After escorting Su Yang and Yi Luwei to the main hall, the servant remained standing outside the door.
He glanced at the closed doors, and a mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face.
His mind immediately returned to what he had witnessed earlier—the Young Miss embracing Su Yang while Su Yang held her face between his hands.
The servant's eyes gleamed with excitement.
This is going to be some juicy gossip.
Without wasting another moment, he turned around and hurried off to find his fellow servants.
Such interesting news could not possibly be kept to himself.
Meanwhile, Su Yang and Yi Luwei entered the main hall.
Coincidentally, Fu Yancheng entered from another entrance at almost the exact same time.
The moment they stepped inside, the conversations within the hall suddenly stopped.
Several pairs of eyes immediately turned toward Su Yang and Yi Luwei.
More precisely—
Toward their intertwined hands.
Su Yang blinked.
Yi Luwei followed everyone's gaze before realizing that she was still holding Su Yang's hand.
Her cheeks immediately turned slightly red.
Fu Yancheng's expression, however, became extremely ugly.
His hostile gaze fell upon Su Yang.
If looks could kill, Su Yang would probably have died several times over.
Su Yang and Yi Luwei ignored him and turned their attention toward the people seated within the hall.
The two were immediately surprised.
Yi Luwei's father, Yi Tong, was seated at Elder Yi's right hand.
His presence was completely unexpected.
Yi Tong had been in closed-door cultivation for a long time and rarely appeared even during important family gatherings. For him to suddenly emerge and personally attend today's meeting meant that whatever was being discussed was certainly not a small matter.
Across from him sat Fu Yancheng's father, one of the Vice Sect Masters of the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect.
The two men appeared to have been discussing something important before the youngsters entered.
Yi Tong's eyes immediately fell upon his daughter.
Then his gaze slowly lowered toward her hand.
His expression darkened.
"Luwei'er."
Yi Luwei stiffened.
"Haven't I told you not to go around holding hands with boys?"
Yi Luwei immediately released Su Yang's hand.
"Father, I—"
Yi Tong ignored her explanation and turned toward Su Yang.
"And you."
His sharp gaze landed on the young man.
"What are you doing here?"
Su Yang immediately cupped his fists respectfully.
"Greetings, Master Yi. My mother sent me here to deliver some medicinal herbs to Elder Yi."
Before Yi Tong could respond, Elder Yi, who had remained quiet throughout the exchange, finally spoke.
"Yi Tong, stop frightening the boy."
Everyone turned toward the old man.
Elder Yi was sitting comfortably in his chair while stroking Princess, who had somehow found her way onto his lap.
The large white cat purred contentedly beneath his hand.
Elder Yi looked toward Su Yang.
"Su Yang, come here."
"Yes, Elder Yi."
Su Yang stepped forward and retrieved the storage pouch containing the medicinal herbs before respectfully handing it to him.
Elder Yi accepted the pouch and sent his spiritual sense inside.
His brows immediately furrowed.
"Why is there only one Blood Ginseng?"
Before he could question Su Yang further, the young man had already anticipated his concern.
"Mother said Blood Ginseng has become extremely rare recently, and its supply is limited. She could only get her hands on one."
"I see…"
Elder Yi stroked his beard thoughtfully.
After a moment, he nodded.
"Alright. One should be enough."
He casually brushed the matter aside.
"Here. Take this."
With a sweep of his sleeve, a storage ring flew through the air and landed directly in Su Yang's palm.
Su Yang looked at it curiously.
"It contains five thousand inferior-grade spirit stones. Take them to Healer Su."
"Five thousand?"
Su Yang was slightly surprised by the amount.
Elder Yi waved his hand.
"Your mother will understand."
Su Yang nodded and carefully stored the ring away.
"Thank you, Elder Yi."
He respectfully bowed toward the elders in the hall.
"Then this junior will take his leave."
As he turned toward the exit, Su Yang glanced at Yi Luwei and casually waved goodbye.
Yi Luwei smiled and instinctively raised her hand to wave back.
However—
Her father's stern glare immediately stopped her.
Her raised hand awkwardly froze halfway.
Su Yang noticed this but thought little of it. He gave her another smile before leaving the hall.
Fu Yancheng watched the entire exchange.
A secret grin appeared on his face.
The moment Su Yang disappeared beyond the doors, Yi Tong's voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Luwei'er."
"Yes, Father?"
"From today onward, cease all interactions with that boy."
Yi Luwei froze.
"What?"
Her expression became confused.
"Father, why should I?"
She could not understand why her father suddenly wanted her to stop interacting with Su Yang.
They had grown up together.
Su Yang was practically family to her.
"Listen to me," Yi Tong said sternly. "There will be no further discussion about this matter."
"But Father—"
"And there is something else."
Yi Tong's next words caused the entire world around Yi Luwei to seemingly become silent.
"Begin preparing for your engagement to Fu Yancheng."
Yi Luwei stared at him blankly.
"What?"
She wondered whether she had heard incorrectly.
Fu Yancheng, on the other hand, struggled to suppress the smile threatening to appear on his face.
Yi Luwei finally recovered.
"Father, what did you just say?"
"You heard me."
"No!"
She immediately shook her head.
"I won't—"
Before she could finish speaking, Yi Tong raised his hand.
Two figures suddenly materialized beside her.
They were his spiritual clones.
"Take her to her room."
Yi Luwei's expression changed.
"Father!"
The two clones grabbed her arms.
"Let go of me!"
She struggled against them.
"I said let me go!"
"Take her away," Yi Tong commanded coldly.
"Grandfather!"
Yi Luwei desperately looked toward Elder Yi.
"Grandfather, say something!"
Elder Yi's hand paused while stroking Princess.
A complicated expression flashed across his aged face.
However, he remained silent.
"Grandfather!"
Yi Luwei's voice gradually disappeared as the clones dragged her from the hall.
The expression on her face brought immense satisfaction to Fu Yancheng.
He turned toward his father.
The father and son exchanged a knowing glance.
Fu Yancheng secretly grinned.
This is only the beginning.
Once Yi Luwei had been taken away, the discussions resumed.
The marriage arrangement between the Fu and Yi families was soon finalized.
To the elders involved, this was more than a simple engagement between two young cultivators.
It represented an alliance between two powerful families and strengthened their connections with the Heavenly Lightning Saber Sect.
By the time the Fu Family representatives rose to leave, both sides appeared satisfied with the arrangement.
After the Fu Family had departed, however, Elder Yi's expression immediately darkened.
He turned toward Yi Tong.
"Didn't I tell you to wait?"
Yi Tong frowned.
"Father?"
"I specifically told you that I would break the news to Luwei'er myself."
Yi Tong opened his mouth.
"I thought—"
"You thought wrong."
Elder Yi rose from his chair.
Princess jumped gracefully from his lap.
Without saying anything further, Elder Yi walked out of the hall, leaving Yi Tong staring after him dumbfounded.
When Elder Yi approached Yi Luwei's room, he could already hear faint sobbing from inside.
His heart immediately softened.
He pushed open the door.
Yi Luwei was sitting on the edge of her bed, her face buried against her knees.
"Luwei'er…"
She immediately recognized the affectionate voice.
"Grandfather…"
Her voice trembled.
Elder Yi walked over and sat beside her.
The moment he did, Yi Luwei threw herself into his arms.
"Grandfather, I don't want to marry him!"
"I know."
"I hate him!"
"I know."
"Then why are you letting Father do this?"
Elder Yi remained silent for several moments.
He gently stroked her hair.
"Luwei'er, look at me."
She reluctantly raised her tear-stained face.
Elder Yi sighed.
"Have I ever wronged you?"
Yi Luwei shook her head.
"No."
"Have I ever deliberately done something that would destroy your happiness?"
Again, she shook her head.
"No…"
"Then trust me."
Elder Yi wiped away the tears from her cheeks.
"Everything I do is for your benefit."
"But the engagement…"
"You are not marrying him."
Yi Luwei's eyes immediately brightened.
"Really?"
"For now, it is only an engagement."
Her newly awakened hope dimmed slightly.
Elder Yi continued, "There are circumstances surrounding this arrangement that you don't understand yet."
"Then cancel it!"
"It isn't that simple."
"Why?"
Elder Yi fell silent.
There were certain matters he could not explain to her yet.
He finally sighed.
"I will find a way to get you out of this engagement when the time is right."
Yi Luwei stared at her grandfather.
The little hope she had felt moments earlier vanished like smoke.
Even Elder Yi could only promise to find a way.
That meant the situation was far more complicated than she had imagined.
She clenched her fists.
Fu Yancheng!
She cursed him repeatedly in her heart.
This is all because of you!
But what hurt her even more was her father's other command.
She was no longer supposed to interact with Su Yang.
The thought alone caused her chest to tighten.
From childhood until now, Su Yang had always been there.
They had cultivated together.
Played together.
Argued together.
Whenever others mocked him for being talentless, she and Su Lan had protected him.
Even earlier today, she had been laughing and walking beside him.
How could she suddenly pretend that he meant nothing to her?
The thought of never speaking to Su Yang again hurt so much that she could barely breathe.
"Grandfather…"
Fresh tears gathered in her eyes.
Elder Yi said nothing.
He simply held his granddaughter closer and allowed her to cry against his chest.
Yi Luwei buried herself deeper within her grandfather's embrace.
Yet one thought continued echoing through her mind.
Brother Su Yang…
Outside the room, the evening wind gently swept through the Yi Family residence.
Neither Yi Luwei nor Su Yang knew that the carefree days of their childhood were gradually coming to an end.