C2 He Had Broken off the Engagement!

Zhang Bufan was in a state of shock!

He had merely wanted to test his hypothesis, but who could have imagined that a mere cockroach would yield two hundred experience points!

From the Fourth Layer of the Transcendence Stage to the Fifth, then the Sixth...

Advancing to the First Layer of the Qi Refining Stage, then the Second, and the Third...

All the way to the pinnacle of the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Stage!

Zhang Bufan could feel an overwhelming surge of power within him, giving rise to an extraordinary sensation in his soul.

Is this what it feels like to be at the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Stage?

At this moment, Zhang Bufan sensed an endless reservoir of strength coursing through him, enough to run ten marathons without feeling the slightest fatigue!

"Now that I've reached the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Qi Refining Stage, it's time to consume the Foundation Pill!"

In the world of cultivators, the Foundation Stage marks the true beginning of one's cultivation journey. The Transcendence and Qi Refining Stages merely lay the groundwork. Only those who reach the Foundation Stage can be considered genuine cultivators!

Having ingested the Foundation Pill, Zhang Bufan sat cross-legged, ready to attempt the breakthrough.

This was a watershed moment, a boundary between realms. Despite his ability to level up through experience, Zhang Bufan couldn't simply force his way through; he needed to use this moment to deepen his understanding of cultivation.

...

In the grand hall of the Zhang family.

A middle-aged man sat in the seat of honor, exuding a calm yet authoritative presence, though his eyes betrayed an uncontrollable fury, casting a dark shadow over his visage.

"Esteemed elders, are we in agreement that this marriage must be annulled?" The man was none other than the Zhang family patriarch, Zhang Xiaotian, father to Zhang Bufan.

They were in the midst of deliberating the annulment of Zhang Bufan's engagement to the Saintess of the Exquisite Sect.

"Indeed, Patriarch. If we do not dissolve this engagement, the Exquisite Sect's retribution will be inevitable. Our modest Zhang family cannot possibly endure their wrath!"

The individual seated to Zhang Xiaotian's right was the Zhang family's Great Elder, Zhang Shusong.

"Patriarch, the engagement was arranged by the former Patriarch and the Saintess' grandfather, true, but much time has passed since then. The Saintess is now the heir apparent to the Exquisite Sect, a prodigy with exceptional talent. She has reached the Golden Core Stage at a remarkably young age. As for our Young Patriarch... he is nothing but a disappointment!"

Zhang Shusong spoke with a sneer of contempt.

No one in the Zhang family held Zhang Bufan in high regard, except for Zhang Xiaotian.

In a world where strength was everything, power was the only currency that mattered!

While no one would openly call Zhang Bufan useless at the Qi Refining Stage, being at the Transcendence Stage Layer Three was tantamount to being a cripple!

"Outrageous! Great Elder, you've gone too far! Bufan is my son, and he's destined to be the head of our family!" Zhang Xiaotian bellowed in anger.

Before Zhang Shusong could respond, the Second and Third Elders chimed in.

"Patriarch, your devotion to your son is understandable, but you are well aware of Zhang Bufan's capabilities. With such modest strength, how can he lead as Patriarch and command respect?" the Second Elder remarked calmly.

The Third Elder added with a smile, "Indeed, our Zhang family is to the Exquisite Sect what stars are to the moon. If Zhang Bufan can't even lead our own family, how can he possibly satisfy the Exquisite Sect?"

Zhang Xiaotian felt a bitter pang in his heart; he knew the elders were speaking sense, whether or not they had ulterior motives, leaving him without a rebuttal.

Finally, Zhang Shusong said in a measured tone, "Patriarch, the elders have a point. If you persist in this course, you risk the downfall of our entire clan. We, the senior members, will not stand idly by."

"So, you believe the marriage must be called off?" Zhang Xiaotian asked icily.

"It must be called off!" declared Zhang Shusong with finality. "Not only must we call it off, but Zhang Bufan himself must make an appearance when we meet with the Exquisite Sect, or they will never accept it."

"You..."

Zhang Xiaotian was livid. He was painfully aware that the marriage had to be annulled, but with his son still in a coma, to have him face such disgrace would be worse than a death sentence.

"Patriarch, we three elders are united in this decision. Please consider our counsel carefully."

With those words and a threatening glance, Zhang Shusong, flanked by the other elders, took his leave.

Zhang Xiaotian's expression was dark with worry. Despite being at the ninth layer of the Foundation Stage and the strongest member of the Zhang family, the three elders were formidable in their own right. They also had a substantial foundation. If it came to infighting, it would only lead to mutual destruction.

"Bufan, your father has failed you..." Zhang Xiaotian sighed deeply.

In his room, Zhang Bufan, having ingested the Foundation Elixir, finally had an epiphany about cultivation. With no further doubts, he focused his mind, and effortlessly entered the Foundation Stage.

Upon opening his eyes, a sharp glint flashed across them, as if he had transformed into someone else entirely.

"Foundation Stage Layer Three, leaping two whole levels!" Zhang Bufan was astounded by the immense power coursing through him.

This was the result of crushing a cockroach!

If one were to compare cultivation to leveling up in a game, Zhang Bufan's act of squashing a cockroach had inexplicably catapulted him up two major levels. The amount of experience gained was ludicrously excessive!

At that moment, footsteps approached from outside. With his newly enhanced senses, Zhang Bufan's hearing and vision were so acute he could detect the footsteps from a distance.

He lay back down and feigned sleep.

The door creaked open, and Zhang Xiaotian entered. The fact that the son of the Patriarch had no attendants spoke volumes of Zhang Bufan's dire straits.

"Oh, Bufan, this is all my fault. I've let you down," he lamented, gazing at his son who lay there unresponsive. Zhang Xiaotian's heart ached with a sense of helplessness.

With eyes brimming with tears, he looked at his son, his expression hardening with resolve. "Rest assured, I won't let the Exquisite Sect dishonor you. The marriage can be called off, and you won't have to face them."

"Your mother... there's no point in bringing up the past," he sighed, memories flooding back. After spending some time talking to his unconscious son, Zhang Xiaotian left the room.

Once alone, Zhang Bufan slowly opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling, whispering to himself, "Is this what family feels like? Father, have no worries. From now on, I am truly your son."

"The safety of the Zhang family is my responsibility!"

"Your safety is also my responsibility!"

Pretending to be unconscious, Zhang Bufan was at a loss for how to deal with this unexpected kinship. Yet, in that very moment, he resolved to do whatever it took to fortify his family and safeguard his father, Zhang Xiaotian, no matter what the future held.

It was then that Zhang Bufan truly felt he belonged to this world, this family, this identity.

"Just three more days," he mused, "and my betrothed will come on behalf of the Exquisite Sect to formally break off our engagement."

A cold smirk played across Zhang Bufan's lips.

"You see me as worthless, and you, as a favored daughter of the heavens, look down on me and wish to end our engagement. I get it. But to make such a spectacle of it, to personally confront me just to break it off, that's a deliberate insult!"

His memories of his fiancée were frozen in childhood, but since then, she had been taken under the Exquisite Sect's wing for training. More than a decade had slipped by in the blink of an eye.

"The Saintess of the Exquisite Sect? Exceptionally talented? I'm eager to see just how ridiculous your saintly status and talents will seem in my presence!"

Zhang Bufan harbored no worries. With the system at his disposal, he had a cultivation shortcut at his fingertips. The so-called Saintess of the Exquisite Sect in Vertville City was insignificant in comparison!

And it was at this time that a major event unfolded in Vertville City.

Murong Yu, the Saintess of the Exquisite Sect, arrived in Vertville City, escorted by the guardian elder and sect disciples!