Chapter 142

As the words fell, an indescribable weight filled the room, thick with unspoken implications.

The woman in the blue brocade dress below seemed utterly indifferent.

Her voice remained steady, unaffected. “Yes, Father.”

At the same time, she lifted her head, revealing a face as serene as autumn water.

Her deep eyes held no ripples of emotion.

With her snow-white neck slightly raised, she resembled an orchid blooming in a secluded valley—fresh, elegant, and ethereal, as if untouched by the mortal world.

The middle-aged man frowned, his tone still stern.

“The Hundred Dynasties War is still ten years away. Are you sure this isn’t just to escape your betrothal?”

“The Liu family is at the height of its power, a top-tier aristocratic clan. That Liu boy may not match the talent of his sister, Liu Muxian, the Holy Maiden of the Xuanyi Sacred Land, but he’s passable. What more do you want?”

At the mention of the betrothal, a flicker of disgust passed through Ji Yunshu’s eyes before she replied, “Father need not worry. When the ten-year betrothal period ends, your daughter will return on time.”

Seeing his daughter’s resolute attitude, Ji Tianlang, the current head of the Ji family, sighed helplessly. “I know you’re unwilling, but this betrothal was decided by the Ancestor. It cannot be changed.”

“This daughter would not dare.” Ji Yunshu quickly lowered her head.

“You dare not, but that doesn’t mean you don’t resent it.”

“Fine. Go, then. Consider it a chance to clear your mind before the wedding. But you must return on time.”

“Yes. Thank you, Father, for your understanding.”

Ji Yunshu visibly relaxed and bowed in gratitude.

Watching his increasingly distant and polite daughter, Ji Tianlang felt a pang of bitterness.

But there was nothing to be done. The Ancestor was the only Void Integration cultivator in the Ji family—no one dared defy him.

If it were up to him, that Liu boy wasn’t worthy of his daughter.

Thirty years old and only at the Nascent Soul stage?

His eldest daughter, of similar age, had already reached the Divine Transformation stage.

Sometimes, Ji Tianlang wondered if the Liu family had chosen Yunshu just to refine their bloodline.

But who would dare say such things to the Ancestor?

He might be the family head, but if he lost his value, replacing him would be as simple as a single command.

“You may go, but you must take your guardian. The Southern Region may be backward and barren, but there are still those who’ve reached Divine Transformation.”

“Even if your cultivation is suppressed there, a Purple Mansion guardian will still far surpass ordinary Divine Transformation cultivators.”

“Yes, Daughter understands.”

Guardian? More like a watchdog.

Exiting the inner chamber, Ji Yunshu’s expression remained impassive, but the oppressive aura around her finally eased.

Ten years.

Even if nothing changed, it was better than staying in this suffocating cage of a family.

Yet, a trace of sorrow still crept into her heart.

Such is family.

Enjoying the privileges of status came with inescapable duties. She was no exception.

Walking along the corridor, she reached a corner.

Spotting the graceful figure of a golden-robed woman and a petite girl in red standing not far away, Ji Yunshu paused.

Her lips parted slightly. “Yunhuang, Yunjin, why are you here?”

“That’s what we should be asking you, Eldest Sister.”

The woman stepped out of the shadows, her long legs carrying her forward. Moonlight illuminated her striking beauty—a face so breathtakingly fierce and enchanting that one glance would sear her image into memory.

Ji Yunhuang, the second of the Ji family’s three jades.

“Yeah, yeah!”

The little girl in red rushed to Ji Yunshu’s side, grabbing her sleeve. Her twin buns were tied with red ribbons, and her delicate, doll-like face scrunched up in exaggerated seriousness, as if she were apprehending a criminal.

Most striking was her petite frame paired with a bust that rivaled her older sisters’, swaying distractingly with every movement.

Ji Yunjin, the youngest of the three.

“It’s nothing much. I just asked Father for permission to replace our brother in overseeing the Southern Region’s Hundred Dynasties War.”

Facing her sisters, Ji Yunshu smiled faintly and explained.

“The Southern Region!”

The two exclaimed in unison, their interest immediately piqued.

They had heard of the place, of course, but only through records—a land of sparse spiritual energy, few cultivators, and extreme poverty.

Due to the degradation of the world’s laws, the highest cultivation achievable there was Divine Transformation, making it a peculiar anomaly.

“I want to go too!”

The childlike Ji Yunjin blurted out, her face alight with excitement.

Ji Yunhuang, in her golden robes, also looked intrigued.

But Ji Yunshu shook her head, chiding, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going to oversee the Great Xia Dynasty’s Hundred Dynasties War. What would you two do there?”

“Great Xia? That dynasty our Ji family secretly supports?” Ji Yunhuang mused before smiling. “I’d love to see it.”

“Eldest Sister, don’t treat us like ignorant children. There’s barely a few months’ difference between us.”

“Exactly!” Ji Yunjin nodded vigorously, her chest bouncing with the motion.

Definitely not a child.

Ji Yunshu pressed her lips together, hesitating before finally relenting. “I don’t mind, but you’ll have to convince Father yourselves.”

After all, they would have their own guardians. There was no real danger.

“Yay! Second Sister, hurry, let’s go ask before Father retires for the night!”

Beaming, Ji Yunjin tugged Ji Yunhuang’s arm and dashed off in the direction Ji Yunshu had come from.

Watching their retreating figures disappear around the corner, the faint smile on Ji Yunshu’s lips faded, replaced by a long, quiet sigh.

She, Yunhuang, and Yunjin were not born of the same mother, yet they shared the same birth year.

In another family, they might have been locked in endless rivalry.

But in the cold, calculating halls of the Ji family, they had become each other’s only refuge.

The outside world called them the Three Jades of the Ji Family, but she found the title laughable.

Like her, her sisters had been puppets of fate since birth.

Yunhuang, the second sister, had been born with the Phoenix Ascendant destiny.

A phoenix soars to the heavens, symbolizing ascension to immortality.

And a phoenix mates for life—meaning the man who won her heart would have an overwhelming chance of reaching the pinnacle of the Dao.

The temptation was irresistible.

Even Great Ascension male cultivators couldn’t resist such an omen.

Though everyone knew it was just a baseless rumor, who would refuse a lucky charm?

If not for the fact that Yunhuang’s phoenix bloodline hadn’t fully awakened—making her unsuitable for dual cultivation—the Ji family’s gates would have been stormed the moment her aura leaked.

Yunjin, the youngest, had awakened the Everwood Longevity Body at six, freezing her appearance at that age.

This constitution granted boundless vitality.

Even with the worst aptitude, she could theoretically reach immortality through sheer longevity.

Unlike Yunhuang’s semi-public destiny, Yunjin’s physique had been suppressed within the family.

At first, Ji Yunshu had thought it was protection.

Until two years ago, when she overheard her father and mother discussing the Ancestor’s plans.

The Ancestor intended to use Yunjin as a cultivation furnace in the future, draining her immense life force to extend his own lifespan and break through to higher realms.

If she resisted, she would simply be refined into a longevity elixir.The only reason she remained untouched was that her cultivation was still too low—the Ancestor feared she wouldn’t survive the plundering of a Void Integration cultivator and planned to wait until she reached the Purple Mansion stage.

Yunjin still knew nothing of this.

In the Ji family, Ji Yunshu had never found the right moment to tell her.

Yunjin was naive. If she learned the truth and acted rashly, there would be no saving her.

Compared to them, Ji Yunshu almost felt lucky to only be forced into a marriage.

How pitiful.

How laughable.

The self-mockery in her eyes cooled into resolve as she began contemplating the possibilities of this Southern Region trip.

That land’s laws suppressed even Great Ascension cultivators to Divine Transformation.

Its dynasties and factions were a tangled web.

Though aristocratic families like theirs pulled the strings from behind the scenes, they couldn’t control everything.

Perhaps… this was their chance.

A life of gilded cages and invisible chains.

Or a life in hiding, stuck at Divine Transformation forever.

Which was worse?

Ji Yunshu couldn’t say.

But she had to try.

Didn’t she?

The next morning, Ning Chen awoke to the relentless sound of smacking, feeling refreshed.

At the same time, an increasingly distinct sensation rose from below.

Looking down, he saw Duanmu Yao enthusiastically sucking away.

On either side of him, two women tended to his granaries, while his hands were occupied in a game of landlord elsewhere.

Five women worked in perfect harmony, their expressions devout.

Ning Chen’s face darkened.

Did they keep this up all night?

After last night’s ambush, he’d been too lazy to intervene and had simply let them continue until he fell asleep.

How many women had cycled through? How many times had they milked him? He’d lost count. There had been a few intense moments, but he hadn’t bothered opening his eyes.

Truly, a relay of lips and tongues.

Thanks to his ability to refresh his stamina at midnight, Ning Chen rarely slept. But when he did sleep and was woken up like this, his morning temper was formidable.

He shoved the happy beans aside and, with a stern expression, activated Cosmic Sun-Moon Reversal.

Early in the morning, he seized the rebellious daughter by her twin ponytails and delivered a memorable lesson.

Under the watchful eyes of the other women, Duanmu Yao wailed in agony.

Even with the Golden Dragon Battle Body’s formidable recovery, she was no match.

Sobbing and snotting, she confessed everything, even revealing her hidden identity.

But Ning Chen remained unmoved.

He was determined to teach her a lesson she wouldn’t forget.

The family discipline whip fell relentlessly until she passed out.

Only then did Ning Chen leisurely rise, leaving Duanmu Yao to her tears of regret.

The first shot of the morning was fired!

A glance at Duanmu Yao’s status.

Good. The first of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Passes had been effortlessly cleared.

The women were stunned by Ning Chen’s sudden ferocity.

But as their eyes fell on the unyielding pillar swaying in the breeze, their legs weakened, and their cores wept.

Some had even been playing with their own happy beans while watching the punishment, now unbearably desperate.

“Line up below. One per layer,” Ning Chen commanded.

He was ready to begin the challenge!

…