze toward Wang Zongyao grew complicated—mingled resentment, grudging respect, and something darker.

“Brother Tang?” Wang Zongyao asked, noticing the prolonged stare. His tone was almost awkward now.

Tang Wuying snorted once more and said nothing.

He turned away.

Wang Zongyao looked down at the Black Silk Treasure Armor cradled in his palms. A strange heat seemed to radiate from it, warming his hands.

He smiled wryly to himself.

In the end, the real prize hadn’t been the armor at all.

It had been the look on Tang Wuying’s face.

And the knowledge that, from this day forward, no one would ever look at Fengyue City the same way again.

“This really isn’t my fault,” he thought. “You were the one who came knocking with gifts.”

After the match, Wang Zongyao had intended to keep Tang Wuying behind for drinks that evening. But Tang Wuying refused without hesitation.

It was only natural. He had just lost a piece of precious armor, and his heart was still bleeding. How could he possibly have the mood to drink? On top of that, he still had to escort the candidates from Lingyin City back. Those youngsters were all wearing expressions darker than thunderclouds. Forget drinking, even breathing felt irritating at that moment.

So after exchanging a few stiff courtesies with Wang Zongyao, Tang Wuying led his people away from Fengyue City.

Once the Lingyin City delegation departed, the qualification test continued as scheduled.

From that point on, there were no more surprises.

Ryan swept through the remaining matches with absolute dominance, winning all fifty-one bouts and firmly securing first place in the qualification exam. At the same time, he obtained the qualification to participate in the entrance examination of the Western Mansion headquarters.

The Li Clan’s other members also performed admirably. Li Wujie finished with forty-two victories, Li Shu won thirty-three matches, and Li Baijie achieved twenty-nine wins. All three successfully obtained qualification spots.

Including Ryan, four members of the Li Clan would be heading to Western Mansion together.

Such results were dazzling beyond words. With Ryan shining like the sun, the rise of the Li Clan was no longer a possibility but an inevitability. No one could stop it.

After the list of the twenty qualified candidates was officially announced, the Fengyue City qualification test came to an end. Three days later, all qualified candidates would set out together for Western Mansion to take part in the entrance examination.

***

The following day, Ryan was summoned by Li Gengxin to the main hall of the Li residence.

When Ryan arrived, Li Gengxin was already seated at the head of the hall. There were no elders present, no servants either. It was just the two of them.

“Father,” Ryan greeted respectfully.

Li Gengxin nodded with a smile and gestured for him to sit. “Come, sit first.”

Ryan took a seat and asked calmly, “May I know why Father called me here?”

“There’s nothing urgent,” Li Gengxin replied, pretending to put on a stern face. “Can’t I just talk to my own son? Or is it that I’ve grown too old for you?”

He failed to keep up the act for more than a second before laughing.

Ryan smiled helplessly. “Father jokes too much. I’m always happy to talk with you.”

Li Gengxin sighed softly, emotion flickering in his eyes. “Wei’er, you’ve become too steady, too calm. So calm that I can’t find a single flaw. But that’s a good thing. It means you’ve truly grown up and can stand on your own. Your father doesn’t have to worry anymore.”

“I’m willing to share Father’s burdens in the future,” Ryan said earnestly. “And Father isn’t old at all.”

“You really know how to speak nicely,” Li Gengxin chuckled, then waved his hand. “Alright, enough of that. Let me ask you something. What are your plans regarding the marriage with the Shangguan Clan?”

Ryan froze for a brief moment, clearly not expecting the question. After thinking for a while, he replied seriously, “We agreed on a half-year deadline. Once that time is up, I will personally go to Heaven’s Gate and reclaim justice.”

“And after that?” Li Gengxin pressed.

“After that,” Ryan said without hesitation, “I will reject Shangguan Siyu in front of everyone at Heaven’s Gate, to her face.”

His tone was firm, confident, and domineering, as though this outcome was already written.

Li Gengxin was momentarily stunned. With Ryan’s current strength, such words were no longer empty bravado. He nodded slowly and asked, “So you don’t intend to marry Shangguan Siyu?”

“No,” Ryan answered decisively. “I won’t marry a woman like her.”

Li Gengxin nodded in understanding. “That makes things easier. I was afraid you still had feelings for her.”

Ryan glanced at him, sensing there was more behind those words.

Li Gengxin continued, “Wei’er, you’re no longer young. It’s time to consider marriage. Since you don’t like Shangguan Siyu, you should look for someone else. Tell me, do you have someone you like?”

He smiled knowingly. “You might not know this, but after yesterday’s performance, people have already come to our door in eight separate groups.”

“Eight groups?” Ryan was genuinely startled.

Then again, considering what he had shown, perhaps it wasn’t so strange.

Marriage.

The word echoed in his mind, and a familiar figure surfaced almost instantly. Gentle, beautiful, always thinking of him alone.

Xue’er.

A wave of emotion surged through Ryan’s heart, filling it completely. There was no room left for anyone else.

He exhaled softly and replied, “Father, I want to focus on martial cultivation for now. I don’t plan to marry yet.”

Li Gengxin frowned slightly. “Don’t reject it so quickly. I’m not asking you to marry immediately, just to find someone suitable to keep you company. Aren’t you curious who those eight groups are?”

“Who are they?” Ryan asked despite himself.

Li Gengxin shook his head with a smile. “Six of them are minor families and wealthy merchants. I won’t mention those. But the remaining two are different.”

He paused deliberately before saying, “One is the Zhu Clan of Fengyue City’s West District. The other… is the Mu Clan.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Who are they proposing for? I don’t recall having much contact with either.”

“You don’t need to know them for them to know you,” Li Gengxin replied, then added, “The Zhu Clan patriarch came on behalf of his daughter. As for the Mu Clan… it was Patriarch Mu himself. And who he came for, I believe you already know.”

“Mu Xianling?” Ryan blurted out in shock.

He truly hadn’t expected that.

Wasn’t she the one who had always looked down on him?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep