The Bai Clan was not prepared.
It was a quiet afternoon in the ancestral compound. Servants were sweeping petals. Elders were drinking spiritual tea and talking nonsense about "youth potential." Bai Lu herself was attending a family ceremony, wearing a white silk dress that whispered elegance and restraint.
And then—
The sky turned gold.
The clouds parted.
And Lin Xuan arrived.
Not riding a carriage. Not walking on foot.
He stood atop a flying beast—a golden-red spirit eagle with flame-tipped wings—his black robes fluttering in the wind, his gaze colder than the northern ice plains, and his expression... completely bored.
DING!Young Master Entrance Activated™Arrogance Aura: 120%Bai Clan Morale: -35%Bai Lu's Heart Rate: +12%
He descended slowly, arms behind his back, posture infuriatingly noble.
Servants bowed instinctively. Elders squinted.
And Bai Lu…
She froze.
There he was. The "trash" she had publicly rejected. The boy with shattered meridians. The humiliation of the Lin Clan.
But he was standing tall, radiating power. His eyes burned with confidence. His aura… made even the air around her tremble.
She swallowed.
Why is he so… infuriatingly composed?Why does he look like he's about to insult the heavens?Why does my heart feel like it's skipping three beats at once?!
😏 Young Master Mode: Activated
Lin Xuan landed softly.
He didn't speak right away.
He looked around the Bai courtyard as if judging its decor.
Then he looked at Bai Lu.
And said, with absolute calm:
"I nearly forgot how small this place was."
Bai Lu's lips parted. "You…"
"Speak carefully," Lin Xuan interrupted. "This Young Master does not waste time on nostalgic regrets."
DING!Bai Lu Emotional State: [Annoyed] → [Curious] → [Mildly Flustered]Internal Monologue Detected: "Why is he so annoying and charming at the same time?!"
💍 Enter the Substitute Fiancé
Just then, Duan Cheng entered.
Tall. Muscular. Sword on his back. Eyebrows permanently raised like he practiced mirror scowls for an hour daily.
He strode toward Lin Xuan like a righteous avenger from a low-budget sect drama.
"Lin Xuan. You've already been discarded. You have no place here. Leave while you still have your pride."
Lin Xuan didn't even look at him at first.
He turned slightly, examining his own fingernails.
Then he spoke—softly, yet sharp as a heavenly blade:
"You must be the one she chose after me."
Duan Cheng puffed his chest. "That's right."
Lin Xuan smiled thinly.
"That must have been hard for you. Imagine being someone's second choice after they broke off the first due to 'lack of potential'... and now the first returns shining brighter than the sun."
DING!Verbal Slap DeliveredDuan Cheng's Confidence: -70%Bai Lu's Eyes: Slightly Wider, Slightly Shakier
"Y-You dare mock me?" Duan Cheng growled.
Lin Xuan took a step forward. His aura pressed down like heat from a volcano.
"No. I'm merely stating facts. You, Duan Cheng, are the consolation prize in a contest I no longer compete in."
Bai Lu blinked.
Her breath caught.
DING!Bai Lu Emotional State: [Visibly Affected]Subconscious Thoughts: "Why is he so cruel and yet so dazzling?"Hidden Stat Gained: Charm of Arrogant Heart
👁🗨 The Final Blow
Lin Xuan turned fully to Bai Lu now.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand.
"Don't bother."
He tossed a small object—a withered engagement token—at her feet.
"I came not for you, but to return this."
He looked her dead in the eye.
"You gave it back when I was nothing. I give it back now that I am something... so you never forget the price of short-sightedness."
He turned.
Did not look back.
DING!Mission Progress: 90%Bonus Objective Achieved: "Make Ex Regret Her Entire Bloodline"Bai Lu Status: Emotionally Devastated But Intrigued™
As Lin Xuan stepped back onto his spirit eagle and rose into the sky, Bai Lu clenched the token in her hand, biting her lip.
"He's insufferable… arrogant… unbelievable…"
A pause.
"…Why does that make my heart race?"