Chapter 5843 Liu Changtian
Long Chen never expected that Lady Xihua was actually Liu Ruyan's mother. No wonder the Undying Clan's experts were so furious when Lan Yin provoked Liu Ruyan.
According to the human race, Liu Ruyan was practically a princess of the Undying Nether Willow Clan. The Demon Eye Water Lily's decision to marry Liu Ruyan to Lan Yin was practically suicidal.
Long Chen initially thought Liu Ruyan's position in the Undying Clan was solely due to her strength and exceptional talent; it turned out there was another layer to the story.
Liu Ruyan shook her head and said, "It doesn't matter whether it's right or wrong. Since Lady Xihua has decided, then it's right."
Liu Ruyan didn't seem particularly warm towards her mother, Lady Xihua; her respect was tinged with distance, unlike a typical mother-daughter relationship.
Long Chen was taken aback. Liu Ruyan's origins had always been a mystery. Her appearance in the lower realm was inherently illogical. Could there be some secret behind it?
In reality, given Liu Ruyan's personality, she would directly eliminate any potential threats; any so-called intimidation was meaningless.
Because releasing them wouldn't earn them gratitude from the Undying Clan, and letting them go back would reveal some of the Undying Clan's strength and attitude. It was better to kill them all and keep them guessing.
However, since Lady Xihua, as the leader of the Undying Clan, had spoken, any objection from Liu Ruyan would be a challenge to her authority. Therefore, she ultimately chose to remain silent.
Lady Xihua seemed accustomed to Liu Ruyan's indifference and didn't take it to heart. Her gaze fell on Long Chen, scrutinizing him carefully.
"You're the Long Chen Ruyan has been longing for? The one who tricked her into a marriage contract?"
Lady Xihua's expression gradually shifted from kind to stern, her eyes growing cold and even showing a hint of anger.
Long Chen was about to greet her when he heard Lady Xihua's tone and froze. He realized that Liu Ruyan's earlier mention of a marriage contract referred to him.
But when had he ever been engaged to Liu Ruyan? "There wasn't even a verbal agreement, let alone a marriage certificate!"
However, Lady Xihua's parental interrogation made Long Chen seem like a liar, leaving him completely bewildered.
The Undying Clan's experts, looking at Long Chen now, couldn't help but gaze intently; their previous goodwill seemed to vanish in an instant.
"So it was him! That despicable human liar, it was him?!" The Undying Clan's experts were furious. "
Damn it, when did I become a liar?" Long Chen was completely dumbfounded. He couldn't help but look at Liu Ruyan, only to see her looking at him without saying a word. What's
going on? Long Chen couldn't help but look at Chu Yao. Chu Yao blinked but said nothing, secretly pinching his hand with a subtle force. "
Am I supposed to take the blame?" Although Long Chen didn't know what had happened, he knew he was probably going to have to take the blame.
Did the Undying Clan arrange a marriage for Liu Ruyan, which she disagreed with, and then claim there was a marriage contract?
Seeing Lady Xihua's piercing gaze fixed on him, Long Chen could only steel himself and say,
"The word 'deceive' is inappropriate. Marriage and love between men and women are based on mutual affection; it cannot be forced. How can you call it deception?"
Long Chen played a trick, neither admitting nor denying, while emphasizing mutual affection to leave himself an out. If things were truly as he suspected, there would still be room for a comeback.
Lady Xihua looked into Long Chen's eyes as if she could see right through his soul. An ordinary person would have avoided her gaze due to guilt.
But who was Long Chen? A modern-day "four-have" big scoundrel, with a skin thicker than a city wall. How could he back down and bravely meet her gaze?
Most importantly, Long Chen had a clear conscience and nothing to fear. Moreover, Lady Xihua was beautiful; time hadn't left many marks on her face. Compared to a young girl's purity and liveliness, she possessed more maturity and wisdom. Meeting her gaze wasn't something to be ashamed of.
"Do you hate me?"
Suddenly, the seriousness on Lady Xihua's face vanished, replaced by a smile. This sudden change caught everyone around off guard.
"No, I don't hate you. Besides, didn't you still save me in the end?" Long Chen shook his head.
Hearing their conversation, Liu Ruyan's expression changed several times in an instant, her eyes filled with anger.
It turned out that when Long Chen attacked the elder of the Great Luo Azure Lotus Clan, he failed to kill him in one blow. While the elder struggled frantically, Long Chen was instantly in danger.
At that moment, Lady Xihua's intervention was noticeably a fraction too slow, and in that fraction of a second, Lady Xihua was torn between two conflicting emotions.
If she hadn't intervened and let Long Chen die at the elder's hands, the marriage would have been off, and Liu Ruyan's troubles would have been resolved.
However, in the end, Lady Xihua couldn't bear to stand by and watch him die, and ultimately intervened. In fact, no one else noticed Lady Xihua's struggle, but Long Chen sensed it.
Because Long Chen's combat experience was too rich, logically speaking, the moment Long Chen severely injured the old man, Lady Xihua should have instinctively come to help. Her movements were a fraction slower, which Long Chen found very strange at the time.
Now, hearing about the marriage agreement and recalling her illogical speed of attack, he immediately understood.
"I hate you!"
Liu Ruyan shouted, then turned and disappeared.
"Ruyan!"
Chu Yao was immediately startled. She wanted to chase after Liu Ruyan, but Long Chen was seriously injured and couldn't leave her, so she was immediately anxious.
Lady Xihua sighed, her face showing helplessness, and said to Chu Yao:
"Ruyan is just like that, no need to rush. Take Long Chen back to recuperate first!"
"Yes,"
Chu Yao respectfully bowed to Lady Xihua and was about to help Long Chen leave, but Long Chen said:
"I'll clean up the battlefield."
As he spoke, Long Chen didn't give anyone a chance to be polite. With a wave of his hand, all the severed limbs and broken bodies on the ground were put into the Chaos Space.
Because those who came here were all top-tier experts, their corpses still retained their human forms, making them very easy to collect.
After finishing their work, supported by Chu Yao, the two left. Watching their departing figures, Lady Xihua gave a few instructions before disappearing in a flash.
...
"Your Majesty..."
In an underground palace, Lady Xihua stood with her hands at her sides, reporting the situation to a man sitting cross-legged in the center of the hall, surrounded by endless runes.
The man was tall and straight, his back to Lady Xihua, and one could vaguely see that his temples were already gray.
This man was none other than Liu Changtian, the highest authority of the Undying Clan, and also their strongest member, a living fossil who had survived the Chaos War.
The man had been listening intently, showing no reaction to the provocations and deaths of the Demon Eye Lotus Clan and the Great Luo Azure Lotus Clan.
However, upon hearing of Long Chen's arrival, an invisible killing intent instantly filled the entire hall:
"My daughter is absolutely forbidden from having any improper relationship with a human. Give her three days; if she refuses to leave—kill her without mercy!
"