C1 The Huge Change at the Wedding Night

"Yunchen, do you cherish Xihua?"

In the dimly lit room, the girl lay in the young man's arms, her elegant form captivating the vigorous youth and rendering him momentarily spellbound.

Hearing Huangfu Xihua's alluring voice, the young man smiled. "Xihua, you are my one and only, now and forever."

As Lin Yunchen spoke these words, a secretive glimmer flickered in the eyes of Huangfu Xihua, nestled in his embrace. At that instant, only she knew the thoughts swirling in her mind.

Huangfu Xihua gently lifted her head, her gaze meeting Lin Yunchen's striking features. In a soft whisper, she asked, "Yunchen, if I were to wrong you, would you forgive me?"

Lin Yunchen, upon hearing her words, gazed intently into her eyes, a tender smile gracing his face. "How could you ever wrong me, Xihua? Our wedding day is tomorrow; let go of such troubling thoughts."

"Yunchen..." Huangfu Xihua seemed on the verge of revealing something, but she held back, as if wrestling with a significant choice.

Lin Yunchen faced Huangfu Xihua, their eyes locked in a deep, loving connection. He reassured her gently, "Xihua, no matter what you do in the future, I will forgive you, because I am, and always will be, your Yunchen—forever."

He then leaned down and tenderly kissed her forehead before leaping from the bed.

"I'll head back now. Remember to dress beautifully tomorrow; you'll be the most stunning bride."

With a warm smile, Lin Yunchen headed for the door, departing from the Huangfu residence.

As she watched Lin Yunchen's retreating figure, a complex emotion flickered across Huangfu Xihua's eyes.

"Xihua, remember your mission. Lin Yunchen's father is the killer of your parents. You can never truly be with him. Your primary task is to seize the 'Divine Solar Power' within Lin Yunchen, to master the Yin Yang Spirit Body, and to ensure that Lin Yunchen faces an inescapable doom."

"No, it's still not enough!"

"You must obliterate the entire Lin family. Only by doing so can you honor the spirits of your parents in the heavens!"

Unbeknownst to her, an elderly woman with a face etched by time had appeared behind Huangfu Xihua. She seemed to have merged with the very essence of the universe, wielding the formidable power of a Spirit Sea Stage master.

Huangfu Xihua, hearing the old woman's voice, responded firmly, "Grandmother, I'm aware of what needs to be done. I won't be rash."

"The night of my wedding tomorrow marks the moment I attain the Yin Yang Spiritual Body. And when I ascend to the King Stage, that will signal the downfall of the Lin family!"

Huangfu Xihua slowly lifted her gaze toward the Lin family's stronghold, her eyes flickering with a glint of murderous intent.

On the city's eastern edge stood the Lin family estate, where Lin Yunchen was hailed as the family's crowning jewel.

Lin Yunchen, without peer among the Lin family's youth, had advanced from the First Layer of the Body Tempering Stage to the Ninth Layer Peak of the Pulse Condensation Stage before even reaching sixteen. He was a mere half-step from the Origin Purging Stage.

It's worth noting that within the entire city, those at the Origin Purging Stage were among the elite.

Even the heads of the city's ten major families had only reached the Ninth Layer Peak of the Origin Purging Stage.

Lin Yunchen made his way back to the Lin estate and headed straight for his quarters.

Upon opening his door, he found an unexpected presence—Lin Yi, the current Lin family patriarch and one of the city's top ten experts at the Ninth Layer Peak of the Origin Purging Stage.

Lin Yunchen entered, shut the door with a flick of his wrist, and nonchalantly sprawled out on his bed. Without so much as a glance at Lin Yi, he drawled, "Patriarch Lin, what brings you here? If there's nothing pressing, I'd appreciate it if you'd leave."

At that moment, Lin Yunchen's previously buoyant mood soured at the sight of Lin Yi.

With a wry smile, Lin Yi observed Lin Yunchen's demeanor and said, "Yunchen, you truly cannot afford to marry into the Huangfu family. If you do..."

Before Lin Yi could get his words out, Lin Yunchen's roar cut through the air, "Lin Yi, you were the one who withheld information about my parents. You were the one who chose to ignore me, a disciple of the Lin family. Now, when I decide to join the Huangfu family through marriage, you suddenly appear to say I can't. Well, hear this: from today on, I, Lin Yunchen, am severing ties with the Lin family!"

His declaration still hung in the air as Lin Yunchen sprang from the bed and stormed out, leaving the Lin family behind for good.

Lin Yunchen took nothing with him, for in his eyes, there was nothing in the Lin family worth holding onto.

Lin Yi remained in the room, his gaze lingering on the path Lin Yunchen had taken, a flicker of sorrow in his eyes. "My child, it's not that I wished to keep secrets from you, but I wanted to spare you from being drawn into this conflict. Even your father, a Great Sage of immense power, couldn't escape being ensnared..."

Beyond Lin Yi, no one else in the entire city was aware of the formidable legacy that Lin Yunchen possessed.

A Great Sage stood among the elite on the Five Elements Continent.

Without someone of the Nirvana Stage, the Great Sage represented the pinnacle of power, as the Nirvana and Domination Stages were realms of legend, their existence unverified by anyone.

Had Lin Yunchen's biological father been present, today's events might have unfolded differently.

Leaving the Lin family behind, Lin Yunchen found himself, almost as if by fate, at the doorstep of the Moo family.

"Young Master Chen, are you here to see the young lady?" inquired one of the Moo family guards, spotting Lin Yunchen and addressing him with a soft voice filled with respect. They recognized that Lin Yunchen's future accomplishments would surely surpass their own.

They had spent two to three decades to reach only the Third Layer of the Pulse Condensation Stage, whereas Lin Yunchen, at just sixteen, had already achieved the Ninth Layer. His extraordinary talent was beyond any comparison to theirs.

Upon hearing the words of the Moo family's guards, Lin Yunchen couldn't help but picture an eccentric figure in his mind.

"Yunchen, brother..." Before Lin Yunchen could snap out of his reverie, a lively shadow bounced before him. She hardly seemed like a fifteen-year-old girl, but rather like a mischievous little sprite who refused to grow up.

"Qiubai, what brings you here? I was just about to come find you for some fun," Lin Yunchen said, affectionately ruffling the girl's hair and smiling gently.

Moo Qiubai, with a twinkle of curiosity in her eyes, asked, "I heard that you and Sister Xihua are getting married tomorrow, Yunchen. How do you still have time to play with Qiubai?"

Standing before Lin Yunchen, her large eyes shimmering, Moo Qiubai left him at a loss for words.

Lin Yunchen glanced at Moo Qiubai, recalling Huangfu Xihua's unusual behavior that day.

"Qiubai, do you think Sister Xihua could do something to betray my trust?"

In that moment, Lin Yunchen found himself unable to judge the situation rationally, relying instead on the one person he truly trusted to make the call.

Moo Qiubai responded to Lin Yunchen's concern with an innocent smile.

Parting her lips, which were as red as cherries, she said, "Qiubai doesn't know if Sister Xihua would do something to hurt you, Yunchen, but I promise you, Qiubai never would."

Standing in front of Lin Yunchen, Moo Qiubai's smile grew even more radiant.

Lin Yunchen felt a twinge of worry in his heart, sensing that Huangfu Xihua's recent behavior hinted at something ominous on the horizon.

He looked at Moo Qiubai and smiled, "It's getting late, Qiubai. You should head back and get some rest. I'll be on my way too."

Hearing Lin Yunchen was leaving, Moo Qiubai waved her little hand and called out, "Goodbye, Yunchen, brother. Don't forget to come and play with Qiubai when you have the time..."

And so, Lin Yunchen's silhouette gradually vanished before Moo Qiubai, leaving behind a solitary figure that stirred a sense of desolation in the air.

"Yunchen, can't you truly grasp the depth of Qiubai's feelings?"

That night, Lin Yunchen roamed the city streets alone, lost in thought. Despite the turmoil, he resolved to join the Huangfu family through marriage—a decision of his own making, and the only option he saw fit at the time.

The following day at the Huangfu family estate was abuzz with excitement, as the prodigious young master from the Lin family became their newest member through marriage.

The Huangfu residence was aglow with festive lanterns and bustling with joviality. Laughter and chatter filled the courtyard where guests indulged in food and drink, while the day's protagonists had already retreated to their chamber.

"Yunchen, do you truly cherish me?" Huangfu Xihua asked as she shed her outer garment and approached Lin Yunchen with deliberate steps.

Lin Yunchen, smiling at her query, replied, "Xihua, why do you ask again? Haven't I already given you an answer..."

Before he could finish, Huangfu Xihua materialized before him, a chilling dagger now in her grasp.

In that instant, the icy blade was pressed against Lin Yunchen's throat, poised to claim his life at a moment's notice.

Lin Yunchen turned to face Huangfu Xihua, his smile dissolving into a scowl. "Xihua, what is this about?"

Witnessing Lin Yunchen's rage, Huangfu Xihua's lips curled into a frosty smirk. "What am I doing? Let me enlighten you, Lin Yunchen. Were it not for your father, I wouldn't be orphaned, nor would the Huangfu family have plummeted into such dire straits."

"Today, if you comply without fuss, perhaps I'll spare you. But if you choose to resist, then don't blame me, Huangfu Xihua, for showing no mercy!"

Confronted with Huangfu Xihua's piercing words, Lin Yunchen was at a loss for what to do next.

Regret began to gnaw at him—he lamented not heeding Lin Yi's advice and for leaving the Lin family behind. Yet, this did not signify that Lin Yunchen had abandoned his quest for hope in life.

With urgency, Lin Yunchen summoned every ounce of elemental force within him, channeling it into his arms, bracing for a do-or-die confrontation.

But as he unleashed his full power in an assault against Huangfu Xihua, he was met with a bewildering reality: the elemental energy within him had inexplicably vanished.

In that moment, Lin Yunchen was engulfed by a tide of despair.